INSTA PT 2023 Exclusive Environment

INSTA PT 2023
EXCLUSIVE
ENVIRONMENT
JUNE 2022 – JANUARY 2023
INSTA PT 2023 EXCLUSIVE (ENVIRONMENT)
NOTES
Table of Contents
Government Programmes / Initiatives .......................................................................... 5
1. GREEN BONDS........................................................................................................................ 5
2. GREEN JOBS ........................................................................................................................... 5
3. NEW FOREST (CONSERVATION) RULES VS FOREST RIGHTS ACT ............................................... 6
4. INDIAN FOREST ACT, 1927 ...................................................................................................... 6
5. WILDLIFE PROTECTION ACT, 1972 .......................................................................................... 7
6. NATIONAL MISSION FOR A GREEN INDIA (GREEN INDIA MISSION) ........................................... 8
7. NATIONAL CLEAN AIR PROGRAMME ....................................................................................... 8
8. METHANOL BLENDED DIESEL (MD15) ..................................................................................... 9
9. NAMAMI GANGE PROGRAM ................................................................................................... 9
10. ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION, AWARENESS AND TRAINING (EEAT) ..................................... 10
11. HARIT AAYKAR INITIATIVE ................................................................................................. 10
12. GRADED RESPONSE ACTION PLAN .................................................................................... 11
Animal / Wildlife Protection ....................................................................................... 12

1. NILGIRI TAHR CONSERVATION PROJECT ................................................................................ 12
2. ASIAN ELEPHANT .................................................................................................................. 13
3. AGASTHYAMALAI ELEPHANT RESERVE .................................................................................. 14
4. LANDSCAPE-BASED APPROACH............................................................................................. 15
5. INDIAN ROOFED TURTLE....................................................................................................... 15
6. RHINOCEROS ........................................................................................................................ 15
7. HIPPOPOTAMUS................................................................................................................... 16
8. LION @ 47: VISION FOR ‘AMRUTKAL’ .................................................................................... 17
9. POLAR BEARS ....................................................................................................................... 18
10. SLOTH BEAR ..................................................................................................................... 18
11. TAL CHHAPAR BLACKBUCK SANCTUARY ............................................................................ 19
12. SILENT VALLEY NATIONAL PARK ........................................................................................ 19
13. NAMDAPHA NATIONAL PARK ............................................................................................ 19
14. SNOW LEOPARD ............................................................................................................... 20
15. WAYANAD WILDLIFE SANCTUARY ..................................................................................... 20
16. MUDUMALAI TIGER RESERVE BUFFER ............................................................................... 21
17. ASOLA BHATTI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY ............................................................................... 21
18. RANIPUR TIGER RESERVE .................................................................................................. 21
19. SLENDER LORIS SANCTUARY ............................................................................................. 21
20. SINGALILA NATIONAL PARK .............................................................................................. 22
21. ASIAN WATER BIRD CENSUS ............................................................................................. 22
22. MAHABALI FROG .............................................................................................................. 23
23. CHEETAH .......................................................................................................................... 23
24. TIGER RELOCATION .......................................................................................................... 24
25. OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES ...................................................................................................... 25
26. SALTIE CENSUS 2023 ........................................................................................................ 25
27. WREN BABBLERS .............................................................................................................. 26
28. ORCAS .............................................................................................................................. 27
29. DOLPHINS RETURN TO THE GANGA IN UP ......................................................................... 27
30. ACECLOFENAC .................................................................................................................. 28
31. AMUR FALCON ................................................................................................................. 28
32. GREAT INDIAN BUSTARDS ................................................................................................. 29
33. SEA CUCUMBERS .............................................................................................................. 29
34. ANTS ................................................................................................................................ 29
Environment Protection .............................................................................................. 31
www.insightsonindia.com 1 InsightsIAS
NOTES
1. RED SANDERS ....................................................................................................................... 31
2. SANKHYA SAGAR WETLAND .................................................................................................. 31
3. OTHER WETLANDS IN NEWS ................................................................................................. 32
4. KELP FORESTS ...................................................................................................................... 32
5. FORABOT: THE FOSSIL SORTING ROBOT ................................................................................ 33
6. TERMITES ............................................................................................................................. 34
7. GREAT BARRIER REEF ........................................................................................................... 34
8. BLACK CORALS ..................................................................................................................... 35
9. MARINE SPONGES ................................................................................................................ 35
10. ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE ZONES (ESZ) ............................................................................. 36
11. MANIPUR’S HEIMANG ...................................................................................................... 36
12. NILGIRI BIOSPHERE RESERVE (NBR) ................................................................................... 37
13. CENTRAL POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD (CPCB) ................................................................. 37
14. BEE CULTIVATION / APICULTURE ...................................................................................... 38
15. GREEN URBAN OASES (GUO) PROGRAMME ...................................................................... 39
16. ORAN LAND ...................................................................................................................... 39
17. THREE HIMALAYAN MEDICINAL PLANTS ENTER IUCN RED LIST .......................................... 40
18. CACTUS ............................................................................................................................ 40
19. THREATENED SPECIES ....................................................................................................... 41
20. FAST-MELTING ARCTIC ICE ................................................................................................ 41
21. SECRET BEHIND LONG LIFESPAN OF BANYAN, PEEPLE TREES ............................................. 42
22. MELOCANNA BACCIFERA, A TROPICAL BAMBOO SPECIES .................................................. 42
23. ECOLOGICAL NICHE .......................................................................................................... 43
24. TIPPING POINTS................................................................................................................ 43
25. BIO-DECOMPOSER CAPSULES ........................................................................................... 44
26. LOKTAK LAKE .................................................................................................................... 44
27. BANNI GRASSLANDS ......................................................................................................... 45
Renewable Energy ...................................................................................................... 46

1. BIOFUELS ............................................................................................................................. 46
2. GLOBAL OFFSHORE WIND ALLIANCE (GOWA) ....................................................................... 47
3. GJ: MODHERA- FIRST SOLAR-POWERED VILLAGE .................................................................. 47
4. SOLAR FACILITY .................................................................................................................... 48
Species Discovery / Species Sighted / Species Extinct .................................................. 49

1. GLASS FROGS ....................................................................................................................... 49
2. VIROVORE ............................................................................................................................ 49
3. SPOT BELLIED EAGLE OWL .................................................................................................... 49
4. RED-HEADED VULTURES AND BLACK VULTURES.................................................................... 49
Pollution..................................................................................................................... 51
1. LARGE YEAR-ROUND OZONE HOLE OVER TROPICS ................................................................ 51
2. GREEN CRACKERS ................................................................................................................. 52
3. CARBON SEQUESTRATION .................................................................................................... 52
4. PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS (POPS) .......................................................................... 53
5. PHYTOREMEDIATION............................................................................................................ 53
6. MICRO PLASTICS................................................................................................................... 54
7. LIGHT POLLUTION ................................................................................................................ 55
8. TECHNOLOGY FOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING SYSTEM (AI-AQMS V1.0) ............................... 56
9. POLLUTION MAP BASED ON ROADSIDE DUST ....................................................................... 56
10. NITRATE RADICALS ........................................................................................................... 57
11. AEROSOL POLLUTION ....................................................................................................... 57
12. GLOBAL METHANE EMISSIONS ......................................................................................... 57
NOTES
13. METHANE FROM LIVESTOCK BELCHES .............................................................................. 58
14. METHANE ALERT AND RESPONSE SYSTEM (MARS) ............................................................ 59
15. CARBON MARKETS ........................................................................................................... 59
16. METHANOL ...................................................................................................................... 60
17. FORMATION OF FOAM IN RIVER WATERS ......................................................................... 60
18. GREAT GREEN WALL OF SAHEL REGION ............................................................................ 61
19. GREENWASHING .............................................................................................................. 61
20. EMISSIONS FROM AUTOMOBILE ENGINE .......................................................................... 61
Events / Celebrations .................................................................................................. 63

1. UN GROUNDWATER SUMMIT 2022 ...................................................................................... 63
2. WORLD CITIES DAY ............................................................................................................... 63
3. EARTH OVERSHOOT DAY ...................................................................................................... 63
Reports / Release ....................................................................................................... 64

1. RESTORATION BAROMETER REPORT 2022 ............................................................................ 64
2. CLIMATE CHANGE PERFORMANCE INDEX 2023 (CCPI) .......................................................... 64
3. EMISSIONS GAP REPORT 2022 .............................................................................................. 64
4. AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI) ...................................................................................................... 65
International Efforts / Organisations ........................................................................... 66

1. GLASGOW FINANCIAL ALLIANCE FOR NET ZERO (GFANZ) ...................................................... 66
2. EU’S CARBON BORDER TAX................................................................................................... 66
3. IUCN .................................................................................................................................... 67
4. WATER ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE ACTION PLAN ............................................................ 67
5. MANGROVE ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE (MAC) ......................................................................... 68
6. COALITION FOR DISASTER RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE (CDRI) ............................................. 68
7. LEADIT SUMMIT ................................................................................................................... 69
8. ONE HEALTH JOINT PLAN OF ACTION (2022-2026) ................................................................ 69
9. MISSION LIFESTYLE FOR ENVIRONMENT (LIFE) ...................................................................... 70
10. ‘BLUE FLAG’ CERTIFICATES ................................................................................................ 70
11. GLOBAL REGISTRY OF FOSSIL FUELS .................................................................................. 71
Protocols / Conventions.............................................................................................. 72
1. CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD).................................................................... 72
2. CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES (CITES) ......................... 73
3. STOCKHOLM CONFERENCE, 1972 ......................................................................................... 75
Miscellaneous............................................................................................................. 76
1. TWIN TRANSITION ................................................................................................................ 76
2. IUU FISHING IN INDIAN OCEAN REGION ................................................................................ 76
3. LNG (LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS) ............................................................................................ 76
4. PADDY STRAW PALLETISATION AND TORREFACTION............................................................. 77
5. KEWDA OIL........................................................................................................................... 77
6. SOLAR GEO-ENGINEERING .................................................................................................... 77
7. BIOECONOMY ...................................................................................................................... 78
NOTES
NOTES
Government Programmes / Initiatives
1. Green bonds
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the first-time, issued Sovereign Green Bonds (SgrBs) worth Rs
8,000 crore.
Green bonds are bonds issued by any sovereign entity, inter-governmental groups or alliances
and corporates with the aim that the proceeds of the bonds are utilised for projects classified as
environmentally sustainable. The framework for the sovereign green bond was issued by the
government on November 9, 2022.
The Union Budget 2022-23 made an announcement to issue Sovereign Green Bonds.
The issuance of the Sovereign Green Bonds will help the Indian government in tapping the
requisite finance from potential investors for deployment in public sector projects aimed at
reducing the carbon intensity of the economy.
The government will use the proceeds raised from SGrBs to finance or refinance expenditure (in
parts or whole) for various green projects, including in renewable energy, clean transportation,
energy efficiency, climate change adaptation, sustainable water and waste management,
pollution and prevention control and green buildings. In renewable energy, investments will be
made in solar, wind, biomass and hydropower energy projects.
According to a recent RBI paper, India’s “green gross domestic product" (Green GDP) is growing
faster than traditional GDP.
What is Green GDP?

“Green Gross Domestic Product" (Green GDP) is a term used generally for expressing GDP after
adjusting for environmental damage. This concept was introduced by China by publishing its first
green GDP data for the year 2004 in 2006.
• In other words, Green GDP is a monetization of the loss of biodiversity caused by climate
change.
• It is calculated by subtracting resource depletion, and environmental degradation from
the traditional GDP figure.
Environmental Kuznets curve: The environmental Kuznets curve suggests that economic
development initially leads to a deterioration in the environment, but after a certain level of
economic growth, a society begins to improve its relationship with the environment and levels of
environmental degradation reduces. From a very simplistic viewpoint, it can suggest that
economic growth may good for the environment.
2. Green jobs
‘Green jobs’ refer to a class of jobs that directly have a positive impact on the planet, and
contribute to the overall environmental welfare. Jobs involving renewable energy, conservation
of resources, ensuring energy efficient means are categorised under the same.
The Skill Council for Green Jobs was launched by the Union government on October 1, 2015.
Aligned to the National Skill Development Missions, it was set up to be a not-for-profit,
independent, industry-led initiative.
Promoted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Confederation of Indian
Industry (CII), the council aims to help manufacturers and other service providers in India’s
NOTES
‘green business’ sector to implement industry-led, collaborative skills push the country on the
path to truly realising the real potential and significance of ‘green jobs’.
3. New Forest (Conservation) Rules vs Forest Rights Act

The Union Environment Ministry notified the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022, under the Forest
Conservation Act, 1980, thus replacing the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003
Forest conservation rules, 2022 Rules deal

with the implementation of the Forest
Conservation Act (FCA), 1980.
• They prescribe the procedure to be
followed for forest land to be diverted for
non-forestry uses such as road
construction, highway development,
railway lines, and mining.
The Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA), The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional
1980 Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights)
Act, 2006 or the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006
● It regulates deforestation by ● It recognizes forest-dwelling tribal

prohibiting the felling of forests for communities' and other traditional forest
any "non-forestry" purpose without dwellers' rights to forest resources on which
prior approval from the central these communities rely for a variety of needs.
government. ● It imposes on the Gram Sabha and rights
● The clearance process includes holders the responsibility of biodiversity
obtaining permission from local conservation and protection, by preventing
forest rights holders as well as any destructive practices affecting these
wildlife authorities. resources.
● The Centre has the authority to deny ● Under the Act, the Gram Sabha is a highly
such requests or to grant them with empowered body that allows the tribal
legally binding conditions. population to have a decisive say in
determining local policies and schemes that
affect them.
● There are two stages of approval (‘In- ● The Central Government can give its final
Principle’ and ‘Final’, after given approval and thereafter leave it to the state
conditions are met) prescribed for government to pass an order for de-
any application by any entity to use reservation or diversion or assignment.
the forest land. ● It is then left to the state government now to
● The District Collector shall complete make sure that the claims of forest dwellers
the process of recognition and are settled.
vesting of forest rights in accordance ● However, the collector is not required to
with the provisions of the FRA (obtain obtain the consent of Gram Sabhas before
the consent of each Gram Sabha). the In-principal approval.
4. Indian Forest Act, 1927

Indian Forest Act, 1927: It classified the forests into three – reserved forests, protected forests
and village forests.
NOTES
• It attempted to regulate the collection of forests produce by forest dwellers and some
activities were declared as offences and imprisonment and fines were imposed in this policy
to establish the state control over forests
Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) is an agency formed at a village level or a cluster of
villages situated adjacent to Reserved Forests (RF) registered with the Territorial Divisional
Forest Office.
JFMC is responsible for selecting the plant species to be planted in the forest, suggesting physical
and financial targets, conducting awareness programs.
The JFMC objectives are to ensure sustainable management of forest resources, to improve
forest cover via afforestation, to restore degraded forest land, to promote conservation
awareness through environmental education, restore watershed capability in catchment areas
and to assure employment opportunities to the tribal communities.
5. Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

• This Act provides for the protection of the country’s wild animals, birds, and plant species, in
order to ensure environmental and ecological security. Among other things, the Act lays down
restrictions on hunting many animal species.
• Its provisions paved the way for the formation of the Central Zoo Authority. This is the central
body responsible for the oversight of zoos in India. It was established in 1992.
• The National Board for Wildlife was constituted as a statutory organization under the
provisions of this Act. This is an advisory board that offers advice to the central government
on issues of wildlife conservation in India.
• The Act provided for the establishment of the
Constitutional Provisions for Wildlife:
National Tiger Conservation Authority. It is a
• The 42nd Amendment Act,
statutory body of the Ministry of Environment,
1976, Forests and Protection of
Forest and Climate Change with an overall
Wild Animals and Birds was
supervisory and coordination part, performing
transferred from State to
capacities as given in the Act.
Concurrent List.
• Article 51 A (g) of the
In India, entry into forests is governed by two laws
Constitution states that it shall
— The Indian Forest Act, 1927, and The Wildlife
be the fundamental duty of
Protection Act, 1972.
every citizen to protect and
improve the natural environment
including forests and Wildlife.
NOTES
The Wildlife Protection Act empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden of a state to frame laws for
tourists entering Protected Areas — sanctuaries and national parks.
6. National Mission for a Green India (Green India Mission)

According to data accessed via the RTI, India is lagging behind in the targets to increase the
number and quality of tree and forest-cover plantations set in the Green India Mission (GIM).
● It is one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
launched in 2014 for a 10 years period.
● It aims at protecting, restoring and enhancing India’s forest cover and responding to climate
change.
● The target under the Mission is -
○ Increasing the forest and tree cover by 5 million hectares (ha) in 10 years.
○ Increasing the quality of the existing forest and tree cover in another 5 million ha of
forest in non-forest lands in 10 years.
○ Increasing forest-based livelihood income for about 3 million households in and
around these forest areas.
● It is implemented under the overall administrative control of the MoEF&CC and presents a
holistic approach to greening that considers -
○ Carbon sequestration goals
○ Maintain diverse ecosystem services and provisioning services.
● Integrated cross-sectoral approach: Implemented on both public and private lands, with local
communities playing a crucial part in planning, decision-making, implementation, and
monitoring.
7. National Clean Air Programme

In January 2019, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and In order to raise awareness of
Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched the National Clean pollution, the 3rd International Day
Air Programme (NCAP) to prepare clean air action plans. of Clean Air for Blue Skies (“Swachh
Vayu Neel Gagan”) or “Swachh Vayu
The mandate of the National Clean Air Programme Diwas” was organized under NCAP
(NCAP) - (National Clean Air programme).
• The goal of NCAP (annual average ambient air
quality standards at all locations in the country):
20%–30% reduction of PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by taking 2017 as the base year for
the comparison of concentration.
• Under NCAP, 132 non-attainment cities have been identified across the country based on the
Air Quality data from 2014-2018.
• Preparation of the city-specific action plans
• Implementation of the city-specific action plans to be regularly monitored.
Objectives of NCAP
• To augment and evolve effective and proficient ambient air quality monitoring networks
across the country for ensuring a comprehensive and reliable database.
• To have efficient data dissemination and public outreach mechanism for timely measures for
the prevention and mitigation of air pollution
• To have a feasible management plan for the prevention, control and abatement of air
pollution.
PRANA web portal: The Portal for Regulation of Air Pollution in Non-Attainment Cities provides all
information related to various policies/programs/schemes/activities of the stakeholders along
with the progress made.
NOTES
8. Methanol blended Diesel (MD15)
The government inaugurated the demo run of an Inland Water Vessel powered by Methanol
blended Diesel (MD15) (15% methanol blended HSD)
Benefits of blending gasoline with Methanol:

• At least a 15% reduction in the import of gasoline/crude oil.
• Bring down GHG emissions by 20% in terms of particulate matter, NOx, and SOx, thereby
improving urban air quality.
• Create nearly 5 million new jobs in the Methanol economy.
About Methanol Economy:

NITI Aayog's 'Methanol Economy' programme (launched in 2018) is aimed at reducing India's oil
import bill, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and converting coal reserves and municipal solid
waste into methanol.
About Methanol:
• Methanol is a cost-effective alternative marine fuel.
• It is less costly than other marine fuels and is economical in terms of developing the shoreside
storage and bunkering infrastructure.
• It is also known as wood alcohol.
• Its properties are similar to ethanol.
• It is also used in products such as plastics, paints, and cosmetics.
About India Energy Week:

IEW 2023 is the first major event under India's G20 Presidency. Organized by the Ministry of
Petroleum & Natural Gas.
9. Namami Gange program

Namami Gange program was designed to enhance cleanliness levels in Ganga River. It has now
geared to shift its focus to conservation, tourism and economic livelihoods.
About Namami Gange

Programme:
● It is an Integrated
Conservation
Mission approved
as a ‘Flagship
Programme’ of the
Ministry of Jal
Shakti in 2014.
● It aims to
accomplish the twin
objectives of
effective abatement
of pollution,
conservation and
rejuvenation of the
National River
Ganga.
● The program is being implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and its
state counterpart organisations i.e., State Program Management Groups (SPMGs).
● NMCG is the implementation wing of the National Ganga Council (set in 2016; which replaced
the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NRGBA).
NOTES
● National Ganga Council (NGC) was Created in
October 2016 under the River Ganga
(Rejuvenation, Protection and Management)
Authorities Order, 2016. It is headed by the
Prime Minister.
● Its implementation has been divided into Entry-
Level Activities (for immediate visible impact),
Medium-Term Activities (to be implemented
within 5 years of time frame) and Long-Term
Activities (to be implemented within 10 years).
The UN has recognised the Namami Gange initiative

to rejuvenate river Ganga as one of the top 10 World
Restoration Flagships aimed at reviving the natural
world during a function at the 15th COP15 to the
Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) in Montreal,
Canada on World Restoration Day (14th December).
• The entries were selected under the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
(2021-2030) (coordinated by the UNEP and FAO)
10. Environment Education, Awareness and Training (EEAT)

It is a Central Sector scheme implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change with the objective, to promote environmental awareness and mobilize students’
participation in environment conservation.
Grants-in-aid for:
• National Green Corps (NGC) Programme- formation of more than 1 lakh eco-clubs in
schools and colleges to educate students and to spread awareness
on environmental issues. Activities undertaken by Eco-clubs included plantation drives,
cleanliness drives, celebration of important environmental days, awareness and capacity
building on solid waste management through waste segregation, green pledges, etc.
• National Nature Camping Programme (NNCP)- for field visits/ nature camps in protected
areas / Nature Parks/ Tiger Reserves of the country for students and activities like
preparing checklist of flora and fauna spotted in the nature trail, bird watching, trekking,
green pledges, group discussions, sharing of experiences, etc. are undertaken during
these camps.
The above programmes were implemented through State Nodal Agencies designated by the
respective State Governments/ Union Territory (UT) Administrations.
11. HARIT Aaykar Initiative

Income Tax Department launched the HARIT Aaykar initiative on the occasion of National Unity
Day.
HARIT (Hariyali Achievement Resolution by Income Tax) Aaykar initiative
• Launched by: Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
• Objectives: to increase the green cover by planting trees and creating micro-forests in and
around Income Tax Department's buildings and other public areas.
• The first of such micro-forests has been inaugurated near the Attari border in Punjab.
What are micro forests/ Miyawaki method?

• Developed by a Japanese botanist after whom it is named.
• It is a small, planted forest that maximises tree density and biodiversity.
NOTES
• Achieving this goal requires planting a wide variety of plants in a fairly dense manner so that
the plot of land has different layers of a forest such as shrubs and canopies and not just trees.
• Plants typically require anywhere between eight to nine months of care before reaching a
point where the micro forest becomes self-sustaining.
12. Graded Response Action Plan

GRAP is a set of emergency measures that kick in to prevent further deterioration of air quality
once it reaches a certain threshold in the Delhi-NCR region.
Approved by the Supreme Court in 2016 and notified in 2017, the plan was formulated after
several meetings that the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) held
with state government representatives and experts.
The result was a plan that institutionalised measures to be taken when air quality deteriorates.
How is it different now?

• Implementing agency: From 2021 onwards, the GRAP is being implemented by the
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
o The orders and directions of the CAQM will prevail in case of any conflict between
directions issued by the State governments and the CAQM.
• Pre-emptive measures: In the version of the GRAP 2017, measures kicked in after pollution
concentrations reached a certain level.
o Now the measures are pre-emptive and will kick in based on forecasts in an attempt
to prevent the AQI from deteriorating further.
• Wider pollutants range: The older version of the GRAP was enforced based only on the
concentration of PM2.5 and PM10.
o Now GRAP is being enforced based on the AQI, which takes other pollutants also into
accounts, such as ozone, sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen.
• Guidelines for the public: The revised GRAP also has a set of measures for the public to follow
under various categories of pollution levels.
• Also, measures like restriction on BS-III Petrol, construction activities etc. will kick in at the
‘severe category’ stage rather than wait till ‘severe+’.
NOTES
Animal / Wildlife Protection
1. Nilgiri Tahr conservation project
Tamil Nadu government launched Nilgiri Tahr conservation project, an initiative for the
conservation of the Nilgiri Tahr, the State animal.
Under the Nilgiri Tahr project,

• the government plans to develop a better understanding of the Nilgiri Tahr population
through surveys and radio telemetry studies;
• reintroduce the Tahrs to their historical habitat;
• address proximate threats; and increase public awareness of the species.
The project is implemented from 2022 to 2027.
There are multiple references to the Nilgiri Tahr in Tamil Sangam literature dating back to
2,000 years. The late Mesolithic (10,000-4,000 BC) paintings highlight the significance of the Tahr
in folklore, culture and life. It was designated as the State animal in recognition of its ecological
and cultural significance.
The animal is endemic to the Western Ghats. It is protected under Schedule-I of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act of India, 1972.
NOTES
It is an endangered species and the sole Caprinae species found in the tropical mountains of
southern India. The animal inhabits meadows with steep cliffs at elevations between 300 metres
and 2,600 metre above sea level. It is estimated that there are 3,122 Nilgiri Tahrs in the wild.
2. Asian Elephant
A recent article says the endangered Asian Elephant Centre has approved setting up Terai
has lost most of its “optimal” habitat: flat terrain Elephant Reserve (TER) at Dudhwa-
that is easily negotiable. Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh.
Elephant reserves are created under
The WG [Western Ghats] is an escarpment running Project Elephant, a centrally
north–south along the western coastline of India, sponsored scheme launched in 1992.
interrupted towards the south by the low-lying Tamil Nadu and Assam have the
Palghat Gap that separates the northern from the highest number of elephant reserves
southern elephant populations. This gap has been with five each.
transformed by agriculture for several centuries, is 3 Other recently created elephant
km at its narrowest, and 40 km at its widest. reserves in news:
• Lemru, Chhattisgarh
The Palghat Gap is a break in the Ghats that is • Agasthyamalai, Tamil Nadu.
“relatively flat and consequently easily negotiable by
elephants”. However, human settlements and crop
cultivation have hindered the movement of the elephants, keeping them confined to the hilly
areas, considered sub-optimal habitats.
Over thousands of years, elephants roamed freely across South-East Asia, all the way to China,
but “anthropogenic pressures” have restricted them to mountain chains. Ironically, most
elephant reserves in India are found in mountainous habitats.
It is recognized as a National Heritage Animal, protection under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife

(Protection) Act, 1972
The endangered Asian elephant was included in CITES Appendix I in 1975, which banned the
export of ivory from the Asian range countries. In 1986, India amended The Wild Life (Protection)
Act, 1972 to ban even domestic sales of ivory. After the ivory trade was globally banned, India
again amended the law to ban the import of African ivory in 1991.
India has the largest population of Asian elephants with 30,000 wild and 3,600 captive ones.
NOTES
3. Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve

The central government has notified Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve (Kanyakumari and
Tirunelveli, TN) as India’s 31 elephant reserve
o This will be the 5th elephant reserve in the state.
Benefits: The forest department may be eligible for additional financing through the centrally
sponsored Project Elephant after notifying the Agasthiyarmalai Elephant Reserve.
NOTES
o It will help connect the populations to other areas in the Srivilliputhur Meghamalai tiger
reserve and with the Periyar landscapes.
About Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR)

o ABR is situated at the southern-most end of the
Western Ghats and spread over two southern states
Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
o It is named after the Agastya Mala peak that rises up
to almost 1868 metres above sea level, in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
o In March 2016, it was included in the World Network
of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO.
o It covers Peppara and Shendurney wildlife sanctuaries
and parts of the Neyyar sanctuary in Kerala and the
Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu.
o It is home to the Kanikaran tribe, one of the oldest
surviving ancient tribes in the world.
4. Landscape-based approach
● A Future for All Report 2021 (Jointly published Uttar Pradesh has declared man-animal
by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and conflict death as a state disaster.
United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP)) suggests an approach of coexistence between humans and wildlife and the
involvement of local communities.
• National Wildlife Action Plan 2017-31: It has underscored the need for a landscape-level
approach.
• A landscape-based approach aims to:
1. Maintain the ecological integrity and functional diversity of the landscape
2. Promote the conservation of biodiversity, including endangered species and habitats
3. Support the sustainable use of natural resources by local communities
4. Address the root causes of conservation problems, such as habitat loss,
fragmentation, and degradation.
5. Indian roofed turtle

• The Indian roofed turtle (Pangshura tecta) is
a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae.
• It can be distinguished by the distinct "roof" at the
topmost part of the shell.
• It is found in the major rivers of South Asia.
• It is a common pet in the Indian Subcontinent. It is
found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.
• In India, it is found in Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus River drainages.
• It is listed on Appendix I of CITES.
6. Rhinoceros
Rhino conservation efforts by people of Assam led to zero poaching incidents reported in 2022.
• Recently, CITES (in COP19) downgraded the status of Southern white rhinos from Appendix I
to Appendix II
According to a study, published in People and Nature by the British Ecological Society, the horns
of rhinoceroses may have become smaller over time from the impact of hunting.
NOTES
One-horned Rhinos
• Also known as
Indian rhino, it is
the largest of the
rhino species.
• It is identified by
a single black
horn and a grey-
brown hide with
skin folds.
• Food: They
primarily graze,
with a diet
consisting almost
entirely of
grasses as well as
leaves, branches
of shrubs and
trees, fruit, and
aquatic plants.
Protection status
• IUCN Red list:
Vulnerable
• Wildlife
Protection Act,
1972: Schedule I.
• CITES: Appendix I
Other conservation efforts:

• The New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019 signed by the five rhino range nations
(India, Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia) for the conservation and protection of the
species.
• MoEFCC efforts of DNA Profiling of all the rhinos in the country.
• Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020): launched in 2005 to increase the rhino population in
Assam to 3,000 by establishing populations in new areas.
7. Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus is a large semiaquatic mammal native
to sub-Saharan Africa.
Aside from elephants and rhinos, the hippopotamus is
the largest land mammal. Hippos inhabit rivers, lakes,
and mangrove swamps.
The species is included in Appendix II of the Convention on

International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
meaning international export/import (including in parts
and derivatives) requires CITES documentation to be obtained and presented to border
authorities.
NOTES
8. Lion @ 47: Vision for ‘Amrutkal’

Project Lion document titled “Lion @ 47: Vision for Amrutkal” has been prepared by Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The Project is being implemented in the Gir landscape in Gujarat which is the last home of the
Asiatic lion. It envisages landscape ecology-based conservation by integrating conservation and
eco-development.
Objectives:
• To secure & restore lions’ habitats
for managing its growing population
• Scale up livelihood generation and
participation of local communities
• To make India a global hub of
knowledge on big cat disease
diagnostics and treatment
• Create inclusive biodiversity
conservation
State government of Gujarat also gets

funding for conservation of wildlife under
centrally sponsored scheme – Integrated
development of Wildlife Habitats.
Over the course of five decades, the

global lion population has decreased by
about 95%.
About Lion (Panthera Leo)
NOTES
• Lions are the second-largest cats after tigers. They live in groups (called Pride).
• The lion is an apex and keystone predator
• IUCN Status: Asiatic lion: Endangered while African Lion: Vulnerable
• India: Gir Forest (Gujarat) is home to the only wild population of lions outside of Africa. The
population of the lion has continuously expanded in India (from 523 to 674 (between 2015
and 2020))
• The most striking morphological character, which is always seen in Asiatic lions, and rarely in
African lions, is a longitudinal fold of skin running along its belly.
• Difference between Male and females: Males have a thick mane of hair around their head
while females don’t have it.
• Difference between Asiatic and African lion: The male Asiatic lion has a relatively short,
sparse and darker mane compared to the fuller mane of the African lion. The most
distinguishing characteristic of the Asiatic lion is the longitudinal fold of skin that runs along
its belly.
9. Polar Bears
● It is a hyper-carnivorous (animals with over 70% meat diet)
species whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle.
● It is the largest extant bear species, as well as the largest extant
land carnivore.
● Impact of climate change on polar bears: The Arctic Sea ice
(which is melting due to rising global temperatures) is crucial to
polar bears’ survival as they use it not only to hunt seals (chief
food) but also for travelling, mating and resting.
● Importance of polar bears: Polar bears are one of the most
significant predators in the Arctic region and they keep
biological populations in balance.
10. Sloth Bear

The First World Sloth bear day was observed on 12th October.
SLOTH BEAR - They are ‘endemic’ to

the Indian subcontinent and almost
90% of their population is concentrated
in India (almost throughout India) with
small numbers in Sri Lanka and Nepal.
They are omnivorous. They do not
hibernate.
● IUCN status - Vulnerable
● Schedule I in Wildlife
Protection Act.
● CITES - Appendix I.
OTHER BEAR SPECIES FOUND IN INDIA

-
1. Asiatic Black Bear - they are found
across the Himalayas. They are
Vulnerable in IUCN.
2. Himalayan Brown Bear- They are
endangered in IUCN. Found in India,
Pakistan, Nepal, China etc.
NOTES
3. Sun Bear- They are a very rare and elusive animal, and are only found in north-east India. They
are vulnerable in IUCN.
11. Tal Chhapar blackbuck sanctuary

The famous Tal Chhapar blackbuck sanctuary in Rajasthan’s Churu district has received a
protective cover against a proposed move of the State government to reduce the size of its eco-
sensitive zone. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) has also taken up a major project for
the conservation of raptors in the sanctuary, spread in an area measuring 7.19 sq. km.
The sanctuary is host to about 4,000 blackbucks and other wild animals, over 40 species of raptors
and more than 300 species of resident and migratory birds. The raptors, which include predators
and scavengers, are on top of the food chain and control the populations of small mammals, birds
and reptiles as well as insects.
12. Silent Valley National Park

• The park is located in the Nilgiri hills. It is situated in
the core of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• Silent Valley is home to the largest population of Lion-
tailed macaques, an endangered primate specie.
• River Kunthi descends from the Nilgiri hills and
traverses the entire length of the valley.
Bird species found in Silent Valley National Park:

• Brown wood owl, Banded Bay cuckoo, Malabar
woodshrike, White-throated kingfisher, Indian
nightjar, Jungle nightjar, and Large cuckooshrike were
among the 17 species newly identified in the Silent
Valley.
• Silent Valley has several species endemic to high-
elevation areas like Nilgiri laughingthrush, Nilgiri
flowerpecker, Brown-cheeked fulvetta, to name a few.
13. Namdapha National Park

• Namdapha (named after a river originating in the park and it meets Noa-Dehing river (a
tributary of the Brahmaputra)
• Location: It lies in close proximity to the Indo-Myanmar-China trijunction (in Arunachal
Pradesh)
• It is the fourth largest national park in India after the Hemis National Park (Ladakh), Desert
National Park (Rajasthan), and Gangotri National Park (Uttarakhand)
• It is also on the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India and a biodiversity
hotspot
• It is the only park in the World to have the four Feline species of big cat:- Tiger, Leopard,
Snow Leopard, and Clouded Leopard
• Famous for: Namdapha flying squirrel (Critically Endangered species) and Hoolock Gibbons
(the only ‘ape’ species found in India)
NOTES
14. Snow leopard Panthera:
The first-ever snow leopard recording from the Baltal- This is the genus of large wild cats
Zojila region has renewed hope for the elusive predator that can roar, but can’t purr. Among
in higher altitudes of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. them, the lion, the leopard, and the
jaguar are more closely related,
About the Snow leopard: while the other strand has the tiger
● The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a felidae (a and the snow leopard. The snow
family of mammals in the order Carnivora) in the leopard is an exception to the rest
genus Panthera. of the group in that it can’t roar.
● It is native to the mountain
ranges of Central and South
Asia, ranging from eastern
Afghanistan, the Himalayas
and the Tibetan Plateau to
southern Siberia, Mongolia
and western China.
● It is listed as Vulnerable on
the IUCN Red List.
● It is a good indicator
species (whose presence,
absence or abundance
reflects a specific
environmental condition) as
it quickly reacts to habitat
disturbances.
Snow leopard, often referred to

as Ghost of the Mountains
because of its coat that helps it
blend in a snowy-rocky
environment.
As per the study by the Zoological Survey of India, the Snow leopard regulates the population of
its herbivores prey species (Siberian ibex and blue sheep)
15. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

About Senna spectabilis:
• Senna spectabilis is a deciduous tree native to tropical
areas of America
• The thick foliage of the tree arrests the growth of other
indigenous tree and grass species. Thus, it causes food
shortages for the wildlife population, especially herbivores
• IUCN: Least Concern
• Invasion of Senna spectabilis is most severe in Wayanad
Wildlife Sanctuary and nearby forests
About Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• It has the world’s largest recorded population of the
Asiatic elephant
• River: Kabini and its three tributaries (Kabini is the
tributary of the Kaveri rivers)
NOTES
16. Mudumalai Tiger Reserve buffer
An invasive species, Senna spectabilis, an exotic tree, has taken over between 800 and 1,200
hectares of the buffer zones of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the picturesque Nilgiris hill
district.
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR): It is located in the

Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu state at the tri-junction of
three states, viz, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• It is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (1st
Biosphere Reserve in India).
• It is surrounded by Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
(Kerala) in the West, Bandipur National Park
(Karnataka) in the North, Mukurthi National Park and
Silent Valley in the South.
A Wildlife Institute of India (WII)’s

study claims that several alien
invasive plants can have a
detrimental effect on the
biodiversity in tiger habitats.
Invasive species:
● Invasive/introduced/alien/exotic
species are any non-native
species that significantly modify
or disrupt the ecosystem it
colonises.
● Such species may arrive in new
areas through natural migration,
but they are often introduced by
the activities of other species like Humans.
17. Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

• Located on the Southern Delhi Ridge of the Aravalli hill range on the
Delhi-Haryana border.
• An area of 1 km around the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in
Gurugram and Faridabad is an Eco-sensitive zone.
18. Ranipur Tiger Reserve

Ranipur Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh has become the 53rd tiger reserve in India.
• The Ranipur Tiger Reserve in the Chitrakoot district is the fourth in the state.
• The other tiger reserves in Uttar Pradesh include Dudhwa, Pilibhit, and Amangarh (a
buffer of Corbett Tiger Reserve).
19. Slender Loris Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu government has notified the Kaduvur India’s first Dugong conservation
slender loris sanctuary, spread across Karur and reserve (in Pali Bay) is also in Tamil Nadu.
Dindigul districts.
SLENDER LORIS:
● They are small nocturnal mammals and they are arboreal (spend most of their life on trees).
NOTES
● They act as a biological
predator of pests in
agricultural crops and benefit
farmers.
● They are native to India and
Sri Lanka. They are found in
tropical forests, shrub forests,
semi-deciduous forests, and
swamps.
● IUCN status - ENDANGERED.
● CITES status - Appendix II
● Schedule I Of the Wildlife
Protection Act
20. Singalila National Park

Singalila National Park launches a programme that aims to release about 20 red pandas in a
period of five years.
The number of red pandas has been declining in the wild, even in the Singalila and Neora Valley
National Parks (West Bengal)
About Red Panda:

• Category: endangered species (IUCN) and comes
under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act,
1972.
• Red pandas are shy, solitary and arboreal animals and are
considered an indicator species for ecological change.
• They are also one of the most iconic species in terms of their
importance to global conservation.
• The red panda’s survival is crucial for the eastern and north-
eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests and
the eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests. (2200-4800m
under dense bamboo)
• It is also the state animal of Sikkim.
• Protection measure: Transboundary law enforcement cooperation through the use of multi-
government platforms like SAWEN (South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network).
21. Asian Water Bird Census

• AWC (started in 1987) is part of the International Waterbird census coordinated by Wetland
International
• In India, AWC is coordinated by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) (founded in
1883, an NGO) and Wetland International (NGO).
Significance: AWC supports the conservation of wetlands and water birds worldwide. AWC data is
used to promote national water bird and wetland conservation and for other initiatives such as:
• Waterbird Population Estimates Programme (WI)
• Global Species Programme (Red List, by IUCN)
• Important Bird Area Programme (BirdLife international)
• Bonn Convention (for Migratory Species)
• Central Asian flyway Action plan
NOTES
22. Mahabali frog
Mahabali Frog, which buries itself all through the year and surfaces only one day to lay eggs, is
waiting to be elevated as the State Frog of Kerala
23. Cheetah
In India, the native cheetah species was the Asiatic cheetah, which went extinct in 1952.
Currently, only Iran has Asiatic cheetahs in the wild, numbering around 12, and the majority of
the remaining 7,000-strong population of the big cats around the world is of African cheetahs –
the ones that have now come to India.
● The recent relocation of Cheetahs from Namibia to India was the first in the world where a
large carnivore was relocated from one continent to another.
● 'Cheetah' (Acinonyx Jubatus Venaticus) originates from Sanskrit and means 'the spotted
one'.
● The Cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world.
● Its historical range includes the majority of Sub-Saharan Africa and extends eastward to
India.
● It is the only large carnivore that went ‘Extinct’ in India due to overhunting and habitat loss.
● The last cheetah died in the Koriya district of present-day Chhattisgarh in 1947 and the
species was declared extinct in 1952.
● According to the Wildlife Institute of India's (WII) "Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah
in India," 50 wild cheetahs that are ideal for starting a new cheetah population would be
imported as a founder stock over five years initially.
Significance of reintroducing cheetahs:

● In- situ Conservation of species.
● Beneficial to the entire ecosystem → save its prey base comprising certain threatened
species and endangered species of the grasslands and open forest ecosystems.
NOTES
● They pose no danger to humans or large livestock.
● The conservation of the cheetah will revive grassland-forests and its biome and habitat,
much like Project Tiger has done for forests and all the species found in these forests. Project
Tiger has also resulted in the conservation of 250 water bodies found in India’s Tiger
Reserves. The Cheetah Project is likely to have a similar impact.
Why is Kuno-Palpur National Park (KNP) given the highest priority for reintroduction?
● Suitable habitat and adequate prey base.
● Assessed to be capable of supporting 21 cheetahs.
● Devoid of human settlements: Villages have been completely relocated from within the park.
● Enables the coexistence of the four big cats found in India - the tiger, lion, leopard, and
cheetah, as they have in the past.
Why are cheetahs coming from Africa?

● Asiatic cheetahs found in Iran are categorised as critically endangered.
● The highest genetic variation, which is essential for a founding population stock, is found in
African cheetahs.
● African cheetahs have been determined to be the ancestors of all other Cheetah lineages.
24. Tiger Relocation

A tiger (T-113) has been shifted from Ranthambore TR to Sariska TR, as the majority of Tigers in
Sariska have aged. Previously, 1st tiger reintroduction was done in STR in 2008, after tigers
disappeared from it in 2005.
Ranthambore TR is famous for diurnal tigers (active during the day and night) (generally tigers
NOTES
nocturnal, i.e active only during the night). The TR is
enclosed by Chambal and Banas Rivers.
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a

statutory body (under Wildlife Protection Act 1972)
for Tiger conservation and relocation.
As per the Standard Operating

Procedures/Guidelines laid down by the National
Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under Section
38(O) of The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, there
are three ways to deal with orphaned or
abandoned tiger cubs.
• The first is to make an effort to reunite the
abandoned cubs with their mother.
• Second, if a reunion of the cub with its mother is not possible, then shift the cub to a suitable
zoo.
• Third, reintroduction of the cub into the wild after a certain time when it appears that the
cub is capable of surviving in the wild independently. This is what is known as ‘re-wilding’.
Re-wilding is not limited to cats. There have been efforts to reintroduce other endangered
species, including scavengers, into the wild after rearing them in captivity.
25. Olive Ridley turtles

Hundreds of vulnerable Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) have washed ashore along
the coastline between Kakinada and Antarvedi in the Godavari region during the annual breeding
season on the east coast.
Reasons stated:
• The effluents are released from the aqua ponds along the coastline.
• The discharges from the pipelines of the onshore oil exploration facilities
About Olive Ridley Turtles:

• They are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
• They get their name from their olive-coloured carapace.
• Known for Arribada (Mass Nesting)
Protection Status:
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Scheduled 1
• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
• CITES Appendix I
Distribution:
They are found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
In India, they are conserved in Bhitarkanika National Park, Odisha, Gahirmata Marine Sanctuary,
Odisha and the Godavari region of Andhra Pradesh.
26. Saltie census 2023

• The population of saltwater crocodiles in the water bodies of Bhitarkanika National Park and
its nearby areas in Odisha’s Kendrapara district has marginally increased in 2023, according to
the annual reptile census.
• Techniques used for the census: Spotlights at night, GPS, and Photographic Interpretation to
measure the length and age of the crocodiles.
NOTES
Crocodile conservation programmes in India:
• The Gharial, Mugger and Saltwater crocodile conservation programme: The breeding and
rearing programme for three species of crocodilians — saltwater crocodile, mugger and
gharial — had been started in 1975 in 34 places in West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar and other states in India and Nepal.
• ‘BAULA’ PROJECT AT DANGAMAL: ‘Baula’ is the Oriya term for Saltwater Crocodile. Dangmal
is in the Bhitarkanika sanctuary.
• CAPTIVE BREEDING OF CROCODILES AT NANDANKANAN, Odisha
• Odisha is having the distinction for the existence of all three species of Indian crocodilians
27. Wren babblers

• New species of songbird Wren Babblers found in Arunachal Pradesh has been named Lisu
Wren Babbler (after the Lisu community of the state)
• Wren Babbler: It is a small Asian bird of the babbler family chiefly found in South Asia.
• About the Lisu community: The Lisu are a Tibeto-
Burman ethnic group who inhabit mountainous
regions of Burma (Myanmar), southwest China,
Thailand, and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
• About bird songs: In bird biology, the word
"birdsong" means any sound delivered in the
nesting period, usually by a male bird for the
purpose of territorial defence or the attraction of a
mate.
NOTES
28. Orcas
• They are toothed whales and are generally found in
temperate and tropical waters (from the Arctic to
the Antarctic).
• They have long life spans and are highly social
• Orcas are found across the world and are also known
as “killer whales”
o The word comes from the whale's scientific
Latin name, Orcinus orca
o Technically, killer whales are the largest
member of the dolphin family. But because of their size, they are referred to as
whales.
o As the top ocean predator, they kill other animals for survival.
• IUCN: Data deficient.
29. Dolphins return to the Ganga in UP

Dolphins have started coming back to the Ganga river with improvement in the quality of its
water through the Namami Gange Programme
• At present, the population of dolphins in Ganga in Uttar Pradesh is estimated to be
around 600
Gangetic Dolphins
• Protection Status:
Dolphins have been
included in Schedule I
of the Indian Wild
Life (Protection) Act
1972, in Appendix I of
the Convention on
International Trade in
Endangered Species
(CITES), in Appendix II
of the Convention on
Migratory Species
(CMS).
• IUCN Status:
Endangered
• They are also one
among the 22 species
identified under the
centrally sponsored
scheme,
“Development of
Wildlife Habitat”.
• Characteristic
features: The Gangetic river dolphins can only live in freshwater, are blind and catch their
prey in a unique manner, using ultrasonic sound waves.
• Distribution: Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and West
Bengal.
• Habitat: They live in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems
of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
• Significance: It is a reliable indicator of the health of the entire river ecosystem.
NOTES
• The global population of the Ganges Dolphin is estimated at around 4,000, and nearly 80%
are found in the Indian subcontinent.
30. Aceclofenac
Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) has demanded a ban on using Aceclofenac in cattle
after a new study showed that the drug metabolises into diclofenac in water buffaloes.
What was diclofenac?

• Diclofenac — an anti-inflammatory drug — was banned for veterinary use by the
Government of India in 2006.
o It was found to be the main cause of a dramatic decline (99 per cent) of the
vulture population across Asia.
• The drug caused accidental poisoning in raptors after they fed on carcasses of cattle injected
with it.
What does the Vulture action plan 2020-25 says?

• It advocates the prevention of misuse of veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) by ensuring their sale only on prescription.
• It also recommends that veterinary treatment should be given only by qualified
veterinarians.
• It promotes the scientific manner of disposal of livestock carcasses so that vultures do not
get exposed to the carcasses of animals that died during treatment.
• The plan mentions Aceclofenac as ‘toxic’, asking the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI)
to ban its veterinary use — along with other drugs like nimesulide and ketoprofen.
Safer alternative for diclofenac and Aceclofenac: meloxicam and tolfenamic acid.
Vultures play an extremely important role as nature’s scavengers, keeping the environment clean.
They even eat bones. Even if it consumes anthrax [contaminated] carcass, it won’t get affected.
Vultures found in India

• In India, nine species of vultures are found, out of which four are under critically endangered
(White-backed, Slender-billed, long-billed, and Red-headed vulture) lists of IUCN.
Initiatives for Vulture protection: The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and Bombay Natural History
Society (BNHS) established the Vulture Conservation Breeding Programme. A Vulture Care
Centre (VCC) was set up at Pinjore, Haryana.
31. Amur falcon

The hunting, killing and sale of amur falcons have been banned in Manipur.
• Locally known as Akhuipuina, the amur falcons arrive mainly in Manipur
and Nagaland on its southbound migration from breeding grounds in
North China, Eastern Mongolia and far-east Russia en route to its
wintering grounds in South Africa.
• The Manipur Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 has made it clear that these
migratory birds cannot be hunted, sold or killed. Those who disobey it will
be pulled up.
• The migratory bird is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and included under
Schedule IV.
Amur falcon: Scientific Name: Falco amurensis, Breeds in Southeast Russia and northern China,
Migrates west through India and across the Arabian Sea to Southern Africa.
NOTES
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern
32. Great Indian Bustards

The recent sighting of Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) deep in
Pakistan’s Cholistan desert has given rise to speculation that it
might have flown from India’s Desert’s National Park to
Pakistan.
Great Indian Bustards:

• In India, the bustard is restricted to isolated pockets in
Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh and Rajasthan.
1. It is the state bird of Rajasthan.
• Protection
1. CITES Appendix I.
2. Schedule 1 (Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2002)
3. Project Great Indian Bustard — state of Rajasthan — identifying and fencing off
bustard breeding grounds in existing protected areas as well as providing secure
breeding enclosures in areas outside protected areas.
• Protected areas
• Desert National Park Sanctuary — Rajasthan
• Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary – Andhra Pradesh
• Karera Wildlife Sanctuary– Madhya Pradesh
33. Sea cucumbers

Sea cucumbers were the most frequently trafficked marine species in India between 2015 and
2021, a new analysis by the Wildlife Conservation Society-India (WCS-India) has shown.
Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of marine wildlife seizures during this period, the
analysis added.
The analysis, titled Illegal trade in marine species in India 2015-2021 is based on the assessment
of 187 media reports about marine wildlife seizures in India between 2015 and 2021. It recorded
illegal marine trade in seven species groups — sea cucumber, coral, seahorse and pipefish, shark
and ray, seashell, sea fan and sea turtle.
About Sea Cucumber:

Sea cucumbers are part of a larger animal
group called echinoderms, which also
contain starfish and sea urchins. Their
body shape is similar to a cucumber, but
they have small tentacle-like tube feet
that are used for locomotion and feeding.
Protection: IUCN Red List: Brown Sea

Cucumber (Endangered), Blackspotted Sea
Cucumber (Least Concern); Wildlife
Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.
34. Ants
In ecology, the term “niche” describes the role an organism plays in a community.
NOTES
In a study it has been found
that:
• Ants may be unable to
adapt to global warming,
leaving them highly
vulnerable to the impacts
of climate change.
• The insects are cold-
blooded creatures, also
called ectotherms. Their
body temperatures depend
on external sources like sunlight. Humans (endotherms), on the other hand, maintain their
body temperature without relying on the environment.
Importance of Ants:
• Ants are often called “ecosystem’s
engineers”. These insects move the
soil during nest-building and
foraging, affecting the level of
nutrients in it.
NOTES
Environment Protection
1. Red Sanders
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had recently
recovered 14.63 MT of Red Sanders. Intelligence was
developed by DRI that red sanders logs were concealed in
an export consignment declared to contain “assorted
toiletries”, for being smuggled out of the country.
Accordingly, Operation Rakth Chandan was launched and
close surveillance was kept on the suspect export
consignment.
• Red Sanders is a flora-species that is endemic to a distinct tra ct of forests in Eastern Ghats
region of Andhra Pradesh and fall under ‘endangered list’ in the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
• Red Sanders is also listed in Appendix-II of the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES).
• Its rich hue and therapeutic properties are responsible for its high demand across Asia,
particularly China, for use in cosmetics, medicinal products and high-end furniture/woodcraft.
• The export of Red Sanders from India is prohibited as per the Foreign Trade Policy.
2. Sankhya Sagar Wetland

● An artificial lake in MP- Sankhya Sagar (a Ramsar site) has virtually disappeared under a thick
layer of an invasive aquatic plant (hyacinth), threatening the biodiversity of the water body.
About the lake and the invasive species:

● The lake spreads across 248 hectares (612.82 acres) and helps maintain the ecological balance
of the Madhav National Park.
● It is home to marsh crocodile aka ‘Mugger’ (Crocodylus palustris), which is a Schedule I
reptilian species protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
● Water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) is an invasive plant species (macrophytes) native to
South Africa.
● Although the plant has some uses (acts as a water purifier by removing heavy metals), it
poses a threat to aquatic biodiversity when it covers the entire surface of a water body.
Ramsar convention/The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance:

● It is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
● It is named after the Iranian city of Ramsar (on the Caspian Sea), where the treaty was signed
on 2 February 1971. It came into force in 1975.
● India has 75 sites (as of August 2022) recognised under the convention.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands defines wetlands as “areas of marsh, fen, peat land or
water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing,
fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not
exceed six meters”.
Ramsar secretariat designating a wetland as wetland of global importance may not lead to any
extra funding by the global body.
But from the management point of view, it is like an accreditation. It is like an ISO certification.
They can take you off the list as well if you don’t meet their standards continuously.
NOTES
Not every Ramsar Site is a notified protected area under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,
hence systematic protection and conservation regimes might not be in place there.
Montreux Record:
● Montreux Record under the Convention is a register of wetland sites where changes in
ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of
technological developments, pollution or other human interference.
● It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List.
3. Other Wetlands in News

Bhoj Wetland:
The wetland (man-made) is also
a Ramsar site with international
importance and has two lakes,
Upper Lake, also called Bhojtal and
Lower Lake or Chhota Talaab.
Haiderpur Wetland:
Haiderpur Wetland is spread over
an area of about 7000 hectares on
the Muzaffarnagar-Bijnor border
between the Ganges and the Solani
River. It is a part of Hastinapur
Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve

Forest (TN): It is a freshwater
marsh in Chennai. It is the only
surviving wetland ecosystem in
Chennai and the last remaining natural wetlands of South India.
• Karikili Bird Sanctuary (TN): Located in the Kancheepuram District of Tamil Nadu
• Pichavaram Mangrove (TN): It is located near Chidambaram in the Cuddalore District of Tamil
Nadu. It could be counted among the largest mangrove forests in the country (more than
1100 hectares).
• Pala wetland (Mizoram): It is the largest natural wetland in Mizoram. The wetland is
surrounded by green woodlands.
• Sakhya Sagar (MP): This lake is an integral part of Madhav National Park in Shivpuri, Madhya
Pradesh.
UDAIPUR’S ‘BIRD VILLAGE’ IS SET TO BE DECLARED A WETLAND:

Recognised as the “bird village” following community-driven conservation efforts, Menar in
the Udaipur district is set to be notified as Rajasthan’s new wetland. This will pave the way for
getting the Ramsar site status for this rural heartland of the Mewar region.
At present, Rajasthan has two wetlands recognised as Ramsar sites – Keoladeo Ghana in
Bharatpur district and Sambhar Salt Lake in Jaipur district.
4. Kelp forests
● According to a new study, Kelp forests (large brown algae seaweeds) are declining because of
climate change.
What is a Kelp Forest?

• They are underwater ecosystems formed in shallow water.
NOTES
• Kelp forests are often referred to as
"underwater rainforests" because of their
high biodiversity and productivity.
• Kelp can also persist at lower latitudes,
aided by cool water upwelling or in deep-
water refugia where they are protected by
thermocline (transition layer between the
warmer surface water and the cooler deep
water).
• Keystone Species: They provide
underwater habitats to hundreds of
species and thus have great ecological and
economic value.
• Provide Ecosystem Services: such as
coastal protection and carbon
sequestration.
• They also provide recreational and
tourism value for scuba diving, snorkelling,
and kayaking.
• Their loss will lead to a decline in the
unique biodiversity that they support.
Findings of the study:

● Kelp populations at equatorward-range edges are most vulnerable to climate change as
these locations are undergoing warming beyond thermal tolerance thresholds.
● The unique adaptive genetic diversity that the rear-edge populations (populations in warm,
low-latitudes) may contain is also under threat due to rapid warming.
What is the thermal tolerance threshold?

The ability of an organism to withstand high temperatures after prior exposure to moderate
temperatures. For example, Ecklonia radiata, the dominant and most widely distributed
Laminarian kelp in the southern hemisphere, rapidly succumb to warmer temperatures in spring
and summer when temperatures exceed 27 degrees Celsius.
5. Forabot: The Fossil sorting robot

This new technology can automate sorting, manipulating and
identifying microscopic marine fossils.
Significance:
• Foraminifera (forams) are very simple microorganisms that
secrete a tiny shell.
• They have existed on the ocean floor for more than 100 million
years.
• They leave behind their shells when they die.
• Examining these shells gives scientists an insight into the characteristics of the oceans from a
time when the forams were alive.
• Different types of foram species thrive in the ocean environment and physical inspection and
sorting of forams require human time and effort.
• With an accuracy rate of 67%, Forabot automates this tedious process.
NOTES
6. Termites
A recent study has found that termites decompose wood at a much higher rate in warmer
conditions. For every 10 degrees Celsius increase in temperature, their decomposition activity
goes up by almost seven times, it added.
The study also revealed that as the Earth gets warmer, termites will rapidly spread across the
world. This could, in turn, lead to a further rise in global temperatures, because these small
insects while consuming deadwood release carbon into the atmosphere.
The researcher also observed that these wood-eating termites were able to survive in warm and
dry conditions, unlike microbes that need water to grow. Therefore, with “tropicalization (i.e.,
warming shifts to tropical climates), termite wood decay will likely increase as termites access
more of Earth’s surface.”
Although these insects are already found in colder areas, they play a limited role in the decaying
of wood in comparison to fungi and bacteria.
As a tree grows older, certain parts of it die and become dead wood, which is eventually
decomposed by microbes and insects like termites. The decaying of dead wood results in the
release of not only a variety of nutrients but also carbon.
According to the study, termites release carbon from dead wood in the form of carbon dioxide
and methane, two of the most important greenhouse gases. So, an increase in termite population
and their faster decomposing activity can cause more greenhouse emissions, resulting in a hotter
planet.
7. Great Barrier Reef

In the latest lab trial, the world's first with Great Barrier Reef coral, scientists used the cryomesh
to freeze coral larvae at the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences (AIMS).
The coral had been collected from the reef for the trial, which coincided with the brief annual
spawning window.
• A new material called

“cryomesh” is helping the
scientists in the effort. Coral is
frozen using a special method
called cryogenics. This permits
the young animals to be stored
until they can be unfrozen and
placed in the wild.
• Cryogenically frozen coral reefs
can be stored and later
reintroduced to the wild to
protect them against rising
ocean temperatures
What is the Great Barrier Reef?

Located off the coast of Queensland, Australia, the GBR is the world’s largest coral reef system
with over 2,900 individual reefs, 900 islands and an area covering approximately 344,400 square
kilometres. An irreplaceable part of the global ecosystem, the GBR is one of the biggest
biodiversity hotspots in the world as well as one of its largest carbon sinks.
Keeping in mind the dangers that the reef faces, the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) and UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre (WHC) report recommended adding the GBR
to the List of World Heritage in Danger.
NOTES
According to UNESCO, “the List of World Heritage in Danger is designed to inform the
international community of conditions which threaten the very characteristics for which a
property was inscribed on the World Heritage List, and to encourage corrective action.”
Under the 1972 World Heritage Convention, inscribing a site on the List allows the WHC to
allocate immediate assistance from the World Heritage Fund to the endangered property, while
simultaneously gathering international support and attention to the site.
Corals are marine invertebrates or

animals which do not possess a spine
(phylum Cnidaria). They are the largest
living structures on the planet.
• A coral reef is an underwater
ecosystem characterized by reef-
building corals. Reefs are formed of
colonies of coral polyps held together
by calcium carbonate.
• Coral Bleaching: Coral bleaching is
the process when corals become
white due to various stressors, such
as changes in temperature, light, or
nutrients. Bleaching occurs when
coral polyps expel the algae that live
inside their tissue, causing the coral
to turn white. GBR has faced several
mass coral bleaching in the recent
past (including the recent one in
March 2022)
Importance of Corals: Coral reefs support over 25% of marine biodiversity even though corals
occupy only 1% of the seafloor.
8. Black corals
Using a remote-controlled submarine, researchers at Smithsonian Institution, Washington,
discovered five new species of black corals living as deep as 2,500 feet (760 metres) below the
surface in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea off the coast of Australia.
Black corals can be found growing both in shallow waters and down to depths of over 26,000
feet (8,000 metres), and some individual corals can live for over 4,000 years.
Unlike their colourful, shallow-water cousins that rely on the sun and photosynthesis for energy,
black corals are filter feeders and eat tiny zooplankton that are abundant in deep waters.
Similarly to shallow-water corals that build colourful reefs full of fish, black corals act as
important habitats where fish and invertebrates feed and hide from predators in what is
otherwise a mostly barren sea floor.
9. Marine Sponges
Sponges are among the most ancient and abundant animals on rocky reefs across the world. In
New Zealand, they occupy up to 70% of the available seafloor, particularly in so-called mesophotic
ecosystems at depths of 30-150m.
NOTES
They serve a number of important ecological functions. They filter large
quantities of water, capturing small food particles and moving carbon from
the water column to the seafloor where it can be eaten by bottom-dwelling
invertebrates.
These invertebrates in turn are consumed by organisms further up the food
chain, including commercially and culturally important fish species.
Sponges also add three-dimensional complexity to the sea floor, which

provides habitat for a range of other species such as crabs, shrimps and
starfish.
Like corals, sponges contain symbiotic organisms thought to be critical to their survival.
Cymbastella lamellata is unusual in that it hosts dense populations of diatoms, small single-celled
photosynthetic plants that give the sponge its brown colour.
These diatoms live within the sponge tissue, exchanging food for protection. When the sponge
bleaches, it expels the diatoms, leaving the sponge skeleton exposed.
Tissue loss occurs when sponges are stressed and either have to invest more energy into cell
repair or when their food source is depleted and they reabsorb their own tissue to reduce body
volume and reallocate resources.
10. Ecologically sensitive zones (ESZ)

ESZ is intended to protect ‘protected areas’ - national The fortress conservation model is
parks and wildlife sanctuaries - by effectively creating based on the belief that biodiversity
insulating layers around such protected areas where protection is best achieved by creating
humans and nature can be at peace with each other. protected areas where ecosystems
can function in isolation from human
Objectives of creating ESZ: disturbance. It assumes that local
• To create a shock absorber by regulating and people use natural resources in
managing the activities around protected areas. irrational and destructive ways, and as
• To serve as a transition zone between areas of a result cause biodiversity loss and
high protection and areas of lower protection. environmental degradation.
Notified and regulated by: They are notified by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change (MoEFCC) and regulated under the Environment Protection Act 1986 (though the
EPA does not mention the word ‘ESZ’).
Criteria to designate ESZ:

● Based on species (endemism, rarity, etc)
● Based on the ecosystem (sacred groves, frontier forests, etc)
● Based on geomorphological features (uninhabited islands, origins of rivers, etc)
Extent of ESZ:
● An ESZ's distribution can vary in breadth and extent. For example, the extent of ESZ from the
boundary of a protected area ranges from 0 to 45.82 km (in Pin Valley National Park, HP).
● The ESZs span notified forests outside protected areas, most of which could also come under
gram sabhas’ jurisdiction under the FRA.
11. Manipur’s heimang

Manipur is part of one of the world’s most biodiverse areas, the Indo-Burma region, heimang
(Rhus chinensis) a popular plant here has a long history of culinary and medicinal use among
communities in countries where the tree grows.
NOTES
About Heimang:
• It grows widely in Manipur and other north-
eastern regions
• The spherical fruit has a citrus-like tartness and,
it is packed with nutrients such as polyphenols,
flavonoids, and antioxidants.
• Traditional healers of Manipur called
maibas or maibis, prescribe heimang for
common gastrointestinal problems like
diarrhoea and dysentery.
• It is also recommended to eat water-soaked
fruit for indigestion and stomach ulcer.
• Other parts of the heimang tree such as its leaves (including the abnormal growths or galls
on them), roots, stem, and bark are also found to have preventive and therapeutic effects.
• The research found that compounds isolated from the stem of the heimang tree can
significantly suppress HIV-1 activity in vitro.
• Local communities in the state also use heimang leaves to prepare a herbal shampoo
called chinghi by boiling them with rice water.
12. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR)

• Name Origin: From the blue flower-clad mountains of the Nilgiris plateau (TN)
• It was the first biosphere reserve in India established in the year 1986.
• It is located in the Western Ghats and encompasses parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Karnataka.
• The confluence of Biotic zones: It is at the confluence of Afro-tropical and Indo-Malayan
biotic zones of the world.
• It is a Biodiversity Hotspot
• Fauna and Flora: Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri langur, and Freshwater fishes such as Nilgiri danio, Nilgiri
barb and Bowany barb are endemic to this Biosphere Reserve.
• The river that originates from Nilgiri: Bhavani, Moyar, Kabini (tributaries of the
river Cauvery) and other rivers like Chaliyar, Punampuzha, etc., have their source and
catchment areas within the reserve boundary.
• Tribal: Todas, Kotas, Irullas, Kurumbas, Paniyas, Adiyans, Edanadan Chettis, Cholanaickens,
Allar, Malayan, etc., are native to the reserve.
• Protected Areas in NBR: Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary,
Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole National Park, Mukurthi National Park and Silent Valley are
the protected areas present within this reserve.
13. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

CPCB is a statutory organisation which was constituted in September 1974 under the Water
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
• It was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control
of Pollution) Act, 1981.
• It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to the Ministry of
Environment and Forests under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act,
1986.
• It coordinates the activities of the State Pollution Control Boards by providing technical
assistance and guidance and also resolves disputes among them.
• It is the apex organization in country in the field of pollution control, as a technical wing of
MoEFCC.
• The board is led by its Chairperson appointed by the Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet of the Government of India
NOTES
Important functions:
• to promote the cleanliness of streams and wells in different areas of the States by
prevention, control and abatement of water pollution.
• to improve the quality of air and to prevent, control or abate air pollution in the
country.
14. Bee Cultivation / Apiculture

• Apiculture is the science and culture of honeybees and their management.
• As per the FAO, India ranked eighth in 2017-18 in the world in terms of honey production.
• National Beekeeping and Honey mission was launched to achieve the goal of Sweet
Revolution.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted a conditional license for a
vaccine for honeybees to curb American foulbrood (AFB), a fatal bacterial disease for the insect.
About American foulbrood:
• AFB is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae.
• Infected broods usually die at the pre-pupal or pupal stage.
• The disease cannot be cured, meaning that the destruction of infected colonies and hives or
irradiation of infected material is the only way to manage AFB.
How the vaccine will work:

The vaccine technology exposes queen bees to inactive (i.e., “dead”) bacteria, which enables the
larvae hatched in the hive to resist infection
• The vaccine is mixed in queen candy — the primary food source.
NOTES
• Worker bees consume the vaccine with the queen candy, which is then digested and
transferred to the glands that produce the royal jelly. Worker bees then feed the royal jelly
containing the vaccine to the queen bee.
• The queen digests the royal jelly and the vaccine is transferred to her ovaries. The vaccine
gets transferred to the developing eggs. The developing larvae get vaccinated and are more
immune to infection as they hatch.
National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM)

● NBHM is a Central Sector Scheme, approved under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat
announcement, and implemented through National Bee Board (NBB).
● NBHM aims for the overall promotion & development of scientific beekeeping in the country
to achieve the goal of ‘Sweet Revolution’ which is being implemented through NBB.
● Under the scheme, the main thrust is given on awareness, capacity building/training, focus
on women empowerment through beekeeping and setting up of requisite infrastructural
facilities.
15. Green Urban Oases (GUO) Programme

GUO program contributes to FAO’s Green Cities Initiative (2020) which aimed to improve the
livelihoods of urban and peri-urban populations in at least 100 cities in the next 3 years.
The objective of the programme:

• Turn dryland cities into “green urban oases”
• Strengthen their overall resilience to climatic, health, food, and economic crisis
• To reduce the impact of urbanization on biodiversity and the surrounding natural
environment
What are drylands? Previously (in October 2022),

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Hyderabad had bagged the prestigious
defines drylands according to an aridity index (AI), World Green City Award presented by
which is the ratio between average annual the International Association of
precipitation and potential evapotranspiration; Horticultural Producers (AIPH) for its
drylands are lands with an AI of less than 0.65 (Zero initiative “Green Garland to the State
Point six five) of Telangana (Telangana Ku Haritha
Haram)”. Hyderabad also bagged the
Dryland systems are ecosystems characterised by a award in the ‘Living green for economic
lack of water. They include cultivated lands, recovery and inclusive growth’.
scrublands, shrublands, grasslands, savannas, semi-
deserts and true deserts. It makes up around 41% of
the earth’s land (mainly in Asia and Africa).
16. Oran land

• Residents from around 40
villages of Jaisalmer,
Rajasthan have walked 225
kilometres to
protect community-
conserved sacred
spaces known as ‘orans’.
• Currently, the biodiversity
hotspots are classified as
wastelands.
NOTES
• The current categorization is causing a loss of biodiversity and is affecting the livelihood of
the locals in the area, as huge chunks of land are being allotted for setting up solar plants.
Thus, need to recategorize the area as ‘oran land’.
About Orans
• The orans are among the last natural habitats of the great Indian bustard
• The open stretch of land, which receives long hours of sunlight and brisk winds, has become a
hub of green energy with windmills and solar photovoltaic dotting it.
• There are other orans like Mokla, Salkha, Kemde, which also spread across several hectares
but are listed as wastelands
• These orans are hotspots of biodiversity with trees and flowers like rohida, bordi, kumbhat,
and desi babool in large numbers.
17. Three Himalayan medicinal plants enter IUCN Red List

Three medicinal plant species found in the Himalayas have made it to the IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species.
However, a recent assessment shows that deforestation, habitat loss, forest fires, illegal trade and
climate change pose a serious threat to the species.
Meizotropis pellita - ‘critically endangered’,

known as Patwa, a perineal shrub, endemic
to Uttarakhand, rich in antioxidants, and
used in essential oils.
Fritilloria cirrhosa: ‘vulnerable’, perennial

bulbous herb, used in China for treatment of
bronchial disorders, pneumonia and cough
suppressant.
Dactylorhiza hatagirea- ‘endangered’, a

perennial tuberous species endemic to the
Hindu Kush and Himalayan ranges of
Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal,
and Pakistan, extensively used in the Indian
system of medicine to cure dysentery
chronic fever, stomach ache etc.
18. Cactus
The government is promoting
Cactus plantation and its
economic usage.
About Cactus –
• It is a xerophytic plant which
grows at a slower pace.
• It is adapted to grow in an
arid and semi-arid climate
Economic advantages of
promoting Cactus Cultivation –
NOTES
• Plantations of cacti will help in the restoration of degraded land
• Cactus can be used as– biofuel, food, fodder and in bio fertiliser production
• Contributing to employment and income generation for poor farmers.
• Help in achieving Nationally Determined Contributions and Sustainable Development Goals
Other Facts –
• 30% of India’s land is categorised as ‘Degraded Land’.
• The Watershed Development component of PM Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) aims to
restore degraded land under the Department of Land Resources.
19. Threatened species

A list of threatened species is released which shows what overconsumption and unsustainable
harvesting can do to plants and animals around.
Abalone • 54 abalone species threatened

Shellfish with extinction.
• Among the world’s most
expensive seafood
• Threat - Agriculture and industrial
run-offs cause algal blooms, boat
paint etc leading to its decline.
• IUCN: "endangered" category
Dugong • Threat - Victim to unintentional
capture in fishing gear, Destruction
of their food (seagrass) due to
chemical pollution, oil and gas
exploration, Production, bottom
trawling and unauthorized coastal
development
• IUCN - Vulnerable
Pillar Coral • Found throughout the Caribbean

from the Yucatan Peninsula and
Florida to Trinidad and Tobago.
• Threat - contagious Stony Coral
Tissue Loss Disease that can affect
anywhere between 90 and 100
metres of reef per day.
20. Fast-melting Arctic ice

A team of researchers has flagged the changing chemistry of the western region of the Arctic
Ocean after discovering acidity levels increasing three to four times faster than ocean waters
elsewhere.
The team also identified a strong correlation between the accelerated rate of melting ice and the
rate of ocean acidification. Seawater is normally alkaline, with a pH value of around 8.1.
How does melting ice decreases pH value?

• First, the water under the sea ice, which had a deficit of carbon dioxide, now is exposed to
atmospheric carbon dioxide and can take it up freely, thus becoming acidic.
NOTES
• Second: The seawater mixed with meltwater is lighter and can’t mix easily into deeper waters,
which means the carbon dioxide is concentrated at the surface.
• Third: The meltwater dilutes the carbonate ion concentration in the seawater, weakening its
ability to neutralise the carbon dioxide into bicarbonate and rapidly decreasing ocean pH.
21. Secret behind long lifespan of Banyan, Peeple trees

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal have
carried out whole genome sequencing of banyan (Ficus benghalensis) and peepal (Ficus religiosa)
from leaf tissue samples
Reasons for long life:

• The work helped in
identifying 17 genes
in the case of
banyan and 19
genes of peepal
with multiple signs
of adaptive
evolution (MSA)
that play a pivotal
role in the long-time
survival of these
two Ficus species.
About Ficus religiosa:

Ficus religiosa or sacred
fig is a species of fig
native to the Indian
subcontinent and
Indochina that belongs to the Moraceae family.
• The lifespan of the banyan tree is expected to be 200 - 500 years. Peepal trees, on the other
hand, can survive up to 2500 years.
22. Melocanna baccifera, a tropical bamboo species

A study has shed interesting light on flowering in Melocanna
baccifera, a tropical bamboo species.
Background:
• The species has long fascinated researchers for its association
with the occurrence of ‘bamboo death,’ ‘rat floods’ and famines
in northeast India.
• Researchers detected a correlation between the sugar content in
the fruit of Melocanna baccifera and the rat population
explosion due to excessive feeding.
Melocanna baccifera:
• Called ‘Muli’ in northeast India, Melocanna baccifera is the
largest fruit-producing bamboo and is native to the northeast
India-Myanmar region.
• During its gregarious flowering, the bamboo produces large fruits which draw animal
visitors/predators.
NOTES
India contributes only 2% of the world's bamboo supply. The Central government by amending
the Forest Act of 1927, freed private growers to undertake the cultivation of bamboo without any
restrictions and launched National Bamboo Mission.
23. Ecological niche

An ecological niche is the right set of environmental conditions under which an animal or plant
species will thrive.
• An example of an ecological niche is that of the dung beetle. The dung beetle consumes dung
both in larval and adult forms. Dung beetles store dung balls in burrows, and females lay eggs
within them. This allows hatched larvae immediate access to food.
Due to climate change, ecological Niches are altering and this may have an impact on Agriculture
and therefore we need ecological niche modelling (using Big Data and other computative
technology).
Ecological niche modelling is a

predictive tool for identifying new
possibilities — new inhabitants for an
existing habitat, or new geographical
locations where a desirable plant may
grow well.
E.g., the modelling identified 4,200

square kilometres of new areas
suitable for saffron cultivation in
places in Jammu and Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh, North Sikkim,
Imphal, Manipur and
Udagamandalam, Tamil Nadu.
Crocus sativus, the saffron plant, is

propagated through underground
stems called corms. It is thought to be a native of Greece and grows best under Mediterranean
climate conditions. Today, Iran grows nearly 90% of the world's saffron (India: 5%). The flower of
the plant has three bright crimson stigmata, which are handpicked when ready and carefully dried
for commercial saffron.
24. Tipping Points

Scientists sound alarm as the number of climate tipping elements rises.
"Climate tipping points" are levels of ecological changes, if crossed, could spark a significant
change in the way the Earth's systems operate, affecting oceans, weather and chemical
processes, which could be "irreversible" and self continuing even if there is no further warming.
The six tipping points "likely" to be crossed are:

• Greenland Ice Sheet collapse
• West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse
• Collapse of ocean circulation in the polar region of the North Atlantic
• Coral reefs die off in the low latitudes
• Sudden thawing of permafrost in the Northern regions
• Abrupt sea ice loss in the Barents Sea.
NOTES
25. Bio-decomposer Capsules

Delhi government applied bio-decomposer capsules to curb stubble burning.
About the Capsules

• It will accelerate the decomposition from stubble to manure in 15-20 days.
• It comprises a Dormant form of decomposing Bacteria and cell mass of Fungal spore,
accelerating the process of decomposition under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
• The capsules have been developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)
About Stubble Burning:

Stubble burning is a process of setting on fire the straw stubble, left after the harvesting of
grains, like paddy, wheat, etc.
Why?
Farmers in the Indo-Gangetic plain do it as they get a very short time between the harvesting of
rice and the sowing of wheat.
Impact?
Stubble burning causes- loss of nutrients and micro-organisms in the soil. toxic pollutants to be
released into the atmosphere.
Government steps:
• Stubble burning is made crime under IPC and Air and Pollution control act (1981)
• National Policy on the management of crop residues 2014
• Promotion of machines- Rotavators, Happy seeders, use of stubble in cattle feed and bio-
ethanol.
26. Loktak Lake

Manipur government’s Loktak Development Authority (LDA) issued a notice to remove/dismantle
all ‘athaphums’ (circular fish culture ponds) and huts on ‘phumdis’ (floating organic mass) from
the lake, in order to safeguard the environment and biodiversity of the lake.
NOTES
About Loktak Lake
• It is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India
and is famous for the phumdis floating over it.
• Keibul Lamjao National Park is also situated in the
same lake. The National Park is the only floating
national park in the world and is the last natural
refuge for endangered Sangai deer.
• The lake serves as a source of water for irrigation,
drinking water supply and hydropower
generation.
• The lake comes under both Ramsar Site and under Montreux record.
27. Banni grasslands

The Gujarat Forest department will restore 10,000 hectares of the Banni grasslands.
• Under Bonn declaration: India’s endeavour to reach the target of restoring 26 million
hectares of degraded land by 2030.
About
• Location: It is the largest grassland (accounting for 45% of pastures in Gujarat) in
Asia situated near the Great Rann of Kutchin Gujarat.
• Ecosystem and Vegetation: Two ecosystems, wetlands and grasslands, are mixed side by side
in Banni.
• It is dominated by low-growing plants, forbs and graminoids, many of which are halophiles
(salt-tolerant).
• It is a Reserve Forest (most restricted forest; local people are prohibited unless specifically
allowed by a Forest Officer in the course of the settlement.
• Maldharis are a tribal herdsmen community inhabiting Banni.
• It is one of the last remaining habitats of the cheetahin India and a possible reintroduction
site for the species.
NOTES
Renewable Energy
1. Biofuels
● Biofuels are liquid or gaseous fuels primarily produced from biomass, and can be used to
replace or can be used in addition to diesel, petrol or other fossil fuels for transport and other
applications.
● Crops used to make biofuels are generally either high in sugar (such as sugarcane, sugarbeet),
starch (such as maize and tapioca) or oils (such as soybean, rapeseed, coconut, sunflower).
Categories of biofuels:
● 1st-generation biofuels are made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using
conventional technology.
● 2nd generation biofuels are produced from non-food crops, such as cellulosic biofuels and
waste biomass (stalks of wheat and corn, and wood).
● 3rd generation biofuels are produced from microorganisms like algae.
Indian efforts to promote Biofuels:

● National Policy on Biofuels 2018: It aims to have country-wide blending rates of 20% ethanol
and 5% biodiesel by 2030. It also focused on using 2G technologies with agricultural/industrial
waste products.
○ However, through amendments to this policy, government now aims to achieve a
blending target of 20% ethanol by 2025 rather than 2030.
● Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) program: It aims to achieve ethanol blending in order to reduce
pollution, conserve foreign exchange, and so on.
● Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan - Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana:
Launched in 2019 to create an ecosystem for commercial project development and R&D in
the 2G Ethanol sector.
● GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) DHAN scheme: It focuses on managing and
converting farm animal dung and solid waste into useful compost, biogas, and bio-CNG,
thereby keeping villages clean and increasing rural household income.
● Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO): It aims to create an ecosystem that allows for the
collection and conversion of used cooking oil to biodiesel.
NOTES
Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) is produced naturally through the process of anaerobic

decomposition (without oxygen) of biomass sources like crop residue, cattle dung, sugarcane
press mud, sewage treatment plant waste, etc.
• It has the potential to replace Compressed Natural Gas in automotive, industrial, and
commercial uses in the future.
Other Waste-to-Energy technology:

• Landfill Gas (LFG) recovery: Methane gas is extracted from solid waste deposited in a landfill.
• Torrefaction: It involves heating straw, grass and sawmill residue to over 250-degree C.
• Polycrack Technology: It converts feedstocks into hydrocarbon liquid fuels, gas, carbon, and
water.
2. Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA)

• Nine countries including Britain, Germany, the United States and Japan joined an
international alliance called Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA) at the UN COP27 climate
summit.
• The alliance, initiated by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Denmark and
the Global Wind Energy Council, will bring together governments, the private sector,
international organisations and other stakeholders to accelerate the deployment of offshore
wind power.
• Countries joining GOWA have agreed to work together to drive national, regional, and
global ambitions and remove barriers to the deployment of offshore wind in new and
existing markets.
• Offshore wind energy is the generation of electricity through wind farms in bodies of water,
usually at sea. There are higher wind speeds offshore than on land, so offshore farms
generate more electricity per amount of capacity installed.
3. GJ: Modhera- first solar-powered village

Modhera in Mehsana (Gujarat) was declared as the country’s first round-the-clock solar-powered
village
NOTES
During the day time, the village will get solar power and at night, it will be powered by BESS
(Battery Energy Storage System).
Modhera is known for Sun Temple. It was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the
Chalukyas dynasty.
4. Solar Facility
To bolster investments in solar power projects, the International Solar Alliance (ISA), in its
General Assembly meeting, approved the ‘Solar Facility’, a payment guarantee mechanism
expected to stimulate investments into solar projects through two financial components — a
Solar Payment Guarantee Fund and Solar Insurance Fund.
The thrust of the facility is to attract private capital to flow into “underserved markets” in Africa.
The ISA would aim to crowdsource investments from various donors across the globe and
proposed projects in Africa would be able to purchase payment guarantees or partial insurance
premium from these funds.
“With the Solar Facility ISA is looking to support projects by reducing lenders’ apprehensions and
enabling finance to flow for projects that otherwise may not have received funding.
The assembly is the apex decision-making body of the ISA that works with governments to
improve energy access and security worldwide and promote solar power as a sustainable way to
transition to a carbon-neutral future.
NOTES
Species Discovery / Species Sighted / Species Extinct
1. Glass frogs
Recently scientists gleaned insight into how glass frogs –a species known for this ability – are
able to achieve such transparency.
About Glass frogs:

Glass frogs live in the American tropics and are nocturnal amphibians
that spend their days sleeping upside down on translucent leaves that
match the colour of their backs — a common camouflage tactic. Their
translucent skin and muscle allow their bones and organs to be visible.
How Glassfrog become transparent:

● Resting glass frogs increase transparency two- to threefold by
removing nearly 90 per cent of their red blood cells from circulation and packing them
within their liver, which contains reflective guanine crystals.
● Whenever the frogs need to become active again, they bring the red blood cells back into the
blood, which gives the frogs the ability to move around -- at which point, light absorption
from these cells breaks transparency.
● In most vertebrates, aggregating red blood cells can lead to potentially dangerous blood clots
in veins and arteries. However, glass frogs don’t experience clotting.
2. Virovore
The first known “virovore”- an organism that eats viruses- has been found.
Key findings:
• Two plankton organisms named Halteria and Paramecium, feed and thrive on viruses.
• A species of Halteria - which are microscopic ciliates that populate freshwater throughout the
world - can eat huge numbers of infectious chloroviruses. Both share an aquatic habitat.
• Different patterns of consumption between Halteria and Paramecium as the formerly used
chlorovirus as a source of nutrients and while the latter did consume the viruses, it did not
grow much in population.
• Additionally, the consumption of chloroviruses could have a profound impact on the carbon
cycle.
3. Spot Bellied Eagle Owl

A ‘Spot Bellied Eagle Owl’ (Bubo Nipalensis) was spotted for the first
time in the Seshachalam forest, and for the third time in Andhra
Pradesh.
• The bold predatory bird feeds on small rodents and lizards.
• The bird makes a strange scream similar to humans and it is
hence called the ‘Ghost of the Forest’ in India and ‘Devil Bird’ in
Sri Lanka.
• It is a forest-inhabiting species found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia
4. Red-Headed Vultures and Black Vultures

For the first time since 2017, birders spotted a red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) in the
Bhatti mines area of Delhi, the same week a “rarest of rare” black vulture (Coragyps atratus) was
sighted in Gurugram's Chandu Budhera
Red-headed vulture (also called Asian King vulture or Pondicherry Vulture) was extensively found
in India but its numbers drastically reduced after diclofenac poisoning.
IUCN: Critically Endangered
NOTES
American Black Vulture:
This is mainly found in the USA and South America. Black vultures typically
avoid crossing large bodies of water and do not cover long distances.
IUCN: Least Concern.
What is diclofenac poisoning?

Diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory agent and painkiller, is known to be
linked to the rapid decline of vulture populations in Southeast Asia. The
birds were exposed to the medicine after eating carcasses of animals that
had recently been treated with diclofenac and subsequently died of kidney failure.
NOTES
Pollution
1. Large year-round ozone hole over tropics
Scientists revealed a large, all-season ozone hole in the lower stratosphere over the tropics
comparable in-depth to that of the Antarctic hole, but roughly seven times greater in area
It is an all-season ozone hole — defined as an area of ozone loss larger than 25% compared with
the undisturbed atmosphere.
About Ozone:
Ozone (O3) is a highly reactive gas composed of three oxygen atoms. It is both a natural and a
man-made product that occurs in the Earth’s upper atmosphere (the stratosphere) and lower
atmosphere (the troposphere).
• It is a mere 3mm shield in the stratosphere
• While the entire UV-C and some of UV-B are absorbed by the ozone layer and the
atmosphere, UV-A makes its way to our planet.
o Humans require UV-B to generate Vitamin D but an excess of these radiations can
cause serious illness and also result in a reduced crop yield.
Conventions:
• Vienna convention: The Vienna Convention is the first international agreement dedicated to
the protection of the ozone layer. The Convention commits all countries to take measures to
protect human health and the environment resulting from modifications to the ozone layer.
• Montreal Protocol: The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was
designed to reduce the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances in order
to reduce their abundance in the atmosphere and thereby protect the earth’s fragile ozone
Layer.
• Kigali Agreement: Around 197 countries, including India, China and the USA, agreed at Kigali
to reduce the use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by roughly 85% of their baselines by 2045, by
amending the 1987 Montreal Protocol.
NOTES
2. Green crackers
Difference between green crackers and traditional crackers
Green crackers cause 30 per cent less air pollution as compared to traditional ones. It absorbs
dust, and don’t contain hazardous elements like barium nitrate. Toxic metals in traditional
crackers are replaced with less hazardous compounds.
Green crackers fall under three categories- SWAS, SAFAL and STAR: the crackers developed by
the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
• SWAS - “safe water releaser” should have small water pockets/droplets that are released
when burst, in the form of vapour.
• STAR - a safe thermite cracker, which does not comprise potassium nitrate and Sulphur,
emits reduced particulate matter disposal and reduced sound intensity.
• SAFAL - safe minimal aluminium which has minimum usage of aluminium, and used
magnesium instead. It ensures a reduction in sound in comparison to traditional crackers.
3. Carbon sequestration
• Carbon sequestration is a crucial part of the global carbon cycle, as it is the process of
capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. One of the ways this happens is when
forests and other land vegetation absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
• According to a 2014 NASA-led study, tropical forests remove up to 30 per cent of human
carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere and make for an important carbon sink —
an area which absorbs more carbon than releases it. Therefore, they have a significant role
in keeping global temperatures low.
NOTES
4. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
POPs are chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely
distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of living organisms and are toxic to
human beings and wildlife. POPs travel globally and can cause damage wherever they travel.
Exposure to POPs can lead to cancer, damage to central & peripheral nervous systems, diseases
of immune system, reproductive disorders and interference with normal infant and child
development.
Uniqueness of POPs:
• POPs are lipophilic, which means that they accumulate in the fatty tissue of living animals and
human beings.
• In fatty tissue, the concentrations can become magnified by up to 70 000 times higher than
the background levels.
• As you move up the food chain, concentrations of POPs tend to increase so that animals at
the top of the food chain such as fish, predatory birds, mammals, and humans tend to have
the greatest concentrations of these chemicals.
18th meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants review committee (POP) concluded
Key highlights
• It listed ‘Dechlorane Plus’ (flame retardant) and UV-328 (stabilizer) under Annex A of the
Stockholm Convention.
• Deferred its consideration of the draft risk profile on chlorpyrifos, after members were
unable to agree that the pesticide was likely to lead to adverse effects.
The Stockholm Convention, ratified by India on 13.01.2006, is a global treaty to protect human
health and environment from Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The Convention that entered
into force of 17th May, 2004, lays down that in its implementation, Governments will take
measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment.
A Global Environment Facility (GEF) has been set up as an interim financial mechanism, to assist
the developing countries in implementation of the Convention.
Other similar treaties are:

• Basel Convention on the control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and
their Disposal (1989)
• Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedures (PIC) that entered into force
on 24th February, 2004, is a legally binding instrument, which was adopted on 10th
September 1998 by a Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Rotterdam. India acceded to the
Convention on 24.05.2006. The Convention seeks to promote shared responsibility and
cooperative efforts among State Parties in the international trade of certain hazardous
chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm.
5. Phytoremediation
“Phytoremediation”, a remediation method that uses living organisms like plants, microalgae,
and seaweeds. One particular way to remove toxic heavy metals from the soil includes the use
of “hyperaccumulator” plants that absorb these substances from the soil.
Phytoremediation refers to the usage of “hyperaccumulator” plants to absorb the toxic materials
present in the soil and accumulate in their living tissue. Even though most plants do sometimes
accumulate toxic substances, hyperaccumulators have the unusual ability to absorb hundreds or
thousands of times greater amounts of these substances than is normal for most plants.
NOTES
This process can be used to remove metals like silver, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper,
mercury, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, lead and zinc; metalloids such as arsenic and
selenium; some radionuclides; and non-metallic components such as boron. But it cannot be used
to remove organic pollutants from the ground due to metabolic breakdown.
6. Micro Plastics
These are tiny pieces of
plastic that are less than 5
millimetres in length.
Global Initiatives:
• Global Partnership on
Marine Litter (GPML)
to develop policies to
control marine
litter and pollution
• GloLitter
Partnerships Project
was launched by
the IMO and FAO to
prevent marine
plastic litter from
shipping and fisheries
• London Convention,
1972: To control all
sources of marine
pollution and prevent
pollution of the sea
• Plastic Pact (2018) to
transform the plastics
packaging value chain for all formats and • The India Plastics Pact is an
products ambitious, collaborative initiative
• Beat plastic pollution that aims to bring together
businesses, governments and NGOs
India-Specific Initiatives: to reduce, reuse, and recycle
plastics in their value chain.
• Elimination of Single Use Plastic: Plastic Waste
Management (Amendment) Rules 2018 • The Pact aims to transform the
introduced Extended Producer Responsibility current linear plastics system into a
(EPR). circular plastics economy.
• Un-Plastic Collective (UPC) (a voluntary • The India Plastics Pact aims to
initiative launched by the UNEP-India, CII and promote public-private
WWF-India) to minimise the externalities of collaborations that enable solutions
plastics on the ecological and social health of to eliminate the plastic waste
our planet. problem in India and bring
innovation to the way plastic is
designed, used and reused.
NOTES
7. Light pollution
● Light pollution is excessive, misdirected or Components of light pollution include:
obtrusive artificial (usually outdoor) light that • Glare – excessive brightness that
obstructs starlight in the night sky, interferes causes visual discomfort
with astronomical research, disrupts • Skyglow – brightening of the night
ecosystems, has adverse health effects and sky over inhabited areas
wastes energy.
• Light trespass – light falling where
● Visible light emitted by many sources (except
it is not intended or needed
lasers) is divergent, so the light emitted could
• Clutter – bright, confusing, and
find its way into the sky.
excessive groupings of light sources
● Almost all surfaces in cities also reflect light,
meaning a portion of entirely down-cast light
will be reflected upwards, contributing to
night time light pollution. ● In 2022 Ladakh administration created the
Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR), the first
What is the situation in India? International Dark Sky Reserve in India.
● 19.5% of India’s population experiences a ● The HDSR comprises six hamlets within
level of skyglow that keeps the Milky Way the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.
out of sight and makes it impossible for ● The reserve had a responsibility to keep
human eyes to adjust to the dark. the skies dark, particularly for the
● The effects include stimulating the cone astronomical observatories located in the
cells (which activate in a well-lit area.
environment/during the day) in human
eyes. What is a Dark Sky Reserve?
• An area designated as free from light
What are the consequences? pollution.
● Harms wildlife and disrupts ecosystems: • It’s a public or private land possessing an
Light pollution poses a serious threat in exceptional or distinguished quality of
particular to nocturnal wildlife, having starry nights and nocturnal environment
negative impacts on plant and animal that is specifically protected for its
physiology. For example, scientific, natural, educational, cultural,
heritage and/or public enjoyment.
NOTES
○ It can confuse the migratory patterns of animals.
○ It interferes with multiple aspects of insect life and allows insect predators to hunt
for longer.
○ Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species have adopted guidelines to address
this issue.
● Adverse effects on human health: It can disturb circadian rhythms and the production of
melatonin, leading to sleep disorders and other health problems (increased risk of breast
cancer).
8. Technology for Air Quality Monitoring System (AI-AQMS v1.0)

Under the ‘National programme on Electronics and ICT applications in Agriculture and
Environment (AgriEnIcs)’- the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), in
collaboration with, ISM, Dhanbad has developed an outdoor air quality monitoring station to
monitor environmental pollutants.
• It will monitor parameters like PM 1.0, PM 2.5, PM 10.0, SO2, NO2, CO, O2, ambient
temperature, relative humidity, etc., for continuous air quality analysis of the environment.
• The new Air Quality Monitoring System (AI-AQMS v1.0) will be available for a wider market.
(MeitY) also launched the technology for biosensing systems for the detection of Endocrine
Disrupting Chemicals in aquatic ecosystems (MEAN) for qualitative and quantitative analysis of
EDC content in water bodies.
About EDC:
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances in the environment (natural- air, soil, or
water) or manufactured (man-made) products that interfere with the normal function of the
body's endocrine system.
The most common EDCs are-

• Bisphenol A (BPA) - used to make certain plastics and epoxy resins
• Dioxins - a byproduct in herbicide production and paper bleaching
• Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) - used in a non-stick pan, paper and
textile coatings
• Phthalates - used to make plastics more flexible
• Phytoestrogens - found in plants that have hormone-like activity, such as tofu or soy milk
• Triclosan - found in some anti-microbial and personal care products
• Endosulfan – an organochlorine insecticide that caused health hazards in the state of Kerala.
9. Pollution map based on roadside dust

Geologists at Jadavpur University have found that they can get a preliminary sense of the
pollution in an area by collecting roadside dust and testing it with magnetic fields.
• The technique reveals the presence of different magnetic elements, and by tracing them
back to specific sources of pollution, the researchers could tell which sources were
dominating in different places.
About Environmental Magnetism:

• Environmental magnetism depicts the impact of climate change, pollution and
environmental footprints on magnetic minerals present in environmental samples such as
soil, dust, and sediments.
• It deals with the identification of ferromagnetic grains and their grain size with an aim to
reconstruct the way they are associated with the various environmental processes.
NOTES
10. Nitrate radicals

A new study has found that parts of India and China are hotspots for the night-time production
of nitrate radicals that can increase the amount of deadly ozone and PM2.5 particulate matter
in the atmosphere.
About Nitrate Radicals:

• Nitrate radical is an oxide of nitrogen that consists of three oxygen atoms bound to a
nitrogen atom.
• Nitrogen oxides are reactive gases that regulate the formation of air pollutants, including
ozone and PM2.5 particles.
• Nitrate radicals will oxidize gas pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which
will then generate ozone and secondary organic aerosol.
• Ozone is an air pollutant that affects human health and crop yield.
• Secondary organic aerosol is an important component of PM2.5
11. Aerosol pollution

● Aerosols are extremely small solid particles or liquid droplets (typically less than 1 μm),
suspended in the atmosphere.
● Aerosols can be natural (fog or mist, dust, etc) or anthropogenic (particulate air pollutants,
mist from the hydroelectric dams, perfume from atomizers, smoke, etc).
● Aerosol optical depth (AOD) is a quantitative estimate of the amount of aerosol in the
atmosphere that can be used as a proxy for PM 2.5 measurement.
● High aerosol amounts include particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) among other pollutants
as well as sea salt, dust, black and organic carbon.
● Vehicular emissions, construction-driven dust (a result of over urbanization), vehicular driven

dust and solid fuel burning remained the top sources of aerosol pollution mostly in big cities.
● Introduction of BS-VI fuel standards and up-gradation of engines, ban on 15-year-old
vehicles, reduction in the thermal power plant emissions could effectively reduce aerosol
pollution.
12. Global methane emissions

Global methane emissions reached roughly 15 parts per billion (ppb) in 2020 from 9.9 ppb in
2019, the study published in the journal Nature noted.
Reasons for the spike:
NOTES
• Nitrogen oxide (NOx) can impact methane levels. In the troposphere, NOx combines with
ozone to form hydroxyl radicals. These radicals remove 85 per cent of methane annually
from the atmosphere.
• Nitrogen oxide enters the atmosphere from exhaust gases of cars and trucks as well as
electrical power generation plants. Thus, during the lockdown, Nitrogen oxide pollution was
reduced drastically increasing methane levels.
• Precipitation over global wetlands showed a 2-11 per cent annual increase in 2020 relative to
2019. Water‐logged soils make conditions ripe for soil microorganisms, allowing them to
produce more methane.
About Methane:
• Methane is short-
lived, compared to
carbon dioxide.
• Methane has more
than 80 times the
warming power of
carbon dioxide over
the first 20 years of
its lifetime in the
atmosphere.
• The common sources
of methane are oil
and natural gas
systems, agricultural
activities, coal mining
and wastes.
13. Methane from livestock belches

• Scientists are experimenting with feed supplements that can reduce a potent greenhouse
gas belched out by stock animals like cattle, goats and sheep.
• Ruminants release methane, the second most abundant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide
(CO2), which is seen as the biggest concern as well as the best opportunity for tackling
global warming.
• Although the warming effect of methane is 30 times greater than CO2, it is shorter-lived and
lasts in the atmosphere for about 12 years.
• In 2021, over 100 countries signed the Global Methane Pledge, where signatories agreed to
take voluntary steps to reduce global methane emissions by 30 per cent from 2020 levels by
the end of the decade.
The science behind high methane release in ruminants:

• Unlike other animals, ruminants have specialized digestive systems comprised of stomachs
that have four compartments instead of one.
• Plant material is initially taken to the rumen that is inhabited by microorganisms such as
fungi, bacteria, protozoa and archaea.
• These microorganisms break down the otherwise indigestible cellulose-rich plants to release
protein and energy for their host animal in exchange for nutrition and shelter.
• But during this process, which scientists call enteric fermentation, one particular microbe,
the archaea, combines CO2 and hydrogen made by the cellulose-digesting microbes to
create methane. This means the archaeal population and a diet rich in roughage dictate the
amount of methane released by a ruminant.
NOTES
Feed Supplement:
• The feed supplement prepared
by scientists targets the archaeal
population while boosting the
growth of bacteria that are good
at digesting feed.
• The supplement is a concoction
of ingredients such as Indian
cherry and Indian elm leaves,
garlic oil, mustard oil,
cottonseed oil, sodium nitrate
and magnesium sulphate.
• While tree leaves possess compounds like saponins and tannins that are known to reduce
archaeal population and cut off hydrogen supply to them, sodium nitrate and magnesium
sulphate stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria.
Global Methane Initiative: (Not to be confused with Global Methane Pledge, of which India is
not a part)
• The Global Methane Initiative (GMI) is an international public-private partnership focused on
reducing barriers to the recovery and use of methane as a valuable energy source.
• In 2004, 14 countries launched the original initiative. As of 2015, 41 countries, including India
and the European Commission, are part of the initiative.
14. Methane Alert and Response System (MARS)

The Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) was launched at the COP27 to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world must cut methane
emissions by at least 30 % by 2030 - the goal of the Global Methane Pledge - to keep the 1.5°C
temperature limit within reach.
About MARS:
● MARS is a part of global efforts to slow climate change by tackling global warming gas.
● The data-to-action platform was set up as part of the UNEP International Methane Emissions
Observatory (IMEO) strategy to get policy-relevant data into the right hands for emissions
mitigation.
● The system will be the first publicly available global system to connect methane detection to
notification processes transparently.
● It will use state-of-the-art satellite data to identify significant emission events, notify relevant
stakeholders, and support and track mitigation progress.
● Previously, The Global Methane Pledge was launched at COP (Conference of Parties) to
catalyse action to reduce methane emissions. It was led by the United States and the
European Union. However, India is not part of it.
15. Carbon markets

● They are a tool for putting a price on carbon emissions and establishing trading systems
where carbon credits or allowances can be bought and sold.
● A carbon credit is a kind of tradable permit that equals (as per the UN) one tonne of carbon
dioxide removed, reduced or sequestered from the atmosphere.
● Carbon allowances or caps are determined by countries or governments according to their
emission reduction targets.
Types of carbon markets:
NOTES
● Voluntary markets: These
markets are those in which
emitters (corporations,
private individuals, etc) buy
carbon credits to offset the
emission of one tonne of
CO2 or equivalent GHGs.
○ Such carbon credits
are created by
activities which
reduce CO2 from
the air, such as
afforestation.
● Compliance markets (cap and trade): These are set up by policies at the national, regional,
and/or international levels.
○ Entities are issued annual allowances or permits by governments equal to the
emissions they can generate.
○ If companies produce emissions beyond the capped amount, they have to purchase
additional permits, either through official auctions or from companies which emit
below the limit.
○ Through this kind of carbon trading, companies can decide if it is more cost-efficient
to employ clean energy technologies or to purchase additional allowances.
○ Today, compliance markets are most popular in the EU and China launched the
world’s largest emission trading system (ETS) in 2021.
16. Methanol
Methanol
is a toxic
alcohol that is
used industrially
as a solvent,
pesticide, and
alternative fuel
source. It also
occurs naturally
in humans,
animals, and
plants.
Benefits:
Compared to
conventional
fuels, renewable
methanol cuts
carbon dioxide
emissions by up to 95%, reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 80%, and completely
eliminates sulphur oxide and particulate matter emissions.
17. Formation of foam in River waters

Why does the Yamuna froth every year around Chhath Pooja?
The reason behind the foaming is usually the presence of phosphates from detergents, and
anaerobic bacteria in the water that falls from a height at the Okhla barrage
NOTES
The foam is a year-round phenomenon in the river. It sees an upward trend around this time
because winter sets in and the oxygenation of river water is reduced.
At this time of the year, the river is in a lean phase and the water flow is less. Pollutants,
therefore, are not diluted, causing foaming. The defoamer neutralizes the phosphates.
How does the defoaming work?

The defoamer is a solution which can suppress the foam. The spraying of the defoamer has been
approved by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
18. Great Green wall of Sahel Region

● It is an initiative to increase the
amount of arable land in the
Sahel, the region bordering
Africa's Sahara Desert.
● Eleven nations are investing in
projects as varied as
agroforestry to sustainable
development - Djibouti, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, Niger,
Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso,
Mauritania, and Senegal.
• Organisations involved – GEF,
WB, UNFCCD
• UNEP has declared it to be one
of the pioneering initiatives that are restoring the natural world.
19. Greenwashing
The U.N.'s chief called for
an end to a "toxic cover-
up" by companies as a
sweeping report said they
cannot claim to be net
zero if they invest in new
fossil fuels, cause
deforestation or offset
emissions instead of
reducing them.
Greenwashing is the
process of conveying a
false impression or
providing misleading
information about how a
company’s products are
more environmentally
sound. Greenwashing is considered an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing
that a company’s products are environmentally friendly.
20. Emissions from automobile engine

When air is heated in an automobile engine, nitrogen oxides (NOx) are produced — these
include nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which is toxic; nitrous oxide (N2O), which is a greenhouse gas;
and nitric oxide (NO), which reacts with oxygen to form the harmful NO2. Nitric oxide on its own
also increases the risk of respiratory problems in the long run.
NOTES
In a petrol engine, a three-way catalytic converter reduces these emissions, ensuring that the NOx
emissions are about 30 per cent lower than they would be in a diesel engine on average.
While modern diesel cars are fitted with particulate filters that take care of NOx emissions
(reducing them by 90%, according to some estimates), diesel engines also emit fine particulate
matter (PM) in their tailpipe emissions. This is essentially soot, the finest particles of which can be
embedded deep in the lungs, and they can cause heart and respiratory problems in the longer
term. PM has also been linked to cancer.
NOTES
Events / Celebrations
1. UN Groundwater Summit 2022
● Organised by: UN-Water, UNESCO and the International Groundwater Resources Assessment
Centre.
Objective:
● To raise awareness on groundwater conservation and to highlight the opportunities and
challenges of groundwater management.
● To mark the completion of the “Groundwater: Making the invisible visible” campaign run by
UN-Water throughout 2022.
Legal/constitutional framework in India:

● The archaic Indian Easement Act, 1882: Does not establish groundwater ownership and rights
clearly.
● The fundamental right to water is recognised under Article 21 (right to life) of the Indian
constitution.
● Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) is empowered by the Environment (Protection) Act,
1986, to frame groundwater policies and programs.
● Supreme Court: ‘Public trust doctrine’ - Making groundwater a matter of private ownership
would be unfair.
2. World Cities Day

On 31st October World cities day was observed.
World cities day:
• Objectives: to promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization,
Sustainable urban development across the world.
• Urban October was launched by UN-Habitat in 2014 to emphasize the world’s urban
challenges and engage the international community towards the New Urban Agenda.
UN – Habitat
• The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations
agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development.
• It was established in 1978.
• It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and
environmentally sustainable towns and cities to provide adequate shelter for all.
• It has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
3. Earth Overshoot Day

This is marked as the day when humanity has exhausted nature’s budget for the year. In 2022 it is
on 28th July (2021 it was 29th July)
It is calculated by Global Footprint Network (an international research organization)
Each year, Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when we have used all the biological resources
that the Earth can renew during the entire year.
How is it computed?
Earth Overshoot Day is computed by dividing the planet’s bio capacity (the amount of ecological
resources Earth is able to generate that year), by humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s
demand for that year), and multiplying by 365, the number of days in a year.
What is Ecological Footprint?

It is a metric that comprehensively compares human demand on nature against nature’s capacity
to regenerate.
NOTES
Reports / Release
1. Restoration Barometer Report 2022
Released by IUCN, the report has highlighted the use of the ‘Restoration Barometer tool’ as the
only tool currently used by governments to track progress on the implementation of restoration
targets.
• The tool was 1st launched in 2016 as the Bonn Challenge Barometer
About the report:

• Restoration Barometer Report 2022 has highlighted that the investments of $26 bn across 18
countries have brought 14 million hectares of degraded landscapes – an area about the size
of Greece – under restoration.
About Restoration: Ecological restoration aims to recreate, initiate, or accelerate the recovery of
an ecosystem that has been disturbed.
About Bonn Challenge: The Bonn Challenge is a global effort to restore 150 million hectares of
the world's degraded and deforested lands by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030.
2. Climate Change Performance Index 2023 (CCPI)

• India has gained 2 places (to rank 8/63 countries) in the
recently released CCPI, by GermanWatch, New Climate
Institute and Climate Action Network (all three are
environment NGOs).
• CCPI evaluates 59 countries +EU, which together generate
over 92% of global greenhouse gas emissions, on their
implementation record of Paris commitments.
• The criterion used: GHG emissions, use of renewable energy,
energy use and climate policy.
3. Emissions Gap Report 2022

The Emissions Gap Report 2022: The Closing Window – Climate crisis calls for rapid
transformation of societies was released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The annual report assesses the gap between the PARIS AGREEMENT
pledges taken by different countries to reduce Successor to the Kyoto Protocol, the
greenhouse gas emissions and the estimated international climate treaty that expired in
reduction required to maintain the average 2020. Agreed in December 2015, the Paris
global temperature rise to below 2°C, preferably Agreement aims to limit the rise in the
1.5°C, by the end of this century. average global surface temperature. To
do this, countries that signed the accord
The flagship report is managed by the UNEP set national pledges to reduce humanity’s
Copenhagen Climate Centre. It serves as a effect on the climate that are meant to
“scientifically authoritative source of timely and become more ambitious over time.
policy-relevant information to key decision-
makers,” guiding the UNFCCC process and The principle of “common but
implementing the Paris Agreement. The Paris differentiated responsibilities” (CBDR),
Agreement, adopted by 196 countries in 2015 at was enshrined in the Kyoto accord. It says
COP 21, was aimed at limiting global warming and that developed countries, which produced
maintaining the average global temperature rise, more emissions in the past as they built
ideally, to below 1.5°C. their economies, should take the lead in
fighting climate change.
NOTES
4. Air Quality Index (AQI)
• AQI is a number, which is a measure of air quality. The higher the AQI, the worse the air.
• The colour-coded AQI index was launched in India in 2014, as part of the Swachh Bharat
campaign.
• It helps the public and the government understand the condition of the air and what
subsequent measures are to be taken to combat the situation, based on its severity.
• The pollutants measured include PM 10, PM 2.5, Nitrogen Dioxide, Ozone, Carbon, etc.
• There are six categories of AQI, namely ‘Good’ (0-50), ‘Satisfactory’ (50-100), ‘Moderately
polluted’ (100-200), ‘Poor’ (200-300), ‘Very Poor’ (300-400), and ‘Severe’ (400-500).
NOTES
International Efforts / Organisations
1. Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ)
The world’s largest banks and asset owners (members of GFANZ) that have pledged Net Zero
actions are continuing to fund the expansion of the coal, oil and fossil gas industries.
About GFANZ:
The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) is a global coalition of leading financial
institutions that claim to be committed to accelerating the decarbonisation of the economy.
It was launched in 2021 by the UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance and COP26 along
with UNFCCC Race to Zero Campaign. It has over 550 members.
About Race to Zero Campaign:

Race to Zero is the UN-backed global campaign rallying non-State actors – including companies,
cities, regions, financial, educational, and healthcare institutions – to take rigorous and
immediate action to halve global emissions by 2030 and deliver a healthier, fairer zero-carbon
world in time.
GLASGOW PACT
Reached at the 2021 U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, the Glasgow Pact marked the
first time a U.N. climate agreement mentioned the goal of reducing fossil fuel use. The pact
marked a breakthrough in efforts to resolve rules guiding the international trade of carbon
markets to offset emissions.
2. EU’s Carbon Border Tax

● The European Union (EU) agreed on a preliminary deal for an EU Carbon Border Adjustment
Mechanism (CBAM) on imported goods such as iron and steel, cement, aluminium, fertilisers,
electricity and hydrogen.
● The CBAM/ a carbon border tax/ carbon leakage instrument was proposed by the EU in 2021
and will be applicable from October 1, 2023.
About Carbon Border Tax:

● A carbon border tax is an import duty based on the amount of carbon emissions produced by
the goods in question.
NOTES
● It discourages emissions as a carbon price, and it has an impact on production and exports as
a trade-related measure.
3. IUCN
IUCN is a membership union uniquely composed of both government and civil society
organisations. Created in 1948 and headquartered in Switzerland, it is the global authority on the
status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, also known
as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive
inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.
How are species categorised?

It uses a set of quantitative criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of thousands of species.
The IUCN Red List Categories:

● The IUCN Red List
Categories define the
extinction risk of species
assessed. Nine categories
extend from NE (Not
Evaluated) to EX (Extinct).
● Critically Endangered (CR),
Endangered (EN) and
Vulnerable (VU) species are
considered to be
threatened with extinction.
Utility of the red list:

● It brings into focus the ongoing decline of Earth’s biodiversity and the influence humans have
on life on the planet. It provides a globally accepted standard with which to measure the
conservation status of species over time.
● Scientists can analyze the percentage of species in a given category and how these
percentages change over time; they can also analyze the threats and conservation measures
that underpin the observed trends.
4. Water Adaptation and Resilience Action Plan

27th COP of UNFCCC has launched Water Adaptation and Resilience Action Plan, formerly known
as Action on Water Adaptation or Resilience (AWARe), with an Africa-first focus, giving hope to
drought-ravaged populations, especially in the Horn of Africa
It is the result of collaboration between the African Union (AU), Water and Climate Coalition
Leaders, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the African Ministers’ Council on
Water (AMCOW), among others.
AWARe will address water security as part of climate change adaptation and will focus on three
priorities:
• Decrease water losses worldwide and improve water supply;
• Implementing policies for cooperative water-related adaptation action and cooperation
• Interlinkages between water and climate action
• Ensure there is 50 per cent less damage from floods and droughts by 2030
NOTES
It has global water information services like accurate hydrological data to help understand the
scarcity and availability of water per region; water and climate stock take and a cryosphere
information mechanism
5. Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC)

At the 27th Session of Conference of Parties (COP27), UN climate summit, the Mangrove Alliance
for Climate (MAC) was launched with India as a partner on November 8, 2022.
An initiative led by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia, the Mangrove Alliance for
Climate (MAC) includes India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, and Spain. It seeks to educate and
spread awareness worldwide on the role of mangroves in curbing global warming and its
potential as a solution for climate change.
However, the intergovernmental alliance works on a voluntary basis which means that there
are no real checks and balances to hold members accountable. Instead, the parties will decide
their own commitments and deadlines regarding planting and restoring mangroves. The members
will also share expertise and support each other in researching, managing and protecting coastal
areas.
Mangrove forests, also called

mangrove swamps, mangrove
thickets or mangals, are
productive wetlands that occur
in coastal intertidal zones.
Mangrove forests grow mainly
at tropical and subtropical
latitudes because mangrove
trees cannot withstand
freezing temperatures.
Mangrove forests —
consisting of trees and shrub
that live in intertidal water in
coastal areas — host diverse marine life. They also support a rich food web, with molluscs and
algae-filled substrate acting as a breeding ground for small fish, mud crabs and shrimps, thus
providing a livelihood to local artisanal fishers.
Equally importantly, they act as effective carbon stores, holding up to four times the amount of
carbon as other forested ecosystems. Mangrove forests capture vast amounts of carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere and their preservation can both aid in removal of carbon from the
atmosphere and prevent the release of the same upon their destruction.
Mangroves in India: Mangrove cover in India is about 0.15% of the total geographical areas.
(West Bengal> Gujarat> Andaman and Nicobar Islands). Largest mangrove forest in India is
Sundarbans (UNESCO world heritage site) followed by Bhitarkanika (Odisha).
6. Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) recently announced a 5-year program - Executive
Action Plan of Early Warnings for All - to carry forward the proposal of Coalition for Disaster
Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). Under the program, a $3.1 billion investment has been proposed
between 2023-27 to improve infrastructure and capacity building.
About CDRI:
NOTES
• Launched by Indian PM in
2019 at the UN Climate Action
Summit (in New York, US), CDRI is a
partnership between national
governments, UN agencies, the Pvt
sector and Academia.
• Aim: It promotes the resilience of
infrastructure systems to climate and
disaster risks.
• It works at the intersection of Sendai
Framework for DRR (2015-2030) and
the Paris Climate Agreement.
CDRI (Coalition for Climate Resilient

Infrastructure) was given an
‘independent and international legal entity’ tag as India sighed “Headquarter agreement’ with
CDRI.
What is Headquarter Agreement?

It is an agreement between an international organization and the host country ( India is hosting
CDRI Hq) to determine the privileges, immunities and facilities of an independent body.
Benefit: The pact will enable CDRI to pursue functions internationally with all rights, immunities,
and privileges, as per the United Nations (Privileges & Immunities) Act, 1947.
About WMO:
● It is a specialised agency of the United Nations (headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland)
responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology,
hydrology and geophysics.
7. LeadIT Summit
Leadership for Industry Transition (LeadIT) Summit 2022
hosted by India and Sweden at COP27, with a focus on
low carbon transition of the hard-to-abate industrial
sector.
About LeadIT:
• It gathers countries and companies that are
committed to action to achieve the Paris Agreement.
• It was launched by the governments of Sweden and
India at the UN Climate Action Summit in September
2019 and is supported by the World Economic Forum.
• LeadIT members subscribe to the notion that energy-
intensive industries can and must progress on low-
carbon pathways, aiming to achieve net-zero carbon
emissions
8. One Health Joint Plan of Action (2022-2026)

FAO, UNEP, WHO and World Organization for Animal Health have together launched One Health
joint plan of action to address health threats to humans, plants and the environment.
One Health is an approach calling for "the collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working
locally, nationally, and globally, to attain optimal health for people, animals and our
environment", as defined by the One Health Initiative Task Force
NOTES
Action Plan :
• Enhance capacities to strengthen the health system
• Reduce risk from zoonotic epidemics and pandemics.
• Control and eliminate zoonotic, neglected tropical and vector-borne diseases
• Assess, manage and communicate effectively food safety risks
• Curb Antimicrobial Resistance ( termed as ‘silent pandemic’)
• Environment and health Policies must be integrated into One Health
9. Mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE)

The Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at
COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. The prime minister called upon global leaders to join the movement
for safeguarding the environment by adopting an environment-friendly lifestyle.
● It will be implemented by the Environment ministry but piloted by Niti Aayog. 1st phase will
run till 2027-28.
It aims to nudge individuals and communities to practice a lifestyle that is synchronous with
nature and does not harm it by Changing the demand (e.g., not using single-use plastic); Change
in supply (incentivizing industries for green production); and change in policy (e.g.,
mainstreaming biodiversity in policies).
Objective:
• Mobilize at least one billion Indians and other global citizens to take individual and collective
action for protecting and preserving the environment in the period 2022 to 2027.
● Within India: At least 80% of all villages and urban local bodies are aimed to become
environment-friendly by 2028.
Methods:
• P3 model (Pro Planet People): Premised on the basic principles of ‘Lifestyle of the planet, for
the planet and by the planet’.
o Differentiated approaches: Each ‘Pro Planet’ stakeholder is nudged according to
differentiated approaches.
• Based on Prakriti, Rakshati and Rakshita, that is, those who protect nature, nature protects
them.
• Mindful choices cultivated by LIFE animate this spirit — actions such as saving energy at
home; cycling and using public transport instead of driving etc. and leveraging our position as
customers and employees to demand climate-friendly choices
• Nudging: Many of the goals of LIFE can be achieved by deploying ‘nudges’, gentle persuasion
techniques to encourage positive behaviour
o The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) employs proven nudging techniques
such as discouraging food waste by offering smaller plates in cafeterias;
encouraging recycling by making bin lids eye-catching
o According to the UNEP, more than two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions can
be attributed to household consumption and lifestyles — thus it requires
widespread adoption of greener consumption habits.
10. ‘Blue Flag’ certificates

Two more Indian Beaches both in Lakshadweep, (Minicoy Thundi beach and Kadmat beach) get
coveted International Blue Flag Certification. India now has 12 Blue Flag beaches.
The other 10 Indian beaches on the list, according to the FEE site, are Shivrajpur in Gujarat’s
Devbhumi Dwarka district; Ghogla beach in Diu; Kasarkod (Uttara Kannada) and Padubidri (Udupi)
NOTES
in Karnataka; Kappad (Kozhikode) in
Kerala; Eden beach in Puducherry;
Kovalam (Chennai) in Tamil Nadu;
Rushikonda (Visakhapatnam) in
Andhra Pradesh; Golden beach in Puri,
Odisha; and Radhanagar Swarajdeep in
Andaman and Nicobar.
The Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label

or certification that is given to coastal
locations around the world as a badge of environmental honour. The Blue Flag programme is
run by the Copenhagen, Denmark-headquartered Foundation for Environmental Education
(FEE), a nonprofit which, through its work, contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) of the United Nations.
According to the FEE, “the iconic Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary awards
for beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators. In order to qualify for the Blue
Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be
met and maintained.”
Certification awarded by an international jury comprising members of the United Nations

Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), and
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), besides FEE. It was started in France in
1985.
• Certification is awarded annually.
• Benefits: Neat and clean beaches are an indicator that the coastal environment is in good
health and the Blue Flag certification is a global recognition of India’s conservation and
sustainable development efforts.
What is the ‘Blue Flag Beach’?

The ‘Blue Flag’ beach is an ‘eco-tourism model’. It marks our beaches as providing tourists and
beachgoers with clean and hygienic bathing water, facilities/amenities, a safe and healthy
environment, and sustainable development of the area.
11. Global Registry of Fossil Fuels

Climate campaigners have launched the world’s first registry of fossil fuel reserves, production
and emissions.
The Global Registry of Fossil Fuels is the first large-scale public database to track what is yet to be
burned.
Carbon Tracker, a nonprofit think tank that researches the energy transition’s effect on financial
markets, and the Global Energy Monitor, which tracks a range of global energy projects, jointly
developed the registry.
These organizations hope the registry will empower groups to hold governments accountable in
a range of scenarios, for example, when issuing licenses for fossil fuel extraction.
The inventory includes data from more than 50,000 oil, gas and coal fields in 89 countries,
covering 75 per cent of global production.
With the Registry, it will be much easier to include expected future emissions into the
analysis, and thus identify and prioritize the companies with the greatest risk of harbouring assets
likely to become stranded.
NOTES
Protocols / Conventions
1. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The CBD is a multilateral treaty aimed at conserving biodiversity, its sustainable use and ensuring
“fair and equitable sharing” of the benefits obtained through bioresources.
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations pact to protect and sustainably
utilise the earth's biodiversity, recently concluded (COP15) in Montreal, Canada.
Background:
● The CBD got a boost when 188 of 196 member No single country met all 20 Aichi
governments adopted the Kunming-Montreal Targets within its own borders,
Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). according to a September 2020 UN
○ Earlier, the CBD had launched the Aichi assessment.
biodiversity targets for 2020 - to safeguard
all ecosystems that provide services for After parties adopted the Aichi
humanity’s survival, and the Nagoya Targets, they were expected to
Protocol (2014) - to ensure sharing of devise their own national biodiversity
biodiversity access and benefits. strategies that would mimic the goals
● The GBF sets out four goals for 2050 and 23 laid out by Aichi. Nearly all parties
targets for 2030, to save existing biodiversity and created these strategies, but most
ensure that 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland were never fully implemented.
water, coastal and marine ecosystems come under
effective restoration.
● The GBF does not prohibit the use of biodiversity, but calls for sustainable use, and a sharing
of benefits from genetic resources.
● That is why, the GBF emphasises respect for the rights of indigenous communities that
traditionally protect forests and biodiversity, and their involvement in conservation efforts. It
advocates similar roles for women and local communities.
The Kunming-Montreal pact on:

● Agricultural practices:
○ Adoption of biodiversity-supporting methods such as agroecology and sustainable
intensification.
○ It is significant, as growing Genetically Modified (GM) crops are not favoured by
agroecologists as they could harm biodiversity.
● Turning cities into hosts of biodiversity:
○ By expanding the area and improving the quality and access to urban green and blue
spaces.
○ Biodiversity-inclusive urban planning enhances native biodiversity, ecological
connectivity and integrity, and improves human health and well-being.
Roadmap
Four GBF goals for 2050 Implementation Monitoring

strategy for 2030
NOTES
● Maintaining ecosystem The GBF is aligned ● Member nations need to submit
integrity and health to halt with UN SDGs, three a revised and updated national
extinctions. of which directly biodiversity strategy and action
● Measuring and valuing deal with the plan in 2024.
ecosystem services environment and ● Countries would have to review
provided by biodiversity. thus with existing laws relating to not just
● Sharing monetary and non- biodiversity: Goal the environment, but areas such
monetary gains from 13 on climate as industry, agriculture and land
genetic resources and action, Goal 14 on use.
digital sequencing of life below water and ● There are specific indicators for
genetic resources. Goal 15 on life on countries to report their
● Raising resources for all land. progress, as part of a
countries to close a transparency and reporting
biodiversity finance gap of arrangement.
an estimated $700 billion.
India’s participation:
• India became a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1994.
• In 2002, India became one of the first countries to enact a law, the Biological Diversity Act,
to implement the treaty within its borders. This Act is decentralized for implementation.
Signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a 1993 agreement, meet every two
years — not annually like the climate meetings — to work on a global plan to halt biodiversity
loss and restore natural ecosystems. The Montreal meeting was the 15th edition of this
conference, hence the name COP15 — or the 15th Conference of the Parties to the CBD.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the CBD were both outcomes
of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit — as was the third member of the family, the Convention to
Combat Desertification (CCD), which deals specifically with the issue of land degradation.
What is ABS?
• Access and benefit sharing refers to the way in which genetic resources may be accessed,
and how users and providers reach an agreement on the fair and equitable sharing of the
benefits that might result from their use.
• Article 15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) sets out rules, which govern access
and benefit sharing. Under these rules, the governments of countries have two key
responsibilities:
1. To put in place systems that facilitate access to genetic resources for environmentally
sound purposes
2. To ensure that the benefits resulting from their use are shared fairly and equitably
between users and providers
2. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as
the Washington Convention, is an international legally binding agreement between
governments — 184 at present — to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants
does not threaten the survival of the species.
The convention entered into force in 1975 and India became the 25th party — a state that
voluntarily agrees to be bound by the Convention — in 1976.
NOTES
● Plant and animal specimens are categorised The World Wildlife Trade Report provides
into three Appendices under CITES based on insights and assessment of the global
their extinction risk trade of animals and plants that are
● The Convention requires governments to regulated by CITES (Convention on
restrict the trade of all listed specimens and International Trade in Endangered Species
the possession of live animal specimens of Wild Fauna and Flora).
through permits
The report is a joint production involving a
All import, export and re-export of species partnership of UN organisations and
covered under CITES must be authorised through leading conservation organizations: the
a permit system. UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the
UN Conference on Trade and
Every two years, the Conference of the Parties Development (UNCTAD), the World Trade
(CoP), the supreme decision-making body of Organisation (WTO), along with the
CITES, applies a set of biological and trade criteria International Union for the Conservation
to evaluate proposals from parties to decide if a of Nature (IUCN) and TRAFFIC.
species should be in Appendix I or II.
The species covered by

CITES are listed in three
Appendices as per the
degree of protection
they need:
• Appendix I includes
species threatened
with extinction
• Appendix II includes
species not
necessarily
threatened with extinction but (where trade must be controlled)
• Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked
other CITES parties for assistance in controlling the trade
At the COP19 of CITES, India abstained from voting CITES at CoP 19 has eased rules for the
against a proposal to allow a regular form of export of Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) on
controlled trade in ivory from Namibia, Botswana, the initiative of India. Currently, Shisham
South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The proposal was is in Appendix II (thus regulated), but
defeated. now Shisham up to a certain weight can
Ivory: Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks now be traded. This will allow Shisham
and teeth of animals. Over 70% of illegal ivory ends handicrafts to be exported from India.
up in China where it is used for luxury products. Shisham is a deciduous tree native to the
Indian subcontinent and Iran.
In a step forward towards conservation,

two Indian turtle species - the red-
crowned roofed turtles (Batagur
kachuga) and Leith’s soft-shell turtle
(Nilssonia leithii), have made it to
Appendix I of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES).
NOTES
3. Stockholm Conference, 1972

“Stockholm+50: A healthy planet for the prosperity of all — our responsibility, our opportunity”
was held in the year 2022 to mark the 50 years of the Stockholm Conference (Report of United
Nations Conference on the Human Environment).
About Stockholm Conference, 1972 Stockholm Conference is different

▪ This was the first global convergence on the from Stockholm Convention
planetary environment and natural resources. Stockholm Convention: It is a global
▪ Also termed the “Swedish Initiative”, the idea of the treaty to protect human health and
Stockholm Conference was first proposed by the environment from persistent
Sweden.
organic pollutants (POPs).
▪ The theme was ‘Only One Earth’.
▪ Stockholm Declaration: To build
the “interconnections between development, poverty and the environment”.
▪ Action Plan for the Human Environment
o Global Environmental Assessment Programme (watch plan)
o Environmental management activities
o International measures to support assessment and management activities carried out
at the national and international levels.
Three Dimensions of the Conference:

▪ Countries agreed to not “harm each other’s environment or the areas beyond national
jurisdiction”.
▪ An action plan to study the threat to Earth’s environment.
▪ Establishment of an international body called the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to
bring cooperation among countries.
NOTES
Miscellaneous
1. Twin Transition
• World Economic Forum has highlighted this
word as a key to sustainable growth.
• A twin transition basically means including
digital/technological improvements with the
Environmental sustainability goals. Leaders
can bring the digital and sustainability
agendas together to future-proof their
organizations.
• Digitization could reduce global emissions by
20%, according to the World Economic
Forum.
2. IUU Fishing in Indian Ocean Region

According to the Indian Navy,
illegal, unreported and
unregulated (IUU) fishing
continues to rise beyond
India’s Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ).
• It depletes fish stocks,
destroys marine habitats,
puts fishermen at
disadvantage and impacts
coastal communities,
especially in developing
countries.
• As per the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), coastal nations are responsible for addressing
IUU fishing issues within their respective EEZ.
• There are two main regulations globally on IUU fishing: the Cape Town Agreement and the
Agreement on Ports State Measures. So far, India is not a signatory of either agreement.
In July 2022, Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS) was concluded at WTO ministerial meeting
and it prohibited subsidies from being provided for IUU fishing and overfished stocks.
3. LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)

LNG is natural gas reduced to a liquid state (liquefaction) through intense cooling to around -
161 degrees Celsius (-259 Fahrenheit). This liquid gas is 600 times smaller than the original
volume and is half the weight of water.
The compressed fossil fuel, which is constituted almost wholly of methane— a potent
greenhouse gas —, can be transported around the world by ship. After arriving at its destination,
the cargo is regasified in a floating terminal and redistributed through pipelines.
But despite LNG’s export potential, the high cost of liquefaction and producing LNG has limited its
market.
The cooling, liquefying and transport processes, as well as the post-transport regasification
procedures, also require a lot of energy.
NOTES
Because of LNG’s much more complex production and transport process, the risks of methane
leakages along the production, transport and regasification chain are simply much higher and
therefore much more emissions-intensive.
4. Paddy straw Palletisation and Torrefaction

MoEFCC has released guidelines for the grant of financial support for the establishment of paddy
straw pelletisation and torrefaction plants.
PELLETISATION - Pelletizing is the process of compressing or molding a material (rice straw) into
the shape of a pellet.
TORREFECTION - Torrefaction is a thermal pre-treatment technology. It produces a solid biofuel
product that has superior handling, milling and co-firing capabilities compared to other biomass
fuels. Torrefaction is costlier but it can deliver a product whose energy content is much higher
and can substitute for more coal in a power plant.
BENEFITS -
● Paddy straw made into pellets or torrefied can be mixed along with coal in thermal
power plants. These saves coal as well as reduces carbon emissions
● Will reduce straw burning and improve the AQI in NCR and states like Punjab and
Haryana.
● Employment generation and energy security
5. kewda oil
The growth in demand for kewda oil has boosted the revenue of families in the coastal pockets
of Odisha.
About Kewda:
• Ganjam kewda (Pandanus fascicularis) oil is steam-distilled from the flower of the aromatic
screwpine plant and used as an aromatic in the food industry and other sectors.
• It is registered under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection)
Act, 1999 by the Government of India.
• Colour depends on the sex of the pine. While the male pines are colourful and are used in oil
making, the female pines are green and later turn brown.
6. Solar Geo-engineering
Solar geoengineering involves spraying
substances into the atmosphere that form
reflective aerosols and bounce sunlight
back into space.
• This could stop global temperatures
from increasing, but temperatures
locally or regionally might continue to
increase over the following few years,
new research shows.
• The wider consequences of solar
geoengineering are still poorly
understood, making it a potentially
risky approach to tackle global
warming.
NOTES
7. Bioeconomy
BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) releases the Indian Bio-economy
Report (IBER) 2022
● Definition: As per FAO, bioeconomy is "the production, use and conservation of biological
resources with the aim of moving towards a sustainable economy".
● Aim: The ultimate aim is to protect the environment, avoid overexploitation of natural
resources and enhance biodiversity.
● Example: Bioplastics, biofuels, biodegradable clothing, biomass (for energy), natural farming
(for food) etc.

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Animal / Wildlife Protection ....................................................................................... 12

Environment Protection .............................................................................................. 31

Renewable Energy ...................................................................................................... 46

Species Discovery / Species Sighted / Species Extinct .................................................. 49

Events / Celebrations .................................................................................................. 63

Reports / Release ....................................................................................................... 64

International Efforts / Organisations ........................................................................... 66

What is Green GDP?

3. New Forest (Conservation) Rules vs Forest Rights Act

Forest conservation rules, 2022 Rules deal

● It regulates deforestation by ● It recognizes forest-dwelling tribal

4. Indian Forest Act, 1927

5. Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

6. National Mission for a Green India (Green India Mission)

7. National Clean Air Programme

Benefits of blending gasoline with Methanol:

About Methanol Economy:

About India Energy Week:

9. Namami Gange program

About Namami Gange

The UN has recognised the Namami Gange initiative

10. Environment Education, Awareness and Training (EEAT)

11. HARIT Aaykar Initiative

What are micro forests/ Miyawaki method?

12. Graded Response Action Plan

How is it different now?

Under the Nilgiri Tahr project,

It is recognized as a National Heritage Animal, protection under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife

3. Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve

About Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR)

5. Indian roofed turtle

Other conservation efforts:

The species is included in Appendix II of the Convention on

8. Lion @ 47: Vision for ‘Amrutkal’

State government of Gujarat also gets

Over the course of five decades, the

About Lion (Panthera Leo)

10. Sloth Bear

SLOTH BEAR - They are ‘endemic’ to

OTHER BEAR SPECIES FOUND IN INDIA

11. Tal Chhapar blackbuck sanctuary

12. Silent Valley National Park

Bird species found in Silent Valley National Park:

13. Namdapha National Park

Snow leopard, often referred to

15. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

About Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR): It is located in the

A Wildlife Institute of India (WII)’s

17. Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

18. Ranipur Tiger Reserve

19. Slender Loris Sanctuary

20. Singalila National Park

About Red Panda:

21. Asian Water Bird Census

Significance of reintroducing cheetahs:

Why are cheetahs coming from Africa?

24. Tiger Relocation

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a

As per the Standard Operating

25. Olive Ridley turtles

About Olive Ridley Turtles:

26. Saltie census 2023