State of India’s Environment Report

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has released the State of India’s Environment, 2020 report. The CSE also publishes the environment magazine called Down to Earth.

Key Findings

• According to the report, around 19 major events have claimed 1,357 lives in 2019. 
• More than 50 lakh internal displacements have occurred in India in 2019. 
• This is the highest in the world according to the report. 
• One on five internal displacements caused by disasters in the world were in India.
• The floods that occurred due to South West Monsoon caused 26 lakh displacements. 
• Cyclone Fani created 18 lakh displacements. 
• The displacements increased further due to cyclones Vayu and Bulbul.
• The draught conditions in the states created 63,000 displacements.
• The state wise ranking was also made on water resources management and environment. 
• The National average on governance of environment was 5.16 on 10. 
• Punjab alone had a score greater than that of the national average. Score of Punjab was 5.2.

Observations of the report

• The report observed that India’s ranking in terms of Sustainable Development Goals has slipped to 114 in 2019 as compared to 115 in 2018. 
• This was achievable as India took certain measures to end poverty (SDG 1), clean water and sanitation (SDG 6).