Clean Climate
Environment News Magazine April 2019
Climate Action Now Act
An Editorial Initiative of Raman Media Network Editor: Rakesh Raman
Climate Change | Air Pollution | Environment | Campaigns | Policy
Clean Climate: Environment News Magazine by RMN Foundation. April 2019. Page 1 of 18
Main Stories in This Issue
Research Reports
Environment Protection
New UN Report on Climate Change Lethal Pollution Killing People in Delhi UN Environment Report on Air Quality
Focus Articles
Developments
Report Warns of Premature Deaths Young Champions of the Earth Bengaluru Joins the BreatheLife Campaign
World’s Most Polluted Cities U.S. Climate Action Now Act Water Is a Human Right
Volvo Autonomous Electric Bus Construction and Pollution in Delhi Appeal to Global Community
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Gurgaon, Delhi Among the World’s Most Polluted Cities It is now being observed that many people are running away from Delhi like refugees or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
A new IQAir AirVisual report, which covered 3,000 cities of the world, has revealed that Gurugram (a.k.a. Gurgaon) a suburb of the Indian capital New Delhi is the most polluted city of the world while 22 of the top 30 polluted cities are in India.
Children of RMN Foundation free schools distributing pamphlets during an environment protection campaign, urging the Delhi government to save them from pollution. But the careless government is not taking any steps to stop pollution. Campaign and photo by Rakesh Raman, founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation.
Also, Delhi remains the most polluted capital across the world in 2018, as per a study conducted by the environment-protection organization Greenpeace. The air quality in the national capital region has been constantly deteriorating. The IQAir AirVisual 2018 World Air Quality Report reveals that in South Asia, out of 20 most polluted cities in the world, 18 are in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. An interactive tool on the Breathe Life 2030 website shows a Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 level of 143 micrograms per cubic metre (annual mean) in India’s capital New Delhi. This is over 14 times more than the WHO (World Health Organization) safe level of 10 µg/m3.
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Simply put, the people of Delhi are inhaling poison from the air. Air pollution levels get so severe that many residents regularly wear masks and authorities resort to emergency measures such as banning construction and shutting schools. Worst Countries in Terms of Air Quality (PM2.5) Country
2018 Air Quality (Unhealthy)
Bangladesh
97.10
Pakistan
74.27
India
72.54
Afghanistan
61.80
Bahrain
59.80
It is now being observed that many people are running away from Delhi like refugees or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). As a result, India is falling in the category of countries with large IDP populations – such as Syria, Colombia, Iraq, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia.
Construction and Pollution in Delhi You can click here to study a report on the harmful effect of construction on environment in India’s capital New Delhi.
UN Environment Report Urges to Improve Air Quality UN Environment partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to host the first global meeting on air pollution.
UN Environment has released its 2018 Annual Report, highlighting the organization’s work on issues from fighting pollution of the air and sea to helping nations meet their goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “While 2018 was a challenging year, we saw hope in growing action and global commitment to new ways of doing business that tackle the environmental challenges we face,” said UN Environment Acting Executive Director Joyce Msuya. “Our role in highlighting best Clean Climate: Environment News Magazine by RMN Foundation. April 2019. Page 4 of 18
practices, advocating action and bringing together governments, civil society and businesses once again proved critical.” The report, released online ahead of March 2019’s UN Environment Assembly, shows that the pace of action on many interlinked environmental issues is accelerating. World Environment Day 2018 inspired action on plastic pollution, reaching hundreds of millions of people in over 190 countries as India pledged to phase out single-use plastics by 2022.
A stinking residential area in India’s capital New Delhi which is the dirtiest and the most polluted capital city of the world. Photo: Rakesh Raman / RMN News Service
UN Environment partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to host the first global meeting on air pollution, which kills millions of people each year, while supporting nations to improve air quality through electric mobility, fuel efficiency, and much more. Organizations and countries - convened by UN Environment - came together to save the Cuvette Central Peatlands in the Congo Basin, which is home to 14 globally threatened species and stores the carbon equivalent of three years of global greenhouse gas emissions. The report shows UN Environment’s impact in many other areas, including making the cooling industry more climate-friendly, helping communities in Darfur to reduce resource conflicts in a changing climate, and training authorities so they can better enforce environmental laws. The online report will also integrate with the Programme Performance Report, a comprehensive review of the programme of work agreed with Member States.
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Artificial Intelligence Drives Volvo Autonomous Electric Bus The bus comes with a Volvo autonomous research software that is connected to key controls and multiple sensors.
Volvo Buses and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore have demonstrated the world's first 12-metre autonomous electric bus. The Volvo bus will soon begin trials on the NTU campus.
Volvo Autonomous Electric Bus
The 85 passenger Volvo 7900 Electric bus is equipped with sensors and navigation controls that are managed by a comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) system. Ensuring maximum safety and reliability, the AI system is also protected with cyber security measures to prevent unwanted intrusions. According to Volvo, the Volvo bus has undergone preliminary rounds of rigorous testing at the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research of Autonomous Vehicles (CETRAN). Plans are in place to test the bus on NTU campus and to extend the route beyond the university.
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The fully autonomous electric bus provides a quiet operation with zero emissions. The company claims that it requires 80 percent less energy than an equivalent sized diesel bus. This is Volvo's first autonomous fully electric bus in public transportation. "Our electric bus featuring autonomous technology represents an important step towards our vision for a cleaner, safer, and smarter city,” said Håkan Agnevall, President, Volvo Buses. The bus comes with a Volvo autonomous research software that is connected to key controls and multiple sensors. NTU researchers have enhanced it with an AI system that communicates with sensors, enabling the bus to operate autonomously. This includes light detection and ranging sensors (LIDARS), 360-degree cameras, and an advanced global navigation satellite system that uses real-time kinematics. This is like any global positioning system (GPS), but uses multiple data sources to give pin-point location accuracy up to one centimetre. The system is hooked-up to an "inertial management unit", measuring the bus's lateral and angular rate. This will improve the bus's navigation when going over uneven terrain, ensuring a smooth ride. Volvo Buses is one of the world's leading bus manufacturers, with a focus on vehicles and systems for long-term sustainable public transport. Volvo Buses is part of Volvo Group.
FAR Construction, Corruption, and Pollution in Delhi FAR construction is spreading lethal dust and noise pollution in India’s capital New Delhi.
In an unscrupulous manner, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is giving approvals for extended construction in Delhi’s group housing societies where people are already living. This construction - under the dubious floor area ratio (FAR) policy is spreading lethal dust and noise pollution which is poised to harm millions of people including men, women, children – and even senior citizens. The extended construction racket – in which huge corruption is happening – is being run by DDA in connivance with the corrupt managing committee (MC) members of various cooperative group housing societies and dishonest builders. Along with DDA, the other departments involved in this criminal activity are office of the Registrar Cooperative Societies (RCS), Delhi Fire Service (DFS), and Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC). Clean Climate: Environment News Magazine by RMN Foundation. April 2019. Page 7 of 18
Click here to download and read the full report on FAR construction.
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Lethal Pollution Killing People in Delhi The extreme pollution in Delhi is being compared to the poisonous gas chambers used by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust for the genocide of millions of European Jews.
Facts About Pollution 1. A new IQAir AirVisual report, which covered 3,000 cities of the world, has revealed that Gurugram (a.k.a. Gurgaon) a suburb of the Indian capital New Delhi is the most polluted city of the world while 22 of the top 30 polluted cities are in India. 2. Delhi remains the most polluted capital across the world in 2018, as per a study conducted by the environment-protection organization Greenpeace. The air quality in the national capital region has been constantly deteriorating. 3. An interactive tool on the Breathe Life 2030 website shows a Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 level of 143 micrograms per cubic metre (annual mean) in India’s capital New Delhi. This is over 14 times more than the WHO (World Health Organization) safe level of 10 µg/m3. Simply put, the people of Delhi are inhaling poison from the air. 4. Bureaucratic and political corruption is the main reason for lethal pollution in Delhi. While the corrupt authorities in Delhi are not taking any steps to tackle pollution, the distressed citizens have no other option but to leave the city. 5. It is now being observed that many people are running away from Delhi like refugees or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). As a result, India is falling in the category of countries with large IDP populations – such as Syria, Colombia, Iraq, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia. 6. Delhi Government, the Indian Government, and the pollution-control agencies are not taking proper steps to control pollution because most politicians and bureaucrats in India are corrupt, uneducated, and careless. 7. As pollution in Delhi has reached alarming levels, according to University of Chicago research, the lifespan of Delhi-dwellers is shortened by more than ten years. Clean Climate: Environment News Magazine by RMN Foundation. April 2019. Page 8 of 18
8. The extreme pollution in Delhi is being compared to the poisonous gas chambers used by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust for the genocide of millions of European Jews. 9. As pollution in Delhi / India is harmful to millions of Indians as well as people in other parts of the world with its impact on global warming and climate change, its lethal effect is equivalent to weapons of mass destruction. 10. The Indian government including bureaucrats and politicians are causing serious environmental damage which is harmful for the entire planet. Therefore, the global community including the UN and the U.S. Department of State and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) must impose strict economic, diplomatic, and trade sanctions on India. The Indian ministers, politicians, and top officials must be punished with travel bans on them and freezing of their assets, and they should be declared as environmental terrorists.
Dust Pollution As construction dust includes cement particles, it is more harmful than ordinary dust in the atmosphere. If construction activity is carried out in localities where people live, dust pollution will cause serious, incurable diseases among them. The diseases include irritation in eyes, skin rashes, coughing, sneezing, hayfever, asthma attacks, and amnesia.
Water Is a Human Right. But 2.1 Billion People Live Without Safe Water By 2030, an estimated 700 million people worldwide could be displaced by intense water scarcity.
Today, 2.1 billion people live without safe water due to factors such as economic status, gender, ethnicity, religion, and age. Growing demands, coupled with poor management, have increased water stress in many parts of the world. Climate change is adding dramatically to the pressure. By 2030, an estimated 700 million people worldwide could be displaced by intense water scarcity. “Water is a human right. Nobody should be denied access. This World Water Day is about upholding this right for all, leaving no one behind,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his message for World Water Day, observed on 22 March. He added that we must encourage cooperation to tackle the global water crisis and strengthen our resilience to the effects of climate change to ensure access to water for all, especially for the most vulnerable. “These are vital steps towards a more peaceful and prosperous future. As we strive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we must value water resources and ensure Clean Climate: Environment News Magazine by RMN Foundation. April 2019. Page 9 of 18
their inclusive management if we are to protect and use this vital resource sustainably for the benefit of all people,” the Secretary-General said.
Environmental Damage and Pollution in India Appeal to Global Community A new IQAir AirVisual report, which covered 3,000 cities of the world, has revealed that Gurugram (a.k.a. Gurgaon) a suburb of India’s capital New Delhi is the most polluted city of the world while 22 of the top 30 polluted cities are in India. Also, Delhi remains the most polluted capital across the world. As pollution levels remain dangerously high throughout the year in India, all travelers including business executives, tourists, and diplomats need to exercise utmost caution while planning to visit India – particularly India’s capital New Delhi. Moreover, companies and investors must not come to Delhi for setting up their businesses or for trade conferences as pollution can harm them as well as their families. Foreigners who have come to stay in India for their work, should preferably go back to their countries. Or, at least, they should not keep their children with them because Delhi’s pollution is very harmful for children. Delhi Government, the Indian Government, and the pollution-control agencies are not taking proper steps to control pollution because most politicians and bureaucrats in India are corrupt, uneducated, and careless. The extreme pollution in Delhi is being compared to the poisonous gas chambers used by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust for the genocide of millions of European Jews. As pollution in Delhi / India is harmful to millions of Indians as well as people in other parts of the world with its impact on global warming and climate change, its lethal effect is equivalent to weapons of mass destruction. The Indian government - including bureaucrats and politicians - is causing serious environmental damage which is harmful for the entire planet. Therefore, the global community including the UN and the U.S. Department of State and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) must impose strict economic, diplomatic, and trade sanctions on India and Indian officials. Rakesh Raman
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UN Environment Looking for Young Champions of the Earth Each winner will be expected to implement their big idea by producing videos and blogs.
Young Champions of the Earth aims to celebrate and support individuals aged between 18 and 30 who have the potential to create a positive environmental impact. According to UN Environment, global warming is forcing our societies, our economies, and our world to change. Our ways of doing business; careers and job opportunities need to change too. In 2019, seven young people – selected from every global region – will be named Young Champions of the Earth. These winners receive seed funding, intensive training, and tailored mentorship to bring their big environmental ideas to life. UN Environment is looking for the artists, scientists, economists, communicators, and entrepreneurs from all walks of life with ideas for the environment, for humanity, and for a greener future. Following an open call for applications, UN experts will shortlist World Finalists from every region. A Global Jury will then select the seven 2019 winners. Each winner will be expected to implement their big idea by producing videos and blogs. In parallel, up to 50 of the most promising applicants will be granted privileged access to an expert community of Covestro mentors. They will offer insights on topics ranging from communications and business development to project planning and financial management. Click here for details.
U.S. House Democrats Introduce Climate Action Now Act The legislation would call on President Trump to develop and make public a plan for how the United States will meet the pollution reduction goals submitted to the world.
The U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, Chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, introduced on March 27 H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act. The legislation demands action Clean Climate: Environment News Magazine by RMN Foundation. April 2019. Page 11 of 18
on the climate crisis by ensuring America honors its Paris Agreement commitments and laying the groundwork for further action. “I am proud to be chairing the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and I am honored to introduce H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act,” U.S. Rep. Castor said. “It was with America’s leadership and engagement that so many nations committed to climate action in the international Paris Agreement. Despite what President Trump has said, America cannot and will not retreat. We will keep our commitments to fight the climate crisis. This is just the start of action by House Democrats in this Congress.” “Today, the House Democratic Majority is honoring the will of the people and taking first strong steps to protect our planet and our future. The bill – this is about jobs. It’s about good-paying green jobs. It’s about advancing our economy and our global preeminence in green technology. It’s about health, it’s about public health and clean air and clean water for our children,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi. On December 12, 2015, nearly 200 countries, including the United States, China, India, and the European Union signed the Paris Agreement to combat climate change and to accelerate and amplify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future.
Climate Action Now Act. Photo: U.S. Congress
On June 1, 2017, President Trump announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement – making America the only country to reject the global pact. The Climate Action Now Act would prohibit any federal funds from being used to take any action to advance the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement.
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The legislation would also call on President Trump to develop and make public a plan for how the United States will meet the pollution reduction goals submitted to the world in 2015.
Environmental Report Warns of Millions of Premature Deaths The sixth Global Environmental Outlook has been released while environmental ministers from around the world were in Nairobi.
The most comprehensive and rigorous assessment on the state of the environment completed by the UN in the last five years was published on March 13. It warns that damage to the planet is so dire that people’s health will be increasingly threatened unless urgent action is taken. The report, which was produced by 250 scientists and experts from more than 70 countries, says that either we drastically scale up environmental protections, or cities and regions in Asia, the Middle East and Africa could see millions of premature deaths by mid-century. It also warns that pollutants in our freshwater systems will see anti-microbial resistance become a major cause of death by 2050 and endocrine disruptors impact male and female fertility, as well as child neurodevelopment. But the report highlights the fact that the world has the science, technology, and finance it needs to move towards a more sustainable development pathway, although sufficient support is still missing from the public, business, and political leaders who are clinging to outdated production and development models. The sixth Global Environmental Outlook has been released while environmental ministers from around the world were in Nairobi to participate in the world’s highest-level environmental forum. Negotiations at the Fourth UN Environment Assembly are expected to tackle critical issues such as stopping food waste, promoting the spread of electric mobility, and tackling the crisis of plastic pollution in our oceans, among other pressing challenges.
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UN Report on Climate Change Is Wake-Up Call to the World: UN Chief Mr. Guterres called on Heads of State to attend his climate action summit in New York on 23 September, and achieve positive change.
The increasing number of natural disasters and dangers linked to climate change, highlighted in a new UN report released on March 28, represents “another strong wake-up call” to the world, which must be countered by finding sustainable solutions quickly, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said. Speaking at the launch of the State of the Global Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Mr. Guterres reiterated his call for action, underlining that the alarming conclusion that climate change is accelerating, “proves what we have been saying: climate change is moving faster than our efforts to address it.”
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré (file)
This was why he had convened the Climate Action Summit due to take place on 23 September, he said, sitting alongside the President of the General Assembly and the head of WMO, briefing correspondents in New York. Mr. Guterres called on Heads of State to attend his climate action summit in New York on 23 September, and achieve positive change. “Don’t come with a speech, come with a plan,”
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he said, adding: “This is what science says is needed. It is what young people around the globe are rightfully demanding.” The data released in the report gives cause for great concern. The past four years were the warmest on record, with the global average surface temperature in 2018 approximately 1 °C above the pre-industrial baseline. This data confirms the urgency of climate action. This was also emphasized by the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C. The IPCC found that limiting global warming to 1.5 °C will require rapid and far-reaching transitions in land, energy, industry, buildings, transport, and cities, and that global net human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide need to fall by about 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching “net zero” around 2050.
Join the Green Group of Delhi
The major activities of the Green Group of Delhi - formed by RMN Foundation - 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 which covers different parts of India’s capital New Delhi and surrounding areas such as Gurgaon, Noida, and Faridabad. You can join the Green Group as volunteers and support to run the environment protection campaigns. Click here for details. Clean Climate: Environment News Magazine by RMN Foundation. April 2019. Page 15 of 18
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. DONATION DETAILS 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 Or you can click here to donate with PayPal, credit card, or bank account. Download Previous Issues of Clean Climate November 2018
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Bengaluru Joins the BreatheLife Campaign to Stop Pollution Air quality in the city is continuously monitored by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board in a number of locations throughout the metropolis.
Bengaluru (a.k.a. Bangalore), which is the capital of India's southern state Karnataka, has become the first Indian city to join the BreatheLife campaign. With this decision, this megacity of 8.4 million people commits to reducing air pollution (including climate pollutants) in key sectors, like transport, municipal solid waste, industry, and energy production. The city’s government, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, also has drawn up detailed plans to construct bicycle lanes on over 100km of roads. The government encourages city residents to use bicycles for shorter distance, but also to support first- and last-mile connectivity, as some of the roads earmarked for bike lanes are connected to metro stations. Air quality in the city is continuously monitored by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board in a number of locations throughout the metropolis. According to a BreatheLife report, the city is also focused on better management of its solid waste, a significant quantity of which is currently burnt. The report reveals that Bengaluru produces about 4,200 to 4,500 metric tonnes of solid waste every year. The city has established 189 dry waste centres to segregate waste at source and taken action to install semi-underground waste collection bins in 200 busy commercial locations and city markets. Bengaluru also has procured 25 large capacity mechanical sweepers that have been installed in 13 locations and established seven waste processing plants with the capacity to process 2,300 tonnes of waste.
Meet the Editor
The editor of Clean Climate 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).
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Nowadays, for the past about 8 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 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. He also has formed an environment-protection group called Green Group in Delhi. He creates and distributes a number of digital publications that cover areas such as technology, law, environment, education, politics, corruption and transparency. He has created a comprehensive online information service to educate the Indian voters for the 2019 Lok Sabha election. 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.
Collaboration for Environment Content Project The Clean Climate environment news magazine is being published by RMN Foundation. It is being circulated among top government departments, environment protection organizations, colleges / universities, law-enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, social activists, and others in India and abroad. RMN Foundation is looking for sponsors and collaborators across the world who can join hands with us to expand the environment content activity around the Clean Climate initiative. 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
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