• BHUMIKA SAINI

üB.Tech , NIT Jaipur

üGiven UPSC interview four times.
üTeaching experience of four years
Areas covered
POLLUTION

SPECIES AND THEIR CONSERVATION

CLIMATE CHANGE

ORGANIZATIONS AND CONVENTIONS

DAYS AND REPORTS

MISCELLANEOUS
Events / Days
World Environment Day (WED)
• World Environment Day (WED) is observed on 5 June every year. This day celebrates
the natural environment and allows a global platform to raise awareness on the
environmental issues worldwide, with plans to mitigate these issues as a global
community.
• 2016 Theme: Go Wild for Life (Zero tolerance for the illegal trade in wildlife). In India
Tiger Express from Safdarjung station, New Delhi was flagged off.
• The African country Angola was the host country which seeks to safeguard the
environment as it continues to rebuild after more than a quarter-century of civil war.
• WED is observed globally by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• The UN General Assembly designated June 5 as World Environment Day in 1972,
marking the first day of the landmark Stockholm Conference on the Human
Environment.
• The theme for 2017 is 'Connecting People to Nature – in the city and on the land, from
the poles to the equator'. The host country will be Canada.
World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD)
• The World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD) is being observed on 17 June across the
world to promote public awareness related to international cooperation to combat desertification
and the effects of drought.
• 2016 Theme: Inclusive cooperation for achieving Land Degradation Neutrality. The theme
advocates importance of inclusive cooperation to restore and rehabilitate degraded land. It also
advocates contributing towards achieving the overall Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• 2016 Slogan: “Protect Earth. Restore Land. Engage People”. It addresses the importance of
comprehensive cooperation and participation in working towards achieving Land Degradation
Neutrality.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had declared June 17 as the World Day to
Combat Desertification and Drought in 1994. It was observed for the first time in 1995.
• The day is observed globally to promote public awareness of the issue, and the implementation
of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in those countries
experiencing serious desertification or drought, particularly in Africa.
World Oceans Day
• The World Oceans Day is observed globally on 8th June every year to raise global
awareness of the current challenges faced by the international community in connection
to the oceans.
• The day also seeks to provide a unique opportunity to honour, protect, and conserve the
world’s oceans.
• 2016 Theme: “Healthy oceans, healthy planet”. The theme highlights the urgent need to
curb the menace of plastic pollution.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated 8 June as the World
Oceans Day in 2008 by passing its resolution 63/111.
• World Oceans Day events include a variety of activities and actions, such as special
outdoor explorations, beach cleanups, educational and action programs, art contests,
film festivals, and sustainable seafood events.
 World Hydrography Day
• World Hydrography Day, 21 June, was adopted by the International Hydrographic Organization
(IHO) as an annual celebration to publicise the work of hydrographers and the importance of
hydrography.
• The day emphasizes the importance of protection of marine reserves and also promotion of safe
navigation in international waters and ports.
• 2016 Theme: “Hydrography – the key to well-managed seas and waterways“. It is intended to
promote the importance of hydrography internationally, multilateral cooperation and effective
collaboration in data exchange, charting and standards development.
• The theme for 2017 is "Mapping our seas, oceans and waterways - more important than ever".
• The idea of observing World Hydrography Day was mooted by the International Hydrographic
Organization (IHO) in 2005. It was officially instituted by the United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA) and the law of the sea in 2005.
• Hydrography:
üIt is the branch of applied sciences which deals with the measurement and description of the physical
features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers, as well as with the prediction of their change over
time, for the primary purpose of safety of navigation and in support of all other marine activities, including
economic development, security and defence, scientific research, and environmental protection
International Tiger Day
• The International Tiger Day also known as Global Tiger Day is observed annually on 29
July to raise awareness for tiger conservation.
• The goal is to promote the protection and expansion of the wild tiger’s habitats and to
gain support through awareness for tiger conservation.
• Many international organisations are involved in the celebration of this day, including the
WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), the IFAW (International Fund for Animal
Welfare) etc.
• The International Tiger Day was founded in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit.
The summit had issued St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation with an aim to
double the big cat population by 2022.
• Tigers are on the brink of extinction. Many factors have caused their numbers to fall,
including habitat loss, hunting, poaching and climate change.
WATER DAY
üThe central government has decided to observe April 14 every year as “water day”.
üWater is increasingly becoming a scarce resource with per capital availability of water going
down to 1545 cubic meters as per the 2011 census as compared to 1816 cubic meter as per
2001 census.
üThe importance of economic use and better management of water arises as most of the water
is not available for use and secondly it is characterized by its highly uneven spatial
distribution.
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
• September 16 was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
• This designation had been made in commemoration of the date, in 1987, on which
nations signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
• 2016 theme: “Ozone and climate: Restored by a world united”. The theme recognizes
the collective efforts of the parties to the Vienna Convention NOTES and the Montreal
Protocol towards the restoration of the ozone layer over the past three decades and the
global commitment to combat climate change.
 World Food Day
• The World Food Day is observed globally on 16 October to mark foundation of Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.
• It aims to raise public awareness about hunger challenges and encourage people around the
world to take action in the fight against hunger.
• The theme for 2016 is: "Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too".
üIt highlights the issue of food security related to climate change.
üIt calls adopting sustainable practices for growing more food with less area of land and use natural
resources wisely
Earth Hour
• The 11th edition of the Earth Hour was observed across the world on 25 March 2017 to
take a global call on climate change.
• To mark this day, cities all over the world turned their lights off from 8:30 pm to 9:30
pm local time.
• Environmental activists this year have focused to raise awareness on another problem
that gets far less attention that is Light Pollution.
• Earth Hour is an annual international event organised by the World Wide Fund for
Nature (WWF). The first Earth Hour was held on March 31, 2007 in Sydney, Australia.
• It is held annually in end of March to encourage everyone to turn off their nonessential
lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.
• Its goal is to raise awareness for sustainable energy use and create a more
environmentally sustainable lifestyle.
 Light Pollution:

üLight pollution is an artificial brightening of the night sky caused by manmade lightening sources. It is also
known as photo pollution or NOTES luminous pollution.
üThis has a disruptive effect on natural cycles and inhibits the observation of stars and planets.
üMore than 80% of humanity lives under skies saturated with artificial light.
üLight Pollution disturbs the reproductive cycles of some animals and disturbs migration of birds that
navigate using stars.
üIn humans, it disturbs circadian rhythms that regulate hormones and other bodily functions.
üExcessive blue light emitted from LEDs directly affect the sleep pattern in Human by suppressing the
production of the hormone melatonin, which mediates the sleep-wake cycle in humans
 World Tsunami Awareness Day
• The First World Tsunami Awareness Day was observed across the world on 5 November 2016 to
spread awareness among people across the world about Tsunami.
• 2016 Theme: “Effective Education and Evacuation Drills”.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had constituted the day by adopting a resolution in
December 2015.
• The proposal was first mooted by Japan after the 3rd UN Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
held in Sendai, Japan in March 2015.
• Background:
üThe significance of this day, the 5th November, to tsunami awareness can be traced back to the year 1854.
üA villager in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, was concerned about an impending tsunami after a high-intensity
earthquake on November 5, 1854.
üHe set up a fire to rice sheaves on the top of a hill. Fellow villagers, who went atop to put off the fire, were
saved even as a tsunami destroyed their village down below.
üThis was the first documented instance of a tsunami early warning.
• Following the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, the Government of India established an
Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) under the Indian National Centre for Ocean
Information Services (INCOIS) at Hyderabad
 World Wetlands Day
• The 2 February each year is World Wetlands Day, marking the date of the adoption of the
Convention on Wetlands also called as Ramsar Convention on 2 February 1971.
• Since then it is observed every year to spread awareness about Ramsar Convention in
particular for conservation of Wetlands.
• 2017 Theme: “Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction”.
• It seeks to raise awareness and highlight the role of healthy wetlands in reducing the impacts
of extreme weather events such as floods, cyclones and drought on communities, and in
helping to build resilience.
• The theme for the World Wetlands day 2016 was “Wetlands for our Future –
Sustainable Livelihoods”.
World Wildlife Day
• The World Wildlife Day is observed on 3rd March every year to celebrate and raise
awareness about the world’s wild fauna and flora.
• It is celebrated to mark the adoption of Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
• The World Wildlife Day was designated by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at
its 68th session on 20 December 2013.
• 2017 theme: “Listen to the Young Voices”. It aims to empower and engage the youth in
conservation areas.
World Sustainable Development Summit
• President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the first edition of World Sustainable Development
Summit (WSDS) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
• The summit was organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the theme was
Beyond 2015: People, Planet and Progress.
• WSDS has replaced TERI’s earlier Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) which
was first organised in 2005.
• The aim of the summit is to provide various stakeholders a single platform in order to provide
long-term solutions for the benefit of the global community.
• It emphasized on the need for businesses and private sector to take lead in poverty reduction
and to ensure rapid and sustained adoption of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI):
üTERI is a non-profit research institution that conducts research work in the fields of energy, environment
and sustainable development.
üEstablished in 1974 as Tata Energy Research Institute, it was renamed as The Energy and Resources Institute in
2003.
üIt aims to focus on formulating local and national level strategies for shaping global solutions to critical
issues.
Reports / Releases
The Birds of Banni Grassland
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a book titled “The Birds of Banni Grassland”.
• The book was presented to the Prime Minister by the Scientists of Gujarat Institute of
Desert Ecology (GUIDE).
• The Book is a compilation of the research work, relating to more than 250 species of
birds found in the Banni area of Kutch, Gujarat.
• The Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology, located at Bhuj, has been studying the plant,
bird and marine life in the Rann of Kutch for over 15 years.
Inheriting a sustainable world: Atlas on children’s
health and the environment
• According to recently released World Health Organisation (WHO) report - “Inheriting
a sustainable world: Atlas on children’s health and the environment”, polluted
environment kills around 1.7 million children a year.
• The report provides a comprehensive overview of the environment’s impact especially
air pollution on children’s health.
• Most common causes of death among children are diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia
due to pollution.
• Harmful exposures also increase the risk of premature birth.
• Exposure to air pollution may also increase their lifelong risk of stroke, heart disease and
cancer
Endemic Vascular Plants of India
• According to the recent publication released by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI),
Tamil Nadu accounts for the highest number of flowering plants in the country.
• The publication titled “Endemic Vascular Plants of India” revealed that almost one of
every four species of flowering plants found in India is endemic to the country.
• Of these, Tamil Nadu accounts for the highest number of species with 410, followed by
Kerala (357 species) and Maharashtra (278 species).
• In case of the geographical distribution of endemic plants, Western Ghats tops the list
with about 2,116 species, followed by the Eastern Himalayas with 466 species.
• Some of the plants species are restricted to only certain areas of the country like an
insectivorous plant Nepenthes khasiana which is found only in the Khasi hills of
Meghalaya.
Living Planet Report
• The Living Planet Report is published every two years by the World Wide Fund for
Nature since 1998.
• It is based on the Living Planet Index and ecological footprint calculations.
• The Living Planet Report is the world's leading, science-based analysis on the health of
our planet and the impact of human activity.
• According to recently released study, global wildlife populations have fallen by 58% since
1970 and if the trend continues then two-thirds of wild animals may go extinct by 2020.
• The study was published as The Living Planet assessment by the Zoological Society of
London (ZSL) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Human activity, including habitat
loss, wildlife trade, pollution and climate change contributed to the decline in global
wildlife populations.
Energy Efficiency Implementation Readiness
• Andhra Pradesh has been ranked number one in the World Bank’s “Energy Efficiency
Implementation Readiness”.
• The ranking of the states were released in the World Bank’s study report: “India’s State
Level Energy Efficiency Implementation Readiness”.
• Andhra Pradesh topped with overall score of 42.01 followed by Rajasthan (41.89),
Karnataka (39.34) and Maharashtra (39.29).
 INDIA BIODIVERSITY AWARDS 2016
• About India biodiversity awards
üIt is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, National Biodiversity Authority
and United Nations Development programme.
üThe Awards recognise the contribution of a range of stakeholders towards the conservation of biodiversity and
excellence in biodiversity governance
üThe four categories of 2016 awards are:
üConservation of threatened species
üSustainable use of biological resources
üSuccessful mechanisms/models for access and benefit sharing
üBiodiversity Management Committee
• Notable Winners of the 2016 Awards
üNature Conservation Founder and the Ghora-Abhe society for their Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme introduced
in Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunanchal Pradesh.
üPurnima Devi Burman and Hargilla army for protection of Greater adjutant Bird
üMawkyrnot SHG for sustainable use of 52-feet long living roots bridge in Mawkyrnot, Meghalaya
üGram Mooligai Co. Ltd. In MP for involving local communities in developing medicinal plants.
üDudhai Biodiversity Management Committee in Uttarakhand for banning illegal sand mining and reviving river
ecosystems
About Pakke Tiger Reserve
• It is located in the East Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh
• It was earlier known as Pakhui Tiger reserve.
• It is adjacent to Nameri National Park of Assam and Sessa Orchid sanctuary and
Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is bounded by Pakkeriver and the Bhareli/Kameng river, both tributaries of
Brahmaputra.
REPORT ON ANIMAL AND PLANT DISCOVERIES 2015
• The report is released by the Ministry of Environment and Forest with the help of the studies of
scientists and experts of Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
• Findings of the Report
üIndia’s biodiversity has improved with 445 new species been added to the list in 2015.
üThe figure includes 262 animal species and 183 plant species.
üThe list includes 4 species of reptiles, 6 species of amphibians, 26 species of fishes, etc.
üThe most discoveries were made in the Eastern Himalaya region, which accounts for 19% of the total
discoveries followed by the Western Ghats (18%) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (15%).
• Animals
üRock gecko (Hemidactylusyajurvedi) found in Kanker Chhattishgarh
üNew frog species (Fejervaryagomantaki) from the Western Ghats
üA shiny new species of fish (Bariliusardens), from the Western Ghats
• Plants
üA new species of ginger Zingiberbipinianum in the South Garo hills of Meghalaya
üA species of mushroom (Bondarzewiazonata) collected from north Sikkim at an altitude of 2,829 m.
DISASTER
MANAGEMENT
 NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN
• · The plan was unveiled recently. It is the first major national plan for disaster management.
· The plan aims to make India disaster resilient and reduces loss of lives.
· It is made keeping in mind the Sendai Framework and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Major highlights of the plan
· Comprehensive definition of disaster
ü The plan is based on the four priority themes of the “Sendai Framework,” namely:
§ understanding disaster risk,
§ improving disaster risk governance,
§ investing in disaster risk reduction (through structural and non-structural measures);
§ Disaster preparedness- early warning and building back better in the aftermath of a disaster.
ü It covers all phases of disaster management: Prevention, Mitigation, Response and Recovery.
ü It covers human induced disasters like chemical, nuclear etc.;
• Planning
ü Planning for short medium and long run respectively 5, 10, and 15 years to deal with disasters.
· Integrating approach with role clarity
ü It provides for horizontal and vertical integration among all the agencies and departments of the
Government.
ü The plan also spells out the roles and responsibilities of all levels of Government right up to
Panchayat and Urban local body level in a matrix format.
ü Ministries are given role for specific disasters e.g. Ministry of Earth Sciences is responsible for
Cyclones
ü The plan has a regional approach, which will be beneficial not only for disaster management but
also for development planning.
ü It is designed in such a way that it can be implemented in a scalable manner in all phases of
disaster management.
• Major activities
ü It also identifies major activities such as early warning, information dissemination, medical care,
fuel, transportation, search and rescue, evacuation, etc. to serve as a checklist for agencies
responding to a disaster.
ü It also provides a generalised framework for recovery and offers flexibility to assess a situation
and build back better.
• Information & media regulation
ü To prepare communities to cope with disasters, it emphasises on a greater
need for Information, Education and Communication activities.
ü It calls for ethical guidelines for the media for coverage of disasters as well as
self-regulation. The plan wants the media to respect the dignity and privacy of
affected people.
ü Also, in a move aimed to stop rumours and spread of panic, the plan directed
the authorities to schedule regular media briefing (depending on the severity of
the disaster) and designate a nodal officer for interacting with the media on behalf
of the government.
· Focus on training, capacity building and incorporating best international
practices
About Sendai framework
• The Sendai Framework is a 15-year nonbinding agreement on disaster risk reduction.
• It replaced the earlier Hyogo Framework.
• It was adopted at the Third UN United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk
Reduction held at Sendai, Japan in March 2015.
• It aims for the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and
health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of
persons, businesses, communities and countries.
DISASTER RISK INDEX OF THE WORLD
üIndia has been ranked 77th on the World Risk Index, topped by Island state
of Vanuatu.
• About the Report
üThe World risk report analyses the role that infrastructure plays in shaping a
country’s disaster risk.
üThe Index, calculated by the University of Stuttgart, ranks 171 countries
according to their risk of becoming a victim of a disaster as a result of natural
hazards.
WORKSHOP ON PREPARATION OF HEAT WAVE
ACTION PLAN
üNational Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Government of
Telengana organised a workshop on Preparation of Heat Wave Action Plan in
order to mitigate the impact of the impending heat wave in 2017.
• What are Heat Waves?
üHeat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures (more than the normal
maximum temperature) during summer months.
üIt is predominantly prevalent in North-western parts of India during March-
June. In some parts, it extends up to July.
CRITERIA
üThe Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has underlined the following criteria for heat waves:
üHeat wave is not to be considered till the temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C (for plains)
and 30°C (for hilly regions).
üWhen normal maximum temperature of a station is less than or equal to 40°C , then a departure of 5 to
6 degrees from the normal is to be considered heat wave while a departure of 7 degrees is to be
considered severe heat wave.
üWhen normal maximum temperature of a station is more than 40°C then a departure of 4 to 5 degrees
from the normal is to be considered heat wave while a departure of 6 degrees is to be considered severe
heat wave.
üIn case the normal temperature of station is more than 45°C then heat wave is to be declared
irrespective.
üHeat waves often lead to dehydration, stress, heat exhaustion and sometimes a fatal heat stroke as well.
üNDMA released the Guidelines for Preparation of Action Plan – Prevention and Management of
Heat Wave in 2016
SAMUDRA PAHEREDAR
• Sri Lanka and India held joint oil spill prevention exercise onboard the Indian Coast
Guard Ship "Samudra Paheredar", which is on a two-day official visit to the island
country.
• As both India and Sri Lanka are located close to one of the busiest network of
international shipping lanes, the readiness is of paramount importance for both
countries to take remedial action against oil spills.
• Oil spills from vessels that occur as a result of sudden collisions with oil platforms and
various other related reasons, had posed a significant threat on the marine environment
to date.
JALRAHAT EXERCISE
• Exercise jalrahat is a joint initiative taken by the Assam state government and
Armed forces towards the objective of improving disaster preparedness during
floods.
• Similar exercises will be done in
• Vishakhapatnam by Indian Navy- Exercise Prakampana for preparedness in case
of super cyclone
• Bhuj, Gujarat by Indian Air Force- Exercise Sahayata for major earthquake.
PRAKAMPANA-2016
• The three day long Joint Disaster Management Exercise named Prakampana (‘Cyclone’
in Sanskrit) was held in Visakhapatnam (Vizag) in September 2016.
• The exercise was aimed at synchronizing resources and efforts of all agencies involved in
disaster management.
• It was conducted by the Eastern Naval Command in liaison with concerned Centre and
State authorities
MISCELLANEOUS
 Why in news?
• A new climate model to study the heat island effect in Abu Dhabi has been developed by
researchers. The model, once completed, would help in tackling the effect across the globe.

• About urban heat islands (UHI)

üIt is defined as the rise in temperature of any man-made area, resulting in a well-defined, distinct "warm island"
among the "cool sea“ represented by the lower temperature of the areas nearby natural landscape
üThough heat islands may form on any rural or urban area, and at any spatial scale, cities are favoured, since their
surfaces are prone to release large quantities of heat.
üOn an average the annual air temperature of a heat island in a city with 1 million people or more can be 1- 3°C
warmer than its surroundings which goes upto 12°C in evenings.
üHeat islands can affect communities by increasing summertime energy demands, air-conditioning costs, air
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, heat-related illness and mortality
üThe major causes are vehicle, dark pavements, multi-storey buildings and air conditioners. Among these the use of
ACs is most adverse as it creates a vicious cycle.
üThe effects of a heat island can be reduced by developing efficient cooling systems, adding vegetation to buildings,
cooling paved surfaces with reflective paint etc
 HAKKI HABBA

• It is a three day bird festival which was held at Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary near world
famous Hampi in Ballari district, Karnataka.
• It was the 3rd edition jointly organized by State’s Forest Department and Eco Tourism
Board in association with the local birdwatchers’ association.
• The first two editions were held in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Mandya district and
Kali Tiger Reserves, Uttara Kannada district.
• The objective of the festival is to create awareness among the people about conservation
of birds.
• Birds like Great Indian Bustard, Bar-headed geese, Partridges, Painted Sand grouses,
Yellow throated bulbul, Great horned Owl, Black Storks were sighted along the bank of
River Tungabhadra in Hampi.
Sloth Bears
• Indian Sloth bears are a species of bear found only in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
• It is nocturnal animal, locally known as KARADI, lives in open scrub forests having
outcrop of rocks, boulders and caves as shelter.
• They have poor vision and hearing but good sense of smell.
• Daroji sanctuary established in 1994 is biggest sloth bear sanctuary in Asia.
• Current status: IUCN RED list – Vulnerable, in CITES included in Appendix I and
Schedule I of wildlife protection act, 1972.
POLACHIRA WETLANDS
• Why in News?
üRecently the 27th annual waterfowl census was conducted in the Polachira
Wetlands, in Kollam, Kerala
üThis year 15 Eurasian spoonbills were sighted at Polachira. They are
migratory birds breeding from the UK and Spain in the west through to
Japan in the East. About Polachira Wetlands
üThe wetlands are the breeding ground for the Migratory Birds from all
around the world.
üSome of the birds sighted during the census are Comb ducks, Black headed
ibis, Painted storks, Glossy Ibis, Indian moorhen, Eurasian coot, Pheasant-
tailed jacana, Grey heron, large cormorant and large egret
RIP TIDES
üISRO in collaboration with a private lifeguard agency appointed by the Goa
government has conducted a study (Ripex 2017) on rip tides along the
beaches of Goa.
• What are Rip Tides?
üRip tides (also known as ebb jet or tidal jet) are powerful currents running
perpendicular to the shore.
üThey pull the water out into the ocean.
üThe term rip tide is a misnomer as tides occur due to moon’s gravitational
pull while rip currents are caused due to shape of the shoreline or due to
formation of sandbar.
üThese currents may extend 200 to 2,500 feet lengthwise and less than 30 feet
in width.
üRip tides are dangerous because they catch swimmers unaware and pull them
deep into the ocean
EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CITY BUS
SERVICE PROJECT
üIndia has signed a $9.2-million grant agreement with the World Bank for the ‘Efficient and
Sustainable City Bus Service Project’ aimed at improving the efficiency of the transport and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
üThe project will be classified under Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant with IBRD as the
implementing agency.
üThe total cost of the programme is $113 million. The rest will be funded by the Centre, state and city
governments for the funding of buses and ancillary infrastructure.
• About the project
üThe project has been designed to specifically focus on identifying institutional, regulatory and fiscal
constraints to operation of sustainable city bus services.
üThe project will complement Union Government’s Bus Funding Scheme, which was launched to
promote public transport in cities by modernizing their bus services t will introduce modern
Management Information Systems and Intelligent Transport Systems for better planning and
management of operations.
üIt will also provide technical support to drivers and vehicles for better fuel efficiency, etc.
SHAILESH NAYAK COMMITTEE REPORT
üThe Report of the Committee to Review the Issues
relating to the Coastal Regulation Zone, 2011, was
submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and
Climate Change in January 2015.
1
Indian Coast

Coastal States: 9
Coastal UTs: 4

Coast line : 7517 Km

mainland coast line : 5423 Km Offshore Islands :
2094 Km[1962 (ANI)+132 (LAK)]
Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2011
Many amendments were made to CRZ notification 1991 and all these amendments were consolidated in the
CRZ notification 2011.
The 2011 notification takes into account and address all the above mentioned issues.

•Objectives: Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2011

•To conserve and protect coastal stretches;
•To ensure livelihood security to the fishing & local communities living in the
coastal areas;
•To promote development in a sustainable manner based on scientific principles,
taking into account natural hazards and sea level rise.
 CRZ limits- 2011 Notification

12
NM

HTL

500
mt LTL

200
mt
CRZ classification & Regulation
Classification of coastal zones under CZR Notification 2011
•CRZ-I (ecologically sensitive areas likes mangroves, coral reefs, biosphere reserves etc.),
•CRZ-II (built-up area – villages and towns are that are already well established),
•CRZ-III (Rural and urban areas that are not substantially developed), and
•CRZ-IV (water areas upto the territorial waters and the tidal influenced water bodies).

•A separate draft Island Protection Zone Notification has been issued for protection of the
islands of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
CRZ-I category
1) Ecologically sensitive areas and the geomorphological features that play a primary role in
maintaining the integrity of the coast.
1.Mangroves, Corals and coral reefs;
2.Sand Dunes, Mudflats which are biologically active;
3.National parks and other protected areas including Biosphere Reserves encompassing;
•Salt Marshes;
•Turtle nesting grounds;
•Horse shoe crabs habitats;
•Sea grass beds;
•Nesting grounds of birds;
•Areas or structures of archaeological importance and heritage sites;
2) The area between Low Tide Line and High Tide Line.
8
Activities permissible in CRZ-I
1) No New construction shall be permitted in CRZ-I except
• Projects Relating To The Department Of Atomic Energy;
• Construction Of Trans-harbor Sea Link And Roads Without Affecting The Tidal Flow Of Water, Between
LTL And HTL. Etc.
2) Between Low Tide Line And High Tide Line in areas which are not ecologically
sensitive, the following may be permitted;
• Exploration And Extraction Of Natural Gas;
• Construction Of Basic Amenities Like Schools, Roads, Etc. For Traditional Inhabitants Living Within The
Biosphere Reserves;
• Salt Harvesting By Solar Evaporation Of Seawater;
• Desalination Plants;
• Storage Of Non-hazardous Cargo Such As edible oil, fertilizers within Notified Ports;
CRZ-II category

• Areas which are developed upto to the shoreline and falling within Municipal Limits.
• Activities Permissible In CRZ-II
• buildings are permissible on the landward side of the hazardous line.
• other activities such as desalination plants are also permissible.
• some construction is permitted only as per guidelines specified by the notification.
CRZ II

9
CRZ-III category
• Areas that are relatively undisturbed and those do not belong to either CRZ-I Or II which
include Coastal Zone in The Rural Areas (Developed And Undeveloped) and also areas
within municipal limits or in other legally designated urban areas, which are not
substantially built up.
 CRZ -III
•From HTL to 200 m
Ports and harbours
Repairs and reconstruction of houses of local
people with existing FSI/FAR
Projects of Department of Atomic Energy
Salt manufactures
Non conventional energy
POL Storage
Weather radars
Basic facilities for local community STP
ICE Plant, fishing infrastructure

HTL
•200 to 500 mt:-
500 mtr Hotels and resorts with 9 mtr height and 33%
FAR Construction re construction of houses

200 mtr
Activities permissible in CRZ-III
• Area upto 200mts from HTL on the landward side in case of seafront and 100mts along tidal
influenced water bodies or width of the creek whichever is less is to be earmarked as “No
Development Zone (NDZ)”
• In No Development Zone (NDZ) no construction shall be permitted.
• Only Certain Activities Relating To Agriculture, Forestry, Projects Of Department Of Atomic
Energy, Mining Of Rare Minerals, Salt Manufacture, Regasification Of Petroleum Products, Non-
conventional Energy Sources And Certain Public Facilities May Be Permitted In This Zone.
• Between 200-500 Metres Of HTL, Those Permitted In 0-200 Metres Zone, Construction Of
Houses For Local Communities And Tourism Projects Are Permissible.
CRZ-IV category
• CRZ-IV
a. the water area from the low tide line to twelve nautical miles on the seaward side;
b. shall include the water area of the tidal influenced water body from the mouth of the water body at the sea
upto the influence of tide which is measured as five parts per thousand during the driest season of the year.
• Activities Permissible In CRZ-IV
• There is no restriction on the Traditional Fishing Undertaken by Local Communities.
• No Untreated Sewage Or Solid Waste shall be let off or dumped in these areas.
 CRZ - IV

12 NM

LTL

Goa creek (100mt)

Map not to scale

12
CRZ V Category
• Areas Requiring Special Consideration For The Purpose Of Protecting The Critical
Coastal Environment And Difficulties Faced By Local Communities,-

• A. (i) CRZ Area Falling Within Municipal Limits Of Greater Mumbai;

(ii) The CRZ Areas Of Kerala Including The Backwaters And Backwater Islands;
(iii) CRZ Areas Of Goa.

• B. Critically Vulnerable Coastal Areas (CVCA) such as Sunderbans region of West

Bengal And Other Ecologically Sensitive Areas identified as under Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 And managed with the involvement of coastal communities
including fisherfolk.
Measures to Combat Pollution under CRZ 2011
• All Coastal States are required to ensure that:
• The existing practice of discharging untreated waste and effluents is phased out within a period not
exceeding two years.
• Dumping of solid waste is phased out within one year from the commencement of the notification.
• An action plan is to prepared for dealing with pollution in coastal areas and waters and in a time
bound manner.
• The action plan is submitted to MOEF who would provide technical and financial assistance.
Special dispensations given to ecologically sensitive areas
• Sunderbans, Gulf Of Khambat And Gulf Of Kutchchh In Gujarat, Malvan, Achra-ratnagiri In
Maharashtra, Karwar and Coondapur in Karnataka, Vembanad in Kerala, Gulf Of Mannar In Tamil
Nadu, Bhaitarkanika in Orissa, Coringa, East Godavari and Krishna in Andhra Pradesh Shall Be
Declared As Critical Vulnerable Coastal Areas (CVCA) and Integrated Management Plan (IMP)
would be prepared for each of these areas in consultation with the local communities.
• Beaches such as Mandrem, Morjim, Galgiba and Agonda in Goa have been designated as Turtle
Nesting Sites and protected under The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. No Developmental Activities
Shall Be permitted in these areas.
 Island Protection Zone Notification

• There are about 500 islands in Andaman & Nicobar and about 30 In Lakshadweep.
• The Geographical areas of some of these islands are so small that in most of the cases the
500 Metres coastal regulation zone regulations overlap.
• Hence, a separate notification is being issued which takes into account the management of
the entire island (Except For Four Islands Of A&n Which Include North Andaman, Middle
Andaman, South Andaman And Great Nicobar).
• Objectives Of The IPZ Notification, 2011: Same As Objectives Of CRZ 2011.
•Classification in IPZ
•ICRZ-I: The areas that are ecologically sensitive and the geomorphological features which play
a role in the maintaining the integrity of the coast and the area between Low Tide Line and
High Tide Line.
•ICRZ-II: The areas that have been developed up to or close to the shoreline.
•ICRZ-III: Areas that are relatively undisturbed and those do not belong to ICRZ-I, which
include coastal zone in the rural areas (developed and undeveloped) and also areas within
municipal limits or in other legally designated urban areas, which are not substantially built
up.
•ICRZ-IV:
• the water area from the Low Tide Line to twelve nautical miles on the seaward side;
• shall include the water area of the tidal influenced water body from the mouth of the
water body at the sea up to the influence of tide which is measured as five parts per
thousand during the driest season of the year.
INTERNAL CARBON PRICE
• Why in news
üMahindra & Mahindra became first Indian firm to announce an internal Carbon Price of $10 per ton of
carbon emitted.
• What is internal carbon price?
üIt is an internationally recognised business tool that enables companies to create resources which are
invested in low carbon technologies, which help reduce future emissions and lower operating costs.
• Significance
üHelp accelerate innovation and drive our investments in energy efficient and renewable technologies.
üTaking advantage of low-carbon investment opportunities while managing carbon risk.
üSome of the global companies that have announced carbon pricing are Unilever, Microsoft, Google.
üMahindra partnered with the World Bank and IFC led Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition along with
the World Resources Institute, India to enhance its understanding of the Carbon price mechanism
• A carbon price is a cost applied to carbon pollution to encourage polluters to reduce the
amount of greenhouse gas they emit into the atmosphere.
• There are two main types of carbon pricing:
üemissions trading systems (ETS)
üCarbon taxes.
• An ETS – sometimes referred to as a cap-andtrade system – caps the total level of
greenhouse gas emissions and allows those industries with low emissions to sell their
extra allowances to larger emitters.
• A carbon tax directly sets a price on carbon by defining a tax rate on greenhouse gas
emissions or – more commonly – on the carbon content of fossil fuels.
INDIA'S ONLY ACTIVE VOLCANO
• Why in News?
üBarren Island is the only active Volcano along the volcanic chain from Sumatra to Myanmar.
Moreover, it is the only active volcano in India.
üThe Volcano erupted on January 23, 2017. The first Record of Volcanic eruption on
significant scale was in 1787. Since 1991, the volcano has been showing sporadic activity and
erupted in 2005.
Barren Volcanic Island
• The Island is situated in Andaman Sea, of the north-eastern part of Port Blair
(Andaman and Nicobar Islands).
• It is a Submarine emergent Volcano, which lies above the subduction zone of India and
Burmese plate.
• The Island is uninhabited and devoid of any significant vegetation and wild life.
Other volcanoes in India
• Doshi Hill is an extinct volcano in north-west part of Aravalli range of Mahendergarh
(Haryana).
• Dhinodhar Hills is an extinct volcano in Kutch district of Gujarat.
• Narcondam Island in Andaman and Nicobar is a volcanic island and classified as
dormant volcano by Geological Survey of India. The island is listed under UNESCO
World Heritage Sites and famous for its endemic Narcondam Hornbill.
• Baratang Island in Andaman is famous for Mud volcanoes
ARCTIC VAULT RECEIVES NEW SEED DEPOSITS
üSome 50,000 new samples from seed collections around the world, including India, have been
deposited in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault

• About Svalbard Global Seed Vault

üIt is owned and administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food on behalf of the Kingdom of
Norway.
üIt is a gene bank built underground on the isolated island in a permafrost zone some 1,000 kilometers
from the North Pole.
üIt was opened in 2008 as a master backup to the world's other seed banks, in case their deposits are lost.
üIt is the world’s largest repository built to safeguard against wars or natural disasters wiping out global
food crops
NORWAY BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY TO BAN
DEFORESTATION
• This would have huge impact on global deforestation.
• Norway has also committed to find alternatives to palm oil, soy, beef
and wood products which contributes to a little less than half of total
tropical deforestation
INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE
• Upendra Tripathy, a former secretary of the renewable energy ministry, has been
appointed interim director general of the International Solar Alliance (ISA)
• About International Solar Alliance
üIt is an alliance of more than 120 countries, most of them being sunshine countries, which come either
completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
üThe ISA framework agreement was opened for signing up at the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) at
Marrakesh in November last year and 25 countries have joined it. The assembly will meet after 15 of
these signatories ratify the ISA.
üISA will have an assembly, a council and a secretariat. The Indian government will support the
secretariat for five years, after which would have to generate its own resources. The secretariat has been
set up at the
• National Institute of Solar Energy in Gurgaon.
üISA will also collaborate with other multilateral bodies such as the IEA, International Renewable
Energy Agency and the United Nations
HYDROPONICS
• Hydroponics’ means the technique of growing plants without soil or solid growing
medium, but using water or nutrient-rich solution only, for a short duration.
• Kerala Dairy Development Department (KDDD) has recently introduced a scheme to
produce hydroponic green fodder. Hydroponic fodder cannot substitute green fodder
and hay completely, as it lacks in fibre content.
Ganga and Yamuna Rivers as living entity
• · The Uttarakhand High Court has recognized the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers as living
entities.
· It is for the first time any court in India has recognized a non-human as a living
entity in order to protect the recognition and the faith of society.
· The Director, Namami Gange project and the Chief Secretary and the Advocate
General of Uttarakhand have been charged to protect, conserve and preserve the
rivers and their tributaries.
· In India, animals, for instance, aren’t considered living entities by law. Only
humans are. But recognizing these rivers as a living entity, grants them new legal
identity and all rights laid out in the Constitution of India.
· Thus, they have the right to be legally protected and not be harmed and destroyed.
· It also means that if someone pollutes these rivers, the law will see it equal to
harming a human being.
· Earlier in March 2017, New Zealand Parliament passed a bill declaring Whanganui
River as ‘legal person’, making it as first river to get this status.
Genetic Garden of Halophytes
• The world’s first Genetic Garden of Halophytes was inaugurated at
the coastal town of Vedaranyam in Tamil Nadu.
• The garden has been set up by M S Swaminathan Research
Foundation (MSSRF) founded by eminent agriculture scientist Prof
M S Swaminathan, father of Indian Green Revolution.
• Halophytes:
üHalophytes are salt-tolerant or salt-resistant plants. They can thrive and
complete their life cycles in soils or waters containing high salt concentrations
such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs
and seashores.
üThey constitute 2% of all plant species.