Threat to shut 14 coal-fired power plants in India

March 2020

India’s federal pollution regulator has warned 14 coal-fired power plants that they could be shut down and penalized for failing to comply with environmental standards. Nine of the plants are around India’s polluted capital, New Delhi, and five are in south Indian states. The move comes as New Delhi and other Indian cities have been struggling with some of the worst global air pollution levels.

Indian utilities had already won an extension on a December 2017 deadline for coal plants to meet emissions standards, after extensive lobbying by the industry. Only one out of 11 plants around New Delhi – which had an end-of-2019 deadline – is complying with the emission standards for health-damaging sulphur dioxide (SO₂). More than half of India’s coal-fired power plants that were ordered to retrofit equipment to curb SO₂ emissions are set to miss deadlines.

Source: Reuters, 5 February 2020

Air pollution from fossil fuels costs USD 8 billion a day

Emissions from the burning of coal, oil and gas cause 4.5 million premature deaths a year globally, resulting in costs of health care and lives lost equivalent to 3.3 per cent of global GDP.

Editorial: Zero-pollution vision for air quality

A recent Eurobarometer survey asked over 27,000 people from across the EU several questions about air quality.

Cement could be greener, but will it?

Cement production is responsible for some 6–7 per cent of global CO2 emissions, and is still growing. There are many technical options to cut emissions, but few incentives. The EU cement industry pays zero for its emissions, and does little to improve its act. 

Transition to 100 percent renewable energy is cost efficient

Stanford researchers find that a completely renewable energy system will pay for itself in 7 years, while also solving major health and climate threats.

Climate tipping points in the boreal forest region

In the southern part of the boreal forest zone, climate change may cause closed forest to be replaced by open woodland or scrubland

LNG could worsen shipping’s climate impact

Ships fuelled by LNG do not deliver the emissions reductions required by the IMO’s greenhouse gas strategy, says new study.

The Andes Meltdown

The frozen areas covering the peaks and valleys of the Andes are melting at alarming rates, providing some of the most visible evidence that climate change is already here and putting communities and natural ecosystems at risk.

Dutch health gains from reduced air pollution

Air pollution control policies implemented in Europe since 1980 have resulted in better air quality that has increased Dutch average life expectancy by six years.

Renewable energy – technology choices matter for air quality

Growth in EU renewable energy has reduced GHG emissions, and in most cases air pollutant emissions as well. But increased burning of biomass has actually increased emissions of health-damaging PM emissions.

Air quality rules fit for purpose

The EU air quality limit values are enforceable and have been instrumental in driving a downward trend in air pollution exceedances and exposure.

Sales of petrol cars rise in the EU

16 EU countries reported a higher petrol share in new registrations of passenger cars in 2017.

Ecolabelled biofuels in Sweden

Ecolabelled biofuels make it easier for consumers to choose fuels that have less impact on the environment, says the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC).

IMO failed to adopt speed reduction measures

Lowered ship speed means reduced fuel burn, resulting in less emissions of greenhouse gases and traditional air pollutants, as well as benefits for marine life.

European shipping’s climate record

Too little focus on diets and population growth

In recent decades, research on how to nourish the global population sustainably has had a strong and growing focus on improving productivity through technology...

A call to introduce meat taxes in EU

A sharp reduction in meat and milk consumption is essential to tackle climate change. 

Post-Brexit agricultural plan in UK revealed

A new agricultural bill to replace the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) support scheme was presented by the UK government in January.

Ten billion people can be fed within planetary boundaries

A newly published study shows that it may be viable to feed ten billion people without crossing the planetary boundaries for nitrogen flows, biodiversity loss, land system change, and freshwater use.

What milk should we drink?

Supermarket shelves are filled with a wide variety of plant milks today, but which sort is the best choice in terms of environmental impact?

Demonstrations against agricultural policy in Germany

Massive demonstrations took place in conjunction with International Green Week, an annual food and agriculture fair in Berlin.

NOx from ships in western Baltic Sea quantified

Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen contributes significantly to eutrophication, and accounts for about a third of the total input of nitrogen in the western Baltic Sea.

Cleaner air quickly brings big health benefits

Reductions in air pollution yield fast and dramatic improvements in health, as well as decreases in all-cause morbidity according to the research paper “Health Benefits of Air Pollution Reduction”, and the corresponding report “Clean Air Now”.

Ocean acidification associated with damage on shark skin

Recently, the effects of ocean acidification conditions were investigated on the puffadder shyshark (Haploblepharus edwarsii) over different periods of time. 

New air quality infringement decisions

In its February infringements package, the Commission sent letters of formal notice to Romania, Greece and Malta, calling on them to adopt National Air Pollution Control Programmes and to communicate them to the Commission, as required under the National Emissions Ceilings Directive.

In brief

Smooth transition to global ship sulphur regulation

After having been adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2008, tighter limits on the sulphur content of shipping fuel finally came into force on 1 January 2020. From this date the maximum permitted sulphur content was lowered from 3.5 to 0.50 per cent, resulting in an estimated three-quarter drop in the emissions of harmful sulphur dioxide (SO₂), linked to acid rain and a range of pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases.

The transition to the new sulphur regulation has so far happened without major problems, the IMO reported in late January. The next step is a carriage ban on non-compliant fuel oil (except for ships with exhaust gas cleaning systems installed) that enters into force on 1 March 2020, helping to support implementation of the global sulphur limit.

Source: IMO press release, 21 January 2020.

Beyond coal campaign retires 300th US coal plant

The decision in January to close Dolet Hills Power Station in Arkansas symbolises an important milestone for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, as it marked the 300th coal plant proposed to retire since 2010. In just the three years since Donald Trump became President, the campaign and its allies have been able to secure the retirement of 62 coal plants.

The closure of coal plants since 2010 can now be credited with the annual prevention of about 8,000 premature deaths, 12,500 heart attacks, 131,700 asthma attacks, and USD3.8 billion in healthcare costs.

Mary Anne Hitt from the Sierra Club said: “230 coal plants are still out there polluting our air, water, and climate – putting thousands of lives at risk. And there are still programmes that must be developed and implemented to help former coal miners and their families transition out of the fossil fuel industry.”

Source: Sierra Club press release, 8 January 2020

South Korea opts for ship speed reduction and ECA

South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries began a “Vessel Speed Reduction Programme” in December 2019, in an effort to reduce fine dust from ships and protect the marine environment. The programme requires that ships will have their port fees lowered when they enter ports at a speed below 10 or 12 knots, depending on ship type. The speed reduction will apply from a distance of about 20 nautical miles from the ports.

In addition, the Ministry has announced that a new mandatory regional Emission Control Area (ECA) will be established around the following ports along the Korean coast with an effective date of 1 September 2020: Incheon; Pyeongtaek & Dangjin; Yeosu & Gwangyang; Busan; and Ulsan. All ships anchored or at a berth in these locations must use fuel oil with a sulphur content of max 0.10 per cent, or use approved equivalent arrangements. The ECA regulation is likely to be expanded on 1 January 2022, to cover all vessels when operating in designated

World’s largest real-time air quality databank

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) together with UN Habitat and IQAir have jointly developed the largest real-time air quality databank, bundling real-time air quality data for particulate matter (PM₂.₅) from thousands of initiatives run by citizens, communities, governments and the private sector.

The platform also allows for individuals to collect data, which gives the double benefits of a larger volume of individual measurements and greater public awareness of air quality. It currently receives data from more than 4,000 providers (including governments) and has a following of more than 15 million users.

Source: UNEP News, 11 February 2020.

The map: https://environmentlive.unep.org/wesr/airvisual

Threat to shut 14 coal-fired power plants in India

India’s federal pollution regulator has warned 14 coal-fired power plants that they could be shut down and penalized for failing to comply with environmental standards. Nine of the plants are around India’s polluted capital, New Delhi, and five are in south Indian states. The move comes as New Delhi and other Indian cities have been struggling with some of the worst global air pollution levels.

Indian utilities had already won an extension on a December 2017 deadline for coal plants to meet emissions standards, after extensive lobbying by the industry. Only one out of 11 plants around New Delhi – which had an end-of-2019 deadline – is complying with the emission standards for health-damaging sulphur dioxide (SO₂). More than half of India’s coal-fired power plants that were ordered to retrofit equipment to curb SO₂ emissions are set to miss deadlines.

Source: Reuters, 5 February 2020

Clean air action linked to EU Green Deal

In January 2020, a group of eight leading environmental organisations working on clean air from the health, environmental, climate and transport angles wrote to the European Commission expressing their support for the EU Green Deal’s commitments to the zero emission and zero pollution ambition, and urging for immediate steps to be taken to tackle air pollution.

The letter specifically calls for the Commission to adopt legislation this year to strengthen air quality plans and improve air quality monitoring, to enforce existing legislation through infringement procedures and to set a clear roadmap to align EU air quality limit values with the upcoming revised World Health Organization guidelines.

The letter: www.env-health.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/oint-clean-air-letter-2020-EC-WP.pdf

South Korea shuts a quarter of its coal plants over winter

In late November, South Korea decided to temporarily shut down up to a quarter of its coal-fired power plants over winter in an attempt to combat dangerously high levels of fine dust pollution.

The country’s energy ministry said 14 plants would be idled between December and February, and as many as 27 in March. The country has some 60 coal-fired power plants in total. The coal plant suspensions are expected to cut fine dust emissions by 44 per cent over the three months from December compared to last year.

Source: The Guardian, 28 November 2019.

Greek lignite plant cancelled in major NGO court win

A major Greek court ruling has put the final nail in the coffin for planned power plant Meliti II and left its sister plant Meliti I operating without legal permission. The decision follows a legal challenge brought jointly by ClientEarth, WWF Greece and Greenpeace Greece. 

Greece’s Supreme Administrative Court, the Greek Council of State, annulled the environmental permits for the two lignite-fired power plants, both property of state power company PPC. The decision means that the construction of Meliti II will no longer go ahead, while Meliti I will need to apply for a new environmental permit if it is to continue operating.

“These recent developments mean the end of the lignite era in Greece,” said Eleni Diamantopoulou, an energy lawyer for ClientEarth, in response to the ruling.

Source: ClientEarth press release, 13 January 2020.

More bans on open-loop scrubbers

Ships fitted with open-loop scrubbers will be banned from discharging effluent from the emissions-cleaning systems while travelling through the Suez Canal, according to an announcement by the Suez Canal Authority in January.

Also in January, Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs announced that the discharge of wash-water from open-loop scrubbers was prohibited in the Pakistani Port of Karachi.

Sources: Ship & Bunker, 15 January; Reuters 22 January 2020.

Scrubbers not allowed in California

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced that the Californian regulation for ocean-going ships, which was adopted in 2008 and still is in effect, requires the use of low-sulphur (max 0.1%) distillate fuels by vessel main engines, auxiliary engines and auxiliary boilers within 24 nautical miles of the California coastline, and thus does not allow compliance through the use of scrubbers.

Source: Safety4sea.com, 27 January 2020.

Iceland creates 0.1% SECA

Iceland has enacted a strict sulphur emissions control area (SECA) whereby ships calling at the island from next year will only be allowed to burn 0.1 per cent sulphur content fuel in Icelandic territorial waters.

While the Iceland Nature and Conservation Association and the Clean Arctic Alliance welcomed the new sulphur restrictions, they were critical that the decision has a “loophole” given that some vessels using scrubbers will continue burning high-sulphur heavy fuel oils. Therefore, they urge the Government of Iceland to ban all vessels that burn or carry heavy fuel oil from entering Icelandic waters.

Source: Splash247, 10 December 2019.

71% want tougher EU laws on air pollution

The results of the latest Eurobarometer survey, which asked over 27,000 people from across the EU several questions about air quality, revealed a poor awareness of EU air quality legislation as only 31 per cent of respondents had heard of them. Most of those who have heard of the standards believe they should be strengthened (63%).

Respondents were also asked who is responsible for improving air quality. More than half of respondents in all countries believe that households, car manufacturers, energy producers, farmers and public authorities are not doing enough to cut air pollution. Over two-thirds (71%) of EU citizens think the EU should bring in tougher measures to improve air quality.

Poor communication was a theme of the results, with a majority (54%) of respondents saying they do not feel well-informed about air quality problems in their country.

Source: Air Quality News, 3 December 2019.

Eurobarometer report: https://ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/publicopinion/index.cfm/survey/getsurveydetail/instruments/spacial/surveyky/2239