According to the analysis figures of WRI,

Top 10 emitters are: China (25.26%), US (14.4%), European Union (10.16%), India (6.69%),
Russia (5.36%), Japan (3.11%), Brazil (2.34%), Indonesia (1.76%), Mexico (1.67%) and Iran
(1.65%).
Terms
Hydrothermal vent systems: It is a fissure releasing geothermally heated water which comes out
on planets surface. Commonly found in active volcanic places.
Chemosynthetic bacteria: They obtain energy from exothermic oxidation of inorganic or simple
organic compounds in absence of light. This energy is utilized for metabolic processes
Top five states in India are (in terms of solar power installed capacity) Rajasthan: 1147 MW.
Gujarat: 1000 MW. Madhya Pradesh:58 MW. Maharashtra: 7 MW. Andhra Pradesh:4 MW.
Maharashtra has officially declared Blue Mormon species as State butterfly as part of state
symbols. Decision in this regard was taken in State Wildlife Board meeting presided by Chief
Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai. With this, Maharashtra became the first State in the
country to have a State butterfly. About Blue Mormon Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor) is the
second largest butterfly species in terms of size, after the southern birdwing (Troides minos).
Description: Blue Mormon has black, velvet wings with bright blue spots. The lower ends of its
wings are black. Its body has some red spots on one side. Distribution: It is only found in
(endemic to) Sri Lanka, Western Ghats of Maharashtra, South India and coastal belts of the
country. In case of Maharashtra, it can be occasionally spotted in its mainland parts of Vidarbha
and Western Maharashtra. It should be noted that Maharashtra is home to nearly 225 varieties of
butterflies and home to about 15 per cent of their population in the country. Other state symbols
of Maharashtra are State Animal: Indian giant squirrel (in Marathi- Shekru; ). State Bird:
Yellow-footed green pigeon (in Marathi- Hariyal). State Flower: Lagerstroemia (in MarathiJarul). State Tree: Mango.
Kerala Government has declared June 22 as Snake Bird Day in a bid to protect the endangered
species which is also known as Indian darter. The formal announcement was made by State
minister for forest Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan at a function organised by Snake Bird
Foundation in Thiruvananthapuram. About Snake Bird It is water bird which is also known as
Indian darter (Anhinga melanogaster). It has slender long-neck which is mostly black in colour
with silver wing markings. Conservation Status: As per IUCN Red List of Threatened Species,
Snake Bird is classified as Near Threatened species. Threat: Its population is moderately
declining owing anthropogenic reasons like pollution, drainage, hunting and the collection of
eggs and nestlings. Found in: Tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. It inhabits in shallow
inland wetlands including rivers, lakes, swamps and reservoirs. In case of India there are over
1500 snake birds in which majority are found in Kerala. These species usually nests atop tall
trees near wetlands. They are largely found in Kottayam, Alappuzha, Wayanad Idukki and

Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala

Manipur State Forest Department has decided to translocate a section of critically endangered
species of Brow Antlered (Sangai) deer with an aim to save it from extinction. The deer is
endemic to Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) will be translocated to Pumlen Pat which is
close existing habitat to Loktak. Pumlen Pat was chosen for translocation as it is also a floating
biomass (phumdi) and comprises of small hillocks which will provide natural habitat for this
deer species. About Sangai deer Sangai Deer (Rucervus eldii) also called the Dancing Deer is the
state animal of Manipur. Once it was found across the Manipur Valley in abundant now only its
remaining natural habitat is found in Keibul Lamjao National Park. It is listed as an endangered
species by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Conservation efforts have
helped in reviving the population of the deer to 204 in 2013 from less than 100 in 2008. About
Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) KLNP is a floating biomass in Manipurs Loktak Lake. It
is only floating national park in the world. It is known around the world for its unique
composition which is made up of biomass vegetation (locally called phumdis) that floats on the
surface of the lake. The park which was initially declared as a Sanctuary in 1966 and later in
1977 it was declared as National Park through a gazette notification.
About International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) IRENA is an intergovernmental
organization to promote adoption and sustainable use of renewable energy. It is a global hub for
renewable energy cooperation and information exchange within its member nations. Founded: in
2009 and its statute entered into force on 8 July 2010. Headquarters: Abu Dhabi. Two governing
structure: IRENA Assembly which takes decisions at macro level and gives policy guidance.
IRENA Council is main governing body and is responsible for implementing various decisions
of assembly. Members: In total it has 140 Members. India is one of the 33 Permanent and
founder members of IRENA.
Yellow-Breasted Buntings on the verge of extinction: Study
Union Government launches Jal Kranti Abhiyan
Union Government launched nationwide Jal Kranti Abhiyan. It was launched by Union Minister
of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejunivetion Uma Bharti in Jaipur,
Rajasthan. Jal Kranti Abhiyan aims at turning one water scared village in each district of the
country into water surplus village water through a holistic and integrated approach by adopting
conservation and management techniques. Under the nationwide campaign a village with acute
water scarcity on a pilot project will be selected as Jal Gram. In this identified village a
comprehensive integrated development plan will be framed and several water conservation
activities will be launched. Activities proposed under the campaign include rain water harvesting,
recycling of waste water, micro irrigation for using water efficiently and mass awareness
program. Along with it, a cadre of local water professional Jal Mitra will be created and they will

be given training to create mass awareness. As pilot project, activities under this nation campaign
will be run in one water stressed village in each 672 districts in the country.
Every year World Environment Day (WED) is observed on 05 June to raise global awareness to
take positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth. The theme for year
2015 is Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care. The theme highlights the need to
respect the carrying capacity of the planet earth and to manage natural resources efficiently to
ensure prosperity and wellbeing globally. Observing this day is global initiative of United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The host country for the WED 2015 is Italy. To mark
this day Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a tree plantation campaign across India by
planting Kadamb sapling at the lawns of his Race Course Road residence. About World
Environment Day (WED) WED was established by the United Nations General Assembly in
1972 to mark the opening of United Nations Conference on the Human Environment 1972 which
began in Stockholm. The first World Environment Day was observed in 1973 and since then it is
being held every year with a different themes.
About Sloth bears Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bears
found in India. Categorised as vulnerable species in International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) Red list. It is black and dark brown in colour with yellowish patch on the chest
and has large feet and claw. Sloth bear is omnivorous animal and mainly eat honey, termites,
fruits (mangoes and figs) and grass.
cryostat- 2 satellite launched by European space to study remote sensing of ice
India has ranked 24th out of 70 countries in the first Environmental Democracy Index (EDI). The
index was recently released by Washington-based World Resources Institute (WRI) and Access
Initiative. In the first edition of this index, Lithuania has topped among the 70 countries. Top ten
countries are: Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, United States, South Africa, United Kingdom, Hungary,
Bulgaria, Panama and Colombia. Key facts from EDI report Right to environmental information
has been established in the 93 per cent of the assessed countries. However, many nations lag on
providing citizens basic environmental information i.e. around 79 per cent of assessed countries
have earned only fair or poor ratings for public participation. Nearly half or around 46 per cent of
assessed countries do not provide any ambient air quality data online for their capital cities. In 73
per cent of the countries, courts or their judiciary hear environmental cases. Only 14 per cent of
the countries assessed have legal mechanisms that help women to access courts in order to obtain
redress when their environmental rights are violated. About Environmental Democracy Index
(EDI) EDI evaluates progress of countries in enacting laws in order to promote citizen
engagement and accountability, transparency in environmental decision-making. The index
evaluates countries based on recognised international standards including 75 legal and 24
practice indicators.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its recent report titled Act Local, Solve Global: The $5.3
Trillion Energy Subsidy Problem has voiced alarm about energy subsidies across the world. The
report has clearly mentioned that theenergy subsidies across the world are expected to reach 5.3
trillion dollars in 2015, more than government health spending.
Key facts about Indian Bumblebees Bumblebees are social insects and live in colonies and the
size of it depends on the species. They are similar to the honeybees. Mostly characterised by
yellow, black and reddish body hair and are often striped. Generally found on altitudes of 2,00015,000 feet along the entire Himalayas from Jammu & Kashmir to Nagaland.
Rajasthan Forest department has allotted more than twelve crore rupees for a bird conservation
programme, Project Great Indian Bustard (GIB). For this project Japan Bank is going to provide
financial support of three crore rupees. Under the GIB Project, closures will be made at many
places in Khudi rasla, Pokhran and Shahgarh of Jaislmer district for safe habitat of bird. In order
to regularly monitor the bird information chips will installed. The Great Indian Bustard locally
called as Godawan is also the state bird of Rajasthan. Status of the Great Indian Bustard The
Great Indian Bustard presently is confined to only eight pockets in 6 Indian states- Rajasthan,
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The largest population is
found in Jaisalmer, Barmer, and Bikaner districts of Rajasthan Great Indian Bustard is the State
Bird of Rajasthan and locally is called as Godawan. It is listed as critically endangered species
by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red data list.
Two Indians, Dr. Pramod Patil and Dr Ananda Kumar have been awarded with the prestigious
2015 Whitley Awards for their contribution to wildlife conservation in developing countries.
Both of them received a Whitley prize worth 35000 pound along with seven other
environmentalists at a ceremony in Royal Geographical Society, London. Dr. Pramod Patil was
awarded for his work to protect the iconic great Indian bustard (GIB) in the Thar Desert. While,
Dr Ananda Kumar received this award for developing innovative communication systems
namely Elephant Information Network (EIN) has enabled human-elephant coexistence in
southern India. About Whitley Award The Whitley Award was established in 1994 by Edward
Whitley and given by the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN). Every year, the award recognises and
celebrates effective national and regional conservation leaders across the globe. The award is
also dubbed as Green Oscar
India and Bangladesh have decided to take concerted conservation efforts to protect the rare
spectacled Langur. These conservation efforts will be taken to protect this species of Langur
found in Patharia Hills Reserve Forest on either side of the fenced border along both nations in
Karimganj district of Assams Barak Valley. Decision in this regard was taken into effect at the
meeting of higher officials of both countries. The primary focus of this conservation effort is to
preserve the habitat for the survival of the primates in the Patharia Hills Reserve Forest that is
posing a major threat to the wildlife present in the forest. It also seeks to spread awareness

campaigns which will be conducted in the fringe villages to urge people not to destroy the forests
for firewood. Spectacled Monkey is popularly known as the Chasme vala bandar. They have
white spectacle like patches around the eyes. The Patheria Hills reserve Forest is spread over an
area of around seven thousand hectares on the Indian side and consists of two blocks Patheria A
and B. It is only the forest in Assam, where the Spectacled Monkey is found while Mizoram
and Tripura are the other two states in the country where it inhabits. Apart from spectacled
Langur, the reserve forest is also home to the endangered Hoolock Gibbon and Golden Langur.
Earth day is being observed on the 22nd April every year. This day seeks to build support for
environmental protection around the world. This years theme for the day is Its Our Turn to
Lead and is 45th anniversary of Earth Day. On this day more than one billion people participate
in Earth Day campaigns every year from all around the globe of all nationalities, faiths and
backgrounds. Background The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970. Since then it is being
observed in more than 192 countries. The concept of observing Earth Day was formally proposed
by John McConnell at a UNESCO conference on Environment in 1969 as a global holiday. Later
in 1971, a proclamation was signed to observe international Earth Day annually on the Vernal
Equinox by UN Secretary-General U Thant.
India is going to chair the ninth International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) council
meeting to be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 9th IRENA council is
scheduled to start from 10 June 2015 and will be a two day event. In this meeting 21 member
nations of IRENA council are going to take part. They will guide the agencys future
programmes and activities. About International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) IRENA is
an intergovernmental organization to promote adoption and sustainable use of renewable energy.
It is the global hub for renewable energy cooperation and information exchange within its
member nations. Founded: in 2009 and its statute entered into force on 8 July 2010.
Headquarters: Abu Dhabi. Two governing structure: IRENA Assembly which takes decisions at
macro level and gives policy guidance. IRENA Council is main governing body and is
responsible for implementing various decisions of assembly. Members: In total it has 140
Members. India is one of the 33 Permanent and founder members of IRENA.
Ninth edition of Earth Hour was observed on 28 March 2015 across the World. Earth Hour 2015
encouraged people to explore and adopt a cleaner and more sustainable lifestyle by embracing
renewable energy solutions. In this edition of Earth Hour, millions of people around the world
took part in the event for the global climate change awareness campaign. Over 170 countries
participated in the event and more than 1,200 landmarks along with 40 UNESCO world heritage
sites observed the Earth Hour. Pariss iconic Eiffel Tower, Berlins Brandenburg Gate and Hong
Kongs famed skyline also participated in the Earth Hour by switching off their lights. The Eiffel
Tower turned off lights for only five minutes due to security reasons. About Earth Hour It is an
annual global event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The initiative began
in 2007 in Sydney, Australia and later became global event. Earth Hours goal is to raise

awareness for sustainable energy use and create a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle.
This day encourages citizens, communities, businesses and organisations to switch the lights off
from 8:30 pm local time for an hour to highlight the plight of the planet.
Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEFCC) has given coastal
regulatory zone (CRZ) nod to the 6,000-MW Mithivirdi Nuclear Power Plant of Nuclear Power
Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat.
About Stockholm Water Prize Established- 1991. The prize is founded and financed by
Stockholm Water Foundation and administered by the Stockholm International Water Institute
(SIWI) It recognizes persons for their outstanding achievements in conservation and protection
of the worlds water resources and presented annually. The award carries US 150,000 dollars and
a specially designed sculpture. Rajendra Singh is fourth Indian to win the prestigious global
award. Others are 1993- Madhav Chitale. 2005- Sunita Narain. 2009- Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak.
The mass nesting of Olive Ridley sea turtles, an endangered species has begun at mouth of river
Rushikulya in Ganjam district of Odisha. Over 10,000 female turtles have laid eggs on the first
day, in the 3-km-long sandy beach from Gokharakuda to Podampeta. Along with nesting sites at
river Rushikulya mouth and Gahiramatha, the mouth of Devi River in Odisha is also famous for
mass nesting. The mass nesting season of Olive Ridley sea turtles is a unique phenomenon and
each female turtle lays around 100-150 eggs. These eggs hatch after 45 to 50 days of the nesting.
However, the mother turtles do not wait till hatching and baby turtles are left alone for their
survival. For the mass nesting, around 175 persons, including forest personnel, wildlife activists
and nearby local villagers are engaged in protection of the Olive Ridley turtles and the eggs
round the clock. About Olive Ridley Turtles Scientific name: Lepidochelys olivacea. They are
also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle. Olive Ridley Turtles are generally found in warm and
tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are listed as vulnerable species
in IUCN Red Data Book because of their few remaining nesting sites in the world.
Renowned ornithologist and environmentalist K.S. Lavkumar Khachar passed away in Rajkot,
Gujarat. He was 84. As environmentalist he had a long association with the environmental
conservation intuitions like Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and World Wide Fund for
Nature (WWF) India. About K.S. Lavkumar Khachar Khachar was educated at Rajkumar
College in Rajkot and belonged to the erstwhile princely family of Jasdan from Gujarat. He was
among the pioneers of nature conservation in India and had worked to spread awareness about
ornithology, nature and wildlife conservation in the country. He had organized and led several
environmental education activities in Gujarat especially conservation work in the Gulf of Kutch
islands and Gir forest, famous for Asiatic Lions. In 1984, he had served as director of the Nature
Discovery Centre of the Centre for Environment Education (CEE). Book- In 1981, he had
authored and produced book Sixty Indian Birds along with RS Dharmakumarsinhji. Awards- For
his pioneering work in ornithology and on the Nanda Devi National Park, he has been conferred

with prestigious Salim Ali-Loke Wan Tho Lifetime Award for Excellence in Ornithology. In
2004, he was also awarded the Venu Menon Lifetime Achievement Award.
3rd Tortoise Festival was organised on the banks of Hajong Lake in Dima Hasao district of
Assam by Dima Hasao Environment and Forest Department. This festival aims to create
awareness among the villagers surrounding villages of Hajong Lake about the safety of the
endangered tortoise species available in the area. Key facts Hajong Lake is popularly known as
the tortoise lake, is a natural habitat of the few unique tortoise i.e. hill terrapins. It is situated 80
kilometres north of Haflong in the remote Dima Hasao district. Hajong Lake is the only natural
tortoise habitat in Assam, where some endangered species of tide-water tortoise of north-east
India are still living. It is facing a hostile condition due to ever-growing human intervention in
their habitats and at present, there are around 400 to 500 tortoises dwelling in this Lake.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched nationwide Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme in
Suratgarh town of Sriganganagar district, Rajasthan. During the launch PM gave slogan- Swasth
Dharaa. Khet Haraa (Healthy Earth, Green Farm). Key facts of Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme
SHC is centrally-sponsored nationwide scheme which aims to help farmers to improve the
productivity of farms by providing them basic information for use of nutrients or fertilizers. The
card carries crop-wise recommendation of fertilisers that are required for farm lands. It also helps
farmers identify health of soil and judiciously use soil nutrients. Under this scheme Centre plans
to target over 14 crore farmers in the next three years. In financial year 2014-15, around 3 crore
farmers will be covered to check the excess use of fertilisers. Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme
was announced by NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in its first budget
presented in July 2014. In the budget, government had allotted Rs. 100 crore for issuing cards
under the scheme. Government also had allotted additional Rs. 56 crore to set up 100 mobile soil
testing laboratories across India.
Kerala-based business conglomerate Muthoot Group has launched the Friends for Life project in
partnership with World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature-India. This project aims at effective
management of human-elephant conflict (HEC) to protect the habitats of Asian elephants in six
states as 4 priority landscapes and 1 priority site earmarked by WWF-India. Priority landscapes
include North Bank landscape in Arunachal Pradesh, Kaziranga and Karbi-Anglong in Assam,
Terai Arc landscape in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Western Ghats landscape in Tamil
Nadu and Kerala and also some parts of northern West Bengal. This project was launched in
Kochi as part of the Muthoots Haathi Mera Saathi Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
initiative.
India signed a loan grant agreement worth US $8 million with World Bank for Sustainable
Livelihoods and Adaption to Climate change (SLACC) Project. The agreement was signed by
Joint Secretary in Union Ministry of Finance Tarun Bajaj and World Banks India Country
Director Onno Ruhl. About Sustainable Livelihoods and Adaption to Climate change (SLACC)

Project SLACC Project aims at improving the adaptive capacity of the rural poor particularly
women farmers engaged in farm-based livelihoods to cope with climate change and scale up the
demonstrated best practices. SLACC project will be implemented in collaboration with
government programs such as Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) and Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). While, National Rural
Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) is the implementing agency of SLACC. It will focus to provide
assistance in Climatic hazards that affect the availability of natural resources, which adversely
affect the livelihoods of the poor by impacting production, affecting incomes and preventing
building up of assets.
A symposium, Towards Zero Poaching in Asia concluded in Kathmandu, Nepal on 6th February
2015. Symposium: Towards Zero Poaching in Asia This five-day anti-poaching symposium
started on 2 February 2015, was hosted by the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation of
Nepal. It was co-hosted by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Global Tiger Forum (GTF),
National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) and South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network
(SAWEN) This event had brought together global anti-poaching experts and delegates from
countries like Bangaladesh, Bhutan, China, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia,
Thailand and Vietnam. In this event, experts shared best anti-poaching practices, tools and
technologies with the aim of launching a coordinated Asia-wide push to stop poaching. Among
the Tiger Range Countries that participated in this Zero Poaching in Asia symposium, Nepal is
the only country to achieve zero poaching. Nepals achievement of Zero-poaching Nepal had
celebrated two zero poaching years i.e. in 2011 and 2014. In both years no single critically
endangered rhino was killed and for past three years not a single tiger was killed. Nepal was able
to achieve remarkable success in wildlife conservation mainly due to its three C policies,
commitment, collaboration and coordination of conservation efforts undertaken by local
communities and the security forces. Nepals wildlife Nepal, which shares the Terai Arc
landscape with India, has rich bio-diversity and rare flora and fauna. It is home to endangered
animals like tigers, rhinos, elephants and gangetic dolphins. It has 10 national parks, three
wildlife reserves and six conservation areas that cover more than 13,000 square miles in total. As
per the previous animal census there are 534 endangered rhinos and 198 tigers in Nepal.
Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) is Nepals nodal agency to
monitor its rich biodiversity.
Recently, two beneficial algal species Ulva paschima Bast and Cladophora goensis Bast were
discovered off the west coast of India. They were discovered by Dr. Felix Bast and two research
students working with him. These findings were published in the journals PLOS One and Indian
Journal of Marine Sciences. Key Characteristics of discovered algal species Carbon capture
properties- These species have excellent carbon capture properties i.e. ability to absorb carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere. So it can be used as bio-fuels and help reduce global warming.
Endemic- Both of them are endemic species to the western coast of India. So, their cultivation is
not going to cause any environmental harm and reduces the risk of bio invasion in this region.

Bloom forming- Both species being bloom forming they have spontaneous growth. So there is no
need for any expensive cultivation systems such as photobioreactors or extensive use of
fertilizers/pesticides. They can grow sporadically at shorelines and can sequester CO. Medicinal
values- Both species have similar characteristic like other algal species which have KahalalideF , used in in clinical trials against prostate and breast cancers. So they can be used in
Pharmaceutical products. It should be noted that, this discovery was the first molecular study on
Indian algae, and first algal species discoveed in past 40 years.
Every year World wetland day (WWD) is observed on 2 February. The theme for the world
wetland day 2015 is Wetlands for our future. Significance of Day This day marks the date of the
adoption of the Convention on Wetlands also called as Ramsar Convention on 2 February 1971
in the Iranian city of Ramsar. Each year on this day government agencies, non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), and groups of citizens at all levels of the community raise public
awareness of wetland values and their benefits. They also spread awareness about Ramsar
Convention in particular. Background For first time, WWD was celebrated in year 1997 and
since then it is observed every year. The theme for the world wetland day 2014 was Wetlands and
Agriculture. Some facts Currently there are 2,186 wetlands of international importance sites
under the Ramsar Convention known as Ramsar Sites covering around 208,449,277 hectares
km. The maximum Ramsar sites are located in UK i.e. 168. The largest area covered by the
Ramsar sites is in Canada. The number of parties to the Ramsar Convention is 168. Ramsar Sites
in India are 26 (as of September 2012).
Wildlife SOS in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh (UP) Forest Department and Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI) is launching Jackal Research & Translocation Project in UP. Under this
project, study and translocation of 30-35 wild jackals from Akbars Tomb in Sikandra, Agra to
safe natural habitat will be undertaken. Jackal Translocation Project It seeks to protect Blackbuck
(Antilope cervicapra) population in Akbars tomb as well as jackals. Recent surveys have shown
that jackal population has increased inside the Akbars tomb premises. It had resulted in decrease
in population of Blackbucks as jackals were preying on the young fawn of the black bucks. This
project will help to reduce unnatural proximity between these two species by translocating jackal
to other safe natural habitat and save almost 100 blackbucks.
Indias 1st solar fenced elephant sanctuary will come up near Bengaluru, Karnataka. It was
announced by an international animal rights and conservation group People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA). In this regard, PETA and the Bannerghatta Biological Park,
Karnataka have joined hands. Key facts about solar fenced elephant sanctuary Its main objective
is to allow elephants in this park to move around freely within the secure area to curb mananimal conflicts in this area. It will cover 49.5 hectare area within the Biological Park which is
an extension of the Bannerghatta National Park. Designed by the PETA consultant and elephant
expert Carol Buckley and basically includes solar electric fence and a state-of-the-art emergency
corral made of steel pipes. Local caregivers will be also trained on the principles of protected

contact. It will allow safe interaction between human beings and elephants by keeping them
separated by a barrier. It will also replace age-old routine of physical punishment techniques to
manage the elephants, by positive reinforcement techniques.
Periyar Tiger Reserve located in Kerala has won the National Tiger Conservation Authority
(NTCA) biennial award for encouraging local public participation in managing the reserve.
Public participation in managing the Periyar Tiger Reserve India Eco-Development project
(IEDP): Peoples participation started in the reserve in December 1996 by establishing India
Eco-Development project (IEDP). It was a community-based eco-tourism initiative, which
promoted tourism activities which helped visitors. It also promoted pepper growing in this region
and marketing it. Periyar Foundation: Later in 2006, reserve set up the Periyar Foundation which
was a model for other reserves in biodiversity conservation and community participation in
managing natural resources. It involved 75 communities living around the reserve, including
tribal people. There are around 19 different eco-tourism programmes apart from village ecodevelopment programmes for public participation in managing the reserve.
The World Future Energy Summit 2015 has begun in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
It is eight edition of the summit and will be four day event. It will provide platform to delegates
including world leaders, international policy makers, industry leaders, investors, experts,
academia, intellectuals and journalists from all over the world including India. Delegates will
discuss the future of renewable energy and how to overcome the challenges in tapping potential
of it. Key highlights of World Future Energy Summit It will provide a platform for commercial
solutions to clean and green energy. It will include exhibition of first-of-its-kind, fully integrated
hybrid product that captures both solar and wind energy to provide more consistent power
generation. Summit will also display a mobile solar power plant on a trailer with a 4.8 kWp
capacity and battery storage of up to 20 kWh and a new turbine that converts energy from sea
waves. It will also display parabolic sun-dish concentrators combined with a specialized steam
generator suitable for enhanced oil recovery, power generation, water desalination operations and
power generations are on display.
3 day Flamingo Festival has begun at the famous brackish water of Lake Pulicat in Nelapattu
Bird Sanctuary located at Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. It will be hosted in Doravari Satram
mandal, in Nellore district. This festival provides a unique opportunity for people, particularly
ornithologists, environmentalists, bird watchers, forest and tourism officials To study the biodiversity of Pulicat and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary To initiate measure to conserve the bio-zones
for future generations in this area. It also promotes eco-tourism in the district. In this three day
festival, several cultural and entertainment programmes will take place. Nelapattu Bird
Sanctuary The Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, considered one of the biggest habitats for some
hundreds of pelicans and other birds. It is located about 20 km north of the Pulicat Lake on the
Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border. This sanctuary spread in an area about 459 hectares. Every
year from October to March, different species of migratory birds, roosting migrants and some

rare and endangered species from various parts of the world visit the habitat. This sanctuary
plays important role in nesting of various birds especially migratory birds. Birds found in this
sanctuary are: Flamingos, Pelicans, Siberian Storks, Open Billed Storks, Night Herons, Egrets,
Little Cormorant, Golden Backed Wood Pecker, Spotted and Ring Doves, King Fishers, Painted
Storks, White Necked Storks, Spoon Bills and other species of birds. The villagers in area nearby
to this sanctuary treat the migratory birds with affection and provide protection to them.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has given in-principle approval for creation
of Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla tiger reserve in Chhattisgarh. The NTCA in this regard has
sought a final proposal from the Chhattisgarh state administration. Guru Ghasidas national park
lies between two important tiger reserves- Bandhavgarh (Madhya Pradesh) and Palamau
(Jharkhand) and is also contiguous with the Sanjay-Dubri tiger reserve (Madhya Pradesh).
Background In June 2011, the proposal to declare Guru Ghasidas National Park as a tiger reserve
was proposed by the then Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests
Jairam Ramesh to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh. The proposal was made after the
area was surveyed by the Wildlife Institute of India in 2010. The survey had clearly mentioned
that, though the prey population in the habitat is low at present, it has considerable diversity.
Therefore, with good management and protection under Project Tiger, the area has a potential for
supporting a viable tiger population along with the Sanjay-Dubri tiger reserve. At present,
Chhattisgarh has three tiger reserves- Indravati, Udanti-Sitanadi and Achanakmar. According to
an NTCA, these reserves have 26 tigers as per Tiger census of 2010.
The year 2015-16 will be observed as water conservation year in India. Recently, it was
announced by the Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Uma
Bharti while inaugurating an international seminar on water risk and water stewardship held at
New Delhi.
India and United Kingdom (UK) have announced a Newton-Bhabha Fund programme to scale
up their bilateral research & innovation relationship to a greater level. This new initiative was
announced during a meeting between Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Harsh
Vardhan and the UK Minister for Universities, Science and Cities Greg Clark, who co-chaired
the 4th UK-India Science and Innovation Council (SIC) held at new Delhi. The Newton-Bhabha
Fund is a programme which aims to build up strong interdisciplinary dimension that will further
strategise the science, research and innovation cooperation between the UK and India. For this
programme UK will provide 50 million pounds over 5 years period and India will provide
similar matched efforts. Key Features: Newton-Bhabha programme Joint PhD student mobility
programme: It aims to pave the way for the next generation of researchers in the UK and India to
interact with each other and build long-term R&D linkages and collaborations. This mobility
programme will be administered by British Council India and the Department of Science and
Technology. It will start from March 2015 to sponsor UK and Indian PhD students to spend a
period of their study (3 to 6 months) in Premier Indian and UK higher education institutions.

New research projects in Mental Health and Substance Abuse: These new projects will be joint
initiative of Medical Research Council (MRC) of UK and Indian Council of Medical Research
(ICMR). ICMR will fund the Indian component for this project while UK will provide up to 2
million pounds. Setting up Centres for research in Renewable Energy: These centres will be
jointly co-funded by RCUK Energy programme and Department of Science and Technology
(DST) of India. UK and the Department of Science & Technology of India will provide support
to business-led research and development aimed at tackling societal challenges. Centre
Partnerships in Cancer Biology, Translational Regenerative Medicines in Neuroscience and
Antimicrobial Resistance: It will be funded jointly up to 7 million pounds by Medical Research
Council (MRC) of UK and Department of Biotechnology (DBT), India.
According to a new study from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), canine distemper virus
(CDV) has the potential to be a significant driver in pushing the tigers towards extinction. This
deadly virus is adding a new threat to tiger populations along with to the existing pressures of
habitat loss, poaching and depletion of prey species. Researchers have evaluated these impacts
on the Amur tiger population in Russias Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Zapovednik (SABZ), where
tiger numbers declined from 38 individuals to 9 in the years 2007 to 2012. How the study took
place? The scientists used computer modeling to simulate the effects of CDV infection on
isolated tiger populations of various sizes and through a series of transmission scenarios. These
included tiger-to-tiger transmission and transmission through predation on CDV-infected
domestic dogs or infected wild carnivores (such as foxes, raccoon dogs and badgers). High and
low-risk scenarios for the model were created based on variation in the prevalence of CDV and
the tigers contact with sources of exposure. A key finding of this study Modeling shows that
smaller populations of tigers were found to be more vulnerable to extinction by CDV.
Populations consisting of 25 individuals were 1.65 times more likely to decline in the next 50
years when CDV was present. The results are profoundly disturbing for global wild tigers as in
most sites wild tigers are limited to populations of less than 25 adult breeding individuals. About
canine distemper virus (CDV) Canine distemper is a viral disease that affects animals. The
disease is highly contagious (via inhalation) and fatal 50% of the time, thus making it the leading
cause of infectious disease death. The virus infects the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, the
brain, and spinal cord of animals. Common symptoms can include: 1) High fever, 2) Watery
discharge from the eyes and nose, 3) Vomiting and diarrhea, 4) Hardening of the footpads and
nose, 5) Seizures of any part of the body 6) Paralysis. It is most commonly associated with
domestic animals such as dogs and ferrets, but it can infect wild animals.
Clam fishery in the Ashtamudi estuary in Kolam district of Kerala is the first in India to receive
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. This certification will help to boost sustainable
fisheries while protecting the ecosystem in this Wetland area. It has become the third in Asia to
receive this recognition. It is a joint effort of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
(CMFRI), Kochi, the Kerala State Fisheries Department and the World Wildlife Fund, along with
the local fishing community. What is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification

programme? The MSC programme is the worlds most rigorous, science-based standard criteria
for sustainable seafood. MSC certification is basically ecolabel used to monitor the health of the
worlds oceans by recognizing and rewarding sustainable fishing practices, influencing the
choices people make when buying seafood, and working with partners to transform the seafood
market to a sustainable basis. This certification implies the implementation of measures that will
ensure that the resource is not overfished at the cost of the eco-system. When buyers choose to
purchase MSC certified fish, fisheries are rewarded for sustainable practices. Thus MSC
programme helps to harness market forces to incentivise positive environmental change.
Globally, over 11 per cent of the annual global harvest of wild fisheries is engaged in the MSC
programme. Globally more than 19,500 seafood products are certified and eco-lebeled by MSC.
Implications It also opens up the scope for other fisheries in India to work towards MSC
certification that will enhance conservation and sustainability of the resource while providing
greater economic returns. This may be set an example by showcasing the world that development
and environment protection go hand in hand and participatory approach at the local level in
managing biodiversity is an important aspect of it. About Ashtamudi estuary Ashtamudi estuary
is a Ramsar Wetland of international importance and second largest in Kerala. Clam fishery in
this estuary dates back to 1981 and supports livelihood of around 3,000 fishermen involved in
collection, cleaning, processing and trading of clams. In 1993, clam commercial fishery had
declined due overfishing in order to meet its demand in South Asian countries. In order to stop
overfishing strict guidelines were introduced which included closed season fishing, mesh
restrictions for nets, minimum export size and banning mechanical clam fishing. Tags: Kerala
Government reconstitutes Prime Ministers Council on Climate Change Share on email Share on
facebook Share on twitter Share on print Share on google November 5, 2014No comments On
5th November 2014, Union government reconstituted the Prime Ministers Council on Climate
Change. The new Council on Climate Change will be headed by Prime Minister. It will formulate
and coordinate the National Action Plan for Assessment, Adaptation and Mitigation of Climate
Change. The council will have 18 members, which includes 13 government representatives and 5
non-government members. Among 13 government representatives, 8 will be ministers. The
council will focus on the following tasks: The new council will coordinate the action plan and
advise the government on proactive measures that can be taken to deal with the challenge of
climate change. It will facilitate inter-ministerial coordination and guide policy in relevant areas.
The council will evolve a coordinated response to issues relating to climate change at the
national level. It will provide oversight for formulation of action plans in the area of assessment,
adaptation and mitigation of climate change and periodically monitor key policy decisions. The
composition of the re-constituted Prime Ministers Council on Climate Change: Prime
Minister(Head of Council) Minister for External Affairs Union Finance Minister Union Minister
for Environment, Forests and Climate Change: It will assist the Prime Ministers Office in
facilitating the work of the council. Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and
Ganga Rejuvenation. Union Minister for Agriculture. Union Minister for Urban Development.
Union Minister for Science and Technology. Union MoS of Power, Coal and NRE. Principal
Secretary to PM (Member-convener of this panel) Cabinet Secretary. Foreign Secretary.

Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. Retained members from
previous council R. K. Pachauri, Chairperson ofIPCC and TERI. Nitin Desai. Chandrasekar
Dasgupta Newly added members Ajay Mathur, Chairperson, BEE M. Mouskar, retired IAS
officer. Previous Council The first and previous was formed in 2007. It was chaired by then
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. It included government representatives and nongovernment members. But this council had not met for over three years. Sunita Narain, Raj
Chengappa, R.Ramachandran,Prodopto Ghosh and RatanTata were the members of this council
who are dropped from this years council. The countrys National Action Plan on Climate
Change was framed by this Council.
Key Facts About Cyclone Nilofar Share on email Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on
print Share on google October 28, 20141 Comment A deep depression that has formed over the
Arabian Sea is expected to turn into a tropical cyclone Nilofar. Nilofar has the potential to
strengthen to the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane before its Arabian Peninsula landfall. In
India, the North Gujarat coast is expected to bear the brunt of Nilofar. It is expected to land in
Gujarat on October 31 with a wind speed of over 120 kmph District authorities in the coastal
areas of Gujarat have been warned to be prepared for heavy rains and storm. The authorities are
also monitoring the situation and the control rooms are operational. The authorities of the Kandla
Port Trust, State Maritime Board and the Forest Department, besides local leaders in villages
have been put on high alert. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the
coastal districts of Gujarat will isolated very heavy rainfall from October 30 which will intensify
further into a severe cyclone storm within 24 hours Alerts will be issued to concerned local
authorities on status of the storm every three hours Other than India, Nilofar is also expected to
hit eastern Yemen or Oman with damaging winds, flooding rain and dangerously rough seas. It is
also expected to bring potentially heavy rainfall to parts of Pakistan, especially Karachi. It is to
be noted that tropical cyclones are unusual in this part of the world. Generally, only one or two
tropical cyclones form every year in Arabian Sea. About Naming of cyclones In the West,
hurricanes and tropical cyclones have been given their own names since 1953. This was done in
accordance with a convention by Miamis National Hurricane Centre and is maintained and
updated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). WMO is an agenct of the UN and
based out of Geneva. However, South Asia and the Middle East did not adhere to this practice of
naming storms till much later. In an effort to name the cyclones without offending any of the
countries in the region, all the countries came together in 2004 to evolve a mechanism to name
the tropical cyclones. According to the agreed upon system, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Sri Lanka and Thailand meet every year and each country submits
its list of names. Each country gets a turn to name the storm in alphabetical order. Till now, the
countries have decided on 64 names. Hudhud was a suggestion of Oman, while Nilofar was
Pakistans suggestion
The Wildlife Trust of India, (WTI) is a national conservation organisation in India, committed
to effective action for the protection of Indias natural heritage. Our principal objectives include

managing or preventing wildlife crises and mitigating threats to individual wild animals, their
populations and habitats through holistic strategies and practical interventions.
WTI was formed in November 1998 in response to the rapidly deteriorating condition of wildlife
in India. WTI is a registered charity in India (under Section 12A of the Income Tax Act, 1961).
Indian scientist Kamal Bawa, an eminent professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts
in Boston, won the Midori Prize (2014) in Biodiversity for his research, including in climate
change in the Himalayas. Kamal Bawa, founder president of the Ashoka Trust for Research in
Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in Bangalore, will accept the prize with a cash award of
$100,000 during the Oct 16-17, 2014 Conference of Parties (COP-12) to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) in South Korea. India, the at present the chair of the COP-11 and
India will pass the baton to Korea at the COP-12 in South Korea. The theme of this years COP12 meeting is Biodiversity for Sustainable Development. Other Awardees For Year 2014 Alfred
Oteng-Yeboah (Ghana) Chair, Ghana National Biodiversity Committee Bibiana Vila (Argentina)
Director, Vicuas, Camelids and Environment (VICAM), Principal Researcher, National
Research Council (CONICET) Argentina. Midori Prize for Biodiversity Established in 2010 at
the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the AEON Environmental Foundation, the Midori Prize is
regarded a major element at the service of the objectives of the United Nations Decade on
Biodiversity 2011-2020. The Prize honors 3 individuals who have made exceptional
contribution to conservation and sustainable use at local and global levels, and who have inspired
several biodiversity-related works, as well as fostering consciousness about biodiversity. Each
winner gets a certificate, a memorial gift and a cash prize of USD100,000. The MIDORI Prize
serves as a key instrument at the service of the aims of the United Nations Decade on
Biodiversity 2011-2020.
Approximately 30 years after the protections of the Montreal Protocol were put into action,
theres more proof that the international contract to safeguard Earths ozone layer is effective, as
per a fresh by 300 scientists. The large quantity of most ozone-depleting matters in the
atmosphere have fallen since the earlier assessment, in 2010, and Earths shielding ozone layer is
displaying signs of recovery, as per the Assessment for Decision-Makers, part of a larger
report to be released early next year. The report is the most recent in a sequence delivered every
four years by the international scientific community, headed by the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and cosponsored by NOAA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the
European Commission. The Decision-makers trust on these logical updates and have used them
to increase protection of the ozone layer, banning or restricting the use of ozone-depleting
substances, for example. The stratospheric ozone layer, a fragile shield of gas, safeguards the
Earth from dangerous ultraviolet rays of the sun. Maximum ozone is located in the stratosphere,
far above Earth. The ozone layer acts as a safeguard, absorbing Ultra-Violet (UV) radiation from
the Sun and safeguarding Earths surface from dangerous volumes of UV radiation. In the 1970s,

NOAA researchers started to identify that particular chemicals, including chemicals called
Chloro-Fluoro-Carbons (CFCs) and Halons, used extensively in cooling and firefighting, could
reach the stratosphere and activate reactions that damages ozone. In 1985, scientists noticed that
a seasonal Ozone Hole was establishing in the Antarctic spring, NOAA researchers performed
a key role in showing that those same chemicals were triggering the hole. Because of the
Montreal Protocol, several ozone-damaging chemicals have been substituted by substances that
dont destroy ozone. Nonetheless, certain new chemicals, including the CFC-substitute HydroFluoro-Carbons (HFCs), are powerful greenhouse gases and could substantially lead to climate
change in the upcoming periods. Researchers from NOAAs Earth System Research Laboratory
play a significant part in this subject, testing offered new materials to understand if they are
harmless for the ozone layer, climate and the environment. Key findings: Measures taken under
the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer are assisting the restore of the
ozone layer to yardstick 1980 levels. The climate benefits of the Montreal Protocol could be
considerably offset by projected emissions of HFCs (Hydro-Fluoro-Carbons) utilized to
substitute ozone depleting materials. The yearly Antarctic ozone hole has triggered substantial
changes in Southern Hemisphere surface climate in the summer. Ozone reduction has contributed
to cooling of the lower stratosphere and this is very probable the main reason of noticed changes
in Southern Hemisphere summertime circulation over of late decades, with linked effects on
surface temperature, precipitation, and the oceans. In the Northern Hemisphere, where the ozone
depletion is lesser, there is no convincing link between stratospheric ozone depletion and
tropospheric climate. CO2, Nitrous Oxide and Methane will have an growing influence on the
ozone layer. What happens to the ozone layer in the second half of the 21st century will mostly
be determined by the concentrations of CO2, methane and nitrous oxide the 3 key long-lived
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In general, CO2 and methane lead to increase global ozone
levels. By contrast, nitrous oxide, a by-product of food production, is both a strong greenhouse
gas and an ozone depleting gas, and is expected to become more significant in future ozone
depletion.
Why burning of tyres is harmful for environment? Burning tyres emit toxic soup of pollutants
that contains harmful gases and chemicals viz. carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, chromium,
arsenic, zinc, barium, cobalt, copper, iron, aluminum, manganese and vanadium, etc. which are
hazardous to the human beings as well as to the environment. Minuscule particles released
during the burning can settle deep in the lungs. Tyres contain 25 % extender oils derived from
benzene, 25% styrene, a derivative of benzene, and 25% 1,3 butadiene. both benzene and 1,3
butadiene are suspected human carcinogens. (A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide or
radiation, that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer). About National Green Tribunal A
special fast-track court to handle the expeditious disposal of the cases pertaining to
environmental issues. Established on October, 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
Objective: For effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection
and conservation of forests and other natural resources including enforcement of any legal right
relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property

and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Shall not be bound by the procedure
laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural
justice. New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata
and Chennai shall be the other four place of sitting of the Tribunal. Note: The National Green
Tribunal ruling can only be challenged in the Supreme Court.
R-22 gas (Chloro-di-fluoro-methane) is permitted to be imported in India but is licensed. Given
the rising market for fridges and air-conditioners, the demand is greater than licensed supply. In
some nations, use of the R22 will will be banned by 2015, while manufacturers were banded
from using it in products launched after 2004. R-22 has been predominantly phased out in new
equipment in the US under the Montreal Protocol, and has been substituted by other refrigerants
with lower ozone depletion ability such as Propane (R-290), Pentafluoroethane, R-134a (1,1,1,2tetrafluoroethane), and blended mixtures of HFCs such as R-409A, R-410A, R-438A, and R507A. R22 (HCFC-22 or Chloro-di-fluoro-methane or di-fluoro-mono-chloro-methane) Better
known as HCFC-22, or R-22R22 Other names: Di-fluoro-mono-chloro-methane, Mono-chlorodi-fluoro-methane, HCFC-22, R-22, Genetron 22, Freon 22, Arcton 4, Arcton 22 A HydroChloro-Fluoro-Carbon (HCFC) Colorless gas Mostly used as a propellant and refrigerant Has
Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and High Global Warming Potential (GWP) a powerful
greenhouse gas with a GWP of 1810 (i.e. 1810 times as powerful as carbon dioxide). Despite
ODP and GWP, the worldwide use of R-22 continues to rise for its high demand in developing
nations.
Indias first coral garden to be set up in Gujarat Share on email Share on facebook Share on
twitter Share on print Share on google September 4, 2014No comments In an effort to protect
numerous coral species at one place and to enhance tourism in the state, the countrys first Coral
garden will be set up at Mithapur coastal region of Devbhoomi-Dwarka district in Gujarat,
which will conserve coral species. Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and Tata Chemicals Limited
(TCL) have inked a MoU to set up the first of its kind coral garden. The project will be financed
by the Gujarat forest department as WTI has inked a broader MoU with the state also. As per the
project plan of the Mithapur Coral garden, the reef will be divided into several divisions where
nearly all the coral species will be made accessible at one place. It would be beneficial not only
for education and tourism, but also for refurbishment of the reef. Tourists will be able to view the
beauty of corals as the authorities intend to have wading, snorkeling, diving, representative pool,
jetty and boat anchoring areas in it
Comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Criteria India (STCI) launched
In a proposal to augment its sustainability offerings, the Union Ministry of Tourism launched the
comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) for accommodation, tour operators
and beaches, backwaters, lakes and rivers sectors. STCI has been launched to develop tourism in
India based on principles of sustainability and minimizing carbon footprints. While talking about

sustainability, one should not only talk about conservation of resources but also our culture and
heritage. All the stakeholders in the Tourism industry have been requested to be eco-sensitive and
implement the STCI and have been requested to do business for long-term profits with diverse
aims. STCI were formulated by a committee constituted by the Ministry of Tourism. The
principles of sustainability include: Conservation of water, energy, culture, heritage, revival of
ancient architecture, involvement of communities, protection of wildlife and non- exploitation of
women, children and weaker sections.

India launched The Green Bus project in Nagpur with the launch of its first ethanol-run,
environment-friendly public bus. The bus will emit carbon dioxide as low as 15% to 90% and its
emissions will be monitored by the Union government, Maharashtra state government and
Nagpur Municipal Corporation. The buses are manufactured by Swedish company Scania
Commercial Vehicle India Ltd. Scania has additionally introduced an engine in consonance with
Bharat Stage 5 Norms, a step toward further reducing the emissions.
South African Governments Ministry of Environment has announced its plan to evacuate
hundreds of rhinos from countrys famous Kruger National Park to save them from poachers.
The step is part of a plan to curb illegal hunts for rhino horn. The number of rhinos to be
relocated can be up to 500. South Africa is home to more than 80% of Africas rhinos. Illegal
poaching has surged from 13 in 2007 to 1,004 in 2013. The Kruger National Park, which is of a
similar size to Wales or Israel, is thought to be home to as few as 8,400 white rhinos. Although
international trade in rhino horn has been made illegal since 1977, demand remains high in some
Asian nations, where it is used both in traditional medicine and as a symbol of wealth
The National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) has been shifted from the Ministry of
Environment to the Ministry of Water Resources . Hereafter, all issues pertaining to
conservation, development management and abatement of pollution in river Ganga and its
tributaries will also be directed by the Ministry of Water Resources. National Ganga River Basin
Authority (NGRBA) The government of India gave River Ganga the status of a national river
and constituted the NGRBA in February 2009, under Section 3(3) of the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986. NGRBA is a planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating body of
the Centre and the states. The purpose of the NGRBA is to ensure effective abatement of
pollution and conservation of the river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach for
comprehensive planning and management. The NDA-led central government has given priority
for cleaning river Ganga for which Rs 2,037 crores was sanctioned in the Union Budget 2014-15
under the Ganga Conservation Mission named Namami Gange.
Researchers have found substantial evidence to explain why the Suns outer atmosphere is much
hotter than its surface. As per scientists, Nanoflares a continuous infusion of impulsive bursts

of heating, none of which can be individually detected is behind the production of the extra
heat. The photosphere, the visible surface of the Sun, is around 6,000 Kelvins, while the corona
reaches temperatures which are 300 times more than the photosphere. NASAs EUNIS (Extreme
Ultraviolet Normal Incidence Spectrograph) rocket, equipped with a very sensitive spectrograph
gathered information about the Sun about how much material is present at a given temperature
by recording different wavelengths of light. EUNIS flew up nearly 321 km above the ground
aboard a sounding rocket and gathered about collected observations from above the planets air.
It scanned a region on the Sun known to be magnetically complex, also termed active region,
which can often be the source of larger flares and coronal mass ejections. Several theories have
been offered for how the magnetic energy coursing through the corona is converted into the heat
that raises the temperature. The EUNIS spectrograph was tuned into a range of wavelengths
useful for locating material at temperatures of 10 million Kelvin temperatures that are a key
characteristic of nanoflares. Scientists have conjectured that infinite number of nanoflares could
heat up solar material in the atmosphere to temperatures of up to 10 million Kelvins. This
material would cool very rapidly, producing ample solar material at the 1 to 3 million degrees
regularly seen in the corona. However, the faint presence of that extremely hot material should
remain. The EUNIS team studied the data from the rocket and found a wavelength of light
indicating presence of 10 million degree material.
The government has said that a few wetlands in the country have reportedly been impacted due
to various developmental activities and urbanization. As per Environment Ministry, for
conservation and management of wetlands, the centrally sponsored scheme National Wetland
Conservation Programme (NWCP) was implemented till 2012-13. However, for better
synchronization and to avoid overlap the NWCP has been merged with another scheme
National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) for holistic conservation of
lakes and wetlands. Under NWCP, 115 wetlands in 24 states and two UTs have been identified
for conservation and management. So far, the central government has released an amount of Rs
133.64 to the concerned states for undertaking various conservation programmes. In order to
regulate certain activities within the identified wetlands, the government notified the Wetlands
(Conservation and Management) Rules in December 2010. At the behest of Environment
Ministry, the Space Applications Centre (SAC) Ahmedabad has prepared a National Wetland
Inventory Atlas on 1:50,000 scale using Indian Remote Sensing Satellite III data of pre- and
post-monsoon seasons during 2006-11. As per the atlas, there are a total of 7, 57,060 wetlands
covering an estimated area of 15.26 million hectare, that is around 4.63% of the geographic area
of India.
IUCN adds 8 more Indian bird species to 2014 Red List Share on email Share on facebook Share
on twitter Share on print Share on google July 27, 2014No comments The International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has added eight new bird species found in India to the 2014
Red List. Now, over 170 species of birds in the country stand threatened. The eight species of
birds newly added to the Red List are: Woolly-necked stork Ashy-headed green pigeon Red-

headed falcon Andaman teal Andaman green pigeon Himalayan griffon Bearded vulture Yunnan
nuthatch.
UP has a major tiger population in Dudhwa tiger reserve comprising Dudhwa National Park (680
sq km), Kishenpur Sanctuary (204 sq km) and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (440 sq km);
Pilibhit (720 sq km); North Kheri (350 sq km) and South Kheri (460 sq km). Bijnor forests in
west and Suhelwa (Gonda-Bahraich) and Sohagibarwa wildlife sanctuaries (Maharajganj) in east
have smaller tiger populations.
Nagoya Protocol gets 50th Instrument of Ratification Share on email Share on facebook Share on
twitter Share on print Share on google July 15, 2014No comments The Nagoya Protocol has
received the required 50th instrument of ratification on July 14, 2014. India, having hosted CoP11 to the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) in Hyderabad in October 2012, is currently the
President of CoP till CoP-12 to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea in October 2014. The
Protocol on access and benefit sharing will enter into force on 90th day October 12, 2014. It
will facilitate early coming into effect of this significant international treaty that has been a
priority of India as head of CoP. India played a significant role through its efforts in the last 21
months using political and diplomatic channels. Ratification of the Nagoya Protocol by 51
parties to the CBD is also a considered as a major development towards achieving the first of the
global Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the
Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on
Biological Diversityis a supplementary pact to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It
provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of one of the three
objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of
genetic resources. The Protocol was adopted on October 29, 2010 in Nagoya, Aichi Province,
Japan, and will enter into force on October12, 2014. It has been ratified by 50 states and the
European Union. Its objective is the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the
utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity
Scientists at the University of California studied satellite data and examined past river floods,
such as the ones that occurred in Missouri in 2011. Researchers used NASAs twin GRACE
satellites to examine a regions flood potential. As the satellites revolved around the Earth,
minute changes in gravity alter the satellites orbit. These changes are proportional to changes in
mass, such as a buildup of water and snow. The team took into account all potential water
sources, including snow, surface water, soil moisture and groundwater. They found that with
their method they could predict dangerous flooding 5 months in advance and could potentially
extend that window to 11 months.
Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/category/current-affairs-2015/environment-currentaffairs/page/43