Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
January, 2015
1. Gorumara national Park
---Gorumara National Park, one of the smallest national park in India, has turned out to
be a safe heaven for butterflies
---The park located In the Jalpaiguri district of West bengal, covers an area of only 80
sq km, and has recorded at least four species of butterflies that never have been
found in the State before
----recent studies have proved that there are more than 330 butterflies in the park,
when there are about 600 known species of butterflies in West Bengal and about 1500
in India
----Gorumara alone accounts for more than half of the species found in the state and
about one-fifth found in the country
3. Digitalization of Specimens
-----The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is aspiring for an ambitious project of digitisation
of its millions of species; ZSI has identified 96,000 species in India, considered a megadiversity country possessing seven to eight % species of the world
-----ZSI pointed out that despite the identification of 96,000 species, only 10 per cent of
the countrys biodiversity and 50% of the ecosystem has been explored
4. India Home to 18% of raptors/Birds of prey
----India is home to 106 species of raptors, popularly known as birds of prey. There are
primarily two kinds: Diurnal (day flying) and nocturnal (night flying)
----Out of the 333 species of diurnal birds of prey found in the world, 101 species can be
found in the Indo-Malayan region
----Indias bio-geographical regions support 69 species of kites, vultures,
eagles, harriers, hawks, buzzards and falcons in different habitats
-The presence of raptors in the wild serves as: barometer for ecological
health; important ecological role by keeping the balance and controls
the population of rodents and other small mammals
----IUCN RED LIST
Among these raptors, the Indian Whitebacked Vulture, the Long Billed Vulture,
the Slender Billed Vulture, the Red headed Vulture and the Forest Owlet are in
the critically endangered category.
The Egyptian Vulture and the Saker are in the endangered list of the
International Union for Conservation of Natures (IUCN) Red List.
Consequences
-----The sudden collapse of the natural animal disposal system in India has had obvious
and multiple consequences
-----Carcasses once eaten by vultures now rot in village fields, drinking water has
become seriously contaminated
-----The disappearance of vultures has allowed other species, such as rats and wild dogs,
to take their place.
-----These newly abundant scavengers, however, are not as efficient as vultures
-----A vultures metabolism is a true dead-end for pathogens, but dogs and rats
become carriers of the pathogens and thus are directly or indirectly responsible for
thousands of human deaths
5. Bangladeshi Islands are sinking due to embankments
----And some islands have sunk as much as 1.5 metres in the last 50 years
----Reason for the sinking of Islands
Embankments were made in the 1960s to 70s to protect them against tidal
storm and inundation
But these have been earthen embankments which while buffering them against
floods have also prevented the deposition of silt, which provides a natural
elevation in those areas
Deforestation in coastal areas
----Impacts
More loss during disasters: the loss of elevation was felt during the 2009 cyclone
Aila when large areas of land were left inundated for upto 2 years
Increased risk of flooding: these islands in the Ganges-Brahmaputra river delta
are fast submerging, putting millions of inhabitants at the risk of flooding
The study therefore implicated that the direct human modification of the
environment and not global sea-level rise as the most important agent of change
in the Western Ganges Brahmaputra tidal delta plain
6. Forest Owlet------Critically endangered species, have been sighted In Madhya Pradeshs Betul
district
----Small bird of 23 cm length;
---ENDEMIC to Central Indian forests but and said to be Extinct in the Wild, but rediscovered in 1997
---Distribution: Central Indian forests
--- The species was first discovered in 1872 (Chhattisgarh), however it was not seen for
113 years and was believed that it has become extinct.
--- It was rediscovered in 1997 in Toranmal Reserve Forest in the Satpura ranges and
was once again sighted in 2004 in Toranmal of Nandurbar district of Maharashtra
--- The most recent evidence of the bird happened in October 2014 in the Tansa wildlife
sanctuary of Western Ghats
7. Black-Headed Squirrel Monkeys
----
10.
Plant protection Code
-----PPC is a set of guidelines for regulating the chemical inputs in TEA cultivation, was
rolled put in January 1, 2015
---Aim of the programme: is to make Indian tea a safe and healthy drink
---The PPC is a comprehensive document; which deals with the safe usage of crop
protection and methodologies that would be followed ot reduce pesticide residues in tea
---the code encourages tea growers to critically review their plant protection
formulations (PPF) which are a list of chemicals that are used in tea
---the code is based on the Codex Alimentaris which is a set of International Food
Standards and Guidelines
--- In past few years, the project did not see a significant increase in the number of saltwater crocodiles, and also the eggs:hatching ratio declined drastically.
--- The reason for the decline in eggs to hatching ratio was supported with increase in
temperature caused by the global warming. This in turn created a challenge in
maintaining sex ratio of crocodiles. Thus it called for expert assistance to give a fresh
start to the project.
--Expertise was needed thus to boost the project
---Results:
The inputs and training provided by the experts helped in raising the eggs to
hatching ratio, which is now over 70 from previous 40. Also in the last one year,
nearly 75 sub-adult crocodiles in the Sunderbans have been released.
---Saltwater Crocodile
The saltwater crocodile (scientific name Crocodylus porosus) is estuarine
crocodile has been kept under least concern category of IUCN.
It is the largest of all living reptiles, as well as the largest terrestrial and riparian
predator in the world
These crocodiles are found in India, Bangladesh, Australia, Brunei Darussalam,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Vanuatu and Vietnam
It is believed that the animal has possibly extinct from Thailand, while has
regionally extinct in Singapore.
Dated: 17/02/2015
1. 16 New entries in the kaiga Bird Census: According to a report, 16 new birds
have been spotted during the Kaiga Bird Marathon 2015 organized by the Kaiga
Atomic Power Centre. Till last year, the bird census had recorded 229 species of
birds. But, this year, the census report has registered 245 bird entries.
The bird census is being conducted by Nuclear Power Corporation of India
Limited (NPCIL) since 2011 under an environmental awareness programme.
The bird survey covers the areas surrounding Kaiga in Uttara Kannada district.
The new entries are : Alpine swift, Malabar trogon, Booted warbler, White-bellied
woodpecker, Oriental turtle dove, Indian pitta, Brown hawk eagle, White-spotted
pintail, Indian blackbird, Lesser adjutant stork, Common wood stork, Greater paintedsnipe, Paddyfield warbler, White cheeked pintail and Oriental white-eye
Dated: 18/02/2015
Canaries breathe easy, as gadgets enter mines
With the advent of a range of portable electronic toxic gas detectors, the canaries
are now set free and relieved from the dangerous job that they had been doing in the
coalmines of the Kothagudem region of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. With the
company introducing state-of-the-art handheld gas detectors with sensors and alarm
systems for deep excavation, the birds are no longer called in to play the role of an
early-warning system for carbon monoxide and other toxic gases in the mines.
Why Canaries were used?
The rapid breathing rate, small size and high metabolism of the canaries make them
die before miners do on inhaling toxic gases. The men can then be quickly
evacuated. The canaries used to be carried in cages and miners had to look for
distress signs in the birds.
Controversy:
Animal rights activists have been raising objections to the use of the birds. Canaries
have become a fast dwindling species now.
Sources: The Hindu.
Global Fertilizers use to surpass 200 million tonnes in 2018: FAO Report
The worlds fertilizer consumption will grow over by 1.8% a year through
2018. This has been confirmed through the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization)
Report, Worlds Fertilizers Trends and Outlook 2018, a press release. At the same
time the global capacity of fertilizer products, intermediaries and raw materials will
increase further, the report added.
As the potential to produce fertilizer outpace their use, the Global Potential Balance,
a technical term measuring the amount available over actual demand-will grow for
nitrogen, phosphate and potash-three of he main soil fertilizers.
Dated: 20/02/.2015
Millions at risk from rapid sea rise in Sunderbans: It has led to a million
exodus out of climate refugees creating enormous challenges for both India and
Bangladesh. Mud embankments build with crude hands are not enough for the
purpose. Losing the 26,000 sq km area would take an environmental toll.
Role in the environment: The freshwater swamps and the tangles of
mangroves act as a natural buffer protecting Indias West Bengal and Bangladesh
from cyclones. With rising temperature and increasing sea line seas have been
rising globally at ana average rate of 3mm per year; which is further expected to
speed up. The latest projection suggest that seas could rise at an average rate of
about 1 meter or 3.3 feet this century
January Missing Events:
Subramanium committee recommended single window system for
environment projects: High-level committee (HLC) headed by former Cabinet
Secretary T S R Subramanium; appointed by the Union Ministry of Environment
and Forests (MoEF) and Climate Change (CC) to review environmental laws.
Dated: 27/02/2015
1. Worlds first all-female patrol protecting rhino-poaching in Krugers
(South Africa): Poaching kills a rhino every seven hours in South Africa has been
brought under some control by employing an all-female patrol inside the Greater
Kruger national park. They are named as The Black Mambas are unarmed and
mainly consist of unemployed high school graduated from the adjoining locality.
Their main role is to stop any group before they poach a rhino. The Mambas are
the brain child of environmentalist and economist Mr Craig Spencer. Giraffes,
lions and many other species apart from rhinos are thus protected from the target
of poaching syndicates. The Mambas are the eyes and ears on the ground. The
numbers suggest that their employment has worked good for the safety of the
rhinos. As, no rhino has been reported to be poached in the past 10 months while
the adjacent parks have reported 23.
Dated: 28/02/2015
Antarcticas retreating Ice may reshape the earth: Water is melting away from the
icebergs of Antarctic, hitting the oceans, at the rate if 118 billion metric tonnes, for the
past decade based on the studies conducted by NASA. In the worst case scenario, this
melt could push over the ocean water levels to a height of around 10 feet worldwide in
a century or two, curving heavily populated coastlines. Though 97% of Antarctic is
still covered with ice, entire valleys are now free from it, ice is thinner
elsewhere and glaciers have retreated.
March
1. Ocean acts as Carbon Sink
----Oceans are at present CO2 sinks, and represent the largest active carbon sink on
Earth, absorbing more than a quarter of the carbon dioxide that humans put into the air.
On longer timescales they may be both sources and sinks.
A carbon sink is a natural or artificial reservoir that accumulates and stores
some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period. The
process by which carbon sinks remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is
known as carbon sequestration.
---Mechanism of Ocean acting as Carbon Sinks
The atmospheric CO2 enters the ocean through steady exchange at surface. This
is a physico-chemical process.
The difference in partial pressure of the CO2between seawater and air facilitate
gaseous exchange. The diffusion takes place until the partial pressures across the
air-water interface are equilibrated.
Microscopic photosynthetic phytoplankton utilizes CO2 during photosynthesis
The biological pump transfers carbon dioxide from the surface of the ocean to the
deep sea
CO2 reacts with seawater to form dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved free
Carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, Bicarbonate and Carbonate
The pH of seawater is regulated by the bicarbonate and carbonate concentrations
Marine organisms combine calcium and carbonate ions in the calcification
process and manufacture calcareous materials.
As the organisms die, their skeletal remains sinks and gets buried in sediments
Dated: 02/03/2015
The FIRST country to submit its Climate Action plan: SWTZERLAND
@ the UNFCC. It also submits its Intended nationality Determined Contribution
(INDC) ahead of the Paris Climate Talks committing to reduce the GHG emissions by
50%relative to 1990 levels by 2030. The rich European country promised that 30% of its
emissions will be controlled in Switzerland itself and the remaining in the many
countries abroad where it carries out its projects.
Dated: 03/03/2015
1. Google maps go Trekking in Amazon: Photos of the rainforests are now
visible at the Street View option of the app. This is done in collaboration with
the Environment Protection group Amazonas Sustainable Foundation of
the FAS, to explore a remote part of an Amazon rainforest. Since Google
developed the Trekker camera in 2012, the devise has been used in other unusual
journeys as well. The Trekker went scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands to take
underwater photograph of the preserve, and travelled on a dog sled in the
Canadian Arctic to photograph the Tundra.
2. Clean sector energy seeks more clarity: The renewable sector may find it
difficult to realize the targets set for them without the clarity on the funding of
various schemes announced in the budget, sector exports analyst said. The fund
that prevailed till now was announced by then then Fin Min Mr Pranab Mukherjee
when Coal Ind Ltd was supposed to pay Rs 50 for per tonne coal it raised
as a cess (set up on the principle of polluter pays). It was put as a corpus
for funding research and innovation in the renewable energy. Mr Jaitley raised this
to Rs 200 in the recent budget.
Dated: 04/03/2015
1. Deforestation hits monsoon says reports: According to a new study
conducted by the researchers at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore,
Widespread deforestation, especially in the northern high latitudes, has taken a
toll on the monsoon across the northern hemisphere, with rains over India
particularly badly affected.
Details of the Study: The study says that
Till 1750s, only about 7% of the global land area had been cleared for
agriculture and that proportion has since risen to around one-third.
Such deforestation has reduced rains in the monsoon regions of the Northern
Hemisphere. India was affected the most with global deforestation producing
18% reduction in the summer monsoons.
Not only that the Northern hemisphere was affected, even countries in the
Southern Hemisphere like South Africa, South America and Australia.
Reasons for the decrease in Rainfall in Northern high latitude regions:
When forests in the northern high latitudes are removed, more sunlight is reflected
back into space and this region gets cooled sharply. And hence, the rainfall is
affected.
.Share of cooling and warming particles decide the net positive and net
negative impact on various sources.
Moreover, if the Global radiative forcing of particles of various sources since
the Industrial revolution is tracked, it will be seen that while CO2, methane, BC
had a warming effect; organic compounds and sulphate had a cooling effect
on the planet. Thus all sources CANNOT be blamed for causing the warming of
the atmosphere. For instance open burning and residential biomass/biomass
based cook stoves have a much higher have much higher proportion of
Organic Carbon that scatter sunlight, thus yielding a net cooling effect. Thus
ironically, while CO2 emissions are tipping to the point, it is biomass energy of
the poor which is playing the compensating role.
But, Black carbon emissions from transport which either uses diesel/brick kilns
with inefficient combustion techniques have higher share of light absorbing
combustion techniques and this warms the atmosphere.
Source: Insights:
What do you mean by Black Carbon? What is its impact on ecosystem? (200
words)
Black Carbon is a fine particulate component (<2.5microns) which is either present in
soil (makes soil fertile) or in atmosphere (short lived GHG effect.). It is emitted by
incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, crops chaffs, brick kiln, bagasse burning,
inefficient diesel engine or other anthropogenic factors.
Impact on ecosystem
(1.) When deposited in snow, ice or cloud they absorb sunlight which otherwise were
reflected. Hence, it raises the temperature leading to faster melting of glaciers and ice.
Sometimes they are trapped in snow and keep on absorbing sunlight.
(2.) Black carbon like CFCs, HFCs, Methanes and other short lived GHGs remains in
atmosphere for 2 weeks to 1 year, but during this period they do good amount of
damage.
(3.) Right now, no country is observing the Black Carbon emission as it is not included in
Kyoto Protocol list and only emitters are India and China in vast amount.
(4.) Most vulnerable people are living in rural areas and working in Brick Kiln as they
breathe the Black Carbon. Also village women who cook in wood, fossil fuels and saw
dust are prone to pulmonary disease due to Black Carbon.
(5.) One of the constituent in smog during winter season, it also affects health of people
in traffic.
Though it is not a long lived GHG and harms potently to environment. But measures to
stop emission of Black Carbon should be taken seriously by Govt of developing nations.
Dated: 12/03/2015
1. Rare Snow Leopard spotted in China: In the Tianshan Mountains in NW
China Xinjiang province; after a gap of 10 years. They were captured in infrared cameras three in number. Snow Leopards are one of Chinas Category A
endangered animals, are usually found in the Himalayan ranges in
Central and South Asia. According to researchers, the pictures showed an
increase in the number of the species within the area as well as balanced
ecosystems
2. Jaisalmers breat-taking sand dunes fast losing their awe : And turning
into garbage dumps as a result of unregulated tourist flow. Broken beer bottles,
Unchecked footfall, movement of vehicles right up to the dunes and camel carts
ferrying tourists are taking a heavy toll of the natural sand dunes which used to
be about 55 to 60 metres in height about 30 years ago, and have now
reduced to half, the locals claims. But, none seems to be complaining since
tourism is the main source of livelihood for the local population in Jaisalmer
district which is very close to the international border along Pakistan.
Apart from these, plastic wrappers and all sorts of environmentally hazardous
items are not only being left behind by the tourists but, more shockingly, buried
under the sand by the camp operators.
3. Rhino numbers rise in West bengal: West Bengal is now home to the
second highest population of the one-horned rhinoceros in the country
after Assam, with the number growing to 250 in the State.
----A State Forest Department survey in January has revealed that the Jaldapara
National Park in the State has nearly 200 of these endangered animals and the
Gorumara National Park, 50.
---- Jaldapara now has the second highest population of them after the Kaziranga
National Park in Assam, which has over 2,000. The increase in number from 20 in
1990 to 250 now is a major feat.
----This is the result of conservation efforts and [work of] our local communities,
One Horned Rhino: (Vulnerable species) One horned rhino is the highest
population among all the other species of rhino. Once found across the entire
Northern part of India, populations were severely depleted due to human
interference like poaching, hunting for sport and used as agricultural pests. This
pushed the species close to extinction by 1975 there were only 600 individuals
surviving in the wild.
2012: conservation efforts saw the population grow to over 3,000 in
the Terai Arc Landscape of India and Nepal, and the grasslands of
Assam and north Bengal in northeast India.
4. Oldest primitive animal fossil found in China: Scientists have discovered the
earliest and most credible primitive animal fossil in 600-million-yearold rocks in southwest China. The research led by Chinese scientists
described a well-preserved, rice grain-sized primitive sponge fossil in the Guizhou
Province, The discovery will help remove doubts whether animals have emerged
on earth 600 million years ago,
Significance of the Discovery: The discovery will help remove doubts whether
animals have emerged on earth 600 million years ago.
Description of the species: The fossilized animal, slightly more than 1.2-mm
wide and 1.1-mm tall, displays many characteristics of modern adult sponges, an
analysis based on advanced imaging techniques found. The specimen is
composed of hundreds of thousands of cells, and has a structure consisting of
three adjacent hollow tubes sharing a common base, the researchers said.
5. Mars once had larger Sea than the Arctic Ocean: Ancient Mars was likely to
have possessed a primitive ocean that held more water than the Earths Arctic
Ocean, the US space agency NASA said. Perhaps about 4.3 billion years ago,
Mars would have had enough water to cover the entire surface in a
liquid layer about 450 feet (137 metres) deep. More likely, the water would
have formed an ocean occupying almost half of Mars northern hemisphere, in
some regions reaching depths greater than a mile (1.6 kilometres). In all, the red
planets early ocean would have contained 20 million cubic kilometres of water,
but since then, 87 per cent of that water has been lost to space.
Comparisons: By comparing the ratio of heavy water containing deuterium, a
heavier form of hydrogen, with regular water, scientists believed that Mars
must have lost a volume of water 6.5 times larger than the amount
trapped in the present polar caps.
An early ocean on Mars containing the lost water would have covered 19 per cent
of the planets surface, they said. By comparison, the Atlantic Ocean occupies 17
per cent of the Earths surface.
6. Sindhudurg comes alive with a pristine coral collection: The Zoological
Survey of India (ZSI) has found three new records of coral reef on the Sindhudurg
coast near Malvan of Maharashtra during a recent survey. Efforts to protect the
reef with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) which has sanctioned Rs. 80 lakh towards capacity building of the local
people.
As per the coral species are concerned, the three new additions are: Goniatsrea
sp, Porites sp and Turbinaria sp.
----THREE new records of coral reefs have been found by the ZSI in the said
region.
----Unlike the reefs found in other parts of the country Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of
Kutch, Lakshadweep
and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands those in Malvan
are still unbleached.
Coral reefs stand second only to rainforests in the biodiversity of
species.
Possible threats of Coral reefs:
Fragile ecosystems, partly because they are very sensitive to water
temperature
They are under threat from climate change, oceanic acidification, blast
fishing, cyanide fishing for aquarium fish, sunscreen use, overuse of reef
resources, and harmful land-use practices, including urban and agricultural
runoff and water pollution, which can harm reefs by encouraging excess
algal growth.
Efforts to protect Coral Reefs in India
----Efforts are on to protect the reef with the assistance of the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP), which has sanctioned Rs. 80 lakh towards capacity building of the local people.
----The ZSI had earlier transplanted coral reef from the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu to
the Gulf of Kutch in
Gujarat over one square km with assistance from the World Bank .
Dated: 14/03/2015
1. Forest, ecology, environment clearances through a single portal now: In
order to bring more transparency in the process, The Ministry of environment,
forests, and climate change (MoEF&CC)is rolling out a single portal to be up and
running from March 15th. This is for the online submission for monitoring the
environmental, forests and wildlife clearances integrating wildlife clearance
with forest and environment. The Ministry also sent a circular to all States Forest
Secretaries and Chief Wildlife wardens asking them to tell user agencies to
submit their proposals online. This portal would facilitate monitoring of proposals
of user agencies for seeking wildlife clearances along with other two clearances.
2. US Scientists questions Green nod to Indian Hydel projects: A top
American researcher has questioned the scientific accuracy of EIA reports for
Indias Hydel power projects criticizing the process behind environmental
clearances as being manipulative. This is based on his research for over 20
years, focusing on public culture and environmental issues. The Subansiri and the
Dihang projects in the NE India were among them. He is the author of the book:
On the Banks of the Ganga: When Waste Water meets a Sacred river.
3. Goa beaches to be studied for carrying capacity: Goa will rope in the
National institute of Oceanography (NIO) to study the carrying capacity of tis
beaches in a bid to control pollution and proliferation of the beach shacks. The
board has decided to Ask NIO for the study to know how many shacks will be
required to put ideally on a stretch on beach. Goa based NIO is a Central govt
Agency that functions under the aegis of Council of Scientific and Industrial
research. The shacks are licensed before every tourist season and have to be
dismantled before the monsoon season. This will also look into the issues related
to sewage management and solid waste management in beach shacks.
Dated: 18/03/2015
1. New butterfly species spotted In West Bengal: This is considered to be a
significant addition to the butterfly species. Wildlife enthusiasts have found the
Malayan Green Banded Peacock (Papilio palinurus), a beautiful specimen
found in South East Asia, for the first time in India.
----This was spotted in Chintamany Kar Wildlife Sanctuary in South 24 pgs
district in Bengal. Referred to as the flagship species, butterflies are not
only pollinators of flowering plants, but also useful in monitoring
environmental changes. While there are about 600 known species of
butterflies in West Bengal, India is home to about 1,500 species of butterflies.
This particular species of butterfly which has been discovered is also found in the
Southern Myanmar and peninsular Thailand south-eastern into Borneo
and the Phillipines
Additional Information: West Bengal is probably the only State which is home
to a wide variety of peacock butterflies such as the rare Krishna Peacock, Blue
Peacock, the relatively common Paris Peacock, Common Peacock and
Common Banded Peacock. The only other Peacock butterfly found in the
country is Buddha Peacock or Malabar Banded Peacock, which is endemic to
south India.
Source: the Hindu
2. Impact of rising temperature on pests: The effects are claimed to be several
and complex. Climate change resulting in increased temperature could impact
crop pest insect population in several complex ways. Increased temperature can
potentially affect insect survival, development, geographic range and population
size.
Some of the possible impacts can be stated as follows:
Temperature can impact insect physiology and development directly
or indirectly through the physiology or existence of hosts.
Depending on the development strategy of an insect species, temperature
can exert different effects.
Reproductive biology of an insect may be affected both positively
and negatively: (Climate, temperature and precipitation in particular);
Warmer temperatures in temperate climates will result in more types and
higher populations of insects. Some insects like arctic moths take several
years to complete one lifecycle.
Of the total 78.92 million ha forest and tree cover in the country, only 0.8
million ha of forests has been certified so far.
The total supply of certified wood in India is less than 10 per cent of the
total demand.
The major reason for little progress has been the governments
reluctance to subject the forests managed by it to an independent and
third party scrutiny (Like any private owned insitutions, like we have in
most of the Latin American/European countries).
Source: Down to Earth
5. Climate change, migration burdening urban areas in Bay of Bengal:
Rising urban population following forced migration from rural areas is a result
of climate change and poses a burden upon urban risk-reduction efforts,
aver experts from Bay of Bengal countries. The forced migration as a result of
climate impact is adding burden to manage urban risk reduction efforts.
The experts adopted a 'Charter for Disaster Risk Reduction' with key policy
recommendations for the ongoing World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
(WCDRR) in Sendai, Japan.
The document also brought to the fore the need to localise disaster risk-reduction
(DRR) approaches.
The Charter was adopted in a workshop where majority of the BOB nations in SE
Asia participated.
Focus should be on:
Urban centres must have the plan to address the issues for migrants to the
cities and develop a comprehensive strategy to promote resilience with
necessary skills to address their vulnerabilities.
There is also the necessity to strengthen institutional instruments to support
data management, habitat planning and capacity building.
Weak resource management as well as faulty development design and
initiatives have created several challenges in urban areas such as flood,
health related problems.
Importance of inclusion of social parameters
Strengthening the linkages between science, policy and practice for a
comprehensive engagement finally resulting in policies and strategies that
lead to benefits for the communities at risk.
Source: The TOI
Dated: 20/03/2015
1. The differentiated impacts of climate change/Part 1: Different countries
are acting different, given the muddling motives to change . Climate
change is a global phenomenon caused by all of us in differing extents and
affecting all of us in different ways.
In Climate Change, the key players together constitute more than 50% of the
world GDP, population and CO2 emissions. They are the US, China, the
European Union and India.
Lets start with the US. The US is geographically and politically very
diverse. California and the US Southwest are and will be hit hardest
by the changing climate. Much like India, they will become drier, so
households and agriculture will be sorely beset. The rich and famous in
Hollywood already spend crores of rupees a year in buying water. Forest fires,
encouraged by increasing drought and heat, burned 9.2 million acres of forest
in 2012 (roughly the size of Kerala) with rising risks to health and property. So
its not surprising that Arnold Schwarzenegger, erstwhile Terminator and
current governor of California, is a committed climate change fighter.
Moving to the East Coast: Hurricane Sandy that hit the US in 2012 left behind
$60 billion in property damage and 150 deaths in its wake. The Northeast will
be pounded by heavy rainfall and powerful storms as the climate warms
leaving expensive infrastructure and the urban poor vulnerable to flooding
and its aftermath.
The rest of the US will be affected by climate change but manageably so and
many parts like the Midwest might even benefit with longer crop growing
cycles and nicer weather.
The Great plains of America is home to oil companies and oil-derived wealth
and the fracking (getting oil & gas from shale rock) revolution - they will not
want to give that up easily to lessen climate change especially as they are not
impacted too much.
CHINA: China is a powerful country with an average 1.3 billion mouths to feed
and a third of its workforce in agriculture. Dust storms now bombard the
capital, frequent droughts have begun to plague agriculture, floods
and storms threaten the prosperous south-eastern cities and the air
is thick with haze. Heat waves threaten the urban Chinese and incidence of
dengue is set to increase. Many of Chinas glaciers are predicted to disappear
by 2050 further impacting agriculture, especially in the dryer north. China has
woken up to the dangers of climate change and in typical Chinese fashion, has
started to act. From next to nothing, China has the largest installed wind
power capacity today and is targeting 70 GW of solar installations by 2017. It
is the worlds largest solar panel manufacturer. China has been building
another great wall - one made of trees to prevent sandstorms over Beijing.
In August 2005, the dike was replaced by a dam (Kok-Aral) built by Kazakhstan. In
the case of the small sea, the dike and dam raised and stabilised the water level,
leading to greatly improved ecological conditions. But the large Aral Sea was not
so fortunate. It continued to dry up and by the early 2000s had divided into a
shallow eastern lobe and a deep western lobe connected by a channel.
In October 2014, the eastern lobe dried up completely for the first time
in modern times, according to NASA. The seabed that emerged is now known as
the Aralkum desert.
Factors responsible:
While experts hold the former Soviet Unions economic policies responsible
for the shrinking of the sea, they also blame the areas geopolitics for the
death of the water body.
The Aral Sea is located in a place which is still Russias backyard and where
Russian influence reigns and competes with forces of Islamic extremism
and Sinic and Western influence.
Soviet central government, by expanding irrigation in the basin beyond the
point of environmental sustainability, dried up the sea.
n fact, 2014 saw a string of events in the regions vicinityRussian
annexation of Crimea, unrest in Ukraine, soured Russian-West relations,
global jihad and the continued rise of China.
All these events indirectly influence the future of the sea. Local
governments in the catchment area have a lot of other things to do now.
Saving the Aral Sea is not the primary task for them
Ecological and Human Impact:
The vibrant commercial fishing industry that developed in the first half
of the 20th Century ended in the early 1980s as indigenous catch species
disappeared owing to rising salinity and loss of shallow spawning and
feeding areas.
The sea basin, which was once a habitat for more than 70 species of
mammals and 319 of birds, has only 32 species of mammals and 160 of
birds.
Navigation on the sea also ceased by the 1980s as efforts to keep the
increasingly long channels open to the ports of Aralsk at the northern end
in Kazakhstan and Muynak at the southern end in Karakalpakstan became
too difficult and costly.
There has been continual desertification in the area. Salt has
accumulated on the surface forming pans where practically nothing will
grow.
Salt-tolerant plants and drought-tolerant plants have replaced endemic
vegetation.
Strong winds, particularly in spring, blow salt and dust from the dried
bottom of the sea on to surrounding land.
Owing to the seas shrinkage, climate has changed in a band up to 100 km
wide along the former shoreline in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,
As a result, maritime conditions have been replaced by desert-like regimes.
Summers have warmed and winters cooled, spring frosts are later and fall
frosts earlier, humidity is lower, and the growing season shorter,
The population around the sea suffers health problems. Bacterial
contamination of drinking water is pervasive and has led to high rates of
typhoid, viral hepatitis and dysentery. Tuberculosis is prevalent as is
anaemia, particularly in pregnant woman. Liver and kidney ailments are
endemic.
Future Implications:
Uzbekistan government has finally announced a US $2 billion
package to revive the water body. The project will be funded through
international loans that will be repaid by the Uzbek government and
International Fund for Salvation of the Aral Sea, which includes Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Dated: 23/03/2015
1. Australian Blueprint for saving the Great Barrier Reef: A plan to save
Australias Great Barrier Reef from destruction was announced as Prime Minister
Tony Abbott sought to persuade the United Nations that the World Heritage site
was not in danger. The reef has lost about 50 per cent of its coral in the
past 30 years, due partly to ocean acidification caused by greenhouse gas
emissions; the dumping of spoil from the dredging of sea channels; and
pollution from agricultural chemicals. Plagues of venomous crown-of-thorns
starfish, which eat coral, have also caused widespread damage. Australias 35year plan envisages spending more than 1bn over the next decade to protect
the reef. An initial sum of 52m will be used to cut the run-off of sediment,
fertilisers and pesticides into the sea, which Steven Miles, the state of
Queenslands environment minister, said was the biggest medium-term threat.
The reef contributed about 3bn a year to the economy.
2. Madhav Gadgil wins Tyler prize: Ecologist Madhav Gadgil has been chosen
for the prestigious Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement for 2015.
Achievements: Gadgil was the Chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology
Expert Panel (WGEEP). Dr. Gadgils report on the preservation of the
unique ecosystem of the Western Ghats was specially cited as the reason for
the honour, besides his contributions to the crafting of the National Biodiversity
Act, 2002.
Fellow winners: Gadgil will share the $200,000 cash prize with American
marine ecologist Jane Lubchenco for their work in changing policy and
especially for their leadership and engagement in the development of
conservation and sustainability policies in the United States, India and
internationally.
About the Prize: Prize for Environmental Achievement is an award for
environmental science, environmental health, and energy. Tyler Laureates receive
a $200,000 annual prize and a gold medallion. The prize is administered by the
University of Southern California and was established by John and Alice Tyler in
1973.
3. Arctic Sea Ice hits a record low this winterAs the planet gets hotter, Arctic
sea ice gets a record melting percentage even this winter. In the Unsettling new
milestone, Arctic sea ice, made of frozen seawater floating in the ocean, usually
expands in the cold winter months, reaching a "maximum" around February or
March. But this year, the winter maximum appears to be the lowest on record:
Satellite investigations began as earlier as 1979 when it was noted that
Arctic ice declines at the extent of 3-4% per decade---The decline in sea ice
has been especially pronounced during the summer months, where Arctic sea ice
extent has declined roughly 40 percent over the past three decades, and the ice
has lost significant volume,
Once the sea ice hits its winter maximum, it will start melting over the spring and
summer months. Back in August 2012, Arctic sea ice extent hit its lowest
level ever recorded, but then rebounded a bit in the summers of 2013 and 2014.
Scientists point out that the melt is driven by Global Warming, as well as by other
pollutants humans put into the atmosphere.
This vanishing sea ice has the following conseqiuences
1. Unlocking once frozen areas of oil and gas explorations
2. Potentially mucking with weather patterns in North America and Europe.
If this decline continues then we are likely to see a year when th Arctic will be
potentially ice free in the summer months.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) simply says an ice-free
Arctic in September is "likely" before 2050 under high global-warming scenarios.
The scientists warn that the Earth's natural ability to store and
mediate the gases through oceans, plants, and other means may
be approaching a saturation point, which could exacerbate
current warming. Not all scientists agree, however.
The World Meteorological Organization's annual report "shows that, far
from falling, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
actually increased last year at the fastest rate for nearly 30 years,
This trend has to be reversed by cutting emissions of CO2 and other GHGs
Carbon dioxide levels rose more between 2012 and 2013 than during any
other year since 1984.
The report showed that between 1990 and 2013, the energy in the
atmosphere increased by 34 percent.
The surge was driven by a concentration of carbon dioxide that is 42
percent higher than the level in the pre-industrial era (prior to 1750).
Methane and nitrous oxide were 153 percent and 21 percent higher,
respectively, than pre-industrial levels, although their overall numbers are
much lower than carbon dioxide's.
Cautioning systems
1. Normally, about a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions into the
atmosphere are absorbed by plants, while another quarter dissolves
into the ocean.
2. But the ability to plants and oceans to keep on absorbing excess greenhouse
gases may be slowing as those systems approach what may be a saturation
point,
3. The record high levels of CO2 gas was related to the r educed CO2 uptake by the
earth's biosphere in addition to the steadily increasing CO2 emissions,
4. CO2 remains in the atmosphere for many hundreds of years and in the oceans
for more longer. Thus it is also related to the increased acidity in the ocean
waters
4. Ozone facts---- Ozone is a colorless gas. Chemically, ozone is very active; it
reacts readily with a great many other substances.
Near the Earths surface, those reactions cause rubber to crack, hurt plant
life, and damage peoples lung tissues.
But ozone also absorbs harmful components of sunlight, known as
ultraviolet B, or UV-B.
High above the surface, above even the weather systems, a tenuous layer
of ozone gas absorbs UV-B, protecting living things below.
Dobson Unit-- The Dobson Unit (DU) is the unit of measure for total ozone. If
you were to take all the ozone in a column of air stretching from the surface of
the earth to space, and bring all that ozone to standard temperature (0
Celsius) and pressure (1013.25 millibars, or one atmosphere, or atm), the
column would be about 0.3 centimeters thick. Thus, the total ozone would be
0.3 atm-cm. To make the units easier to work with, the Dobson Unit is
defined to be 0.001 atm-cm. Our 0.3 atm-cm would be 300 DU.
Ozone Hole--- Each year for the past few decades during the Southern Hemisphere
spring, chemical reactions involving chlorine and bromine cause ozone in the southern
polar region to be destroyed rapidly and severely. This depleted region is known as the
ozone hole.
The area of the ozone hole is determined from a map of total column ozone. It
is calculated from the area on the Earth that is enclosed by a line with a
constant value of 220 Dobson Units. The value of 220 Dobson Units is chosen since
total ozone values of less than 220 Dobson Units were not found in the historic
observations over Antarctica prior to 1979. Also, from direct measurements over
Antarctica, a column ozone level of less than 220 Dobson Units is a result of the ozone
loss from chlorine and bromine compounds.
5. What is meant by Ecotourism--Ecotourism is a new approach in tourism sector. Several terms relating to
ecotourism such as, sustainable tourism, green tourism, rural tourism, communitybased tourism, responsible tourism etc have been emerged over the last 20 years or so.
Eco tourism means preserving travel to natural areas to appreciate the cultural
and natural history of the environment, taking care, not to disturb the integrity of the
ecosystem, while creating economic opportunities that make conservation and
protection of natural resources advantageous for local people.
India, the land of varied geography offers several tourist destinations that not just
de-stress but also rejuvenate you. The few places like the Himalayan Region, Kerala, the
northeast India, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the Lakshdweep islands are some of
the places where you can enjoy the treasured wealth of the Mother Nature. Thenmala in
Kerala is the first planned ecotourism destination in Indiacreated to cater to the Ecotourists and nature lovers.
The India topography boasts an abundant source of flora & fauna. India has
numerous rare and endangered species in its surroundings. The declaration of several
wildlife sanctuaries and national parks has encouraged the growth of the wildlife
resource. Currently, there are about 80 national parks and 441 sanctuaries in India,
which works for the protection and conservation of wildlife resource in India.
There are numerous Botanical and Zoological Gardens in India, which are working
towards the enhancement of the Ecosystem. Poaching has been stopped to large
extent. There are several animal & plant rights organisations, which fight for the rights
of the animals and plants. Numerous organisations and NGOs are coming forward to
provide environmental education to the common people at the grass root level.
510-Bird species
180-Amphibian species
260-Reptile species
Major threats to the Ghats
The ecological imbalance and the regular rhythm of the nature is mainly
attributed to the unfettered axing of trees and thus paving the way for the
desertification of the zone.
The Red Data Book published in 2012 signal that the fauna of the Ghats is
increasingly depleted and decimated over the years.
Unscientific methods over fishing especially electro-fishing, dynamiting,
industrial effluents, introduction of exotic species.
Illegal mining is found rampant especially in Goa and Karnataka. Mining
activities badly necessitate enormous quantum of water which in turn causes
siphoning off water into mining pits. Naturally, there is dearth of water for
farming and drinking.
The large scale thermal plants such as cement, iron and steel in the states of
the Ghats heighten the temperature of nearby regions by dissolving toxic
chemicals from air.
Thermal power plants emit fly ash containing lead and mercury which is
deposited in river and thereby turn detrimental to the reproductive cycle of
fishes.
Steps taken by the GOI
The GOI followed the mandate of the National Development Council,
promulgated the execution of the Western Ghats Development Programme in the
Fifth FYP (1974-79)
9th 5YP onwards wherein watershed based development approach became the
watchword:- in order to check the water erosion, optimize the use of natural
resources
Major Committees Formed
1. Madhav Gadgil Committee (Specified): Madhav Gadgil, famous ecologist, was
deputed to be the chairman of Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel. The main
objective of the Committee is to study the ecological and environmental issues
hovering around Western Ghats and give salutary recommendations:He submitted Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ) into three zones.
Zone 1: Needs highest protection.
Zone 2: Needs intermediate protection.
Zone 3: Needs moderate protection
2. Kasturirangan Committee--The Kasturirangan panel was set up by GOI to
study the Gadgil committee report on Western Ghats. The Committees report
was brought to light on 18/04/2013. Some of the crucial recommendations are: There should be complete ban on mining activities in Ecologically Sensitive
Areas (ESA).
Around 6,000sq km of Western Ghats, spread across six states, should be
turned into a no-go area for commercial activities like mining, thermal
power plants, polluting industries and large housing plans.
The ongoing mining activities should also be banned within 5 years or as
and when mining lease is expired.
90% of the natural forests left in the Ghats to be conserved under the ESA
provisions.
Also this 90% of the area adds up to .60,000 sq km and constituting about
37% of the entire hilly beltbe conserved under the Ecologically Sensitive
Area (ESA) provisions of the green law.
The forests area falling within the ESA would also cover 4,156 villages
across the six states. The villages falling under ESA will be involved in
decision making on the future projects. All projects will require priorinformed consent and no-objection from the gram sabha (village council) of
the village.
Dated: 13/04/3015
3. Lakshadweep has been facing a drastic decline in coral cover in
recent years. Discuss various environmental and anthropogenic
factors behind this phenomenon. How can El Nino be disastrous for
the worlds coral reefs? Illustrate-----Lakshadweep is one of the best regions of India for coral formation and of late this has
been facing a decline in coral formation.
As reported in early 2010, the coral cover of the area was 27% which dropped till 11%
because of the May 2010 bleaching. The effects were most pronounced in the
Karavatti region of Lakshadweep.
--this decline is producing serious threat to the marine community and the livelihood
prospects of the local community.
Some of the factors which contributed to these phenomena can be listed hence
1. Environmental
Climate change-- the rise in sea surface temperature due to El-Nino
phenomenon during 1998 caused extensive coral reef bleaching impacting
over 40 to 90% of live coral cover
Coastal erosionserious problem faced by the islands every year leading to
coral loss
Increased sedimentation and pollution of water also affects the delicate
balance of coral and their survival need
El Ninothis is an anomaly and not well understood phenomena, and often
cited as the major reason for coral bleaching according to scientists.
Further, it is well established that the last big El Nio in 1997/98 caused the worst
coral bleaching in recorded history. In total, 16% of the worlds coral was los t and
some countries like the Maldives lost up to 9 0% of their reef coverage
Corals are a symbiotic relationship between the microbe which provides its
nutrients and it ends up making its shell, all happening at an Optimum
temperature. Warming of the sea ends this relationship, and ends up destroying
them. Moreover, in that process corals do not get the required nutrients and
hence get depleted.
Thought they have the capacity to recover, but the enhanced global warming has
pared this down.
2. Anthropogenic
Population Pressure Changing demographic pattern and lifestyle, coupled
with resource harvest from the reefs have brought many reefs in the
Lakshadweep to various degrees of stress.
Developmental Activities-- Overexploitation and mind less mining of coral reef
colonies led to degrading of coral reef.
Coral Tourism-- Lakshadweep increasingly being promo ted as major tourist
destination for sea sports like scuba diving. This results in environmental
pollution particularly of sea water
Suggestions
Monitoring
Limits to fishing and other water activities
Snorkeling should also be limited as human activities and tourism cause coral to
get destroyed
Mining should also be under control
Cap of carbon emissions
Dated: 15/04/2015
1. The Great Indian Bustard, a critical analysisGenerally recognized as
Critically Vulnerable and Endangered; protected in the sanctuaries of Gujarat
and Rajasthan needs special care and protection due to its rapid declining trend.
Cause of Vulnerability
Degradation of Grassland
Unprotected Lekking sites
Overgrazing of grasslands
Hunting
Feral dogs
Unprotected eggs
Integrated measures
(a) Improvisation of GrasslandBetterment of grassland with special care and
protection
(b) Awareness- An integrated process of Public awareness contributed by the
naturalist and specialist can take special measures to protect nesting ground;
lekking sites which can substantially raise the population of great Indian bustard.
(c) Government Efforts--Government effort like forming special task force for
protecting bustard from hunting in conjugation with international efforts can
really help keeping intact the population of great Indian bustard.
--In all the aforesaid way, government has been able to protect Narcondum
hornbill and Amur Falcon ; in that way great Indian bustard also requires special
protection. They are the jewel of nature and a combined process of NGOS ;
government; naturalist and above all common people can save them.
Is water vapor more disastrous than Carbon di oxide : Global Warming Issue
Water vapor, which accounts for 98 percent of the greenhouse effect. Doesn't this
inconvenient truth wholly discredit your little global-warming charade
It's unassailably true that water vapor is the gas most responsible for the
greenhouse effect.
Greenhouse gases let shortwave solar radiation through the atmosphere, but
impede the escape of long-wave radiation from the Earth's surface.
This process keeps the planet at a livable temperature: Without a suitably
balanced mixture of water vapor, CO2, methane, and other gases in the
atmosphere, the planet's average surface temperature would be somewhere
between -9 and -34 degrees Fahrenheit, rather than the balmy 59 degrees it is
today.
By mass and volume, water vapor is the most prevalent greenhouse gas in the
atmosphere.
According to both the International Panel on Climate Change and manyglobal
climate models, water vapor accounts for somewhere between 60 percent and
70 percent of the greenhouse effect.
The skeptical argument thus goes something like this: Since water vapor is the
most potent greenhouse gas, and since this vapor is created through natural
evaporation rather than human activity, the current warming trend is nothing
to worry aboutjust the Earth going through a normal climatic cycle.
However for the gas to create GH warming, it must be aided by temperatureas
we know The amount of water vapor the atmosphere can hold is almost purely a
function of temperaturethe warmer the air gets, the more vapor it's able to
glean from the planet
We know, for example, that the atmospheric water content over the oceans
has increased (PDF) by 0.41 kilograms per square meter every 10 years since
1988.
Well, over that same time period, global emissions of carbon dioxide
have soared.
And unlike water vapor, which returns to Earth as precipitation within a week of
entering the atmosphere, CO2 sticks around for between 50 and 200 years.
Carbon dioxide accounts for approximately 25 percent of the greenhouse effect,
so it's pretty clear that the dramatic increase in atmospheric CO 2 is playing a
significant role in recent warming. (This warming might have been even
greater if not for the ability of the planet's oceans to absorb heat.)
Thus the atmosphere is able to absorb more WV aided by CO2which goes on
creating procedural amplification.
-----So anthropogenic CO2 serves as the chief engine of global warming, with
water vapor playing a crucial secondary role. Ex: According to the IPCC, if
CO2 emissions were to double, water vapor would amplify the resulting
temperature change by another 60 percent
Remaining updates
1. Typhoon Haiyaan: Phllipines: Impacts--- In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan devastated
the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying nearly $3 billion
worth of property. Typically, when people think of flooding or sea level rise, they
look at how its going to drown out villages and roads, but all these effects
propagate underground where the aquifers are.
2. India proposes changes to International treaty on Ozone Layer--Opening the door to using the Montreal Protocol to phase out climatedamaging Hydroflouro Carbons (HFCs), India has this week moved an
amendment to the international treaty that seeks to protect the ozone
layer.India's new position on expanding the protocol to cover HFCs indicates
that the country has come around on an issue on which it had reservations for
long.
March Updates
1. After years of the world becoming modern as many as 2.67 billion peopleover
40 per cent of the worlds peoplestill burn biomass in their inefficient and dirty
cook stoves. This is another wicked problem. Efforts to provide clean energy for
cooking began in the early 1980s, when the world was worried, not about the
pollution from stoves, but about the prospect of losing forests because of
firewood collection. This did not happen in a country like India. Even today rural
and poor Indians, constituting 75 per cent of the population, use inefficient stoves
and inhale toxins that are now understood to be the worlds number one killer
BLACK CARBON
2. Dark future of Coal
India is pushing for a more coal-based power generation but recent reports
raise serious concerns over
the viability of coal-fired plants
Indias coal-based power plants have doubled in capacity over the past two Plan
periods between 2002 and 2012 and currently stands at 160 gigawatt or GW (60 per
cent of total).
We rank third in the world behind China and the US in terms of coal-based power
generation.
Large reserves coupled with favorable economics have spurred capacity addition in
coal power over the past decade.
In 2012, the Planning Commission (now replaced by NITI Aayog) had forecast that
capacity addition will continue at this robust pace and almost double again by 2022.
In 2011, a study by Prayas Energy Group found that more than 200 GW of coalbased capacity had been
approved by the Union environment ministry for the 12th Five Year Plan period (till
2017) alone against
a requirement of 70 GW.
Another 500 GW was awaiting approval. The study noted that this combined capacity
was three times the capacity additions required till 2032. This could result in locking
up of significant financial resources and create stranded assets in generation and
transmission.
According to a report by CoalSwarm and Sierra Club Boom and Bust: Tracking the
Global Coal Plant Pipeline a large number of these projects have either been
stalled or shelved.
Construction began on just 9 GW of the proposed 500 GW between up to mid-2014.
Between 2010 and 2012, the ratio of completed to cancelled projects was about 2:1.
Between 2012 and 2014, this increased to a shocking 6:1, highlighting the severity of
problems in the sector.
Trigger for protests
Worsening air quality, displacement due to land acquisition, forest destruction, impacts
of fly ash
disposal and conflicts over water use have triggered protests from local communities
against setting up
of plants.
The Centre for Science and Environments (CSE) Green Rating Project (GRP) notes that
the
environmental impacts of this expansion have been severe.
In its recent publication, titled Heat on Power [4] , GRP observed that plants in critically
polluted areas in India (as defined by Comprehensive Environmental Assessment of
Industries or CEPI) contributed to more than a third of the total installed capacity.
Even existing new plants are suffering from poor capacity utilisation (PLF). In 2013-14,
PLF for thermal
power plants dipped to 65 per cent, which is the lowest level in 14 years and has
stagnated at the same
level in 2014-15 as well. This further questions the need for new plants when existing
plants are not
being utilised fully.
The focus for coal-based power sector should be efficient management, especially in
the areas of PLF,
efficiency improvement, pollution control, water consumption and ash utilisation.
Whether there really
is a need for more coal-based generation needs to be debated after taking into account
the projects
already in the pipeline and the aggressive expansion of renewables, mainly solar, said
Umesh Bapat,
former vice-president (operations) of Tata Power Company Limited.
Who will fund them?
Global financial institutions like World Bank have also committed to not
finance dirty coal projects
-----This means project developers have to seek out domestic sources of funding.
However, domestic
Financial institutions are already facing massive accumulation of non-performing assets
(NPAs) on account of the power sector, and are unlikely to lend given the uncertainties
involved.
The impacts are already being felt by BHEL, Indias largest power generation equipment
maker. Its profits slumped by 70 per cent consecutively in the second and third quarter
of 2014-15 due to lack of orders.
Uncertain coal supply is an added constraint for plants. Coal India Limited (CIL) is
notoriously inefficient
-----However, many countries in the region have been able to tap only a small
fraction of their available potential.
----Out of the 42,000 MW potential reported in Nepal, only about 2 per cent is
harnessed so far, whereas Pakistan has harnessed 11 per cent of its total
potential.
Still, people in both these countries face many hours of scheduled power cuts.
2. Water and environmentVital role for ecosystem services esp in riparian
areas;Freshwater ecosystems in particular largely depend on the specific flow
regime of rivers passing through them.
----However, due to intervention of infrastructure development, the flow regime
changes in the downstream areas, where, in many cases, communities depend on
water resources for livelihoods such as fishing.
----A major concern is how to make sure that a certain minimum flow is
maintained so as to sustain freshwater supply and support dependent
ecosystems. There is very weak monitoring of the minimum flow requirement in
the region.
3. Water for Food-Both being essential ingredients for human survival and
development. Agriculture is a major contributor to the GDP of countries in HKH.
In Nepal, it contributes to 35 per cent of the national GDP.
The Indus river system is a source of irrigation for about 144,900 hectares of
land, whereas the Ganges basin provides irrigation for 156,300 hectares of
agricultural land. Access to water resources for food production and their
sustainable management is a concern from the local to national level. Amid rapid
environmental and socio-economic changes, the growing population will require
more water and food, and equitable access to vital resources has become a major
question. Sustainable solutions to these problems require efficient use of water
resources for agricultural use in which technological innovation plays a vital role
4. Water and disaster--Due to its physical setting, the HKH region is prone to
various water-induced hazards (landslides, floods, glacial lake outburst floods,
and droughts). Every year, during the monsoon season, floods wreak havoc on
the mountains and the plains downstream. These floods are often trans-boundary.
Globally, 10 per cent of all floods are trans-boundary, and they cause over
30 per cent of all flood casualties and account for close to 60 per cent of all those
displaced by floods.
The social and economic setting of the region makes its people more vulnerable
to natural hazards. Lack of supportive policy and governance mechanisms at the
local, national and regional levels, and the lack of carefully planned structural and
non-structural measures of mitigation lead to increased vulnerability.
5. Regional Corporation--The examples above show that water has both beneficial
and adverse traits, its management is complex, and often a regional approach is
necessary. The hydropower potentials are primarily concentrated in the mountain
regions but the major users of the energy are the urban areas and industries in
the plains. Strong technical and political barriers separate those regions, which is
one of the major reasons of slow progress in hydropower development. However,
recent trends have shown some positive change. In the recent 18th SAARC
summit in Kathmandu, the SAARC member countries signed a Framework
Agreement on Energy Cooperation. This agreement has opened up the energy
market in South Asia, and thereby possibilities for cooperation in the energy
sector. However, it remains to be seen to what extent the collaboration would
play a role in energy security.
Keeping in mind the aforesaid factors there is strong indication that the HKH region will
undergo a climate change in recent yearswith temperature rise along with rise of
precipitation. And the impacts on the sustainable development of the region cannot be
answered without the regional corporation.
ebb. The river at these times receives only waste and turns into a sewer drain.
BOD levels are high downstream of Haridwar, Kannauj and Kanpur and peak at
Varanasi; and the pollution is getting worse day by day.
Overall, freshwater intake from the river is increasing. In this way, water is drawn
for agriculture, industry and cities but what is returned is only waste .
Way ahead/ Possibilities of change
When the new government was formed under Modi, cleaning Ganga was one of the topmost priorities
However, Modis dream of cleaning the holy river does not seem to be happening in the
near future.
-----This is in spite of the fact that an integrated Ganga Conservation Mission,
Namami Ganga, was established.
In the latest budget presented in February, not much attention was focused
on cleaning the river. The interim budget presented last year talked of over Rs
2,000 crore exclusively for cleaning Ganga. Till date, no implementation has been seen
on ground. The only actions observed were arrangement of meetings for discussions,
like the Ganga Manthan and Jal Manthan.
The Supreme Court, which is dealing with a two decades-old PIL filed by
environmentalist M C Mehta on the cleaning of the river and setting up sewage
treatment plants alongside it since 1985, slammed the government several times for
not putting words into action. The prime minister is said to have taken stock of the
actions taken so far.
Meanwhile, the ministry presented two reports to the Lok Sabhaone was on the
pollution hot spots and the other on Ganga River Basin Management Plan, prepared by a
consortium of seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
One hopes the plan prepared by IITs does not focus only on things like setting up
sewage treatment plants but also takes into consideration that most of the cities along
the river have only 20-30 per cent sewered areas. The conveyance of waste must be reconceptualised and implemented at the time of planning treatment plants.
5. Electricity from paddy straw/Power generation/India- A 10-mw power plant based on rice straw, the first of its kind in the world, will'
become operational in Jal Kheri village in Patiala district of Punjab in
November this year.
The plant will work on a very effective method of converting waste into electricity
for which it will be possible to produce about 1,000 mw of electricity from the rice
straw and husk available in Punjab alone,
Thus project is jointly financed by the DNES and the Punjab State Electricity
Board (PSEB), the plant will require 70,000 tonnes of rice straw a year.
The project was originally conceived in 1986 ---five to six million tonnes of rice straw
were going waste every year in Punjab, posing serious disposal problems for farmers.
as rice straw is seldom sued for fodder in Punjab and Haryana( more popular
wheat straw and green fodder are available in plenty)
BHEL which is supposed to set up this plant has developed most of its
equipment indigenously, except for the fuel feeding and firing system, which is
being imported from Denmark.
The technology developed for harvesting, baling, storage and transport of rice straw
has undoubtedly benefited the paper industry as well as other industries in the
region.
9. Ban on elephants in templesOn the 17th of April the apex court likely to
decide on a PIL seeking he ban on elephants in religious functions, processions
and other such events.
---the PIL is public interest petition filed by Bangalore-based Wildlife Rescue and
Rehabilitation Centre and other animal welfare organisations
----as some temples like the The famous Guruvayoor temple has 90 elephants,
---- pachyderms are subject to untold cruelty despite laws over half a century old
like Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 1960, which makes it an offence to beat,
torture, over-load, chaining or tethering with a heavy or short chain.
---- little regard was paid to the Ministry of Environment and Forests guidelines of
2008, which bans captive elephants from being made to walk for more than 30
km a day and not more than three hours at a stretch.
---- The petition pointed out that in States like Tamil Nadu, temple festivals
happen in the hottest months of the year and it was common for elephant
keepers to make their elephants walk on the hot, tarred city roads during peak
summer days. This was in sheer violation of the Tamil Nadu Captive Elephants
(Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2011.
---- even treats given to temple elephants by devotees add to their misery: This
leads to obesity, indigestion, and occurrence of colic and e.coli salmonella
infections (unwashed hands of devotees could be a major cause) in the elephants
---- Laying emphasis on States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra
Pradesh, where decked-up elephants perceive to add to the grandeur of temple
festivals, the petition brought to the courts attention that 88 persons including
71 mahouts were killed in accidents relating to captive elephants in three years
between 2007-10. The same period saw 215 elephants killed as a result of cruel
treatment.
----- The petition, filed a year after the Supreme Court said animals have the
constitutional right to life and dignity under Article 21, wants the court to protect
captive elephants from cruel treatment, sale and transfer under the guise of gift
or donation and use for commercial and religious activities.
----- It said the last government census of captive elephants was way back in
2000. It showed that over 3,600 were in chains, in the possession of private
entities, including religious institutions and trusts.
10.Management practice for mango malformationWhich is now discovered to be a
fungal disease. It was reported for the first time from Darbhanga, Bihar.
The disease is more in northwest than in the northeast and South India.
Malformation is one of the most important problems of mango and a serious threat. This
disorder is widespread in flowers and vegetative shoots.
Broadly three distinct types of symptoms are there. These are vegetative malformation
and floral malformation. Later, these were grouped under two broad categories that is
vegetative and floral malformation.
Commonly found- (a) vegetative malformationwhich is found in the young seedlings; (b)
Floral Malformation which s found in panicles/inflorescences.
Management
1. Diseased plants should be destroyed. Use disease free planting material
2. Scion sticks from infected trees should not be used.
3. As soon as the disease appears, the affected terminals along with the basal 15-20 cm healthy
portion should be removed or pruned and burnt. If more than 25 per cent affected plants, deblossoming at bud burst stage should be done to delay the flowering.
4. Spraying of Planofix (200 ppm) during the first week of October followed by deblossoming at bud
burst stage is recommended.
5. A single foliar application of 1,000 ppm cobalt sulphate prior to flower bud differentiation
successfully reduce the floral malformation.
13.India and Bird Count---India has become the country with the second highest bird
count in the wolrdwith 735 species; after Equador awith 784 species.
Professional and amateur bird watchers use a variety of tools today, including
online portals to keep counts of species. They update this frequently. Thus, when
the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) was conducted in mid-February, India
became the country recording the second highest bird count at 735 species, after
Ecuador with 784 species.
birds are most active early in the morning. The best time to watch them is
between 6 and 9, with a peak in activity in between. Morning walkers spot
many species in their backyard.
During the recent backyard bird count, participants in Uttarakhand came in
first with 383 species, Tamil Nadu with 324, Karnataka with 322 and Kerala
with 299. All these States have good bird diversity, and so do some others.
After the common crow, the other most frequently encountered species in
India were common Myna, Rock Pigeon, Black Drongo, and Asian Koel, as per
the GBBC.
Unlike agriculture, which is a monoculture, cities can be made biodiverse with
several different types of trees. This actually makes them better placed to
host a variety of birds than plain farms.
On the other hand, birds in cities are affected by the presence of free-roaming
cats, large glass windows without glazing, a lot of lighting and steadily glowing
red lamps.
14.Emission from the Biomass burning across the Himalayas---the organic acids
present in the aerosols serve as a unique fingerprint in identifying the source of
pollution.
Contrary to the general assumption that the southern slopes of the
Himalayas act as a barrier and effectively block the transportation of
pollutants from India and other parts of South Asia, a study published a
couple of days ago in the Nature Group journal Scientific Reports finds
sound evidence to prove otherwise.
---- Aerosols have been found to rise and cross the entire range of the
Himalayas. So much so that studies conducted in the northern slope of the
Himalayas at an elevation of 4,276 metres above MSL could find markers
distinctive of pollution arising from India and other regions of South Asia.
The organic acids present in the aerosols serve as a unique fingerprint in
identifying the source of pollution. In this case, the dicarboxylic acids
served as a fingerprint.
This year, as per the India Meteorological Department (imd), the average
rain received between March 1 and March 18 was 49.2 mm197 per cent
above normal. This caused severe damage to crops in several states of the
country
crops in over 5 million hectares have been damaged. But despite the
destruction the disturbances have been causing, there have been very few
studies to understand them.
Easterly Wave--- the severe rain this year is the result of the confluence of
western disturbance and easterly wave from the Bay of Bengal. Easterly
wave, or Easterlies, blow throughout the year from east to west. The
confluence of the two winds happens throughout the year, but the results
vary. They generally bring rain only to the northern part of the country but
this year states in central and south India also received rain,
Pacific Decadal Oscilaltion--phenomenon called Pacific Decadal Oscillation
(PDO) contributed to the severity of this years rainfall. PDO is the name
given to long-term fluctuations in the surface temperature of the Pacific
Ocean. In areas above 20 north off the western coast of North America,
cooling is observed during the negative phase of PDO while warming is
observed during the positive phase. This shift from one phase to another
happens every 10 years or in multiples of 10 years and is yet to be
understood properly. PDO influences the placement and intensity of ridges
(high-pressure areas) and troughs (low-pressure areas) over the northern
hemisphere. the wet winter seen this year and in 2013-14 was caused due
to the impact of a very strong positive PDO.
---The warm waters in the west coast of North America led to a strong ridge
over the Gulf of Alaska and western Canada.
---Another ridge prevailed over the central Atlantic Ocean which allowed
storm systems to move through Europe into southeast Europe and the
Middle East
--- A weakness between a couple of such ridges allowed storm systems to
move into Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India over the past couple of
winters/springs, he explains.
Jet Streams---Widely used weather models, such as the Global Forecast
System, are consistently showing the movement of new upper air troughs
into India. Such troughs in the jet streams (narrow bands of strong winds
flowing in the upper troposphere) could be affecting the western
disturbances which, imd says, are present in the lower and middle
troposphere.
------One such trough started forming in the upper troposphere over Iran,
Afghanistan and Pakistan on February 26 and intensified and moved
towards north-western parts of India on February 28.
----his led to the formation of a low-pressure region in the lower
troposphere over northwest India, causing an incursion of moisture from
Arabian Sea, and produced heavy rains.
----he rainfall on March 14-16 was also caused by a similar upper air
weather set-up. This shows how problematic the combination of western
disturbances and upper air troughs can be for India, says Deoras.
Other latest phenomena to cause such disaster mau be cited as follows
1. Heating of the Tibetan plateauWestern distrurbances have been directly linked
to global warming in many studies.
----global warming is impacting air currents and causing freak weather events.
Pronounced warming over the Tibetan plateau in recent decades has increased
the instability of the Westerlies and this has increased the variability of the
western disturbances.
----According to the study, the western Himalayan region has seen a significant
rise in surface temperatures since the 1950s. Observations from the area show a
significant increase in precipitation in recent decades. T
----The researchers looked at a variety of climate data to understand the
increasing frequency of heavy precipitation. They say temperatures have risen in
the middle- and upper-tropospheric levels over the sub-tropics (area between the
Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn) and the middle latitudes.
--Thus, human-induced climate change is the reason for the increased variability
of western disturbance
2. Arctic Warming--heating up of the Arctic has weakened the jet streams in the
northern hemisphere. The west to east flow of jet streams in the northern
hemisphere is maintained by the gradient of heat between the cool Arctic and
warmer areas near the equator. But the Arctic has been warming since the past
20 years due to which the jet streams have become weaker. Rather than circling
in a relatively straight path, jet streams now meander. This is making the South
colder and the North warmer. Francis says western disturbances could definitely
be affected by these jet streams.
3. Regional factors---These can be mostly explained by natural short-term weather
events. There is nothing too unusual or any sign of climate change, there is
nothing extraordinary about the event and India has witnessed similar weather
events.
Impacts
a) Rabi crop accounts for 51 per cent of the countrys grain output and
sustains Indias requirements till October till the kharif crop is harvested.
Therefore, the winter crop has a significant bearing on food inflation.
b) The fact that kharif yield in 2014 was below normal makes the situation
even more grim
c) And the impact of crop damage has already started percolating to
consumers. Vegetable prices increased by 30-40 per cent after rains in
Delhis wholesale markets.
d) As states calculate crop loss, there are reports of farmer suicides in
Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
e) Maharashtra, which has been struggling with drought and is now faced
with excessive rain and hailstorm, has announced a compensation
package of Rs.7,000 crore.
f) However, compensation are pais only when the losses are more than 50%
16.Sendai Resilience
Governments of 187 UN member states have adopted a 15-year plan with targets
to substantially reduce deaths and economic losses from disasters.
Called the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, it is the first major UN
agreement on the post-2015 development agenda consisting of four major aims
and seven targets to be met by 2030.
The Sendai plan, adopted last week at the UN Conference on Disaster Risk
Resduction, will replace the existing Hyogo Framework for Action (2005) that ends
this year.
This first major UN agreement on the post-2015 development agenda will drive
the future for a sustainable and disaster-resilient world along with the sustainable
development goals and the Paris climate agreement to be decided in September
and December respectively this year.
The main aim of this is to build up a NEW disaster Framework
Till now Disaster Framework was based on--T he Hyogo Framework for Action ,
which is even as the 10-year blueprint expires this year.
Over these 10 years, disasters continued to take a heavy toll on lives and
property. Over 700,000 people lost their lives, over 1.4 million were injured and
approximately 23 million were made homeless as a result of disasters. The total
economic loss was more than $1.3 trillion. Besides, around 144 million people
were displaced by disasters between 2008 and 2012.
And the world is still far from been prepared; Several gaps remain in addressing
the underlying disaster risk factors to formulate goals and priorities for action and
ensuring adequate resources for implementation.
Dated: 20/04.2015
1. Uttarkhand New Tiger reserve--- Uttarakhand now has a second tiger
reserve, besides the Corbett Tiger Reserve.
Uttarkhand is the state with the second highest Tiger population after
Karnataka.
The Rajaji National park has now been notified as the Rajaji Tiger Reserve by the
Centre.
Project Tiger_From the 9 tiger reserves since its formative years, the Project Tiger
coverage has increased to 48 at present, spread out in 17 of our tiger range states.
This amounts to around 2.08% of the geographical area of our country.
--The tiger reserves are constituted on a core/buffer strategy. The core areas
have the legal status of a national park or a sanctuary, whereas the buffer or
peripheral areas are a mix of forest and non-forest land, managed as a multiple use
area.
--- The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 was amended in 2006 keeping in view
the needs of the Project Tiger for providing enabling provisions for constitution of
the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Tiger and Other Endangered
Species Crime Control Bureau.
The functions of NTCA are as follows:
A onetime grant of Rs. 50 Crore was provided to the National Tiger Conservation
Authority (NTCA) for raising, arming and deploying a Special Tiger Protection Force
for 13 tiger reserves. The rest of the reserves were taken up later.
Added to the above
Lies in the Shivaliks;
Second tiger reserve after Corbett Tiger Reserve
The park is at the NW limit of distribution for both elephants and tiger in India,
and has a Largest population of the elephants in uttarkhand
Uttarkhand is the state with the highest number of Tiger population after
Karnataka
---the Tribunal is competent to hear cases for several acts such as Forest
(Conservation) Act, Biological Diversity Act, Environment (Protection) Act, Water & Air
(Prevention & control of Pollution) Acts etc. and also have appellate jurisdiction related
to above acts after establishment of Tribunal within a period of 30 days of award or
order received by aggrieved party.
Members of the NGT
The sanctioned strength of the Tribunal is currently 10 expert members and 10
judicial members although the act allows for up to 20 of each.
The Chairman of the tribunal who is the administrative head of the tribunal also
serves as a judicial member.
Every bench of the tribunal must consist of at least one expert member and one
judicial member.
The Chairman of the tribunal is required to be a serving or retired Chief Justice
of a High Court or a judge of the Supreme Court of India.
Members are chosen by a Select Committee of headed by a sitting judge of the
Supreme Court of India) that reviews their applications and conducts interviews.
The Judicial members are chosen from applicants who are serving or retired
judges of High Courts.
Expert members are chosen from applicants who are either serving or retired
bureaucrats not below the rank of an Additional Secretary to the Government of
India (not below the rank of Principal Secretary if serving under a state
government) with a minimum administrative experience of five years in dealing
with environmental matters.
Or the expert members must have a doctorate in a related field.
Notable orders of the tribunal1. Yamuna Conservation Zone--On 25 April 2014, The NGT said that the health
of Yamuna will be affected by the proposed recreational facilities on the river. The
NGT also recommended the Government to declare a 52 km stretch of the
Yamuna in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh as a conservation zone
2. Coal Blocks in Chhattisgarh forest--3. Ban on decade old Deisel vehicles in Delhi NCR---An attempt to minimize air
pollution at capital of India and NCR. PM 2.5 particles have reached alarming
level. As per this order, 10 yrs old vehicles are not allowed to ply. However, as per
Media report, central Government exploring to appeal against the order at
Supreme Court, especially for personal vehicles.
4. Incinerator Technology for producing refuse Derived Fuels (RDF)--National Green tribunal has permitted the states including Karnataka to use
Incinerator Technology for producing RDF , commonly known as waste-to-energy
Incineration: this is a waste treatment process which involves the combustion of
organic substances contained in waste materials.
--- Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas, and heat
--- Heat generated by incineration can be used to generate electric power
--- The gases, flue gases are first treated for eradication of pollutants before going in
to atmosphere
---Incinerators reduce the solid mass of the original waste by 9596%.
Concerns against Incineration----- The highly toxic fly ash, dioxin and furan emissions may cause adverse health
effect for local residents.
---the NGT has also extended its order of a fine of Rs 5,000 on throwing waste in the
Yamuna to the smallest act of throwing municipal solid waste in any drain.
---The compensation will to be paid will be directly proportional to the
property tax or water bill, whichever is higher, payable by a particular household
as every house generates waste which finally reaches the Yamuna which has now
been reduced to a stinking drain of effluents and sewage.
--CompensationThe NGT also said that where the household or person is not
paying property tax and water bill or is living in unauthorised colonies, Rs 100 or Rs
500 per month would be levied as compensation.
--the environmental compensation will be added to electricity bills which
the power suppliers will deposit with the Delhi government. The Department
of Delhi Jal Board has said Rs 3,659 crore is required towards ensuring clean
Yamuna.
1. First Environmental Democracy Index (EDI)-- India has ranked 24th out of
70 countries in the first Environmental Democracy Index (EDI) that is topped by
Lithuania and evaluates nations progress in enacting laws to promote
transparency, accountability and citizen engagement in environmental decision
making.
----Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, the US, South Africa, the UK, Hungary, Bulgaria, Panama
and Colombia are the top 10 nations in the list launched by Washington-based World
Resources Institute (WRI) and Access Initiative.
---A new Index that measures how well national laws protect environmental
democracy rights has just been released by the World Resources Institute and the
Access Initiative. It places India at the 24th position, in the category of good
performers, out of 70 countries. Lithunia scores the highest.
----EDI measures environmental democracy by looking at Three Citizens rights--access to information, degree of participation and access to justice.
** The Index does not cover countries in most of the: Western Europe; Middle East
and North Africa
***Assessment is also based on National level laws.
2. Asiatic lions in Gir goes up by 523, increases by 27 per cent since
2010---- The number of Asiatic lion in Gujarats Gir sanctuary has gone up to
523, an increase of 27 per cent since 2010, when the last census showed
the count at 411.Releasing the numbers at Sasan Gir, Chief Minister
Some guidelines can also be issued using Neem coating in the ports itself.
GOI have already made it mandatory for using Neem coating for 75% of urea.
----India normally used 31 million tonnes of urea among which about 8-9 tonnes are
imported. And on an average the subsidy for each tonne of urea is about Rs 15, 000
crore.
----Moreover, shifting the usage of normal urea to Neem coated urea will also lessen the
demand by 10%, which would elad to the savings of another Rs 1500 crore.
Utilities of Neem coated urea: while Neem coated urea is unfit for the industrial use,
while it is useful for the soil, crop and also beneficial to farmers.
The wastage is also less and it works as a bio-pesticide. Even the extent of ground water
pollution is less.
5. Biodiversity for Sustainable development---In the International Day for
Biological Diversity celebrated on the 22nd of May, minister has emphasized on
the need of working together to conserve Biodiversity and ensure the future for
the present generation as well as the coming generations.
---the International Day for Biodiversity is celebrated across the globe to recognize the
pivotal role of biodiversity to life on earth and human well-being, as well as to increase
awareness of the importance of biodiversity and the threats to it.
--- It was on this day in 1992 that the text of the Convention of Biodiversity was
adopted. This years theme is Biodiversity for Sustainable Development
--- During the preceding years, Biodiversity and Poverty Alleviation in 2003, Biodiversity:
Food, Water and Health for All in 2004, Biodiversity: Life Insurance for our Changing
World in 2005, Protect Biodiversity in Drylands in 2006 and Biodiversity and Agriculture
in 2008, have been some of the other themes.
----The International Day for Biological Diversity is being celebrated all over the country
today. The main event is being held in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.
6. Tighter norms proposed for polluting coal fired power plants---In a bit to
reduce pollution from coal fired power plants, Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEF&C) published a draft notification on Monday. It proposed to tighten
air quality norms and lower the rate of water use by these plants. The proposed
norms are a critical step to reduce the environmental impact of the coal based
power sector which is one of the most polluting sectors of the Indian industry.
----of the total pollution from the industrial sector, the coal based power sector currently
accounts for approx. 60% of the Particulate matter (PM); 45-50% of SO2 emissions; 30%
of NOx emissions, and more than 80% of mercury emissions.
----however there are currently no standards to curb the emissions of SO2, NOx and
mercury.
----the ONLY standard that exists is for the PM which is quite relaxed as according to
global norms.
--the proposed standards as released by MoEF&C bridges this gap.
Under the proposed norms, the existing plants would have to improve their pollution
control techniques and all the new plants installed after January 2017 will have to follow
the revised guidelines/according to Global Standards
The reduction in air pollution from the coal based power plants is critical for achieving
significant reduction in overall pollution load from the industrial sector, which will go a
long way in alleviating the health impacts from the coal based power sector which also
has a disproportionate impact on the poor people.
Finally the norms would require he existing coolants tower plants to restrict water
consumption to 3.5 m3/MWh. Plants set up after January 2017 will require to achieve the
number to 2.5 m3/MWh.
Stringent norms---the proposed standards tighten the norms for PM, and also have a lot
of norms set for NO2, SO2 and Hg standards. Compared to the existing standards, India
would have to cut the Particulate emissions from the new plants to be installed after
2017 by 25%, SO2 emissions by 90%; NOx emissions by 70% and Hg emissions by 75%.
Compared to the present industry average the present cut in emissions is more than
significant.
7. ACT NOW: Action on Climate Change No Delay---transition to a Low Carbon
Economy: There are serious challenges around commercial, technological,
political or behavioral issues. However, nothing suggests that it cant be done.
And it is easier and cheaper than adapting to a much hotter planet.
---8. A new species of Fish has been discovered in the Western Ghats--- Ecologists found a new species of fish called Pethia striata in Tunga River in the
Kudremukh National Park, Karnataka
The discovery of the new species was published in the journal of the American
Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists by researchers from Ashoka Trust for
Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)
The male of the species measures 3-4 cm in length and is red in colour, while the
female is grey with a striking pattern of scales.
The species was distinct in several ways, but the most striking characteristics were
the pattern of scales which form oblique bars and the black blotch just before the
tail.
The fish from Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot, is currently known to be found
only in the two streams of Mudba and Turad, a region populated by wet evergreen
and semi-evergreen forests.
Pethia striata is found in small groups of 3-4 individuals in shallow pools and would
be an addition to the largest family of fish, scientifically called Cyprinidae, which
includes common carp, goldfish, and zebrafish.
Some of the recently discovered new species in the Western Ghats include a little
jumping spider in the Southern Ghats, a new frog species in Central Ghats.
In 2014, 14 new dancing frog species were discovered in the forests of Western
Ghats.
9. Developed Nations should present their Pre 2020 targets before Parisand also in
this regard, the pre 2020 actions would be an important signal for the world
about the commitment of India. Hence India has launched an ambitious mission
targeting 175 GW of renewable energy and it has received a tremendous impact
from investors in the form of Lois worth more than 200GW of energy.
India has increased cess on coal to rs 200 per tonne and the fund generated is being
used for Clean technologies.
India has also recently launched a scheme of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of
Hybrid and Electric Vehicles with the aim of reducing dependency on fossil fuels
India has also incentivized afforestation ( providing $9 billion or $125 per hectare);
through the 14th Finance Commission and have already presented a Bill on the same
of more than $6 billion for specific projects of afforestation to create more carbon
sites.
Enhanced enhanced public and private investment in Railways and have plans for
investing billions of dollars in Railways
India has created architecture for 100 smart cities which will be essentially clean
and green cities.
India has asked 3, 200 severely polluting industries to install 24X7 pollution
monitoring devices for eflluents as well as emissions.
India is preparing ambitious plan of roooftop solar energy program and solar
powered agriculture pumps. We are also planning to use irrigation canal tops and
banks for generating solar energy.
Through a series of reform measures, LPG will be provided to millions of poor families
thereby reducing carbon emissions.
---these actions of India are voluntary and hence should be seen ag against the
backdrop that these actions are from a country which is not mandated under the
UNFCCC, and therefore developed world must take ambitious pre-2020 action.
--- India also demands that the Warsaw international mechanism for loss and damage
should be operationalised by 2016. This mechanism should provide for specific
commitments from developed country parties and Annex II parties to provide support
for the financing and operationalization of this mechanism.
10.Monsoon setbacks in India
---- The recent forecast by India Meteorological Department (IMD) that monsoon will hit
early this year might have come as a relief for many farmers in India. But what could be
more important is if it will stay strong after hitting the Kerala coast around May 30.
---- The advance of southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea normally takes place
around May 20 with a standard deviation of about one week.
----But what is worrisome is the earlier forecast that has predicted a below normal and
deficient rainfall.
---- If that stands true, this will be a second consecutive year of less rainfall in India. In
2014, India witnessed 12 per cent deficit in monsoon.
--- The monsoon season or the months between June and September are crucial for the
economy, especially the agriculture sector which has been grappling with droughts and
other extreme weather events like unseasonal rains. Between March 1 and March 18
was 49.2 mm197 per cent above normal and major cropped losses were reported from
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The losses had even triggered farmer
suicides.
----El Nino predictions: Adding fuel to the fire there had been El Nino predictions from
across the world. In its forecast released on May 14, US National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared a 90 per cent chance that the current
El Nio will continue through the end of this year. Besides, Japan's Meteorological
Agency and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology have stated that water in the Pacific
Ocean is now warm enough and El Nio is back. Also, international rating agency
Moodys recently stated monsoon as an additional risk to Indias GDP growth in 2015.
---- Meanwhile, the Government of India has announced that it has put in place a
contingency plan for 580 districts to tackle any situation arising out of below-normal
monsoon.
--- All the factors combined, could give way to inflation and add to distress of farmers
who are gearing up for Kharif season while counting their losses from unseasonal rains
of March.
Traditionally, the agricultural sector drove the Indian economy. The first blow of a
poor monsoon fell on agricultural output bringing down the overall economic growth.
More than two thirds of the nations agricultural land is rain fed. Even as India
receives rainfall from both the SW monsoon winds and NE (winter) monsoons, the
SW monsoon which starts early June and lasts till September accounts for nearly
80% of the total rainfall in the country.
----Key food crops like paddy, millets corn and commercial crops like cotton are
cultivated during this time. A below normal monsoon can hit the crop output and this in
turn can push up the price of food products. Also lower rainfall during the SW monsoon
means less water storage and hence less in reservoirs which can impact the sowing for
rabi crops too. Deficient rainfall also impacts the hydro-power generation in the country.
The second effect was to reduce the demand for non-agricultural products. A poor
harvest brought down the income of the farmers and hence the demand for many
products including white goods, two-wheelers and even gold went down.
The thirdand perhaps the most pervasiveeffect was on agricultural prices. This
led to inflationary tendencies not only through higher food prices, but also through
higher prices for industrial inputs like cotton.
The fourth effect was on employment and poverty. Since the majority of the
population was employed in agricultural or ancillary sectors, and a large number of
them had very limited incomes, the failure of monsoons had significant effect on
poverty.
Apart from these direct effects on the economy, a shortfall in rains affects both fiscal
and monetary policy adversely.---- Since crop failures tend to push large sections of
the population into poverty and distress, governments have to step in with increased
expenditure on crisis management. To spend more on such policies, they usually cut
back on public investments or other critical expenditures like those on education,
bringing down long run growth rates.
Crop failures affect monetary policy as well. As we have seen in the past few years,
food inflation can very easily ignite the fires of aggregate inflation. This happens
partly due to the importance of food in our consumption baskets and partly due to
what economists call inflationary expectation.
This catch-all term encapsulates the various ways in which the inflationary process
feeds on itself, converting what is essentially a sectoral price rise into an aggregate
inflationary process.
As a result, prospects of crop failure and food inflation lead to very nervous reactions
from monetary authorities with the pushing up of interest rates and squeezing
liquidity out of the money markets.
------ Such tight monetary policies again hamper the long- run growth of the
economy.
However, the effects of monsoons on Indian economy can be contradicted as
per the following ways
1. Firstly, compared to the 1970s and 1980s, there has been some improvement in
irrigation facilities, at least in the northern and western parts of India.
2. Secondly, the rabi (winter) cropthat is far less susceptible to the vagaries of the
monsoon now provides more than half of the annual agricultural output.
3. Thirdly, the agricultural sector now plays a much smaller rolecompared to
industry and services in output and growth. All these changes have meant that
poor monsoons have lost the kind of destabilising effect that they had on growth
rates earlier.
Unfortunately, however, annual growth rates are not the only concern that a poor
monsoon raises. The poor monsoon will definitely have an adverse effect on rural
employment. Poverty and distress are likely to rise, not only due to the poor kharif crop,
but also due to the high inflation rates that will ensue. And, any attempt by the
monetary authorities to bring down the inflation by raising interest rates will also affect
the economys long-run growth.
One of the major weaknesses of the Indian growth story is that it is fairly lopsidedlow
and fragile growth in agriculture coexisting with robust growth in industry and services.
14.EL NINO almost certain this year-----according to few recent weather forecasts, the world is heading towards a El Nino
event. There is a correlation between an El Nino and Indian monsoons.
--- the tropical Pacific has continued to warm in the past week and the sea surface
temperatures now exceed El Nio thresholds and trade winds have remained weaker
than average for several weeks
If these patterns persist or strengthen, El Nio will become established
---- The forecast also says that sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern
Pacific are recording anomalies of more than one degree, a combination that has not
previously been seen in weekly data going back to 1991.
---- There is an approximately 70 per cent chance that El Nio will continue through the
Northern Hemisphere summer 2015, and a greater than 60 per cent chance that it will
last through autumn (according to NOAAnational Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration)
--- The scientists are surprised that the build-up of unusual warmth in the eastern Pacific
compared with the west is happening so early in the year which is quite rare this is an
interesting one,
Deleterious effects of the EL Nino
In typical El Nio years, the usual easterly trade winds stall or even reverse in
winter or later, dragging rainfall eastwards away from Australia and also southeast Asia. Droughts tend to deepen and bushfires become common. It generally
has an adverse effect on the Indian monsoon.
El Nino/La Nina-Southern Oscillation or ENSO is an ocean-atmospheric
phenomenon that occurs in a cycle. La Nina, which is one part of the cycle, is
signified by a decrease of three to five degrees Celsius in sea surface
temperature across the Equatorial Pacific Ocean and it is favourable for monsoons
in India. El Nio, which is La Ninas counter-phenomenon, is often accompanied
by drought in India and heavy rainfall in the Pacific coast of Latin America.
Over the years, research has shown there is an association between El Nino and
deficient rainfall in India. With the India Meteorological Department predicting a
35 per cent chance of below normal rainfall, this is certainly a cause of worry.
However, a latest report by the International Monetary Fund has said that El Nino
might not have much effect in India. Such an extreme weather condition can
constrain the supply of rain-driven agricultural commodities; and reduce
agricultural output, construction, and services activities, says the report. It also
adds that the declining share of agricultural output in Indian GDP over time acts
as a mitigating factor.
However, Europe may get colder than ever--- The ill effects of an expected El Nino
are not limited to Asia. "If El Nino is strong in the middle of the Pacific it could mean
colder weather in Europe than during recent winters, because it tends to lead to
more frequent developments of high-pressure systems which allow Arctic air to
extend further south," says researcher Georg Muller in a report published by
Thomson Reuters. The melting of the Arctic ice cap is another reason that could add
to the chill that will be experienced by Europeans this winter .
16.Countries Carbon pledges not enough to keep temperature rise under 2*C---
17.Emissions from Peat lands under DRY conditions may be less than
previously thought-- A new study shows that carbon emission from peatlands
can be slowed down, reducing the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the
atmosphere
Background:
Drying of peatlands, sometimes due to burning and droughts, speeds up global
warming. This happens when carbon stored in peatlands gets oxidised and turns into
CO2, a super greenhouse gas.
---Environmentalists fear that the intensification of droughts can cause the stored
carbon in peatlands to undergo oxidation and subsequently release CO2 and possibly
methane into the atmosphere.
Ways to reduce the Carbon Emissionsthis can be done in two ways (i) to plant
trees and shrubs that slow down the drying process. And (ii) to introduce naturallyoccurring plant-based decay-retarding compounds into peatlands.
Global Carbon reserves----- Globally, an estimated 400 million hectares of land are classified as peatlands which
amounts to just three per cent of the Earths total land surface.
--- Peatlands have been formed over thousands of years and hold about 30 per cent of
soil carbon.
--- They have been classified under four categoriestropical, sub-tropical, temperate
and boreal according to their geographical location.
Peatlands are mainly found in the northern hemisphere in North America (43.54
per cent), Europe (24.02 per cent) and Asia (28.08 per cent).
Asia has the largest peat reserve. The global peat reserve amounts to about 250
gigatonnes in dry weight.
Natural Adaptive technique
--Till now the scientists feared that the carbon emissions from peatlands can trigger
global warming. But the study shows that peatland soils have a natural adaptive
technique which can lessen the drying up process and curb oxidation.
--- Carbon has been locked up in peatland soil for over thousands of years. Too much
emission of carbon can have a tremendous impact on global temperature worldwide
with peatlands turning into carbon sources rather than carbon sinks.
Scientists allay emission fears
--this has been found during an experimentation of the bog peatlands in the North
Carolina to describe a mechanism that can slow down peatland decay
--- the soil contained complex plant-derived compounds that helped the land to
gradually adapt to droughts: these complex plant compounds in the soil regulate the
accumulation of phenolics (a type of aromatic carbon compound) and protect the stored
carbon by mitigating oxidation during short-term droughts.
---Scientists also found out that the vegetation cover on peatlands is responsible for the
rate of oxidation. Vegetation with low phenolic content such as sphagnum moss, ferns
and sedges are not that good in mitigating carbon emissions than certain types of
shrubs and trees, which are better in retarding soil decomposition.
--- The amount of phenolics is driven directly by the type of vegetation on peatlands.
Many species are low in phenolic compounds (sphagnum moss, grasses, ferns) while
many ericaceous shrubs and tree species in the Everglades have high phenolics which
slow down decomposition
---when the sites of vegetation have been denudated especially native shrubs and trees,
and left drained then the sites are invaded by ferns and grasses which have low
phenolic compounds and produce new peat which is not very resistant to decay.
-- Human activity is also to be blamed for drying out of peatlands. In Indonesia large
swathes of swamplands have been burnt to make way for palm plantationsthis poses
a threat as it can liberate stored carbon into the atmosphere by means of oxidation; It
is quite possible that tropical peatlands with high phenolics can resist further losses
after fire, but a deep peat fire results in massive losses of carbon.
18.A look at some of the worlds most THREATENED forests Unplanned and
unrestrained activities for agriculture, industry and urbanisation are ruining our
most important ally in naturethe forest
--- Forests are the Earths lungs. They help maintain the water cycle and prevent soil
erosion. Forests sustain biodiversity. Apart from the fact they directly employ around 13
million people according to Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO) State of the
Worlds Forests report, 2014. Informally, they provide livelihood to 41 million people
worldwide.
---- But unplanned and excessive human activities are making forests disappear.
According to WWF, we have lost about half of the worlds original forest cover in the last
50 years
--- In addition to their role in the lives of communities, forests are needed to store global
emissions as carbon sinks, making their protection imperative. A recent study
says forests could also help eliminate global hunger.
A look at some of the worlds most important forests and the factors that threaten them:
AMAZON rainforests, South America: Amazon, the worlds largest forest, is
spread over Brazil, Peru, Venezuela and Ecuador, among other countries. It is the site
of the biggest projected loss.
---- Reports say that more than one-quarter of the region will lose its forests in the
next two decades. Cattle ranching and agriculture are among the dominant causes
of deforestation of the Amazon.
--- The Amazon rainforest is also threatened by oil spills in countries like Peru. A
study shows that climate variability is causing the forest to lose its ability as a
carbon sink.
Atlantic forests, South America The Atlantic forestcovering parts of
Paraguay, Brazil and Argentinais one of the richest rain forests in the world,
boasting of even richer biodiversity per acre than the Amazon.
---- However, the region houses 75 per cent of the Brazilian population which places
a lot of pressure on the forests. Deforestation is mainly due to conversion of forest
lands into croplands for pasture
--- But the Atlantic forest continues to fight for survival against urbanisation, with
large cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in Brazil expanding inward.
HEART OF BORNEO, Borneo island-- Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia share the
Heart of Borneo. It is home to 6 per cent of global diversity
--- over half of these forests have been lost, especially in the last three decades.
Only 33 per cent of the lowland rainforest remain.
--- Deforestation and degradation are driven by weak governance and a lack of
stability.
--- Deforestation will also make the forest vulnerable to extreme weather events.
With fewer trees to control soil erosion, 14 of the islands 20 rivers that begin from
the Borneo forest have the potential to affect several villages downstream.
---- Mining now threatens to further destroy this forest which is rich in coal, copper,
gold, silver and diamonds.
CERRADO, South America Cerrado, the high-plateau region of Brazil, is the most
biologically rich grassland,
---- Forty-five per cent of all plant species found here are unique to the region. It is
also home to 935 species of birds and almost 300 mammals.
--- But only two per cent of the Cerrado is protected by national parks and
conservation areas.
--- The grassland is under threat from cattle ranching and the conversion of forests to
make way for soy plantations.Soy production has also degraded land and soil quality.
--- If the current rate of loss continues, Cerrados savannah, woodland and forests
will disappear by 2030.
CONGO Basin, Africa---- Congo Basin represents 20 per cent of the worlds tropical
forests and has the highest biological diversity in Africa.
----teemed with a variety of rivers, grasslands, swamps and flooded forests. This
trans-boundary forest stretches into Cameroon, Central African Republic and
Democratic Republic of Congo, among other countries
---- Many areas of the Congo Basin are provided on concession to logging and mining
companies, leading to widespread deforestation,
---- Palm oil plantations and commercial agriculture operations are also putting
forests at risk.
---- Political instability and armed conflict in the region have led to refugees
depending on forests for fuelwood and charcoal, severely impacting this forest.
Illegal wildlife trade and poaching have also increased to a great extent.
COASTAL Forests, East Africa-- spread over southern Sudan, Kenya and Tanzania.
Apart from tropical dry forests, they also contain wetlands. The ecoregion is densely
populated has put additional pressure on resources. Much of eastern Africas forests
are overharvested for timber and fuelwood, illegally logged and converted for
livestock and cash crops.
----The coastal forests of Tanzania and Kenya have already been reduced to 10 per
cent of their original area.
SUMATRA, Indonesia-- Sumatra forest is special because some of the rarest
animals and plants are found here. It is also the only place in the wild where tigers,
rhinos, orangutans and elephants co-exist.
--- But Sumatra, especially Riau province, has become the centre of Indonesias palm
oil productionthe industry driving deforestation, even in protected forests and
national parks.
19.Vast expanses of forests could be lost in TWO decades according to
WWF--- A new report says that vast expanses of forests could be lost in the next 20 years in 11
global hotspots
---- Up to 170 million hectares of forest cover could be lost between 2010 and 2030 in
these areas if current trends continue. This is equivalent to the disappearance of an
entire forest stretching across Germany, France, Spain and Portugal.
The vulnerable areas--The vulnerable areas are the Amazon, the Atlantic Forest and Gran Chaco (largest dry
forest in South America), the Cerrado in South America, the Choco-Darien in Central
America, the Congo Basin, East Africa, eastern Australia, the Greater Mekong in South
East Asia, Borneo, New Guinea and Sumatra.
-----These regions are home to indigenous communities that depend on them for their
livelihoods and endangered species, such as orangutans and tigers, the WWF research
says.
Agricultural Impact: taking a toll on the forests
---Globally, forest stretches are giving way to expanding agriculture practices, including
livestock farming, palm oil plantations and soy production
---- Unsustainable logging and wood fuel collection are also causing forest degradation,
besides mining, construction of hydroelectric dams and other development projects
---More than 230 million hectares of forests could vanish by 2050 if no action is taken.
EUS contribution to global deforestation
---- Humanity uses the Earths resources unsustainably, which affect the natural
ecosystems. Globally, we use the resources of 1.5 planets. However, the ecological
footprint of the EU is even higher as on an average, it needs 2.6 planets to maintain the
current lifestyle.
---- A European Commission-funded research shows that EUs consumption led to the
loss of 9 million hectares of forests globally during 1990-2008an area the size of
Portugal,
20.Indias forest cover has increased but outside demarcated forests
--- Indias green cover is increasing, but this increase is taking place mostly outside the
traditional boundaries of the forests, (As per the State of Forests Report (SFR) 2013,
released by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change )
--- the total forest cover in the country has increased by 5,871 square kilometre (sq km)
between 2011 and 2013.
--- The highest increase has been registered in West Bengal (3,810 sq km) and Odisha
(1,444 sq km), followed by Bihar, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. Most of the north-eastern
states and the states like Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka
have shown considerable decrease in forest cover.
----The Forest Survey of India (FSI) conducts a biennial survey of the country's forests
and compiles SFR every two years. This is the 13th edition of SFR.
---- As per the report, India now has 697,898 sq km of forest cover, which is over 21 per
cent of the geographical area of the country.
---- However, of the total increased area, just over 2 per cent falls under the traditional
boundaries of forests, these are marked as Green Wash areas in the topo sheets of
Survey of India.
New Quality Parameters
FSI, for the first time, has also collected the information on various parameters of
quality of forests such as intensity of regeneration, damage to crops, presence of weeds
and grass, humus, incidents of fire and grazing. It has also come up with the data on
contiguity of the forest patches. This, in future, would help the government to monitor
the changes in the quality of forests along with their area and density.
--- This increase in temperature is now making it difficult for the inhabitants of Tibet to
grow cold weather crops and raise and breed yaks
---- So now we have a complete reversal, and climate warming is having a big impact on
the livelihood of smaller farmers on the Tibetan Plateau,
TIBETAN Landscape may soon disappear--According to research carried on the landscape, there is an abrupt detoriation of the
plateau, and many scientists hold China responsible for the same. The building of dams
in Tibet and is collaborating with multinationals to extract shale oil and minerals to
provide electricity and fuel to its urban centres and industries
--- when during the 1980s there had been no much activities, landscape being pristine
with no mines, no dams, this landscape at a high altitude, with snow-capped mountains,
grasslands and beautiful lakes, would be there for future generations to see.
---- But the scenario is rapidly changing, especially after the train to Lhasa was started
in 2006. I th
When Chinese removed mountain tops to extract/mine minerals, or whole lakes
changed, also changes the ecosystem within a matter of years.
Significance of Tibet for the whole of Asia
If you look at the map of the Tibetan plateau, the highest plateau on Earth, there are 10
major rivers emerging from it. That puts Tibet in an unusual position.
It is a provider of water to all of South Asia, East Asia, to about 10 different countries in
the downstream
Over 2 billion people depend on that water
If somebody wants to divert that water, which is what China wants to do, it becomes a
serious issue for the people living downstream.
Journalists do not have access to central parts of Tibet where most of the mining activity
is taking place. They may get access to eastern Tibet---however, going as a tourist may
provide access to those mining areas.
And also we dont have a clear picture of what is happening in the country as lack of
information in the public domain is also because there is no link between Tibetans living
in Tibet and those staying outsidetheir communication lines are blocked. Also no
social networking sites make Tibet does not get news from the outside world, and news
from Tibet does not go out either.
Chinese authorities do not reveal much of their plans. They will release information only
after the plan is executed. But it is clear that they plan to construct mega dams on
Tibets rivers and link the hydroelectricity generated to national grids.
The developers have saturated the rivers in southeastern China with dams and are now
looking towards western China. They are moving to higher grounds. They are adding
cascades to the dams to ensure turbines run smoothly. They have built cascades in the
lower Mekong and are now moving to its higher reaches in Chambo, which is in Tibet.
Chinese are basically exporting power from Tibet, as with only 6 million population,
Tibet does not have a vast demand for electricity. Also, a 500 MW dam is not needed at
all.
The electricity generated from these dams will be transmitted to the well-populated
regions of China Beijing and Shanghai, where there is demand for power, and to
factories in Chengdu and Chongqing in southwest China where most of the industries
are planned
The other thing that is planned is water diversion from eastern Tibet to northeast and
northwest China, where there is a huge demand. Northwest China has the Taklamakan
desert where there are plans for mining, and you need large amounts of water for that.
There is already mining going on for shale gas, tar sands, shale oil and oil sands, to
name a few.
Also int eh NE China, they need hige amounts of water for the peopleand hence
planning for diversions in rivers, Nobody seems to know how exactly these plans would
be executed, but it will probably involve a huge amount of tunneling and a large number
of dams.
The region is a major source of lithium, copper, gold and silver, which are desperately
sought by China. Lithium is used in batteries for electric vehicles, among other things. In
future, there will be a huge demand for lithium in China. It could come from Chile and
Bolivia, too, but getting the mineral from Tibet will be a lot cheaper.
Impacts on Climate of Tibet
China claims that environmental degradation that is happening in Tibet and elsewhere
is because of climate change. But the fact is that China is driving the climate change
---- It has surpassed the United States. In 2013, 27 per cent of CO2 came from China.
(US was at 15 per cent and India, 6 per cent). This is contributing to the glacial melting
in the Himalayas. The rate of melting in Tibet is twice as fast as global melting of
glaciers.
--- The other factor that is contributing to the glacial melt is the emission of black soot
due to inefficient burning of fossil fuels. Black soot is essentially composed of tiny black
specks. They accumulate on glaciers, turning them grey. This attracts more heat from
the sun. The more the black soot accumulates on glaciers, the more rapid is the
melting. This has been underestimated by some scientists but it possibly contributes to
50 per cent of the melting. We still do not know as we do not have exact data
Tibetans Breathe easily in higher altitudes with genes from extinct human species
Unusual gene variant prevents blood from clogging
The high altitude and rarefied air in Tibet makes it an inhospitable terrain for
most people. People exposed to such low levels of oxygen would normally
develop hypoxia as the body attempts to adjust by pumping out more red blood
cells, which turns blood into thick sludge, which can be fatal.
But the Tibetan people have been living in the region for generations. It has been
observed that Tibetans experience limited increase in haemoglobin concentration
that prevents their blood viscosity from reaching dangerous levels. Their rate of
breathing is higher and their lung capacity is greater than that of normal people
from birth
Difference in their genetic make up was revealed in a study that an unusual
variant of the gene, EPAS1, involved in regulating the body's production of
haemoglobin, allows Tibetans to adapt to high altitude conditions.
Tibetans may have inherited the gene from the extinct human species, the
Denisovans.
The Denisovans were cousins of humans from the paleolithic age, who inhabited
Siberia and Southeast Asia. The discovery of this species was made as recently
as 2008 when a fragment of bone belonging to a little Denisovan girl was
discovered in a cave in Siberia.
Normally, in humans, the common variant of the EPAS1 gene promotes red blood
cell production to dangerously high levels at high altitude.
The variant present in the Tibetan population, however, only promotes production
only marginally, thereby preventing the side-effects that are experienced by
visitors
The effects include nausea, insomnia, hypertension and an increased probability
of heart attack due to the thickening of the blood.
The prevalence of the gene variation--- It was attributed to natural selection and
adaptation to the unusually low oxygen levels.
Introgression probably occurred when modern humans inter-bred with the
Denisovan population on their way to China from Africa, and have still retained a
fraction of the Denisovan gene.
---characteristics
The AQI is a global standard.
The central agencies have also taken into account eight pollutants: PM 2.5; PM
10; Nitrogen dioxides; sulfur di oxide; ozone, carbon monoxide; ammonia and
lead.
It will also have One number one color and one description to inform the public
about the air quality index and in an easily understandable format
The index, using continuous 24-hour average data, will be made available from
vrious monitoring stations in those cities.
Analysis
Government has taken a good initiative to monitor the air pollution in real time
It will help to take preventive measures citizens while going outhowever this
step is not enough, we still have to take measures to bring down the peak
pollution levels.
AQI also needs to be matched with actionable plans on how to bring the pollution
levels down.
Like in many developed countries AQI data leads to certain actions to bring down
the pollution
Like in Paris, when the AQI rose to more than permissible limits, the city made
public transport free and removed almost 50% of the vehicles off the road.
2. Chestnut Breasted partridge
---this is one of its kind endemic to the eastern Himalayas north of the Brahmaputra
river, and is known as :
----this is also known from Bhutan, West bengal(Darjeeling Himalayas, which is also an
extention of the Pamir Knot); Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh; NE India; Nepal Himalaya;
and SE Tibet
The Bird has been classified Vulnerable by IUCN
----IUCN estimates about 2500 of this kind of bird live in Arunachal Pradesh, Bhutan
and the Lower Himalayas.
Why in News: this is because ---The partridge was seen and viewed before
but never photographed. This was the first time that this had been
photographed.
5. INDIAs status in IUCN List-- India has added 15 more species to the list
Till 2014 end, India has 988 threatened species on the list, ---which lists critically
endangered; endangered and vulnerable species
India has climbed down to a spot of 7th position
With 659 species in 2008, the increase over seven years is more than 50%
Reasonbetter research identifying more threatened species and
deforestation.
India has the fourth largest number of mammals in the world with 31 of them
endemic to the region
6. Oldenlandia Dineshi
---- A team of scientists from four research institutions in Kerala have reported the
discovery of a rare species of plant from the Palakkad gap region of the Western Ghats.
---- It as a new species. Named Oldenlandia dineshi, the plant is a shrub with long
linear tapering leaves and dark blue flowers. The flowering period is from July to
September and fruiting from September to October.
---- The genus Oldenlandia comprises about 248 species of which 27 have been
reported from India, mainly distributed in the southern parts of the Western
Ghats and North and North-East India
---- Several species of the Oldenlandia family are widely used in Ayurveda for
preparation of formulations such as Chyawanaprasam.
---- Based on IUCN criteria, the researchers have classified Oldenlandia dineshii as an
endangered species
7. Telengana Crab Spider
---- Telangana now has a spider named after it Telangana crab spider (Thomisus
telanganensis).
----The spiders, named Thomisus telanganensis, also resemble crabs and are called
"crab spiders".
---- The spiders of the Thomisidae family structurally resemble crabs and are hence
called crab spiders. The Telangana variety has a tendency to walk sideways like crabs.
They are also known as flower spiders as they lie in wait for prey on flowering plants.
---- Unlike traditional spiders, Telangana crab spiders do not weave webs. They
attack prey all of a sudden and immobilise them with venom
---- They are important to the ecosystem as they act as bio-controlling agents to
keep the insect population under control. They are usually found in plants, shrubs,
grasses, flowering plants, leaf litter and sometimes under stones.
8. Silent Valley
---- Lion-tailed macaques are reported to be found only in the Silent Valley area. But
forest officers have records of their presence in the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in
Kollam.
---- Silent Valley National Park is located in the Nilgiri Hills, Palakkad District in
Kerala, South India. The area in this national park was historically explored in 1847 by
the botanist Robert Wight, and is associated with Hindu legend. The Silent Valley is the
largest national park in Kerala.
9. Red Sanders
----Pterocarpussantalinus, with the common names Red Sanders, is a species of
Pterocarpus endemic to the southern Eastern Ghats mountain range of South
India.
---- Red Sanders has a highly restrictive distribution in the South Eastern portion of
Indian peninsula to which it is endemic. The Palakonda and Seshachalam hill ranges
of Cuddapah-Chittoor districts of the State of Andhra Pradesh are its principal
geographical range.
---- Red sanders has been classified as endangered in the IUCN (International Union
for Conservation of Nature) Red List and included in Appendix-II of Convention on
International trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
---- Used mainly to make aphrodisiac drugs and musical instruments and furniture.
---- Red-sanders or red sandal wood has lot of demand in International market including
China, Japan and Gulf countries and there is large scale smuggling of this precious wood
from AP.
10.
Indias Earth hour Capital
--- An 11-member international jury has declared Thane the National Earth Hour Capital
with the city emerging the winner from India in the Earth Hour City Challenge this year.
Seoul declared the Global Earth Hour Capital, 2015.
---- Last year, Coimbatore was selected as the National Earth Hour Capital.
---- The year-long competition among cities is aimed at promoting renewable energy
and preparing for climate change.
Notable changes taken by the Thane City administration about this matter
----The mandatory use of solar water-heating systems for municipal buildings.
Wind-solar hybrid systems and use of solar energy for lighting and air-conditioning.
The city plans solar rooftop net metering-based power generation and regular energy
audits.
An energy service company (ESCO) project for energy-efficient street lighting.
Commissioning of a bio-methanation plant to treat municipal solid waste and generate
electricity
Three cyclic switching units for optimal use of streetlights.
11.
Genetic profiling of Indian Mackerel
--- The Indian Mackerel Rastrelliger kanagurta is an important food fish
commonly consumed in South and Southeast Asian countries.
----The fish is commonly found in warm shallow waters along the coasts of the Indian
and West Pacific oceans, and their surrounding seas.
---- The Indian Mackerel shares the same genetic profile except those caught from
Andaman waters.
---- The fishes collected from Andaman waters were found to be genetically distinctive
from those caught from the Indian mainland. However, there was little genetic
differentiation between the fish caught from across India. ----- The genetic profiling was
carried out by researchers of the Central Marine Fish Research Institute (CMFRI),
Kochi and the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Research (NBFGR), Kochi
regional centre.
---- The genetic profiling of the species is essential to assess the stock, evolve fisheries
management methods including the preservation of genetic diversity and sustainability
of the regional fisheries.
12.
New Species of Gecko
----A new species of the day gecko, a type of lizard usually found in warm
climates, has been spotted at the ruins of the World Heritage Site of Hampi in
Karnataka.
----The gecko has been named Cnemaspisadii after a young herpetology researcher
from Hyderabad --Aditya Srinivasulu.
---- The zoologists say Hampi and surrounding areas are potentially rich in biodiversity
and not much research has been done to identify new species of smaller vertebrate and
invertebrates.
---- The discovery is significant because other species of day geckos have been, so far,
reported only from the Western Ghats and southern Eastern Ghats in peninsular
India.
----This is the first time that day geckos have been found in the central regions of
peninsular India between Eastern and Western Ghats.
13.Sea Cucumbers
Sea cucumbers are marine animals of the class Holothuroidea. They are used in fresh
or dried form in various cuisines.
----In some cultural contexts the sea cucumber is thought to have medicinal value.
---- Sea cucumbers, endangered species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife
Protection Act, 1972.
---- Sea cucumbers played a vital role in the marine ecological system, as they eat
nutrients from the sea bed and bring it to the surface, thus helpingin availability of the
nutrients to other organisms.
---- Nearly 200 species of sea cucumbers are found in the coral reef colonies in India, of
which 20 species were found in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay regions in the State.
---- Out of the 20, two were over-exploited and were exported in large number to
Singapore from where they were distributed to Taiwan, China and Japan, where they
are considered delicacies. Normally, the sea cucumbers are found in inter-tidal regions
of the coast, along the sea grass and coral reef colonies.
14.
Emissions from Biomass Burning Cross the Himalayas
----Contrary to the general assumption that the southern slopes of the Himalayas act as
a barrier and effectively block the transportation of pollutants from India and other parts
of South Asia, a study finds sound evidence to prove otherwise.
---- Aerosols have been found to rise and cross the entire range of the Himalayas.
---- Local meteorological conditions and regional atmospheric flow process
have been the two major factors enabling the pollutants to cross over
The main reason responsible------The organic acids present in the aerosols serve as a unique fingerprint in identifying
the source of pollution. In this case, the dicarboxylic acids served as a fingerprint.
---- Though dicarboxylic acids can be produced by biomass burning, vehicular
exhausts and cooking (primary source), as well as atmospheric photooxidation
(secondary source), the researchers were able to pinpoint the source as biomass
burning.
---- Levoglucosan is a specific marker of biomass burning it is produced through
the pyrolysis of cellulose during the combustion process,. Another unique marker of
biomass burning is the water-soluble potassium. Both the markers showed strong
positive correlation with dicarboxylic acids thereby confirming biomass burning as the
source of pollution.
---- Though the pollutants were found to reach the northern slopes of the Himalayas
during all the season pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon and winter
seasons the amount of aerosol found peaked during pre-monsoon. This, according to
them, is one more indicator of biomass burning as the source.
---- Agricultural burning and forest fires along the southern Himalayan foothills
and the Indo-Gangetic Plain reach a high during the pre-monsoon period. That probably
is the reason why the amount of biomass burning marker found peaked during the premonsoon time.
Regardless of where the pollutants come from, the study has provided compelling
evidence that they are due to biomass burning. We must step up the global effort to
drastically cut down biomass burning as much as we can.
15.
Save the Bustard
In the news_--Pramod Patil, ornithologist, has planned to help conserve the Great
Indian bustard ( Ardeotis nigriceps ) with 52,000 (about Rs. 50 lakh), which he got
as the prize money with the Whitley Award for his work to save the critically endangered
bird.
---The bulk of the fund will also be devoted to Thar Desert, as it is one of the last
refugees of this great bird.
About the Bustard
---the Great Indian Bustard is currently listed under Critically Endangered
species according to the in the 2013 Threatened Bird list by the International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
---there are less than 250 bustards left in the country
---It inhabits arid and semi-arid grasslands with scattered short scrub, bushes and low
intensity cultivation in flat or gently undulating terrain. In India it is legally protected
and there are severe penalties for killing an individual.
---it occurs in the Indian subcontinent, with former strongholds in the Thar desert in
the north-west and the Deccan tableland of the Peninsula.
--- It has been extirpated from 90% of its former range and is now principally
confined to Rajasthan, with smaller populations in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh.
16.
Indian vultures
---Falls under Critically endangered category
---Three types: red-headed; Slender Billed; and White-Rumped
---Globally significant populations of three species of critically endangered vultures still
persist in northern and north-eastern Cambodia,
---These species have undergone dramatic declines of 95-99% on the Indian
subcontinent due to the poisoning by the livestock-drug Diclofenac ingested from
animal carcasses.
---Though this drug appears not in use in Southeast Asia, populations have decreased
there as well, most probably because of a decrease in food availability due to shrinking
wild ungulate populations.
--Out of the 204 caecilian species reported so far, some resemble snakes while others
look like worms.
--the species is nearly blind; with the eye covered by bone.
---Measuring 135 mm to 224 mm in length, the specimens are pinkish in colour and
easily mistaken for earthworms.
--According to the authors, people usually fail to recognise caecilian amphibians
because of their secretive underground life and superficial similarity to earthworms.
---Given the G.tejaswini is known only from a small series of specimens from a single
locality and that very little is known of its general ecology and nothing of its
reproductive biology, the authors have proposed that the species be classified as Data
Deficient under IUCB criteria.
--Caecilians are limbless subterranean amphibians found in wet tropical and
sub-tropical regions.
21.
Mission mangroves in Sri Lanka
--- More than half the worlds mangroves have been lost over the last century, but all of
those surviving in Sri Lanka, one of their most important havens, are now to be
protected in an unprecedented operation.
--Thus in an initiative to prevent any more loss of the forests in Sri Lanka as well as to
boost the poorest of communities women will be offered small loans and
training to start businesses.
---In return for the microloans, the women will be expected to stop using the trees
for firewood and to guard the forests near their homes.
--Conservationists behind this scheme which is backed by the Sri Lankan
government, believe the focus on women will bring huge benefits to living standards in
coastal communities.
Importance of Mangroves---Important protection against Climate change and they sequester up to five times
more carbon than other forests, area for area.
---They also protect coastlines against flooding and tsunamis, and provide a vital
habitat for marine animals, especially crabs, shrimp and juvenile fish.
Mangroves in India
--- Mangroves in India account for about 3% of the worlds mangrove vegetation
--- Mangrove cover in India is 4,662 sq. km, which is 0.14% of the countrys total
geographical area.
--- Sundarbans in West Bengal accounts for almost half of the total area under
mangroves in the country.
--- Mangrove in India is famous for its rich variety of flora and fauna.
--- The forest survey report, 2013, notes down that the overall Mangrove cover in the
county in 2013 has decreased compared to 2011.
The reasons for the decrease of mangrove cover may be accounted as follows Grazing by domestic cattle and exploitation of mangrove woods for fuel and
timber.
The Neo-tectonic movement of the river courses
Abatement of the upstream freshwater discharges due to construction of
dams and reservoirs.
Rapid trend of reclamation of mangrove forests for habitations.
Pollutant discharges from cities and industries
Composition of Mangroves in India
The very dense mangrove comprises 1,403 sq. km (30.10% of the total mangrove
cover), moderately dense mangrove is 1,658.12 sq. km (35.57 %) while open
mangroves cover an area of 1,600.44 sq. km (33%).
Sunderbans
--the fish has thoracic adhesive apparatus that helps it cling on to the rocky
riverbed in mountains against strong currents. All Glyptothorax-genus fish
have this characteristic.
---Manipur has the highest diversity of aquatic fauna because of the two important river
drainage systems.
---- The western half is fed by the Barak-Brahmaputra drainage and the eastern and
central valleys are crisscrossed by the Chindwin river drainage, and these account for
the variety in the aquatic fauna.
24.Niligiri Tahir---Scientific Name: Nilgiritragus hylocrius
---This is locally known as---Nilgiri ibex or simply ibex
--Endemic to Niliris and the southern portion of the Western Ghats including Tamil
nadu and Kerala
--It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu
-- Despite its local name, it is more closely related to the sheep of the Ovis genus than
the Ibex and wild goats of the Capra genus.
Habitat
They predominate in the open montane grassland habitat of South-Western ghats
montane rain forests ecoregion
Hunting and poaching in the 19th century however decreased their numbers
The Nilgiri Tahir is the closest relative of Sheeps.
---Until 2005, they had been paced with Arabian
Tahir and Himalayan tahir under the genus:
Hemitragus
---However, it has been recently transferred to
the genus Nilgiritragus because it is genetically
more similar to the members Ovus (sheep)
---Males are larger than females with darker color,
and both have curved horns
--Adult males develop light grey area on their
backs and hence are called saddlebacks
---Conservation status
As few as 100 Nilgiri tahirs were left in wild
in the early 20th century
Since that time their populations has
increased somewhat, however above 2000
individuals
EravKulam National Park is the home to the
largest population of the species (894)
Other significant populations is in the
Nilgiri hills with smaller populations in the
Anamallai hills as well as Periyar National
park; Palni hills and pockets of western
ghats almost extending till the southern
25.Arunachal Macaque
---this is the first species to be named after the place of its origin (in India).
---Scientific name--Macaca munzala
--Conservation status--Endangered
Description of the species
Why in Rajasthan
According to the Skymet Meteorology Division in India, a low level cyclonic
circulation over Pakistan and adjoining Rajasthan region along with high day
temperatures had triggered the dust storm.
West Rajasthan becomes prone to such dust storms as it enters into the
pre-monsoon season. This was the first widespread storm of the season
covering a large area.
The winds are usually westerlies due to which the dust storms travel a long way.
Causes of the dust storm
---As the force of wind passing over loosely held particles increases, particles of sand
first start to vibrate, then to saltate. As they repeatedly strike the ground, they loosen
and break off smaller particles of dust which then begin to travel in suspension.
--At wind speeds above that which causes the smallest to suspend, there will be a
population of dust grains moving by a range of mechanisms: suspension, saltation and
creep.
--Particles become loosely held mainly due to drought or arid conditions, and varied
wind causes.
--In desert areas, dust storms are most commonly caused by either thunderstorm
outflows, or by strong pressure gradients which cause an increase in wind velocity over
a wide area.
--the vertical extent of the dust or sand that is raised is largely determined by the
stability of the atmosphere above the ground as well as by the weight of the
particulates.
--Drought and wind contribute to the emergence of dust storms, as do poor farming and
grazing practices by exposing the dust and sand to the wind.
27.
Cultivation of Paddy and Sugarcane pose threat to HAMPI
monuments
---UNESCO, in its State of Conservation report on the World Heritage Site, has said
that cultivation of paddy and sugarcane pose a threat to the conservation of the
historical Hampi group of monuments.
---UNESCO has flagged irrigation of water-intensive agriculture, traffic close to the site
and seasonal flooding of the Tungabhadra as challenges.
How the cultivation of these crops affects the sites
The threat of agriculture is water-logging that weakens the foundation of minor
monuments situated on farm land. There have been incidents of monuments
sinking or damage caused due to dampness and wetness.
HAMPI
Hampi is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India located near Hospet
town in the Karnataka state.
It is located within the ruins of the city of Vijaynagara Kingdom the former capital
of the Vijayanagara Empire.
The emperor Ashokas minor rock edicts in Nittur & Udegolan (both in Bellary
district, Karnataka) lead one to believe that this region was within the Ashokan
kingdom during the 3rd century BCE.
A Brahmi inscription and a terracotta seal dating to the 2nd century CE were also
discovered from the excavation site.
The first historical settlements in Hampi date back to 1 CE.
Situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river
Hampi has got various
notable Hindu temples with some vedanta mythology
inside the temples, some of which are still active places of worship.
28.Wroughtons Free Tailed Bat
----Scientific name: Otomops wroughtoni
----this has been in the news recently, is a free-tailed bat formerly considered to be
confined in the Western Ghats of India, though it is recently discovered from the NE
part as well as from Cambodia
----It was listed as Critically Endangered species due to habitat Loss and restricted
ranges
----In India the species is exclusively found in two locations: one on the South Indian
state of Karnataka ( in the Barapede Caves, located between Krishnapur and Talewadi,
in Belgaum district, adjacent to the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary near the state of Goa)
and also in Meghalaya (recently discovered in a cave near Nongrai village, Shella
confederacy)
29.
Half of the mammals face habitat Loss
---THE ZSI has recently published a Book entitled An Identification Manual for
Scheduled Mammals of India---provides detailed information regarding scheduled
mammals, their status as per IUCN red List of threatened species
---India is a home to 428 species of mammals out of which more than 60% about
251 species are under protected or scheduled categories of the Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972.
---428 species of mammals in India contribute to about 8% of the total mammal species
found in the World.
--About 50% of mammalian fauna of India have shrunk in their distributional range due
to various anthropogenic pressures.
--FOUR mammalian species: Cheetah, Banteng, Sumatran Rhinoceros and Javan
Rhinoceros are extinct in India.
--Out of the 251 Scheduled mammals species listed under the India Wildlife (Protection)
Act, 1972, about 180 fall under the lesser-known category, and very little
information is available about their habitat, behaviour, and population.
---Around 78 species of mammals are included in Schedule I of Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972, implying that highest priority is placed on the conservation of
these animals in the country.
---While the Schedule I mammals constitute well known species like tiger, elephant and
Indian rhinoceros, lesser known species such as clouded leopard, snow leopard, gaur,
desert cat, Niligiri tahr, swamp deer, sloth bear and Tibetan, sand fox are also included
in the list.
---The mammals that fall under the category of Critically endangered of the book
are--pygmy hog, Malabar civet, large rock rat and kondana rat.
--As per the IUCN, status 29 mammals (such as, Chinese Pangolin, fishing cat, Gangetic
dolphin, golden langur, hispid hare etc.) in the country come under the endangered
category.
30.
Nepal Snow Leopards gets a Radio Collar
Nepalese conservationists recently announced that they had successfully radio-collared
a second snow leopard near Kanchenjunga, the worlds third highest mountain.
---Data received from the satellite collar will enable conservationists to identify
critical habitats for the elusive species, including trans boundary links across
India and China.
---The collaring expedition was led by the government of Nepal in partnership with
the WWF, the National Trust for Nature Conservation, the Kanchenjunga
Conservation Area Project and citizen scientists from the local Snow Leopard
Conservation Committee.
---The radio collaring was especially vital in helping identify snow leopard hotspots and
managing local logistics.
---There is an estimated 350 to 590 snow leopards in Nepal as per 2009
population data on the species.
Quick facts about the N Snow Leopard
StatusENDANGERED in the IUCN Red List
They inhabit in the Alpine and the subalpine zones at elevations from 3,000 to
4,500 m (9,800 to 14,800 ft). In the northern range countries, they also occur at
lower elevations.
The snow leopard is the National Heritage Animal of Pakistan.
Their habitat extends through 12 countries--Afghanistan, Bhutan, China,
India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and
Uzbekistan. China contains as much as 60% of all snow leopard habitat areas.
In India their geographical range encompasses a large part of the
western Himalayas including the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in the eastern
Himalayas.
The Snow Leopard like all big cats, is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on
International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), which makes trading of animal
body parts (i.e., fur, bones and meat) illegal in signatory countries. It is also
protected by several national laws in its range countries .
31.
World Environment Day
---World Environment Day (WED) is the United Nations principal vehicle for encouraging
worldwide awareness and action for the environment. It is run by the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP).
---Celebrated on the 5th of June, It was established by the United Nations General
Assembly in 1972 on the day that United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment began.
---Over the years, it has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach that is
widely celebrated by stakeholders in over 100 countries.
---Theme for this year--Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care.
--ITALY will host as the WED 2015.
June
1. Centre eases processes to declare wildlife Vermin
---Union Ministry of Environment forest and climate change (MoEFCC) has asked
the States to send proposals to declare wild animals vermin for specified period in
a given area.
---Aim of the Move: The increasing man-animal conflict that causes damage to
crops and other human property ; also if they have become much diseased/
---Implications of the Move:
Once declared a vermin, that particular species can be hunted or culled
without restriction.
If implemented, it will apply to wild animals listed in various
Schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972,
Exception would be for those wild animals listed in---Schedule I &
Part II of Schedule II that lists most endangered and iconic species
like tigers, leopards, and elephants.
--Problems associated with the Move
Officials and environmentalists fear that protected species could be hunted in the
name of eliminating vermin. They point out it is not easy for field staff to
differentiate meat of chital from nilgais or wild boar.
---also to mitigate man-animal conflict outside the protected areas (PAs), the Centre has
also sought proposals to grant aid to deal with conflict as part of the annual plan of
operations under the centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) for Integrated Development
of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH).
2. . Scientists discover Virgin births of endangered Sawfish in Florida
----Scientists have documented in Florida a series of virgin births, reproduction
---the notification follows the Government of India approval for establishing the Dandeli
Elephant Reserve under Project Elephant.
---Project Elephant Project Elephant was launched in 1992 as a Central-sponsored scheme to
protect elephant habitats, including its corridors, and resolve human-elephant
conflicts rampant in many States.
The Project is being implemented in 13 States / UTs, namely, Andhra Pradesh,
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland,
Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Under Project Elephant, States that have a free-ranging population of wild
elephants are being given financial as well as technical and scientific assistance
to ensure long-term survival of identified viable populations of elephants in their
natural habitats.
4. Songbird Extinction
--- According to a study, Songbird in Europe and Asia is being hunted to near
extinction because of Chinese eating habits.
---The population of the yellow -breasted bunting has plunged by 90% since 1980, all
but disappearing from eastern Europe, Japan and parts of Russia.
---China in 1997 banned the hunting of the species, known there as the rice bird.
---The study also says that the consumption of these birds has increased as a result of
economic growth and prosperity in East Asia, with an estimate in 2001 claiming
one million buntings were consumed in Chinas Guangdong province alone.
---About the Songbird
A songbird belonging to the clade Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes).
This group forms some 4,000 species found all over the world, in which the vocal
organ typically is developed in such a way as to produce a diverse and elaborate
bird song.
Songbirds form one of the two major lineages of extant perching birds, the other
being the Tyranni which are most diverse in the Neotropics and absent from
many parts of the world.
Songbirds are alike in having the vocal organ highly developed, though not
all use it to melodious effect.
5. India richer by 349 NEW species
--- According to the list of new discoveries by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and
the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), 349 new species of flora and fauna were
discovered in the past one year 173 species and genera of plants and 176
species of animals.
---Of the new plants some of the significant findings include nine new taxa of wild
Musa (bananas), four species of black plum (jamun), three species of wild
gingibers and 10 species of orchids.
--Details about the new findings
Western Ghats accounted for 22% of the new discoveries, while the Eastern
Himalayas and the north-eastern States each accounted for 15% of the species
found.
In Arunachal Pradesh ALONE, 25 species of seed plants were discovered.
Among the 176 new species of animals added to the existing list in India, two
species of reptiles have been noted for the FIRST time, one in tamil nadu and the
other in Madhya Pradesh
Insects outnumbered animals this year as well
While most of the new species of amphibians were discovered from the Western
Ghats, majority of fish species were from north-east India.
Apart form the NEW species, BSI has also added 105 new records and ZSI 61 new
records. Animals and plants that are found elsewhere in the world but have been
spotted in India for the first time are called new records.
In India 96,891 species of animals and 47,791 species of plants have been
recorded so far.
Scientists have found that the Western Ghats and the northeast are
biodiversity hotspots where most new species were found.
The mud statuettes were found inside a reed basket in a building in the
ancient city of Vichama in northern Peru. Researchers say they were probably
used in religious rituals performed before breaking ground on a new building.
Two of the figures, a naked man and woman painted in white, black and red, are
believed to represent political authorities.
The third, a woman with 28 fingers and red dots on her white face, is believed to
represent a priestess.
The research team also unearthed two mud figurines of womens faces wrapped
in cloth.
---Caral is one of the most ancient cities of the Americas, and a well-studied
site of the Caral or Norte Chico civilization.
--- It was a large settlement in the Supe Valley, near Supe, Barranca province, Peru,
some 200 km north of Lima. It was inhabited between roughly 2600 BCE and 2000 BCE.
---Peru lies on the Pacific coast of South America just south of the Equator.
7. Indias only Double coconut tree artificially pollinated
--- Recently, scientists at the Indian Botanical Garden in West Bengals Howrah district
have carried out artificial pollination of the only double coconut tree in India.
---This bears the LARGEST SEED known to science
---The artificial pollination is an outcome of decades of research coming out from the
scientists of BSI
---About Double Coconut Tree ( Lodoicea maldivica ):
It is one of the rare and globally threatened species of palm. The tree was planted
at the botanical garden in 1894.
The tree almost took 100 years to mature.
The double coconut not only bears the largest seed known to science
weighing around 25 kg but this unique species is also the longest surviving
palm which can live for as long as 1,000 years.
The tree also bears the largest leaf among palms and one leaf can thatch
a small hut.
The species of the palm is diecious (where male and female flowers are borne on
different plants).
The palm tree is located in the large palm house of the Botanical Garden which
has the largest collection of palms in South East Asia with around 110 palm
species.
This RARE tree can also be found in-- only two of the 115 Seychelles islands
and is also called Coco de Mer (coconut of the sea).
10.
Songbirds speciation
----Climate change in the valleys, gaps affects songbirds speciation
----A new study by National Centre for Biological Sciences on high elevation songbirds of
Western Ghats, has found that deep valleys have greater impact on speciation than
shallow ones in this mountain chain.
----The study was conducted to investigate genetic variation of all 23 species of
songbirds that inhabit the Shola forests of the sky islands of Western Ghats.
----Details of the Study
The study found that not all species are affected by the gaps.
Out of the 23 species studied, 10 showed genetic divergences across the
deepest, widest valley, the Palghat gap, while three others diverged across the
Shenkotta gap.
Only one species diverged across the shallowest valley, the Chaliyar River valley.
While the Western Ghats were formed some 50 million years ago, the arrival of
songbirds in the Western Ghats is only dated earliest to 34 million years ago.
Simulated studies suggested the species diverged at different times. It was also
observed that it was not only the valleys and gaps in the mountain, but also the
climate that affect to play an important role in these bird divergences.
----Study of the Songbird
A Songbird is a bird belonging to the clade Passeri of the perching birds
(Passeriformes).
This group contains some 4,000 species found all over the world, in which the
vocal organ typically is developed in such a way as to produce a diverse and
elaborate bird song.
Songbirds form one of the two major lineages of extant perching birds, the other
being the Tyranni which are most diverse in the Neotropics and absent from many
parts of the world.
Songbirds are alike in having the vocal organ highly developed, though not all
use it to melodious effect.
China in 1997 banned these hunting of the species, known there as the rice
bird.