8 Dec 2023 : Indian Express
Indian Express
8- December-2023
1) CHENNAI ALARM
Context:
- Life in Chennai has been badly disrupted by Cyclone Michaung.
- Even before the storm made landfall in Andhra Pradesh, torrential rainfall caused floods and submerged houses.
- More than 48 hours after the rain stopped, several areas are still under water, and at least 20 people have died.
Infrastructure Failures and Power Outages:
- The cyclone’s aftermath has uncovered serious infrastructure weaknesses in Chennai, where power outages have sparked demonstrations and shortages of necessities like milk, diesel, and drinking water.
- The city’s citizens are becoming more and more desperate as a result of the interruptions.
Government Response and Accountability:
- There are doubts about the effectiveness of the state government’s response, despite their assertions that they moved more quickly than during the 2015 floods, which claimed over 400 lives.
- It is acknowledged that reservoirs were released after people were moved to shelters, but more proactive actions are needed instead of reactive ones.
Electrocution Risks and Smart City Aspirations:
- Critical safety lapses are highlighted by the increasing number of persons electrocuted by loose cable wires in a city that aspires to become a smart city.
- These kinds of events are unacceptable and highlight the necessity of thorough safety protocols, particularly in urban areas.
Drainage System and Urban Planning Challenges:
- The notion that the sea is to blame for the water rushing back through canals is dismissed as flimsy as coastal communities are naturally subject to high tides.
- Chennai’s particular environment, which includes short, strong rainstorms and precipitation from the northeast monsoon, highlights the difficulties faced by city planners.
Ongoing Drainage Project and Urgency for Completion:
- One of the most important initiatives is the ongoing Rs 4,500 crore stormwater drainage project, which was started in 2017.
- But given that about two-thirds of Chennai is still not connected to the new drainage system, worries are raised.
- The need to complete this drainage system as soon as possible in order to reduce future flooding is highlighted by the recent floods.
Reconsideration of Urban Development and Wetlands:
- In the past, experts had suggested reevaluating building projects on wetlands in order to use them as sponges to collect water and replenish aquifers.
- This strategy helps to alleviate Chennai’s ongoing drinking water deficit in addition to addressing flooding concerns.
- Nevertheless, there is no proof that city planning initiatives have taken these ideas into account.
Call for Proactive Planning and Alertness:
- Because cyclones and heavy rainstorms occur frequently, local officials must plan ahead.
- While meteorological organizations have made improvements to their timely cyclone alerts, the recent floods in Chennai have made planners realize that they need to prioritize urban development policies that take environmental sustainability and climatic problems into account, as well as improve infrastructural resilience.
2) COP & the new abnormal
Context:
- The crucial topic of climate change has gained international attention thanks to the ongoing COP28 in Dubai.
- The debate over fossil fuels, which emphasizes the complex connection between air pollution and climate change, is a major topic of discussion.
- Even with this complexity, direct action to reduce air pollution is frequently neglected.
- The critical need to prioritize cleaner air internationally for the planet’s well-being is highlighted by this article.
Air Quality Crisis in India: A Disturbing Scenario
- Delhi, the bustling metropolis of India, saw dangerously low air quality in November 2023 levels not seen in many years.
- The city was surrounded by a haze that looked like a mushroom cloud with dark clouds and an unparalleled monthly average PM2.5 level of 243 ug/m3, up a startling 50% from the year before.
- For a record 15 days, the Air Quality Index (AQI) stayed in the “severe” category, which caused anxiety and raised questions about the sources of the pollution cloud.
Stubble Burning and Unraveling Paradoxes
- Delhi’s pollution cloud continued even after stubble burning which was the primary cause of the declining air quality was significantly reduced in North India.
- Cutting-edge models unveiled a surprising paradox: despite decreased numbers of stubble-burning incidents, November 2023 had the highest percentage of stubble burning (>15 percent) in Delhi’s PM2.5 emissions.
- In their quest to solve this conundrum, scientists identified inadvertent changes in weather patterns as a critical component.
Unintended Consequences of Weather Patterns
- Known as the “new abnormal,” unusual natural processes are having an effect on areas of the world, including India.
- Changes in weather patterns are being noticed by climate scientists, and links to improvements in air quality are starting to emerge.
- Since the effects of these natural shocks differ depending on the climate zone, further research is necessary to make a firm link between the trends in air quality and climate change.
Influence of ENSO and Weather Conditions
- Historically linked to the monsoon, terms like ENSO, La Nina, and El Nino now have a wider meaning when discussing air quality.
- Delhi saw its cleanest winter in almost a decade in 2022, thanks in part to the historic triple dip in La Nina.
- On the other hand, the lack of La Nina in 2023, combined with calm winds, little rain, and dry weather, made it easier for pollution particles to build up in Delhi.
- This change in weather patterns demonstrates how dynamic and erratic the effects of climate change on air quality may be.
Impact of Local Conditions on Pollution Accumulation
- The local conditions in November 2023 had a substantial impact on the quality of air in Delhi.
- The combination of calm winds, little precipitation, and dry weather made it easier for pollution particles to gather.
- The wind speed from the north-northwest made it possible for particles that burned biomass to be carried into Delhi and the neighboring areas.
- The local climate was calmer, drier, and cooler, so the capacity to store pollution was at an all-time high.
Root Causes and Urgent Actions: Beyond COP28
- While extreme weather and shifting climate patterns affect the entire world, severe pollution episodes are more frequent and have an impact on specific regions, endangering food security and public health.
- The report emphasizes how important COP28 is to both the public and the community that deals with air quality.
- Beyond band-aid solutions and geoengineering, immediate, scientifically supported actions that target emissions at the source are essential to reducing the frequency of emergency pollution occurrences.
- In order to address the underlying reasons of declining air quality, the essay promotes the adoption of an air shed method.
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