Down To Earth (01–15 July, 2025)

About

• India’s poverty estimates are now based on the 2023 Consumption Expenditure Survey, which adopted a revised methodology.
• The World Bank’s updated global poverty line suggests a dramatic decline in extreme poverty— from 27.1% in 2011–12 to 5.3% in 2024.
• The new global poverty line — $3 per person per day (based on 2021 purchasing power parity; earlier at $2.15) — is based on the median national poverty line of 23 low-income countries, including Burkina Faso, where two-thirds of the population live below it.

India’s Poverty Decline in Numbers

• Poverty in India dropped from 27.1% (2011-12) to 5.3% (2022-23). It implies that 171 million people have exited extreme poverty in a decade.
• As of 2024, 54.6 million Indians still live on less than $3/day.
• India’s decline has skewed global poverty figures, making South Asia the only region to show improvement.

India’s Global Impact

• India’s reduction in poverty significantly affects global statistics. Despite the rise in the global poor— from 713 million to 838 million under the new threshold—South Asia was the only region to record a decline, driven entirely by India.
• It underscores India's outsized influence in global poverty trends, being home to the largest absolute number of poor people.

Methodological Concerns

• No official national poverty line update since 2011– 12.
• Individual economists have used the new survey to claim unprecedented poverty reduction, but these estimates remain unacknowledged by the Union government.
• The government now relies on multidimensional poverty data from NITI Aayog, which measures deprivation rather than income.

About the C&D Waste

• India generates more than 150 million tonnes of C&D waste annually—but only a fraction is processed.
• C&D Waste Rules (2025) are the revised rules, building upon the foundation laid in 2016, seek to tighten oversight and streamline the reuse of construction debris.
• The Rules will come into force from April 1, 2026.

Hotspots of Highest Concern

• According to the FAO-WFP Hunger Hotspots Report, five regions are at ‘highest concern’ due to catastrophic hunger levels and imminent risk of famine:
• Sudan
• South Sudan
• Burkina Faso
• Haiti
• Mali
• Sudan, South Sudan, and Burkina Faso, are in Africa, are experiencing acute food insecurity driven by internal conflict, population displacement, and disrupted agricultural systems.

Drivers of Hunger

• Conflict: Armed violence is the leading cause of food insecurity in 12 of the 13 most critical hotspots.
• Climate Extremes: Floods, droughts, and erratic rainfall are devastating crops and livelihoods, especially in South Sudan and Haiti.
• Economic Shocks: Inflation, currency collapse, and trade disruptions are reducing purchasing power and access to food across regions.

Funding Shortfalls and Access Constraints

• Despite the urgency, humanitarian operations are severely underfunded. The UN estimates $12.2 billion is needed for food aid, but only 9% has been secured.
• Aid delivery is also hampered by security risks, bureaucratic barriers, and damaged infrastructure, leaving millions without assistance.

A Call to Global Action

• UN leaders have issued a ‘red alert’, urging the international community to:
• Scale up emergency food assistance;
• Invest in resilient agriculture and local food systems;
• Advocate for peacebuilding and conflict resolution;
• Ensure unrestricted humanitarian access

Key Features of the New Guidelines

• It introduces a ‘Flush List’ for specific potent opioids, recommending they be flushed to prevent poisoning.
• It promotes environmentally sound methods such as encapsulation, inertisation and incineration.
• Segregation at Source: Pharmacies, hospitals, and households need to separate expired and unused medicines from general waste.
• Return-to-Pharmacy Programs: Consumers are encouraged to return unused drugs to designated collection centers.
• Prohibited Disposal Methods: Flushing medicines down toilets or drains is strictly discouraged.
• Authorized Disposal Channels: Only licensed biomedical waste handlers can incinerate or chemically neutralize pharmaceutical waste.
• Labeling Requirements: Expired medicines must be clearly marked and stored in tamper-proof containers before disposal.

Why Disposal Guidelines Matter?

• India generates thousands of tonnes of pharmaceutical waste annually, much of which ends up in landfills, water bodies, or is burned—posing serious risks to ecosystems and human health.
• Antibiotics, painkillers, and hormonal drugs leach into soil and water, contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and contaminating food chains.
• Improper disposal has led to trace pharmaceuticals in groundwater, affecting aquatic life and potentially entering drinking water supplies.

What’s Next?

• Public awareness campaigns to educate consumers;
• Training for pharmacists and healthcare workers;
• Integration with Swachh Bharat and AMR strategies;
• Digital tracking systems for pharmaceutical waste

About the MGNREGS

• It guarantees 100 days of wage employment to rural households, and in tribal regions, it often serves as the primary source of income during lean agricultural seasons.
• Tribal populations — especially in forested and remote areas — depend on the scheme for wages, food security, debt reduction, and social empowerment.
• In states like Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, tribal workers make up a significant share of MGNREGS beneficiaries.
• The scheme supports community assets like water harvesting structures and forest paths, which are vital for tribal livelihoods.

Budget Caps

• Reduced work availability, forcing tribal families to migrate or fall into poverty;
• Delayed wage payments, which already plague the system and disproportionately affect marginalized groups;
• Exclusion from planning and implementation, as tribal voices are often underrepresented in local governance.

Way Forward

• Strengthening implementation through timely payments and better transparency;
• Expanding work types to include forest-based activities and ecological restoration;
• Ensuring tribal participation in planning and monitoring processes.

Scale of Fossil Fuel Financing

• The report reveals that 60 of the world’s largest banks continued to fund oil, gas, and coal projects at near pre-pandemic levels.

• It includes financing for exploration, extraction, pipeline construction, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.
• Top financiers include JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Bank of America, and Barclays.
• $142 billion went to companies expanding fossil fuel operations, directly contradicting climate pledges made under the Paris Agreement.

Regional Breakdown

• North American banks accounted for nearly half of the total fossil fuel financing.
• European banks, while reducing coal exposure, increased funding for LNG and offshore oil.
• Asian banks, particularly in China and Japan, ramped up support for coal-fired power and mining.

Calls for Accountability

• Mandatory climate disclosures and stress tests for fossil fuel exposure;
• Divestment campaigns targeting pension funds and institutional investors;
• Policy reforms to align banking practices with national climate goals

Objectives of Green India Mission (2021–2030)

• To increase forest and tree cover to create a carbon sink of 3.39 billion tonnes, adopting a microecosystem approach.
• Increase forest/tree cover on 5 million hectares of forest and non-forest land.
• Enhance ecosystem services, including biodiversity, hydrology, and carbon sequestration.
• Boost livelihoods for 3 million forest-dependent households.
• Achieve annual CO₂ sequestration of 50–60 million tonnes by 2030.

Strategic Shifts in the 2021–30 Framework

• Aravallis and Western Ghats;
• Mangroves and Himalayan regions;
• Arid zones and degraded grasslands

Sub-Missions Driving Impact

• Enhanced Forest Quality and Ecosystem Services:
• Restoration of open forests and degraded ecosystems;
• Biodiversity conservation and hydrological improvements;
• Increase in Forest and Tree Cover:
• Afforestation in scrublands, ravines, and urban areas;
• Agroforestry and social forestry expansion
• Livelihood Diversification for Forest Communities:
• Skill development and income generation;
• Promotion of sustainable forest-based enterprises;

Implementation & Monitoring

• Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) will lead local execution;
• GIS-based monitoring and National Afforestation Dashboard will track progress;
• Third-party audits and social audits ensure transparency;
• Integrated Nursery and Research Centres will supply quality planting stock.

About the Ground-Level Ozone

• It is often dubbed the ‘bad ozone’, is a secondary pollutant formed when oxides of nitrogen (NOₓ) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react in the presence of sunlight.
• High temperatures and stagnant air exacerbate ozone formation, especially in densely populated urban areas.
• It is a toxic component of urban smog — posing serious risks to human health and ecosystems, unlike stratospheric ozone, which shields us from harmful UV rays.
• Major Sources: Vehicle emissions; Industrial processes; Petrol pumps and solvent use; Biomass and waste burning.

Health and Environmental Impacts

• Respiratory distress: Coughing, throat irritation, and reduced lung function;
• Aggravation of chronic diseases: Asthma, bronchitis, and heart conditions;
• Long-term exposure: May cause permanent lung damage and increased sensitivity to allergens

Government Measures

• BS-VI Vehicle Norms: Reduced NOₓ emissions by up to 85% in heavy-duty vehicles.
• Electric Mobility Push: Under PM-E Drive, promoting zero-emission transport.
• Industrial Emission Standards: Revised for sectors like pharmaceuticals, paint, and thermal power.
• Vapour Recovery Systems (VRS): Installed at petrol pumps to reduce VOC emissions.
• National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): Targets 130 non-attainment cities with city-specific action plans.

About A980 (EHe Stars)

• It was discovered by IIA, Bengaluru using the Hanle Echelle Spectrograph on the Himalayan Chandra Telescope.
• It was initially thought to be a hydrogen-deficient carbon star, but its spectral fingerprint revealed that it is singly-ionized germanium (Ge II)—a metallic element never before detected in EHe stars.
• Germanium abundance in A980 is eight times higher than in the Sun;
• First-ever detection of Ge II lines in an EHe star’s optical spectrum;
• Suggests active s-process nucleosynthesis, where atomic nuclei slowly capture neutrons to form heavier elements;

How Do EHe Stars Form?

• EHe stars are incredibly rare — only a few dozen have been identified. They are believed to form through the merger of two white dwarfs:
• One carbon-oxygen white dwarf;
• One helium-rich white dwarf

Why Solar Waste Needs Urgent Attention?

• India is projected to generate over 1.8 million tonnes of solar waste by 2030, as installations from the past decade begin to reach their end-of-life.
• These modules — containing glass, silicon, metals, and toxic materials — pose risks to soil, water, and public health, without proper disposal mechanisms.

Key Provisions in the Draft Guidelines

• Mandatory Registration: Manufacturers and producers must register on a centralized portal and maintain inventory of solar PV waste.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Producers are accountable for collecting and recycling discarded modules through authorized channels.
• Storage Protocols: Waste must be stored safely until 2034–35, following standards set by the CPCB.
• Annual Returns: Entities must file annual reports detailing waste generation and disposal practices.
• Certified Recyclers: Only licensed recyclers can process solar waste, with mandated recovery of materials like glass, silver, and silicon.

Challenges Ahead

• Lack of infrastructure for large-scale recycling;
• Low awareness among consumers and installers;
• High cost of recycling compared to landfilling;
• Need for clear standards on recycled material use in new modules

Research and Innovation Push

• MNRE has identified solar PV recycling as a priority under its RE-RTD (Renewable Energy Research and Technology Development) program.
• Several research proposals have been received to develop cost-effective recycling technologies and recover critical materials.

Toward a Greener Solar Future

• Incentivize recycling through tax benefits and procurement mandates;
• Build regional recycling hubs and logistics networks;
• Promote eco-design and modular panels for easier disassembly

About the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC)

• It is a high-level global summit aimed at accelerating action to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14).

Purpose and Goals

• Supports implementation of SDG 14, which focuses on protecting marine ecosystems, reducing pollution, and promoting sustainable fisheries.
• Mobilizes governments, civil society, scientists, Indigenous communities, and the private sector to address ocean-related challenges.
• Encourages voluntary commitments, policy frameworks, and partnerships to restore ocean health.

Key Themes

• High Seas Treaty: 50 ratifications so far, nearing the 60 needed for enforcement.
• Marine Protected Areas: Countries like French Polynesia pledged vast new reserves (world’s largest marine protected area).
• Deep-Sea Mining: Macron’s declaration ‘the abyss is not for sale’ echoed calls for a moratorium.
• Coral Reefs & Biodiversity: New pledges and funding to protect climate-resilient reefs.

Key Pledges At UNOC3

• Adoption of the Nice Ocean Action Plan, titled ‘Our Ocean, Our Future: United for Urgent Action’.
• European Commission: €1 billion for ocean conservation and sustainable fishing.
• Germany: €100 million for clearing underwater munitions.
• Indonesia & World Bank: Launch of a Coral Bond to fund reef conservation.

Funding Challenges

• SDG 14 is the least funded of all global goals, needing $175 billion annually by 2030.
• The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s 30x30 target — protecting 30% of marine and coastal areas by 2030—also faces a $14.6 billion annual shortfall.
• Despite pledges, actual funding remains far below targets.
• Innovative finance tools like blue bonds, debt-fornature swaps, and parametric insurance were discussed, but concerns persist over scalability and equity.

Looking Ahead

• The next UN Ocean Conference is scheduled for 2028, co-hosted by Chile and South Korea.
• With the 2030 deadline approaching, the pressure is on to turn pledges into real-world impact.

About the GFCR

• It was launched in 2020, as the world’s first blended finance instrument dedicated exclusively to coral reef conservation.
• It aims to leverage up to $3 billion in public and private finance by 2030 to protect at least 3 million hectares of coral reefs globally.
• It operates through two mechanisms:
• UN Grant Fund: Provides catalytic funding for reef-positive initiatives.
• Equity Investment Fund: Supports sustainable businesses that benefit reef ecosystems.

Recent Funding

• $25 million in new grants for resilience efforts across 23 nations.
• Egyptian Red Sea Initiative: A landmark blended finance program aiming to mobilize $50 million for reef conservation.
• New Zealand’s $10 million pledge at COP16, setting a precedent for donor engagement.

Concerns

• According to the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, 14% of the world’s coral reefs were lost between 2009 and 2018, an area larger than the Great Barrier Reef.
• In 2024, the fourth global mass bleaching event was declared, with 80% of reefs worldwide experiencing severe stress due to rising ocean temperatures.
• These ecosystems support 25% of all marine species and provide livelihoods for over 1 billion people, making their decline a humanitarian and ecological emergency.