The UK will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP 26, from 31 October to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow, postponed due to the global pandemic from November 2020. The UNFCCC hopes that the Conference will help increase climate ambition, build resilience and lower emissions.
COP 26 is important as temperatures have been rising globally. The last decade was recorded as the warmest. Fossil fuel emissions caused by humans are intensifying extreme weather events linked to climate change - heavy unseasonal rains, cyclones, heatwaves, floods and forest fires. Governments have therefore agreed on the need for urgent collective action.
The impact of climate change is visible, ice melting in the glaciers which will lead to rising water levels, threatening coastal areas and small islands. Sudden and unexpected rains, coupled with droughts will cause disruption in food production, while cyclones, floods and heat waves will cause other problems.
Climate change and rising emissions have global implications and receive global attention. Governments all over the world are concerned, while activists take to the streets to press governments to take this crisis seriously. Young people are especially concerned as they face an uncertain future if climate change is not averted.
A number of other challenges to our planet simultaneously deserve our attention. Air pollution is a major problem in many parts of the globe. Delhi becomes like an envelope of polluted air in winters. For the past few years, there has been extensive focus on this problem so that the lungs of people, particularly children, can be saved from Delhi’s polluted air. This year, Delhi has installed two smog towers already and it has been announced that the national capital will receive green funds under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for 2021 to cater to critical gaps in air pollution management. Over 130 cities in India will receive assistance, though small, from one source or another to deal with this challenge. Clean air, especially in winters still looks like a long way off, notwithstanding the Delhi government’s “Winter Action Plan” including complete ban on sale and bursting of firecrackers till January 1, 2022.
Solid waste management is another huge challenge not just for India but for the world. The issue of garbage mounds and waste processing was raised in Prime Minister Modi’s speech at the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 on 1 October, eve of Gandhi Jayanti. He said that the “mountain of garbage” in the city should be removed. The problem of solid waste management facing Delhi is enormous, as the city generates over 11,400 metric tonnes of garbage daily, out of which about 5,200 metric tonnes is processed locally with the help of compactors and waste-to-energy (WTE) plants. The remaining gets dumped in three landfills. A number of plans have been put in place to deal with this garbage! PM’s assurance that the garbage mountains in cities will be processed and removed completely as part of Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 is thus, most welcome.
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 was also launched at the same time to provide basic services like water supply and sewerage to households. AMRUT 2.0 hopes to ensure that every household has access to a tap with the assured supply of water and a sewerage connection. It will adopt the principles of a circular economy and promote the conservation and rejuvenation of surface and groundwater bodies. The two missions have been designed to make cities 'Garbage Free' and 'Water Secure'.
As the climate change crisis threatens our planet, worsening air and water pollution can make life impossible, while the accumulating solid waste could swallow our planet. The mountains of garbage in landfills have been polluting the groundwater. Noxious gases escape from these waste pits and pollute the air. The Covid-19 pandemic has had its own impact. With increased home deliveries, there’s additional packaging waste.
With a much higher level of consumption, the per capita waste generation is far higher in developed countries than in developing countries. The latter lack resources and technology to address the massive challenges facing them. Climate change and pollution do not respect national boundaries. A global focus on tackling all these challenges together is essential. As we save our planet, we must ensure that human beings can flourish in a sustainable manner.
