8.Enviro-60T Flashcards
- CLIMATE CHANGE
1.1. GLOBAL SCENARIO
1.1.1. UN EMISSION GAP REPORT
2017
Why in news?
Recently, eighth edition of UN Environment’s
Emissions Gap report was unveiled.
Highlights
• It focuses on the difference between the
emissions level the countries have pledged to
achieve under international agreements
(INDCs) and the level consistent with limiting
warming to well below 2 degrees C.
• Insignificant Commitment: INDC pledges
submitted by countries to reduce current
emissions are only about one-third of what is
needed to prevent catastrophic temperature
increases by “at least” 3°C from pre-industrial
levels by the year 2100.
• Greenhouse emissions: Though the total
global greenhouse gas emissions continue to
increase, the rate of growth has decreased
over the past few years
o Effect of short-lived climate pollutants
(SLCP): It has been estimated that SLCP
mitigation has the potential to avoid up
to 0.6°C of warming by mid-century.
• Exploring “negative emission technologies”
for removing carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere as an additional way to mitigate
climate change, over and above conventional
abatement strategies.
• It has pointed that three of the G20 parties —
China, the EU, and India — are on track to
meet their Cancun climate pledges (In
Cancun summit of UNFCCC, Mexico, in 2011,
nations had agreed to GHG emission cuts
ahead of 2020).
SLCP include a variety of gases that have short-term
warming effects often in excess of CO2, but don’t stay
in the atmosphere as long. These include methane,
HFCs, black carbon (soot), tropospheric ozone etc.
The Climate and Clean Air Coalition is a voluntary
partnership of governments, intergovernmental
organizations, businesses etc. committed to reduce
short-lived climate pollutants with over 120 state and
non-state partners. It was initiated in 2012 by
governments of Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, Mexico,
Sweden and the United States, along with the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Paris Agreement
• At the Paris climate conference (COP21) in
December 2015, 195 countries adopted the firstever universal, legally binding global climate deal.
• The agreement sets out a global action plan to put
the world on track to avoid dangerous climate
change by limiting global warming to well below
2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing
efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C
above pre-industrial levels.
• It requires each Party to prepare, communicate
and maintain successive nationally determined
contributions (NDCs) that it intends to achieve.
India’s NDC - India plans to
• Reduce its emissions intensity by 33 - 35%
between 2005 and 2030.
• Achieve 40% of its cumulative electric power from
non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
• Increase carbon sinks by creating an additional
capacity equivalent to 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of
CO2 through significant afforestation efforts by
2030
1.1.2. CLIMATE CHANGE PERFORMANCE INDEX (CCPI)
Why in news?
Recently, India has been ranked 14th in Climate
Change Performance Index (CCPI).
Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI)
• It is issued by Germanwatch, the New Climate
Institute, and the Climate Action Network.
• The report ranks 56 countries and the
European Union, which together are
responsible for 90% of global greenhouse gas
emissions.
• Countries are ranked across four categories
— Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Renewable
Energy, Energy Use, and Climate Policy.
Highlights of index
• India improved it’s ranking from 20th in 2017
to 14th in 2018, on account for reducing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and
adopting more clean sources of energy.
• Top three positions on the Index still remain
unoccupied as no country is currently on a
Paris Climate Agreement-compatible
pathway
1.1.3. EARTH OVERSHOOT DAY
Why in News?
In 2017, Earth Overshoot Day fell on August 2,
the earliest date since ecological overshoot began
in the early 1970s.
What is it?
• It is the date when humanity annual demand
on nature exceeds what Earth can regenerate
over the entire year.
• It is calculated by WWF and Global Footprint
Network.
• It signifies that we have emitted more carbon
than the oceans and forests can absorb in a
year.
• In 2007 it fell on 15th August.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
• Switzerland based International NGO, estd. in
1961 and engages in conservation of wildlife and
natural habitat.
Objectives
• Conserving the world’s biological diversity.
• Ensuring that the use of renewable natural
resources is sustainable.
• Promoting the reduction of pollution and
wasteful consumption.
• Enhancing active participation of all sections of
society in nature conservation and environmental
protection.
Reports and initiatives
• Living planet report based on Living planet index
and ecological footprint
• Earth Hour with other voluntary organizations-It
was first organized in 2007 at Sydney, in which
individuals, businesses and organizations turn off
their lights for 60 minutes to show the
government that climate change was an issue
they cared about.
• Debt-for-Nature Swap- Agreement that reduces a
developing country’s debt in exchange for a
commitment to protect nature was first
undertaken by WWF. Currently it is also being
undertaken by UNDP and other organizations.
Global Footprint Network
• It is an international nonprofit organization
founded in 2003 to enable a sustainable future
where all people have the opportunity to
thrive within the means of one planet
1.1.4. GREEN GROWTH
Why in News?
• In June 2017, OECD released a report titled
“Green Growth Indicators 2017” highlighting
the slow progress in achieving the Green
Growth.
What is Green Growth?
• It is fostering economic growth and
development while ensuring the natural
assets continue to provide the resource and
environment services on which our wellbeing relies.
• It is measured by Green Growth Indicators
covering everything from land use to
CO2 productivity and innovation like
Environmental and resource productivity,
The natural asset base, Environmental
dimension of quality of life, Economic
opportunities and policy responses
Highlights of report
• China and the US extract the most nonenergy raw materials followed by India and
Brazil (mostly biomass), and South Africa and
Canada (mostly metals).
• About 90% of green technologies originate in
OECD countries, but the contributions of
China and India are rising fast.
Global Green Growth Institution (GGGI)
• Headquartered in Seoul (South Korea) it is a
treaty based inter-governmental
organization.
• India is not founding member but associated
with research work.
• Established in 2012, at the Rio+20 United
Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development.
• Initiative on Green Growth and
Development in India is a collaborative
project of Global Green Growth Institute
(GGGI) and The Energy and Resources
Institute (TERI).
1.1.5 CO2 IN ATMOSPHERE HITS
RECORD HIGH: UN
Why in news?
According to the World Meteorological
Organization’s (WMO) Greenhouse Gas Bulletin,
the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the
atmosphere has hit a new high.
About WMO
• It is a specialized agency of the United Nation.
• It studies the behavior of the Earth’s atmosphere,
its interaction with the oceans, the climate it
produces and the resulting distribution of water
resources.
• Greenhouse Gas Bulletin is WMO annual flagship
report, which tracks concentrations of gasses in
the atmosphere in the post-industrial era (since
1750).
Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) programme of
WMO
• It provides reliable scientific data and information
on the chemical composition of the atmosphere,
its natural and anthropogenic change, and helps
to improve the understanding of interactions
between the atmosphere, the oceans and the
biosphere.
• GAW focal areas are aerosols, greenhouse gases,
selected reactive gases, ozone, UV radiation and
precipitation chemistry (or atmospheric
deposition)
Related information
• According to report, concentrations of CO2
are now 145% of pre-industrial (before 1750)
levels.
• Atmospheric methane reached a new high of
about 257% of the pre-industrial level.
• NO2 atmospheric concentration in 2016 was
122% of pre-industrial levels
1.1.6. ENVIRONMENTAL
PERFORMANCE INDEX
Why in news?
India ranked 177 out of 180 in recently released
Environmental Performance Index.
About Environmental Performance Index
• It is biennial index produced jointly by Yale
University and Columbia University in
collaboration with the World Economic
Forum.
• The EPI ranks countries on 24 performance
indicators across 10 issue categories which
are: Air quality, Water and sanitation, Heavy
metals, Biodiversity and Habitat, Forests,
Fisheries, Climate and energy, Air pollution,
Water resource and Agriculture.
• Switzerland is ranked first followed by France
and Denmark
- MITIGATION MEASURES
1. 2.1. CARBON MARKET
Why in news?
Recently China formally launched its National
Carbon Market.
Emission Trading
• It is a market-based approach to control air
pollution by creating tradable pollution
credits to add profit motive as an incentive
for good performers unlike the traditional
methods of penalty.
• ‘Emission Trading’ as a concept was
introduced under the Kyoto Protocol as
central element in form of Clean
Development Mechanism. Under the
mechanism the countries which have extra
credits to spare can sell them to the countries
which have over-shot their targets
• “Joint implementation” is a programme
under the Kyoto Protocol that allows
industrialized countries to meet part of their
required cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions by
paying for projects that reduce emissions in
other industrialized countries.
• At present, the European Union’s emission
trading scheme is world’s largest.
About PAT (perform, achieve & trade) scheme
• In India, PAT was introduced in 2012 under
the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE) to be implemented by
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (Ministry of
Power).
National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
(NMEEE)
It is one of the eight national missions under the
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
NMEEE consist of four initiatives to enhance energy
efficiency in energy intensive industries which are as
follows:
• PAT (perform, achieve & trade) scheme:
Improving efficiency in energy intensive sector.
• Energy Efficiency Financing Platform (EEFP):
provides a platform to interact with financial
institutions and project developers for
implementation of energy efficiency projects
• Framework for Energy Efficient Economic
Development (FEEED): focuses on developing
appropriate fiscal instruments to promote energy
efficiency financing.
• Market transformation for Energy Efficiency
(MTEE): Accelerating shift toward energy efficient
appliances.
• The 2010 amendment to Energy
Conservation Act (ECA) provides a legal
mandate to PAT which sets mandatory and
specific targets for energy efficiency in eight
sectors.
• PAT provides the option to trade any
additional certified energy savings with other
designated consumers to comply with the
Specific Energy Consumption reduction
targets.
• It is a market-based mechanism in which
sectors are assigned efficiency targets.
Industries which over-achieve target get
incentives in the form of energy saving
certificates (ESCert).
• These certificates are tradable at two energy
exchanges viz. Indian Energy Exchange and
Power Exchange India, where it can be bought
by other industries which are unable to achieve
their targets.
• PAT cycle I (2012-13 to 2014-15), was
applicable on eight energy intensive sectors
viz Thermal Power plants, Iron & Steel,
Cement, Fertilizer, Aluminum, Textile, Pulp &
Paper and Chlor-alkali.
• PAT cycle II (2016-17 to 2018-19): includes 8
sectors of PAT I and 3 new sectors viz,
railways, discoms and petroleum refineries.
• PAT cycle III: Notified from 1st April, 2017
Under it, 116 new units have been included
and given a reduction target of 1.06 million
tonnes of oil equivalent.
1.2.2. CARBON SINK
Why in news?
Ministry of Environment and Forest is working on
a landscape-based catchment treatment plan to
achieve its commitment under INDC.
Background
• According to India State of Forest Report
(ISFR) 2015 total forest and tree cover is
24.16 % of the total geographical area, which
should be 33% as envisioned under National
Forest Policy 1988.
• The carbon stock in India is roughly 7 billion
tonnes, equivalent to 25.66 billion tonnes of
carbon dioxide.
• Worldwide, 65% of carbon stock is stored in
soil and 35% in trees
Catchment treatment plan & its significance
• Catchment area (area from which all
precipitation flows to a single stream or set of
streams) can act as a natural carbon sinks
that can sequester substantial amounts of
atmospheric CO2 in the form of organic
carbon in the soil.
• Improving catchment of water can be done
through
o Biological Intervention through
afforestation drive and increasing soil
porosity through vermiculture etc. as
porous soil is able to hold more water
than compacted soil.
• Employing mechanical means such as check
dams, underground reservoirs or cement
slabs that can channelise the rainwater
further into the soil. Planned management of
catchment areas will prevent soil erosion,
help recharge groundwater and deter forest
fires by retaining moisture in the soil.
• It will minimise human-animal conflict since
such a plan will increase availability of water
and fodder inside forests and recharge
groundwater.
• A carbon sink is a natural or artificial reservoir
that accumulates and stores some carboncontaining chemical compound for an indefinite
period
• Carbon Sequestration is the process by which CO2
is captured from the atmosphere for long-term
storage to slow down the accumulation of
greenhouse gases. E.g.: Afforestation, Carbon
Capture and Storage (CCS) techniques.
As part of its climate change commitments in the
aftermath of signing the historic Paris agreement India
is now exploring the possibility of carbon capture
utilization storage (CCUS).
• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): It is the
process of capturing waste carbon dioxide (CO2)
from large point sources, such as fossil fuel power
plants, transporting it to a storage site, and
depositing it where it will not enter the
atmosphere, normally an underground geological
formation.
• Carbon Capture Utilization Storage (CCUS): is a
process that captures carbon dioxide emissions
from sources like coal-fired power plants and
either reuses or stores it so it will not enter the
atmosphere.
• In CCS, emissions are forced into underground
rocks at great cost and no economic benefit while
CCUS aims at using CO2 emissions by exploiting
the resource itself and creating new markets
around it. CO2 has commercial and industrial uses,
particularly for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) in
depleting oil fields
1.2.3. GREEN CLIMATE FUND
Why in news?
The disagreement between the US and the other
19 countries at the recent G20 summit at
Hamburg has put a question mark over the
sustainability of the Green Climate Fund (GCF)
G20 Hamburg Climate and Energy Action Plan
for Growth
• The G20 (with the exception of the US)
decided on clear measures for implementing
the Paris Agreement and commencing the
global energy transition in line with the goals
of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
Green climate fund
• It is a global fund created to support the
efforts of developing countries to respond to
the challenge of climate change.
• It was set up by the 194 countries who are
parties to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in
2010, as part of the Convention’s financial
mechanism. It aims to deliver equal amounts
of funding to mitigation and adaptation.
• These funds come mainly from developed
countries and also from some developing
countries, regions, and one city (Paris).
• GCF’s activities are aligned with the priorities
of developing countries through the principle
of country ownership, and national and subnational organisations can receive funding
directly.
• Developing countries appoint a National
Designated Authority (NDA) that acts as the
interface between their government and GCF
and must approve all GCF project activities
within the country. India’s NDA is NABARD.
• The Fund pays particular attention to the
needs of societies that are highly vulnerable
to the effects of climate change, in particular
Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small
Island Developing States (SIDS), and African
States
1.2.4. GEO ENGINEERING
Why in news?
A collaborative study by India, China and the U.S.
has found that a combination of two geo
engineering methods — stratospheric sulphate
aerosol increase and cirrus cloud thinning — can
be used to reduce global warming and
precipitation rates to pre-industrial levels.
What is geo engineering?
Geoengineering (also known as Climate
engineering or climate intervention) schemes
are projects designed to tackle the effects of
climate change directly, usually by removing CO2
from the air or limiting the amount of sunlight
reaching the planet’s surface.
Methods
Generally, two categories of engineering
solutions:
• Greenhouse gas removal through Carbon
capture and storage (CCS), enhanced
weathering (It involves a chemical approach
to remove carbon dioxide involving land or
ocean-based techniques) etc.
• Reduction of global warming by cutting
down the heat absorbed by our planet from
the sun through
o Stratospheric aerosol injection which
involves spraying into the stratosphere
fine, light-coloured particles designed to
reflect back part of the solar radiation
(global dimming). Sulphur Dioxide gas is
used for the process.
o Cirrus cloud manipulation: Here the
cirrus clouds are removed or thinned so
that their long-wave trapping capacity is
reduced and thus cools the surface.
o Marine cloud brightening: The low warm
clouds which are highly reflective to
sunlight are modified to increase their
reflectivity.
o Space sunshade: Obstructing sunrays
with space-based mirrors
o Using pale-coloured roofing material or
growing high albedo crops.
1.2.5. COMBATING
DESERTIFICATION
Why in news?
• Kubuqi Desert in Ordos, Inner Mongolia,
became the first desert in the world to
achieve large-scale desertification control.
• Jordan launched Sahara Forest Project (SFP)
to turn the desert land into a flourishing
farmland.
Desertification Status in India
• Desertification refers to the land degradation in
arid, semi-arid and sub-humid areas resulting
from various factors, including climatic
variations and human activities.
• The most significant process of
desertification/ land degradation in the
country is water erosion (10.98% in 2011-13)
followed by vegetation degradation (8.91% in
2011- 13) and wind erosion (5.55 % in 2011-
13).
• According to the State of India’s Environment
2017 by the Centre for Science and
Environment report, nearly 30 per cent of
India’s land is degraded or facing
desertification.
• In eight states—Rajasthan, Delhi, Goa,
Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Tripura
and Himachal Pradesh—around 40 to 70 per
cent of land has undergone desertification.
1.2.6. LAND DEGRADATION
NEUTRALITY FUND
Why in news?
Land Degradation Neutrality Fund (LDN Fund)
was launched at the 13th Conference of the
Parties (COP13) to the United Nations Convention
to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ordos,
China.
More about the news
• LDN fund is a first-of-its-kind investment
vehicle leveraging public money to raise
private capital for sustainable land
management and landscape restoration
activities worldwide.
• It will be independent from the UN and will
be managed by a private sector investment
management firm.
• It will invest in bankable projects on land
rehabilitation and sustainable land
management worldwide, including
sustainable agriculture, sustainable livestock
management, agro-forestry, sustainable
forestry, renewable energy, infrastructure
development, and eco-tourism.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
(UNCCD)
• Adopted in 1994 and entered into force in 1996, it
is the only internationally legally binding
framework set up to address the problem of
desertification
• The Convention addresses specifically the arid,
semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the
drylands.
• It recently released the first edition of Global
Land Outlook report.
• UNCCD 2018-2030 Strategic Framework has been
launched to improve the condition of affected
ecosystems, combat desertification/land
degradation and to improve the living conditions
of affected populations
2010 to 2020 has been declared as United Nations
Decade for Deserts and the Fight Against
Desertification
1.2.7. GLOBAL SEED VAULT
Why in news?
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway
completed 10 years of its official opening.
About the Svalbard Seed Vault
• It is a state-of-the-art seed protection facility,
famously called the ‘Doomsday’ or the
‘Apocalypse’ Seed Bank or ‘Noah’s Ark for
seeds’
• It is situated in the remote Arctic Svalbard
archipelago.
• It was established in 2008 and serves as the
primary backup for the world’s other seed
banks currently holding nearly one million
seed samples from the world’s gene banks.
• The seed packages can be accessed only by
the depositing authorities with no transfer of
ownership.
India’s seed vault
• It is situated at Chang La, Ladakh
• Built jointly by the Defence Institute of High
Altitude Research (DIHAR) and the National
Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR)
in 2010 under the aegis of Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO), this
permafrost seed bank is the second largest in
the world.
• Presently, the only other facility in India for
long-term storage of seeds is the one set up
by Indian Council of Agricultural Research
(ICAR) New Delhi
1.2.8. ARTIFICIAL REEFS TO SAVE
SINKING ISLANDS
Why in News?
• Tamil Nadu govt in collaboration with IIT
Madras have been restoring Vaan Island in
Gulf of Mannar by deploying artificial reefs
near vulnerable islands.
More on news
• It is the first attempt in India to protect and
restore a sinking island.
• The project has been funded by NAFCC of the
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate
Change
• Due to indiscriminate mining of coral,
destructive fishing practices and frequent fires
caused by fisherman in past decades, area of
Vaan Island had been reduced.
Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)
• Launched in 1971, UNESCO’s Man and the
Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an
Intergovernmental Scientific Programme that
aims to establish a scientific basis for the
improvement of relationships between people
and their environments.
• MAB combines the natural and social sciences,
economics and education to improve human
livelihoods and the equitable sharing of
benefits, and to safeguard natural and
managed ecosystems, thus promoting
innovative approaches to economic
development that are socially and culturally
appropriate, and environmentally sustainable.
List of MAB sites in India
• Nilgiri (Tamil Nadu- Karnataka- Kerala).
• Gulf of Mannar
• Sunderban (West Bengal)
• Nanda Devi (Uttarakhand)
• Nokrek (Meghalaya)
• Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh)
• Similipal (Odisha)
• Achanakmar- Amarkantak (Madhya Pradesh -
Chhattisgarh)
• Great Nicobar (Andaman & Nicobar)
• Agathyamala (Kerala)
National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change [NAFCC]
• Aim: To assist State and Union Territories that are
particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of
climate change in meeting the cost of adaptation.
• NABARD has been appointed as National
Implementing Entity (NIE) responsible for
implementation of adaptation projects under the
NAFCC.
Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve
• It is the first marine biosphere reserve in Asia.
• It lies between the southeastern tip of India and
the west coast of Sri Lanka, in the Coromandel
Coast region.
• Fauna: endangered Dugong (Sea Cow), three
species of endangered sea turtles, sea
horses, several species of dolphins and whales
etc
Prominent Corals in India • Lakshadweep • Andaman and Nicobar Islands • Gulf of Mannar • Gulf of Kutch • Netrani Island in Karnataka • Malwan in Maharashtra
1.2.9. MICROBES TO CLEAN
CONTAMINATION
Why in News?
• A recent study revealed that microbes are
increasingly being used to clean
contaminated sites all over world.
Applications of Microbes
• Cleaning up contaminated soils, industrial
wastewater, groundwater, mines, and
pesticide accumulated sites and fly ash
disposal sites.
• Use not limited to bacteria but extended to
fungi such as Asper-gillusniger, A terreus,
Cladosporium oxysporum.
• Fungi as a microbe may affect the chemical
state of metal pollutants, as well as being
very important in the degradation of
xenobiotic compounds.
Bioremediation techniques:
Oilzapper
• It is essentially a cocktail of five different bacterial
strains that are immobilized and mixed with a
carrier material (powdered corncob) developed
by TERI.
• It feeds on hydrocarbon compounds present in
crude oil and oily sludge and converts them into
harmless CO2 and water.
Oilivorous-S
• It is a tad different from Oilzapper is an additional
bacterial strain that makes the former more
effective against sludge and crude oil with highsulphur content developed by Indian Oil’s
research and development wing.
• Both Oilzapper and Oilivorous-S can be used in
situ, thereby eliminating the need to transfer
large quantities of contaminated waste from the
site, a process that poses more threats to the
environment.
Funaria hygrometrica
• Scientists in Japan identified a moss (Funaria
hygrometrica) for phytoremediation-based
removal method as it is known to grow well in
sites contaminated with metals like copper, zinc,
and lead, when in protonema (earliest) stage of
development.
• It absorbed lead well at pH values between 3 and
9, which is important because the acidity of
metal-polluted water can vary.
Other techniques
Meisenheimer complex
• It is a chemical compound synthesised through
mixing two chemicals at room temperature.
• It has been found to be highly effective in
removing fluoride and metal ions such as lead,
mercury, cadmium, copper, and iron from
drinking water as it has negative and positive
charged parts.
• A polystyrene sponge when coated with the
compound was able to absorb a wide variety of
oils and organic solvents from water.
1.3. INTERNATIONL
COOPERATION
1.3.1. BONN CLIMATE MEET
Why in news
• The 23rd meeting of the Conference of the
Parties (COP-23) of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) concluded in Bonn, Germany.
About UNFCCC
• In 1992, countries joined the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change,
as a framework for international cooperation
to combat climate change by limiting average
global temperature increases.
• It is one of three conventions adopted at the
“Rio Earth Summit” in 1992. Its sister Rio
Conventions are the UN Convention on
Biological Diversity and the Convention to
Combat Desertification.
Highlights
• Adoption of Fiji Momentum for
Implementation: It set the stage for
negotiation in 2018. It is divided into three
parts which deals with:
o Completion of the Work Programme
under Paris Agreement.
o Talanoa Dialogue: Talanoa dialogue is a
facilitative dialogue in 2018, to take stock
of the collective efforts of Parties in
relation to progress towards the longterm goal referred to Paris Agreement
and to inform the preparation of
nationally determine contributions
(NDCs).
o Pre-2020 implementation and ambition:
Parties agreed that there will be two
stock-takes to discuss pre-2020
commitments – in 2018 and 2019 –
before the Paris Agreement becomes
operative in 2020.
• Gender Action Plan: The first ever Gender
Action Plan to the UNFCCC was adopted at
COP23 (role of gender in climate actions had
earlier been included in the Lima work
programme).
• Local communities and indigenous people’s
platform: It is a new platform to include
indigenous people’s voices in the
implementation of the Paris Agreement. A
full operationalization is slated for April-May
2018.
• Loss and damage: No financial commitments
were agreed upon between the negotiating
parties on the issue of loss and damage.
• Post-2020 Actions are meant for all countries as
per their nationally determined contributions
(NDCs) under 2015 Paris Agreement.
• Pre-2020 Actions refer to existing obligations of
small group rich and developed nations to take
mitigation actions under Kyoto Protocol.
• Lima Work Programme on Gender (COP-2014): It
aims to advance implementation of genderresponsive climate policies and mandates across
all areas of the negotiations.
• Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and
Damage (COP-19): It aims to address loss and
damage associated with impacts of climate
change, including extreme events and slow onset
events, in developing countries that are
particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of
climate change.
Other Initiative Started during the COP-23
• Powering Past Coal alliance: It is initiated by the
UK and Canada. 15 countries have joined an
alliance to phase out coal-based power by 2030.
• Below 50 initiative: It was launched by World
Business Council for Sustainable Development
(WBCSD). The goal is to create the demand and
market for those sustainable fuels that produce at
least 50% less CO2 emissions than conventional
fossil fuels.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD):
• It is an international legally-binding treaty with
three main goals: conservation of biodiversity;
sustainable use of biodiversity; fair and
equitable sharing of the benefits arising from
the use of genetic resources.
• The Convention on Biological Diversity covers
biodiversity at all levels: ecosystems, species
and genetic resources.
• BIOFIN (launched by UNDP and European
Commission and having India as its member) was
initiated in response to the urgent global need to
divert more finance from all possible sources
towards global and national biodiversity goals, as
highlighted during the 2010 CBD COP 10 in
Nagoya.
Important protocols of the convention:
• The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic
Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of
Benefits Arising from their Use.
o The Access and Benefit-sharing ClearingHouse is a key tool for facilitating the
implementation of the Nagoya Protocol by
enhancing legal certainty, clarity, and
transparency on procedures, through the
internationally recognized certificate of
compliance (IRCC), which serves as
evidence that genetic material had been
accessed according to procedure and after
prior informed consent.
• The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the
Convention on Biological Diversity
Pursuant to the CBD, India enacted the Biological
Diversity Act in 2002. The Act is implemented through
a three-tiered institutional structure at the national,
state and local levels.
• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) at
central level to perform facilitative, regulatory
and advisory functions for the government of
India on issues of conservation, sustainable use
of biological resources and fair and equitable
sharing of benefits arising out of the use of
biological resources.
• The State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs)
• The institutions of self-governments are
required to set up Biodiversity Management
Committees (BMCs) in their respective areas for
conservation, sustainable use, documentation of
biodiversity and chronicling of knowledge related
to biodiversity.
Government of India in collaboration with the
Norwegian Government has established a “Centre for
Biodiversity Policy and Law (CEBPOL)” in the National
Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Chennai, to develop
professional expertise in biodiversity policies and laws
and develop capacity building.
Biodiversity Conservation & Rural Livelihood
Improvement Project (BCRLIP) aims at conserving
Biodiversity in selected landscapes, including wildlife
protected areas/critical conservation areas while
improving rural livelihoods through participatory
approaches. It is funded by International Development
Association (IDA) and a grant from the Global
Environment Facility (GEF).
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is an
independent intergovernmental body, established in
2012. It provides policymakers with objective scientific
assessments about the state of knowledge regarding
the planet’s biodiversity, ecosystems etc
1.3.2. ECOSYSTEMS SERVICE
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Why in news?
India recently signed Global Environment Facility
(GEF) Grant agreement with the World Bank for
“Ecosystems Service Improvement Project”.
• Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of
Ecosystem Services (WAVES) is a World Bank led
global partnership which aims to promote
sustainable development by ensuring that natural
resources are mainstreamed into development
planning and national economic accounts.
• The BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable
Forest Landscapes (ISFL) is a multilateral fund,
supported by donor governments and managed by
the World Bank. It promotes reducing greenhouse
gas emissions from the land sector, from
deforestation and forest degradation in developing
countries (REDD+), and from sustainable
agriculture, as well as smarter land-use planning,
policies and practices.
Ecosystem Services Improvement Project
• Aim: To protect, restore and enhance India’s
forest cover and help in maintaining
ecological balance.
• Objective: Strengthening the institutional
capacity of the Departments of Forestry and
Community Organisations, to enhance forest
ecosystem services and improve the
livelihoods of forest dependent communities
in Central Indian Highlands.
• The Project will be implemented in the states
of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh for 5
years by MOEFCC through the Indian Council
of Forestry Research & Education under the
National Mission for Green India.
Green India Mission
• National Mission for a Green India or the Green
India Mission (GIM), is one of the eight Missions
outlined under India’s action plan for addressing
the challenge of climate change -the National
Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
• It aims at protecting; restoring and enhancing
India’s diminishing forest cover and responding to
climate change by a combination of adaptation
and mitigation measures.
• The mission has the broad objective of both
increasing the forest and tree cover by 5 million
ha, as well as increasing the quality of the existing
forest and tree cover in another 5 million ha of
forest/ non-forest lands in 10 years.
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
It was established during the 1992 Rio Earth
Summit to address the world’s most challenging
environmental issues.
• Its funds are available to developing
countries and countries with economies in
transition to meet the objectives of the
international environmental conventions and
agreements.
• Since 1994, the World Bank has served as the
Trustee of the GEF Trust Fund and provided
administrative services.
• It serves as a financial mechanism for 5 major
international environmental conventions:
United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change, United Nations Convention
on Biological Diversity, Stockholm Convention
on Persistent Organic Pollutants, United
Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification, Minamata Convention on
Mercury.
• India is the founder member of GEF. The first
GEF Assembly comprising all member
countries, taking place once in four years,
was hosted by India in 1998.
• The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA),
Ministry of Finance is India’s GEF Political
Focal Point (PFP) responsible for policy and
governance related matters. Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(MoEF&CC) is India’s GEF Operational Focal
Point (OFP) responsible for all in-country
coordination of GEF activities.
Other initiatives of GEF
• Global Environment Facility in partnership
with Energy Efficiency Services Limited
(EESL), under Ministry of Power, launched
the project ‘Creating and Sustaining Markets
for Energy Efficiency’ which further brings
together many technical and financing
partners including UNEP, Asian Development
Bank and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau
which aims to mitigate 60 million tons of
carbon dioxide equivalent.
• Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) will
boost four of EESL’s existing technologies.
These involve street lighting, domestic
lighting, five-star rated ceiling fans and
agricultural pumps. It is proposed to be
established with the initial corpus of $13
million from ADB (as part of the GEF Trust
Fund)
• GEF also supports the Global District Energy
in Cities Initiative, which in turn is supporting
national and municipal governments in their
efforts to develop, retrofit or scale up district
energy systems, with backing from
international and financial partners and the
private sector. In India it has been launched
in Bhopal, Pune, Coimbatore, Thane, and
Rajkot.
EESL:
• It is 100% government owned, a joint venture of
state-owned NTPC Limited, Power Finance
Corporation, Rural Electrification Corporation and
POWERGRID. Its flagship initiative is Unnat Jyoti
by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA).
• It is also the implementing agency for national
mission for enhanced energy efficiency along with
Bureau of energy efficiency.
Recently, the first edition of the International
Symposium to Promote Innovation &Research in
Energy Efficiency (INSPIRE 2017) was held in Jaipur, it
was organized by Energy Efficiency Services Limited
(EESL) in partnership with The World Bank, and
Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE).
1.3.3. UN OCEAN CONFERENCE
Why in News?
• Recently, first United Nations Ocean
Conference was held in New York, cosponsored by Fiji and Sweden under the
theme, “Our oceans, our future: partnering
for the implementation of Sustainable
Development Goal 14”.
Global Ocean Commission
It is an international initiative that was launched in
2013. It raises awareness and promotes action to
address the degradation of the ocean and help restore
it to full health and productivity. Its focus is on the
high seas, the vast ocean areas that lie beyond the
Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of individual states.
Outcomes
• It adopted a consensus of a 14-point Call for
Action where the participating Heads of State
affirmed their strong commitment to
conserve and sustainably use our oceans.
• International Solid Waste Association (a
Vienna based NGO) also announced a task
force on marine litter in concert with the
conference.
1.3.4. WORLD SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT 2018
Why in news?
Recently, World Sustainable Development
Summit 2018 was inaugurated by Prime Minister
in New Delhi.
About World Sustainable Development Summit
(WSDS)
• It is a flagship forum of The Energy and
Resources Institute, a non-profit, scientific
and policy research organization located in
Delhi which works in the fields of energy,
environment and sustainable development
issues since 1974.
• It has been conceptualised as a single
platform to accelerate actions towards
sustainable development and climate change.
• It seeks to bring together global leader and
thinkers on a common platform on various
issues of sustainable development such as
transition to clean energy, effective waste management mechanisms, combating air
pollution etc.
• It has been built on the success of the Delhi
Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS)
which was the leading forum for discussing
sustainable development issues.
• The theme for 2018 event is ‘Partnerships
for a Resilient Planet’.
Energy Transitions Commission India (ETC INDIA)
• It was launched by The Energy and Resources
Institute (TERI) on the sidelines of the World
Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS)
2018.
• It is a unique, high-level, multi-stakeholder
platform with experts from diverse fields to
suggest pathways for energy and electricity
sector transitions in India
• This is inspired by the work of the Global
Commission on the Economy and Climate and
its flagship project ‘the New Climate
Economy’.
• It is the first country-specific Commission and
thus can act as a model for other emerging
economies as they seek to move to
renewable energy sources.
• It will also help in a change towards lowcarbon energy systems that enable robust
economic development and limit the rise in
global temperature to well below 2 degrees
Celsius.
Recently, India refused adoption of Bali declaration
adopted at the ‘World Parliamentary Forum on
Sustainable Development’ due to objections that they
were not in line with the agreed global principles of
‘sustainable development’
1.3.5. SUSTAINABLE BIOFUELS
Why in news?
• A two-day international conference on
Sustainable Biofuels was hosted by India on
behalf of Mission Innovation and Biofuture
Platform.
Generations of Biofuels
First Generation Biofuel
• They are produced directly from food crops.
• Crops such as wheat & sugar are the most widely
used feedstock
Second Generation Biofuel
• They are produced from marginal croplands
unsuitable for food production or non-food crops
such as wood, organic waste, food crop waste and
specific biomass crops. For example- Jatropha.
• Thus, it overcomes over food vs fuel debate in first generation biofuel.
• It is also aimed at being cost competitive in
relation to existing fossil fuels and increasing Net
energy gains.
Third Generation Biofuels
• It is based on improvements on the production of
biomass by taking advantage of specially
engineered energy crops such as algae as its
energy source.
• The algae are cultured to act as a low-cost, highenergy and entirely renewable feedstock.
• Algae will have the potential to produce more
energy per acre than conventional crops.
Fourth Generation Biofuels
• Fourth Generation Bio-fuels are aimed at
producing sustainable energy and also capturing
and storing carbon dioxide.
• This process differs from second and third
generation production as at all stages of
production the carbon dioxide is captured which
can be then geo-sequestered.
• This carbon capture makes fourth generation
biofuel production carbon negative rather than
simply carbon neutral, as it is ‘locks’ away more
carbon than it produces.
Recently the country’s first second-generation (2G)
Ethanol plant has been setup in Uttarakhand.
Key facts
• The conference aims at providing platform
for exchanging experiences and challenges
related to development and scaling of
advanced biofuels.
• Importance of sustainable biofuels led to
establishment of Sustainable Biofuel
Innovation Challenge (SBIC) as one of the
seven challenges under Mission Innovation
(MI). Other six challenges are:
o Smart Grids Innovation Challenge
o Off-Grid Access to Electricity Innovation
Challenge
o Carbon Capture Innovation Challenge
o Converting Sunlight Innovation Challenge
o Clean Energy Materials Innovation
Challenge
• India will be leading the Smart Grids
innovation challenge and co-lead the
sustainable biofuels innovation challenge.
• This challenge aims to accelerate research,
development and deployment of low cost,
high GHG impacting advanced biofuels.
Mission Innovation (MI)
• It is a global initiative of 22 countries and the
European Union to dramatically accelerate
global clean energy innovation.
• It seeks to double investments in clean
energy innovation over five years.
• Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is nodal
agency of this mission in India
Biofuture Platform
• It is a 20-country effort to promote an
advanced low carbon bio economy that is
sustainable, innovative and scalable.
• It has been proposed by Brazil which is
serving as the interim secretariat of this
platform.
National Policy on Bio-fuels features:
• Bio-diesel production will be taken up from
non-edible oil seeds in waste /degraded /
marginal lands. Currently, bio-fuels are being
generated mostly from molasses which is a
by-product of sugar production.
• An indicative target of 20% blending of biofuels, both for bio-diesel and bio-ethanol, by
2017 had been proposed. Currently,
according to the government norms, 10 per
cent of ethanol extracted from sugarcane can
be mixed with petrol.
Minimum Support Price (MSP) for non-edible
oil seeds would be announced with periodic
revision to provide fair price to the growers.
• Minimum Purchase Price (MPP) for purchase
of bio-ethanol and bio-diesel
would be announced with periodic revision.
• Major thrust will be given to research,
development and demonstration with focus
on plantations, processing and production of
bio-fuels, including Second Generation Biofuels.
• Financial incentives, including subsidies and
grants, may be considered for second
generation bio-fuels. If it becomes necessary,
a National Bio-fuel Fund could be considered.
• A National Biofuel Coordination Committee,
headed by the Prime Minister, will be set up
to provide policy guidance and coordination.
• A Biofuel Steering Committee, chaired by
Cabinet Secretary, will be set up to oversee
implementation of the Policy.
• The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has
been designated as the coordinating Ministry
for biofuel development and utilization.
- POLLUTION
- AIR POLLUTION
- 1.1. DELHI AIR POLLUTION
Why in news?
Recently, NCR experienced “severe” levels of
pollution on Air Quality Index.
More on news
• PM2.5 concentrations in New Delhi reached
more than 1,200 micrograms per cubic
meter, 48 times the guideline value
established by the World Health Organization
Reasons behind Delhi’s air pollution
• During winter season in Delhi, there are two
winds — one carrying pollutants from stubble
burning in Punjab and the other bringing in
moisture from Uttar Pradesh — that collide
and get locked, which leads to the formation
of smog.
• In Delhi, the ground-level ozone and PM 2.5
play the most significant role in formation of
smog.
• According to a study by the System of Air
Quality and Weather Forecasting and
Research (under the Ministry of Earth
Sciences) and India Meteorological
Department (IMD) “multi-day dust storm” in
Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia was the main
cause of Delhi’s smog between November 6
and 14.
• Large scale construction activities in DelhiNCR are major source of dust particle in air.
• Other major reason includes: Vehicular
emission, Industrial pollution, garbage dumps
etc.
Recently a report on pollution has been released by
The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health.
Pollution was responsible for 9 million deaths in 2015
worldwide.
• Of the 2.51 million deaths in India, 1.81 were
related to air pollution, 0.64 million to water
pollution, 0.17 million to occupational exposure
and 95,000 linked to lead pollution.
• Half of the top 20 polluted cities in the world are
in India.
Smog: There are two types of smog:
(a) Classical smog occurs in cool humid climate. It is a
mixture of smoke, fog and sulphur dioxide. Chemically
it is a reducing mixture and so it is also called as
reducing smog.
b) Photochemical smog occurs in warm, dry and
sunny climate. The main components of the
photochemical smog result from the action of sunlight
on unsaturated hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides
produced by automobiles and factories.
Photochemical smog has high concentration of
oxidising agents and is, therefore, called as oxidising
smog.
Formation of photochemical smog: When unburnt
hydrocarbons and nitric oxide (NO) are built up to
sufficiently high levels, a chain reaction occurs from
their interaction with sunlight in which NO is
converted into nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and Ozone
which leads to production of chemicals such as
formaldehyde, acrolein and peroxyacetyl nitrate
(PAN).
• It causes serious health problems. Both ozone and
PAN act as powerful eye irritants. Ozone and nitric
oxide irritate the nose and throat and their high
concentration causes headache, chest pain,
dryness of the throat, cough and difficulty in
breathing.
• It leads to cracking of rubber and extensive
damage to plant life. It also causes corrosion of
metals, stones, building materials, rubber and
painted surface
Steps Taken
• Ministry of Environment’s orders issued in
2015 under the Air (Prevention and Control
of Pollution) Act, 1981 to comprehensively
green Delhi’s road margins and open spaces
• Advancing Bharat Stage-VI norms to April
2018 from April 2020.
• Closure of brick kilns and an increase in
parking fees to encourage the use of public
transport.
• Nation Green Tribunal ordered construction
to stop in the capital for a few days earlier
this month.
• Ban on petcoke & furnace oil in and around
NCR, Odd and even policy, Ban on sale of fire
crackers etc.
• Delhi government had submitted a detailed
action plan to the National Green Tribunal on
combating air pollution. The measures listed
would be implemented simultaneously with
the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
• The Central government has also released a
Draft action plan for the same.
• The NGT has also issued its own action plan.
• The Environment Ministry has also launched
a Regional Project to Tackle Stubble Burning.
• The Supreme Court had ordered an
Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) of
1% for the registration of diesel cars above
2000 cc in Delhi. The SC has named it as a
charge and not a tax or cess, this is because
any tax or surcharge or cess should have the
authentication of the legislature. But the ECC
doesn’t fulfill such a qualification.
o Tax revenue will go to the Central
Pollution Control Board and the Board
has to open a separate account for the
purpose.
• CPCB announced that it may use LIDAR
devices to vertically monitor the air quality of
Delhi-NCR.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forests and
Climate Change has proposed an amendment
to the Environment Protection Act, 1986 to
impose fines of up to Rs 1 crore on polluters.
About LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)
• LIDAR is a monitoring system for mapping and
modelling in micro-topography, forestry,
agriculture, meteorology and environmental
pollution.
• It is an optical analog of radar that uses light in
the form of a pulsed laser to carry out remote
sensing.
• This technology generates precise, threedimensional information about the object under
study.
• A LIDAR instrument principally consists of a laser,
a scanner, and a specialized GPS receiver.
• LIDAR projects laser beams towards the sky to
study the composition of pollutants present in the
upper layers
2.1.2. BAN ON POLLUTING FUELS
Why in News
Recently, Supreme Court banned the use of
furnace oil and pet-coke in Haryana, Rajasthan
and Uttar Pradesh. Later, however, it eased its
ban on use of petcoke for cement manufacturing,
lime industries and on furnace oil for power
generation.
More on news
• Pet coke and other polluting fuels such as
furnace oil are widely used by cement
factories, dyeing units, paper mills, brick kilns
and ceramics businesses.
• India is becoming a dumping ground of petcoke from the US, which has banned its
internal use because of pollution.
Reason for increased use of Pet-coke and
furnace oil
• Per-unit delivered energy for petcoke is much
cheaper compared to coal making it
attractive for buyers.
• Favourable tax regime: Though both these
fuels are taxed at 18% under GST but the
industries, which use these fuels for
manufacturing, get entire tax on the fuels
credited back. On the other hand, on natural
gas, which is not included in GST, the VAT is
as high as 26 per cent in certain states.
• Clean energy cess of Rs. 400 per tonne levied
on coal, further promotes shift to pet-coke.
• Zero Ash Content.
About pet coke
• Petroleum coke or pet coke, is a solid carbon rich
(90% carbon and 3% to 6% sulfur) material
derived from oil refining.
• It is categorized as a “bottom of the barrel” fuel.
• It is a dirtier alternative to coal and emits 11%
more greenhouse gases than coal and has higher
sulphur than other fossil fuels.
• India is the world’s biggest consumer of
petroleum coke
• It is an approved fuel in many states such as
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat and
Karnataka.
About Furnace oil
• It is a dark viscous residual fuel obtained by
blending mainly heavier components from crude
distillation unit, short residue and clarified oil
from catalytic cracker unit.
• It is one of the cheapest fuels available and used
to generate power in industries to run boilers,
turbines etc.
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
1981
• According to it, governments may prohibit the use
of fuel, which is likely to cause air pollution, in air
pollution control areas.
• Act also give authority to state board to declare
any fuel as ‘approved fuel’.
2.1.3. BAN ON THE USE OF
CHEMICALS IN FIRECRACKERS
2.1.3. BAN ON THE USE OF
CHEMICALS IN FIRECRACKERS
• At present, there are no standards on air
pollution caused by the bursting of
firecrackers.
• SC asked the CPCB to clarify on the use of
strontium, another chemical branded toxic
by the pollution body, in firecrackers.
• Antimony Sulphides are also used in the
production of heads of safety matches,
though in its elemental form it is not
dangerous to humans, inhalation of antimony
trioxide is considered harmful and
carcinogenic.
• Certain compounds of Arsenic are highly
explosive and a health hazard.
• Lithium is a highly volatile element, which is
highly flammable and explosive when
exposed to air (Health effects of Lead and
Mercury have been covered under e-waste.)
Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation
(PESO)
• It is the apex department to control and
administer manufacture, storage, transport
and handling of explosives, petroleum,
compressed gases and other hazardous
substances in India.
• It functions under the Department of
Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP),
Ministry of Commerce and Industry. HQ at
Nagpur
• It administers the responsibilities delegated
under the Explosives Act 1884 and
Petroleum Act 1934.
• Procurement of raw materials for fireworks
does not come under the purview of the
Explosives Act. The PESO has been testing
samples of crackers only for adherence to the
sound limit of 125 decibels at a distance of
four metres
2.1.4. SULPHUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS
IN INDIA
Why in news?
According to a recent study, India’s sulphur
dioxide (SO2) emission is among highest in world.
Highlights
• Increasing proportion of SO2: Over the last
10 years, India’s SO2 emissions have spiked
by 50% and it could become the world’s
largest emitter of the toxic air pollutant.
• Major reason: India has been releasing the
harmful pollutant by burning coal – which
contains about 3% of Sulphur – to generate
electricity. The country produces more than
70% of its electricity from coal.
About Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
• It is a colorless reactive gaseous air pollutant
with a pungent odor.
• It impacts visibility and causes haze.
• Natural Sources: Sulphur dioxide is naturally
produced by volcanoes.
• Man-made Sources: Burning fuels – coal, oil
and gases containing sulphur – and by
smelting metals like copper, zinc, lead &
nickel and motor vehicle emission. Other
gases emitted by thermal power plants are
Nitrogen oxides, mercury carbon dioxide,
water vapours and fly ash.
Impact
• Acid Rain: When sulfur dioxide combines
with water and air, it forms sulfuric acid,
which is the main component of acid rain. It
can cause deforestation, acidify waterways
to the detriment of aquatic life, corrode
building materials& paints etc.
• On health: It affects human respiratory
system and makes breathing difficult.
Children, elderly, and those who suffer from
asthma are particularly sensitive to effects of
SO2.
• Other health effects include irritation in eyes,
coughing, mucus secretion and chronic
bronchitis.
Government Action on SO2
• It is one of the pollutants being measured
under Air Quality Index.
• Increasing cess on coal production to Rs 400
per tonnes.
• Implementation of Bharat Stage Norms:
While BS IV-compliant fuel currently in use
has 50 parts per million (ppm) sulphur, BS VI
stipulates a low 10 ppm. The switch to BS-VI
norms will also reduce concentration of
carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons,
nitrous oxide and particulate matter from
emissions.
• Emission norms for Thermal power plant
(2015): It direct them to reduce emission of
PM 10, SO2 and oxide of nitrogen and
mercury. along with water consumption
norms for thermal power stations.
• Countrywide emission-monitoring stations,
switching to other sources of energy and
installation of pollution abatement
equipment in thermal power plants, such as
flue-gas particulate collectors, flue-gas
desulphurization (FGD) system and nitrogen
oxide control devices.
