The world is urbanising at a rapid pace. The United Nation’s report, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision, predicts that close to 70% of the world’s population will reside in an urban area by 2050, placing an enormous burden on natural resources, especially water.

Given that the impacts of climate change will be felt acutely by cities, especially in the Global South, there is a need to adopt new processes — such as used-water reuse — to help secure their future.

India’s rooftop solar (RTS) sector has immense growth potential though it is underperforming currently with only 8 GW installed capacity as against the 40 GW target set for 2022. The potential needs to be realised quickly because the scaling up of RTS is paramount to achieving India’s ambitious renewable energy targets. The recently launched National Portal for Rooftop Solar, which is expected to simplify the application and subsidy disbursement process, aims to accelerate RTS growth in India.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, between 2000 and 2018, agricultural expansion led to almost 90% of global deforestation, which is one of the leading causes of habitat destruction of numerous species. Besides land clearance, several other activities within the sector — land preparation, production and use of fertilisers and pesticides, use of farm machinery, crop residue burning, yield storage, and transportation — are responsible for the emission of some major air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

The push for clean energy transition as an effective climate action strategy is intensifying. Since fossil fuels—which include coal, lignite, and liquefied natural gas (LNG)—are major greenhouse gas producers, they will have to be replaced with cleaner sources of energy production, broadly known as renewables (solar, wind, and hydro). In addition, natural gas, which is significantly less carbon-intensive as compared to coal, is being used as a lower-emission fuel during the energy transition.

At the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, the Government of India revised its non-fossil energy targets for 2030 from 450 GW to 500 GW. To accomplish this, developing India’s solar potential is essential. Given the intermittent nature of renewable energy (RE) sources, we require energy storage systems (ESS) to maintain the power grid's security and dependability. Recent advancements in ESS technologies have resulted in a substantial decrease in capital cost, expanding market growth.

It has been a slow journey, but the pace of air pollution studies is now picking up, and with it, our ability to save lives. Several nations have established standards to monitor air pollution and ensure that it remains within limits. Scientific understanding of various pollutants and their effect on human health has helped us develop ideal standards for safer and good quality air. In 2021, WHO revised the standards for pollution levels after research suggested that even small amounts of pollutants were detrimental to our health.

Globally, as countries look for options to reduce emissions and achieve climate targets, hydrogen is emerging as the frontrunner for decarbonisation strategies. Hydrogen has, indeed, come a long way from 2019, when only Korea, Japan, and France had hydrogen-specific policies, to today, with 31 governments having released their hydrogen strategies. There is a heightened interest in hydrogen, with many business entities, the world over, tapping into the hydrogen market.

Vehicles contribute to around 68% of Bengaluru's particulate matter of 10 microns or less (PM10) emissions. The Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy’s (CSTEP’s) study indicates that PM10 could increase by at least 12% by 2024 compared with the 2019 levels if we do not implement immediate measures.

India’s true essence — encompassing its diversity, zeal, culture, and spirit — is rooted in its rural areas. However, the gloomy blanket of air pollution conceals the very soul of our nation. We are experiencing alarming signs of the warming climate and its linkage to air pollution. Though poor air quality has largely impacted rural health and well-being, most mitigation efforts continue to focus on urban problems, ignoring rural air pollution.

Atleast 9 million people die annually from air pollution-related complications, according to a recent study by The Lancet Commission on pollution and health. Meanwhile, the alarming increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, due to human activities, is escalating the climate crisis. Putting a number on deaths attributable to climate change is complex, but there’s no denying this: we are at crisis point and it is likely to get worse before (and if) it gets better.