IISER (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research) Bhopal have developed a novel satellite technology that shows the percentage of greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of agricultural waste across India in the past decade, which was a whopping 75 per cent, according to IANS.

Dhanyalekshmi K Pillai, Assistant Professor at IISER Bhopal, said that such crop residue burning has significant repercussions on the environment as it releases pollutants and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, severely affecting not only our health but has adverse impacts on climate, food security and so on.

The team of researchers which includes members from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the University of Michigan, leveraged remote sensing technology to offer precise insights into the scale of such emissions across the country.

According to the data published in the journal, Science of the Total Environment, the state of Punjab emerged as the highest emitter, with about 27 per cent of its cultivated area burned in 2020, closely followed by Madhya Pradesh.

Technology to lessen environmental crisis

Through the newly developed satellite technology, the team can facilitate monitoring of residue burning,provide region-specific mitigation strategies and devise policies on how such a crisis can be combatted and also emphasises the role of science and technology that can be efficiently used for a sustainable future.