Why Adityanath’s Weak Attempts to Refute Ganga Pollution Fly in the Face of Facts

A report by the Central Pollution Control Board showed that the water in the river Ganga at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, have extremely high levels of fecal coliform rendering it unfit for bathing.

Bengaluru: On January 25, at the height of campaigning for the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath invited Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP’s) Arvind Kejriwal for a dip in the Ganga at Sangam in his state’s Prayagraj, as he harried Kejriwal about how the AAP had not been able to clean up the river Yamuna that flows through Delhi yet. “It [a dip in the Sangam] would do them [AAP Delhi cabinet] some good,” he had said.

Less than a month later, it appears that Adityanath may have to take back his words. A report submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on February 3 shows that the water in the river Ganga at Prayagraj – where the Maha Kumbh, a religious gathering of more than 45 crore people as per a government estimate, is ongoing – has fecal coliform levels that are nearly twenty times higher in magnitude than they should be. Essentially, this means that the water in the Ganga here is so contaminated with fecal matter that it is not even fit to take a dip in. 

Adityanath, however, has denied these claims. On Wednesday (February 19), speaking in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, he said that the water at Prayagraj was clean and fit enough to bathe in, and take ritual sips of (aachman).

That the spike in fecal coliform has happened despite the “special measures” that authorities have taken in preparation for the Maha Kumbh shows the lack of political will to clean up the river over the long term, said Himanshu Thakkar, water expert and coordinator of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP).

“The cleaning up of the Ganga should happen across the year and not just during the Kumbhs; and the information of water quality should be listed at the sites of the Kumbh because people have the right to know what they are getting into,” he added.

Extremely high coliform and fecal coliform levels

Part of the report that the CPCB submitted to the NGT on February 3 lists several water quality parameters including Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), total coliform and fecal coliform levels – all measure of pollution levels in the river water – at Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh 2025. Kumbh melas occur once every four to 12 years. It began on January 13 this year and will last till February 26. 

The CPCB report, excerpts of which have been included in the NGT hearing, has provided data for some of the above-mentioned water quality parameters from January 12 to 15, and January 19, 20 and 24.

“River water quality was not conforming with the primary water quality for bathing w.r.t. Fecal Coliform (FC) at all the monitored locations on various occasions. Huge number of people taking bath at Prayagraj during Maha Kumbh Mela in river including auspicious bathing days which eventually leads to increase in fecal concentration,” the CPCB report mentioned.

Also read: High Level of Faecal Coliform From Human and Animal Excreta Found in River Water at Mahakumbh: Report

For instance, at Sangam ghat in Prayagraj, total and fecal coliform levels increased from 4,500 and 2,000 MPN/100 ml (Most Probable Number per every 100 ml) on January 12 to 49,000 and 11,000 MPN/100 ml on January 14. This again rose to a total coliform level of 7,00,000 MPN/ 100 ml and fecal coliform level of 49,000 MPN/100 ml on January 19.

In rivers, fecal coliform levels – a measure of the amount of fecal contamination in water, usually caused by the influx of untreated sewage – should ideally be less than 2,500 MPN for every 100 ml of water.

According to the CPCB report, all ten sewage treatment plants in Prayagraj are operational, but one of them is not meeting the prescribed operational standards.

Noting the high levels of fecal coliform, the NGT mentioned during the hearing on pollution in Ganga river that the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) had not filed a “comprehensive action taken report,” detailing the steps that the NGT in December last year had asked the board to take up before the Maha Kumbh kicks off.

On February 17, the NGT ordered the member secretary and other state authorities to be present to discuss this non-compliance on February 19. At the meeting, the NGT pulled up the board and the Uttar Pradesh government for not submitting adequate details on faecal coliform and other water quality parameters, such as oxygen levels, in the river Ganga in Prayagraj. The NGT has now given the authorities one week to place these details on record, LiveMint reported.

‘Shows lack of political will’

Water expert Thakkar told The Wire that there were several concerns here. 

Firstly, this huge increase in fecal coliform levels has occurred despite the “special measures” – such as diverting sewage from the areas where the Kumbh is happening, closing all tanneries nearby, ensuring that all STPs are operational and releasing more water upstream – that authorities take in preparation for the Kumbh melas, he said. 

“Secondly, the government is not only making all arrangements for the Kumbh, it is also inviting people for the Kumbh,” Thakkar added. “So the government has to ensure that the water in the Ganga at that time should not only be of bathing quality, but also possibly drinking quality too – because they know that people take aachman [a ritual where pilgrims drink the water after bathing in it]. But they’ve completely failed.”

Thirdly, Thakkar underlined that there is data on water quality only for a “limited number of days in the CPCB report”. “While the rest of the data is still to come, all data should have been on the public domain promptly.”

Noting the seriousness of the matter, he suggested that boards must be put at the Kumbh everywhere and specify that “this [water] is not bathing quality water, let alone aachman quality.”

“This should have been publicised there in public interest so that people know what they are getting into,” Thakkar mentioned.  

“One of the excuses that the CPCB has put forward is saying that when so many crores of people take bath, then BOD and fecal coliform is likely to go up. That’s nonsense,” he added. “You’re supposed to make arrangements..ensure that only so many people come wherein the Ganga can still continue to have water quality that does not deteriorate despite that. If you don’t do that then you have not done your duty, and nor are you informing people on time.”

According to Thakkar, there should be a cap on the number of people bathing in the water so that the water quality in the river does not deteriorate below set standards.

But is such a carrying capacity feasible, especially when a religious event is in question? Thakkar definitely thinks it is, he cited the example of the carrying capacity imposed by the Uttarakhand government after 2013 when several pilgrims died on the Char Dham Yatra, another religious event.

In the case of Ganga, temporary measures such as those being undertaken for the Kumbh alone, or “cosmetic changes,” will not work, Thakkar said. “The cleaning up of the Ganga should happen across the year and not just during the Kumbhs… treat the Ganga like a river all around the year. It is very much implementable if there is political will to do so.”

Indeed, the concern of sewage water entering the river across all times is something that citizens have also documented. V.N. Mishra, president of the Sankat Mochan Foundation – an NGO whose vision is to ensure a clean Ganga – had tweeted on March 6, 2024, that in most of its segments, the river is “not even fit for bathing”. In a recent post in December last year – at the time that the Ganga was to have been specifically cleaned up for the Maha Kumbh – he documented sewage being released into the river.

This latest news of the fecal coliform contamination of the river Ganga comes even as the government is consistently spending money on cleaning up the river. As of June 2024, around Rs 18,000 crore (out of almost Rs 38,000 crore of sanctioned funds) has been spent on various programmes under the Namami Gange project as part of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, The Hindu reported in August last year. The director general of the mission had himself remarked that the pace was slow. And yet, despite the government spending crores of taxpayers’ money on the Ganga, the river is still not clean – not even to take a dip in – even though the Uttar Pradesh chief minister denies it. 

High Level of Faecal Coliform From Human and Animal Excreta Found in River Water at Mahakumbh: Report

The NGT has also observed that the UPPCB has not filed a comprehensive report as per the directions of the court.

New Delhi: A report submitted to the National Green Tribunal by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has revealed that high levels of faecal coliform (microbes present in human and animal excreta) were found in the same river water in which devotees are bathing during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.

“River water quality was not conforming with the primary water quality for bathing with reference to Faecal Coliform [FC] at all the monitored locations on various occasions. Huge number of people taking bath at Prayagraj during Maha Kumbh Mela in river, including on auspicious bathing days, eventually led to increase in faecal concentration,” said an NGT order dated February 17 that quoted the CPCB report, reported The Hindu.

The CPCB had submitted its report to the NGT on February 3.

“On the perusal of the documents enclosed along with the covering letter dated January 28, 2025 sent by the in-charge of Central Laboratory, UPPCB [Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board], it is reflected that the high level of faecal and total coliform has been found in various locations,” said the NGT order.

The NGT has also observed that the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has not filed a comprehensive report as per the directions of the court. The NGT directed the member-secretary of the UPPCB to appear virtually on the next date of hearing on February 19.

Earthquakes of Magnitude 4 Hit Delhi, Siwan in Bihar

According to the National Centre for Seismology, the earthquake struck Delhi at a focal depth of five kilometres at 5:36 AM.

New Delhi: An earthquake of 4.0 magnitude struck the national capital and adjoining regions on early Monday (February 17) morning.

The earthquake’s epicentre was in the Jheel Park area of Dhaula Kuan, reported the Press Trust of India.

While no immediate casualties or damage were reported, there were some reports of people hearing a loud sound as the ground shook due to the impact of the earthquake.

According to the National Centre for Seismology, the earthquake struck at a focal depth of five kilometres at 5:36 AM.

“Tremors were felt in Delhi and nearby areas. Urging everyone to stay calm and follow safety precautions, staying alert for possible aftershocks. Authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X.

Former Delhi Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi posted on X about the earthquake.

Hours after the tremors in Delhi, another earthquake of 4.0 magnitude struck Bihar. The National Centre for Seismology said that the epicentre of the earthquake was in Bihar’s Siwan district, reported The Indian Express.

US Firm Takes Down Private Network Profiling Indian Activists Opposing Pesticides, GMO After Reports

The company confirmed the removal of over 500 profiles on the network after a legal review of European data privacy rules, and threats of litigation, following a media investigation.

Mumbai/London/Athens: A US-based reputation management firm involved in monitoring activities of those critical of pesticides and genetically modified (GM) crops on a private social network has ceased its profiling operations following an investigation led by investigative newsroom Lighthouse Reports, and shared with The Wire and other international media partners.

The Missouri-based firm v-Fluence Interactive, headed by a former Monsanto executive, Jay Byrne, confirmed in an official statement on December 9, 2024, that the company has removed its Bonus Eventus portal that served as a “stakeholder wiki” hosting profiles of over 500 individuals globally. The private network included profiles of prominent Indian environmentalist Vandana Shiva, ecologist Debal Deb, organisations like Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India and other scientists and academics.

Among other findings, the investigation revealed that v-Fluence had received funding from the now-reduced US Agency for International Development (USAID) for Bonus Eventus via the International Food Policy Research Institute. The sub-contracts were aimed at countering criticism of “modern agriculture approaches” in Asia and Africa, according to public records obtained by Lighthouse Reports.

The investigation also highlighted that v-Fluence and Byrne are co-defendants in a lawsuit against global pesticide giant Syngenta, for suppressing information on the dangers of paraquat herbicide, alleged to have caused Parkinson’s disease among farmers in the US. Byrne had denied the allegations of the lawsuit, saying they were based on claims which were “manufactured and false”.

In India too, Syngenta came under scrutiny in 2017 after the Yavatmal pesticide poisoning scandal in Maharashtra that claimed the lives of at least 20 farmers. Farmers had alleged that Syngenta had failed to provide sufficient information regarding the risks of its pesticide ‘Polo’. Syngenta, however, maintained that there’s no evidence proving that its product caused the tragedy.

Narasimha Reddy Donthi, an independent policy analyst and consultant with PAN India, who has also worked closely with farmers in Yavatmal for securing compensation from Syngenta, says that the removal of the profiles is a “positive outcome”.

“However, they have to tell why they did that and for whom. Furthermore, we need to know how US funds got involved in such an enterprise. We need a deterrence – a official promise,” Donthi adds.

Legal concerns, lost clients and threats of litigation 

v-Fluence said in its official statement in December last year that the removal of profiles comes after an “independent legal review” of obligations under the European data privacy rules. They also informed that the firm will “continue to offer stakeholder research with updated guidelines to avoid future misinterpretations of our work product”.

In an emailed statement, Byrne confirmed that the profiles had been removed, but said that they had been taken down prior to the legal review in light of litigation and threats of litigation.

According to reporting from David Zaruk, a Bonus Eventus member who was a recipient of Byrne’s emails, v-Fluence had to lay off around 40 staff after industry clients cancelled their contracts.

The investigation, published in September last year, revealed that v-Fluence’s Bonus Eventus was accessible to over 1,000 members, including many executives associated with global agrochemical companies, lobbyists and government members. 

The eight Indians who had access to the Bonus Eventus portal include Raghavan Sampathkumar, the executive director of the Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII); and Anand Ranganathan, consulting editor of the Indian right-wing magazine Swarajya, and a former staff research scientist at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB).

Notably, the FSII is involved in a project with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for deploying technologies to agro-ecological zones allotted for cotton production. The ICGEB also works with the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, for supporting biotech research and development. However, Ranganathan informed Lighthouse Reports and The Wire that he was unaware of the network and denied association with v-Fluence.

‘What about the harm already done?’

A number of profiles on the Bonus Eventus portal contained personal information such as phone number, email and residential address, details of people’s personal website, and income among other details of the individuals. Indian activists profiled on the network expressed concerns about potential misuse of data by those having access to such data.

In a written statement last year, Byrne had informed that the private, community-edited wiki platform includes only “publicly available and referenced information”, asserting that, “Any contact or other information which may appear on the wiki is from public records and is used publicly by the source as part of their business or advocacy.” 

However, technology lawyer and policy adviser Pranesh Prakash, who had reviewed excerpts from some of the profiles, found that personal data was indeed being processed, and because much of the collected personal data was not made available by the person who was profiled, India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) applied to it. 

Prakash informed that the exception for “research purposes” under DPDPA does not apply if the data is being used to make any decision specific to any of the activists whose personal data has been collected.

Ecologist and seed conservator Debal Deb, who was profiled by v-Fluence, says that the company closing down the network is an “important development”, however, he also raised apprehensions about the harm already done.

“The issue is that no one knows what and how much harm these corporate agents have already perpetrated to the lives and careers of the scientists and environmental activists. A public announcement of dismantling a website does not absolve the decades-long crime of appropriation of citizens’ personal data, nor atone for the intangible damages to the individuals,” says Deb.

Next Big Sports Destination, Saudi Arabia to ‘Watch and Learn’ for Asian Winter Games 2029

Saudi Arabia will also host the football World Cup in 2034, part of a splurge on sports events which has triggered accusations of “sportswashing” of its rights record.

Saudi Arabia made their debut at the Asian Winter Games in China this week and will controversially host the next edition in a move derided as “awful” by one Olympic skier and denounced by environmental groups.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in 2022 unanimously approved the desert kingdom’s bid to stage the Games at its $500 billion megacity NEOM in 2029.

“It is awful for our sport,” Olympic downhill silver medallist Johan Clarey previously told French radio.

Saudi Arabia will also host the football World Cup in 2034, part of a splurge on sports events which has triggered accusations of “sportswashing” of its rights record.

Saudi officials deny that and were in Harbin this week, with the vice president of the country’s Olympic committee in the Chinese city to “watch and learn”.

“Of course it would be a first for us, organising such an event,” Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdul Aziz said in an OCA news release.

“But I can assure everyone that we will put on a good show.”

Planners for the futuristic but far-from-finished NEOM, which has sought to wrangle support from Chinese investors, say it will feature a year-round winter sports complex in the mountains of Trojena.

NEOM executive Denis Hickey said at Davos last month that Trojena was “deep into construction”, including a man-made lake and “frameworks for the village that will hold the Asian Winter Games”.

Temperatures have yet to dip below zero this year in northern Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk province, which covers NEOM.

Saudi officials did not respond to an AFP request in Harbin for comment about how it plans to prepare for the 2029 Games.

There were eight Saudi athletes in China and even though none won a medal, they were having a “great” time at the country’s first Asian Winter Games, they said.

‘We’re doing great’

Saudi Arabia exited the Games after the men’s curling team failed to advance out of the round robin to the elimination bracket.

They were thrashed 15-1 by Hong Kong on Wednesday.

But curler Hussain Hagawi, who picked up the sport in 2017, remained upbeat after his team “almost beat Japan”.

They had led Japan by one point after the first end but lost 9-4 on Tuesday.

“So far we’re doing great!” he said.

They began preparing for the Harbin Games in November, training on indoor ice in Saudi Arabia, including at ice hockey rinks.

“Of course, no rink is compared to the ice in the international arenas,” said Hagawi, 46.

“But it does the job.”

His teammate Suleiman Alaqel said he did some of his training in front of his television, squeezing his workouts into a busy schedule as a full-time data engineer.

The team met every other weekend for practice, the 39-year-old said, clarifying: “Sometimes every three weekends.”

“We do have some limitations with having competition-level ice, obviously, but we do train a lot,” Alaqel said.

“As long as the team has the passion, we can use anything to prepare.”

In number, the Saudis paled in comparison to this year’s hosts, who received the loudest cheers at the opening ceremony as China’s delegation of about 170 athletes were last to enter the stadium in front of a waving President Xi Jinping.

But Saudi Arabia’s Olympic committee vice president has pledged to have a far bigger squad in Trojena.

In Harbin, their delegation comprised a five-man curling team and three alpine skiers — one man and two women.

“We will be trying our best to have athletes in every sport by 2029,” he said.

The Saudis plan to add mixed doubles and women’s teams for curling in 2029, Hagawi said.

There are also ongoing negotiations for more intensive local training programmes.

“In NEOM, well, we will try as much as we can,” added Alaqel. “We will also try to introduce a lot more people to the game.”

While Saudi Arabia’s desert project has raised questions about the feasibility of running ski and snowboard events that require the cold, Alaqel was upbeat about the weather.

“I think it’s maybe minus five degrees (Celsius), not minus 30,” Alaqel said.

“So hopefully it’s a little nicer, weather-wise.”

Q&A: Should Climate Be a National Security Issue?

In his new book, ‘Climate Security’, Ashok Swain argues that climate issues are so important and urgent that they must be treated as national security issues

Ever since the modern state rose in the 17th century to become the principal actor in the international system, power has been measured by control over borders, economies and populations. In his thought-provoking new book, Climate Security, Ashok Swain argues that all three are now under threat.

“Globally, more than one-third of the total length of national borders is determined by rivers,” he writes, noting how climate change is shifting these boundaries by altering the hydrological cycle. This is even more extreme in regions where glaciers are receding and Arctic ice cover is vanishing.

Ashok Swain,Climate Security.

Ashok Swain,
Climate Security,
Sage publications (December 2024)

Climate-induced disasters are fundamentally reshaping economies, particularly in developing island nations, while also triggering mass migrations – both temporary and permanent – on a scale that is creating a crisis both within and between countries.

Swain’s book is concise, coming in at just over 150 pages, with another 40 devoted to references. It is sharply written and deeply researched, with a wealth of data and examples to back up his arguments. The main argument is that because climate change threatens the core functions of the state, it must be treated as a national security issue to receive the urgent attention it deserves.

As head of the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Swain brings more than three decades of expertise in conflict and environment studies, and is perfectly placed to join the dots. His international background – having grown up and studied in India, taught in Europe, and served as a visiting professor in the US and Malaysia – allows him to connect global perspectives with granular insights. For example, writing on the impact of climate-induced disasters, Swain notes:

Globally, between 1970 and 2019, there have been 11,778 natural hazards leading to 2 million deaths and USD 4.3 trillion in economic losses. Over 90% of all the reported deaths have been in countries with developing economies located in the Global South. On the other hand, countries in the Global North have experienced 60% of the reported economic losses from natural hazards. However, the economic losses in the Global North have been less than 0.1% of the countries’ gross domestic products (GDP), respectively. In contrast, in the least developed economies, 7% of all disasters lead to economic losses greater than 5% of their GDP.

This perfectly sums up the disproportionate suffering of poorer nations. Wealthy counties – the primary emitters of greenhouse gasses – can absorb the financial impact, while poorer countries are overwhelmed. When Hurricane Maria hit the island nation of Dominica in 2017, it “caused damages of USD 1.31 billion, equivalent to around 200% of the country’s GDP. The hurricane destroyed almost all trees and vegetation and eliminated the agricultural sector.” This was just two years after another hurricane had caused damage equivalent to 100% of Dominica’s GDP.

Dialogue Earth spoke to Ashok Swain about some of the questions raised by his book.

You mention in your book classifying climate as a national security issue may lead to a power grab by the military, so why are you advocating it?

Ashok Swain: Partially out of frustration. I initially opposed the idea, but as I demonstrate in the book, even polities like Sweden whose population says climate is important, don’t vote along those lines. Politicians who want to address the issue are often sidelined, because it is not “prime terrain”. You do not become a bigwig by tackling climate and environment, but you do if you focus on national security. Secondly, climate activists and movements still primarily focus on big corporations and problematic individuals, but it is the state that is the most powerful actor, and which needs to be the focus. Lastly, and most importantly, as I write, there has been limited action on climate issues. In fact, we have emitted more greenhouse gasses since the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change was recognised. This needs to be a priority.

Could classifying climate as a national security issue, leading to increased militarisation, backfire?

When climate change is framed as a security threat, governments – especially authoritarian ones – might use it as a justification to suppress dissent, restrict environmental activism, and curtail civil liberties. For example, they may crack down on environmental NGOs, activists, and Indigenous communities under the pretext of maintaining national stability. This approach can also lead to militarised responses to climate migration, where instead of providing humanitarian aid, states fortify borders and criminalise displaced populations. Such policies undermine human rights and could increase internal instability rather than addressing the root causes of climate insecurity​.

However, despite these risks, projecting climate change as a national security issue is essential for getting political leaders to take strategic decisions on climate mitigation and adaptation. By elevating climate change to the level of national security, governments are more likely to prioritise it in their policy agendas, allocate resources effectively, and integrate climate considerations into strategic planning​. This could help in developing long-term policies that not only address climate risks but also ensure sustainable development and stability. The challenge, therefore, is to balance securitisation in a way that strengthens climate action without undermining human rights and environmental advocacy.

One of the countries that has, arguably, made environment a high-value political issue is China, but you are speaking of democratic countries. Could you expand?

Firstly, China is an outlier among countries classified as authoritarian. Most have not made good environmental decisions, whereas China has done remarkable work in air pollution, pushing electric vehicles, and even its afforestation programmes. That said, it has not been so good beyond its borders. For example it has not built dams on the Salween within its borders, but downstream in other countries, it has. But, in a way, China shows that if environment is made a “security of the regime” issue, things can be done. In contrast, US President Joe Biden wanted to be the “Climate President” but had to scale back his ambitions and make major compromises.

Is there scope for North-South cooperation, given the different ways the countries are impacted?

Environment really became an issue after the end of the Cold War, with the Global North largely thinking of it as a problem in the Global South, and the role of developed countries was only to support poorer countries to do better. Climate change is a different dilemma. Some things will be better in the Global North. It is the end of January and there is no snow here in Uppsala. Having the very cold areas becoming temperate seems nicer, but with that come other problems such as floods, diseases, the difficulty of importing food, and even the ability of the military to operate. The Global North cannot get away by saying it is a Global South problem only. Similarly, the Global South has to stop waiting for reparations. There were none for colonialism, and there is unlikely to be any for emissions. They have to act in their own self-interest, for their own security, to take climate seriously. I believe we can have a balance, but we need to approach it cautiously. Pushing climate security to the UN Security Council, where Russia and China are on one side, and the US, UK and France are on the other, will not help. We need to build consensus, and the only way to do that is to take the problem seriously.

Do you think there is a viable path forward for developing countries to bypass Global North-led climate negotiations and build their own cooperative frameworks for climate resilience?

Developing countries face a difficult situation: while they are the most affected by climate change, they have limited influence in global climate negotiations. The book explains how the Global North has historically contributed the most to climate change but has been slow to provide the promised financial and technological support to the Global South​. However, waiting for help from the Global North is not a viable strategy. Instead, countries in the Global South must take the lead in regional and South-South cooperation for climate resilience. This could include forming regional climate alliances, sharing technology and knowledge, and developing joint adaptation projects.

Some countries have already started doing this by prioritising their own climate adaptation measures, independent of North-led initiatives. However, these efforts are often constrained by limited funding and political instability. Political will and leadership are crucial in making climate adaptation a priority, even when financial resources are scarce​. While bypassing Global North-led negotiations entirely may be difficult, strengthening regional cooperation and focusing on self-reliant adaptation measures can be a practical way forward for the Global South.

How do you see the role of transboundary water conflicts evolving as climate change intensifies?

Transboundary water conflicts are expected to become more frequent and severe as climate change alters water availability and distribution. Many existing water-sharing agreements are already under pressure due to environmental changes, and new agreements are increasingly difficult to negotiate​. Climate change is intensifying water scarcity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, leading to heightened tensions between countries that share rivers and aquifers. The unpredictability of water flow, especially in major river basins like the Nile, Ganges, and those originating from the Himalayas, is creating disputes between upstream and downstream nations​.

Although no full-scale wars have been fought exclusively over water, conflicts over quantity, quality and control of shared resources have contributed to broader geopolitical tensions. Climate change acts as a “threat multiplier,” increasing vulnerabilities in already water-stressed regions and making cooperation even more necessary but harder to achieve​.

Finally, how do you think Donald Trump’s return to the White House will impact global climate security, particularly for the Global South?

Donald Trump’s return to the White House, along with the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the suspension of all foreign aid, has already weakened global climate security, particularly for the Global South. The loss of US climate finance has severely impacted developing nations, halting crucial adaptation projects and leaving vulnerable regions – such as the Sahel and South Asia – exposed to worsening droughts, floods and food shortages​. Without this funding, climate-induced conflicts over water and land are expected to rise, driving more displacement and instability​. Climate security should be framed as a national security issue to drive strategic action, but Trump’s policies have deprioritised both domestic and global climate commitments​. With the US stepping back, countries in the Global South are now seeking alternative alliances for climate finance and cooperation. However, these efforts remain insufficient to fill the massive funding gap left by the US withdrawal​. Meanwhile, the suspension of humanitarian aid has worsened migration crises, with climate refugees facing stricter border policies. Trump’s policies have not only derailed global emissions reduction efforts but have also weakened America’s diplomatic standing, allowing its competing powers to expand their influence in climate governance. Without urgent corrective measures, the future of global climate security looks increasingly unstable.

Omair Ahmad was the South Asia managing editor at Dialogue Earth. This article was originally published on Dialogue Earth.

NACEJ Calls For Withdrawal of Environment Ministry Notification Exempting Industries From SPCB Consents

The NACEJ said that lifting of consent requirements for industries with environmental clearances is in direct contradiction to the foundational objectives of the Air Act and Water Act, which were enacted to protect public health and ensure environmental safety and sustainability. 

Fifty signatories under the National Alliance for Climate and Ecological Justice (NACEJ), a pan-India initiative of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), have issued an open letter expressing strong objections to the arbitrary notifications issued by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF and CC) for prioritising the ‘ease of doing business’ over critical environmental protection, public health and the rights of people and communities.

Urging the government to not dilute the enviro-legal regime to facilitate ‘ease of doing business’, the group has demanded immediate withdrawal of the notifications and the upholding of the role of SPCBs.

In a notification issued on November 12, 2024, the ministry exempted “all industrial plants with a pollution index score upto 20” and “all industrial plants which have obtained prior environmental clearance” from the application of Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) as per the requirements of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

The lifting of consent requirements for industries with environmental clearances, the letter stated, is in direct contradiction to the foundational objectives of the Air Act and Water Act, which were enacted to protect public health and ensure environmental safety and sustainability. 

These consents issued by the state pollution control boards (SPCBs) provide appropriate conditions for local environmental challenges, which cannot be effectively addressed solely through broad, standardised environmental clearance conditions. Removing these safeguards means weakening critical pollution control measures.

Reducing the role of SPCBs, which maintain industry accountability, it added, “risks the creation of a regulatory vacuum, where industries may operate with minimal oversight, undermining the effectiveness of environmental governance”.

Also exempted are 39 industries, now classified as “white industries”, which mainly include fly ash bricks/block manufacturing. The exemption would grant them a free pass from environmental oversight.

“Fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion, is known to contain toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and mercury. Improper handling and disposal of fly ash can result in severe air and water contamination, posing health hazards to local communities. These industries, despite their classification, are still known to contribute to local air and water pollution. The complete exemption from obtaining consents and subsequent monitoring by Pollution Control Boards further undermines the integrity and efficacy of the regulatory framework,” the letter stated.

The NACEJ also highlighted that the ministry notifications represent a substantive amendment to the Water Act and the Air Act by providing the industries such exemptions, which can only be enacted through a formal legislative process.

“The issuance of these notifications bypasses the required constitutional and legal procedures, thus rendering them potentially ultra vires and open to judicial scrutiny. By weakening the mandate of SPCBs, the Notifications are also clearly in violation of the principles of federalism, laid down in the Constitution,” it stated.

Further, the manner in which these notifications have been issued goes against the requirements of the PLCP, Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy (2014), of the Union government, which must be followed by all ministries, including MoEF & CC, before introducing Bills and subordinate legislations. 

Demanding immediate withdrawal of the notifications, the NACEJ that the decision overrides important objectives of the Water Act and Air Act and “is patently arbitrary and legally questionable”. 

“The Ministry is violating its own mandate when it considers ‘ease of doing business’ far more important than environmental and public health safety, especially when the impacts of industrial pollution are undeniable and have long-term consequences for the environment and human health,” it stated.

Fire Breaks Out at Under-Construction Bullet Train Station in Gujarat, No Casualties Reported

Welding sparks from the temporary shuttering work is believed to be the cause behind the blaze.

New Delhi: A fire broke out at the under-construction Sabarmati bullet train station in Ahmedabad on Saturday (February 8) morning. No casualties were reported in the incident.

The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is responsible for the project, said in a statement that the fire was reported on the roof shuttering on one part of the construction site, reported Press Trust of India.

The statement said that welding sparks from the temporary shuttering work is believed to be the cause behind the blaze. Officials said that the blaze was brought under control after 13 fire tenders were brought in.

“No injuries or casualties have been reported. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but prima facie, it appears that welding sparks from temporary shuttering work may have triggered it,” the statement said.

Fire vehicles from Sabarmati and Chandkheda fire stations reached the site of the blaze, followed by those from Shahpur, Navrangpura, Maninagar and Jamalpur, reported Times of India.

A senior fire officer said that the open area and the presence of wood, combined with windy morning conditions, affected the fire’s rapid spread, an official was quoted as saying to the newspaper.

The bullet train station is part of the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, which is set to cover Gujarat (352 km) and Maharashtra (156 km), with a total of 12 stations planned.

Five More Cheetahs Released in the Wild in Kuno

This is the first time that cheetah cubs are also being released in the wild in Kuno as part of Project Cheetah.

Delhi: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav released five more cheetahs – two adult females and three 13-month-old cubs – in the wild in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park on Wednesday (February 5). This is the first time that cheetah cubs are also being released in the wild in Kuno as part of Project Cheetah, India’s ambitious African cheetah introduction programme that is currently ongoing at the park.

Yadav released the animals at the park on his first visit to Kuno, assistant principal chief conservator of forests and park director Uttam Kumar Sharma said in a press note.

“Today in Palpur-Kuno National Park, female cheetahs ‘Dheera’ and ‘Asha’ and three cubs were released from a large enclosure into the open forest. On this occasion, a review was also done with the officials regarding the cheetah project,” Yadav announced on social media platform X on Wednesday night.

“It is a matter of immense joy to see that the cheetahs which had once become extinct from the Asian continent are today gaining speed and increasing their population on the sacred land of Madhya Pradesh,” he added. 

Project Cheetah Kuno National Park

The cubs are being released in the wild in Kuno as part of Project Cheetah. Photo: Madhya Pradesh Forest Department

Aasha, a female brought in from Namibia in September 2022, had given birth to three cubs in January 2024. The female, along with her now 13-month-old cubs, has been released in the wild. Dheera, a female that was brought in from South Africa in February 2023, was also released on Wednesday. Two adult males – Agni and Vayu – are already in the wild in Kuno since December last year, after they were released after more than a year of captivity in bomas or enclosures.

“During the chief minister’s visit, he released five cheetahs (female cheetah Dheera along with Aasha and her 3 male cubs) in the wild of Kuno NP. After the release of these 5 cheetahs, total 7 cheetahs are there in the wild now,” Sharma said in the press note.

“The chief minister emphasised the importance of the role of frontline staff in monitoring, patrolling, and maintaining the ecological balance within the park. He also encouraged eco-tourism initiatives, which would not only help in conservation but also generate employment opportunities for local communities,” he added.

Also read: Two More Cheetah Cubs Born in Kuno National Park

Yadav has been very vocal about the tourism opportunities that the cheetahs bring to the state. 

“Today, we are feeling happy after releasing the female cheetahs ‘Dheera’ and ‘Asha’ and three cubs in the open jungle of Kuno. The jungle will be populated with these cheetahs and Palpur-Kuno will get a new identity in the tourism sector,” he said on February 5.

Later he also advocated that people come to the park to see the animals.

“The speed of cheetahs has become the new identity of Kuno. You also come to Kuno and enjoy the wonderful and beautiful views of nature,” he said.

On February 4, Union minister Bhupender Yadav and chief minister Yadav had both announced the birth of two more cheetah cubs at Kuno. Their births bring the current tally of cheetahs at Kuno to 26 (14 cubs and 12 adults).

Though there have been reports of the possibility of cheetahs being released in Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, Sharma told The Wire that he was “not aware” of any plan to release cheetahs in Gandhi Sagar. 

Top Climate Scientist Declares 2C Climate Goal ‘Dead’, Others Sceptical

Other experts contested Hansen’s analysis, with Valerie Masson-Delmotte, the former co-chair of the UN’s climate panel’s working group on climatology, arguing it ‘requires a great deal of vigilance’.

Holding long-term global warming to two degrees Celsius – the fallback target of the Paris climate accord – is now “impossible,” according to a stark though hotly debated new analysis published by leading scientists.

Led by renowned if dissenting climatologist James Hansen, the paper appears in the journal “Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development” and concludes that Earth’s climate is more sensitive to rising greenhouse gas emissions than previously thought.

Compounding the crisis, Hansen and colleagues argued, is a recent decline in sunlight-blocking aerosol pollution from the shipping industry, which had been mitigating some of the warming.

An ambitious climate change scenario outlined by the UN’s climate panel, which gives the planet a 50 percent chance of keeping warming under 2C by the year 2100, “is an implausible scenario,” Hansen told a briefing Tuesday.

“That scenario is now impossible,” said Hansen, formerly a top NASA climate scientist who famously announced to the US Congress in 1988 that global warming was underway, but had become an increasingly isolated voice in the scientific community.

“The two degree target is dead.”

Instead, he and co-authors argued, the amount of greenhouse gases already pumped into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels meant increased warming is now guaranteed.

Temperatures will stay at or above 1.5C in the coming years – devastating coral reefs and fuelling more intense storms – before rising to around 2.0C by 2045, they forecast.

However other experts contested the paper’s analysis, with Valerie Masson-Delmotte, the former co-chair of the UN’s climate panel’s working group on climatology, arguing it “requires a great deal of vigilance.”

“It is not published in a climate science journal and it formulates a certain number of hypotheses that are not consistent with all the available observations,” she told AFP on Wednesday.

‘Not helpful’

Hansen’s paper estimated polar ice melt and freshwater injection into the North Atlantic will trigger the shutdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) within the next 20–30 years.

The current brings warmth to various parts of the globe and also carries nutrients necessary to sustain ocean life.

Its end “will lock in major problems including sea level rise of several meters – thus, we describe AMOC shutdown as the ‘point of no return’,” the paper argued.

The world’s nations agreed during the landmark Paris climate accord of 2015 to try to hold end-of-century warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

Scientists identified the threshold as critical to preventing the breakdown of major ocean circulation systems, the abrupt thawing of boreal permafrost, and the collapse of tropical coral reefs.

The 1.5C target has already been breached over the past two years, according to data from the EU’s climate monitoring system Copernicus, though the Paris Agreement referred to a long-term trend over decades.

At 2C, the impacts would be even greater, including irreversible loss to Earth’s ice sheets, mountain glaciers and snow, sea ice and permafrost.

The authors acknowledged the findings appeared grim, but argued that honesty is a necessary ingredient for change.

“Failure to be realistic in climate assessment and failure to call out the fecklessness of current policies to stem global warming is not helpful to young people,” they said.

“Today, with rising crises including global climate change, we have reached a point where we must address the problem of special interests,” they added, stressing they were “optimistic” for the future.

Other scientists however remained cautious of Hansen’s findings.

“There is still much speculation involved… I continue to remain sceptical of their claims,” said Karsten Haustein, a climate scientist at the University of Leipzig.