Reena Gupta

The results from the remote sensing pilot in Delhi-NCR carried out by ICCT with Govt of Delhi and Gurugram Authorities are very insightful. This proves why the on-road emissions monitoring needs reinvention to go beyond the basic PUC. RSD placed by the road side can measure exhaust plume remotely as vehicles pass by. It can monitor a lot more pollutants and vehicles than PUC. The new evidence puts a spotlight on the real world emissions and throws up several lessons. First the positives --  I) India's leapfrog to BS6 has improved emission levels substantially. ii) Crack down on old vehicles and early introduction of BS4, have accelerated fleet renewal in Delhi-NCR - almost 89% of the vehicles meet BS 4 or BS 6 standards. Pre-BS 4 vehicles are just about 11%. iii) Measures to curb dieselisation ( with CNG programme, pollution cess on diesel fuel , trucks and big diesel cars), have reduced the share of diesel vehicles in the fleet. Yet the insightful data from this pilot exposes enormous risks from high level of real world emissions from on-road vehicles-- i) Real world emissions even from BS6 vehicles - though cleaner - are  several times higher than the type approval or certification level. Ii) CNG programme, - that helped to curb toxic particulate emissions from diesel, emit very high NOx. This clearly points towards the need for technology forcing standards for adoption of advanced emissions control systems to constantly stay ahead of the pollution curve and address multi-pollutant crisis. Iii) Predictably, commercial vehicles are the main rogue, with light good vehicles with weaker emissions control systems, being the worst emitters. Iv) In fact, OEM-model-wise data shows that PM emissions from diesel fleets of most OEMs are among the highest emitters. There is a lot more.... It is time to acknowledge that PUC is not working and RSD based monitoring has to come in. This can not only screen large numbers of vehicles and identify high emitters more efficiently but also provide feedback on the emissions performance of different vehicle technology genre. These results have come just in time. The Supreme Court has recently reinforced its earlier directives of 2018-19 to implement RSD in Delhi NCR on a priority basis. Several other cities have included RSD in their respective clean air action plans while Kolkata (the only city to have implemented this), is poised for the next phase of expansion. But the central rules needed for its implementation (AIS 170) have not yet been notified by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. This must happen immediately. The new evidence clearly exposes the serious challenge of real world emissions from on-road vehicles and builds a strong case for a quicker uptake of electric vehicles to accelerate zero tailpipe emissions transition.  Amit Bhatt Anirudh Narla   https://lnkd.in/gJ6imRwS

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Images of crocodiles on Vadodara streets seemed like a dystopian nightmare come true. But they also provide a fresh perspective on financial risks arising from climate change. As regulators and authorities build new guardrails to minimise financial risks from climate change, gaps in the existing framework may give birth to a new breed of predators. My column in moneycontrol.com. #climatechange #climatefinance #greenbonds #greendeposits https://lnkd.in/d65Ra4k9

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WRI India, in collaboration with the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) and the Department of Environment Forest and Climate Change (DoEFCC), Government of Bihar, conducted Divisional-level Dissemination Workshops in Darbhanga, Purnia, and Kosi divisions from 16-19 July, 2024. These workshops are a critical step towards building capacities of necessary stakeholders to implement the strategies identified in the 'Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Development Pathway for Bihar'. Highlights from the Workshops: The WRI India team covered a distance of more than 1000 km over four days covering building capacities of more than 200 number of stakeholders spanning 10 districts falling under three administrative divisions of Bihar. 📍 Darbhanga: Held at the Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Auditorium on July 16, this workshop focused on the importance of public awareness to combat climate change. Chitragupta Kumar, Deputy Development Commissioner of Darbhanga, emphasized the need for water conservation and resource management in the face of declining groundwater levels. Retired Principal of MLSM College, Vidyanath Jha, discussed the cultivation of makhana in Darbhanga, Madhubani, Saharsa, Purnia, Supaul, and Kishanganj districts. 📍 Purnia: The Purnia workshop at the collectorate on July 18 stressed upon regional climate challenges and the necessity of collaborative efforts to tackle them. Local officials discussed adaptation measures for agriculture and importance of community engagement in climate-resilient practices. Dr. Radheshyam from Bhola Paswan Shastri Agricultural College emphasized the need for crop pattern changes due to monsoon delays. 📍 Kosi: At the Vikas Bhawan auditorium in Saharsa on July 19, Divisional Commissioner Neelam Chaudhary highlighted the existential crisis imposed by climate change. Saharsa District Magistrate Vaibhav Chaudhary underscored the need for individual and community actions like water conservation, reducing plastic use, and promoting energy efficiency. Dr. Sneha Kumari from Mandan Bharati Krishi Mahavidyalaya highlighted the impact of climate change on agriculture and promoted climate-friendly practices like zero tillage and direct sowing of paddy. Key Objectives: 🔍 Sensitize local stakeholders about the climate strategy 🛠 Identify and address challenges to implementation 🤝 Foster partnerships among diverse groups 📚 Enhance knowledge and skills on climate impacts and strategies   We are excited about the positive impact of these workshops and look forward to continuing this journey in August with six more sessions covering the remaining 28 districts falling under six administrative divisions in Bihar. Madhav Pai | Ulka Kelkar | Pawan Mulukutla | Saransh Bajpai | Subrata Chakrabarty | Ashwini Hingne | Dr. Shashidhar Kumar Jha | Mani Bhushan Jha | Roushan M. | Steffi Olickal | Shreyas Joshi | Prateek Barapatre | Chintan Daftardar | Ashutosh kumar ojha | Shubhashis Dey | Nidhi Madan | Piyush Tripathi

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Rural poverty in India is a complex issue, and several socioeconomic factors contribute to it. The key determinants include: #Dependency #Ratio Households with a higher dependency ratio, meaning more non-working members, are more likely to be poor * #Education Lower levels of education, particularly years of schooling, significantly impact #poverty levels -* #Occupation* #Engagement in low-paying or unstable occupations contributes to poverty #Gender of Household Head Female-headed households are more vulnerable to poverty Per #Capita Monthly Income Lower income levels directly affect poverty status #Access to #Credit Limited access to credit and financial services exacerbates poverty - #Caste and #Tribe Poverty is disproportionately high among certain caste and tribe groups #Health and #Education Limited access to quality healthcare and education perpetuates poverty #Geographical #Location Remote or resource-scarce areas face unique challenges These factors intertwine, creating a poverty trap that's difficult to escape. For instance, limited #education options lead to lower-paying #jobs, reducing income and access to #credit, #healthcare, and #education. The 2024 #Global #Multidimensional #Poverty #Index report highlights that 84% of the world's poor live in rural areas, with India being one of the countries with the largest number of poor individuals. Addressing rural poverty requires a multifaceted approach, incorporating #education, #economic #empowerment, and social inclusion strategies. Reforming #policies and #programs, such as those supported by the UNAccc (UNITY OF NATIONS ACTION FOR CLIMATE CHANGE COUNCIL) , can play a crucial role in addressing these #socioeconomic determinants. Some potential solutions include: Improving Access to Education and Healthcare Investing in #qualityeducation and healthcare services in rural areas. #Economic #Empowerment Providing training, credit, and livelihood opportunities for rural households. #Social #Inclusion Addressing caste and tribe disparities through targeted programs. #Infrastructure #Development Enhancing rural infrastructure to facilitate access to markets and services. By understanding the complex interplay of #socioeconomic factors contributing to rural poverty in #India, we can work towards effective solutions to improve #livelihoods and #quality of #life. Narendra Modi NITI Aayog NITI Aayog Official Rajiv Kumar Rajiv Kumar UNAccc (UNITY OF NATIONS ACTION FOR CLIMATE CHANGE COUNCIL) Gottlieb W. Keller Neville Gaunt 💡⚡️ H.E. Sir Dr Ian Peter Anderson Prof. Amit Sharma (PhD) United Nations UN SDG Action Campaign

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The report stresses the urgent need for #climate_change #adaptation to safeguard #food_security and #livelihoods in #vulnerable communities. It highlights that 91 districts face very high #drought risk and 188 are at high drought risk. Particularly states like #Bihar, #Assam, #Jharkhand, #Odisha, and #Maharashtra mostly affected and deal with #soil_erosion, #crop_failure, and #poverty, potentially worsening #rural_distress and #food_insecurity. Additionally, 11 districts, including Patna, Alappuzha, and Kendrapara, face high risks of #floods and #drought. The report calls for immediate, multi-pronged interventions to address the #climate_change issues. through improved #water_management, #climate-resilient #crops, #sustainable_farming practices, and effective #early_warning systems. Rise Against Hunger India #Centre_for_Climate_Resilience_and_Response (#C2R2)

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Initiating action on Food Loss and Food Waste in Bhopal, WRI India conducted a ‘Dialogue on City-Level Strategies to Reduce Food Loss and Food Waste in Bhopal’ today in partnership with Environmental Planning & Coordination Organisation (EPCO) of the Government of Madhya Pradesh. The dialogue aimed to foster cross-learning and accelerate evidence-based action to tackle food loss and food waste effectively.  The workshop included keynote addresses by Mr. Harendra Narayan, Commissioner, Bhopal Municipal Corporation, Mr. R Parasuram, Former Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh and Senior Fellow, WRI India and Mr. Lokendra Thakkar, Chief Scientific Officer and Coordinator, Climate Change Knowledge Management Centre, EPCO. With over 50 participants the dialogue brought together multiple stakeholders who discussed various strategies to reduce food loss and waste in the city.  Following the Bhopal dialogue, similar city-level discussions are planned in Jabalpur, Gwalior and Ujjain. The workshop aims to raise awareness about the causes, scale, and impact of food loss and food waste, map city-level practices and challenges, showcase best practices, and develop actionable strategies to address food loss and waste across the state.  #FoodLoss #FoodWaste #PostHarvestLosses #Sustainablity #FoodSystems #SustainableAgriculture #FoodProduction 

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Pleased to share my article, "The Agricultural Crisis in Punjab: A Behavioural Economics Perspective." This piece explores the urgent challenges facing Punjab's agriculture and how understanding farmer behavior can lead to sustainable solutions. You can access the full article here - https://lnkd.in/dgtnpQ4c

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Punjab is confronting a critical water crisis stemming from over-extraction, dwindling river sources, outdated infrastructure, and prolonged political gridlocks. The state lacks a coherent water policy, leading to short-term fixes influenced by economic needs and political factors. Immediate actions are crucial to prevent a looming water disaster. Today's Op-Ed piece in the HT Chandigarh delves into this urgent matter.

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Feeling both determined and reflective as I read the latest report on Delhi's water bodies. It’s alarming to see that nearly half of them have vanished—either lost to time or encroachment. This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a significant blow to our #environment and the heritage of our communities. We’ve been working hard to bring attention to these neglected water bodies. Many of these “missing” ponds and village johads are more than just water sources—they are a part of our cultural #history My team and I have been particularly focused on reviving a local water body in Budhela village, which has been under threat from encroachment for years. Despite multiple efforts, we’ve seen little progress, which led us to file a #Writ #petition in the #DelhiHighCourt earlier this year. "Interestingly Delhi Government has filed a false affidavit in the Delhi High Court stating that this #land is not a village pond Since 1990. Contrary to the village revenue records that clearly show how this land along with many other lands are G.M Johar (Pond as per administrative language)" What's more interesting is that we have filed evidence; copy of Question & Answer from the Parliamentary Affairs on 26-11-2001 by an Member of Parliament in response to which the #Delhi #Development #Authority had admitted that this land is village pond and we will soon resolve the village grievance" And next year they sold the village common land to Delhi government to construct building" Luckily for 23 years, nothing materialized and early this year when GNCTD gave approval for construction, we began our journey to seek #justice in #court after 5 years of efforts of requests, follow-ups and grievance with Delhi Government to stop construction on pond land and revive the natural Waterbury for the benefit of villagers and local ecological environment. This battle isn’t just about saving one pond; it’s about setting a precedent for how we treat our natural resources. It’s heartening to see that public participation is now being explored as part of the solution. Protecting what’s left is only the first step. True success will come when we start restoring what we’ve lost. Let’s keep pushing forward, Delhi. Our water bodies need us. Arvind Kejriwal Atishi . Jasmine Shah https://lnkd.in/gQzcqAhC

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The blog, 'The Conundrum of Climate Change on Agriculture in Meghalaya' by Heather Phanwar and Lily Kharthangmaw, Research Fellows, Meghalaya Legislative Research Fellowship (MLRF) provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges faced by Meghalaya, a northeastern Indian state heavily reliant on agriculture. Climate change, manifested in rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events, pose a significant threat to the state's agricultural sector and the livelihoods of its people. Heather and Lily explore the causes of climate change, its impacts on agriculture, and the efforts being made by the state government and communities to address these challenges. Read full blog at https://lnkd.in/gcj4fDnn and share your insights below. #ClimateChange #Agriculture #Meghalaya

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On this International MSME Day, the Government of India must look at more effective capacity-building measures working in unison with the states to reaffirm the role of the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector as the champion of the masses. Read more at: https://buff.ly/3zhEtx7 #MSME #Finance #Business #Credit #MSMEDay #Enterprises

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It was in July of 2023 that a written statement, submitted for ECOSOC High Level Segment-2023 by Consumers India in collaboration with SUM, an NGO in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC of United Nations, was published by the United Nations for circulation amongst all Members in accordance with paragraphs 30 and 31 of Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31. In this Statement some suggestions have been made with regard to achieving Goal 12 of SDGs (sustainable consumption and production). Some of the issues highlighted in the Statement are ‘Reduce Food Waste’, ‘Reduce Fashion Waste’, ‘Reduce Indoor Pollution’, ‘Adopt Sustainable Tourism’ etc. #jagograhakjago #consumersindia #drjayashreeguptablog #heyconsumer #humanrights #globalwarming #water #health #sustainableconsumption https://lnkd.in/dP_6mTEd

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The Vivekananda International Foundation has published a report Building Capabilities and Capacities for India: Policy Suggestions for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government 2024. It makes several policy suggestions in areas ranging from foreign policy, defence technology and strategic manufacturing to climate change, cybersecurity and culture and civilisation. Based on the expert-level discussions held at the VIF, the report suggests an expansion of diplomatic capacity to enable deeper engagement with the world. It underscores the need to bring out a National Security Strategy, and a Foreign Policy Concept for an uncertain world. Taking note of the need to remain constantly engaged with the world, it suggests the appointment of regional and thematic special envoys to complement the normal diplomatic exchanges.  It recommends setting up an office of International Trade Negotiators to improve India's trade negotiation capabilities. It emphasises the need for reexamining joining the RCEP and concluding a BIMSTEC FTA.  On the economic front, the report recommends increased focus on the aspirations of the youths, creating more jobs, raising per capita income and recommends the inclusion of petrol and diesel under the GST. Noting the complexity of the energy transition to net zero, the report recommends that nuclear power should be given the status of green energy and should be provided incentives on par with renewable.  Taking cognisance of the serious negative impact of climate change on the economy and society, the report recommends that climate change should be factored into all policies and plans.  The report also covers areas such as Foreign Policy, International Trade, Arctic Issues, Maritime, Defence, Strategic Manufacturing and Exports, India as a drone hub, Space, Shipbuilding, Cybersecurity Startups, Project implementation, Climate Change and biodiversity, Economy, Energy Transition and Power Sector, Agriculture and Rural Development, Higher Education, Ayurveda, Legal system, Urbanisation, Infrastructure Development, Connecting Bharat with India, Delhi, the Capital city, Internal Security, Culture and civilisation and Special Missions (AI, Quantum technologies, Cyber-physical) https://lnkd.in/gJ6fHsm7

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"Cities in India need to identify vulnerable populations expeditiously and prepare heat action plans accordingly," says our Senior Programme Lead, Vishwas Chitale PhD. Read more in Press Trust of India (PTI)👇 https://lnkd.in/eAJNNF24 #heat #heatwave #heatstress #climaterisk #climateresilience #climateaction

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Multidimensional indicators such as the water poverty index underscore the importance of sustainability of water resources and how they affect the lives of people. Read a paper that uses NCAER's India Human Development Survey (IHDS) to measure water poverty rates in India. https://bit.ly/3XvNUCQ

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Science needs to be given its due recognition over sensation. Data and evidence must be given due consideration and not the unfounded claims and half truths. #science #GMcrops #geneticallymodified #geneediting #mythbuster #myths #farming #agriculture #biotechnology

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