In News:

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently published the Emissions Gap Report 2024, in anticipation of the COP29 meeting of the UNFCCC to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Key Highlights:

• Current Trajectory of Global Warming:
  • If countries continue with current environmental policies, global temperatures are expected to rise by 3.1°C above pre-industrial levels.
  • This is significantly higher than the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to well below 2°C, with an effort to cap it at 1.5°C.
• Paris Agreement at Risk:
  • Even if all Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are fully implemented (including both unconditional and conditional emissions reduction targets), the world would still experience 2.6°C of warming by 2030.
  • This presents a major challenge to achieving the Paris Agreement’s climate goals.
• Urgent Need for Action:
  • To limit global warming to 1.5°C, greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025 and decline by 43% by 2030.
  • The report highlights the emission gap between current pledges and what is required to meet the 1.5°C goal.
• Record High Emissions:
  • Global greenhouse gas emissions hit a record 57.1 gigatons of CO? equivalent in 2023.
  • This represents an increase of 1.3% compared to 2022, continuing the upward trend from the previous decade.
• India’s Emissions:
  • India’s greenhouse gas emissions grew by 6.1% between 2022 and 2023.
  • Per capita emissions in India were 2.9 tCO?e in 2022, significantly lower than China (11 tCO?e) and the U.S. (18 tCO?e).
• G20 Countries’ Contribution:
  • G20 countries, excluding the African Union, contributed 77% of global emissions in 2023.
  • The six largest emitters (including China, U.S., and India) were responsible for 63% of global emissions.
  • This shows a significant imbalance in emissions, with developed countries having much higher per capita emissions compared to developing nations like India and Africa.
• Necessary Emissions Cuts:
  • To keep the 1.5°C target within reach, global emissions need to be cut by at least 7.5% annually until 2035.
  • Cost of bridging the emissions gap: Achieving net-zero by 2050 will require USD 900 billion to USD 2.1 trillion annually, approximately 1% of global GDP.
• Emission Reduction Pathways:
  • Renewable Energy: Scaling up solar and wind energy technologies could contribute up to 27% of the required emissions reductions by 2030.
  • Forest Conservation: Protecting and restoring forests could provide 20% of the required emissions reductions by 2030.
  • Other crucial measures include improving energy efficiency, transitioning to electric vehicles, and focusing on fuel switching in key sectors like transport, industry, and buildings.
• Disparities in Emissions:
  • Despite changes over the past two decades, large disparities remain between emissions across regions.
  • Developed countries have three times higher per capita emissions compared to the global average, while India, the African Union, and least developed countries continue to have much lower emissions.
• Call to Action:
  • UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen urged countries to act now, stating: “No more hot air, please.” The urgency is to ramp up climate pledges and ensure stronger actions in the upcoming COP29 talks in Baku, Azerbaijan (November 2024), where nations must work to get on a 1.5°C pathway.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• Established: 1972, following the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm.
• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya.
• Governing Body: The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), which is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on environmental matters, with 193 Member States.
• Programs & Initiatives: UNEP leads global efforts on climate action, ecosystem restoration, clean seas, and supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Reports: UNEP publishes crucial assessments like the Emissions Gap Report, Global Environment Outlook, and Adaptation Gap Report, influencing global environmental policies.

Why is it in the News?

The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific, in collaboration with other environmental organizations, has called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take decisive action in response to plastic pollution.

About Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA):

• The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) is an alliance of over 1,000 grassroots groups, NGOs, and individuals working towards a transition from a linear, extractive economy to a circular system.
• GAIA's primary objective is to create a world that prioritizes people's right to a safe and healthy environment, free from toxic pollution and resource depletion.
• GAIA envisions a just, zero-waste world where communities' rights are respected, and ecological limits are acknowledged. To achieve this vision, the alliance focuses on:
• Eliminating Incineration: GAIA advocates for alternatives to incineration and promotes waste management practices that protect the environment and public health.
• Promoting Zero Waste: The alliance supports the adoption of zero-waste strategies, emphasizing waste reduction, reuse, and recycling to conserve resources and reduce pollution.
• Addressing Plastic Pollution: GAIA recognizes the global plastic pollution crisis and works on initiatives to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainable alternatives.
• Mitigating Climate Change: GAIA advocates for climate-friendly waste management practices, emphasizing the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from waste disposal.

What is Incineration?

• Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves burning hazardous materials at high temperatures to destroy contaminants.
  • This process takes place in an "incinerator," a furnace specifically designed to safely burn hazardous materials within a combustion chamber.
• Various types of hazardous materials can be treated through incineration, including soil, sludge, liquids, and gases.
  • While incineration effectively destroys many harmful chemicals such as solvents, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides, it does not destroy metals like lead and chromium.
• Modern incinerators are equipped with air pollution control mechanisms, such as fabric filters, scrubbers, and electrostatic precipitators.
  • These technologies help remove fly ash and gaseous contaminants generated during the incineration process, mitigating its environmental impact.
  • Despite its benefits in waste treatment, incineration remains a topic of debate due to concerns about residual pollutants and the potential for contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

Why is it in the News?

In a bid to manage the teeming population of chital (spotted deer) in Ross Island (officially known as the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island), the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration recently sought help from the Wildlife Institute of India.

What are Invasive Alien Species (IAS)?

• According to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Invasive alien species are plants, animals, pathogens, and other organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health.
• In particular, they impact adversely upon biodiversity, including the decline or elimination of native species - through competition, predation, or transmission of pathogens - and the disruption of local ecosystems and ecosystem functions.
• Invasive alien species, introduced and/or spread outside their natural habitats, have affected native biodiversity in almost every ecosystem type on Earth and are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity.
• Since the 17th century, invasive alien species have contributed to nearly 40% of all animal extinctions for which the cause is known (CBD, 2006).
• The problem continues to grow at great socio-economic, health, and ecological costs around the world.
• Invasive alien species exacerbate poverty and threaten development through their impact on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and natural systems, which are an important basis of people’s livelihoods in developing countries.
• This damage is aggravated by climate change, pollution, habitat loss, and human-induced disturbance.

What are Some Examples of Invasive Wildlife in India?

• The list of invasive wildlife in India is dominated by certain species of fish such as the African catfish, Nile tilapia, red-bellied piranha, and alligator gar, and turtle species such as the red-eared slider.
  • The red-eared slider, for instance, is a favorite among India’s exotic pet owners, and many have been abandoned in local water bodies.
  • This turtle, native to North America, notoriously edges out local freshwater species, owing to its fast rates of reproduction, and the following competition for food.
• With regards to species of fish, many were introduced in India to feed the demand for those maintaining aquariums.
  • For instance, the African catfish was brought over from Bangladesh specifically for aquaculture purposes. “
  • The occurrence of C gariepinus (the species’ scientific name) has been reported from several inland systems of India including the mighty rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Sutlej, Godavari, Periyar River, and the lakes like Vembanad Lake.

How do IAS Impact Native Flora and Fauna?

• The invasive species act as disruptors in the food chain and disturb the balance of the ecosystem.
• In habitats where there is no competition, invasive species can dominate the entire ecosystem
  • For instance, “in Keoladeo Park, Bharatpur in Rajasthan, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, the African catfish have been known to prey on waterfowls and migratory birds as well.
• Studies have shown that the proliferation of chital in the Andamans has affected the regeneration of native vegetation, as the deer are known to consume seeds and seedlings.

Why is it in the News?

The Centre on Monday introduced a Bill that would enable it to prescribe the norms for nominating chairpersons of State Pollution Control Boards, exempt certain industrial units from restrictions, and decriminalize “minor offenses” related to water pollution.

News Summary:

• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill, 2024 has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha.
• It is applicable to Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, with the potential to extend to other states through resolutions under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
• The Bill empowers the Centre to exempt certain industrial plants from restrictions and issue guidelines related to industry establishment.

About Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill, 2024:

• Enacted in 1974, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act aimed to prevent and control water pollution, establishing penal provisions for non-compliance.

Rationale for the Amendment:

• The Amendment Bill underscores the importance of democratic governance, emphasizing trust in people and institutions. It addresses the outdated regulations leading to a trust deficit.

Key Amendments Proposed:

• The Amendment Bill seeks to modernize the existing penal provisions, replacing imprisonment with fines for minor violations. This move aligns with the principles of Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business.

Major Features of the Amendment Bill:

• The Bill proposes several key changes, including:
  • Prescribing the process for nominating the chairman of the State Pollution Control Board by the Central Government.
  • Granting the Central government authority to exempt certain industrial plants from restrictions on new outlets and discharges.
  • Issuing guidelines on matters related to the establishment of industries by the Central government.
  • Decriminalizing minor offenses and substituting them with monetary penalties.
  • Specifying the adjudication process for penalties by officers of appropriate rank.
  • Outlining penalties for non-compliance with regulations regarding new outlets, discharges, and sewage.
  • Allocation of penalty amounts to the Environmental Protection Fund established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Why in the News?

The Delhi government is mulling the use of artificial rain through cloud seeding this month to combat the air pollution crisis in the national capital.

What is Cloud Seeding?

• Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique aimed at increasing precipitation by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei.
• The primary goal is to encourage the formation and growth of precipitation particles within clouds.
• Commonly used substances for cloud seeding include silver iodide, potassium iodide, and liquid propane.

There are two main types of cloud seeding:

• Static cloud seeding: This type of seeding is used to increase precipitation in areas that are experiencing drought
• It involves releasing silver iodide or dry ice into clouds that are already producing precipitation.
• The silver iodide or dry ice acts as ice nuclei, which causes water droplets in the clouds to freeze and form snowflakes.
• The snowflakes then grow larger and fall to the ground as rain or snow.
• Dynamic cloud seeding: This type of seeding is used to increase the amount of precipitation that falls from clouds that are not yet producing precipitation.
• It involves releasing silver iodide into clouds that are still in the development stage.
• The silver iodide acts as condensation nuclei, which causes water vapor in the clouds to condense and form water droplets.
• The water droplets then grow larger and fall to the ground as rain or snow.
• Cloud seeding is typically done using aircraft, but it can also be done using ground-based generators or rockets.
• The aircraft or other seeding platform will fly into the clouds and release the silver iodide or dry ice.
• The seeding material will then spread throughout the cloud and begin to alter the microphysical processes.
• The effectiveness of cloud seeding is debated.
• Some studies have shown that it can increase precipitation by up to 30%, while other studies have shown that it has little or no effect.
• The effectiveness of cloud seeding is likely to vary depending on the type of clouds being seeded, the atmospheric conditions, and the seeding method used.
• Cloud seeding is used in a variety of countries around the world, including the United States, China, Russia, and Australia.

Why in the News?

As the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the National Capital Region reaches 'severe' levels, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) activated Stage 4 measures from the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) recently.

What is the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)?

• GRAP is a set of emergency measures that kick in to prevent further deterioration of air quality once it reaches a certain threshold in the Delhi-NCR region.
• Approved in 2016 after the Supreme Court’s order in M. C. Mehta vs. Union of India (2016) and notified in 2017.
• The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) to implement GRAP measures till 2020.
• However, the EPCA was dissolved and replaced by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in 2020.
• From 2021, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for implementing GRAP.
• CAQM relies on air quality and meteorological forecasts by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).
• GRAP is incremental in nature and thus, when the air quality dips from ‘poor’ to ‘very poor,’ measures listed under both sections have to be followed.
• Stage 1 of GRAP is activated when the AQI is in the ‘poor’ category (201 to 300),
• Stage 2 is when it’s in the ‘Very poor’ category (301-400),
• Stage 3 is when the AQI is the ‘Severe’ category (401-450) and finally
• Stage 4 is when it rises to the ‘Severe +’ category (more than 450).

What is the News ?

The second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) concluded with member states instructing the INC secretariat to create an initial draft aimed at putting an end to plastic pollution, including in marine ecosystems.

Facts About:

• This is a globally binding agreement designed to put an end to plastic pollution, especially in marine ecosystems.
• The zero draft consists of ten sections covering topics such as the preamble, definitions, principles, scope, institutional arrangements, and final provisions.
• During INC-2, member states like Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, and India emphasized the significance of clearly defining the scope of this legally binding instrument.