Environmental Current Affairs
FOR UPSC PRELIMS 2023
1.Uttar Pradesh’s fourth tiger reserve
Uttar Pradesh’s fourth tiger reserve in the Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS) in Chitrakoot district under the Wild life (Protection) Act of 1972.
This is the fourth tiger reserve in the state, after Dudhwa, Pilibhit and Amangarh (buffer of Corbett Tiger Reserve).
India currently has 53 tiger reserves. They are governed by Project Tiger, which comes under the jurisdiction of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Project Tiger was launched in 1973 to protect Bengal tiger population in its natural habitat.
2.Hurricane Ian
Category 4 storm Ian hit Florida’s southwestern coast.
Category 5 hurricanes have a maximum sustained winds of 157 miles per hour or more. Their occurrence is rare in the United States.
3.Icaria: new catfish species
• The new species of catfish belongs to the genus Pangasius.
• It was found in Mettur Dam in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, by the ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBFGR).
4.Revival of Sukapaika river
The NGT has directed the state government of Odisha to revive Sukapaika Rive.
Sukapaika river originates from Ayatur Village in Cuttack district and flows some 40 km before re-joining the Mahanadi River in Tarapur in the same district.
5.Corbett Tiger Reserve
Corbett National Park and the neighbouring Sonanadi together make up the Corbett Tiger Reserve. It is famed for hosting the world’s highest density of tiger population. It houses 230 tigers, with 14 tigers per 100 sq km. The Corbett National Park was established as Hailey National Park in 1936 and was later renamed in honour of the famous naturalist Jim Corbett, who played a major role in the establishment of this national park. It was the first national park to come under Project Tiger.
A survey by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) revealed that 6,093 trees were illegally cut down in the Corbett Tiger Reserve for the Pakhro tiger safari project.
6.Cheetah Task Force
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has set up a task force to supervise the cheetah introduction project in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh as well as in other designated areas where the cheetahs can be introduced.
7.Who are cheetah mitras?
Cheetah mitras or cheetah friends will be involved in raising awareness about cheetahs among communities from the nearby villages and minimize potential conflicts between them and the big cats. Over 400 cheetah mitras from 51 villages have been trained by the forest officials for this purpose.
8.Adoption of world’s first single charger rule
The European Parliament has approved the new rule to introduce single charging port for electronic gadgets by 2024 in the EU.
The new rules allow customers to choose between two chargers – one with and one without USB-C chargers while purchasing a handheld device.
9.Bannerman’s Turaco
• The population of the bird species Bannerman’s Turaco is deteriorating because of habitat loss and the ancient hunting tradition for obtaining these birds’ feathers.
• This bird species is categorized as Endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
• There are an estimated 1,500 of these birds in Kilum-Ijim Mountain Forest, situated in northwest part of Cameroon.
10.Leopards in Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary
Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is situated at the border between Haryana and Delhi on the Aravalli hill range’s Southern Delhi Ridge. It spans across Southern Delhi and northern parts of Haryana’s Faridabad and Gurugram districts.
11.Kadavur Slender Loris sanctuary
The state government of Tamil Nadu has notified the establishment of Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary.
The government notified the establishment of the new sanctuary under Section 26 A(1)(b) of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The slender lorise, belonging to genus loris, are native to Sri Lanka and southern India. These species spend majority of their life in trees, travelling the atop the branches with slow and precise movements.
12.Discovery of ‘The Trapping Zone’ in Maldives
1.‘The Trapping Zone’ in the island nation Maldives, India’s southern neighbour.
Key Facts
2.This Trapping Zone is a new ecosystem, discovered some 500 meters beneath the surface, is being referred to as ‘as oasis of oceanic life
13.Living Planet Report 2022
• Living Planet Report 2022 is a joint endeavor of the World Wildlife Fund and Zoological Society of London.
• According to the flagship publication, there has been a 69 per cent decline in the global wildlife population between the years 1970 and 2018.
14.Death of Pilot Whales in New Zealand
majority of the stranded pilot whales died naturally, the survivors were euthanized because of the threat of them being consumed by sharks as well as the logistical challenges in Pitts Island, which hosts less than 100 inhabitants.
The reason for whale beaching is unknown. Some speculate that it occurs because of the social nature of these marine mammals. The changes in electromagnetic fields in the region caused by solar flares or seismic activities are also cited as reasons behind whale beachings.
15.“The coldest year of the rest of their lives” report
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) recently released a report titled “The coldest year of the rest of their lives”.
16.Migration of Great Indian Bustard
• The recent sighting of Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) in the Cholistan desert led to the speculation that these species have migrated from Desert National Park (DNP) in Rajasthan, India.
• The three GIBs were spotted in the Cholistan game reserve in the southern part of Punjab province.
• The migration may have taken place because of the shrinking habitat in DNB.
• GIBs are critically endangered in Pakistan because of the absence of protective measures and rampant hunting by poachers.
• They are also critically endangered in India despite being protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
• Rajasthan, having around 150 GIBs, accounts for 95 per cent of the total global population.
Cholistan Desert
The Cholistan Desert is situated in the southern part of Pakistan’s Punjab. It forms part of the Greater Thar Desert,
17.Asia’s largest Compressed Bio Gas plant
This project will increase the income of farmers in the Sangrur district.
The new CBG plant is a step towards achieving the goals of the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) scheme.
SATAT scheme
The Indian Government launched the SATAT scheme in 2018 to set up the CBG production plants across the country by inviting expressions of interest through potential investors.
18.Climate Transparency Report 2022
Countries with highest increase in renewable energy share are the United Kingdom (67 per cent), Japan (48 per cent) and Mexico (40 per cent).
The lowest increase was seen in Russia
19.Climate Transparency Report
The Climate Transparency Report is the most comprehensive annual study of G20 countries’ climate measures. Its assessment includes 100 indicators for climate adaptation, risks, protection and finance.
20.Tamil Nadu’s State-level Committee for Vulture Conservation
Tamil Nadu government has set up the SLCVC to create an institutional framework for the conservation of vultures in the state. Tamil Nadu hosts oriental white backed vultures, long-billed vultures, red-headed vultures, which are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. It also houses the endangered Egyptian vultures.
Sigur plateau in Mudumalai is one of the last remaining regions with a vulture population. Proposals have been made to designate this plateau and nearby regions as a wildlife sanctuary for vultures.
21.Baleen Whales Consume Millions of Microplastics Per Day
The researchers then factored in the concentration of microplastics in the California Current. They found that the whales mainly feed at the depth of 165 to 820 feet. This depth has the highest concentration of microplastic in the open-ocean ecosystem.
22.IVRI calls for ban on aceclofenac in cattle
Aceclofenac is a veterinary painkiller used to treat cattle and dogs. Vulture Action Plan 2020-2025 recognizes aceclofenac as toxic. It urged the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) to ban its veterinary use along with other drugs like nimesulide and ketoprofen.
23.2022 Forest Declaration Assessment
deforestation rates have declined at the global level by 6.3 per cent compared to 2018-20 baseline.
Though the rate of forest loss has deaccelerated, the climate goal of stopping deforestation by 2030 will not be achieved.
A 10 per cent annual reduction is required to stop deforestation completely by the end of the present decade.
In 2021, Brazil is the largest contributor of deforestation in the world.
24.2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The Government of Egypt will host the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27) at Sharm El Sheikh.
The Conference of Parties (COP) is the apex decision making body responsible for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
25. National Bio Energy Programme?
The National Bioenergy Programme aims to promote bioenergy usage and create an investor-friendly ecosystem based on the circular economy
Biomass Programme
Biogas Programme
26.Pseudohelice annamalai
New species of estuarine crab named Pseudohelice annamalai was discovered in Cuddalore District in Tamil Nadu.
27.Indian Black Honeybee
new endemic species of honeybee, christened Indian black honeybee (Apis karinjodian), was discovered in the Western Ghats.
Its habitat ranges from the central Western Ghats and Nilgiris to the southern Western Ghats, spanning the states of Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu.
28. many Ramsar Sites Outdated
The 14th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP14) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is being co-hosted by Wuhan (China) and Geneva (Switzerland) from November 5 to 13, 2022.
Information about many of Ramsar Sites of International Importance under the 1971 Ramsar Convention is absent or missin
29.Green Bonds Framework
The Green Bonds Framework was released by the Indian Government on November 9, 2022.
As per this framework, the payments of principal and interest on the Green Bonds will not rely on the eligible projects’ performance. Therefore, the investors will not be adversely affected by any project-related risks.
30.E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022?
The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 was published by the Ministry of Environment, forest and climate change on November 2, 2022.
The new rules will come to effect from April 1, 2023.
They will apply to all businesses and individuals involved in manufacturing, sales, transfer, purchase, refurbishing, dismantling, recycling and processing of e-waste or electrical and electronic equipment.
31.Climate Change Performance Index?
The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is released every year at the UN Climate Change Conference. It is an instrument that ensures transparency in the national and international climate politics. Since 2005,
Denmark, with the score of 79.61, was ranked at fourth position. It is followed by Sweden (73.28 points).
In 2022 and 2021, India stood at at 10th position. In 2020, it stood at 9th rank.
32.Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon
Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon was rediscovered after 140 years. Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon was rediscovered by a research team that was part of The Search for Lost Birds – a collaboration between BirdLife International, Rewild, and American Bird Conservancy.
33.Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture
India opposed the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture that sought to minimize greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture sector.
Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring System
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) has developed a Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station (CMWQMS) and launched Electric Environmental Monitoring Vehicle (EV).
34“Loss and Damage Fund”?
The Loss and Damage Fund is a special fund established to provide compensation to vulnerable countries for the damages they suffered because of global warming. Its aim is to unlock a greater ambition to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
“Loss and Damage” is the term that is used to refer to the cost being incurred from climate-induced weather extremes or impacts like rising sea levels.
35.Hollow Hog to help Australia’s Endangered Wildlife
The holes will act as a good breeding spot for birds and animals. After creating the hole, the tool inserts an entry modifier to ensure that the tree doesn’t grow over in that part. This way the holes stand longer.
36.Project Cheetah: India gets 12 cheetahs from South Africa
India and South Africa signed an agreement on Project Cheetah in January 2023. According to the agreement, India will get 12 Cheetahs from South Africa. These cheetahs will be dropped at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. In September 2022, eight Cheetahs were introduced in the park. These eight were brought from Namibia. Namibia gifted them to India. This was the first inter-continental transfer of Cheetahs in the world.
Cheetahs became extinct in India in 1952
@ the Rajasthan State Government recently announced the WESCE plan. The French Government is to fund this project for a period of eight years.
37.India’s First Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2-ICE) powered truck
The ICE in H2-ICE stands for Internal Combustion Engine. It was developed by Reliance in partnership with Ashok Leyland. The H2-ICE truck is the first of its kind in India to be powered by hydrogen. The cost of the production of the truck was high. However, the truck emits zero carbon.
38.Global Climate Resilience Fund-50 million USD for women
Hillary Clinton was in Ahmedabad, Gujarat attending the 50th-anniversary celebration of SEWA. SEWA is Self Employed Women Association. It was founded by the late activist Ela Bhatt. During the function, Mrs Clinton announced 50 million USD for women in the region. The fund is to be used to fight against climate change.
SEWA
Self-Employed Women Association. It is a trade union promoting self-employed female entrepreneurs and low-income female labourers. It was founded in 1972.
39.IEA Report on India LiFE Initiative
India proposed the LiFE Initiative at COP26 held in Glasgow. The initiative was proposed during the 50th celebrations of World Environment Day. The mission aims to involve the common public in the conservation of the Environment. The International Energy Agency recently launched a report on the LiFE Initiative. According to the report, the mission can save more than 440 billion USD by 2030.
40.@ Yaya Tso is a lake in Ladakh and is known as the Bird’s Paradise. The lake is at an altitude of 4,820 kilometres. The lake is a popular breeding site for black-necked cranes. The lake was recently announced as the “Biodiversity Heritage Site”. It is the first biodiversity heritage site of Ladakh.
41.SECURE Himalaya?
The project mainly aims to conserve Snow leopards in the region. Also, it addresses threatened livelihood, habitat degradation, and illegal wildlife trade. Funds for the project comes from Global Environment Facility.
42.What are E20 fuels?
The fuel is being launched in 83 locations in India spread across 11 states and UTs. E20 means the fuel has 20% ethanol and 80% petrol.
43.US, Brazil to join India led Biofuels Alliance
India has set a target of achieving 20% ethanol blend in gasoline by 2025. In 2018, India launched the National Biofuel Policy. Since then India has been increasing its ethanol blend. In 2013, ethanol blending was 0.67% in the country. In 2022, it increased to 10%. Brazil has achieved 100% ethanol fuels. Apart from biofuels, India is also focusing on bringing the Hydrogen hubs. The State of Kerala has allocated a major share in the 2023-24 budget to establish a hydrogen hub in Thiruvananthapuram. The state is to lead.
44.Scientific Study on Sea Erosion in Kozhikode
The International Blue Flag tag is awarded to the beaches that are cleanest and eco-friendly. Kappad beach in Kerala is the only beach to receive the tag. Kappad is in the Kozhikode district of Kerala. A group of scientists will study the sea erosion at Kappad beach.
blue Flag Beach
The tag is presented by a group of organizations and they are as follows:
• United Nations Environmental Programme
• International Union for Conservation of Nature
• United Nations World Tourism Organization
45.MISHTI Scheme for Mangrove plantations
The Mangroves cover 0.15% of the total Indian Geographical area. This is around 4,975 square kilometers. The state of West Bengal alone has 42.45% of India’s mangroves. Indian mangroves are facing limitations such as an increase in salinity, lack of oxygen, and diurnal tidal inundations. MISHTI will aim and protect the Mangrove forest along the coastline. MISHTI in Bengal means Sweet.
46.Amrit Dharohar Scheme
India lost 30% of its wetlands in the past three decades. Of all Mumbai lost the maximum wetlands. 71% of wetlands in Mumbai were lost between 1970 and 2014. 57% lost in Ahmedabad, 56% in Bengaluru, 55% in Hyderabad, 38% in Delhi, and lots more in other major cities. The loss of wetlands is mainly due to anthropogenic activities and illegal constructions. To increase the optimal use of wetlands in the cities and to improve their biodiversity the GoI launched the Amrit Dharohar Scheme. The scheme was announced by the Finance Minister during her budget speech.
47.Decline in Number of birds in Kole Wetlands
Kole wetlands are located in Kerala. The Asian Water Bird Census recently reported that the number of birds in the wetland has reduced significantly.
48.Neelakurinji Plant Listed as a Protected Species under Wildlife Protection Act
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) has listed Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) under Schedule III of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, including it on the list of protected plants. This move is aimed at protecting the plant from being destroyed or uprooted, which has become a major threat to the flowering areas. The new order also includes strict penalties for those found guilty of destroying or uprooting the plant.
Neelakurinji blooms, especially the Kallippara hills in Idukki,
49.Nilgiri Tahr conservation project?
The Nilgiri Tahr conservation project was launched by the Tamil Nadu Government with a total outlay of Rs.25.14 crore.
It will be implemented from 2022 to 2027.
Under this project, the state government seeks to improve the understanding of the Nilgiri Tahr’s present population status through surveys and radio telemetry studies.
It also aims to reintroduce these ungulates to their historic habitats and address threats that are faced by them.
50.Himalayan Medicinal Plants in IUCN Red List
Three medicinal plant species in the Himalayas have been included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. These are Meizotropis pellita (critically endangered), Fritilloria cirrhosa (vulnerable) and Dactylorhiza hatagirea (endangered).
51.India’s First Green Steel
steel is manufactured without using fossil fuels, it is known as green steel. It is manufactured using low-carbon energy sources like hydrogen, electricity, or coal gasification instead of the traditional carbon-intensive manufacturing route. Sweden was the first country to manufacture green steel. It was developed by HYBRIT Technology.
52.Borthekera, is a medicinal plant commonly found in Assam. The plant is related to the popular tropical fruit, mangosteen. The dried pulp of the ripe fruit from Borthekera has been used for centuries for both medicinal and culinary purposes.
53.Project PIAS approved
PIAS means Pollution, Inventorization, Assessment, and Surveillance on the Ganga Basin. The project will be implemented at RS 114 crores to monitor industrial pollution.
54.Methane Global Tracker report
The Methane Global Tracker report is the annual report released by the International Energy Agency. According to the latest report, fossil fuel companies released 120 million metric tonnes of methane into the atmosphere last year.
• 40% of the methane emissions are from the energy sector
Methane is responsible for 30% of the global warming happening on the earth. It is a greenhouse gas. The potential of methane to warm the earth’s surface is 80 times higher than carbon dioxide.
MARS is Methane Alert and Response System. It integrates data related to methane emissions. It was launched by the United Nations Environment Programme. It is a satellite-based monitoring programme.
55.What is Arribada?
Olive Ridley turtles are a globally recognized species for their synchronized nesting behavior, also known as arribadas.
56.What is Plasticosis?
Scientists from Australia and the UK have discovered a new fibrotic disease called “Plasticosis” in birds. This disease is caused by the consumption of plastics.
57.What is Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin?
The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) is a species of humpback dolphin that lives in the coastal waters of the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
• UCN: Vulnerable
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act. 1972: Not included. Only Gangetic dolphins and Snubfin dolphins are included in the act
58.First Urban Climate Film Festival
The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), a Central Autonomous Body under the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, is organising the Urban Climate Film Festival under the CITIIS program. The festival aims to create wider awareness of the impact of climate change on life in cities and engage the public in the dialogue on sustainable urban development.
59.Aravalli Green Wall Project
The project aims to green the 5 km buffer area around the Aravalli Hill Range in four states – Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi. The project was launched on the International Day of Forests and is a part of the National Action Plan to Combat Desertification and Land Degradation Through Forestry Interventions.
60.New York Becomes the First US State to Ban Fossil Fuels in New Buildings
61.Petersberg Climate Dialogue
The Petersberg Dialogue on Climate Change was held in Berlin from May 2-3, 2023, and was hosted by Germany and the United Arab Emirates, which is hosting the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The conference brought together ministers from 40 countries to discuss the way forward towards COP28.