Meaning of Black Carbon

When fossil fuel like diesel, coal and petrol burns, it produced many particles and gases; black carbon is one of them.

Effects of Carbon Black Emissions

Heart disease
Stroke
Lung disease
Absorb sunlight and convert into heat
Change weather pattern
Melting of snow and ice

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is operating a network of aerosol observatories under ISRO Geo sphere Biosphere Programme. Black Carbon Concentration is one of the parameters to be measured. The long-term measurements of black carbon over the Indian region from the aforesaid regional network of aerosol observatories clearly shows a decreasing trend (0.24 µg m-3year-1) in the past decade.

How to Reduce Black Carbon?

India’s Step to Control Black Carbon (India’s effort For Climate Change)

The Government has taken several measures to control black carbon emissions which inter-alia includes the following:

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana promoting use of cleaner household cooking fuels.
Apply BS-IV to BS-VI norms for fuel and vehicles from 1st April, 2020.
More cities are covered under the metro rails networks for public transportation
Introduction of ethanol blending in petrol and gaseous fuel like PNG and CNG
A new initiative, “Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT), has been launched to set up 5000 Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) production plants and make CBG available in the market for use.
In the State of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi, agricultural machines and equipment for in-situ crop residue management are promoted with 50% subsidy to the individual farmers and 80% subsidy for the establishment of Custom Hiring Centers under central scheme on ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ management of Crop Residue’.
Under the national clean air programmer as a long term, a national level strategy to tackle air pollution problem across the country to achieve 40% reduction in particulate matter concentrations by 2025-26.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has identified 131 cities based on ambient air quality levels exceeding national ambient air quality standards, and cities with million plus population. City specific Clean Air Action Plans have been prepared and rolled out for implementation in these cities. These plans define time bound targets to control city specific air polluting sources (soil &road dust, vehicles, domestic fuel, municipal solid waste burning, construction material and industries, etc.).
Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) phase-2 scheme has been rolled out.
In order to reduce pollution, brick kilns are shifting to zig-zag technology Industrial units shifting to piped natural gas.