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Switching to Veggies Can Cut Grocery Emissions by 26%

Dr Gaines stressed the “need to put emissions information onto product labels”. Importantly, she said that the swapping may also prove to be healthy and nutritious…reports Asian Lite News

Switching meat with more vegetables and fruits may help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by more than a quarter (26 per cent), according to a new study on Tuesday. 

In the study, researchers from the George Institute for Global Health and Imperial College London showed that swapping a frozen meat lasagne for a vegetarian option could push the reduction to as much as 71 per cent.

“Dietary habits need to change significantly if we are to meet global emissions targets, particularly in high-income countries like Australia, the UK, and the US,” lead author and epidemiologist Dr Allison Gaines said.

However, she lamented that even though many people “are willing to make more sustainable food choices”, they “lack reliable information to identify the more environmentally friendly options”.

For the study, published in the journal Nature Food, the team calculated the projected emissions of annual grocery purchases from 7,000 Australian households using information on ingredients, weights, and production life cycles. The results showed that making switches within the same sub-categories of foods could lead to emission reductions of 26 per cent in Australia, equivalent to taking over 1.9 million cars off the road.

Dr Gaines stressed the “need to put emissions information onto product labels”. Importantly, she said that the swapping may also prove to be healthy and nutritious.

In the study, the team found that meat products led to almost half (49 per cent) of all greenhouse gas emissions, but only 11 per cent of total purchases. Conversely, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and legumes represented one quarter (25 per cent) of all purchases, but were responsible for just 5 per cent of emissions.

“We found swapping would lead to a slight reduction in the proportion of ultra-processed foods purchased, which is a positive outcome because they’re generally less healthy,” Dr Gaines said.

ALSO READ-‘83% of UAE Residents Not Eating Enough Fruits & Vegetables’

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-Top News Environment World News

UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report Urges Urgent Climate Action

Current unconditional NDCs imply that additional emissions cuts of 14 GtCO2e are needed in 2030 over predicted levels for two degrees…reports Asian Lite News

As global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions break records, the latest Emissions Gap Report from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) finds that current pledges under the Paris Agreement put the world on track for a 2.5-2.9 degrees Celsius temperature rise above pre-industrial levels this century, pointing to the urgent need for increased climate action.

Released ahead of the 2023 climate summit in Dubai, the Emissions Gap Report 2023: Broken Record — Temperatures hit new highs, yet world fails to cut emissions (again), finds that global low-carbon transformations are needed to deliver cuts to predicted 2030 greenhouse gas emissions of 28 per cent for a two-degree pathway and 42 per cent for a 1.5-degree pathway.

“We know it is still possible to make the 1.5 degree limit a reality. It requires tearing out the poisoned root of the climate crisis: fossil fuels. And it demands a just, equitable renewables transition,” said Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General.

Maintaining the possibility of achieving the Paris Agreement temperature goals hinges on significantly strengthening mitigation this decade to narrow the emissions gap. This will facilitate more ambitious targets for 2035 in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and increase the chances of meeting net-zero pledges, which now cover around 80 per cent of global emissions.

“There is no person or economy left on the planet untouched by climate change, so we need to stop setting unwanted records on greenhouse gas emissions, global temperature highs and extreme weather,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.

“We must instead lift the needle out of the same old groove of insufficient ambition and not enough action, and start setting other records: on cutting emissions, on green and just transitions and on climate finance.”

Until the beginning of October this year, 86 days were recorded with temperatures over 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

September was the hottest recorded month ever, with global average temperatures 1.8 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

The report finds that global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased by 1.2 per cent from 2021 to 2022 to reach a new record of 57.4 gigatonne of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (GtCO2e).

GHG emissions across the G20 increased by 1.2 per cent in 2022. Emission trends reflect global patterns of inequality. Because of these worrying trends and insufficient mitigation efforts, the world is on track for a temperature rise far beyond the agreed climate goals during this century.

If mitigation efforts implied by current policies are continued at today’s levels, global warming will only be limited to three degrees above pre-industrial levels in this century.

Fully implementing efforts implied by unconditional Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) would put the world on track for limiting temperature rise to 2.9 degrees.

Conditional NDCs fully implemented would lead to temperatures not exceeding 2.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

All of these are with a 66 per cent chance. These temperature projections are slightly higher than in the 2022 Emissions Gap Report, as the 2023 report includes a larger number of models in the estimation of global warming.

Current unconditional NDCs imply that additional emissions cuts of 14 GtCO2e are needed in 2030 over predicted levels for two degrees.

Cuts of 22 GtCO2e are needed for 1.5 degrees.

The implementation of conditional NDCs reduces both these estimates by 3 GtCO2e.

In percentage terms, the world needs to cut 2030 emissions by 28 per cent to get on track to achieve the two degrees goal of the Paris Agreement, with a 66 per cent chance, and 42 per cent for the 1.5 degrees goal.

If all conditional NDCs and long-term net-zero pledges were met, limiting the temperature rise to two degrees would be possible.

However, net-zero pledges are not currently considered credible: none of the G20 countries are reducing emissions at a pace consistent with their net-zero targets.

Even in the most optimistic scenario, the likelihood of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees is only 14 per cent.

ALSO READ-Nine Indian Leaders Named in Time 100 Climate List

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Economy Finance India News

IFC Report: India Fast-Tracking Emission Goals

The report said that the RBI included the small renewable energy sector under its priority sector lending scheme in 2015 itself…reports Asian Lite News

India has significantly developed its climate actions, enabling it towards a path, which will help achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) well before 2030, a report by International Finance Corporation (IFC) has said.

The report titled “Blended Finance for Climate Investments in India”, which was released on Tuesday, noted that India is the only G20 nation which is in line with 2 degrees warming compared to its fair share contribution to climate action.

NDCs are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of its long-term goals. They embody efforts by each country to reduce their national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The report said that the RBI included the small renewable energy sector under its priority sector lending scheme in 2015 itself.

“Since the first issuance of green bonds that year, India has developed the second largest green bonds market among emerging economies with cumulative issuances worth more than $10 billion by private companies and public sector entities,” it noted.

The IFC report also said that at the end of April 2021, India had taken its commitments to green finance one step further when the RBI became the member of Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS).

This, it said, will go a long way in strengthening the financial sector’s response to climate change and developing a much stronger and more coherent, coordinated and credible policy framework to support green investment.

At the Paris “One Planet Summit” in December 2017, eight central banks and supervisors had established the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS).

The network’s purpose is to help strengthening the global response required to meet the goals of the Paris agreement and to enhance the role of the financial system to manage risks and to mobilise capital for green and low-carbon investments in the broader context of environmentally sustainable development.

Meanwhile, talking about the most recent measures, the IFC report stated that the Indian government had proposed to issue sovereign green bonds in 2022-23 for mobilising finance for green infrastructure projects.

As on February 2023, 50 per cent of the total target of about $2 billion of green financing has been raised in the first tranche, it stated.

The report also highlighted the Panchamrit commitments announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet India’s COP26 ambitions.

It pointed out that as of February 2023, renewable energy sources contributed to 41 per cent of India’s total installed capacity and the country stands fourth globally in terms of total renewable energy installed capacity.

India is committed to meet 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030, the IFC report said.

ALSO READ-IFC to invest Rs 600 cr in Mahindra’s new EV firm

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-Top News India News

‘G20 vital to deal with global carbon emissions’

Global carbon emissions will decide future, G20 is vital to deal with it : Scientists

Along with the global issues, particularly in the energy sector, the local issues in Tripura were also discussed…reports Asian Lite News

Global carbon emissions will determine the future, human fate and livelihood, that is why G20 is very important to deal with the challenge, scientists said on the opening day of the two-day Science-20 conference under India’s G20 Presidency in Agartala.

The scientists said that there is no nation, no society that can address the carbon emission challenges on their own, so G20 is so important and all nations have to work together as a global force to address these problems of climate change and sustainable development.

The President of Indian National Science Academy, Ashutosh Sharma, who chaired the Science-20 meet, said that clean energy is very important for a sustainable future, development and climate change.

“What we need right now is clean energy, which is the theme of the Science 20 conference – ‘Cleaner Energy for a Cleaner Future’. One earth, one family, one future are very true for climate change as all the challenges that we face today are a global challenge,” he said.

The event has been organised with inputs from the G20 countries. Scientists from 10 countries are present here, while other countries are giving their inputs virtually.

Hydrogen is one of the big and significant areas where work is going on across the globe and there is a hydrogen mission that will be taken forward in India, Sharma said.

He added that till November, India will work on these issues by producing reports, policy papers and action maps on what needs to be done with cooperation of the G20 countries before handing over the Presidency of G20 to Brazil on December 1.

Global carbon emissions will decide future, G20 is vital to deal with it : Scientists

Along with the global issues, particularly in the energy sector, the local issues in Tripura were also discussed.

Principal scientific advisor to the government of India, Ajay Sood, said that on January 4, the Green Hydrogen Mission was launched by the government which is steered by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

The cost of the mission is almost Rs 18,000 crore in which many ministries are involved, including the ministries of Steel, Petroleum, Natural Gas, Fertilisers, Shipping along with many science bodies.

It reflects the seriousness and responsibility of the government of India to address the issue of climate change with its commitment towards ‘net zero carbon emission’ by 2070.

Delegates from China, the US, the UK, Australia and Brazil, among others, are taking part in the Science-20 conference.

ALSO READ-G20 EWG meet discusses draft ministerial declaration  

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-Top News India News

India on course to fulfil net zero emissions: Yadav at COP27

The world urgently needs a paradigm shift from mindless and destructive consumption to mindful and deliberate utilisation…reports Asian Lite News

Environment and Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said that within a year of Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing India’s aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2070, the country has submitted its Long-Term Low Emissions Growth Strategy indicating low carbon transition pathways in key economic sectors.

Delivering India’s national statement at COP27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Yadav said: “Responding to the call for increased ambition in our 2030 climate targets, India updated its Nationally Determined Contributions in August 2022. We have embarked on far-reaching new initiatives in renewable energy, e-mobility, ethanol blended fuels, and green hydrogen as an alternate energy source.”

“We also seek to foster strong international cooperation through action and solutions-oriented coalitions like International Solar Alliance and Coalition of Disaster Resilience Infrastructure, both of which were launched and nurtured by India. This is a testimony to our ethos of collective action for global good,” he added.

India, home to 1.3 billion people, is undertaking this arduous effort, despite the reality that our contribution to the world’s cumulative emissions so far is less than 4 per cent and our annual per capita emissions are about one-third of the global average, the minister informed the gathering.

“At the heart of India’s vision of a safe planet is a one-word Mantra – Lifestyle for Environment, that Prime Minister Modi set forth in our National Statement at COP26. Mission LiFE was launched by Prime Minister Modi in the presence of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, on October 20, 2022,” Yadav said.

The world urgently needs a paradigm shift from mindless and destructive consumption to mindful and deliberate utilisation.

“We are trustees of this planet earth. We must nurture it through sustainable lifestyles that optimize resource use and minimise waste,” the environment minister pointed out.

“As the world’s most populous democracy and a vibrant emerging economy, India seeks to lead by example, and invites the global community to be a part of Mission LiFE for individual, family and community-based actions,” he concluded.

ALSO READ-India’s mangrove forests may benefit from COP 27’s $4 bn fund

Categories
-Top News USA

US SC limits Biden’s power to curb emissions

The case against the EPA was brought by West Virginia on behalf of 18 other mostly Republican-led states and some of the nation’s largest coal companies….reports Asian Lite News

The US Supreme Court has sided with conservative states and fossil-fuel companies, agreeing that the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did not have the authority to impose sweeping measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Thursday’s 6-3 ruling represents a major setback to President Joe Biden’s climate plans, reports the BBC.

The case against the EPA was brought by West Virginia on behalf of 18 other mostly Republican-led states and some of the nation’s largest coal companies.

They argued that the agency did not have the authority to limit emissions across whole states.

These 19 states were worried their power sectors would be forced to move away from using coal, at a severe economic cost.

The court has not completely prevented the EPA from making these regulations in the future, but said that Congress would have to clearly say it authorises this power.

These 19 states made up 44 per cent of the US emissions in 2018, and since 2000 have only achieved a 7 per cent reduction in their emissions on average, the BBC reported.

In response to the “devastating” ruling, the President said: “While this decision risks damaging our nation’s ability to keep our air clean and combat climate change, I will not relent in using my lawful authorities to protect public health and tackle the climate crisis.”

Also slamming the decision, a UN spokesperson called it “a setback in our fight against climate change”, but added that no single nation could derail the global effort.

But Attorney General Eric Schmitt for Missouri, one of the 19 states, called it a “big victory… that pushes back on the Biden EPA’s job-killing regulations”.

ALSO READ: Biden announces reinforcements in Europe

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-Top News

Europe’s Largest Ultra-Low Emission Zone in Action

Europe’s biggest ultra-low emission zone, spanning about 380 square km of London, has come into operation.

Around 3.8 million people live within the zone which extends to the north and south circular roads around the British capital, reports Xinhua news agnecy.

London City Hall expects around 110,000 vehicles are likely to pay a 12.50 pounds ($17.22) charge for driving within the new zone.

Drivers who don’t pay face a penalty charge of 160 pounds, reduced to half if paid within 14 days.

The enlarged zone is an extension of what was the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) covering mainly central London.

A City Hall spokesperson said: “The new zone covers one quarter of London and is the largest zone of its kind in Europe. It will bring the health benefits of cleaner air to millions more Londoners. The scheme will operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day.”

The ULEZ is also a crucial step towards London’s ambitions to tackle the climate emergency and put the city on the path to be a net zero carbon city by 2030.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “This is a landmark day for our city. Expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone today will clean up London’s toxic air pollution and help tackle the global climate emergency by reducing emissions.

“In central London, the ULEZ has already helped cut toxic roadside nitrogen dioxide pollution by nearly half and led to reductions that are five times greater than the national average. But pollution isn’t just a central London problem, which is why expanding the ULEZ today will benefit Londoners across the whole of the city and is a crucial step in London’s green recovery from this pandemic.”

According to Khan, pollution leads to 4,000 London residents dying early each year and children in the capital growing up with stunted lungs.

Khan has provided 61 million pounds in funding for grants for small businesses, charities operating minibuses, and low-income and disabled Londoners to scrap older, more polluting vehicles.

Sarah Woolnough, CEO of the charities Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation welcomed the move.

“Whilst this is a huge step in the right direction, we mustn’t be complacent against this invisible threat. The fact of the matter remains that the majority of people living in London, are still living in areas where pollution levels are dangerously high.”

Read More:

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-Top News

Social Platforms Flamed over Child Safety

Tech giants Snap, TikTok, and YouTube are being grilled by US senators over worries that their apps, like Facebook, are harmful to children.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, told the companies that everything they do is to add users, especially kids, and keep them on apps for longer, reports CNET.

Blumenthal said he has heard from parents about the “rabbit hole” teenagers go down when they log onto Snap, TikTok, and YouTube.

His office, which created accounts on TikTok and YouTube as part of their own research, also found that extreme dieting and eating disorder content is easy to find on these platforms.

“Like Big Tobacco, Big Tech has lured teens despite knowing its products can be harmful,” he said.

The hearing comes amid heightened scrutiny of social media giant Facebook, which is the subject of a series of stories based on leaked documents that suggest the company knows about the harm its platforms cause to the mental health of teenagers, as well as democracy and developing countries.

Frances Haugen, the former Facebook product manager who collected the cache of internal research and communications, has already testified before the Senate subcommittee. She also testified to Parliament on Monday.

The hearing also marks the first time Snap and TikTok have testified.

Snap is being represented by Jennifer Stout, the vice president of global public policy; TikTok by Michael Beckerman, vice president and head of public policy, Americas; and YouTube by Leslie Miller, vice president of government affairs and public policy.

Stout tried to distinguish Snapchat from its rival Facebook, noting that the company was built as “an antidote to social media”.

Unlike Facebook, Snapchat doesn’t have a News Feed and the disappearing app is being used by people to communicate privately with their friends.

“We have a moral responsibility to take into account the best interest of our users and everything we do. And we understand that there is more work to be done,” she said.

Beckerman said TikTok has built features to protect younger users. People under 16 have their TikTok accounts set to private automatically.

“There is no finish line when it comes to protecting children and teens. The challenges are complex and we are determined to work hard and keep the platform safe and create age-appropriate experiences,” he said.

YouTube told Congress in prepared remarks that it removed 7 million accounts believed to belong to young children and preteens in the first three quarters.

The company said on YouTube Kids and YouTube, autoplay videos are off by default for users under 18.

YouTube also plans to launch more parental controls in the YouTube Kids app autoplay is off by default, including the ability for a parent to choose a locked default autoplay setting.

Categories
-Top News India News

Scores of thermal power plants not complying with emission norms

The Minister also blamed Covid-19 induced lockdowns for slower deployment of instrumentation and equipments, which, he said, prompted the revised timeline for implementation of the new emission norms by TPPs on March 31, 2021…reports Asian Lite News.

Out of the 442 Thermal Power Plants (TTPs), 355 units are complying with particulate matter — PM norms, 256 units are complying with NOx norm and 68 units are complying with SO2 emission norms, according to revised standards of 2015, the Rajya Sabha was told on Monday.

Also, on the one hand the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has been extending the deadline for the TPPs to comply with the revised standards of 2015, on the other, it admitted that it has not done any assessment of impact on environment and health of people due to continued operation of TPPs without complying to revised standards, as per the information provided by Minister of State in the Environment, Forests and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey in reply to a question by Member of Parliament, Manoj Kumar Jha.

The MoEF&CC, vide its notification dated March 31, 2021 (Annexure-I) had extended the time line for compliance of revised standards of 2015 for coal based power plants. “As per information submitted by utilities to Central Electricity authority (CEA) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), out of 442 units, 355 units are complying with PM norms, 256 units are complying with NOx norm and 68 units are complying with SO2 emission norms,” Choubey said.

The Ministry had notified emission norms on December 7, 2015 for parameters viz. Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and Mercury (Hg) and revised the norms for Particulate Matter emission for coal/lignite based TPPs, which were to be implemented within two years from the notification i.e. by December 7, 2017.

Subsequently, in December 2017, the timeline was extended on case to case basis from year 2018 to 2022.

The ministry claimed that it took the decision after taking into consideration following factors: i. Technical challenges such as supply and demand assessment done by CEAI ii. The plan with timelines for phasing was prepared and submitted before Supreme Court, considering supply and demand aspectI iii. Market supply condition as limited technology providers are availableI iv. Supreme Court vide order dated July 29, 2020 in W.P. (C) 13029 of 1985 has seized the matter on certain emission norms.

The Minister also blamed Covid-19 induced lockdowns for slower deployment of instrumentation and equipments, which, he said, prompted the revised timeline for implementation of the new emission norms by TPPs on March 31, 2021.

“The Ministry has not done any assessment of impact on environment and health of people due to continued operation of TPPs without complying to revised standards,” Choubey said in reply to a pin-pointed question by Jha that asked whether the Ministry has done an assessment of negative impact on environment and health of people due to continued operation of these TPPs without complying with revised standards?

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