Frontiers Report

About the report

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) works to identify and draw attention to emerging issues of environmental concern.
The Frontiers’ report continues to advance this work, signaling environmental issues and solutions for effective and timely responses.
It is published by UNEP on an annual basis.

Why in news?

Noise pollution in cities,
The growing threat of wildfires and
Shifts in seasonal events – such as flowering, migration and hibernation, an area of study known as phenology.

Key Highlights

According to the WHO guidelines, the report says, the permissible noise level limits are 55 dB (decibels) LAeq (equivalent continuous sound level is the sound level in decibels) for outdoor residential areas and 70 dB LAeq for commercial areas, and where there’s traffic.
Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad has been put on the second spot in the list of noisiest cities in the world and it recorded 114 dB noise level being one of India’s biggest export hubs.
Noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time can increase the risk of hearing loss.
On top of the list is Bangladesh’s Dhaka, and Islamabad in Pakistan is at the third spot – all top three cities are from South Asia.
Other Indian cities where ear-splitting noises have been recorded are Delhi, Kolkata and Asansol in Bengal, and Jaipur.
Eg: In Delhi, the noise levels have been found to be at 83 dB, and for Kolkata – 89 dB.
The South-Asian region, comprising India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanks and Nepal, is the most noise-polluted region while Europe and Latin America region are the quietest regions.
The report highlights that Exposure to environmental noise sources such as road traffic, air traffic, railways, machinery, industry and recreational activities have well-documented negative impacts on physical and mental well-being.

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