14 September 2023 : The Hindu Editorial Notes PDF
The Hindu Editorial
14-September-2023
Daily Current Affairs For UPSC ,The Hindu Editorial Summary
The complex path to biofuel sustainability
Context:
- Recently concluded G20 summit where India initiated “Global Biofuel Alliance”. This summit is expected to strengthen the development of sustainable biofuels.
- In this article writer showcasing the importance of the generation of the 2nd generation bio fuel and pointing out how 1st generation biofuel and its use is cause of worry.
EVs(electronic vehicles) are gaining traction, but it has a few limitations:
- Transition to “EVs” from existing “Internal combustion Engine (ICE) infrastructure” would be capital intensive and require overall replacement of the existing infrastructure.
- To build batteries for EVs, India has relied on the import of critical minerals from other countries.
- Mining of these minerals is adding environmental concerns.
- Biofuels, on the other hand, need not face the above issues as they require small or no change in existing ICE infrastructure.
Challenges about Biofuels in India:
- As biofuel is a blanket term used for both sustainable and unsustainable fuels it’s important to have an understanding of it to have effective decarbonisation action.
- Indian policy of achieving 20% ethanol blending with petrol by 2025-26 are mostly relying on the 1st generation biofuels which primarily made from sugar cane and food grains.
1st generation biofuels and issue of sustainability:
- Ground water depletion occur because crops like sugarcane are heavily depend on water.
- As per the University of Michigan report ground water depletion could be tripled during 2040-81.
- Diverting surplus production of crops towards energy generation or growing crops for energy may not be sustainable way.
- India’s stagnation in crop production and threat of global warming expected to reduce yields.
- Reduction in yields would challenge the food security of the growing population.
- Increasing GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from agriculture to reduce the GHG from motor emissions would achieve little net benefit.
Sustainable Biofuels:
- ‘Sustainable biofuels’ are produced from crop residues and other wastes with low water and GHG footprint.
- G-20 summit and Global Biofuel Alliance that was formed during this summit in New Delhi act as historic moment for India for its commitment towards sustainable formation of biofuels with global cooperation.
- The Global Biofuels Alliance could help drive innovation and technology development in establishing an efficient biomass supply chain decentralised biofuel production units.
- Energy Transitions Commission reported in ‘Bioresources within a Net-Zero Emissions Economy’, highlighted that biomass should be prioritised in sectors where there are limited low-carbon alternatives.
- As per the International Energy Agency, to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the world has to shift to sustainable biofuel production and triple its production by 2030.
- 2G ethanol could act as sustainable fuel, if its production is decentralised, means crop residues do not have to be transported large distances to a central manufacturing plant. But this might affect achieving economies of scale for the 2G plant.
Conclusion:
Sustainability and its achievement is complex, especially with respect to biofuels. Therefore, it’s important to analyse and examine strategies carefully so that we should avoid unintended negative consequences on the larger ecosystem.
Protecting floodplains is the need of the hour
Context:
- Due to climate change issues, Humanity is struggling with a shortage of water as well as an excess.
- World Health Organization warns about increasing in frequency and intensity of flood as precipitation is expected to continue to increase due to climate change.
- The writer wants to highlight the key reasons of happening floods and solution for the preservation of the ecosystem.
Examples of the devastating foods:
- Pakistan flood claimed 1,700 lives and affected 33 million people
- 2013 floods in Uttarakhand
- 2014 floods in the Kashmir Valley
- 2017 floods in Gujarat
All these floods caused loss of lives and livelihoods and massive damage to infrastructure.
Recently Yamuna water level crossed the 208.5 metre mark, breaking a 45-year-old record.
Issues in flood management in India:
- Geological Survey of India pointed out that nearly 12% of the total land area of India is prone to floods.
- Cities expand fast and in a haphazard manner, so the severity and frequency of floods have affected our cities.
- Indian cities are projected to contribute to 75% of the GDP by 2030, and flood situation in cities impacts the Indian economy.
- India primarily relies on the Disaster Management Act of 2005,which deals with multi-hazard risks and is not specifically focused on flood risk management.
- During heavy rainfall, when water flows down from upper catchment areas, Illegal construction work in floodplains reduces the capacity of rivers to contain a high level of water within their banks.
- Various state governments has been neglecting eco-sensitive floodplains and allowing the construction of guest houses, hotels on the river front to promote tourism and boost their economy. Eg. Uttarakhand has been neglecting eco-sensitive floodplains.
- Attempts were made to bypass the regulation of various laws as these are mostly non-binding on States.
- Unclear environmental impact assessments done by the States. Eg. Uttaranchal River Valley Act, 2005, formed for regulation of mining and construction in the river valley. However, reports show that there is rampant mining and construction activity with little regard for the environment.
- 2018 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India pointed out encroachments in the floodplains of the rivers of Tamil Nadu are the prime reason for the Chennai floods of 2015. The auditor called it a ‘man-made disaster’.
Strategies for flood management:
Technical measures:
- laying of dikes
- temporary flood defence walls
- polders
The key elements of the management strategy:
- Retention of water and restoration of floodplains. Because in India, large-scale encroachments on floodplains increase the frequency of floods and the damage caused by them.
- Protecting and preserving ecosystems such as wetlands, forests, lakes, and coastal areas by reducing exposure to natural hazards such as floods, landslides or avalanches by serving as buffers.
- In 1996, Germany made a fundamental change in its Federal Water Act after a massive flood. Stresses on protecting original retention capacity during reconstructing bodies of water.
Conclusion:
- Climate change adaptation involves laws relating to land use, preservation of water bodies, coastal regulations, and environmental impact assessment, which make it complex and needs to be integrated into coherent law. This will require political will that makes it possible to implement green policies to save lives and livelihoods and safeguard infrastructure.
For Enquiry
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