Clean Climate Environment News Magazine November 2018
An Initiative of RMN Foundation humanitarian organization
Children demonstrating in the streets of New Delhi so that the Indian government should protect them from dust and noise pollution coming from FAR extended construction activity. Campaign and Photo by Rakesh Raman
Top Stories In This Issue Impact of Pollution on Children Every day around 93% of the world’s children under the age of 15 years (1.8 billion children) breathe toxic air. Plastic Waste and Pollution A Global Commitment to eradicate plastic waste and pollution at the source has been signed by 250 organisations.
Construction Spreads Pollution in Delhi Extended construction activity in Delhi’s group housing societies is spreading lethal dust and noise pollution. Clean Air Campaign in Delhi A Clean Air campaign to control increasing pollution was launched in Delhi. And More...
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Environment and Human Rights
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet. Photo: UN
“Air pollution is clearly generating a comprehensive threat to human rights, including the right to health and rights related to life, food, water and development. It is urgent to halt the environmental degradation blotting out our collective future. In the event that pollution-related harms do occur, States should ensure that those harmed have access to effective remedies and enforce the ‘polluter pays’ principle of accountability.” ~ UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet
Plastic Waste and Pollution A Global Commitment to eradicate plastic waste and pollution at the source has been signed by 250 organisations including many of the world’s largest packaging producers, brands, retailers and recyclers, as well as governments and NGOs.
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The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment is led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with UN Environment, and was officially unveiled at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali on October 29, 2018.
Global Commitment to Eradicate Plastic Waste and Pollution. Photo: UN Environment
Signatories include companies representing 20% of all plastic packaging produced globally. They include well-known consumer businesses such as Danone; H&M group; L’Oréal; Mars, Incorporated; PepsiCo; The Coca- Cola Company; and Unilever; major packaging producers such as Amcor, plastics producers including Novamont, and resource management specialist Veolia. The Global Commitment and its vision for a circular economy for plastic are supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and have been endorsed by the World Economic Forum, The Consumer Goods Forum (a CEO-led organisation representing some 400 retailers and manufacturers from 70 countries), and 40 universities, institutions and academics. More than 15 financial institutions with an excess of $2.5 trillion in assets under management have also endorsed the Global Commitment and over $200 million has been pledged by five venture capital funds to create a circular economy for plastic. The Global Commitment aims to create ‘a new normal’ for plastic packaging. Targets will be reviewed every 18 months, and become increasingly ambitious over the coming years. Businesses that sign the commitment will publish annual data on their progress to help drive momentum and ensure transparency. Environment News Magazine by RMN Foundation. November 2018. Page 3 of 12
Over 90% of Children Breathe Toxic Air Every Day: WHO Every day around 93% of the world’s children under the age of 15 years (1.8 billion children) breathe air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk. Tragically, many of them die: WHO estimates that in 2016, nearly 600,000 children died from acute lower respiratory infections caused by polluted air. A new WHO report on Air pollution and child health: Prescribing clean air examines the heavy toll of both ambient (outside) and household air pollution on the health of the world’s children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. It reveals that when pregnant women are exposed to polluted air, they are more likely to give birth prematurely, and have small, low birth-weight children. Air pollution also impacts neurodevelopment and cognitive ability and can trigger asthma and childhood cancer. Children who have been exposed to high levels of air pollution may be at greater risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease later in life.
Children demonstrating in the streets of New Delhi so that the government should protect them from dust and noise pollution coming from FAR extended construction activity. Campaign and Photo by Rakesh Raman
“Polluted air is poisoning millions of children and ruining their lives,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This is inexcusable. Every child should be able to breathe clean air so they can grow and fulfil their full potential.”
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One reason why children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution is that they breathe more rapidly than adults and so absorb more pollutants. They also live closer to the ground, where some pollutants reach peak concentrations – at a time when their brains and bodies are still developing. Newborns and young children are also more susceptible to household air pollution in homes that regularly use polluting fuels and technologies for cooking, heating and lighting.
Clean Air Campaign Launched to Check Pollution in Delhi A Clean Air campaign for 10 days (November 1 – 10) was launched in Delhi by India’s Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan. In order to monitor and report polluting activities as well as to ensure quick action, 52 teams have been formed. These teams will be visiting different parts of Delhi and adjacent towns of Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Noida.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan at the launch of Clean Air campaign in New Delhi on November 1, 2018. Photo: PIB
Each team will comprise a local Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) as the team leader, senior official from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and
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representatives from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). While Delhi has 44 teams, the cities in NCR region namely Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad have two teams each. Harsh Vardhan said that active participation from all concerned agencies will be required to ensure that quick action is taken on the cases of violations reported by field teams.
Construction Spreads Pollution in Delhi The dust and noise pollution in Delhi is increasing because of government’s ill-conceived floor area ratio (FAR) construction policy. The FAR construction in occupied group housing societies – where millions of people live – is spreading lethal pollution that is harmful to children, men, and women including senior citizens.
Deadly dust and noise pollution is caused by FAR construction in occupied cooperative group housing societies of Delhi.
This construction activity is supported by a criminal nexus between deep-pocket builders and corrupt politicians / government officials. The total corruption money involved in FAR construction in Delhi is thousands of crores of rupees. The FAR-related corruption is supported by two of the most corrupt departments of Delhi: the Registrar Cooperative Societies (RCS) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
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With this ill-conceived FAR policy, the Delhi Government is using extended construction as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) which will first torture people with the lethal dust and noise pollution and then finally kill them mercilessly. The polluted FAR construction in inhabited housing complexes – where people are living – is being compared to the poisonous gas chambers used by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust for the genocide of millions of European Jews. You can click here to study the full report on FAR construction and pollution.
What Is Climate Change? Climate Change refers to the change in the distribution of weather patterns over a period of time – usually measured over decades to thousands of years. Climate Change is caused by natural factors as well as human activities. Natural factors such as variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics, and volcanic eruptions contribute to the change in global weather conditions. The human activities that cause Climate Change are referred to as ‘global warming’. In the modern environment science, the term ‘global warming’ is interchangeably used with Climate Change. The main cause of global warming or the human-led Climate Change is environmental pollution which contaminates the atmosphere with pollutants such as chemicals and energies. Pollution, therefore, has become a major factor that is causing ‘global warming’ or Climate Change. As compared to the perils of environmental pollution that affect human health, the Climate Change brings mass destruction with floods, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Climate Change, which is an emerging subject in the global debate on environment, has assumed greater significance after 2016 Paris Agreement on Climate Change or Paris Climate Agreement. It is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that aims to deal with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation and overall environment protection, starting in the year 2020.
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Key Findings from WHO Report on Air Pollution and Child Health ● ● ●
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Air pollution affects neurodevelopment, leading to lower cognitive test outcomes, negatively affecting mental and motor development. Air pollution is damaging children’s lung function, even at lower levels of exposures. Globally, 93% of the world’s children under 15 years of age are exposed to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels above WHO air quality guidelines, which include the 630 million of children under 5 years of age, and 1.8 billion of children under 15 years. In low- and middle-income countries around the world, 98% of all children under 5 are exposed to PM2.5 levels above WHO air quality guidelines. In comparison, in high-income countries, 52% of children under 5 are exposed to levels above WHO air quality guidelines. More than 40% of the world’s population – which includes 1 billion children under 15 – is exposed to high levels of household air pollution from mainly cooking with polluting technologies and fuels. About 600,000 deaths in children under 15 years of age were attributed to the joint effects of ambient and household air pollution in 2016. Together, household air pollution from cooking and ambient (outside) air pollution cause more than 50% of acute lower respiratory infections in children under 5 years of age in low- and middle-income countries. Air pollution is one of the leading threats to child health, accounting for almost 1 in 10 deaths in children under five years of age.
Call for Interns at UN Climate Change UN Climate Change is looking for people doing a Master’s degree who want to do an internship at UN’s Climate Change Communications and Outreach programme in 2019. Application deadline: 14 November, 2018. Click here for details.
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Join Green Group of Delhi The major activities of the Green Group of Delhi are around environment protection to save the environment from air pollution, dust pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, etc. in order to minimize the effect of pollution on Climate Change. This is a non-political, non-partisan Group. The activities of the Group are being managed by its members and volunteers. Formed in August 2017, the Group had begun its journey from Dwarka, which is the largest residential suburb in Asia with a population of more than 1 million. However, it now covers other parts of India’s capital New Delhi, which is among the most polluted and the dirtiest cities of the world.
Senior citizens participating in RMN Foundation campaign to stop extended construction and pollution in Delhi.
The Group holds mass awareness campaigns, environment protection education programs, intellectual discussions, and so on. It also coordinates with the government and law-enforcement agencies in Delhi to create a healthy living environment for people. You are invited to join the Green Group of Delhi as a member by filling in a simple online form. People from the entire city of Delhi can join the Green Group as members. More than 1 person from a family can become the member by providing their details in separate forms.
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For Your Information Pollution Level in Delhi The air in Delhi has an annual average of 122 µg/m3 of PM2.5* particles. That’s 12.2 times the WHO safe level. This is an extremely dangerous pollution level. *PM 2.5 concentrations measured in micrograms of particles per cubic meter of air (µg/m3). Click here to know the pollution levels in other cities.
Entries Invited for International Green Gown Awards The International Green Gown Awards recognize exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges. The Awards cover all aspects of educational institutions – from their teaching and research, leadership, buildings and food to how students can benefit the quality of life in the communities around them. The Awards provide the sector with benchmarks for excellence and are respected by Government, funding councils, senior management, academics and students.
The International Green Gown Awards are supported by UN Environment and the Global Universities Partnership on Environment and Sustainability and are open to any university or college across the world. The Green Gown Awards are run in the UK and Ireland, Australasia, French speaking Europe and Canada and globally through the International Green Gown Awards.
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The ethos of the Green Gown Awards is to ensure the lessons and example of good practice are shared and will put universities and colleges as leaders in sustainability as well as being able to continue their learning from global leaders. There is no limit on the number of applications or categories each institution can enter. Entry is free of charge. Application deadline is 31 January 2019. The International Green Gown Awards are administered by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC).
Appeal for Donations RMN Foundation is a humanitarian organization that was formed in May 2015 as an educational and public charitable Trust for the benefit of humanity at large. It is registered with the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi at New Delhi, India. Currently, all the activities of RMN Foundation are being managed single-handedly (without any support) by RMN Foundation founder Rakesh Raman who had left his job a few years ago to run this charity. As RMN Foundation has embarked upon some major humanitarian projects during the past over 3 years, now it needs a significant amount of funds in the form of donations to expand the scope of its activities. Individual Indian donors can help RMN Foundation with their contributions using the following bank details: Bank Name: ICICI Bank Bank Branch: HL Square, Plot No. 6, Sector 5 (MLU), Dwarka, New Delhi 110 075 Account Number: 025005004368 Account Name: RMN Foundation Type of Account: Current IFSC Code: ICIC0000250
CPCB Opens Social Media Accounts to Take Pollution Complaints The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an organization of the Government of India, has opened its social media accounts to help people of Delhi report about incidents of high pollution in their areas. Environment News Magazine by RMN Foundation. November 2018. Page 11 of 12
Currently, CPCB’s accounts on Twitter and social networking site Facebook are open to receive public complaints. Moreover, CPCB informs that people can also use Sameer App which provides hourly update of the National Air Quality Index (AQI). Air Quality Index is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in easy-to-understand terms. It transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number, nomenclature, and color. This App is also for public to register complaints related to air pollution.
Meet the Editor The editor of this environment news magazine Rakesh Raman is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. Besides working at senior editorial positions with leading media companies, he was writing an exclusive edit-page column regularly for The Financial Express (a daily business newspaper of The Indian Express Group). Nowadays, for the past over 7 years, he has been running his own global news services on different subjects. He also has formed a free Education and Career Counselling Center for deserving children at a poor J.J. Colony in Dwarka, New Delhi under his NGO – RMN Foundation. He also runs an exclusive community-driven anti-corruption social service “Clean House” to help the suffering residents of Delhi raise their voice against the growing corruption and injustice particularly in group housing societies where millions of people live. He creates The Integrity Bulletin newsletter that covers global corruption issues and Legal Directions newsletter on legal affairs. Earlier, he had been associated with the United Nations (UN) through United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as a digital media expert to help businesses use technology for brand marketing and business development. Contact Rakesh Raman Founder RMN Foundation 463, DPS Apts., Plot No. 16, Sector 4, Dwarka, Phase I, New Delhi 110 078, India Contact by email Environment News Magazine by RMN Foundation. November 2018. Page 12 of 12