Why green hydrogen presents both major opportunities, significant challenges

• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) recently unveiled a Rs-496-crore (2025-26) program to fund pilot projects that build safe supporting infrastructure, such refueling stations, or evaluate the viability of using green hydrogen as a car fuel.

Objecive of MNRE scheme

(i) validation of technical feasibility and performance of green hydrogen as a transportation fuel

(ii) evaluation of the economic viability of green hydrogen-powered vehicles

(iii) demonstration of safe operation of hydrogen-powered vehicles and refuelling stations.

About Green , Blue and grey hydrogen

• The importance of hydrogen-fueled automobiles, especially those with internal combustion engines (ICEs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)
• Zero Carbon Emissions: When operating, FCEVs and hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines both emit zero carbon dioxide.
• Energy Efficiency: FCEVs still offer high energy efficiency when compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, especially those powered by fossil fuels like diesel and petrol. However, research suggests that burning hydrogen in an ICE vehicle may be less energy-efficient than using it in a fuel cell.
• Clean Energy Production: A variety of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, can be used to manufacture hydrogen.
• Lightweight and Greater Payload Capacity: Because hydrogen and the fuel cell stack are less heavy than EV batteries, hydrogen fuel cell electric cars (FCEVs) often weigh less than battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
• Applications for Long-haul Freight: Studies show that long-haul FCEVs can transport loads of freight comparable to those of diesel trucks, however BEVs may be heavier than FCEVs.
• Diversification of Energy Sources: Vehicles powered by hydrogen are a practical substitute for battery-electric vehicles, thereby offering a greater variety of energy sources for transportation.

Challenges

• Difficulties with Storage and Transportation: It is important to create specialized cylinders that can securely store high-pressure green hydrogen. Compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders that are currently in use are not appropriate for storing hydrogen.
• Fuel Prices and Infrastructure: The higher fuel costs and the requirement for infrastructure development, such as hydrogen refueling stations, make it difficult for green hydrogen-powered vehicles to compete with battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The high expense of setting up and maintaining infrastructure for hydrogen refueling prevents hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) from being widely used.
• Safety Concerns: Because hydrogen burns easily, handling and storing the fuel at filling stations requires strict safety regulations and procedures.

Green hydrogen provides energy efficiency, zero emissions, and a variety of energy sources for mobility. Nevertheless, despite MNRE’s support program, obstacles including storage, infrastructure costs, and safety concerns prevent wider use.

Implementing Universal Health Coverage

Many nations hope to adopt Universal Health Coverage (UHC) on the eve of World Health Day (7 April), following India’s 2017 introduction of its National Health Policy. Nevertheless, there are obstacles to its implementation in India as well.

Context:

• The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on December 12, 2012, pushing nations to move more quickly toward universal health coverage.
• In 2011, the Planning Commission received a report from a high-level expert committee informing them of the government’s intention to raise public financing for health to 2.5 percent of GDP in the country’s 12th Plan (2012–17).

What are the challenges in the Implementation of UHC in India?

• Federal Issue: In India, health is a state responsibility, although a national UHC policy is planned. Coordination between the federal government and state governments may become difficult as a result.
• The right to health is based on the Directive Principles of State Policy, but it may be difficult to ensure consistent and enforceable healthcare rights in the absence of an explicit constitutional provision.
• The population of migrants and urban slums: Because of problems including overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, and inadequate infrastructure, a considerable section of the population in urban slums struggles to get primary health care.

Suggestive Measures:

• Taking Care of the Medical Needs of Urban Migrants: Setting up mobile clinics or healthcare units that may travel to migrant groups in urban and peri-urban areas and offer basic medical care.
• Minimizing Out-of-Pocket Expense: Encouraging simple reimbursement for medical expenses by streamlining the reimbursement process through the digitization of healthcare payment systems and their integration with mobile banking platforms or government identity.
• Building Systems of Inclusive Health: To enable accessibility for a varied metropolitan population, bilingual and culturally relevant health information materials and services are being introduced.
• Establishing community health centers or clinics in urban and peri-urban regions manned by qualified community health workers capable of offering basic medical services and referrals is known as the implementation of community-based primary healthcare.

The citizen’s ‘climate rights’

• In a recent ruling in M K Ranjitsinh & Ors. v. Union of India, the Supreme Court affirmed that individuals have a fundamental right to be free from the negative consequences of climate change while highlighting the need for nations like India to respect their international commitments for a healthy and sustainable development.

Background of M K Ranjitsinh & Ors. vs Union of India Case:

• The Great Indian Bustard (GIB), which is critically endangered, was at issue in this case.
• M K Ranjitsinh, a former government officer and conservationist, filed a writ petition in 2021 to save the endangered Greater Giant Butterfly and Lesser Florican.
• According to the Supreme Court, everyone has a “right to be free from the adverse effects of climate change,” which the Constitution’s Articles 14 and 21 ought to recognize.
• Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud, along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, comprised the three-judge bench that rendered this decision.

The latest revision to the previous ruling rendered by the Supreme Court:

Who applied for modification of an earlier case?

• The 2021 order was sought to be modified by the Ministries of Power, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, and New and Renewable Energy on the grounds that it would negatively affect India’s power industry and that it would be impractical to subterranean electrical lines.
• One of the main justifications for requesting a revision of the 2021 decree is the Paris Climate Treaty of 2015.

What SC did say in this case?

• Subterranean powerlines: After taking into account variables like topography, population density, and infrastructure needs, the Supreme Court revised its April 2021 ruling directing the undergrounding of high- and low-voltage power lines. It also instructed specialists to evaluate the viability of subterraneaning power lines in particular locations.
• The previous course was unworkable: The decision recognized that, in addition to not being practical to carry out, the prior directives “would not result in achieving its stated purpose, i.e., the conservation of the GIB.”
• Appropriate link between FR and DPSP: The court underlined that the right to life and personal liberty as guaranteed by Article 21 must be taken into consideration when interpreting the Directive Principles of State Policy when addressing environmental concerns.

What are the implications of the judgment for environmental jurisprudence?

• Enhancing Environmental and Climate Justice: By acknowledging the complex effects of climate change on many communities, the ruling places a strong emphasis on enhancing environmental and climate justice.
• Extension of Article 14 and Right to Life: The ruling broadens the protection of equality before the law provided by Article 14 of the Constitution to include environmental issues.
• Impact on Government Policies and Public debate: It is anticipated that the ruling would impact government policies and public debate on environmental concerns, reshaping priorities and public perceptions of environmental protection.
• Creation of Legal precedent: The ruling creates a major legal precedence by recognizing the “right against adverse effects of climate change.”

The Supreme Court’s affirmation of people’ “right to be free from adverse effects of climate change” fortifies environmental justice, broadens constitutional safeguards, shapes public policy, and establishes a significant legal precedent.