Environment

India: Delhi air in 'very poor' zone, farm fire smoke may push it to 'severe'

New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) Delhi recorded its air quality in the 'very poor' category on Sunday morning and forecasters said slow wind speed and an increase in stubble burning, especially in Punjab, may push it to the 'severe' zone.

With pollution levels worsening, the Centre's air quality panel on Saturday directed authorities to impose a ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR, except in essential projects, and other curbs under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan.

India: Delhi's air quality turns very poor in Diwali morning

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) Delhi's air quality turned "very poor" on Monday morning as unfavourable meteorological conditions allowed accumulation of pollutants, and emissions from firecrackers and stubble burning compounded the situation.

On Sunday evening, the city reported a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 259, which was lowest for the day before Diwali in seven years.

Saudi Arabia plants over 12m trees to reverse desertification

6 October 2022; MEMO: Saudi Arabia has planted more than 12 million wild trees and shrubs in a bid to combat desertification.

According to the Saudi Gazette, the National Centre for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) planted the trees while starting the Integrated Management and Sustainable Development of Pastures Project, which is part of the Kingdom's National Pasture Strategy Initiative, in line with Saudi Arabia's Visio 2030.

India: Will take 4-5 yrs to properly resolve stubble burning issue

New Delhi, Oct 4 (PTI) Crop diversification is not a long-term solution to the problem of stubble burning and it will take four to five years to properly resolve the issue, a senior official of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has said.

Crop diversification and using short duration varieties of paddy are among several initiatives proposed by the Centre and experts to resolve the stubble burning issue in Punjab and Haryana.

UK King Charles will not attend COP27 in Egypt

3 October 2022; MEMO: A royal source has confirmed that the UK's King Charles will not attend COP27 which is set to be held in Egypt in November as he distances himself from campaigning roles.

It was reported that Prime Minister Liz Truss said that it was not right for Charles to attend as it would make Egypt his first trip abroad as king.

India: BJP MP Manoj Tiwari moves SC against AAP govt's decision to ban firecrackers in Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi government's decision against production, storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers in order to check the rising pollution levels in the city.  Contending that freedom of religion cannot be taken away under the pretext of right to life, Tiwari has sought directions to the city government to issue fresh guidelines with regard to sale, purchase and bursting of permissible firecrackers.

India: NGT directs UP govt to pay Rs 100 crore for improper liquid waste management

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay Rs 100 crore for improper management of liquid waste in the districts of Pratapgarh, Raebareli, and Jaunpur.

A bench headed by chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said that as per the report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), bio-remediation was not resulting in the reduction of pollution load.

Egypt climate champion calls for new metric on climate finance

12 Sep 2022; MEMO: Developing country climate financing needs should start being reframed at the UN climate summit in November, in order to move beyond the outdated – and unfulfilled – $100 billion that rich nations had pledged to deliver each year, the UN high-level climate champion for Egypt said, Reuters reports.

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