The Nagaland Assembly had recently set up two new committees aimed at tackling the challenge of climate change and reinforcing the effectiveness of rural and urban local bodies in the state. The Committee onClimate Change as per the media report, will review policies, monitor government initiatives, and promote measures such as green budgeting, electric vehicle adoption, and sustainable agriculture. It will also work on improving air and water quality, particularly in major rivers.The Committee on Urban Local Bodies & Nagaland Village Councils will focus on governance at the grassroots level. It will address issues such as waste management, water supply, affordable housing, traffic congestion, and urban pollution while advising the government on policy decisions.
Such initiatives are indeed a welcome move and hopefully would sincerely address the issue of climate challenges. The two committees’ common and key target issues such as, improving air and water quality, particularly in major rivers, waste management, sustainable agriculture, and urban pollution, etc. are all linked to plastic pollution. Plastic pollution and climate change are two of the biggest environmental challenges facing our planet today and the two issues are closely linked. For clean air, water, food and in general a pollution free environment, the invasive and harmful effects of plastic pollution has to be understood and tackled. While plastic pollution is a major concern, it is also one of the most fixable of today’s environmental challenges, with some obvious solutions at hand.
With rising pressure to address climate change and declining demand for fossil fuels, plastic production has become the de facto plan B for the oil industry. While fossil fuels are already widely regarded as the major culprit behind climate change, plastic often flies under the radar. However, global yearly plastic production is already close to 500 million tons, and is expected to triple in the next four decades. It is, therefore time for regulators to see climate change and plastic pollution as interconnected issues and stop this vicious cycle of environmental pollution.
For decades, plastic pollution has seeped into every corner of the world, leaching into the water we drink, into the food we eat and into our bodies. Researchers and scientists have found micro plastic contamination, in human blood, brains, breast milk, placenta and bone marrow. The impact on human health is largely unknown and is still under intensive research, but they have been linked to infertility, strokes and heart attacks.
The pollution of the planet by micro plastics is also significantly cutting food supplies by damaging the ability of plants to photosynthesize, according to a new assessment. The analysis estimates that between 4% and 14% of the world’s staple crops of wheat, rice and maize is being lost due to the pervasive particles. It could worsen, the scientists predicts, as more micro plastics pour into the environment.Thus in addition to other factors, sustainable agriculturecannot become a reality if our soil and environment cannot be protected from the plastic menace.
The burning of plastics/garbage, and the continued piling up of the landfills in various location is detrimental to achieving clean air, as both these activities, releases harmful gases into the air we inhale. Landfills are one of the causes of climate change and are partially responsible for global warming as they generate and release biogas (a mixture of methane gas and carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere and which are two of the gases that cause climate change and an increase in the planet’s temperature. According to the ISWA (International Solid Waste Association) report, if the current situation continues and we do not take action, landfill sites will account for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. We are already in midst of this prediction and facing its effect.
Last June, the state had witnessed the “floating island of plastics”, at Doyang, and also witnessed the mammoth respond for an emergency clean up. But has this stop the downstream flow of garbage into Doyang?? What about the plastic waste that are still submerged under the water? What about the tons of micro plastics that are in these water bodies? The action of UV rays and water-sand friction, among other factors, degrade macroplastic; they decompose it and transform it into secondary micro-plastic (less than 5mm) pieces. Apart from the negative environmental impact, there is no technology available today to take out micro-plastic from the environment.Waste and plastic accumulation is not only confined to the Doyang but in almost all the rivers (major or minor) of Nagaland,As an essential element for life, improving water qualityhas to begin from its sources, before it enters into the major rivers. Considering that the state faces acute shortages of drinkable water and with the looming depletion of ground water sources and drying up of the few water sources, as reported recently, the only sources is our rivers and rainwater. Effective measures for recharging of these water sources /springs as well as rainwater harvesting should be effectively encouraged, in addition to ensuring that our rivers are freed from pollution.
Ending plastic pollution contributes to nine of the 17 United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (3, 6, 9, 11-15 and 17). Meeting these SDGs can support building a healthier, more just and more sustainable world for the people. And considering Nagaland SDG ranking, perhaps a relook in improving in these goals is much needed.Addressing the complex issues of climate change and plastic pollution together requires a concerted effort by regulators, businesses, organizations, and consumers.
On Plastic pollution and waste management much has been discussed and said about it, with no solution in sight. Waste is generated by each and every individual- from the cradle to the grave, but no one is willing to take the responsibility for its management and proper disposal. Dumpsites has become the bane of the locality concern and the surrounding areas of these sites has become the most effected resulting in water and soil contamination as well as air pollution causing irrevocable damages to the environment and the eco-system. As stated above, our rivers, both the minor and major, are garbage disposal canals, mostly of plastics. Plastics’ omnipresence in towns, villages, forest, practically everywhere where humans tread is alarming. It’s the footprints of the uncaring humans and 99% of these accumulated waste are the non-biodegradable plastic waste be it single use plastics (SUPs) bags, multi layered plastics, (MLPs) all food wrappers, PP bags, pet bottles etc. The so called plant based biodegradable bags have also flooded the market, which are not biodegradable in the natural environment but only in the controlled environment of the factories. And considering the throw away culture of the people all these items of convenience will still be littered in our environment. Even the “no-garbage banners and signboards” prominently displayed does not seem to deter the public, as garbage is still thrown beneath these very signage’s.
The Government needs to seriously re-look at its policies and lofty announcements, starting with 5th June 2018- World Environment Day, when the Government, announced that Nagaland would be “Plastic Free”, by December 2018. The Nagaland Budget Speech of 2018-19 also categorically stated, that “the state will formulate an anti-plastic policy in a practical and a realistic manner”, but as of date no such policy is visible and none of the subsequent state budgets has addressed this critical issue. Nor do theNagaland State Action Planson Climate Changefeatureany focus on plastic pollution. Numerous plastic ban notifications had been issued but its implementation and follow up remains zero, while the Task Force for overseeing the ban notificationsimplementation in all the districts also remainsdormant. To be precise in the last seven years five numbers of such notification has beenissued, all clearlylisting thebanned plasticitems. Many of the Districts have also been provided with MRFs (Material Recovery Faculties) and bailing units, which are lying unutilized. These facilities are for collection, segregation and binding of the recyclable plastics for disposal. The Nagaland Integrated Solid Waste Management Policy (ISWMP) 2019, as well as the section on Plastic Waste Management clearly lays down the rules, regulations and the penalties to be imposed under EPR (Extended Producers Responsibility) and the polluters. The State Pollution Control Board is also responsible for several key functions to curb pollution and monitoring compliance of industry and enforcing action against violations. The Unban Local Bodies have been elected and Sanitation Committees have been constituted for ensuring the upkeep of their respective areas, while the existence of the Village Council has always been there.
Thus there already exist policies, guidelines, rules, regulationsorganizations andagencies. What is needed is how much of these can be effectively put into practical action. No doubt the public seems to be deaf and blind to any restrictions and are least bordered about the environmental damages or the conditions of its surroundings. However life style changes and generating consciousness for clean and healthy environment can be achieved if the Government strictly enforces its policies and notifications and take stricter action to penalize where necessary. Sometimes to bring about a transformation, more stringent measure needs to be adopted. So the onus lies with the government to seriously ensure the effectiveness of its policies and notifications and make Nagaland “plastic free”. Many global examples have shown that stricter policies on single-use plastic and promoting sustainable alternatives can remarkably reduce pollution. This needs to be accompanied by investments in improved waste management and consumer education. Businesses also need to be held accountable for their plastic footprint.Climate change and sustainability seems to be the on everyone’s agenda and many events, festivals, conclave are being organized on these very “in” subjects. Hopefully such events will address issues that are relevant to our environment and the carbon footfalls will also be taken into account.