Environment

India has continuously demonstrated its responsibility towards acknowledging the emerging threats from climate change and implementing the climate actions on the basis of the principles of Equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities for improving efficiency of the economy and its engines of growth. The major policies and plans include: India under Paris Deal India has … Read more

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, has developed a mobile App called ‘Harit Path’ to monitor location, growth, species details, maintenance activities, targets and achievements of each of its field units for each and every plant under all plantation projects. ‘Harit Bharat … Read more

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was established in 2003 by the Central Government to implement India’s Biological Diversity Act (2002). The NBA is a Statutory body and that performs facilitative, regulatory and advisory function for Government of India on issue of Conservation, sustainable use of biological resource and fair equitable sharing of benefits of use. … Read more

Autogenic engineers: They change the environment via their own physical structures, i.e. their living and dead tissues. As they grow and become larger, their living and dead tissues create habitats for other organisms to live on or in. Examples of Autogenic Engineering: Trees, corals, and giant kelps are good examples of autogenic engineers. As they … Read more

According to Ramsar Convention, wetland is defined 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 6 metres”. Key Features of the … Read more

. Single-use plastics, often also referred to as disposable plastics, are commonly used for plastic packaging and include items intended to be used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. These include, among other items, grocery bags, food packaging, bottles, straws, containers, stirrers, styrofoam cups or plates etc.   Impacts of single use … Read more

The National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has developed the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) to enable effective water management in Indian states in the face of this growing crisis. The CWMI is envisioned to bring about much-required improvements in water resource management and conservation in India in a coherent and collaborative manner. The … Read more

Major findings are as follows: Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra. In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top five States are Mizoram (85.41%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.63%), Meghalaya (76.33%), Manipur (75.46%) and Nagaland (75.31%). Total mangrove cover … Read more

The Government of India set up Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in March 2002 under the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. It functions under the administrative control of Ministry of Power. The mission of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency is to assist in developing policies and strategies with a thrust on self-regulation and … Read more

Warm-blooded creatures, like mammals and birds, try to keep the inside of their bodies at a constant temperature. They do this by generating their own heat when they are in a cooler environment, and by cooling themselves when they are in a hotter environment. To generate heat, warm-blooded animals convert the food that they eat … Read more

Food Security  Rising temperatures, heat extremes, floods, droughts and rainfall variability can disrupt rainfed agricultural food production and adversely impact crop yield.  For instance, as per a NITI Aayog document, of the total pulses, oilseeds and cotton produced in the country, 80% pulses, 73% oilseeds and 68% cotton come from rain-fed agriculture. Water Security Droughts … Read more

Forest fires are a regular phenomenon in our country often observed during the fire season. A number of 37,059 fires were detected in year 2018 using MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer) sensor data. Every year large areas of forests are affected by fires of varying intensity and extent. Based on the forest inventory records, 54.40% … Read more

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) under UNFCCC is a global endeavor to use carbon sequestration potential of the forests to manage climate change within acceptable limits of tolerance. In simple terms, REDD+ means “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation”, conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of … Read more

Scientists have warned that the 6th mass extinction of life on earth is unfolding more quickly than feared.  The main drivers of wildlife decline are habitat loss, overconsumption, pollution, invasive species, disease, as well as poaching in the case of tigers, elephants, rhinos and other large animals prized for their body parts. The ultimate cause … Read more

An important characteristic of all communities is that their composition and structure constantly change in response to the changing environmental conditions. This change is orderly and sequential, parallel with the changes in the physical environment. These changes lead finally to a community that is in near equilibrium with the environment and that is called a … Read more

? By studying environmental studies, it becomes easy to promote love and respect for nature. If you are a parent, you can encourage your child to opt for this subject so that he or she can show some love, affection, and respect for nature and can value the greenery, trees, flowers and other natural things … Read more

Ethanol is a green fuel and its blending with petrol also saves foreign exchange Government has 10% blending target for mixing ethanol with petrol by 2022 & 20% blending target by 2030 The liquid biofuel in greatest production is ethanol (ethyl alcohol), which is made by fermenting starch or sugar. Brazil and the United States … Read more

Upwelling is a process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface. Winds blowing across the ocean surface push water away. Water then rises up from beneath the surface to replace the water that was pushed away. Upwelling occurs in the open ocean and along coastlines. Water that rises to the surface as a … Read more

Basel Convention: The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was adopted on 22 March 1989 by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Basel, Switzerland, in response to a public outcry following the discovery, in the 1980s, in Africa and other parts of the developing world of deposits of … Read more

Coral bleaching happens when corals lose their vibrant colors and turn white. Corals are bright and colorful because of microscopic algae called zooxanthellae. The zooxanthellae live within the coral in a mutually beneficial relationship, each helping the other survive. But when the ocean environment changes—if it gets too hot, for instance—the coral stresses out and … Read more

Environmental ethics is a branch of ethics that studies the relation of human beings and the environment and how ethics play a role in this. Environmental ethics believe that humans are a part of society as well as other living creatures, which includes plants and animals. These items are a very important part of the … Read more

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched the Angikaar Campaign. The campaign was officially rolled out in all cities with PMAY (U) on October 2, 2019. It has been launched for social behaviour change, focusing on issues such as water & energy conservation, waste management, health, tree plantation, sanitation and hygiene. The campaign … Read more

Dead zones are hypoxic (low-oxygen) areas in the world’s oceans and large lakes. They are caused by “excessive nutrient pollution from human activities coupled with other factors that deplete the oxygen required to support most marine life in bottom and near-bottom water. Historically, many of these sites were naturally occurring. However, in the 1970s, oceanographers … Read more

. A still larger issue now emerging is the environmental issues, erosion of forest cover, etc,  around the infrastructure projects. The present issues being faced in Orissa and other  states on projects which can not only alter the face of the state but also the nation in terms  of economic development need deeper introspection. The … Read more

. It is an Integrated Conservation Mission for river Ganga, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in 2014 with budget outlay of Rs.20,000 Crore.   Main pillars of the mission River front development o Conservation of Aquatic life and biodiversity Improvement of coverage of sewerage infrastructure in habitations on banks of Ganga. River … Read more

It is a Central Sector Scheme and is being implemented with the objective: To provide clean cooking fuel for kitchens, lighting and meeting other thermal and small power needs of farmers/dairy farmers /users including individual households and to improve organic manure system (not eliminate chemical fertilizer) based on bio-slurry from biogas plants in rural and … Read more

Seagrasses are flowering plants (angiosperms) which grow in marine environments. Seagrass can easily be confused with marine macroalgae (Seaweed). Seagrasses are considered vascular plants and have roots, stems and leaves. Sea grass produces flowers, seeds and fruits. Seagrass plays a vital role in oxygen production and absorption of carbon dioxide. It acts as a purifier … Read more

India’s nomination of the Jaipur City, Rajasthan got status of the World Heritage List of UNESCO during the 43rd Session of the World Heritage Committee held at Baku, Azerbaijan.  The nomination of Jaipur City has successfully been done by complying with the various UNESCO guidelines of 2017. India’s nomination was initially recommended by the ICOMOS … Read more

Ecological efficiency is the amount of energy that is transferred from one trophic level to the next. It is defined as the energy supply available to trophic level N + 1, divided by the energy consumed by trophic level N. This follows the 10% rule, which states that roughly 10% of the energy at one … Read more

Sand and gravel, together known as aggregate, is the 2nd largest raw material used on earth after water. Indiscriminate sand mining in India not only threatens the environment and ecosystem but  also endangers the economy. Therefore, sustainable sand mining (SSM) is recommended. Sustainable sand mining uses sound scientific assessment, adopts best practices, construction technology, and … Read more

The special characteristics that enable plants and animals to be successful in a particular environment are called adaptations. Epiphytes are plants that live on the surface of other plants, especially the trunk and branches. They grow on trees to take advantage of the sunlight in the canopy. Most are orchids, bromeliads, ferns, and Philodendron relatives. … Read more

An algal bloom is a sudden increase in the population of algae in a freshwater or marine habitat. The bloom generally looks like a scum on the surface of the water and may colour it blue-green, red, or yellow, depending upon the species of algae involved. An algal bloom is caused by enrichment in the … Read more

Talanoa is a traditional word used in Fiji and across the Pacific to reflect a process of inclusive, participatory and transparent dialogue. The purpose of Talanoa is to share stories, build empathy and to make wise decisions for the collective good. The process of Talanoa involves the sharing of ideas, skills and experience through storytelling. … Read more

. Space launches can have a hefty carbon footprint due to the burning of solid rocket fuels. Many rockets are, however, propelled by liquid hydrogen fuel, which produces ‘clean’ water vapour exhaust, although the production of hydrogen itself can cause significant carbon emissions. Rocket engines release trace gases into the upper atmosphere that contribute to … Read more

PARIVESH is a web based, role based workflow application which has been developed for online submission and monitoring of the proposals submitted by the proponents for seeking Environment, Forest, Wildlife and CRZ Clearances from Central, State and district level authorities. It automates the entire tracking of proposals which includes online submission of a new proposal, … Read more

A xerophyte is a species of plant that has adaptations to survive in an environment with little liquid water such as a desert or ice- or snow-covered region in the Alps or the Arctic. Popular examples of xerophytes are cacti, pineapple, and some Gymnosperm plants. Xerophyte adaptations increase water intake, limit water loss, and store … Read more

. National Ambient Air Quality Standards envisaging 12 pollutants have been notified under the EPA, 1986 along with 115 emission/effluent standards for 104 different sectors of industries, besides 32 general standards. Government is executing a nation-wide programme of ambient air quality monitoring known as National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). The network consists of six … Read more

Organic farming is an agricultural system that works in harmony with nature. It largely excludes the use of synthetic inputs (such as fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, feed additives etc.) and rely upon crop rotation, crop residues, animal manures, off-farm organic waste, mineral grade rock additives and biological system of nutrient mobilization and plant protection. Organic farming … Read more

Environment Impact Assessment or EIA can be defined as the study to predict the effect of a proposed activity/project on the environment. A decision making tool, EIA compares various alternatives for a project and seeks to identify the one which represents the best combination of economic and environmental costs and benefits. EIA systematically examines both … Read more

The main objective of this authority is to complement and strengthen the national effort                in conservation of the rich biodiversity of the country, particularly the fauna as per the  national zoo policy,1998. The functions of Central zoo authority are as follows: Specify the minimum standards for housing, upkeep and veterinary care of the animal … Read more

An oligotrophic lake or water body is one which has relatively low productivity due to the low nutrient content in the lake. These lakes usually have quite clear water due to the limited growth of algae in the lake. The waters of such lakes are of high-drinking quality. Such lakes support aquatic species who require … Read more

Solid Waste treatment and disposal utilizing plasma arc gasification process is an option for eco-friendly solid waste management in which large volume reduction of waste up to 95% is possible. The plasma gasification process uses electricity to generate high temperature plasma arc (above 3000°C) inside the plasma reactor which converts the waste into syngas. The … Read more

. Green GDP refers to a national accounting system of the utilization of the non-renewable  natural resources of any country and is now being envisioned as a part of sustainable  development. The objective is to utilize the resources optimally, efficiently and effectively  in furthering the growth of economies and at the same time a realization … Read more

. The Ministry revised the rules for management of solid waste in the municipal areas after 16 years. The new rules are now applicable beyond municipal areas and extend to urban agglomerations, census towns, notified industrial townships, areas under the control of Indian Railways, airports, airbase, port and harbour, defence establishments, special economic zones, state … Read more

Launched in 2005, Indian Rhino Vision 2020 is an ambitious effort to attain a wild population of at least 3,000 greater one-horned rhinos spread over seven protected areas in the Indian state of Assam by the year 2020.Seven protected areas are Kaziranga, Pobitora, Orang National Park, Manas National Park, Laokhowa wildlife sanctuary, Burachapori wildlife sanctuary … Read more

Project Tiger was launched in 1973 for conserving the tiger. From 9 tiger reserves since its formative years, the Project Tiger coverage has increased to 50, spread out in 18 of tiger range states. These reserves are constituted on a core / buffer strategy. The core areas have the legal status of a national park … Read more

Indian forests face a number of problems which are both natural and man-made. Some of the major problems are: Inadequate and dwindling forest cover. Low productivity Nature of forests and their uneconomical utilisation Lack of transport facilities Forest fires Plant diseases, insects and pests Obsolete methods of lumbering and sawing Lack of commercial forests Lack … Read more

single-use plastics are goods that are made primarily from fossil fuel–based chemicals (petrochemicals) and are meant to be disposed of right after use—often, in mere minutes. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. The bigger challenge is to put in place an efficient waste management … Read more

Unlike other disasters, landslides are largely controlled by highly localised factors. Landslides of different types are frequent in geodynamically active domains in the Himalayan and Arakan-Yoma belt of the North-Eastern parts of the country. Landslide hazard zonation mapping has categorized the Himalayan region as Very High Vulnerability Zone.   Factors that make the Himalayan region … Read more

Swachh Survekshan (Cleanliness survey) is an annual survey of cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation in cities and towns across India. It was launched as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which aimed to make India clean and free of open defecation by 2 October 2019. The first survey was undertaken in 2016 and covered 73 cities … Read more