pollution essay drishti ias

Air Pollution

Air pollution is the contamination of the atmosphere by harmful substances, such as gases, particulates, and biological molecules, which can cause detrimental effects on human health, ecosystems, and the Earth's climate. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe air containing high levels of pollutants.

• Definition: Air pollution refers to the presence of harmful substances or pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon monoxide (CO) in the air that can adversely impact human health, ecosystems, and the overall quality of the environment.

Types of Air Pollutants: Particulate Matter (PM), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Ozone (O3)

Major Sources of Air Pollution:

• Industrial Emissions , Vehicular Emissions:  
• Agricultural Practices: Crop residue burning 
• Domestic Activities: The use of solid fuels for cooking in rural areas 
• Natural Sources: Dust storms prevalent in arid regions like Rajasthan. 

National air pollution policy framework in India:

Legislative Framework:

• Constitutional Provisions: The Constitution of India recognizes the right to a clean and healthy environment, providing a legal basis for formulating air pollution policies.
• Environmental Legislation: Acts such as the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, establish the regulatory framework for addressing air pollution in the country.
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Act, 2010: Provides a specialized forum for the effective and expeditious disposal of cases related to environmental protection and air pollution control.
• Key Policies and Programs: National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), Air Quality Index (AQI), Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)
• Objectives of air pollution policy: Emission Reduction Targets, Promotion of Clean Technologies, Strengthening Monitoring and Enforcement, Public Awareness and Participation, International Cooperation. 

Initiatives to Control Air Pollution

• National Clean Air Programme (NCAP ): to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner with targets to achieve 20 % to 30 % reduction in PM 10  and PM 2.5  concentrations by 2024.
• Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution in Delhi and NCR.
• Green Crackers Awareness Campaign, Green Good Deeds
• SAMEER app air quality information is available to the public along with a provision for registering complaints against air polluting activities.

Important programs to control Air Pollution

Fly Ash Utilization

Introduction:

• Meaning: Fly ash utilization refers to the beneficial reuse of fly ash, a by-product generated from coal combustion in power plants. Instead of being disposed of as waste, fly ash can be utilized in various applications, offering environmental and economic benefits.
• Fly ash: Fine powder consisting of inorganic particles, primarily composed of silica, alumina, and iron oxide, obtained from coal combustion.

Importance of Fly Ash Utilization:

• Environmental benefits: Reduces the need for landfill space, minimizing the release of pollutants into air, water, and soil.
• Resource conservation: Reduces the extraction of natural resources by utilizing fly ash as a substitute material.
• Energy conservation: Reduces the energy required for producing alternative materials, such as cement or bricks.
• Economic opportunities: Creates new industries and employment opportunities in fly ash processing and utilization.
• Sustainable agriculture: Enhances soil fertility, water retention, and crop productivity when used as a soil amendment.

Applications of Fly Ash : Cement and concrete industry, Construction materials, Road construction, Agriculture and soil improvement, Waste management, Geopolymer production 

Challenges in Fly Ash Utilization:

• Quality variation: Fly ash characteristics can vary, requiring proper testing and quality control measures for different applications.
• Market demand: Promoting the benefits of fly ash utilization and creating a market demand for fly ash-based products can be challenging.
• Regulatory and policy framework: Ensuring proper regulations, guidelines, and incentives to encourage fly ash utilization and ensure safe handling and disposal.
• Technological limitations: Some applications may require further research and development to improve the performance and compatibility of fly ash-based materials.
• Stakeholder engagement: Collaboration and coordination among stakeholders, including power plants, industries, and government agencies, is essential for effective fly ash utilization.
• Public perception: Addressing concerns and misconceptions regarding the safety and performance of fly ash-based products is crucial.

Conclusion : Fly ash utilization offers vast potential for sustainable development and environmental stewardship. By raising awareness, investing in research and innovation, strengthening policies, and fostering collaboration, we can maximize its benefits, create a circular economy, and build a greener, more sustainable future.

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Environmental Pollution

• Environment, Ecology and Biodiversity , General Studies- Paper III , Other Topics
• Sapana Saxena

Context:- Environmental pollution stems from several factors, including the burning of fossil fuels, demolition of buildings, and wildfires in forests. Environmental pollution has extensive ramifications on human health and mortality rates. Learn about pollutants, their causes and consequences, such as air, water, land and noise contamination. Read about the Water (Environmental Protection) Act of 1974 in India to reduce pollution.

Environmental pollution, a global challenge, profoundly impacts human health and mortality rates. It’s a shared burden among nations, stemming from factors like industrialization, wildfires, building demolitions, and poor waste management. While some countries enforce strict laws, the long-term effects persist, causing severe health problems and disrupting sustainable living. Billions of tons of waste generated annually exacerbate the issue, highlighting the critical need for better waste management. The aftermath of pollution results in significant human and animal casualties.

The following are the classes of pollutants

1- Water Contamination

2- Noise pollution

3-Air Pollutants

4- Land contamination

Water Contamination

Globally, water sources face pollution from diverse waste dumping. India’s adoption of the Water (Environmental Protection) Act in 1974 aimed to protect water resources and maintain aquatic cleanliness.

Rivers, canals, and lakes no longer have entirely pure saltwater due to biological and chemical materials in irrigation systems. As these substances accumulate in water, both water pollution and overall environmental pollution escalate.

Two origins of air pollution

• Natural sources of pollution: Decomposition, earthquakes, and degradation contribute to natural effluents.
• Human-induced water pollution: Industrial, commercial, and increasing emissions are leading causes of environmental degradation in water bodies.

What are the primary air pollutants?

Particulate matter (PM) : This pollutant, emitted from numerous sources, poses severe health risks. It enters sensitive parts of the respiratory system, potentially causing or worsening cardiovascular and lung diseases as well as cancers.

Ground-level ozone (O3): is an air pollutant that affects human health, vegetation and materials. Ozone is formed when other pollutants react with sunlight.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx): stem from fuel combustion in power plants and industries, leading to water and soil acidification and eutrophication. In the atmosphere, they pose health risks like airway inflammation and impaired lung function.

Organic pollutants like Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP): come from fuel and waste burning, industrial activities, and solvent usage. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) possess harmful effects on both human health and ecosystems.

Heavy metals: like lead and mercury pose toxicity to ecosystems, primarily originating from combustion and industrial processes. Apart from air pollution, they tend to accumulate in soils, sediments, and food chains.

Ammonia (NH3): primarily comes from agricultural activities and plays a role in the eutrophication and acidification of water and soil.

Land and soil pollution: a growing problem

Overuse of mineral fertilizers can contaminate soil, altering soil ecosystem functions. Pollutants from soil erosion, flooding, or waste management practices like landfilling and wastewater spreading can enter water streams, affect groundwater, and impact both drinking water and the environment. Additionally, air pollutants settling on land contribute to soil contamination.

In Europe, industry pollution is regulated by EU laws and has notably decreased. Yet, industrial facilities still release some pollutants into the land. Details about the amount and type of emissions from each facility are publicly available on the European Industrial Emissions Portal.

Sources of Pollution in the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers

Most pollutants, such as wastewater from treatment plants, toxic gases, pharmaceutical residues, various contaminants, dust, and more, are disposed of in moving water bodies like lagoons, ponds, rivers, and streams, severely impacting their ecosystems. Industries like leather, paper, textiles, and chemicals significantly contribute to water pollution.

Modern agricultural practices involve various chemicals like inorganic fertilizers and pesticides. Additionally, community activities such as pilgrimages, religious festivals, and tourism also add to water pollution. Presently, many rivers and lakes in India are heavily contaminated and unsuitable for human consumption.

Effects of Water Pollution

• Pollutant type and quantity determine the impact on water bodies.
• Urban rivers host contaminated aquatic species due to industrial waste dumping.
• Water pollution significantly affects aquatic life, altering their health and behavior, leading to diseases and death.
• Toxins like dioxin accumulate in fish and animals, impacting the food chain and causing various health issues.
• Heavy metals and substances like copper induce food poisoning in aquatic species.
• Dumping human waste in water bodies can lead to infectious diseases like jaundice, influenza, and cholera.
• Contaminated water harms species, causes diseases, and leads to considerable loss.
• Untreated wastewater usage triggers moisture-related illnesses like diarrhoea, roundworm, and influenza, contributing to about a quarter of transmitted illnesses in India (according to WHO).

Light Pollution

Light pollution happens when there’s too much artificial light that disrupts the natural levels in a place. Big cities with lots of bright neon and fluorescent lights are the main cause of this. When the skies are way brighter than they should be, it messes up animals’ routines and can hurt their eyes. Plus, too much ultraviolet light from these sources can lead to health problems like genetic mutations and even cancer.

Noise pollution

Noise pollution occurs when there’s a lot of extra noise in an area. It happens because of things like loud machines in industries or vehicles, such as those at construction sites. Also, when there are events with many people and they use really loudspeakers or megaphones, it adds to the noise. This extra noise can stress out both the environment and the people living close to where the noise is coming from.

Effects of Environmental Pollution

Climate change.

Human-made air pollution is the main reason our climate is changing today. When gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are released, they create a greenhouse effect in our atmosphere. This effect makes the Earth’s surface warmer. As our planet gets warmer, we see things like ice melting, sea levels rising, more rain or snow, and more really bad and often weather events happening more often.

Aerosols, when released, cool the planet by absorbing and scattering sun radiation. Yet, they’re harmful to people, causing lung damage, and can change rainfall and wind patterns in the atmosphere.

Human Health

Industrial and vehicle emissions release harmful particles like soot, dust, and metals, impacting human lungs and causing cancer. CFCs harm the ozone layer, allowing more UV radiation to reach Earth, raising risks of genetic mutations and eye problems. Contaminated water leads to diseases like cholera and hepatitis A, while using it for washing causes skin irritation and dental issues like fluorosis. Polluted soil can spread diseases in crops, potentially affecting human populations if unnoticed.

In conclusion, environmental pollution, stemming from various sources like industry, transportation, and human activities, poses a significant threat to our planet’s health. Addressing this complex issue requires collective efforts, innovative solutions, and a commitment to sustainable practices. By prioritizing environmental stewardship, we pave the way for a cleaner, healthier future for both the planet and all its inhabitants.

Read also: Rivers, canals, and lakes

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Acid Rain & Ocean Acidification (Effects of Air Pollution)

• April 27, 2019
• Sep 21, 2019

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• Air Pollution: Air Pollutants, Classification of Air Pollutants (Previous Post)
• Effects of Air Pollution: Acid Rain and Ocean Acidification (This Post)
• Controlling Air Pollution: Bharat Stage VI, National Air Quality Index (Next Post)

Effects of Air Pollution: Acid Rain – Acidification

• Acid rain refers to any precipitation (rain, fog, mist, snow) that is more acidic than normal ( pH of less than 5.6 . pH below 7 is acidic).
• Acid rain is caused by atmospheric pollution from acidic gases such as  sulphur dioxide  and  oxides of nitrogen  emitted from the burning of fossil fuels.
• It is also recognized that acidic smog, fog, mist, move out of the atmosphere and settle on dust particles which in turn accumulate on vegetation as acid depositions.
• When rain falls, the acid from these depositions leak and form acid dews.

The pH scales

• The pH scale is a measure of how acidic or basic (alkaline) a solution is.
• It ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral.
• A pH less than 7 is acidic, and a pH greater than 7 is basic.
• It is based on  hydrogen ion concentration  in an aqueous solution.
• pH values decrease as hydrogen ion levels increase.
• A solution with pH 4 is ten times more acidic than pH 5, and a hundred times more acidic than pH 6.
• Whilst the pH range is usually given as 0 to 14, lower and higher values are theoretically possible.

Gases that cause acid rain

Q. Acid rain is caused by the pollution of the environment by

• carbon dioxide and nitrogen
• carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide
• ozone and carbon dioxide
• nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide

Explanation:

• CO and CO 2 react with rainwater to form weak carbonic acid . Hence, rainwater is naturally slightly acidic . But this is not enough to call it acid rain (acid rain must have pH of less than 5.6 ).
• Even increased concentration of CO and CO 2 is not enough to cause rainwater of pH less than 5.6.
• Only NIOS (10.3.2 Gaseous pollutants > Table 10.3 – Page 167) mentions N 2 O (nitrous oxide).

More details:

• N 2 O and NO are neutral in nature .
• N 2 O 3 , NO 2 and N 2 O 5 are acidic in nature .
• These acidic oxides react with water and produce acids like HNO 3 (nitric acid) and HNO 2 (nitrous acid) which causes acid rain.
• The neutral oxides are comparatively less, and they combine with oxygen and produce nitrogen dioxide.
• Thus, N 2 O and NO are indirectly involved (2NO +O 2 —>2NO 2 ) in causing acid rain.

Answer: d) nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and sulphur dioxide

Types of Acid Deposition

• “Acid rain” is a broad term referring to a mixture of wet and dry deposition (a form of deposition material) from the atmosphere.

Wet Deposition

• If the acid chemicals in the air are blown into areas where the weather is wet, the acids can fall to the ground in the form of rain, snow, fog, or mist.
• As this acidic water flows over and through the ground, it affects a variety of plants and animals.

Dry Deposition

• In areas where the weather is dry, the acid chemicals may become incorporated into dust or smoke and fall to the ground through dry deposition, sticking to the ground, buildings, vegetation, cars , etc.
• Dry deposited gases and particles can be washed from these surfaces by rainstorms, through runoff. This runoff water makes the resulting mixture more acidic.
• About half of the acidity in the atmosphere falls back to earth through  dry deposition .

Chemistry of Acid Rain

Six basic steps are involved in the formation of acid rain:

• The atmosphere receives oxides of sulphur and nitrogen from natural and human-made sources.
• Some of these oxides fall back directly to the ground as dry deposition , either close to the place of origin or some distance away.
• Sunlight  stimulates the formation of  photo-oxidants  ( such as ozone ) in the atmosphere.
• These photo-oxidants interact with the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen and other gases (like NH 3 ) to produce H 2 SO 4 (sulphuric acid) and HNO 3 (nitric acid) by oxidation.
• Acid rain containing ions of  sulfate, nitrate, ammonium  and  hydrogen  falls as wet deposition .

Harmful effects of acid rain

• Acid precipitation affects both aquatic and terrestrial organisms.
• It also damages buildings and monuments.

Effects on humans

• Bad smells, reduced visibility; irritation of the skin, eyes and the respiratory tract.
• Some direct effects include chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema and cancer.

Effects on soil

• The exchange between hydrogen ions and the nutrient cations like potassium and magnesium in the soil cause  leaching of the nutrients , making the soil infertile.
• An increase in ammonia in the soil due to a decrease in other nutrients  decrease the rate of decomposition . The nitrate level of the soil is also found to decrease.
• The impact of acid rain on soil is less in India; because Indian soils are mostly  alkaline, with good buffering ability .

Effects on aquatic life

• Eggs or sperms of fish, frogs and other aquatic organisms are sensitive to pH changes.
• Acid rain kills their gametes affecting the life cycles and productivity ( ecosystem imbalances).
• Acidic lake waters may kill microbes and turn them unproductive.
• Acid rain can make metals bound on soils to be released into the aquatic environment.

Effect on terrestrial life

• Acid rain damage  cuticle  of plant leaves and reduces photosynthesis.
• Acidic medium promotes  leaching  of heavy metals like  aluminium, lead  and  mercury . Such metals when percolate into ground water affect soil micro flora/fauna.
• Other indirect effects of acid rain on wildlife are loss or alteration of food and habitat resources.

Effects on microorganisms

• pH determines the proliferation of any microbial species.
• The optimum pH of most bacteria and protozoa is near neutrality.
• Most fungi prefer an acidic environment.
• Most blue-green bacteria prefer an alkaline environment.
• So, microbial species in the soil and water shift from bacteria-bound to fungi-bound.
• This causes a delay in the decomposition of soil organic material .

Effect on buildings, monuments and materials

• Many old, historical, ancient buildings and works of art/textile etc. are adversely affected by acid rain.
• Limestone and marble are destroyed by acid rain. Smoke and soot cover such objects. They slowly dissolve/flake away from the surfaces because of acid fumes in the air.
• Many buildings/monuments such as Taj Mahal in Agra have suffered from acid rain (Marble Cancer).

Acid Rain Areas

• They are concentrated in the industrialised belt of the northern hemisphere.
• Scandinavia, Canada, the Northeast United States and North-western Europe.
• In India, the first report of acid rain came from Bombay in 1974.
• Instances of acid rain are being reported from metropolitan cities.
• Lowering of soil pH is reported from north-eastern India, coastal Karnataka and Kerala, parts of Orissa, West Bengal and Bihar.

Acid Rain Control

• Use of low sulphur fuel or natural gas or washed coal (chemical washing of pulverised coal) in thermal plants can reduce incidences of acid rain.
• Buffering: the practice of adding a neutralising agent to the acidified water to increase the pH. Usually, lime in the form of calcium oxide and calcium carbonate is used.

Ocean Acidification

• Ocean acidification has been called the “ evil twin of global warming ” and “ the other CO 2 problem ”.
• Ocean acidification is the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth’s oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from the atmosphere.
• An estimated 30–40% of the carbon dioxide from human activity released into the atmosphere dissolves into oceans, rivers and lakes.
• To achieve chemical equilibrium, some of it reacts with the water to form  carbonic acid .
• Some of these extra carbonic acid molecules react with a water molecule to give a bicarbonate ion and a  hydronium ion , thus increasing ocean acidity (H+ ion concentration) .
• Checking CO and CO 2 emissions and controlling pollution are the only means to reduce ocean acidification.

Other contributors

• Eutrophication leads to large plankton blooms, and when these blooms collapse and sink to the sea bed the subsequent respiration of bacteria decomposing the algae leads to a decrease in seawater oxygen and an increase in CO 2 (a decline in pH).

Effects of Ocean Acidification

• Oceans are an important reservoir for CO 2 , absorbing a significant quantity of it (one-third) produced by anthropogenic activities and effectively buffering climate change .
• The uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide is occurring at a rate exceeding the natural buffering capacity of the oceans.
• Increasing acidity depresses metabolic rates and immune responses in some organisms.
• Seawater absorbs CO 2 to produce carbonic acid, bicarbonate and carbonate ions.
• However, the increase in atmospheric CO 2 levels lead to a decrease in pH level, an increase in the concentration of carbonic acid and bicarbonate ions, causing a decrease in the concentration of carbonate ions.
• The decrease in the amount of carbonate ions available makes it more difficult for marine calcifying organisms, such as coral (calcareous corals) and some plankton (calcareous plankton), to form biogenic calcium carbonate.
• Commercial fisheries are threatened because acidification harms calcifying organisms which form the base of the Arctic food webs.
• Increasing acidity accentuates coral bleaching as corals are very sensitive to changes in water composition.

Impact of Ocean Acidification on Cloud Formation

• The majority of sulphur in the atmosphere is emitted from the ocean, often in the form of dimethylsulfide (DMS) produced by phytoplankton .
• Some of DMS produced by phytoplankton enters the atmosphere and reacts to make sulphuric acid , which clumps into aerosols, or microscopic airborne particles.
• Aerosols seed the formation of clouds , which help cool the Earth by reflecting sunlight.
• But, in acidified ocean water, phytoplankton produces less DMS .
• This reduction of sulphur may lead to  decreased cloud formation, raising global temperatures .

Q. The acidification of oceans is increasing. Why is this phenomenon a cause of concern?

• The growth and survival of calcareous phytoplankton will be adversely affected.
• The growth and survival of coral reefs will be adversely affected.
• The survival of some animals that have phytoplanktonic larvae will be adversely affected.
• The cloud seeding and formation of clouds will be adversely affected.

Which of statements given above is / are correct?

• 1, 2 and 3 only
• 1 and 3 only
• 1, 2, 3 and 4

We have already learnt that ocean acidification decreases the calcifying ability of corals, calcareous plankton, crustaceans etc. It also adversely affects cloud formation and cloud seeding. So, Options 1, 2 and 4 are correct.

Answer: d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

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One comment

Sir Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) doesn’t cause acid rain so answer for question number 1 would be option b.

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Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974 – UPSC

In this article, You will read the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974 and Amendment, 1988 – for UPSC IAS.

• Our constitution, originally, did not contain any direct provision regarding the protection of the natural environment.
• However, after the  United Nations Conference on Human Environment, held in Stockholm in 1972 , the Indian constitution was amended to include  protection of the environment as a constitutional mandate .
• Environment-related legislation came very late in  1972 with Wild Life Protection Act 1971 .
• The  forty-second amendment (Fundamental Duties)  Clause (g) to Article 51A of the Indian constitution made it a  fundamental duty  to protect and improve the natural environment.
• Clause (g) to Article 51A  of the Indian constitution states “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and have compassion for living creatures.”
• There is a directive, given to the State as one of the  Directive Principles of State Policy  regarding the protection and improvement of the environment.
• Article 48A  states “The State shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country”.
• Article 21 of the Indian Constitution  assures the citizens of India the  right to a healthy environment .
• The  Department of Environment was established in India in 1980  to ensure a healthy environment for the country. This later became the  Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 1985 .

Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974

• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was enacted in 1974 to provide for the prevention and control of water pollution, and for the maintaining or restoring of wholesomeness of water in the country.
• The Act was amended in 1988.
• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act was enacted in 1977, to provide for the levy and collection of a cess on water consumed by persons operating and carrying on certain types of industrial activities.
• The Act vests regulatory authority in  State Pollution Control Boards  to establish and enforce effluent standards for factories.
• A  Central Pollution Control Board  performs the same functions for Union Territories and formulates policies and coordinates activities of different State Boards.
• The Act grants power to SPCB and CPCB to test equipment and to take the sample for the purpose of analysis.
• Prior to its amendment in 1988, enforcement under the Act was achieved through criminal prosecutions initiated by the Boards.
• The  1988 amendment act empowered SPCB and CPCB to close a defaulting industrial plant .

Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act of 1977

• The Water Cess Act was passed to generate financial resources to meet the expenses of the Central and State Pollution Boards.
• The Act creates  economic incentives for pollution control and requires local authorities and certain designated industries to pay a cess (tax) for water effluent discharge.
• The  Central Government, after deducting the expenses of collection, pays the central and state boards such sums, as it seems necessary.
• To encourage capital investment in pollution control, the Act gives a polluter a 70% rebate of the applicable cess upon installing effluent treatment equipment .

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the statutory organization , was constituted in September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
• Further, CPCB was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
• The board is led by its chairman , who is nominated by the Central Government.

It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Principal Functions of the CPCB , as spelled out in the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981,

• to promote cleanliness of streams and wells in different areas of the States by prevention, control, and abatement of water pollution, and
• to improve the quality of air and to prevent, control, or abate air pollution in the country.

Air Quality Monitoring

• Air Quality Monitoring is an important part of air quality management.
• The National Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP) has been established with objectives to determine the present air quality status and trends and to control and regulate pollution from industries and other sources to meet the air quality standards.
• It also provides background air quality data needed for industrial siting and town planning.
• Besides this, CPCB has an automatic monitoring station at ITO Intersection in New Delhi. At this station, Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Ozone (O3), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), and Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) are being monitored regularly. This information on Air Quality at ITO is updated every week.

Water Quality Monitoring (WQM)

• Freshwater is a finite resource essential for use in agriculture, industry, propagation of wildlife & fisheries, and for human existence.
• India is a riverine country . It has 14 major rivers, 44 medium rivers, and 55 minor rivers besides numerous lakes, ponds, and wells which are used as primary sources of drinking water even without treatment.
• Most of the rivers being fed by monsoon rains , which is limited to only three months of the year, run dry throughout the rest of the year often carrying wastewater discharges from industries or cities/towns endangering the quality of our scarce water resources.
• The parliament of India in its wisdom enacted the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 with a view to maintaining and restoring wholesomeness of our water bodies.
• One of the mandates of CPCB is to collect, collate and disseminate technical and statistical data relating to water pollution.
• Hence, Water Quality Monitoring (WQM) and Surveillance are of utmost importance.

Major Water Quality Issues

The main source of pollution of rivers is the matter derived from diverse human activities. 

• Pathogenic (Bacteriological) Pollution
• Oxygen Depleting organic pollution
• Toxicity (micro-pollutants and other industrial pollutants)

Surface Water

• Eutrophication
• Oxygen depletion
• Ecological health

Ground Water

• Seawater intrusion

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The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill of Feb 2024 proposes several changes to the original 1974 Act. Here are some key specifics: Decriminalization of Minor Offenses:

• The bill aims to decriminalize certain minor offenses related to water pollution. This means that instead of facing jail time, violators would be subject to financial penalties.
• This could potentially reduce the burden on the court system and encourage a more cooperative approach to compliance.

Enhanced Penalty Structure and Focus on Financial Disincentives:

• The shift from imprisonment to financial penalties reflects a move towards a more preventive and financially disincentivizing approach.
• This could incentivize industries to invest in pollution control measures to avoid hefty fines.

Standardised Regulatory Oversight:

• The bill proposes measures to enhance and standardize regulatory oversight across different states.
• This could involve the central governmen t having more authority in setting guidelines for appointments and procedures related to State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs).

Exemptions for Certain Industries:

• The bill empowers the central government to grant exemptions for specific categories of industrial plants from certain statutory restrictions. However, the specifics of these exemptions are not entirely clear at this point.

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Climate Change: Causes and Effects

Last updated on July 24, 2024 by ClearIAS Team

India ranks fifth globally in terms of climate change vulnerability. Due to climate change, India suffered losses of almost 37 billion dollars in 2018 (almost twice what it lost between 1998-2017).

According to MIT, 78 out of India’s 89 urban regions will experience a considerable increase in flash floods if preindustrial temperatures are increased by 2° Celsius.

Sea level rise and stronger cyclones have already been brought on by an increase in sea surface temperature.

Table of Contents

What Is Climate Change?

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Climate change means a long-term shift in temperature and weather patterns that may be natural such as through variations in the solar cycle or a result of anthropogenic activities such as carbon emission.

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• Since the 1800s, human activities, primarily the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas have been the primary cause of climate change.
• Fossil fuel combustion produces greenhouse gas emissions that serve as a blanket around the earth, trapping heat from the sun and increasing temperatures.
• Carbon dioxide and methane are two prominent greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change. These are produced, for instance, by burning coal or gasoline.
• Carbon dioxide can also be released during forest and land clearing and Methane is emitted primarily by waste landfills. Among all, the major emitters are energy, industry, transportation, buildings, agriculture, and land use.

Key Findings Related to Climate

• China is the largest emitter of carbon dioxide which comprises 30.60% of the CO2 emission worldwide. China is followed by the USA and India.
• The Earth is now about 1.1°C warmer than it was in the 1800s. The commitment made under the Paris Agreement may not be met.
• By the end of the century, the temperature might rise by as much as 4.4°C if carbon dioxide emissions continue on their current course.
• The levels of greenhouse gases rose to a new height in 2019. The amount of carbon dioxide was 148% of preindustrial levels.
• While sea ice, the Greenland ice sheet, and glaciers have decreased over the same period and permafrost temperatures have climbed, the Arctic has warmed at least twice as fast as the global average.
• Between 2020 and 2030, the world’s production of fossil fuels must drop by around 6% to maintain a 1.5°C trajectory.

Also read:  Planetary Boundaries

Causes of Climate Change

Several anthropogenic activities induce harm to the environment. A few important of them are-

Power Generation

• Burning fossil fuels to provide power and heat accounts for a sizable portion of world emissions. Burning coal, oil, or gas releases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, which are still used to produce the majority of power.
• Only a little over a quarter of the world’s electricity is generated by renewable energy sources including wind, solar, and other natural resources.

Manufacturing and Industrial goods

• The manufacturing/industrial sector is one of the leading global producers of greenhouse gas emissions.
• Emissions from manufacturing and industry are mostly the result of burning fossil fuels to create energy for the production of items like textiles, electronics, plastics, cement, iron, and steel.
• Gases are also released during mining and other industrial activities, as well as during construction.
• Some products are also manufactured from chemicals derived from fossil fuels i.e., plastic products.

Deforestation

• A per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions is caused by deforestation, along with agriculture and other changes in land use.
• As per an estimation, nearly 12 million hectares of forests are burned annually. Cutting down forests to make way for farms, pastures, or for other purposes also increases emissions.
• Forests absorb carbon dioxide, hence cutting or destroying forests reduces nature’s capacity to absorb emissions.

Transportation

• Fossil fuels are typically used to power transportation machines. As a result, emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, are greatly influenced by the transportation sector.
• In addition, statistics suggest that over the next few years, energy use for transportation will rise significantly.

Food Production

• In addition to deforestation and clearing land for agriculture and grazing, digestion by cows and sheep, production and use of fertilizers and manure, and the use of energy to run farm machinery or fishing boats, typically with fossil fuels, all contribute to the production of food.

Powering Buildings

• Over half of all electricity used worldwide is consumed by residential and commercial structures.
• Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions from buildings have increased over the past few years as a result of rising energy demand for heating and cooling, rising air conditioner ownership, and increased electricity use for lighting, appliances, and connected devices.

Also read: State of Global Climate Report 2023

Effects of Climate Change

Climate change has devastating impacts on us and the environment. The major effects are-

Increase in Temperature

• The global surface temperature rises together with greenhouse gas concentrations. The most recent ten years, 2011 to 2020, have been the warmest on record.
• Higher temperatures worsen heat-related illnesses and make it more challenging to work outside. When the weather is hotter, wildfires start more easily and spread more quickly.

More Severe Storms

• In many areas, destructive storms have increased in intensity and frequency. More moisture evaporates as temperatures rise , aggravating extremely heavy rains and flooding and resulting in more severe storms.
• The warming ocean has an impact on both the intensity and frequency of tropical storms. Warm ocean surface waters are the primary source of cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons.

Frequent Drought

• Water availability is changing due to climate change, becoming more scarce in many places. In already water-stressed areas, global warming makes water shortages worse.
• It also increases the danger of ecological and agricultural droughts, which can harm crops and make ecosystems more vulnerable.

Warming and Rising Ocean

• The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide, keeping it out of the atmosphere. However, additional carbon dioxide causes the water to become more acidic, endangering coral reefs and marine life.
• It is the property of water that it expands when becomes warmer, therefore as the ocean warms, its volume will rise. Sea levels increase as a result of ice sheet melting, endangering coastal and island communities.

Loss of Species

• Both animals on land and in the ocean are at risk from climate change. As the temperatures rise, these risks rise as well.
• The rate of extinction on the planet is 1,000 times higher now than it has ever been in recorded human history. Within the next few decades, one million species face extinction .
• Threats from climate change include invasive pests and illnesses, forest fires, and harsh weather.

Food Scarcity

• Global hunger and poor nutrition are on the rise for a variety of reasons, including climate change and an increase in extreme weather occurrences. Crops, animals, and fisheries might all be lost or become less effective.
• Marine resources that provide food for billions of people are in danger as a result of the ocean’s increasing acidity.
• Food sources from herding, hunting, and fishing have been hampered in several Arctic regions due to changes in the snow and ice cover.
• Heat stress can reduce available water and grazing areas, which can lower crop output and have an impact on cattle.

Health Hazards

• The single greatest hazard to human health is climate change. Air pollution, sickness, harsh weather, forced relocation, stress on mental health, increasing hunger and inadequate nutrition in areas where people cannot grow or get enough food are only a few of the health effects of climate change.
• 13 million individuals every year are killed by environmental conditions. Extreme weather events increase fatalities and make it challenging for healthcare systems to keep up with the growing number of diseases caused by changing weather patterns.

Read:  Climate Resilient Health Systems;   Climate Change and Health

Deepen Poverty and Displacement

• Climate change makes it easier for people to fall into and stay in poverty.
• Floods have the potential to devastate homes and livelihoods in urban slums. Outdoor jobs may be challenging to perform in the heat. Crops may be impacted by water scarcity.
• Weather-related disasters have uprooted an estimated 23.1 million people annually on average over the previous ten years (2010-2019), leaving millions more at risk of poverty.
• The majority of refugees are from countries that are least able and prepared to adjust to the effects of climate change.

Read:  Impact of climate change on Indian monsoon

Every increase in global warming matters

Numerous UN assessments were endorsed by hundreds of experts and government reviewers who concluded that keeping the increase in global temperature to 1.5°C will help us escape the worst climatic effects and maintain a habitable climate.

However, according to current national climate plans, the average global warming by the end of the century will reach about 3.2°C.

Across the world, emissions that contribute to climate change are produced, yet some countries produce significantly more than others. 3 per cent of global emissions are produced by the 100 countries with the lowest emissions.

68% of the contribution comes from the ten countries with the highest emissions. Everyone must act to combat climate change, but those who contribute most to the issue must be the countries with a larger obligation to do so first.

Read:  Black carbon emissions

Article Written By: Priti Raj

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• Delhi Air Pollution Upsc

Delhi Air Pollution [UPSC Notes]

India’s national capital New Delhi is known for being one of the world’s most polluted cities, with the problem getting particularly severe in the winter months. What is the reason for Delhi’s air pollution? What are the mitigation measures being taken by the government? In this article, you can read all about Delhi’s air pollution problem and the ways this can be resolved. This is an important topic for the UPSC exam environment and ecology segments.

The article is important for the Environment section of the UPSC Syllabus.

The aspirants can read more relevant information from the links provided below:

Air Pollution in Delhi

India is one of the most polluted countries in the world and among the capital cities, Delhi is probably one of the most polluted cities. Indian cities feature largely in the top 50 polluted cities of the world according to many parameters. 

The problem, however, is particularly severe in the capital Delhi and its adjoining areas, commonly called Delhi – NCR. 

• The Environment Performance Index 2020 gives India a global ranking of 169.
• Air pollution (both indoors and outdoors) is the second-most serious risk factor for public health in the country (the first being malnutrition) and it contributes to an estimated 2.5 million deaths annually.

But what makes Delhi’s air pollution so severe compared to the rest of the country, and what specifically makes it more harmful during the winter months? This is discussed in the following sections.

Causes of Air Pollution in Delhi

Air pollution is the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates, or biological materials that cause discomfort, disease, or death to humans, damage other living organisms, damage the natural and the built environment.

The severe air pollution that affects life is not restricted to Delhi but to a huge airshed around it that includes the NCR. This encompasses Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida, places in Haryana, UP, and even Alwar (Rajasthan).

The most important causes of air pollution in Delhi and adjoining areas are as follows:

• Increasing population and related developmental activities at the cost of environmental damage.
• The development of the region has largely been unplanned and often, industrial units that spew harmful chemicals into the atmosphere are located in residential and commercial areas and not designated areas.
• Increased vehicular traffic (which has not come down despite the Delhi metro) and the consequent rise in air and noise pollution.
• Almost 8,000 m tonnes of solid waste is being generated in Delhi (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) every day, however, the authorities manage to clear only about 5000 – 5500 m tonnes of waste daily. This adds to the garbage piling up. This is not counting the hazardous and non-hazardous waste from industries.
• There is a rather high dependence on fossil fuels, whose burning causes a lot of emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere.
• Large scale construction activities lead to increased dust pollution, which leads to around 56% of PM10 and the PM2.5 load.
• The landlocked geography of Delhi also causes more air pollution as compared to other cities. The north-westerly winds coming from Rajasthan, sometimes Pakistan and Afghanistan bring in the dust to the region. The Himalayas obstruct the escape route of the air. This causes the dust and pollutants to settle in the region. This is more prominent during the winters because of low-level inversion (upward movement of air from the layers below is stopped). It is because of this landlocked geography of Delhi that it faces greater pollution when compared to the coastal city of Chennai (where despite high automobile population, has the sea breeze which provides an effective entry and exit for dispersing pollutants).
• Stubble burning also contributes to the air pollution in the region. During the winter months, the large scale stubble burning practised in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan cause a thick blanket of smog to cover Delhi-NCR. According to a study, the burning of crop residue released about 149 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, more than 9 million tonnes of carbon monoxide, 0.25 million tonnes of oxides of sulphur (SOX), 1.28 million tonnes of particulate matter (PM) and 0.07 million tonnes of black carbon. As evident, it contributes to a lot of greenhouse gas emissions.
• Firecrackers, although not the top reason for air pollution, also contributes to the problem.

Problems Caused by Air Pollution

• Air pollution severely affects human health. It is found to cause low birth weight in children, tuberculosis, asthma, ischemic heart disease, nasopharyngeal and laryngeal cancers, cataracts, etc.
• According to some research, air pollution can also impair cognitive development.
• Air pollution is associated with infections & diseases that kill around 600,000 children under five years of age every year.
• Several studies reveal a higher prevalence of symptoms of chronic bronchitis in areas with higher particulate air pollution.
• Nearly 2.5 million people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution. (National Geographic)
• Air pollution also affects the environment adversely. Many pollutants are greenhouse gases and this leads to global warming. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide which has the biggest impact on global warming.

Steps Taken to Control Delhi’s Air Pollution

Various steps have been taken by the government (central and state governments) to tackle the menace of air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Some of the measures are given below.

• In October 2020, the Supreme Court-appointed a one-man committee, Justice Lokur Committee , to monitor and curb the occurrences of stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Read more about this committee in CNA dated Oct 17, 2020 .
• These are institutionalised measures to be taken only when the air quality in Delhi NCR deteriorates beyond a certain threshold.
• It is only to be implemented in emergency situations.
• The steps would be taken to prevent PM10 and PM2.5 levels to go beyond the ‘moderate’ national Air Quality Index (AQI) category.
• GRAP enumerates a series of measures to be taken based on the quality of air.
• In the case of severe+ category, one of the measures also includes shutting down of schools.
• Read more on the Graded Response Action Plan in the linked article.
• Construction & demolition (C&D) waste management rules have been notified which mandate the segregation of C&D waste into various categories for safe disposal and further processing.
• Red Light On, Gaadi Off campaign was an initiative by the Delhi Government that ran in Oct-Nov 2020 under which commuters driving vehicles were urged to switch off their vehicle engines while waiting for the green light at traffic lights.
• The Odd-even rule was introduced by the Delhi Government according to which vehicles with odd and even registration numbers would ply on the road on alternate days. This was particularly aimed at reducing smog in the region.
• The state government of Delhi also introduced a policy to preserve and plant trees in a bid to increase the green cover and have carbon sinks.
• Anti-smog guns and smog towers are installed and used in the city.
• The subsidy is provided to the farmers for procuring the Turbo Happy Seeder, which is a machine fitted on tractors that can cut and uproot stubble and eliminates the need to burn stubble.
• The ICAR has also come up with the PUSA Decomposer, which is a capsule that can be used to make a spray which when sprayed on crop residue hastens its decomposition.
• Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) is being built as a means to provide citizens with non-polluting alternative sources of transportation.
• The adoption of the Bharat Stage VI norms and the big push being given to electric vehicles steps in the right direction in curbing vehicular pollution.

Way Forward

Reducing air pollution in the national capital is a pressing need for which both the governments and the citizens should play their part. The government should enforce all the legislations necessary and see to it, and they are properly implemented. Citizens should comply with the laws and regulations and do their part as well. Afforestation measures should be encouraged. Renewable energy sources should be adopted more and the usage of electric vehicles encouraged, for which the necessary infrastructure should also be built. Farmers should also be provided with viable alternatives to stubble burning.

Delhi Air Pollution [UPSC Notes]:- Download PDF Here

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