An investigation has been initiated by the forest and revenue authorities of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh after hundreds of trees had been allegedly felled in a forest area in the middle of the COVID-19 lockdown.
It all began after the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) submitted a report in 2019 that claimed the deemed forest area between Kerwa and Kaliasot was being used for non-forestry activities without taking the necessary permissions. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had then stepped in asking the state forest department to map the area by April 30 of this year, and take over the deemed forest areas.
But this was still to be done when the COVID-19 lockdown was imposed on March 24. But the petitioner in the NGT case, activist Rashid Khan, alleged that several trees were felled during the lockdown ‘to reduce tree density, to ensure the area is not classified as a deemed forest as and when the mapping begins’.
India’s forest land continues to be diverted for non-forestry projects, govt admits
The Indian government has admitted that diversion of forest land for other purposes still continues in India. According to official data, a total 11,467.83 hectares (114.68 sqkm) of forest land was diverted in 22 states between January 1 and November 6, 2019. This diversion was for 932 non-forestry projects under the Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA), 1980, as per data published by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Annual Report 2019-20. More than one-third of the diversion was for 14 projects in Odisha, followed by Telangana and Jharkhand, according to the report.
UN climate summit delay puts question mark on future of carbon markets
The postponement of the next UN climate summit because of the COVID-19 pandemic has left plans to design a new carbon market in limbo. The deadlock over the new rules for an international carbon trading system has continued for several years, and will now be further pushed ahead with the pandemic. This lack of clarity has made investors increasingly unwilling to invest in projects with a lifespan of 5-10 years.
As EU ditches coal, its greenhouse gas emissions continue to fall: Report
Europe’s environment watchdog has released a new report that states the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions continued to fall in 2018, which is the last year for which comprehensive data is available. According to the report, emissions fell 2.1% compared to 2017 to levels that were 23% lower than in 1990, which is the baseline for the EU’s emission cuts as per the UN’s climate agreements. The report attributed the fall to EU-wide and country-specific policies. The biggest decline was reported in energy generation as the EUI continued to phase out coal and embrace renewable power.
Senior European Commission officials, meanwhile, have pledged that Europe’s €750-billion COVID-19 recovery plan will ‘do no harm’ to the bloc’s climate goals. The commission announced plans to raise €150 billion in public and private money to help fund greener transport, cleaner industry and home renovations. The EU has also proposed to quadruple to more than €40 billion its ‘just transition fund’, which aims to move coal-dependent regions away from fossil fuels.
India’s power producers ask for more time to cap emissions
In a move that is sure to anger environmentalists, India’s power producers have sought another extension for capping the toxic emissions from their plants. They have blamed lack of bank funding and the COVID-19 lockdown as reasons for the request.
The Association of Power Producers has written to India’s power minister seeking a two-year extension for installing equipment that will control emissions. This will be the second waiver sought by the producers who have to bring down emissions in phases by 2022.
As EU ditches coal, its greenhouse gas emissions continue to fall: Report
Europe’s environment watchdog has released a new report that states the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions continued to fall in 2018, which is the last year for which comprehensive data is available. According to the report, emissions fell 2.1% compared to 2017 to levels that were 23% lower than in 1990, which is the baseline for the EU’s emission cuts as per the UN’s climate agreements. The report attributed the fall to EU-wide and country-specific policies. The biggest decline was reported in energy generation as the EUI continued to phase out coal and embrace renewable power.Senior European Commission officials, meanwhile, have pledged that Europe’s €750-billion COVID-19 recovery plan will ‘do no harm’ to the bloc’s climate goals. The commission announced plans to raise €150 billion in public and private money to help fund greener transport, cleaner industry and home renovations. The EU has also proposed to quadruple to more than €40 billion its ‘just transition fund’, which aims to move coal-dependent regions away from fossil fuels.
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