Content
- What South Asia wants from COP30
- Right to life begins with right to breathe
What South Asia wants from COP30
Why in News?
- Ten years after the Paris Agreement (2015), climate impacts have intensified — with South Asia emerging as one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.
- South Asia (home to nearly 2 billion people) faces compounding crises — monsoon floods, glacial melt, heatwaves, and coastal inundation — even as global climate cooperation weakens.
Relevance
- GS 3 (Environment): Climate governance, Paris Agreement implementation, adaptation–mitigation balance, regional cooperation mechanisms.
- GS 2 (International Relations): India’s climate diplomacy, South-South cooperation, regional leadership at COP30.
Practice Question :
- “The success of COP30 will depend not on new promises but on credible delivery.” Critically analyse this statement in the context of South Asia’s climate vulnerabilities and institutional preparedness.(250 Words)
Decade after Paris Agreement
- Paris Agreement (2015): Aimed to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
- Reality Check (2025):
- Global emissions rose by ~8% since 2015 (IEA, 2024).
- Only 65 countries submitted enhanced NDCs.
- CEEW (2024): Only 5% of 203 post-2015 climate initiatives achieved stated goals.
- U.S. withdrawal (again) from Paris undermined trust and weakened global momentum.
- South Asia’s Paradox: Least responsible (≈4% of global emissions) but most affected — climate-linked GDP loss could reach 2–8% annually by 2050 (ADB, 2023).
Key Concerns and Priorities of South Asian Countries
Implementation Deficit – The Achilles Heel
- Huge gap between pledges and delivery in both action and finance.
- Governance weaknesses: fragmented reporting, low accountability, lack of inclusive frameworks.
- Action Needed:
- Build regional climate cooperation forum via BIMSTEC, BRICS, G20, aligning South Asian priorities.
- Institutionalize participation of local governments, women, and communities.
- Leverage existing initiatives:
- India’s Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
- Nepal’s Sagarmatha Sambaad on mountain vulnerabilities.
- Outcome goal: Transform symbolic pledges into verifiable regional impact.
Adaptation on Par with Mitigation
- ADB projections: Days >35°C in South Asia to double from ~100 to 200 annually by 2100.
- Key risks:
- Glacial lake floods (Nepal, Bhutan)
- Sea-level rise (Maldives, Bangladesh)
- Heat stress and droughts (India, Sri Lanka)
- Action Pathway:
- Mainstream locally led adaptation (LLA) into development planning.
- Develop Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) with region-specific, simple, measurable indicators.
- Strengthen institutional and technical capacity for climate-resilient agriculture, water management, and disaster forecasting.
Rebuilding Trust in Global Climate Governance
- Broken promises: $100 billion annual climate finance target (by 2020) still unmet.
- CEEW analysis: Developed countries off track for 2030 NDC targets; current trajectories lead to 2.7°C warming.
- South Asia’s stand:
- Push for accountable, transparent, time-bound NDC tracking.
- Demand binding commitments and stricter penalties for withdrawal from agreements.
- Reinforce multilateralism through South-South cooperation and climate diplomacy.
Climate Finance — Predictable, Fair, and Non-Debt Inducing
- Financing needs: ~$1.3 trillion/year (Baku–Belém Roadmap to 2035).
- Targets:
- Tripling of adaptation finance by 2035.
- $300 billion adaptation goal must have measurable milestones.
- Mechanisms proposed:
- Dedicated regional allocations from the Green Climate Fund, Loss & Damage Fund, and Adaptation Fund.
- Launch South Asian Resilience Finance Facility (SARFF) to mobilise blended finance and debt-for-nature swaps.
- Ensure funds are accessible, non-debt inducing, and prioritise vulnerable groups and LDCs.
Non-State Actors as Engines of Scale
- State-led actions are insufficient; success requires multi-actor engagement.
- Subnational entities: Implement local adaptation & mitigation projects.
- Private sector: Unlock green finance and sustainable investment flows.
- Civil society: Ensure transparency, conduct independent assessments, share best practices.
- Youth & Academia: Promote climate literacy, innovation, and intergenerational justice.
- Business: Integrate sustainability into value chains and trade systems.
Technology and Innovation Gaps
- Technology exclusion: <33% of climate-tech initiatives focused exclusively on Global South (CEEW, 2025).
- South Asia’s limited access to clean tech, patents, and digital infrastructure impedes transformation.
- Priority Areas:
- Promote technology-sharing alliances (South–South cooperation).
- Invest in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for climate data, AI, blockchain, and remote sensing applications.
- Encourage innovation ecosystems through regional R&D hubs and academic exchanges.
The Way Forward — From Promises to Delivery
- Delivery is the new currency of trust.
- Transformation rests on three mutuals:
- Mutual Clarity: Defined responsibilities, transparent pathways.
- Mutual Cooperation: Joint recognition of vulnerabilities and shared opportunities.
- Mutual Implementation: Converting pledges into measurable action.
- COP30 (Belém, Brazil) — opportunity for South Asia to demonstrate credible, united climate leadership grounded in regional solidarity.
Right to life begins with right to breathe
Why in News?
- A spontaneous citizen protest emerged at India Gate (Delhi), where parents, youth, and citizens gathered against toxic air and government inaction.
- The protest marks a shift from environmental activism to a health rights movement, demanding air quality accountability and transparent governance.
- It underscores how air pollution in Delhi-NCR—classified as “very poor to severe”—is now a public health emergency, not merely an environmental issue.
Relevance
- GS 2 (Governance): Policy transparency, inter-agency coordination, accountability in environmental governance.
- GS 2 (Social Justice): Right to health, vulnerable groups (children, elderly, low-income populations).
- GS 3 (Environment): Urban air pollution, public health–environment nexus, data-driven environmental management.
Practice Question :
- “India’s air pollution crisis is no longer an environmental issue but a public health emergency.” Discuss with reference to institutional and policy gaps in urban air quality management.(250 Words)
Context and Background
- Delhi’s AQI (Nov 2025): Frequently above 450 (Severe) — 8–10 times WHO safe limits.
- Health Burden:
- IQAir (2024): Delhi ranked world’s most polluted capital.
- Lancet Planetary Health (2023): 1.6 million premature deaths in India annually due to air pollution.
- AIIMS Pediatric Dept (2024): 1 in 3 children in Delhi has reduced lung function.
- Despite the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), public communication, health alerts, and accountability remain weak.
Key Issues Highlighted
Public Health Missing from Pollution Response
- No health alerts or emergency classification, despite levels equivalent to hazardous viral outbreaks.
- The Health Ministry and public health institutions are not integrated into pollution management.
- Lack of a “Health Emergency Protocol” for high AQI days—schools, hospitals, and workplaces lack clear guidelines.
Data Manipulation and Lack of Transparency
- AQI monitors show missing data points or values capped to avoid triggering stricter GRAP measures.
- Citizens demand real-time, audited, open-access air quality data, similar to COVID dashboards.
- Independent oversight is needed to prevent data tampering and bureaucratic complacency.
Weak Accountability and Governance Gaps
- Pollution management remains fragmented — split between CAQM, CPCB, Delhi Govt, and local bodies with overlapping mandates.
- Citizens called for an Independent Air Quality and Public Health Commission,
- Autonomous, science-led, answerable to Parliament.
- Equipped with enforcement powers and citizen-facing accountability tools.
Lack of Citizen-Centric Alert Systems
- Demand for a “Clean Air App” or “Aarogya Setu for Air”:
- Real-time risk alerts via SMS, radio, schools, hospitals, buses, and trains.
- Health advisories and preventive steps for children, elderly, and outdoor workers.
- Absence of public awareness measures leaves citizens uninformed and vulnerable.
Ritualistic Policy Response
- Annual cycle: winter “emergency measures” → temporary bans → relaxation post-winter.
- No structural change in transport, waste, construction, or energy systems.
- Citizen trust erosion: failure of enforcement, visible corruption, and symbolic clean-air drives.
Core Argument: Treat Air Pollution as a Health Epidemic
- Analogy: Just as a viral outbreak prompts emergency response, quarantine, data tracking, and health advisories, toxic air should trigger the same urgency.
- WHO defines air pollution as the single largest environmental health risk globally.
- Pollution-related diseases — COPD, asthma, cardiovascular and cognitive decline — have reached endemic proportions in Indian cities.
Citizen Demands
- Independent Air & Health Commission: Expert-led, depoliticised, transparent.
- Public alert systems: Real-time communication and preventive health advisories.
- Open Data Access: Public dashboards for AQI, emissions, and fund utilisation.
- Financial Accountability: Every rupee spent on “Clean Air” must be traceable and outcome-linked.
- Children’s Right to Clean Air: Recognised as a fundamental right under Article 21 (Right to Life).
Ethical and Constitutional Dimensions
- Ethical governance: Transparency, empathy, and accountability in public health policy.
- Right to Life (Art. 21): Clean air as a non-negotiable component of health and dignity.
- Environmental Justice: Unequal exposure—poorer communities, outdoor workers, and children bear disproportionate health costs.
Strategic Way Forward
- Health-based air quality policy: Integrate air pollution into National Health Mission and Ayushman Bharat frameworks.
- Cross-sectoral response: Involve Health, Urban Development, and Education Ministries alongside CAQM.
- Data Infrastructure:
- Citizen-facing Air Health Index (AHI) integrating pollution + hospital admissions + mortality data.
- Mandate public disclosure by CAQM, CPCB, and state agencies.
- Behavioral change and enforcement synergy: Combine awareness with strict legal accountability.
India – National Air Quality Index (AQI)
Launched by: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 2014
Parameters (8 pollutants):
- PM10, PM2.5, NO₂, SO₂, CO, O₃, NH₃, Pb
AQI Categories:
| Category | AQI Range | Colour | Health Impact |
| Good | 0–50 | Green | Minimal impact |
| Satisfactory | 51–100 | Light Green | Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people |
| Moderate | 101–200 | Yellow | Breathing discomfort to people with lungs/heart issues |
| Poor | 201–300 | Orange | Breathing discomfort on prolonged exposure |
| Very Poor | 301–400 | Red | Respiratory illness on prolonged exposure |
| Severe | 401–500 | Maroon | Serious health impacts even on healthy people |
