Environment Flashcards
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
It is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge sharing centre serving the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalaya – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – and based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
polar vortex
US mid-west experienced sub-zero temperatures due to a breakdown in the polar vortex.
It is a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding the Earth’s North and South Pole.
The term refers to the counterclockwise flow (clockwise over south pole) of air that helps keep the colder air close to the poles.
There are not one but two polar vortexes in each
hemisphere.
o One exists in the lowest layer of the atmosphere,
the troposphere. The tropospheric polar vortex is
the one that affects our weather.
o The other exists in the second-lowest, called the
stratosphere. It is much more compact than its
stropospheric counterpart.
o If the two polar vortexes line up just right, very
deep freeze conditions may occur.
The Montreux Record
It is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance 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.
Sites from India included in this are Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan and Loktak Lake, Manipur
Indian Sunderbans
wetlands of International Importance, making it the 27th site in India
comprise almost 43% of the mangrove cover in the country according to a 2017 Forest Survey of India report. It is the largest tidal halophytic mangrove
forest in the world.
It is located in delta region of Padma, Meghna and
Brahmaputra river basins.
Sundarbans has now become the largest Ramsar Site in India.
The Sundarbans was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
They are the only mangrove habitat which supports a
significant population of tigers (Royal Bengal Tigers), and they have unique aquatic hunting skills.
The Site is also home to a large number of rare and globally threatened species such as the critically endangered northern river terrapin, the endangered
Irrawaddy dolphin, and the endangered fishing cat.
KELP FORESTS
They are large brown algae seaweeds. They grow in “underwater forests” (kelp forests) in shallow oceans.
Generally speaking, kelps live further from the tropics than coral reefs, mangrove forests, and warm-water
seagrass beds.
Although kelp forests are unknown in tropical surface waters, a few species have been known to occur exclusively in tropical deep waters.
Kelps and coral reefs are composed of algae that grow in the shallow parts of the ocean in warm and sunny waters. However, kelp forest grows in nutrient-rich waters while corals can develop in low nutrient waters.
The environmental factors necessary for kelp to
survive include hard substrate (usually rock), high nutrients, clear shallow coastal waters and light.
The productive kelp forests tend to be associated with areas of significant oceanographic upwelling.
Asian Elephant Alliance
The Asian Elephant Alliance has come together to secure 96 existing corridors used by elephants across 12 States in India by raising £20 million in the next 10 years.
It was launched in July 2015 in London, United Kingdom.
It is an umbrella of five NGOs-Elephant Family, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), IUCN Netherlands, World Land Trust (WLT) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).
It aims to secure a safe future for the wild elephants of India, which make up approximately half of the world’s wild Asian elephants.
Nauradehi wildlife sanctuary
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has reported to the Supreme Court that African cheetahs, to be translocated in India from Namibia, will be kept at Nauradehi wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh
Kuno-Palpur and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary
in MP
Velavadar National Park
Gujarat
Shahgarh bulge
Rajasthan
African Cheetah
It is a large cat that occurs in Southern, North and East Africa. Also some localities in Iran.
It inhabits different habitats like dry forests, scrub forests, and savannahs
IUCN status: Vulnerable (Asiatic Cheetah – Critically endangered)
India was once home to many cheetahs, but it was declared extinct in India in 1952 and last spotted in Chhattisgarh 1947.
The only mammal to become extinct in India in last 1,000 years.
If successful, this project will make India the only country in the world to host six of the world’s eight large cats, including lions, tigers, jaguars, panthers and leopards.
Indus Dolphin
Government of Punjab declared the Indus Dolphin as Punjab’s ‘State Aquatic Animal’
Endangered.
Except for a tiny, isolated population of about 30 in India’s Beas River (185 km stretch between Talwara and Harike), Indus river dolphins live exclusively in the Indus river in Pakistan.
The Punjab Government also declared the Kanjli Wetland and Kali Bein as a wildlife conservation reserve.
Punjab State Animal
Blackbuck
Punjab’s State Bird
Northern Goshawk
Punjab’s state Tree
Sheesham
Punjab’s State Flower
Gladious
The New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019.
Recently, 2nd Asian Rhino Range Countries (i.e. India, Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia and Malaysia) meeting, has signed- The New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019.
It intends to conserve and review the population of the Greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran rhinos (three species of Asian Rhino) every four years.
Javan and Sumatran rhinos are currently classified as critically endangered.
The Sumatran rhino, the smallest of all rhino species and the only Asian rhino with two horns, became extinct in the wild in Malaysia.
The Great One-Horned Rhinoceros
The great one-horned rhino or Indian Rhino is the largest of the rhino species found commonly in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and India.
In India, it is found in Assam – Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Pobitora Reserve Forest, Orang National Park, Laokhowa Reserve Forest etc.
It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is protected under the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act.
Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN yojana
JAIV INDHAN- VATAVARAN ANUKOOL FASAL AWASHESH NIVARAN) YOJANA
The scheme under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) will provide financial support to Integrated Bioethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.
12 commercial scale and 10 demonstration scale Second Generation (2G) ethanol projects will be provided viability gap funding support over the next six years in two phases.
It also seeks to increase Research & Development in this area.
Centre for High Technology (CHT), a technical body under the aegis of MoP&NG, will be the implementation Agency for the scheme.
Small Grants Programme (SGP)
This program was launched alongside the Rio Earth Summit in 1992.
This initiative provides direct financial and technical support to communities and Civil Society Organizations for various projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people’s well- being and livelihoods.
The program is funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF) and executed by the United Nation Development Program (UNDP).
Eathquake swarm
It is a series of low magnitude earthquakes that occur in a localized region and over a period of time ranging from days, weeks to even months.
When seismic energy piles up inside the Earth and is released in small amounts from certain points, such a series of earthquakes can occur.
The Palghar district in northern Maharashtra has been witnessing an unusual frequency of earthquakes since November, 2018
National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• It is a pollution control initiative to cut the concentration of particles (PM10 & PM2.5) by 20-30% by 2024. It will have 2017 as the base year for comparison and 2019 as the first year.
• It is to be implemented in 102 non-attainment cities. These cities are chosen on the basis of Ambient Air Quality India (2011-2015) and WHO report 2014/2018.
Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN)
Recently a session was held at United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to review the first global assessment of land degradation which seeks to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by 2030.
LDN is a state whereby the amount and quality of land resources, necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhance food security, remains stable or increases within specified temporal and spatial scales.
• It is a unique approach that counterbalances the expected loss of productive land with the recovery of degraded areas.
The overarching principle of LDN includes:
- Avoid
- Reduce
- Reverse
Syndemic
The three pandemics— obesity, undernutrition, and climate change- affect most people in every country and region worldwide. They are said to constitute a “Syndemic” i.e a synergy of epidemics because:
• they co-occur in time and place
• interact with each other to produce complex pathological conditions
• share common societal drivers.
Kinshasa Resolution of 1975
The Kinshasa Resolution of 1975 (under IUCN) provides international recognition to cultural model of conservation. It acknowledges the importance of traditional ways of life and land ownership, and called on governments to maintain and encourage customary ways of living.
Sarus Crane
As per the State Forest and Wildlife department’s latest 2018 census (summer), there has been 5.2% increase in population of Sarus Crane in Uttar Pradesh which has 73% of Indian population of Sarus
.
The sarus crane (Antigone Antigone) is a large non-migratory crane found in parts of the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has marked it as ‘vulnerable’ in its list of threatened species.
• It generally inhabits natural wetlands with low water depth, marshy and fallow areas and agricultural fields.
• It is a social creature, found mostly in pairs or small groups of three or four.
• It is the tallest (average 5 feet) flying bird in the world and also India’s only resident breeding crane, as per the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI)
• Sarus is omnivorous, feeding on fish and insects, as well as roots and plants.
NORTH INDIAN ROSEWOOD/Shisham
India has proposed to remove rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) from Appendix II of CITES.
The entire genus of Dalbergia was put in the appendix based on the “lookalike” criterion.
Shisham is a deciduous tree found in tropical to subtropical climates and is economically important for its value in forestry, agroforestry, and horticulture.
India has also proposed to transfer small clawed otters (Aonyx cinereus), smooth coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata), Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans) from Appendix II to Appendix I, and inclusion of Gekko gecko and Wedge fish (Rhinidae) in Appendix II of CITES. Gekko gecko is traded highly for Chinese traditional medicine.
CITES
It is an inter-governmental agreement which aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
• It has three appendices.
o Appendix I has species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
o Appendix II has species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled to avoid utilisation incompatible with their survival.
o Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES parties for assistance in controlling trade.
• CITES is legally binding on the Parties.
3 March, the day of signature of the CITES has been proclaimed as UN World Wildlife Day
MUGGER CROCODILE
Recently, government of Gujarat relocated the Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) from Sardar Sarovar dam to facilitate a seaplane service at the Statue of Unity.
It is a reptilian species also called marsh crocodile or broad-snouted crocodile and is one of the three-crocodile species (Saltwater Crocodile and Gharial) found in India.
• It is extinct in Myanmar and Bhutan, and possibly extinct in Bangladesh.
• Its habitat includes wetlands (inland), marine neritic (shallow part of ocean), artificial/aquatic & marine.
• It is a hole-nesting species, with egg-laying taking place during the annual dry season.
• Vadodara is the only city in India where crocodiles live in their natural habitat amidst human population
It has been listed under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I, categorized as ‘vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
o Project Crocodile was started in 1975 with the aid of the United Nations Development Programme and Food and Agricultural Organization. This includes the captive breeding programme and also involvement of local community in conservation efforts.
Humpback dolphins
Recently, Humpback dolphins were spotted near the Mumbai coast.
• Range: Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin is known to occur within the Indian Ocean from South Africa to India.
• Habitat: Species are among the most adaptive ones due to their habitat preference for shallow waters places them in some of the world’s most intensively utilised, fished, shipped, modified and polluted waters.
• IUCN status: Endangered.
• WPA Protection: Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
“Double counting
“Double counting” means counted once by the country of origin when reporting its emissions inventory, and again by the receiving country (or other entity) when justifying emissions above their pledged climate effort, usually via “offsetting” provisions.
Allowing trades to be double counted means that, in actuality, none of the reported emissions reductions are achieved.
Overall Mitigation in Global Emissions (OMGE):
The primary purpose of OMGE is to deliver on cost-effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions, rather than creating carbon markets for their own sake.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
It seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change.
• It aims to promote the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
• It’s a near universal convention with a participation of 196 member countries.
Protocols adopted under the Convention.
• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: It seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.
• Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing: It aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies.
Seabed 2030
The U.N.-backed project Seabed 2030 is pooling data from the countries and companies to create a map of the entire ocean floor.
• It aims to bring together all available bathymetric data (measures of depth and shape of the seafloor) to
produce the definitive map of the world ocean floor by 2030 and make it available to all.
• It is a collaborative project between the Nippon Foundation and General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO).
GANGETIC DOLPHIN
Recently, study showed that rising salinity in Sunderbans region of India is causing a decrease in population of the Ganges River Dolphins.
It inhabits the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
• It is among the four freshwater dolphins found in the world – the other three are found in the Yangtze River (China), the ‘bhulan’ of the Indus (Pakistan) and the ‘boto’ of the Amazon River (Latin America).
• It is fluviatile (riverine) in habitat, it may also be found in brackish water. It never enters the sea.
• A long thin snout, rounded belly and large flippers are its characteristics.
• It is a mammal and cannot breathe in the water and must surface every 30-120 seconds.
• Because of the sound it produces when breathing, the animal is popularly referred to as the ‘Susu’.
- It is the national aquatic animal and had been granted non-human personhood status by government in 2017.
- It is also protected under the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).
- Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS) in Bihar is India’s only sanctuary for the Gangetic dolphin.
- It has been categorised as endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species by the IUCN.
- It is listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I
GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD
A recent study suggests that, Great Indian Bustard population has been falling continuously, from around 1,260 in 1969 to less than 200 in 2018.
• It’s among the heaviest bird with a horizontal body and long bare legs giving it an ostrich like appearance.
• Habitat: Arid and semi-arid grasslands, open country with thorn scrub, tall grass interspersed with cultivation. It avoids irrigated areas.
• It is endemic to Indian Sub-continent, found in central India, western India and eastern Pakistan.
Currently, it is found in only six states in the country — Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka.
• Protection: Listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List
• It is also listed in Appendix I of CITES and covered under CMS or Bonn Convention.
GIB is an indicator species for grassland habitats and its gradual disappearance from such environments shows their deterioration.
Great Indian Bustard, popularly known as ‘Godawan’, is Rajasthan’s state bird. The state government has started “Project Godawan” for its conservation at Desert National Park (DNP) in Jaisalmer. It’s one of the Species for The Recovery Programme under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
Bustard Species Found In India:
Great Indian Bustard, the Lesser Florican and the Bengal Florican; Houbara also belong to Bustard family but it’s a migratory species
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) or Bonn convention
- It is the only convention under UNEP which provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats ( and their migration routes). India is a member of the convention.
- Migratory species threatened with extinction are listed on Appendix I of the Convention.
The Global Tiger Initiative (GTI):
It was launched in 2008 as a global alliance of governments, international organizations, civil society, the conservation and scientific communities and the private sector and includes organization like the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), etc. It aims to work together to save wild tigers from extinction. In 2013, the scope was broadened to include Snow Leopards. The initiative is led by the 13 tiger range countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam).
The Global Tiger Forum (GTF)
It is the only inter- governmental international body established with members from willing countries to embark on a global campaign to protect the Tiger.
TX2
In 2010, the St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation was adopted under the GTI and the Global Tiger Recovery Programme or TX2 was endorsed. Its goal was to double the number of wild tigers across their geographical areas. The WWF is implementing the programme in 13 tiger range countries
Conservation Assured Tiger Standards CA|TS:
It is a new tool for tiger conservation management. It is a set of criteria which allows tiger sites to check if their management will lead to successful tiger conservation. It is an important part of Tx2 programme
“Asiatic Lion Conservation Project
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched the “Asiatic Lion Conservation Project” with an aim to protect and conserve the world’s last ranging free population of Asiatic Lion and its associated ecosystem.
It will be funded from the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- Development of Wildlife Habitat (CSS-DWH) with the contributing ratio being 60:40 of Central and State share.
Recently 23 Lions died in short period of 20 days, due to Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) and tick-bore Babesiosis, again raising a concern for their conservation.
Asiatic Lion
Asiatic Lion, Panthera Leo Persica is listed in Schedule 1 of Wildlife Protect Act, 1972 and in Appendix-I of CITES, while IUCN lists it in endangered category. • The lion is one of five pantherine cats inhabiting India, along with the Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard. • Their population is limited to only five protected areas in Gujarat – Gir National Park, Gir Sanctuary, Pania Sanctuary, Mitiyala Sanctuary and Girnar Sanctuary.
Asiatic vs African Lions
Asiatic lions tend to be smaller than their African cousins.
Compared to the African lion, the male Asiatic lion has a relatively short, sparse mane. As a result, the male Asiatic lion’s ears tend to remain visible at all times. In addition to being less well-developed, the mane is generally darker than that of African lions.
The most distinguishing characteristic of the Asiatic lion is a longitudinal fold of skin that runs along the belly. This trait is found in all Asiatic lions. While it is absent in African Lions.
Asiatic prides tend to be smaller than their African counterparts.
Which HC became first to launch Environment Fund?
Madras HC
Amounts received from various courts, in the form of costs ordered to parties, would be used for planting and nurturing trees as well as cleaning water bodies
Green Good Deeds campaign
launched by the MoEFCC, it’s a social movement to protect environment and promote healthy living.
South Asia’s Hotspots: The Impact of
Temperature and Precipitation changes on
living standards
published by World Bank,
identifies “hotspots” as the states /districts
where these changes will have a notable effect
on living standards.
o States in central, north and northwestern
parts of India will be the most vulnerable to climate change, with Chhattisgarh and
Madhya Pradesh likely to be the top two
climate hotspots
Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered
Species (LaCONES)
Recently, National Wildlife
Genetic Resource Bank (NWGRB) was
established at Laboratory for Conservation of
Endangered Species (LaCONES).
o LaCONES is a dedicated laboratory of the
CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular
Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad. It is the only
institute in the country working towards
conservation of endangered wildlife using modern biotechnologies to save
endangered wildlife species of India.
Sagar Nidhi
Recently, Indian Ocean Research Vehicle (IORV)
Sagar Nidhi as part of India- US expedition
seeking to find answers to vagaries of Bay of
Bengal fed South-West Monsoon was set out in
Indian Ocean. The project is funded by the
Ministry of Earth Sciences and the US Office on
Naval Research.
CUSAT Stratosphere Troposphere-205 Radar
Situated at Cochin, it is fully indigenously built
radar to scan stratosphere over the Indian
Ocean for movement of air and monsoon winds.
GREEN SKILL DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMME (GSDP)
• Launched by MoEFCCC in 2017, it is an initiative
for skill development in the environment and
forest sector to enable India’s youth to get
gainful employment and/or self-employment.
• All courses are National Skills Qualifications
Framework (NSQF) compliant.
• GDSP utilises vast network of Environmental
Information System (ENVIS) hubs and Resource
Partners (RPs).
Environmental Information System (ENVIS)
• It is a central sector scheme, being implemented by
MoEF&CC since 1982-83.
• It is a decentralized network of centres of which
o some centres dealing with ‘‘State of the Environment and Related Issues’’ are hosted by State Government /UT Administrations, called ENVIS Hubs.
o some are hosted by environment-related governmental and non-governmental organisations/ institutes of professional excellence, with varied thematic mandates pertaining to environment, called the ENVIS Resource Partners (RPs).
• ENVIS will conduct India’s first ever National Environment Survey (NES) in 55 districts across 24 states and three Union Territories.
O It will collect comprehensive data on various environmental parameters such as air, water, soil quality; emission inventory; solid, hazardous and e-waste; forest & wildlife; flora & fauna; wetlands, lakes, rivers and other water bodies.
o It will also assess carbon sequestration potential of all the districts across the country.
o It will rank all the districts on their environmental performance and document their best green practices.
GREEN AGRICULTURE (GREEN-AG) PROJECT
• Government of India in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), launched a Global Environment Facility (GEF) assisted project, Green–Ag: Transforming Indian agriculture for global environment
benefits and the conservation of critical biodiversity and forest landscapes.
- It was launched in high-conservation-value landscapes of five states, namely Madhya Pradesh (Chambal landscape), Mizoram (Dampa landscape), Odisha (Similipal landscape), Rajasthan (Desert National Park landscape) and Uttarakhand (Corbett-Rajaji landscape).
- Executive Agencies: Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change.
Port State Measures
Agreement.
UN FAO Created and led adoption of the first ever binding international accord to combat illegal fishing, the Port State Measures Agreement.
Globally Important Agricultural Heritage
Systems
▪ These are outstanding landscapes of aesthetic beauty that combine agricultural biodiversity, resilient
ecosystems and a valuable cultural heritage.
▪ GIAHS from India: Saffron Heritage of Kashmir; Koraput Traditional Agriculture; Kuttanad Below Sea Level Farming System
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau
- Recently, United Nation Environment Program has awarded Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) with Asia Environment Enforcement Awards, 2018.
- Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is a statutory body, under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to combat organized wildlife crime in the country and was constituted in 2007 by amending the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
o It coordinated “Operation Thunder Bird” (INTERPOL’s multi-national and multispecies enforcement operation) in India.
o It has launched Operation wildnet to counter the menace of the illegal trade through internet.
STAPCOR-2018
- The International Conference on Status and Protection of Coral Reefs (STAPCOR)-2018 took place recently at Bangaram Coral Island of Lakshadweep. Theme of the conference was “Reef for Life”.
- It takes place every 10 year after the foundation of STAPCOR in 1998
• Other prominent developments
o Year 2018 has been declared as 3rd decadal International year of Reefs.
o An International Atoll Research Centre for scientific research on corals will be established in Lakshadweep.
o World’s largest artificial coral reef installed in Maldives.
SOUTH ASIA WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT NETWORK (SAWEN)
- Recently the fourth meeting of SAWEN (first in India) was held in Kolkata.
- SAWEN is an inter-governmental wildlife law enforcement support body of South Asian countries namely- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
- It aims at working as a strong regional intergovernmental body for combating wildlife crime by attempting common goals and approaches for combating illegal trade in the region.
- It was officially launched in January, 2011 in Paro, Bhutan. It operates its activities from the Secretariat based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The network is based on “ASEAN-WEN”
Eons
Eons are the largest intervals of geologic
time and are hundreds of millions of years in
duration. For e.g. Phanerozoic Eon is the
most recent eon and began more than 500
million years ago.
• Eons are divided into smaller time intervals
known as eras
• Eras are subdivided into periods.
o Each period corresponds to significant events such as the break-up of continents, shifts in climate, and the emergence of particular types of animals and plant life.
Periods are further subdivided into epochs
which are further divided into ages.
DEEP OCEAN MISSION
In a recently unveiled Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) blueprint, Centre has drawn up a five year, Rs. 8000 Crore plan on lines of ISRO in designing and launching satellite.
• Its focus will be on technologies for deep-sea mining, under water vehicles, under water robotics and ocean climate change advisory services, among others.
• Key deliverables to achieve these goals:
o Offshore tidal energy desalination plant that will work with tidal energy.
o Developing a submersible vehicle to explore depths of at least 6000 Meters with three people on board.
• It will promote exploration by India in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
It will also help India in exploration of site allotted to it in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) by the UN ISBA for exploitation of Poly-Metallic Nodules.
ENSEMBLE PREDICTION
SYSTEMS (EPS)
IMD recently launched the Ensemble Prediction
Systems (EPS) to provide probabilistic weather
forecasts upto next 10 days.
• It has been developed jointly by the IMD,
National Centre for Medium Range Weather
Forecasting (NCMRWF) and the Indian
Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
• Under this, the area of spatial resolution,
which is 23 km presently, will reduce to 12 km,
enabling the meteorological department to
give district-level warning.
• With this new model, India joins the US with a
model that predicts with a 12 km resolution.
Only the ‘European Center for Medium Range
Weather Forecast’ has a better 9km
resolution.
HINDU KUSH HIMALAYA
ASSESSMENT REPORT
released by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
- Eastern Himalaya glaciers have tended to shrink faster than glaciers in the central or western Himalaya.
- Karakoram Anomaly: In contrast to the Himalayan glaciers, on average, glacier areas in the Karakoram
have not changed significantly - Area loss also leads to glacier fragmentation; the number of glaciers in the Himalaya is reported to have
increased over the past five decades. - Glacier volumes are projected to decline
by up to 90% in response to decreased snowfall, increased snowline elevations, and longer melt seasons - Even if warming can be limited to the ambitious target of +1.5 °C (Paris Climate Deal), this will lead to a 2.1°C rise in the HKH region due to elevation-dependent warming.
Elevation-dependent warming (EDW)
• It is one of the expressions of global warming
wherein there is an enhancement of warming rates
with elevation.
• One of the possible reasons could be that
reductions in mountain snow cover exposes the
dark coloured earth beneath. This reduces the
surface albedo and increases the absorbed solar
radiation that can lead to elevation-dependent
amplification of warming via the snow albedo
feedback (SAF)
International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD)
It is a regional intergovernmental learning and
knowledge sharing centre based in Kathmandu,
Nepal
• It is serving the eight regional member countries
of the Hindu Kush Himalaya – Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar,
Nepal, and Pakistan.
• It aims to assist mountain people to understand
the influence climate change have on the stability
of fragile mountain ecosystems, adapt to them,
and make the most of new opportunities, while
addressing upstream-downstream issues.
TITLI CYCLONE
made landfall in Odisha
it is considered rarest of the rare cyclone because:
1. it made recurvature after landfall
2. recurvature away from the coastal areas
3. retained its destructive potential after landfall.
Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning
System for Africa and Asia (RIMES)
• It is an international organisation on disaster
warning, formed in the aftermath of 2004 Indian
Ocean Tsunami by the efforts of African and Asian
countries.
• It operates from the early warning centres located
at the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology
in Pathumthani, Thailand.
• It is registered with United Nations and is also
supported by UNESCAP and Danish International
Development Agency (DANIDA).
• Member Countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia,
Comoros, India, Lao PDR, Maldives, Mongolia,
Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri
Lanka and Timor-Leste.
