In news– The Centre for Science and Environment and Down to Earth recently released the 2023 State of India’s Environment report at India Habitat Centre (IHC), Delhi.
Key highlights of the report-
- The report covers an extensive gamut of subject assessments, ranging from climate change, agriculture and industry to water, plastics, forests and biodiversity.
- The report presents some dark facts. Over 30,000 waterbodies have been encroached on in the country and India is generating 150,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day more than half of which is either dumped in landfills or remains unattended.
- The report has found that four years and 11 months is the average duration of life lost to air pollution in India.
- Rural India is losing more years due to air pollution-related health issues than the urban belt. In fact, rural India needs 35 per cent more community health centres.
- In rural areas, people’s lives are on average cut short by five years and two months, which is nine months more than the average lifespan lost by urban Indians.
- Air pollution, in fact, has shortened the lifespan of 43.4 per cent of India’s population by five years.
- Eight states and UTs saw the average lifespan shortened by five years or more while nine states saw the average lifespan shortened by three to five years, according to the report.
- Among the states, Delhi saw the maximum plunge 10 years in lifespan in the country.
- The lowest life span fall, however, was recorded in Ladakh, where the life span was shortened by four months.
- In Haryana, the average life span reduction was seven years and five months. In Punjab, it was five years and 11 months.
- The edition also reports that environmental crimes continue unabated, courts need to decide on 245 cases every day to clear the backlog.
- Between January and October 2022 (304 days), India witnessed extreme weather events on 271 days. These extreme weather events claimed over 2,900 lives.
- India’s overall global rank in meeting the United Nations-mandated sustainable development goals (SDGs) has also slipped by nine places.
- In 2022, it stood at the 121st position, behind Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh; Pakistan was lagging close behind at 125.
Center for Science and Environment-
- It is a public interest research and advocacy organization based in New Delhi.
- CSE researches into, lobbies for and communicates the urgency of development that is both sustainable and equitable.
- Its aim is to raise these concerns, participate in seeking answers and – more importantly – in pushing for answers and transforming these into policy and so, practice.
- CSE’s efforts are specifically designed to create awareness about problems and propose sustainable solutions.
- Research at CSE often consists of in-depth learning about an environmental problem and then finding answers in accordance with CSE’s core values.
- CSE’s tools for awareness raising are periodicals, publications, films/short spots, briefing papers, exhibitions, posters and other products.
Source: Down to Earth
