|
Climate
Change and Urban Environment C limate Change is the result of large scale burning of fossil fuels, changing of land use patterns and reduction of green cover, which may threaten the very existence of life on our planet. Over the past 200 years human beings have added 400 gigatonnes of carbon into the atmosphere which is only half of the total emission. Thankfully, the other half is absorbed by nature through forests and oceans, which act as "carbon sinks". Globalization, consumerism and change in lifestyles have resulted in unbearable influx of populations from rural to urban areas. It is estimated that in the very near future the world population in towns and cities will touch an all time high of 60 percent. What is required is practical environmentalism, a philosophy that looks into innovative and practical solutions not only for environmental protection but also for improving the social and economic welfare of people living in the urban sector.Mitigation Actions by developed and some developing countries Developed countries have realized the need for integrated environmental planning. Besides controlling population growth they have invested in improving the infrastructure in towns. Metropolitan cities have spawned satellite townships and small-scale industries have been relocated from the main city centre. Multiple transportation systems have been devised for rapid transit and avoiding pressure on roads. For short distances and where convenient bicycle tracks have been introduced. Use of compressed natural gas (CNG), elimination of diesel fuel for buses, electric powered vehicles, introduction of catalytic converters for petrol vehicles and car sharing has become the norm. Massive plantation of trees and cover of grass on unpaved land has reduced carbon emission in the atmosphere and suspended particulate matter in the form of dust. Solid waste management from households to landfill sites has been systemised, along with recycling of bio-degradable waste. This also includes methane recovery at the landfills. Industrial effluents are being treated at site and prevented from entering water bodies like streams, rivers and lakes. Alternative energy generation from solar and wind power is being augmented. San Francisco has introduced 24 watt LED instead of 150 watt incandescent lamps for street lighting. Along with these measures the governments have introduced policies to change community habits and set targets for GHG emissions. These measures can only be fruitful with strong political will and dynamic leadership. Challenges faced by the Civil Society in India Experience has brought out the stark reality that in India environmental improvement actions are mostly half-baked. A holistic view of the urban environment involving all stakeholders is definitely lacking. NGOs and CBOs, which catalyze actions among civil societies, are neither given time nor the opportunity to express their opinion before key decisions that impact their lives are taken.
As in other developing countries of South Asia, India faces a huge challenge in providing basic civic amenities to its urban population. Every town and city has a limited capacity for absorbing population influx. For example, Delhi has to face the brunt of a 400,000 staggering, annual increase in population due to rural-urban migration and births. The pressure on the existing infra-structure can only lead to limited supply of water and power. Water is becoming a scarce commodity and the water table is going down every year. The public utilities have neither the means nor the land to dispose off waste. Landfills are few and hardly worth their name. In fact they are large dumping sites and breeding places of germs and bacteria which cause enormous drain on the country’s exchequer in the form of public health services. With no alternative system of transport all types of vehicles, at various speeds, old and new, ply the congested road network. To add to the problem, hawkers, shops and illegally parked vehicles, encroach upon these restricted roads. And as the speeds keep on decreasing, emissions levels make an upward spiral. The policy of introducing CNG for public transport and Euro 2 norms for emissions has mitigated air pollution to some extent but there are still a huge number of old vehicles which do not have catalytic converters. In largely populated towns with restricted road space bicycle tracks although desirable are next to impossible. Clover leaf fly-overs for unrestricted traffic movement in all directions require land for low gradient carriageways, which is at a premium. Our policy of taking away an eyesore in front of us and putting it somewhere else is not only futile but also dangerous. At the household level we still continue to collect our waste and throw it in somebody else’s backyard. At a higher level the government bans polluting three wheelers in metros which find their way in other towns and cities belching smoke and polluting the atmosphere. With the mushrooming of small-scale industries in townships, the industrial effluents find their way into major drains, which finally reach the rivers and other water bodies. Last but not the least, an attitudinal change is lacking among the people to set things right, join hands and contribute to the society. Solutions to the problems In a developed, civilized society it has to be clearly understood that it is the inalienable right of the people to have access to clean drinking water, unpolluted air, decent housing and hygienic living conditions. But it is also an uncompromising duty of the people to protect the environment by meticulously following rules and regulations for its mitigation. The government of the day has to ensure their compliance and enforcement and not succumb to petty politics to stay in power. Ensuring livelihoods at the cost of environmental degradation with the intent of garnering votes to remain in power is not only harmful but setting wrong precedence for all times to come. To be effective the authorities have to set targets and be accountable. Only then will an awareness be generated leading to an attitudinal change to combat climate change, global warming, calamities like floods and droughts, rise in sea level, effects on health, etc. A holistic approach towards environment is important. The civic agencies have to be helped by the society at large in reducing their burden. Wastage of water and power has to be curbed. The civic agencies have to shed their suspicion of NGOs and resident welfare associations and work hand-in-hand with all stakeholders in this respect. The following aspects need urgent consideration:
Conclusions Minimizing the effect of climate change in the urban scenario is becoming extremely important. Setting goals for environment mitigation, making an action plan with clear deadlines and its strict implementation is necessary for success. The action plan should be flexible and customized to local conditions. Institutional rivalry has to be curbed and the programme should contribute to entrepreneurial development, job creation and skill transfer. To back all this there has to be strong political will, enlightened leadership and set policies to change community habits in harmony with the environment. q |
