Next generation to endure a much hotter world

Generation Alpha is set to inherit and will be forced to put up with a much warmer planet. This was the warning highlighted by the annual publication, State of India’s Environment, released last month. Published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and the Down To Earth (DTE) magazine, the report has sections dedicated to plastics, biodiversity, health, climate change, rivers, water, heat, air pollution and waste.

And this does not bode well for India. The CSE’s assessment indicates that India saw more frequent and intense extreme weather events in 2024, compared to the previous two years. In the first nine months of 2024, India witnessed extreme weather events on 255 of the 274 days as against 235 days for the same period in 2023 and 241 days in 2022. The events drastically impacted agriculture, with 3.2 million hectares of cropland affected in 2024 – 74% more than in 2022.

The report is a comprehensive documentation of the year’s major developments and happenings in a wide range of subjects and issues, ranging from climate change, waste management to air and water pollution, industrial contamination and food, according to a DTE press release. There are special segments focusing on 40 years of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, antimicrobial resistance, the Western Ghats, India’s 500 GW renewable energy dream, migration and displacement, the Great Nicobar Islands and climate change’s impact on the Thar desert.

One major alarming highlight by the report — the first generation of the 21st century is enduring a much warmer planet. “For the first generation of the 21st century — Generation Alpha — it is an inheritance of profound loss. For their predecessors, climate change has been an unfolding planetary emergency. But Generation Alpha — which will comprise an estimated two billion people by 2025, making it the largest generation in history – is enduring a climatologically changed, warmer planet,” the report’s authors wrote, as quoted in the release.

The report quoted the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, which says that 2024 was the first calendar year with a global average temperature “clearly exceeding” 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level. The year 2024, in fact, was the warmest year on record, with the average global temperature at 1.60°C above the pre-industrial era (1850-1900) average.

The year 2024, in fact, was the warmest year on record, with the average global temperature at 1.60°C above the pre-industrial era (1850 —1900) average. The DTE press release quotes Kiran Pandey, CSE programme director, environmental resources, who said, “2024 will be remembered as the year that divided the pre- and post-climate change eras. She added, “Given the fact that atmospheric moisture levels rise by 7 per cent for every one degree rise in global average temperatures, this is a perfect brew for planetary disruptions in terms of extreme weather events.”

An EBNW analysis of the report says that environmental consciousness among the public is on the rise, influencing political discourse. In response, governments have introduced various environmental initiatives, but the report critiques their limited scope and the structural weaknesses in institutional responses. The analysis adds that the report serves as a crucial wake-up call, highlighting the escalating environmental challenges India faces. While awareness and policy measures are gaining traction, stronger institutional commitment and proactive strategies are imperative to safeguard the country’s ecological and climatic future. The findings emphasize the urgent need for collaborative efforts to ensure a sustainable and resilient environment for future generations.

A feature by EnergytrackerAsia highlights five major environmental issues in India. First, climate change is a global concern that creates and exacerbates existing environmental issues in India. Second, air pollution in India is a critical issue, with major cities like Delhi frequently recording some of the worst air quality levels globally. Third, water pollution remains a significant challenge, with nearly 70% of the country’s surface water considered polluted due to a combination of industrial discharge, untreated sewage, garbage and agricultural runoff. Fourth, soil erosion from deforestation, overgrazing, changing rainfall patterns and poor land management practices. And, fifth, waste management. India generates approximately 62 million metric tonnes of waste annually, and this figure is expected to rise significantly in the coming years due to rapid urbanization and population growth.