&nbsp;A UN environmental report published on Tuesday said pollution by states and companies contributes to more deaths globally than COVID-19, calling for "immediate and ambitious action" to ban some toxic chemicals.

There are widespread human rights violations caused by pesticides, plastics and electronic waste, as well as at least 9 million premature deaths a year, according to the report, which says the issue is being largely overlooked.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/toppled-off-of-knife-edge-australias-famous-koala-is-now-an-endangered-animal-452372" hreflang="en">Toppled off of 'knife edge': Australia's famous Koala is now an 'endangered' animal</a>

A data aggregator Worldometer reports that an estimated 5.9 million people have died due to the Coronavirus pandemic, a number less than what pollution claims each year.

"Current approaches to managing the risks posed by pollution and toxic substances are clearly failing, resulting in widespread violations of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment," the report's author, UN Special Rapporteur David Boyd, concluded.

"I think we have an ethical and now a legal obligation to do better by these people," he said in an interview with Reuters.

UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which has declared clean air and water a human right posted a draft of the document on their <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=/Documents/Issues/Environment/SREnvironment/SR-Researchathon-on-Sacrifice-Zones-2021-EN.docx&amp;action=default&amp;DefaultItemOpen=1">website</a> on Tuesday. The document will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council next month.

It urges a ban on polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl, man-made chemicals used in household products such as non-stick cookware that have been linked to cancer and have been dubbed "forever chemicals" since they do not degrade easily.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/reduced-meat-consumption-livestock-more-here-is-what-the-wwf-recommends-for-curbing-greenhouse-emissions-451925" hreflang="en">Reduced meat consumption, livestock &amp; more; here is what the WWF recommends for curbing greenhouse emissions</a>

As part of this effort, it is also seeking the clean-up of polluted sites and, in severe cases, possible relocation of affected communities - largely poor, marginalized and indigenous - from so-called "sacrifice zones".

The term "sacrifice zones" has been expanded to describe any heavily contaminated site or place rendered uninhabitable by climate change. Originally, it referred to nuclear test zones.

"What I hope to do by telling these stories of sacrifice zones is to really put a human face on these otherwise inexplicable, incomprehensible statistics (of pollution death tolls)," Boyd said.

Watch |&nbsp;Non-vegetarians, will you make changes to save Earth?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/non-vegetarians-will-you-make-changes-to-save-earth-452411/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Reuters reports that Boyd considers the report, the latest in a series he has written, to be his toughest yet. He expects "push-back" from the Council when the report is presented at the Geneva meeting.

Michelle Bachelet, UN rights chief, has called environmental threats the biggest global rights challenge. Climate and environmental justice cases are increasingly using human rights as a basis for argument.

An international conference on environmental issues will begin on Feb. 28 in Nairobi, Kenya. It is set to address chemical waste, including a proposal to establish a panel devoted to chemical waste, similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

(With inputs from agencies)

A UN environmental report published on Tuesday said pollution by states and companies contributes to more deaths globally than COVID-19, calling for "immediate and ambitious action" to ban some toxic chemicals.

A UN environmental report published on Tuesday said pollution by states and companies contributes to more deaths globally than COVID-19, calling for "immediate and ambitious action" to ban some toxic chemicals. There are widespread human rights violations caused by pesticides, plastics and electronic waste, as well as at least 9 million premature deaths a year, according to the report, which says the issue is being largely overlooked. Also read | Toppled off of 'knife edge': Australia's famous Koala is now an 'endangered' animal A data aggregator Worldometer reports that an estimated 5.9 million people have died due to the Coronavirus pandemic, a number less than what pollution claims each year. "Current approaches to managing the risks posed by pollution and toxic substances are clearly failing, resulting in widespread violations of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment," the report's author, UN Special Rapporteur David Boyd, concluded. "I think we have an ethical and now a legal obligation to do better by these people," he said in an interview with Reuters. UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which has declared clean air and water a human right posted a draft of the document on their website on Tuesday. The document will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council next month. It urges a ban on polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl, man-made chemicals used in household products such as non-stick cookware that have been linked to cancer and have been dubbed "forever chemicals" since they do not degrade easily. Also read | Reduced meat consumption, livestock & more; here is what the WWF recommends for curbing greenhouse emissions As part of this effort, it is also seeking the clean-up of polluted sites and, in severe cases, possible relocation of affected communities - largely poor, marginalized and indigenous - from so-called "sacrifice zones". The term "sacrifice zones" has been expanded to describe any heavily contaminated site or place rendered uninhabitable by climate change. Originally, it referred to nuclear test zones. "What I hope to do by telling these stories of sacrifice zones is to really put a human face on these otherwise inexplicable, incomprehensible statistics (of pollution death tolls)," Boyd said. Watch | Non-vegetarians, will you make changes to save Earth? Reuters reports that Boyd considers the report, the latest in a series he has written, to be his toughest yet. He expects "push-back" from the Council when the report is presented at the Geneva meeting. Michelle Bachelet, UN rights chief, has called environmental threats the biggest global rights challenge. Climate and environmental justice cases are increasingly using human rights as a basis for argument. An international conference on environmental issues will begin on Feb. 28 in Nairobi, Kenya. It is set to address chemical waste, including a proposal to establish a panel devoted to chemical waste, similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (With inputs from agencies)

In contrast to Covid's 5.9 million deaths, this malady kills more than 9 million people every year

The current world population is 7.9 billion and counting. The human population produces over 2 billion tonnes of Municipal Solid Waste every year. It is estimated that global waste generation will cross the 3 billion tonne mark by 2050. The unsustainable population growth, combined with reckless consumption and improper waste management, has led to a global waste crisis. What can be done to reduce and manage waste?

Mission Sustainability: Population, Over-Consumption and Waste

A three-day summit has been organised in the French port city of Brest, where global leaders have pushed for an ambitious feat to save Marine life.

Global leaders launch One Ocean Summit: 'A Pledge to protect our Marine life'

The protected old-growth forest in the Amazon of southeastern Peru appears pristine: Ancient trees with massive trunks grow alongside young, slender ones, forming a canopy so thick it sometimes feels to scientists like evening during the day.

But a new analysis of what’s inside the forest’s leaves and birds’ feathers tells a different story: The same canopy that supports some of the richest biodiversity on the planet is also sucking up alarming levels of toxic mercury, according to a study published Friday.

The mercury is released into the air by miners searching for gold along nearby riverbanks. They use mercury to separate the precious metal from surrounding sediment and then burn it off. Carried in the air, particles catch on leaves like dust and are washed onto the forest floor by rain. Other particles are sucked into the leaves’ tissue. From there, mercury appears to have transferred up the food web to songbirds, which showed levels of mercury 2-12 times as high as those in comparable areas farther from mining activity.

“The patterns were so much more stark and so much more devastating than we expected to find,” said Jacqueline Gerson, a biogeochemist at the University of California, Berkeley, who led the research as a doctoral student at Duke University. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

The findings, from the Madre de Dios region of Peru, provide new evidence of how people are altering ecosystems around the world, as species extinction rates accelerate, with little understanding of the consequences.

Scientists have long known that mercury, which is also released into the air by burning coal, is a dangerous neurotoxin to humans and animals. In aquatic ecosystems, it can easily convert into a very poisonous form called methylmercury. As big fish eat smaller ones, the mercury sticks around, accumulating up the food web. For this reason, doctors advise pregnant women around the world to avoid eating large, predatory fish like shark, king mackerel and swordfish.

In the Madre de Dios region, where illegal gold mining has surged in recent years along with the price of gold on global markets, the government declared a health emergency in 2016 after 40% of people tested in 97 villages had dangerously high levels of mercury in their systems.

Researchers have mostly focused on human exposure to mercury in rivers, lakes and oceans. They have not been as worried about it on land, since it is less likely to become methylmercury. But the sheer load of mercury going into the forest, combined with rainy conditions and soil, are leading to concerning levels of methylmercury there.

“It’s been assumed that people living in the Peruvian Amazon have been getting all their methylmercury exposure from eating fish,” Gerson said. “That may not be the case.”

The kind of gold mining that happens in the Madre de Dios region, called artisanal and small-scale gold mining, occurs in about 70 countries, often illegally or unofficially, and it is the largest source of mercury pollution in the world. It also accounts for about 20% of global gold production.

Julio Cusurichi Palacios, president of the Native Federation of the Madre de Dios River and Tributaries, a group formed by Indigenous communities in the region, said the government should combat illegal mining with enforcement but also by strengthening alternative livelihoods for Indigenous and other local people. They harvest fish, Brazil nuts, yucca and corn, he said, but need help “improving their goods, selling their goods, so they don’t fall into thinking, ‘I better go into mining, since my product doesn’t have a market.’”

For the research, Gerson and her team collected soil, leaves, forest litter and other samples at three sites near mining activity and two farther away. To collect certain leaves, they used a giant slingshot to shoot a rope with a weight into the canopy and pull branches down.

When the mercury levels came back, it was the protected old-growth site near gold mining activity that stood out. Those areas had more than 15 times as much mercury as nearby clearings, presumably because the thick canopy and vegetation caught and stored the mercury.

Shocked by the numbers, Gerson kept searching the scientific literature for examples of forests with similar levels. The only one she found was in an industrial area in Guizhou, China, polluted by mercury mining and coal burning. Some levels in the healthy-looking old-growth Amazon were even higher.

By capturing the mercury, the forests are helping to keep it out of aquatic systems, said Emily Bernhardt, a professor of biogeochemistry at Duke and co-author of the study.

“These are some of the most biodiverse forests on Earth,” Bernhardt said. “We already knew they sequester tons of carbon in their biomass and their soils, and we have now uncovered an additional, incredibly important service.”

But the service is not without cost. Mercury poisoning can affect birds’ ability to navigate and sing, and can cause them to lay fewer eggs, she noted. It can also make their eggs less likely to hatch.

Previously, scientists had assumed that the airborne mercury pollution from this kind of gold mining would have less impact locally, said Daniel Obrist, an environmental science professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell who has studied mercury in forests in the northeastern United States and the Arctic and was not involved with the Amazon study.

“It fills a very important gap in understanding what happens there with small scale mining and what the implications are,” Obrist said. “Not only for global processes, but also for local communities.”

The protected old-growth forest in the Amazon of southeastern Peru appears pristine: Ancient trees with massive trunks grow alongside young, slender ones, forming a canopy so thick it sometimes feels to scientists like evening during the day.

The protected old-growth forest in the Amazon of southeastern Peru appears pristine: Ancient trees with massive trunks grow alongside young, slender ones, forming a canopy so thick it sometimes feels to scientists like evening during the day. But a new analysis of what’s inside the forest’s leaves and birds’ feathers tells a different story: The same canopy that supports some of the richest biodiversity on the planet is also sucking up alarming levels of toxic mercury, according to a study published Friday. The mercury is released into the air by miners searching for gold along nearby riverbanks. They use mercury to separate the precious metal from surrounding sediment and then burn it off. Carried in the air, particles catch on leaves like dust and are washed onto the forest floor by rain. Other particles are sucked into the leaves’ tissue. From there, mercury appears to have transferred up the food web to songbirds, which showed levels of mercury 2-12 times as high as those in comparable areas farther from mining activity. “The patterns were so much more stark and so much more devastating than we expected to find,” said Jacqueline Gerson, a biogeochemist at the University of California, Berkeley, who led the research as a doctoral student at Duke University. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications. The findings, from the Madre de Dios region of Peru, provide new evidence of how people are altering ecosystems around the world, as species extinction rates accelerate, with little understanding of the consequences. Scientists have long known that mercury, which is also released into the air by burning coal, is a dangerous neurotoxin to humans and animals. In aquatic ecosystems, it can easily convert into a very poisonous form called methylmercury. As big fish eat smaller ones, the mercury sticks around, accumulating up the food web. For this reason, doctors advise pregnant women around the world to avoid eating large, predatory fish like shark, king mackerel and swordfish. In the Madre de Dios region, where illegal gold mining has surged in recent years along with the price of gold on global markets, the government declared a health emergency in 2016 after 40% of people tested in 97 villages had dangerously high levels of mercury in their systems. Researchers have mostly focused on human exposure to mercury in rivers, lakes and oceans. They have not been as worried about it on land, since it is less likely to become methylmercury. But the sheer load of mercury going into the forest, combined with rainy conditions and soil, are leading to concerning levels of methylmercury there. “It’s been assumed that people living in the Peruvian Amazon have been getting all their methylmercury exposure from eating fish,” Gerson said. “That may not be the case.” The kind of gold mining that happens in the Madre de Dios region, called artisanal and small-scale gold mining, occurs in about 70 countries, often illegally or unofficially, and it is the largest source of mercury pollution in the world. It also accounts for about 20% of global gold production. Julio Cusurichi Palacios, president of the Native Federation of the Madre de Dios River and Tributaries, a group formed by Indigenous communities in the region, said the government should combat illegal mining with enforcement but also by strengthening alternative livelihoods for Indigenous and other local people. They harvest fish, Brazil nuts, yucca and corn, he said, but need help “improving their goods, selling their goods, so they don’t fall into thinking, ‘I better go into mining, since my product doesn’t have a market.’” For the research, Gerson and her team collected soil, leaves, forest litter and other samples at three sites near mining activity and two farther away. To collect certain leaves, they used a giant slingshot to shoot a rope with a weight into the canopy and pull branches down. When the mercury levels came back, it was the protected old-growth site near gold mining activity that stood out. Those areas had more than 15 times as much mercury as nearby clearings, presumably because the thick canopy and vegetation caught and stored the mercury. Shocked by the numbers, Gerson kept searching the scientific literature for examples of forests with similar levels. The only one she found was in an industrial area in Guizhou, China, polluted by mercury mining and coal burning. Some levels in the healthy-looking old-growth Amazon were even higher. By capturing the mercury, the forests are helping to keep it out of aquatic systems, said Emily Bernhardt, a professor of biogeochemistry at Duke and co-author of the study. “These are some of the most biodiverse forests on Earth,” Bernhardt said. “We already knew they sequester tons of carbon in their biomass and their soils, and we have now uncovered an additional, incredibly important service.” But the service is not without cost. Mercury poisoning can affect birds’ ability to navigate and sing, and can cause them to lay fewer eggs, she noted. It can also make their eggs less likely to hatch. Previously, scientists had assumed that the airborne mercury pollution from this kind of gold mining would have less impact locally, said Daniel Obrist, an environmental science professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell who has studied mercury in forests in the northeastern United States and the Arctic and was not involved with the Amazon study. “It fills a very important gap in understanding what happens there with small scale mining and what the implications are,” Obrist said. “Not only for global processes, but also for local communities.”

Alarming levels of mercury are found in old growth Amazon forest

While efforts to contain air pollution in particular greenhouse emissions gained pace, experts have sounded a bit of an alarm over yet another and more threatening form of pollution. Scientists have said that a cocktail of chemical pollution that pervades the planet has now reached a level that threatens the stability of global ecosystems.

Chemical pollution has surpassed the planetary boundary & threatens the core of the human existence

According to a newly released study, chemical pollution has crossed a “planetary boundary”, the point at which human-made changes to the Earth push it outside the stable environment of the last 10,000 years.

Chemical pollution has surpassed the planetary boundary, says scientists

In a bid to spread awareness and cut down CO2 emissions, car advertisements in France will include messages encouraging people to consider less-polluting travel alternatives.

France car ads to contain messages to back less-pollution travel alternatives

Ever heard of the term nerdles? They are plastic pellets. A type of marine debris that is said to cause as much damage as oil spills do.

Nerdles: A type of marine debris said to cause as much damage as oil spills do

West Asia happens to be one of the worst affected regions in the world from climate change and its many consequences but what countries are not talking about is military pollution. The US military is one of the worst polluters in west Asia. If the US military was a nation in the region, it would be the eighth largest polluter in West Asia.

The carbon footprint of US Military: US Army a major polluter in West Asia

With the COVID-19 pandemic and face masks becoming mandatory, there has been a whopping 9000% rise in plastic pollution due to face masks.

Study: 9000% rise in plastic pollution due to face masks

All residents of India’s national capital city, New Delhi, and its neighbouring areas have been struggling to catch their breath amid rising pollution and smog in the city. Now, research has claimed that the pollution levels of indoor air pollution, too, have reached an alarming level.<o:p></o:p>

The study conducted by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) claims that the indoor air pollution levels in New Delhi is nearly twenty times more than the World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ready-for-lockdown-to-curb-air-pollution-delhi-govt-tells-supreme-court-429523">Ready for lockdown to curb air pollution, Delhi govt tells Supreme Court</a></o:p>

As per the experts, the levels of PM 2.5 were found to be much higher than the levels of outdoor air pollution reported on government portals. PM 2.5 are the tiny particles in the air which can even cause extreme damage to lungs.<o:p></o:p>

"In Delhi, the bottom line is, whether someone is rich or poor, no one gets to breathe clean air," said Kenneth Lee, the lead author of the study. "It is a complex vicious cycle. When you do not know about the pollution levels inside your homes, you do not worry about it, and hence you are less likely to take corrective actions. Only with increased awareness, demand for clean air may gain momentum."

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/low-intensity-blast-at-delhi-court-leaves-one-police-constable-injured-proceedings-suspended-435401">Low-intensity blast at Delhi court leaves one police constable injured, proceedings suspended</a></o:p>

Experts have claimed that majority people are being exposed to air pollution indoors rather than outdoors. Indoor air pollutant levels are two to five times higher indoors in comparison to outdoors, as per experts of &nbsp;Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).<o:p></o:p>

This study result has come at a time when Delhi recorded one of its worst November air pollution levels in the last six years. Government data showed that the residents were not able to get even a single day of ‘good’ air quality for the entire month of November this year.<o:p></o:p>

Due to the alarmingly high air pollution levels, the chief minister of the national capital had also announced a temporary closure of schools, and the Supreme Court had also issued a warning to the Delhi government.<o:p></o:p>

All residents of India’s national capital city, New Delhi, and its neighbouring areas have been struggling to catch their breath amid rising pollution and smog in the city.

All residents of India’s national capital city, New Delhi, and its neighbouring areas have been struggling to catch their breath amid rising pollution and smog in the city. Now, research has claimed that the pollution levels of indoor air pollution, too, have reached an alarming level. The study conducted by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) claims that the indoor air pollution levels in New Delhi is nearly twenty times more than the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Also read | Ready for lockdown to curb air pollution, Delhi govt tells Supreme Court As per the experts, the levels of PM 2.5 were found to be much higher than the levels of outdoor air pollution reported on government portals. PM 2.5 are the tiny particles in the air which can even cause extreme damage to lungs. "In Delhi, the bottom line is, whether someone is rich or poor, no one gets to breathe clean air," said Kenneth Lee, the lead author of the study. "It is a complex vicious cycle. When you do not know about the pollution levels inside your homes, you do not worry about it, and hence you are less likely to take corrective actions. Only with increased awareness, demand for clean air may gain momentum." Also read | Low-intensity blast at Delhi court leaves one police constable injured, proceedings suspended Experts have claimed that majority people are being exposed to air pollution indoors rather than outdoors. Indoor air pollutant levels are two to five times higher indoors in comparison to outdoors, as per experts of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This study result has come at a time when Delhi recorded one of its worst November air pollution levels in the last six years. Government data showed that the residents were not able to get even a single day of ‘good’ air quality for the entire month of November this year. Due to the alarmingly high air pollution levels, the chief minister of the national capital had also announced a temporary closure of schools, and the Supreme Court had also issued a warning to the Delhi government.

New Delhi's indoor air pollution levels worse than outdoors, experts warn

If a study is to be believed, pollution caused by different chemicals, such as mercury, chromium, lead and aluminum, seems to have an effect on the sex ratio of babies. &nbsp;

The study examined over 100 possible factors while taking into account entire Swedish population and half the US population. Along with numerous pollutants, poverty indicators have also been linked to sex ratio changes of children born to millions of parents. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-frequent-and-destructive-historical-records-show-a-surge-in-hurricanes-over-the-last-150-years-433667" hreflang="en">More frequent and destructive: Historical records show a surge in hurricanes over the last 150 years</a>

It found that mercury, chromium and aluminum pollution seem to have led to birth of more boys, while lead pollution resulted in rise in the number of girls. &nbsp;

Due to extreme chemical exposures, the farming also affects sex ratio. &nbsp;

The indicators of stress and deprivation measures have also been linked to high changes in sex ratios. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-your-luxury-handbags-and-wallets-are-killings-the-amazon-forests-433405" hreflang="en">Your luxury handbags and wallets are killings the Amazon forests</a>

The factors like weather temperature, season of birth, violent crime rates and unemployment, did not show any relation. &nbsp;

The study does not show cause and effect but only correlations between several factors and sex ratios. The researchers feel more investigation is required to go into the depth of the reasons for these findings.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Andrey Rzhetsky at University of Chicago, who led research, said, “This is a list of suspects to investigate, and all the suspects have some credible evidence, but we’re very far from conviction.” &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;&nbsp;

If a study is to be believed, pollution caused by different chemicals, such as mercury, chromium, lead and aluminum, seems to have an effect on the sex ratio of babies.

If a study is to be believed, pollution caused by different chemicals, such as mercury, chromium, lead and aluminum, seems to have an effect on the sex ratio of babies. The study examined over 100 possible factors while taking into account entire Swedish population and half the US population. Along with numerous pollutants, poverty indicators have also been linked to sex ratio changes of children born to millions of parents. Also Read: More frequent and destructive: Historical records show a surge in hurricanes over the last 150 years It found that mercury, chromium and aluminum pollution seem to have led to birth of more boys, while lead pollution resulted in rise in the number of girls. Due to extreme chemical exposures, the farming also affects sex ratio. The indicators of stress and deprivation measures have also been linked to high changes in sex ratios. Also Read: Your luxury handbags and wallets are killings the Amazon forests The factors like weather temperature, season of birth, violent crime rates and unemployment, did not show any relation. The study does not show cause and effect but only correlations between several factors and sex ratios. The researchers feel more investigation is required to go into the depth of the reasons for these findings. Andrey Rzhetsky at University of Chicago, who led research, said, “This is a list of suspects to investigate, and all the suspects have some credible evidence, but we’re very far from conviction.” (With inputs from agencies)

Chemical pollution affects sex ratio of babies, finds study

As India's capital Delhi continues to battle pollution that has engulfed the region, in the latest announcement, all schools will remain shut, news agency ANI reported citing Environment Minister Gopal Rai. This comes after the Supreme Court slammed the Capital's government for reopening schools amid increasing air pollution levels.&nbsp;

"All schools in Delhi to be closed from tomorrow till further orders, due to current air pollution levels in the city," said Rai.&nbsp; 
Meanwhile, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the

Indian capital slipped to 368 in the 'very poor' category on Friday morning.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pollution-indian-capitals-overall-air-quality-slips-to-very-poor-category-432089">Also read |&nbsp;Pollution: Indian capital’s overall air quality slips to 'very poor' category</a>

In a bulletin, SAFAR said, "Local surface winds are relatively low for the next three days that reduce the dispersion of pollutants leading to the deterioration of air quality but within the 'upper end of very poor' category." &nbsp;

An AQI of 350 and 463 were recorded in Gurugram and Noida respectively in the "very poor" and "severe" categories.&nbsp;

Earlier, about 50 per cent of the Delhi government staff was asked to work from home. Private companies were also encouraged to do the same.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

As India's capital Delhi continues to battle pollution that has engulfed the region, in the latest announcement, all schools will remain shut, news agency ANI reported citing Environment Minister Gopal Rai.

As India's capital Delhi continues to battle pollution that has engulfed the region, in the latest announcement, all schools will remain shut, news agency ANI reported citing Environment Minister Gopal Rai. This comes after the Supreme Court slammed the Capital's government for reopening schools amid increasing air pollution levels. "All schools in Delhi to be closed from tomorrow till further orders, due to current air pollution levels in the city," said Rai. Meanwhile, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the Indian capital slipped to 368 in the 'very poor' category on Friday morning. Also read | Pollution: Indian capital’s overall air quality slips to 'very poor' category In a bulletin, SAFAR said, "Local surface winds are relatively low for the next three days that reduce the dispersion of pollutants leading to the deterioration of air quality but within the 'upper end of very poor' category." An AQI of 350 and 463 were recorded in Gurugram and Noida respectively in the "very poor" and "severe" categories. Earlier, about 50 per cent of the Delhi government staff was asked to work from home. Private companies were also encouraged to do the same. (With inputs from agencies)

As India's capital continues to battle pollution, schools closed again till further notice

Schools and offices have been ordered to shut for three days a week as toxic smog chokes the people of Lahore.

The Punjab government announced the closure of private offices and educational institutions in the provincial capital on Mondays, in addition to the weekly holidays observed on Saturdays and Sundays from November 27 till January 15, 2022, according to the Dawn newspaper.

Last week, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had ordered the Punjab government to issue a notification directing private offices in Lahore to halve staff attendance in an effort to tackle smog.

The decision was taken as Lahore continuously topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities, along with India’s national capital territory, Delhi.

On Thursday, Lahore’s air quality index was at 328, much above the hazardous level of 300, according to IQAir. &nbsp;

Lahore was temporarily declared the most polluted city in the world by an air quality monitor, IQAir, earlier on Wednesday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-lahore-declared-worlds-most-polluted-city-people-choking-on-acrid-smog-430090">Pakistan's Lahore declared world's most polluted city, people choking on acrid smog</a>

AQI values below 100 are considered satisfactory and anything above 100 is unhealthy.

Residents have been complaining of shortness of breath, stinging eyes and nausea as the second-most populous city gasped for fresh air.

Pakistan has witnessed the worst air pollution in recent years from Karachi to Lahore, as a mixture of low-grade diesel fumes, smoke from seasonal crop burn off, and colder winter temperatures coalesce into stagnant clouds of smog.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-pollution-situation-very-serious-in-new-delhi-says-indias-cji-nv-ramana-428954">Air pollution situation 'very serious’ in New Delhi, says India's CJI NV Ramana</a>

Pakistan’s information minister Fawad Chaudhry blamed previous authorities for smog in Lahore.

“We see Lahore engulfed by fog every winter due to the past rulers of the city, who had cut trees for erecting a jungle of concrete there which badly affected the green cover of Lahore and its surroundings,” he&nbsp;said&nbsp;on Saturday.

(With inputs from agencies)

Schools and offices have been ordered to shut for three days a week as toxic smog chokes the people of Lahore. The Punjab government announced the closure of private offices and educational institutions in the provincial capital on Mondays, in addition to the weekly holidays observed on Saturdays and Sundays from November 27 till January 15, 2022, according to the Dawn newspaper.

Schools and offices have been ordered to shut for three days a week as toxic smog chokes the people of Lahore. The Punjab government announced the closure of private offices and educational institutions in the provincial capital on Mondays, in addition to the weekly holidays observed on Saturdays and Sundays from November 27 till January 15, 2022, according to the Dawn newspaper. Last week, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had ordered the Punjab government to issue a notification directing private offices in Lahore to halve staff attendance in an effort to tackle smog. The decision was taken as Lahore continuously topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities, along with India’s national capital territory, Delhi. On Thursday, Lahore’s air quality index was at 328, much above the hazardous level of 300, according to IQAir. Lahore was temporarily declared the most polluted city in the world by an air quality monitor, IQAir, earlier on Wednesday. Also read | Pakistan's Lahore declared world's most polluted city, people choking on acrid smog AQI values below 100 are considered satisfactory and anything above 100 is unhealthy. Residents have been complaining of shortness of breath, stinging eyes and nausea as the second-most populous city gasped for fresh air. Pakistan has witnessed the worst air pollution in recent years from Karachi to Lahore, as a mixture of low-grade diesel fumes, smoke from seasonal crop burn off, and colder winter temperatures coalesce into stagnant clouds of smog. Also read | Air pollution situation 'very serious’ in New Delhi, says India's CJI NV Ramana Pakistan’s information minister Fawad Chaudhry blamed previous authorities for smog in Lahore. “We see Lahore engulfed by fog every winter due to the past rulers of the city, who had cut trees for erecting a jungle of concrete there which badly affected the green cover of Lahore and its surroundings,” he said on Saturday. (With inputs from agencies)

Schools, offices in Pakistan’s Lahore to remain shut three days a week as air turns toxic

More than 20 million people continue to breathe toxic air in the Indian capital Delhi. Pollution levels in the capital rose yet again after a minor respite on Monday. Well, the AQI for now in the capital is well above 300, a point after which air becomes hazardous to breathe.

India: Delhi pollution crisis threatens lives of residents, AQI remains severe

#Climatechange is battering West Asia every day but what countries are not talking about is military pollution. If the United States was a nation in the region, it would be the 8th largest polluter in West Asia.

The West Asia Post: Military pollution and West Asiaming climate crisis

#ClimateChange is battering West Asia every day but what countries are not talking about is military pollution. If the United States was a nation in the region, it would be the 8th largest polluter in West Asia. WION's Ghadi Francis tells you more in this report.

The West Asia Post: Military pollution and West Asia

the deteriorating air quality in and around the Indian capital has become a matter of high concern. A layer of eye-stinging smog continues for the 8th day. The govt. has put out an advisory for people living in Delhi NCR regions.

Delhi: Layer of eye-stinging smog continues for 8th day

Cans, plastic bags and bottles plague the water and shore. Pollution plagues Libya's beaches.

Catastrophic pollution plagues Libya beaches

There's no denying that the world has witnessed a lot in the last two years, the pandemic shook all the existing structures, the plans, the way we lead our lives, masks have become a necessity.

Covid waste is polluting oceans; Discarded masks, PPE kits, gloves end up at seashores

Residents of Delhi are having to take precaution to shield themselves from extreme air pollution. Many students stayed at home rather than returning to schools.

New Delhi has the worst air quality of any capital city but even by its standards the past few days have been extraordinarily bad.

Although authorities eased restrictions on schools imposed when the COVID-19 pandemic first struck India in March last year, many parents decided against sending their children back.

"The pollution in Delhi is hazardous. We as parents are afraid of sending our children to school," parent Kamlesh Sharma wrote on Twitter.

For air to be deemed safe, the Air Quality Index (AQI), which has a scale of 500, should be below 50. In New Delhi on Monday evening it was 392, well into hazardous territory. That was a marginal improvement on the 451 registered last week as moderate winds helped disperse some of the pollution.

While some schools had resumed classes for higher grades, pupils aged 14 and below were allowed back for the first time on Monday as part of a staggered re-opening.

But many schools reported attendance below 40% on the first day back due to parents fears over the hazardous air and the coronavirus risks.

"After COVID, pollution has emerged a major threat for public health particularly for children and senior citizens," Ashok Agarwal, national president, All India Parents Association, said, expressing frustration with the lack of enforcement and political will to improve Delhi's air.

Many supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party opposed a blanket ban on fire-crackers while blaming the opposition-ruled state governments of Delhi and Punjab for worsening pollution.

Environmentalists said both federal and state governments were reluctant to take tough steps because they feared loss of support among their voters.

In a letter to the federal and state authorities, the Central Pollution Control Board Chairman Tanmay Kumar regretted that they were not "taking sufficient measures to control pollution" and asked them to curb all air polluting activities.

Exposure to pollution was causing more harm than the use of tobacco or of smoking, Randeep Guleria, director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, told India Today TV channel.

"If you have higher levels of air pollution then the chances of having more severe COVID and dying from it goes up," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Residents of Delhi are having to take precaution to shield themselves from extreme air pollution. Many students stayed at home rather than returning to schools. New Delhi has the worst air quality of any capital city but even by its standards the past few days have been extraordinarily bad.

Residents of Delhi are having to take precaution to shield themselves from extreme air pollution. Many students stayed at home rather than returning to schools. New Delhi has the worst air quality of any capital city but even by its standards the past few days have been extraordinarily bad. Although authorities eased restrictions on schools imposed when the COVID-19 pandemic first struck India in March last year, many parents decided against sending their children back. "The pollution in Delhi is hazardous. We as parents are afraid of sending our children to school," parent Kamlesh Sharma wrote on Twitter. For air to be deemed safe, the Air Quality Index (AQI), which has a scale of 500, should be below 50. In New Delhi on Monday evening it was 392, well into hazardous territory. That was a marginal improvement on the 451 registered last week as moderate winds helped disperse some of the pollution. While some schools had resumed classes for higher grades, pupils aged 14 and below were allowed back for the first time on Monday as part of a staggered re-opening. But many schools reported attendance below 40% on the first day back due to parents fears over the hazardous air and the coronavirus risks. "After COVID, pollution has emerged a major threat for public health particularly for children and senior citizens," Ashok Agarwal, national president, All India Parents Association, said, expressing frustration with the lack of enforcement and political will to improve Delhi's air. Many supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party opposed a blanket ban on fire-crackers while blaming the opposition-ruled state governments of Delhi and Punjab for worsening pollution. Environmentalists said both federal and state governments were reluctant to take tough steps because they feared loss of support among their voters. In a letter to the federal and state authorities, the Central Pollution Control Board Chairman Tanmay Kumar regretted that they were not "taking sufficient measures to control pollution" and asked them to curb all air polluting activities. Exposure to pollution was causing more harm than the use of tobacco or of smoking, Randeep Guleria, director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, told India Today TV channel. "If you have higher levels of air pollution then the chances of having more severe COVID and dying from it goes up," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

New Delhi reels under pollution, students stay home

Delhi woke up under a blanket of pollution. People blamed Diwali firecrackers for the severe smog. Data show that stubble burning contributed 36% to the pollution. Palki Sharma tells you it is easy for leaders to single out firecrackers instead of calling out stubble burning.

Gravitas | Delhi Pollution: Stubble burning to be blamed?

A thick layer of smog overshadowed China’s capital city, Beijing, forcing authorities to temporarily suspend some highways and issue a pollution alert.<o:p></o:p>

Visibility in parts of Beijing dropped to less than 200 metres on Friday as heavy pollution engulfed the capital city on Thursday. Due to this, the authorities had to issue its first heavy pollution alert for the fall and winter season.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zhang-zhan-who-exposed-chinas-mishandling-of-covid-is-close-to-death-in-jail-family-426911">Zhang Zhan, who exposed China's mishandling of Covid, is close to death in jail: Family</a></o:p>

Due to the thick layer of pollution, Beijing authorities have had to suspend some highways outdoor construction and factory operations. Beijing’s skyscrapers also reported alarmingly limited visibility in the top floors of the buildings.<o:p></o:p>

As the air became alarmingly polluted, authorities have also ordered schools to immediately stop all outdoor activities for students.<o:p></o:p>

This comes as China revealed that the country is aiming to cut concentrations of hazardous, small airborne particles by nearly four per cent year on year during the winter season. The decision was taken after the PM2.4 level reached to an alarming level of 234 micrograms per cubic metre in urban areas, the US Embassy in Beijing said.<o:p></o:p>

Chinese authorities have said that all nearly 64 cities will be launching winter campaign against rising pollution.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/itchy-throats-watery-eyes-post-diwali-air-quality-turns-hazardous-in-indias-national-capital-delhi-426818">Itchy throats, watery eyes: Post Diwali, air quality turns ‘hazardous’ in India’s national capital Delhi</a></o:p>

While this is not the first time that the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has being severely affected by heavy smog and pollution. However, it is feared that this year the smog may act as a trigger for coronavirus.<o:p></o:p>

The problem of alarming pollution levels has come at a time when the capital city is gearing up to host the Winter Olympics, which are scheduled to take place from February 04-20.<o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, China has also been battling a fresh outbreak of coronavirus as several provinces are initiating partial lockdowns and other Covid regulations to control the spread. Authorities are also urging locals to get vaccinated against the virus as soon as possible.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

A thick layer of smog overshadowed China’s capital city, Beijing, forcing authorities to temporarily suspend some highways and issue a pollution alert. Visibility in parts of Beijing dropped to less than 200 metres on Friday as heavy pollution engulfed the capital city on Thursday.

A thick layer of smog overshadowed China’s capital city, Beijing, forcing authorities to temporarily suspend some highways and issue a pollution alert. Visibility in parts of Beijing dropped to less than 200 metres on Friday as heavy pollution engulfed the capital city on Thursday. Due to this, the authorities had to issue its first heavy pollution alert for the fall and winter season. Also read | Zhang Zhan, who exposed China's mishandling of Covid, is close to death in jail: Family Due to the thick layer of pollution, Beijing authorities have had to suspend some highways outdoor construction and factory operations. Beijing’s skyscrapers also reported alarmingly limited visibility in the top floors of the buildings. As the air became alarmingly polluted, authorities have also ordered schools to immediately stop all outdoor activities for students. This comes as China revealed that the country is aiming to cut concentrations of hazardous, small airborne particles by nearly four per cent year on year during the winter season. The decision was taken after the PM2.4 level reached to an alarming level of 234 micrograms per cubic metre in urban areas, the US Embassy in Beijing said. Chinese authorities have said that all nearly 64 cities will be launching winter campaign against rising pollution. Also read | Itchy throats, watery eyes: Post Diwali, air quality turns ‘hazardous’ in India’s national capital Delhi While this is not the first time that the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has being severely affected by heavy smog and pollution. However, it is feared that this year the smog may act as a trigger for coronavirus. The problem of alarming pollution levels has come at a time when the capital city is gearing up to host the Winter Olympics, which are scheduled to take place from February 04-20. Meanwhile, China has also been battling a fresh outbreak of coronavirus as several provinces are initiating partial lockdowns and other Covid regulations to control the spread. Authorities are also urging locals to get vaccinated against the virus as soon as possible.

China: Beijing's increase in pollution raises alarm before Winter Olympics

At the ongoing COP26 summit, countries have been making pledges to phase out the use of coal but the world's biggest polluter China largely remained missing.

Pollution amid rise in coal production, Beijing air quality dips to very serious

Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere reached new record levels last year, the United Nations said Monday in a stark warning ahead of the COP26 summit about worsening global warming.

The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin from the UN's World Meteorological Organization said the annual rate of increase last year was above the yearly average between 2011 and 2020 and the trend continued in 2021.

The WMO said the economic slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic triggered a temporary decline in new emissions, but had no discernible impact on the atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases and their growth rates.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-change-affects-maasai-mara-reserve-in-kenya-423779">Climate change affects Maasai Mara reserve in Kenya</a>

The organisation said that as long as emissions continue, global temperatures will continue to rise.

And given the long life of carbon dioxide (CO2), the temperature level already observed will persist for several decades even if emissions are rapidly reduced to net zero.

COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference, is being held in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12.

"The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin contains a stark, scientific message for climate change negotiators at COP26," said WMO chief Petteri Taalas.

"At the current rate of increase in greenhouse gas concentrations, we will see a temperature increase by the end of this century far in excess of the Paris Agreement targets of 1.5 to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

"We are way off track."

CO2 record&nbsp;

The three major greenhouses gases are CO2, methane and nitrous oxide. CO2 is the most important, accounting for around 66 percent of the warming effect on the climate.

CO2 concentrations reached 413.2 parts per million in 2020, up 2.5 ppm, and is at 149 percent of the 1750 pre-industrial level, the WMO said.

The report said that roughly half of the CO2 emitted by human activity remains in the atmosphere, with the other half ending up in the oceans and the land.

"The last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of CO2 was 3-5 million years ago, when the temperature was 2-3C warmer and sea level was 10-20 metres higher than now. But there weren't 7.8 billion people then," said Taalas.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/key-to-bidens-climate-agenda-likely-to-be-cut-because-of-manchin-opposition-421381">Key to Biden’s climate agenda likely to be cut because of Manchin opposition</a>

Methane averages reached a new high of 1,889 parts per billion in 2020, up 11ppb on the year before, and is at 262 percent of the pre-industrial benchmark.

Around 40 percent of methane is emitted from natural sources such as wetlands, while 60 percent comes from human activity, including rice agriculture and landfills.

Nitrous oxide averages reached 333.2 ppb, up 1.2 ppb, at 123 percent of 1750 levels.

&nbsp;'No time to lose'&nbsp;

The WMO said that with continued rising greenhouse gas emissions, alongside rising temperatures, the planet could also expect more weather extremes.&nbsp;

That includes intense heat and rainfall, ice melt, sea-level rise and ocean acidification -- all of which will have far-reaching socio-economic impacts.

"We need to transform our commitment into action that will have an impact on the gases that drive climate change," said Taalas.

"We need to revisit our industrial, energy and transport systems and whole way of life. The needed changes are economically affordable and technically possible. There is no time to lose."&nbsp;

Euan Nisbet, from the University of London's Greenhouse Gas Group, compared greenhouse gas measurements to "skidding into a car crash".

"The disaster gets closer and closer but you can't stop it. You can clearly see the crash ahead, and all you can do is howl."

Dave Reay, director of the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, said the report provided a "brutally frank" assessment of COP achievements so far: "an epic fail".

Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere reached new record levels last year, the United Nations said Monday in a stark warning ahead of the COP26 summit about worsening global warming.

Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere reached new record levels last year, the United Nations said Monday in a stark warning ahead of the COP26 summit about worsening global warming. The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin from the UN's World Meteorological Organization said the annual rate of increase last year was above the yearly average between 2011 and 2020 and the trend continued in 2021. The WMO said the economic slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic triggered a temporary decline in new emissions, but had no discernible impact on the atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases and their growth rates. Also Read | Climate change affects Maasai Mara reserve in Kenya The organisation said that as long as emissions continue, global temperatures will continue to rise. And given the long life of carbon dioxide (CO2), the temperature level already observed will persist for several decades even if emissions are rapidly reduced to net zero. COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference, is being held in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12. "The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin contains a stark, scientific message for climate change negotiators at COP26," said WMO chief Petteri Taalas. "At the current rate of increase in greenhouse gas concentrations, we will see a temperature increase by the end of this century far in excess of the Paris Agreement targets of 1.5 to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. "We are way off track." CO2 record The three major greenhouses gases are CO2, methane and nitrous oxide. CO2 is the most important, accounting for around 66 percent of the warming effect on the climate. CO2 concentrations reached 413.2 parts per million in 2020, up 2.5 ppm, and is at 149 percent of the 1750 pre-industrial level, the WMO said. The report said that roughly half of the CO2 emitted by human activity remains in the atmosphere, with the other half ending up in the oceans and the land. "The last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of CO2 was 3-5 million years ago, when the temperature was 2-3C warmer and sea level was 10-20 metres higher than now. But there weren't 7.8 billion people then," said Taalas. Also Read | Key to Biden’s climate agenda likely to be cut because of Manchin opposition Methane averages reached a new high of 1,889 parts per billion in 2020, up 11ppb on the year before, and is at 262 percent of the pre-industrial benchmark. Around 40 percent of methane is emitted from natural sources such as wetlands, while 60 percent comes from human activity, including rice agriculture and landfills. Nitrous oxide averages reached 333.2 ppb, up 1.2 ppb, at 123 percent of 1750 levels. 'No time to lose' The WMO said that with continued rising greenhouse gas emissions, alongside rising temperatures, the planet could also expect more weather extremes. That includes intense heat and rainfall, ice melt, sea-level rise and ocean acidification -- all of which will have far-reaching socio-economic impacts. "We need to transform our commitment into action that will have an impact on the gases that drive climate change," said Taalas. "We need to revisit our industrial, energy and transport systems and whole way of life. The needed changes are economically affordable and technically possible. There is no time to lose." Euan Nisbet, from the University of London's Greenhouse Gas Group, compared greenhouse gas measurements to "skidding into a car crash". "The disaster gets closer and closer but you can't stop it. You can clearly see the crash ahead, and all you can do is howl." Dave Reay, director of the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, said the report provided a "brutally frank" assessment of COP achievements so far: "an epic fail".

Greenhouse gas levels reach new record high: UN

The Australian government on Monday began its legal challenge to a Federal Court's landmark decision that it has a duty of care to protect children from future personal injury caused by climate change, according to media reports.

In May, Anjali Sharma, a 17-year-old high-school student of Indian origin from Melbourne and seven other teenage environmentalists, led the legal battle against the Australian government.

Sharma and the group had argued the continued emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere would drive intense bushfires, floods, storms and cyclones and leave them vulnerable to injury, sickness, economic loss and even death towards the end of this century, news.com.au reported.

They urged the court to prevent Environment Minister Sussan Ley from approving a proposal to expand the Vickery coal mine in northern New South Wales.

In his ruling, Justice Mordecai Bromberg approved the extension of the coal mine project.

However, he did find that the minister had "a duty to take reasonable care to avoid causing personal injury" to children when she decided on the project extension under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC Act), a report in news.com.au said.

Watch

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-can-nuclear-power-solve-climate-change-420544/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The ruling was heralded as a significant win for the teenagers and the group of climate activists around the world.

Ley has since given the nod for the mine's expansion.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thirty-years-of-blah-blah-blah-greta-thunberg-slams-climate-talks-bureaucracy-416816">Thirty years of 'blah blah blah': Greta Thunberg slams climate talks bureaucracy</a>

For Sharma, it was the concern for the environment, her family and future generations, which fuelled her legal charge against the Australian government, a Sydney Morning Herald report said. Born in India, Sharma and her family moved to Australia when she was barely 10-months-old. Her relatives are farmers, who hail from Lucknow.

Growing up, she had heard about global warming and decided to seek more information by watching Youtube videos, the report said.

"Growing up in Australia I consider myself really fortunate," she said. "I got an education that helped me make sense of what was happening," Sharma was quoted as saying in the report.

On Monday, Ley's lawyers told the Federal Court that the EPBC Act was not an appropriate vehicle for the "novel duty of care" as identified by Justice Bromberg.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greta-thunberg-to-skip-cop26-over-unfair-vaccine-rollouts-376397">Greta Thunberg to skip COP26 over unfair vaccine rollouts</a>

They argued that Justice Bromberg had committed a mistake when he expanded the object of the act to not just be about protecting parts of the environment, but about protecting the interests of human beings living in the environment.

Her lawyers also contended that the duty of care is "incoherent" with the EPBC Act and distorts her capacity as minister.

They also claimed that there was no evidence that the additional coal from the expanded mine would increase the risk of the global temperature increasing beyond 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures, according to the Associated Press.

"We will proudly defend the historic ruling that all Australian children are owed a duty of care by our government, and fight to protect my generation from the increasing risks of climate change," Ms Sharma was quoted as saying in a statement by the Associated Press.

The eight young environmentalists were congratulated over the May ruling by Greta Thunberg, who rose to the forefront of the youth climate movement after she protested inaction by going on strike from school.

"This is a huge win for the whole climate movement. A big congratulations to the brave Australian teenagers who have achieved this," the 18-year-old Swedish environmentalist tweeted.

"Of course the action needed is still nowhere in sight, but these court cases are symbolic breaking points that could have huge snowball effects," Ms Thunberg had said then.

Australia has come under growing international criticism for failing to set more ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions.

Last week, Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison had agreed to attend next month's climate conference in Glasgow, but his government colleagues are yet to approve a commitment to net zero.

The Australian government on Monday began its legal challenge to a Federal Court's landmark decision that it has a duty of care to protect children from future personal injury caused by climate change, according to media reports.

The Australian government on Monday began its legal challenge to a Federal Court's landmark decision that it has a duty of care to protect children from future personal injury caused by climate change, according to media reports. In May, Anjali Sharma, a 17-year-old high-school student of Indian origin from Melbourne and seven other teenage environmentalists, led the legal battle against the Australian government. Sharma and the group had argued the continued emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere would drive intense bushfires, floods, storms and cyclones and leave them vulnerable to injury, sickness, economic loss and even death towards the end of this century, news.com.au reported. They urged the court to prevent Environment Minister Sussan Ley from approving a proposal to expand the Vickery coal mine in northern New South Wales. In his ruling, Justice Mordecai Bromberg approved the extension of the coal mine project. However, he did find that the minister had "a duty to take reasonable care to avoid causing personal injury" to children when she decided on the project extension under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC Act), a report in news.com.au said. Watch The ruling was heralded as a significant win for the teenagers and the group of climate activists around the world. Ley has since given the nod for the mine's expansion. Also read | Thirty years of 'blah blah blah': Greta Thunberg slams climate talks bureaucracy For Sharma, it was the concern for the environment, her family and future generations, which fuelled her legal charge against the Australian government, a Sydney Morning Herald report said. Born in India, Sharma and her family moved to Australia when she was barely 10-months-old. Her relatives are farmers, who hail from Lucknow. Growing up, she had heard about global warming and decided to seek more information by watching Youtube videos, the report said. "Growing up in Australia I consider myself really fortunate," she said. "I got an education that helped me make sense of what was happening," Sharma was quoted as saying in the report. On Monday, Ley's lawyers told the Federal Court that the EPBC Act was not an appropriate vehicle for the "novel duty of care" as identified by Justice Bromberg. Also read | Greta Thunberg to skip COP26 over unfair vaccine rollouts They argued that Justice Bromberg had committed a mistake when he expanded the object of the act to not just be about protecting parts of the environment, but about protecting the interests of human beings living in the environment. Her lawyers also contended that the duty of care is "incoherent" with the EPBC Act and distorts her capacity as minister. They also claimed that there was no evidence that the additional coal from the expanded mine would increase the risk of the global temperature increasing beyond 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures, according to the Associated Press. "We will proudly defend the historic ruling that all Australian children are owed a duty of care by our government, and fight to protect my generation from the increasing risks of climate change," Ms Sharma was quoted as saying in a statement by the Associated Press. The eight young environmentalists were congratulated over the May ruling by Greta Thunberg, who rose to the forefront of the youth climate movement after she protested inaction by going on strike from school. "This is a huge win for the whole climate movement. A big congratulations to the brave Australian teenagers who have achieved this," the 18-year-old Swedish environmentalist tweeted. "Of course the action needed is still nowhere in sight, but these court cases are symbolic breaking points that could have huge snowball effects," Ms Thunberg had said then. Australia has come under growing international criticism for failing to set more ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions. Last week, Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison had agreed to attend next month's climate conference in Glasgow, but his government colleagues are yet to approve a commitment to net zero.

Australian govt takes up legal battle against Indian-origin teen’s climate change court case

Description: In Brighton a nurse has used plastic waste as a raw material to create artwork. Sammie started carrying out daily beach cleaning just before the lockdown. During lockdown she began to make use of some of colourful waste she found transforming them into rainbow collages of art.

Brighton's nurse creates art from plastic litter

A thick layer of toxic foam has covered Sao Paolo's longest river. Aquatic animals are dying and environmentalists are blaming nearby industries for the hazard.

Brazil: Tiete river becomes a dumping ground for industrial waste

With the withdrawal of monsoon, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday informed that pollution has started increasing in the national capital as the air quality index (AQI) surged to 171.

"Pollution has started increasing. 09 October- AQI - 171 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 200 - Moderate) PM10 - 197 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 250 - Moderate) PM2.5 - 69 (0 to 30 - Good, 31 to 60 - Satisfactory, 61 to 90 - Moderate)," Kejriwal tweeted.

An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/thankful-to-be-here-denmark-pm-meets-pm-modi-on-a-three-day-india-visit-419320">&nbsp;'Thankful to be here': Denmark PM meets PM Modi on a three-day India visit</a>

The Chief Minister has been tweeting Delhi's daily air quality since September 18 and warned that it will deteriorate from mid-October due to stubble burning.

"Delhi air quality will deteriorate from mid-October (stubble burning). State government&nbsp;have not taken action to support their farmers On its own, Delhi air is clean.

On 18 Sep- AQI- 69 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory) PM10- 67 PM2.5 - 27 (0 to 30 Good, 31 to 60 Satisfactory)," Kejriwal tweeted on September 18.

In a tweet on Saturday, Kejriwal said that the Haryana government should also help its farmers and make bio-decomposer solution free.

"Haryana government should also help its farmers like Delhi government. Like Delhi, spraying of solution should be made free in all the fields of Haryana. Then there will be no need to burn the stubble," he wrote.

The Delhi government in association with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa developed a bio-decomposer capsule that can be converted into a solution to be sprayed on crop stubble in the farmlands.

Once sprayed on the fields, the solution decomposes the stubble into compost in 20 days.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-quality-index-india-worlds-second-most-polluted-country-415692">&nbsp;Air Quality Index: India world’s second most polluted country</a>

On October 4, Kejriwal announced a 10-point "winter action plan" to tackle air pollution in the national capital.

While making the announcement, he said, "Currently, the air pollution is under control in Delhi but it will start rising with stubble burning in the neighbouring states in winters.

The central government and neighbouring states did not do anything to check stubble burning by farmers which will lead to air pollution in the winter season.

In order to curb the problem of air pollution arising from the Construction and Demolition (C&amp;D) activities in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality and Management (CAQM) issued directions to governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to set up a 'Web Portal'&nbsp;for monitoring compliance of dust mitigation measures by project proponents.

Keeping in view the dangerous condition of Delhi's air pollution during Diwali for the last three years, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a complete ban on the storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/12-dead-after-mining-pollution-in-dr-congo-river-410494">12 dead after mining pollution in DR Congo river</a>

There will be a complete ban on the bursting and sale of all kinds of firecrackers up to January 1, 2022, in Delhi, as per the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

The Delhi government has also launched the 'Advanced Green War Room'&nbsp;and 'Green Delhi App'&nbsp;app for people to send in their complaints into the problems pertaining to 10 kinds of pollution throughout the winter season.

In September this year, the Centre has released Rs 496 crore to subsidize machinery required in-situ management of crop residue with an aim to address air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) due to stubble burning in the adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary of Union Ministry of Agriculture had informed that the Centre released Rs 496 crore for Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab to subsidise machinery required in-situ management of crop residue during 2021-22.

With the withdrawal of monsoon, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday informed that pollution has started increasing in the national capital as the air quality index (AQI) surged to 171.

With the withdrawal of monsoon, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday informed that pollution has started increasing in the national capital as the air quality index (AQI) surged to 171. "Pollution has started increasing. 09 October- AQI - 171 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 200 - Moderate) PM10 - 197 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory, 101 to 250 - Moderate) PM2.5 - 69 (0 to 30 - Good, 31 to 60 - Satisfactory, 61 to 90 - Moderate)," Kejriwal tweeted. An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe. Also Read | 'Thankful to be here': Denmark PM meets PM Modi on a three-day India visit The Chief Minister has been tweeting Delhi's daily air quality since September 18 and warned that it will deteriorate from mid-October due to stubble burning. "Delhi air quality will deteriorate from mid-October (stubble burning). State government have not taken action to support their farmers On its own, Delhi air is clean. On 18 Sep- AQI- 69 (0 to 50 - Good, 51 to 100 - Satisfactory) PM10- 67 PM2.5 - 27 (0 to 30 Good, 31 to 60 Satisfactory)," Kejriwal tweeted on September 18. In a tweet on Saturday, Kejriwal said that the Haryana government should also help its farmers and make bio-decomposer solution free. "Haryana government should also help its farmers like Delhi government. Like Delhi, spraying of solution should be made free in all the fields of Haryana. Then there will be no need to burn the stubble," he wrote. The Delhi government in association with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa developed a bio-decomposer capsule that can be converted into a solution to be sprayed on crop stubble in the farmlands. Once sprayed on the fields, the solution decomposes the stubble into compost in 20 days. Also Read | Air Quality Index: India world’s second most polluted country On October 4, Kejriwal announced a 10-point "winter action plan" to tackle air pollution in the national capital. While making the announcement, he said, "Currently, the air pollution is under control in Delhi but it will start rising with stubble burning in the neighbouring states in winters. The central government and neighbouring states did not do anything to check stubble burning by farmers which will lead to air pollution in the winter season. In order to curb the problem of air pollution arising from the Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality and Management (CAQM) issued directions to governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to set up a 'Web Portal' for monitoring compliance of dust mitigation measures by project proponents. Keeping in view the dangerous condition of Delhi's air pollution during Diwali for the last three years, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a complete ban on the storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers. Also Read | 12 dead after mining pollution in DR Congo river There will be a complete ban on the bursting and sale of all kinds of firecrackers up to January 1, 2022, in Delhi, as per the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. The Delhi government has also launched the 'Advanced Green War Room' and 'Green Delhi App' app for people to send in their complaints into the problems pertaining to 10 kinds of pollution throughout the winter season. In September this year, the Centre has released Rs 496 crore to subsidize machinery required in-situ management of crop residue with an aim to address air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) due to stubble burning in the adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary of Union Ministry of Agriculture had informed that the Centre released Rs 496 crore for Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab to subsidise machinery required in-situ management of crop residue during 2021-22.

Pollution has started increasing, says Delhi CM Kejriwal as air quality index reaches 171

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Diving enthusiasts from Denmark clean up the ocean floor

Volunteers are cleaning up the river. Pollution is high in Italy's third longest river.

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