Describing pollution as a trans-border issue, India has strongly urged neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh to take proactive and joint steps to tackle it.The appeal comes at a time when pollution is rising in northern India and the air quality index in the capital New Delhi on Wednesday reached 418, the most severe level this season.

Air pollution is a challenge for many countries

Heads of delegations and ministers from six of the eight countries sharing the world's highest cryosphere zone attended the meeting called by Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at the ongoing UN Climate Conference COP-29 in Azerbaijan. At the meeting, India described air pollution affecting the air quality of the Indo-Gangetic plain as a mutual challenge and pressure among these nations.

call for joint action

He particularly urged Pakistan and other countries, including Bangladesh, to take strong, proactive and joint steps to get rid of pollution across the border. Earlier this month, Lahore's deteriorating air quality had reached dangerous levels and Pakistan blamed the air coming from India for it.

clean water supply

In this meeting, scientists warned about unprecedented economic and environmental losses due to melting of ice. This included cryospheric decline at a record level by the year 2023. The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is called the water tower of Asia and this region supplies clean water to about two billion people in Asi

Crisis on water, food and energy

The increased temperature due to climate change has increased the rate of melting of glaciers, which has put millions of people in the region at risk of water, food and energy security. In the meeting, representatives from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh also stressed the need to take several steps to deal with the dangers posed by pollution and climate change in the region.

Trillions of dollars needed immediately

Many countries at COP-29 said that trillions of dollars are urgently needed to tackle climate change. An easy and fast process is needed to approve and release climate-related spending. At the same time, the group of developed countries wants the draft to be detailed and in accordance with global investment goals, which includes financing from many sources including governments, private companies and investors.

2024 is going to be the hottest year

Compared to the global carbon dioxide emissions of 40.6 billion tons in the year 2023, the total emissions in 2024 will be 41.6 billion tons, which is going to make it the hottest year on record. This was said in the Global Carbon Budget 2024 report. Scientists have warned that the emissions from fossil fuels, the main factor in increasing the temperature, may increase by 0.8 percent compared to 2023 and touch a record level of 37.4 billion tons this year.