Oct-16Envi Flashcards
Oct-16Envi -Index
- New Urban Agenda - Habitat – III
- Kigali Agreement
- Antarctic Circumpolar Expedition
- NDMA’s Guidelines on Crowd Management, Safety Precautions
- WWF’s Living Planet Report 2016
- 5.1. Anthropocene Epoch – Human-influenced Age
- India Ratifies Paris Climate Deal At U.N.
- Neerdhur
- Internal Carbon Price
- India’s First ‘Green Corridor’
- Kashmir’s Red Stag
- World’s Largest Marine Park
- Seaweed Farming
- Report on Palaeo Channel of North West India
7.1. NEW URBAN AGENDA - HABITAT – III
Why in news?
The New Urban Agenda was officially adopted at the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (referred as “Habitat III”) held recently in Quito, Ecuador.
The UN’s Habitat conferences are held in a bi-decennial cycle, with previous editions being held in Vancouver (1976) and Istanbul (1996).
What is New Urban Agenda?
It is a set of 175 commitments that countries need to adhere to tackle the staggering challenges of urbanization.
It sets the global vision of sustainable urbanization for the next 20 years.
It is a roadmap for building cities that can serve as engines of prosperity and centres of cultural and social well-being while protecting the environment.
It also provides guidance for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and provides the underpinning for actions to address climate change.
Constituents of the New Urban Agenda
In the New Urban Agenda, leaders have committed to:
Provide basic services for all citizens: These services include: access to housing, safe drinking water and sanitation, nutritious food, healthcare and family planning, education, culture and access to communication technologies.
Ensure that all citizens have access to equal opportunities and face no discrimination: The New Urban Agenda calls on city authorities to take into account the needs of women, youth and children, people with disabilities, marginalized groups, older persons, indigenous people, among other groups.
Promote measures that support cleaner cities: In the Agenda, leaders have committed to increase their use of renewable energy, provide better and greener public transport, and sustainably manage their natural resources.
Strengthen resilience in cities to reduce the risk and the impact of disasters: Some of the measures include: better urban planning, quality infrastructure and improving local responses.
Take action to address climate change by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions: Leaders have committed to involve not just the local government but all actors of society to take climate action taking into account the Paris Agreement on climate change which seeks to limit the increase in global temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius.
Fully respect the rights of refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons regardless of their migration status: Leaders have recognized that migration poses challenges but it also brings significant contributions to urban life. Because of this, they have committed to establish measures that help migrants, refugees and IDPs make positive contributions to societies.
Improve connectivity and support innovative and green initiatives: This includes establishing partnerships with businesses and civil society to find sustainable solutions to urban challenges
Promote safe, accessible and green public spaces
Human interaction should be facilitated by urban planning, which is why the Agenda calls for an increase in public spaces such as sidewalks, cycling lanes, gardens, squares and parks.
Sustainable urban design plays a key role in ensuring the liveability and prosperity of a city.
Significance of New Urban Agenda
More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities. So it makes sense that the New Urban Agenda will significantly shape the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Sustainability is at the core of the “New Urban Agenda” with a substantial focus on various “transformative commitments for sustainable urban development”, linking it further with themes like social inclusion, urban prosperity and resilience.
It commits to a “vision of cities for all” where “all inhabitants” are able to “inhabit and produce just, safe, healthy, accessible, affordable, resilient, and sustainable cities and human settlements.”
Relevance for India
India was also one of the signatories. For India, the New Urban Agenda is significant because of the following reasons-
Though the pace of urbanization was slow until now, with only 31.16% of Indians living in cities, it is expected to accelerate.
It took 40 years for 230 million Indians to become urban citizens. For the next 250 million, it is expected to take only 20 years.
Presently, cities are anything but liveable, crumbling under congestion, pollution and lack of basic facilities for a huge segment of the population—65 million people—who live in slums.
The Agenda provides a vision wherein government initiatives like Smart Cities, AMRUT and ‘Housing For All’ can be seamlessly integrated.
Concerns
Since it is a non-binding document without concrete mechanisms for implementation, its ability to effect change is limited.
The agenda is built around a series of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11, which aims to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. However, the New Urban Agenda has been criticised for lacking direct links to the targets set out within Goal 11.
Under the umbrella of smart cities, using open data networks for better urban planning provided an optimistic, technology-based future for cities. However, questions about the security, ethics, and oversight of large-scale information gathering remain largely unanswered.
Way Forward
All countries will need to step up their commitments if the aspirations set out in Habitat III are to be achieved. Key concepts, such as integrated planning and models for local-national government cooperation, will need further work.
With the New Urban Agenda as a road map, it is hoped that we can rise to the challenge of creating more liveable, resilient and sustainable cities. Because without global urban transformation, we cannot achieve sustainable development as a whole.
As for India, UN Habitat plans to review country-level progress on its New Urban Agenda in Kuala Lumpur in 2018. India’s performance on improving the quality of life in its cities will be watched.
7.2. KIGALI AGREEMENT
Why in news?
197 countries have struck a new landmark deal at Kigali in Rwanda to reduce the emissions of category of greenhouse gases (GHGs) which leads to hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs)
Its reduction could prevent up to 0.5 degrees Celsius of global warming by year 2100.
Significance The Kigali Amendment amends the 1987 Montreal Protocol to now include gases responsible for global warming.
The Kigali Agreement or amended Montreal Protocol for HFCs reduction will be binding on countries from 2019.
It also has provisions for penalties for non-compliance.
It is considered absolutely vital for reaching the Paris Agreement
target of keeping global temperature rise to below 2-degree Celsius compared to pre-industrial times.
Under it, developed countries will also provide enhanced funding support estimated at billions of dollars globally. The exact amount of additional funding from developed countries will be agreed at the next Meeting of the Parties in Montreal in 2017.
Different timelines
All signatory countries have been divided into three groups with different timelines to go about reductions of HFCs. This agreement shows a new form of grouping:
First group: It includes richest countries like US and those in European Union (EU). They will freeze production and consumption of HFCs by 2018. They will reduce them to about 15% of 2012 levels by 2036.
Second group: It includes countries like China, Brazil and all of Africa etc. They will freeze HFC use by 2024 and cut it to 20% of 2021 levels by 2045.
Third group: It includes countries India, Pakistan, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia etc. They will be freezing HFC use by 2028 and reducing it to about 15% of 2025 levels by 2047.
Steps taken by India: Eliminating use of HFC-23
Earlier this week, India announced domestic action on HFC-23 (trifluoro-methane), a super greenhouse gas with a GWP of 14,800, which is produced as a byproduct of HCFC-22 (chloro-difluoro- methane). Currently, HCFC-22 is the most commonly used refrigerant in India.
India has mandated five manufacturers — who fully control the domestic market — to capture and incinerate HFC-23 so that it is not released into
the atmosphere. This action will eliminate release of HFC-23 equivalent to about 100 million tonne of Carbon dioxide emissions over the next 15 years.
It also directed the companies to create and maintain sufficient storage capacity to ensure that all HFC-23 is stored
Companies have been asked to internalize the cost of this environmental externality and create sufficient storage facility to take care of down time and run the incinerators to ensure that HFC-23 is not released in the
atmosphere.
Box–What is the Montreal Protocol on Substances?
The treaty was originally signed in 1987 and substantially amended in 1990 and 1992 is aimed at reducing the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances in order to protect the earth’s fragile ozone layer.
This agreement was one of the few success of multilateral negotiations.
—Fig—
7.3. ANTARCTIC CIRCUMPOLAR EXPEDITION
Why in news?
More than 50 researchers from 30 countries are to carry out the first scientific full circumnavigation of Antarctica in an attempt to measure pollution and climate change.
What is it?
ACE is the first project of the newly-created Swiss Polar Institute (SPI) to “enhance international relations and collaboration between countries, as well as to spark the interest of a new generation of young scientists in polar research.”
Significance
The Antarctic Circumpolar Expedition (ACE) will be the first scientific mission to study all the major islands in the Antarctic ocean, as well as the Antarctic land mass.
Antarctica acts as global thermometer for any ecological change.
A better understanding of Antarctica is critical, not just for its preservation, but for the whole planet
Global collaboration – More than 50 researchers from 30 countries have collaborated for the expedition.
Pollution and biodiversity: ACE will help to make strategies to reduce pollution in Antarctic region which is important for entire world.
Help to map the effect of pollutants on whales, penguins and albatrosses in the Southern Ocean. information on whales is important for the conservation and management of the Antarctic marine environment
Investigate the extent to which micro plastics have reached the Southern Ocean ecosystem and whether they have entered the food web.
Biodiversity: the rise in sea water will affect the aquatic habitants of the Antarctic sea and impact on beaches and places near the sea where humans live will be impacted too.
Climatology: Scientists will also take ice core samples and study biodiversity on the continent in an attempt to reveal conditions before the onset of the Industrial Revolution.
Our understanding of Monsoon, ENSO, Madden Julien oscillation etc will be enhanced
—Fig—
7.4. NDMA’S GUIDELINES ON CROWD MANAGEMENT, SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Why in news?
Recently NDMA has released crowd management guidelines to ‘Reduce risks this festive season’.
Necessity for guidelines An undercurrent of uncertainty prevails at huge gatherings. A crowd can become a stampede - a man-made disaster - in a moment and can result in casualties. A crowd can give in to baseless rumours or may just follow a herd-like mentality. Also the risk of fire is high especially during Ram leela celebrations of Dussehra. Once triggered, it is very difficult to contain this fluid mass of people. It is, therefore, important that the organisers of these pandals and Dussehra celebrations take simple precautions to ensure safety.
Guidelines
Free movement: The first step is to regulate traffic in areas surrounding the pandals and Dussehra grounds.
For pedestrians, route maps for reaching the venue and emergency exit route should be put up at strategic points.
Barricading to ensure the movement of people in a queue is key to control a burgeoning crowd.
Unauthorised parking and makeshift stalls eating into pedestrian space also need to be taken care of.
Monitoring: CCTV cameras to monitor movement and police presence to reduce the risk of snatching and other petty crimes should also be on the organisers’ agenda.
Medical emergencies can occur in claustrophobic spaces. An ambulance and health care professionals on stand-by can save lives in exigencies.
For participants:
Familiarising with exit routes, staying calm and following instructions will help prevent stampede-like situations.
In case a stampede breaks out, protect chest by placing your hands like a boxer and keep moving in the direction of the crowd.
Stay alert to open spaces and move sideways wherever the crowd gets thinner. Stay away from walls, barricades or bottlenecks such as doorways.
Stay on your feet and get up quickly if you fall. If you can’t get up, use your arms to cover your head and curl up like a foetus so that your exposure area is reduced.
Fire related: Unplanned and unauthorised electrical wiring at pandals, LPG cylinders at food stalls and crackers hidden in the Ravana effigies pose the danger of a fire breaking out.
Organisers should ensure authorised use of electricity, fire safety extinguishers and other arrangements meeting safety guidelines. A list of neighbourhood hospitals would come in handy
—Fig—
7.5. WWF’S LIVING PLANET REPORT 2016
Why in News?
Global population of mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles declined by 58 percent between 1970 and 2012, according to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) report.
Highlights
The report is compiled with data from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) to measure the abundance of biodiversity.
The index tracks about 14, 200 populations of 3700 species of vertebrates.
Biodiversity population is expected to fall 67 percent by 2020, if the current situation persists.
Rivers and lakes are the worst hit with animal population down by 81 percent since 1970.
The report points out we have ushered in the era of Anthropocene – a geological period dominated by humans.
The report warns that increased human pressure could trigger human-nature conflicts.
It can increase the risk of water and food insecurity and competition over natural resources.
Causes
The report states that food production to meet the complex demands of an expanding human population is the primary factor responsible for the destruction of habitats and overexploitation of wildlife. At present, agriculture occupies about one-third of the Earth’s total land area and accounts for almost 70 % of water use.
Forest areas are cleared up farming and logging. As of now, only 15 percent of the Earth’s land area is protected for nature.
Poaching and exploitation for food is another major factor, due to unsustainable fishing and hunting.
Pollution is another problem. Many sea animals are being harmed due to high levels of pollutants.
Pollutants also travel down the food cycle and harm other animals.
The Upside
Population of endangered species like tigers are known to be increasing. The Giant Panda has recently been removed from the list of endangered species.
The Paris Climate Treaty 2015 which has been ratified by most nations also holds hope of bringing positive climate change.
Additionally, the UN sustainable development goals for 2030 will help proper implementation of sustainable development policies.
7.5.1. ANTHROPOCENE EPOCH – HUMAN-INFLUENCED AGE
Why in news?
An expert group at the World Geological Congress in Cape Town recommended that the new Anthropocene epoch, start from the mid-20th century, be officially declared. The approval process is likely to take at least two years and requires ratification by three other academic bodies.
What is Anthropocene?
The Anthropocene, coined in 2000 by the Nobel prize-winning scientist Paul Crutzen, is a proposed epoch that begins when human activities started to have a significant global impact on Earth’s geology and ecosystems.
Neither the International Commission on Stratigraphy nor the International Union of Geological Sciences has yet officially approved the term as a recognized subdivision of geological time
An epoch is a subdivision of the geologic timescale that is longer than an age and shorter than a period.
Epochs are most commonly used for the younger Cenozoic Era, where a greater collection of fossils has been found and paleontologists have more detailed knowledge of the events that occurred during those times.
We are currently living in the Holocene Epoch of the Quaternary Period
The Holocene epoch began 12,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. All human civilisations have developed during this climatically and geologically stable period.
Evidences of the Anthropocene
Since the 1950s, human beings have begun to alter the earth’s surface and atmosphere in unalterable ways. Human activity has:
Pushed extinction rates: The Earth is on course to see 75% of species become extinct in the next few centuries if current trends continue.
Doubled the nitrogen and phosphorous in our soils in the past century with fertiliser use. This is likely to be the largest impact on the nitrogen cycle in 2.5bn years.
Left a permanent layer of airborne particulates in sediment and glacial ice such as black carbon from fossil fuel burning.
Need for recognition
It sends out the statement that humans have fundamentally changed the planet to the point it will preserve sediments for millions of years to come that record a world that is now fundamentally different to the one that preceded it.
For the first time since the dawn of Darwinian theory — which showed human beings as just another character on the evolutionary stage — the world, literally, is of our own making.
The significant geological changes, which usually take thousands of years, have occurred in less than a century and the long-term impact of an inhospitable
planet may well be something we deal with sooner than expected.
Concerns in declaring Anthropocene as a separate epoch
The Anthropocene is in many ways different to traditional geological units and so is harder to define using traditional techniques.
Many would argue that it is too short a timescale and there is need to wait and make judgment once the planet has gone through this pulse of rapid change and has stabilised into a new state.
Way forward
The Anthropocene marks a new period in which human’s collective activities dominate the planetary machinery. This name change stresses the enormity of humanity’s responsibility as stewards of the Earth.
The hope now is that mankind and its leaders can collectively and consciously take their new responsibility seriously.
—Fig—
7.6. INDIA RATIFIES PARIS CLIMATE DEAL AT U.N.
Key facts India is the 62nd country to ratify the agreement and accounts for 4.1 per cent of the emissions. Ratified on 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, also observed as the International Day of Nonviolence by UN. The Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016, thirty days after the date on which at least 55 Parties to the Convention accounting in total for at least an estimated 55 % of the total global greenhouse gas emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary.
Box–A UN postal administration stamp to honour singer M.S. Subbulakshmi was also released during the function at UN headquarters.
7.7. NEERDHUR
Why in news? Recently National Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) and CSIR has developed ‘Neerdhur’, a novel multi-fuel domestic cooking stove.
Benefits Apart from wood, other fuel like coal, cow dung and agricultural residue can also be used in it. Saves 50% fuel and has high thermal efficiency. Wood usage is halved and helps save the pressure on environment Neerdhur has been approved and certified by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and meets the emission parameters of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Will help in improvement of women’s health in rural areas.
7.8. INTERNAL CARBON PRICE
Why in news
Mahindra & Mahindra became first Indian firm to announce an internal Carbon Price of $10 per ton of carbon emitted.
What is internal carbon price?
It is an internationally recognised business tool that enables companies to create resources which are invested in low carbon technologies, which help reduce future emissions and lower operating costs.
Significance
Help accelerate innovation and drive our investments in
energy efficient and renewable technologies.
Taking advantage of low-carbon investment opportunities while managing carbon risk.
Some of the global companies that have announced carbon pricing areUnilever, Microsoft, Google.
Mahindra partnered with the World Bank and IFC led Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition along with the World Resources Institute, India to enhance its understanding of the Carbon price mechanism.
Box–A carbon price is a cost applied to carbon pollution to encourage polluters to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas they emit into the atmosphere.
There are two main types of carbon pricing:
emissions trading systems (ETS)
carbon taxes.
An ETS – sometimes referred to as a cap-and-trade system – caps the total level of greenhouse gas emissions and allows those industries with low emissions to sell their extra allowances to larger emitters. A carbon tax directly sets a price on carbon by defining a tax rate on greenhouse gas emissions or – more commo
7.9. INDIA’S FIRST ‘GREEN CORRIDOR’
Why in news?
The 114-km-long Manamadurai– Rameswaram stretch of Southern Railway became India’s first ‘Green corridor’.
All the trains in this route will have bio-toilets and there would be zero discharge of human waste on tracks in the section.
Rameswaram railway station had already been developed as a ‘Green Station’ to handle the bio-toilets in the coaches.
About Bio toilets
Indian Railway had developed the environment friendly ‘IR-DRDO Bio-toilets’, in association with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Indian railways aims to install human waste discharge free bio-toilets in all its coaches and the same would be completed by September 2019.
It will help in proving cleanliness and hygiene besides preventing corrosion of the tracks.
It is part of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
—Fig—
7.10. KASHMIR’S RED STAG
Why in news
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) all set
to declare Kashmiri Red Stag or Hangul as a ‘critically
endangered’ species.
Earlier it was considered as a subspecies of red deer. Hence,
IUCN categorized it as ‘Least Concern’ by clubbing with European and other ‘red deer’ species of the world.
Benefit after reclassification
At the local scale, this would certainly attract the immediate attention of biologists, park managers and policy makers to invest more efforts, time and funds to safeguard the dwindling population of Hangul in India which has regional and international value.
About Hangul Kashmiri Red Stag or Hangul is known for its giant antlers bearing 11 to 16 points. Only one viable population left today in the wild is largely confined to the Greater Dachigam Landscape (1,000 sq.km.), encompassing the Dachigam National Park (NP) and adjoining protected areas.
It is one of three critically endangered species in Jammu and Kashmir. The other two are markhor, the Tibetan antelope or ‘chiru’. It was designated as State Animal of Jammu & Kashmir in 1980’s. It is listed under Schedule-I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and J&K Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1978 and has also been listed among the top 15 species of high conservation priority by the Government of India.
Box–Reason for decline Hangul has been hunted over centuries, Fragmentation of forested habitat, Land encroachment for grazing.
7.11. WORLD’S LARGEST MARINE PARK
Why in news
EU and 24 countries sign long-awaited landmark deal
agreement to protect 1.1m sq km of water in Southern
Ocean.
Key facts
It will be world’s largest marine park covering more than
1.5m sq km of the Ross Sea around Antarctica.
It will be set aside as a no-take “general protection zone”, where no fishing will be allowed.
The protections are set to expire in 35 years.
The agreement was signed at meeting of Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).
The agreement was facing opposition from China and Russia, which have fishing industries in the region.
It is the first marine park created in international waters.
Significance It will set a precedent for further moves to help the world achieve the IUCN’s recommendation that 30% of the world’s oceans be protected. This is important not just for the incredible diversity of life that it will protect, but also for the contribution it makes to building the resilience of the world’s ocean in the face of climate change.
About Ross Sea: It is sometimes called the “Last Ocean” because it is largely untouched by humans and hence the least altered marine ecosystem on Earth
Its nutrient-rich waters are the most productive in the Antarctic, leading to huge plankton and krill blooms that support vast numbers of fish, seals, penguins, and whales.
Home to high concentrations of wildlife and an incredible array of animals, many found nowhere else on the planet.
Ross Sea is a living laboratory providing scientists with the last chance to understand how a healthy marine ecosystem functions.
Box–Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR): It was established by international convention in 1982 with the objective of conserving Antarctic marine life.
It has 25 Members, and a further 11 countries have acceded to the Convention.
India is also a member of this commission. It is headquartered in Tasmania, Australia.
—Fig—
7.12. SEAWEED FARMING
Why in news?
Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has transferred seaweed cultivation technology to the Andaman administration.
About seaweed
It gained prominence during 13th century, after the discovery of agar-agar in Japan and Alginic Acid in European
continent.
It is considered as the medicinal food of the 21st century
Many seaweeds are rich in vitamins and minerals and are eaten in various parts of the world.
China produces over half of the world’s seaweed harvest and Indonesia 27% of world production.
Most of that seaweed ends up in our food, though there is a growing market in seaweed-based cosmetics and drugs.
Benefits It is widely perceived as one of the most environmentally benign types of aquaculture activity, as it does not require additional feed or fertilisers. Seaweed cultivation also filters undesired nutrients and improves the marine environment and reduce eutrophication. Indirectly, seaweed farming has reduced over-fishing in many regions, providing coastal communities with an alternative livelihood. It has been actively promoted by government in many developing countries where communities have reduced access to alternative livelihoods or are involved in destructive fishing methods like dynamite fishing. In some places, women have become economically active for the first time. Seaweed is also used in landscaping or to combat beach erosion.
Box–Seaweed culture in India In India the Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kutch, Calh Bay, Hanshadweep and Bay islands are the important areas for seaweed culture. Research programmes on seaweed resources and their culture were taken up by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute.
7.13. REPORT ON PALAEO CHANNEL OF NORTH WEST INDIA
Recently Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation released a Report on Palaeo Channel of North West India: Review & Assessment by Expert Committee headed by Prof. K.S. Valdiya, eminent Geologist.
The committee studied piles of sediments, their shapes and features which appeared to have been brought
by a “big river” and are reminiscent to ones found in present-day Ghaggar, Ganga and Yamuna.
The report is an assertion of the assumption that River Saraswati originated from Adibadri in Himalaya to culminate in the Arabian Sea through the Runn of Kutch.
It is based on the study of the land texture of states of North-West India And has also taken account of the geological changes that had
occurred in the past
The river had two branches:
Western branch - present-day Ghaggar-Patialiwali rivulets Eastern branch - Markanda and Sarsuti (also known as Tons-Yamuna )
The confluence of the branches was near Shatrana, 25 km south of Patiala.
Box–Paleo-channels are deposits of unconsolidated sediments or semi-consolidated sedimentary rocks deposited in ancient, currently inactive river and stream channel systems.
