Climate change – India

Aeroplanes may be affecting ozone, monsoon

Black carbon known to aggravate breathing disorders, upset monsoon and quicken ablation

BC is known to dissipate and settle down in a few months

ISRO: they exist up to 18 km into stratosphere.It could only derive from emissions from aviation fuel

Provide a fertile ground for other chemical reactions that can deplete ozone.

The stratosphere is a stable region of the atmosphere and because BC particles absorb heat, they warm surrounding

air, become lighter and rise to greater heights by a process called ‘self lift’

BC particles strongly absorb solar and terrestrial radiation and heats up the atmosphere it can upset monsoon and

quicken the melting of glaciers.

Gangotri glacier retreated 0.15 sq km in 9 years: ISRO, govt

Major initiatives taken under NM for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem under NAPCC include establishment of a

Centre for Himalayan Glaciology in Dehradun and setting up of six thematic task forces

They include natural and geological wealth, water/ice/snow/glaciers, micro flora and fauna, Himalayan agriculture,

traditional knowledge system and forest.

Urban flooding

MOUD paper ‘Urban Flooding SOP’ lays guidelines to be followed by various public agencies and departments.

Increased instances of floods in urban areas e.g. Uttarakhand Flash Floods, Chennai Floods necessitated SOP

ULBs and development authority: Setting up emergency operations centres, crisis-control room in wards.

Organise temporary shelters with food and water supply, Coordinate rescue plan with departments

Set up information centre for sharing details, Prepare city master plans, disaster mitigation plan

Health department: Set up Epidemic Control Unit, analyse data received from hospitals, maintain stock of medicine,

equipment and blood, establish health facility and treatment centers at disaster/relocation sites.

PWD and irrigation department: maintain the drains, Drainage Master Plan, inventory of roads and bridges,

prepare a disaster response map identifying safe routes and exit, undertake repairs of buildings

Power supply and telecommunication, Police and fire department etc have similar SOP

Assam floods

Assam floods affected more than 15L people and forced 2L to seek refuge in relief camps

In summer, the Himalayan snows melts. Come monsoon, when heavy rains lash the region, the rivers swell.

The damage is not limited to humans alone (Kaziranga National Park)

The government is looking at a number of solutions: flyovers, so that animal corridors can be restored on the ground,

sensors to monitor animal movements, embankments/dams

Embankments have not been particularly effective, flood have occurred due to embankments breaking

Dams have also led to avoidable disasters in the downstream areas.

These structures also cut off rivers from their flood plains and fertile silt that they used to deposit during floods

instead gets accumulated in the riverbeds, thus reducing carrying capacity of river. That’s where dredging comes in.

The impact of the dredging on the river, environment and people will be severe.

Given the area’s rainfall, specific geomorphologic characteristics of Brahmaputra, soil types there is a “natural” aspect

to the hazards of floods and erosion.

We need radical rethinking of entire flood-control system keeping in mind local socio-env-geog-scientific features

Washed out

The floods ravaged parts of eastern and western India

Need for a massive capacity-building programme to deal with frequent, destructive weather events.

Even drought-prone regions in Gujarat and Rajasthan encountering floods

NEED: Speedy relief, rehabilitation, alleviating financial losses, short-term housing, food, safe water, access to health

care and protection for women, children and the elderly.

Some States have not been able to use disaster relief funds as intended, and Centre has asked them to set off the

unutilized portion when making fresh claims. Such a wrangle is unseemly at a time when people need relief.

Change in definition of drought

In the ‘Manual for Drought Management’ released by GOI, the ‘moderate’ drought category has been deleted.

IMD replaced the word “drought” to describe poor rainfall with “deficient year” and “large deficient year”

Formulated based on the direction of the Supreme Court.

Drought-hit areas will now be categorised as ‘normal’ and ‘severe’. Only in case of ‘severe’ drought, a state would be

eligible for central assistance

The criteria to prove that the drought is ‘severe’ has been made stringent. Sowing must be below 50% of normal. a

State has to prove severity in three out of four impact indicators (rain, Vegetation, hydrological, ground verification)

Even during the hardest droughts the sowing has been below 80%.

Drought Crisis Management Plan: 4 measures that a State should take at the time of a drought, with the Union’s help.

MGNREGA to provide immediate employment to affected people, PDS should be strengthened, actions to recharge

GW, Government should either waive off or defer farmer loans and arrange for crop loss compensation.

Rising temperatures drive up farmer suicides in India: U.S. study

Climate change reduces crop yields; may have led to over 59K farmer suicides over the last 30 years in India

Report has not looked at other factors that could have contributed to suicides.

An increase in rainfall by 1 cm during the growing season leads to a decrease of about 0.8 deaths per 100,000

The study says South India, which is generally hotter, has higher farmer suicide rates.

Water conservation scheme a big success

Rajasthan government's flagship water conservation programme – Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan (JSA) – has turned out

to be a success in Pratapgarh district, where the groundwater table has increased, green fields have expanded and no

tankers with drinking water had to be sent to as many as 94 villages this year.

Structures such as anicuts, trenches and mud walls were put up with people's participation

What is Climate Bonds Initiative?

It is international NPO working to mobilize $100 trillion bond market for CC solution

The capital for green bond is raised to fund ‘green’ projects like renewable energy, emission reductions etc.

Blue bond is a type of green bond which specifically invests in climate resilient water management/infrastructure.

IREDA has issued bonds to finance renewable energy without the tag of green bond

EXIM bank launched India’s first dollar denominated green bond

Banks have also been permitted to issue green masala bonds.

Most green bonds in India have a shorter tenor period of about 10 years

Standalone green projects such as rooftop solar are unattractive to investors due to the small scale

Different climate financing initiatives existing today: GEF is a multilateral body of governments, CSO, banks etc.

acting as a financial mechanism to conventions like UNFCCC

GCF was created as an operating entity of financial mechanism of the UNFCCC.

PAT is market-based trading scheme under NMEEE for trading energy efficiency certificates to offset emissions.

At 399 ppm, India matches world in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels

CO2 concentration over India is way above the safety mark and in line with world avg of 400 ppm

Anything beyond 350 is considered unsafe.

Possible reasons: lack of CO2 sink, forest fires, biomass burning, gaseous transport from neighbouring regions based

on prevailing weather conditions, increase slightly during winter due to reduced vegetation

In line with rising CO2, global temperatures have also rocketed, with 2016 being the hottest year

Also linked to increasing instances of extreme rainfall and disease outbreaks.

Climate-proofed and inclusive development

Adverse effects of CC are droughts, floods, heat waves, sea level rise, food shortages, diseases, jobs and migration.

Development policies that consider the context of CC are called “climate proofing development”.

Numerous studies have shown that the poor suffer the worst effects from climate variability and CC

Projects designed to help people adapt to CC should not worsen the living conditions of poor.

Multi-dimensional understanding of poverty becomes important in this context

NITI Aayog coordinating activities relating to SDG and their interconnected nature across socio-eco-env pillars.

Climate change impact: Sunderbans steadily losing its famed mangroves

Using Remote Sensing and GIS, a publication by Jadavpur University

Indian Sundarbans represent a third of the largest contiguous mangrove ecosystem in the world

During the colonial era forests were cut to facilitate cultivation.

CC, increase in number of tidal creeks, sea level rise appear to be an emerging threat

Sediment that normally adds to landmass is trapped upstream in rivers by dams and barrages

Sustains tigers & millions of people with food, water and forest products.

Threat to carbon sequestration, ecosystem services, coastal erosion/flooding.

Impact of salinity will be on the fishing community, where commercially sought after fish species will be replaced by

fish that does not have as much market value. (freshwater replaced by salt-water loving ones)

Mangrove tree species, including the Sundari, which has historically helped the local economy in the construction of

boats and bridges, make up as much as a third of the global trove of such trees.

Suggestions for fortification against erosion on the lines of the dikes in Netherlands.

Strengthening them with endemic tree species can provide co-benefits to local communities.

Carefully considered ecotourism holds the potential to raise awareness and funds

Mangrove for Future by UNDP & IUCN aims at promoting coastal ecosystem conservation, coastal restoration,

coastal livelihoods, integrated coastal zone management in 6 tsunami-hit countries including India

The ecological balance-sheet

The Union Budget allocation to MOEFCC increased by 18.88% from last year.

Funding poor/reduced for renewable, CPCB, CSS like Project Tiger.

Even as the issues of forest management, resource conservation, pollution and wildlife protection are increasingly

interconnected, they are treated in isolation

There has been superficial renaming of ‘Clean Energy Cess’ levied on coal, lignite and peat as ‘Clean Environment

Cess’ with an increase in the rate of levy to 400 per tonne.

But the persistent problem has also been of under-utilisation of existing funds

Coping with summer

NDMA Guidelines for Preparation of Action Plan – Prevention and Management of Heat Wave in 2016.

NDMA + IMD guiding States to evolve heat action plan.

Protocol: to inform public as soon as Temp crosses threshold, advise precautions and aid vulnerable

Ahmedabad, for instance, drew up a city-level action plan in the wake of its 46.8°C heatwave of 2010

Preparing the health system, school/work timings, making water widely available

European and American policy: green and blue urban spaces to provide tree shade, housing design that cuts heat

through the albedo effect of reflected solar energy

Heat waves

Studies indicate increasing trends in the frequency and duration of heat waves over the country

This can be attributed to increasing GHG and SST

IMD has underlined the following criteria for heat waves: Heat wave is not to be considered till the temperature of a

station reaches at least 40°C (for plains) and 30°C (for hilly regions).

When normal maximum temperature of a station is less than or equal to 40°C , then a departure of 5 to 6 degrees from

the normal is to be considered heat wave while a departure of 7 degrees is to be considered severe heat wave.

When normal maximum temperature of a station is more than 40°C then a departure of 4 to 5 degrees from the normal

is to be considered heat wave while a departure of 6 degrees is to be considered severe heat wave.

In case the normal temperature of station is more than 45°C then heat wave is to be declared irrespective.

India has launched second phase of programme to eliminate use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC)

As part of its commitment under the Montreal Protocol

It is imperative that government ensures that its efforts to upgrade industries using funding available under the

Protocol are scaled up

Montreal’s goal to eliminate HCFCs by 2030 will depend on reducing costs of cleaner technologies.

‘India has potential for $1 trillion sustainable business opportunities’

7C job opportunities by 2030 for companies working in the sustainable development space

UN Global Compact is an initiative to encourage private companies to do more in achieving SDG

Grain output up five times despite climate change: ICAR

India is exporting rice worth 40,000 crore annually and other food products despite adverse impact of climate change

Due to science in the agricultural field.

Land is 80% deficient in N, 70% deficient in P and 25% deficient in many mirco-nutrients.

We lose 16 tonnes of soil per hectare per year through land erosion

Milk production up by 8.5 times, fish 13 times, egg 43 times since the 1950s.

The country’s horticultural produce had gone up three times since the 1990s

Green building rating system

To promote construction of environment-friendly buildings, Rajasthan has adopted green building rating system

developed by the Indian Green Building Council, which is part of CII

Lays emphasis on environment-friendly design, construction and operations

Three primary Green building rating agencies in India:

GRIHA by TERI & MNRE: Site selection-planning, utilization of resources, operation-maintenance, Innovation.

BEE, statutory body under Ministry of Power/Energy conservation act 2001developed the Energy Performance Index

Energy conservation building code-2017

Minister of Power launched ECBC 2017; initially developed by BEE for new commercial buildings

There are measures that existing buildings can adopt to reduce energy consumption.

ECBC sets minimum energy standards for commercial buildings having a load of 100Kw+

They are voluntary in nature and have been accepted by 22 states with their own modifications to the codes.

ECBC 2017 sets parameters for builders, designers and architects to integrate renewable energy sources

In order for a building to be considered ECBC-compliant, it would need to have minimum energy savings of 25%.

ECBC 2017 has three levels of adoption — basic, ECBC Plus, and Super ECBC

Super ECBC helps you move to a net zero or even a net positive scenario

If implemented correctly, could make new buildings producers of electricity rather than simply consuming energy

ECBC 2017 compares very favourably with international best practices

National disaster management plan

First major national plan for DRR and reduces loss of lives, livelihood, health, socio-eco-env-cultural assets

Early warning, info dissemination, medical care, fuel, transportation, search and rescue, evacuation, etc.

It is made keeping in mind the Sendai & SDG

It covers human induced disasters like chemical, nuclear too

Planning for short, medium and long run respectively 5, 10, and 15 years to deal with disasters

It provides for horizontal and vertical integration among all the agencies and departments

Ministries are given role for specific disasters e.g. MOES is responsible for Cyclones

The plan has a regional approach, which will be beneficial not only for disaster management but also for development

To prepare communities to cope with disasters, it emphasises on a greater need for IEC.

It calls for ethical guidelines for the media for coverage of disasters as well as self-regulation.

Climate change world

Global warming cuts protein in key crops

Risk of growth stunting and early death

Researchers say they still don’t understand how or why carbon dioxide emissions sap protein and other nutrients

CO2 might increase the amount of starch in plants, thereby decreasing protein and other nutrients.

CO2 will cut key minerals like iron and zinc leading to further nutritional deficiencies

The hardest hit areas are expected to be Sub-Saharan Africa

LA tests ‘cool’ pavement paint

A splash of grey pavement paint help combat global warming

Grey pavement reflects sunlight lowering ground temperature, reducing urban street heat, heat island effect

U.S. government report warns of drastic impact of climate change

Americans are feeling the effects of climate change right now. It directly contradicts claims by Trump and members

of his Cabinet who say that the human contribution to climate change is uncertain

Report concludes that even if humans immediately stopped emitting GHG, the world would still feel at least an

additional 0.30 degrees Celsius of warming over this century

The tiny Caribbean island of Barbuda is “practically uninhabitable” after it was steamrolled by Hurricane Irma

3 hurricanes are spinning simultaneously through the Atlantic basin. (Katia, Irma, Jose)

Beating back climate change

A study by researchers from India, China and U.S. has offered a combination of 2 methods — stratospheric sulphate

aerosol increase and cirrus cloud thinning

Since the cirrus clouds, which are at a height of 10 km above the Earth’s surface, also trap the heat, thinning them

could cool down the Earth system. However, this reduces the rate of precipitation to less than the required amount.

Advantage of geoengineering, when compared to, say, carbon sequestration, is that it costs less.

There is also the problem of scale — after trapping billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide using the direct carbon

sequestration methods, how does one transport and store it

Anthropocene epoch – human-influenced age:

World geological congress recommended that anthropocene, started from mid-20th century, be officially declared.

Anthropocene, coined in 2000 by paul crutzen, is a proposed epoch that begins when human activities started to have

a significant global impact on earth's geology and ecosystems.

Earth is on course to see 75% of species become extinct in the next few centuries

Doubled the nitrogen and phosphorous in our soils in the past century with fertiliser use.

Kigali agreement:

Montreal was signed in 1987 and is aimed at reducing the production and consumption of ODS.

197 countries have struck a new landmark deal at kigali to reduce the emissions of HFC that are GHG

It will be binding on countries from 2019 with penalties for non-compliance.

This agreement shows a new form of grouping: first group includes richest countries like us and 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: 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, iran, saudi arabia etc. They will be freezing hfc use by 2028 and

reducing it to about 15% of 2025 levels by 2047.

Refuge from the sinking islands

Tuvalu is a small island nation in the South Pacific and home to about 10,000 people. It is likely to be under water in

less than 70 years. Kiribati, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Vanuatu etc are destined to suffer same fate

The 52 low-lying vulnerable island nations sustain 62 million people and emit less than 1% of GHG, yet are among

the first victims of climate disruption.

Legal analysts are considering possibility of an international compensation commission-international fund.

These island nations require immediate remedies, migration, compensation and reduction in GHG, coastal protection,

population consolidation, rainwater harvesting, alternative methods of agri, research and observation

6,000 sq.km Antarctic iceberg splits (iceberg calving)

One of the biggest icebergs ever recorded has broken away from Antarctica region known as the Larsen C Ice Shelf.

Currents and winds might eventually push it north of the Antarctic where it could become a hazard to shipping.

Project MIDAS, a U.K.-based Antarctic research project said the formation of icebergs is natural, and no link to

human-induced CC was available in this case.

Antarctica is a climate stabilising factor. Except for man-made causes, there was no factor in the natural geological

cycle that could disturb Antarctica.

Could contribute to sea level rise, shift in biodiversity for species like emperor penguins

Will add to the worry of irreversible effects of CC, given that Arctic and Greenland have also been losing ice cover.

Global platform for DRR (GPDRR) 2017 Cancun, Mexico

First opportunity since 2015 to review implementation of Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030

GPDRR is a biennial forum for info exchange, discussion of latest developments and partnership building across

sectors, improving implementation of DRR through better coordination amongst stakeholders.

Sendai Agreement is a 15-year non-binding agreement

It says that state has primary role to DRR but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including

local government and the private sector. It is improved version of the existing Hyogo Framework.

Priorities: Understanding disaster risk; Strengthening governance to manage risk; Investing for DRR; Enhancing

preparedness and "Build Back Better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Reduce disaster mortality, number of affected people, economic loss, damage to critical infrastructure and basic

services, increase the number of countries with DRR strategies, enhance international cooperation, early warning

Disaster risk reduction:

6TH Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR, 2016 was concluded recently at Delhi.

Established in 2005, AMCDRR is a biennial conference jointly organized by Asian countries and UNISDR.

Conference sought to pave the way towards implementation of the Sendai.

India will partner with UNISDR to work towards strengthening the capacity of Asian countries

The Conference came to an end with the adoption of the ‘New Delhi Declaration’ and the ‘Asian Regional Plan for

Implementation of the Sendai Framework’.

Climate change may cause more rainfall in the tropics

The amount of rainfall in the Earth’s tropical regions will significantly increase, a new NASA study warns.

Rainfall is not related just to the clouds but also to the Earth’s “energy budget”

High-altitude tropical clouds trap heat in the atmosphere. If there are fewer of these clouds in the future, the tropical

atmosphere will cool. Atmosphere would create fewer high clouds in response to surface warming. It would increase

tropical rainfall, which would warm the air to balance the cooling from high cloud shrinkage.

In the cold upper atmosphere, when the water vapour condenses into liquid droplets or ice particles, it releases its heat

and warms the atmosphere.

Aviation climate deal:

International Civil Aviation Organisation approved a landmark accord in Montreal to curb aviation pollution.

The proposal includes a mechanism for a `carbon emission tax' on airlines

The accord requires countries to reduce emission by 2020 and limit it after it comes into effect from 2021.

Participation in the deal is voluntary from 2021 to 2026. The deal becomes mandatory from 2027.

Countries like US and China have agreed to go with the accord while Russia has refused

Although India has ratified the Paris Climate Deal, it has not agreed to the Aviation Climate Accord.

Carbon neutrality occurs when the net carbon emissions over an entire year are zero

Indira Gandhi Airport Delhi has become Asia-Pacific’s only airport to achieve a “carbon neutral” status

Currently, 25 airports in the world, most of them in Europe, have earned carbon neutral status.

Indira Gandhi International airport boasts of green buildings, solar power plants, rainwater harvesting system etc

Delhi Airport will get highest level of certification “level 3+ neutrality” available to airports across the world.

Is the Paris Agreement necessary?

Paris Agreement was designed for and pushed by the U.S. for its own convenience. As it didn’t want to take full

responsibility, the U.S. pushed for an agreement that was a ‘common minimum denominator’.

Commitments voluntary, non-legally binding and non-punitive.

U.S. would have cut emissions by 23% by 2030. In comparison, the then 28-nation EU’s commitment was 40%

U.S. has a huge role to play in reducing emissions, provide finance and technology

U.S. pledge of $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund made earlier is unlikely to be fulfilled.

There is a fundamental belief in U.S. that negotiating climate change is “negotiating American lifestyle”.

US: accord “would undermine our economy, hamstring our workers, weaken our sovereignty

US: Paris agreement gives undue advantage to India and China, “the world’s leading polluters”, at cost of U.S.

U.S. is historically the largest contributor to climate pollution. It is currently the second-largest polluter in the world,

and has one of the highest per capita emissions.

Meeting a two degree temperature limit target just got much harder.

Violated the principle of ‘progression’ that lies at the heart of the Paris Agreement — while countries pick their own

pledge, they cannot backslide from that pledge

Trump’s move is likely to set off a domino effect of inaction among other climate laggards ex UK, Australia etc

We stand by Paris pact, says Modi

India needs $2,500 billion until 2030 to ensure that 40% of its electricity is from renewable and its agriculture and

people’s livelihoods are able to buffer climate stresses.

Some of the money would be raised internally but it hinged on developed countries providing $100 billion

Trumping the climactic exit

One of the unintended consequences of Trump’s decision is that it has unified world on CC

India and France vowed to work together for the implementation

China will “steadfastly” implement the Paris climate pact, Premier Li Keqiang said

U.S. pullout has sparked a surge of commitment to the accord, but not a focus on its deep flaws

This is an opportunity to strengthen Paris Agreement rather than planning new targets

We can do this by: (a) Refusing to renegotiate Paris Agreement to reduce commitments of U.S. (b) Isolating the U.S.

during negotiations, since it remains a member of the agreement for the next four years.

U.S. exit reduces the likelihood that the Americans will play a destructive role in agreement’s mechanisms.

U.S. exit makes more transparent the political stakes on climate change

Opportunity to truly energise the many American citizens who do care

India could play a leadership role in mobilising the climate-vulnerable countries

An unequal burden

Paris Agreement was signed in December 2015

Implementation of pledges is conditional upon assistance on the finance and technology fronts.

Even if all the NDCs were implemented, estimates show that the planet would warm up by about 3°C

Advanced economies should provide an annual assistance of $100 billion by 2020; deadline is now extended to 2025.

China now leads in the annual emissions. The U.S. is a close second, and India a distant third.

India’s emissions are a tenth of those of the U.S. in per capita terms.

Geographical Science

EL NINO AND CHENNAI FLOODS

In July 2017, Study links extreme El Nino and warming of BOB to very heavy rainfall during northeast monsoon.

El Nino generally causes less than normal rainfall in the case of the southwest monsoon

In contrast, it brings about above-normal rainfall during the northeast monsoon.

This is because of the difference in seasonal wind patterns between the two monsoons.

Geologists strike seabed treasure in indian waters

Scientists from GSI have discovered the presence of millions of tonnes of precious metals and minerals deep under

the waters that surround peninsular India. (high resolution sea bed mapping)

Lime mud, phosphate-rich and calcareous sediments, hydrocarbons, metalliferous deposits and micronodules.

Largest volcanic region on earth lies in Antartica

Nearly 100 volcanoes discovered two km below the surface of ice sheet in west Antarctica rift system which stretches

3,500 km from Ross ice shelf to the Antarctic peninsula.

East Africa’s volcanic ridge currently rated as the densest concentration of volcanoes in the world.

If one of these volcanoes were to erupt it could further destabilise ice sheets

Big question is: how active are these volcanoes?

Seaweed farming:

China produces over half of the world’s seaweed harvest and indonesia 27% of world production.

Gulf of mannar, gulf of kutch, calh bay, hanshadweep and bay islands are the important areas.

Central marine fisheries research institute has transferred seaweed cultivation technology to Andaman administration.

It is considered as medicinal food, rich in vitamins, minerals; filters undesired nutrients, reduces eutrophication,

combat beach erosion.

World's largest marine park:

Eu and 24 countries sign agreement to protect 1.1m sq km of water in southern ocean.

Ross sea, Antarctica will be set aside as “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 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.

Ross sea is sometimes called the "last ocean" because it is largely untouched by humans and hence the least altered

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

Ross sea is living lab providing scientists with last chance to understand how a healthy marine ecosystem functions.

Ocean warming and its effects; report by IUCN

World’s waters have absorbed more than 93% of the enhanced heating from CC since the 1970s

Changes in the ocean are happening between 1.5 and 5 times faster than those on land.

Polar bears depend on sea ice to hunt seals, their main prey.

Changes to precipitation, food security, spread of diseases, altering the hibernation periods and breeding of animals

from large-scale atmospheric tele-connections with ocean warming

Correlations between wheat and maize yields with North Atlantic Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation

Extra layer of tectonic plate discovered

New layer of tectonic plate subducted into mantle, in a transition zone that lays 440-660km under the surface.

Discovery has been made possible through 3D mapping of vibrations recorded during earthquake.

The movement of these plates may be able to explain a series of Earthquakes known as Vityaz earthquake which

originated in the mantle between Fiji and Australia.

Discovery can help to reconstruct the surface of earth as it was millions of years ago.

It can help predict future seismic activity more accurately.

Mesopelagic mapping

It is an aquatic layer of the ocean that runs from approximately 200m to 1000m below the surface, where little light

penetrates, so algae do not live. It is home to largest number of vertebrates.

Faeces and bodies fall through the water column as what is known as marine snow, and accumulate at the bottom.

The abundance of animals acts as a ‘false bottom’ which help submarines to go undetected by sonar beneath this zone.

Until now, the only sensible way to probe mesopelagic activity has been by sonar. Now, robots are also being used

Dead zone in Bay of Bengal of 60,000 square km

Dead Zones are areas inside the ocean that lack oxygen and cannot support the complex life systems

There are many phy-chem-bio factors that create dead zones, but nutrient pollution is the primary cause

Dead zones are well-known off the western coasts of North/South America, Namibia and India in the Arabian Sea.

A law, this time for Antarctica

India is drafting a dedicated Antarctica policy

India, being among the countries that have acceded to Antarctica Treaty, is expected to have a clear policy on the

consequences of its activities in the region.

The treaty prohibits military activity, except in support of science; prohibits nuclear explosions and the disposal of

nuclear waste; promotes scientific research and the exchange of data

Conservation of Antarctic Seals and CAMLR are appended to this treaty

The government is rebuilding its station, Maitri, to make it bigger and last for at least 30 years.

Dakshin Gangotri, the first Indian base established in 1984, has weakened and become just a supply base.

India’s polar ship still a long way off

India’s plans to acquire a 1,000-crore polar research vehicle— a ship that can cut through ice sheets may see delays.

Though a Spanish ship-building company was roped in, in early 2015, the contract fell through, due to escalated costs.

MII gives Indian companies an edge in bagging these contracts. Allows an Indian company, which may have lost out

to a foreign company in the final bidding stage on price, to match the latter’s lower, winning bid and bag the contract.

Indian ship companies are not experienced in building PRVs.

PRV was necessary to meet growing need of studies in ocean sciences and scientific activities in Arctic and Antarctic

Himansh:

A high-altitude research station in himalaya called himansh has been established by the national centre for antartic

and ocean research, under MOES in sipti, himachal pradesh.

Part of government’s initiative to study and quantify the himalayan glacier responses towards CC.

One India, two time zones

Committee by MOSNT, recognised the difficulties faced by eastern India but concluded that IST should be retained.

Time difference between the westernmost part of India and the easternmost point is approximately two hours

Northeast “trapped in a time zone that makes neither common sense nor socio-economic sense”.

In the Northeast, the sun rises as early as four in the morning and in winter it sets by four in the evening.

By the time government offices or educational institutions open, many daylight hours are lost.

In winter this problem gets accentuated and ecological costs are disaster with much more electricity consumption.

Advancing IST by half an hour would result in saving 2.7 billion units of electricity every year.

There is of course a strong political dimension to granting a separate time zone in the Northeast given the region’s

long history of self-determination movements.

Bagaan time or tea time is informal practice followed in tea gardens in Assam which is an hour ahead of IST.

Bombay Time was maintained right up to 1955 with Bombay following its own time zone

Clouds over Maharashtra will have a silver iodide lining

Weather scientists will fly airplanes loaded with silver iodide over clouds hovering above Solapur and begin a three-

year investigation into an old question: does cloud seeding produce sufficient rain?

The 250-crore programme by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune.

China used the technique during the 2008 Olympics to veer rain away from the inaugural venue and now has a full-

fledged department that blasts rockets into clouds to induce rain and control pollution

Iodide particles rise into the clouds on which water vapour settles and crytallises and falls as rain or snow.

Scientists confirm ‘lost continent’ beneath Mauritius

The traces of zircon – disgorged during the volcanic eruptions –discovered on the rocks, signal the existence

Zircons occur primarily in granites and form a part of the continent plates.

This lost continent is believed to be the outcome of the super continent Gondwana breaking up

How tiny natural ponds can speed up global warming

Such ponds gradually lose the capacity to soak up CO2 and give off even more of CH4.

They are responsible for about 40% of methane emissions from inland waters

With soil, by contrast, warming initially stimulates CO2 output but then causes it to taper off.

Why Earth’s inner core doesn’t melt

Core of the Earth remains solid, despite being hotter than the surface of the Sun.

On the edge of the inner core, pieces of crystals’ structure continuously melt and diffuse only to be reinserted due to

high pressure like “shuffling deck of cards.” This energy distribution cycle keeps the crystal stable and the core solid.

Crystal structures of iron change depending on the temperature and pressure the metal is exposed to.

At Earth’s core, where pressure is 3.5 million times higher than surface pressure — and temperatures are some 6,000

degrees higher — scientists have proposed that the atomic architecture of iron must be hexagonal.

Iron likely accounts for 96% of the inner core’s composition, along with nickel and possibly light elements.

Zealandia

Given the status of a continent by several geologists

It is located on the southwest Pacific Ocean mostly surrounding, in what is the current land mass of New Zealand and

its adjoining islands New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island Group. Not Australia

93% remains submerged, found using upgraded satellite-based elevation and gravity map technology

The continent is largely made up of two parallel ridges, separated by a failed rift.

It is very tectonically active. Part of it is on the Australian plate, while the other part is on the Pacific plate.

Compared to other continents it has much wider and deeper continental shelves.

Criteria for continents: elevation above surrounding area, distinctive geology, well defined area, crust much thicker

than that found on ocean floor

In KG basin, is the sea rising or land sinking?

Fertile agricultural lands are turning saline

Is land subsidence result of reduced sedimentation flow in dammed rivers?

Land subsidence ranging from 1.5 ft to 5.4 ft over a 30-year period, leading to seawater ingress.

Increased coastal erosion had also damaged structures.

Extraction of hydrocarbons decreased effective stress that kept rock formations in balance, resulting in destabilisation.

Centre dithers on Western Ghats issue

Gadgil recommended in 2011 that all of WG be declared as ESA; with only limited development allowed

States have forced the Centre to consistently delay imposing the ESA restrictions.

Kasturirangan, former ISRO chairman, recommended that only about 60,000 sq km — or about 37%

Kerala managed to get this down to about 56,825 sqkm to exclude 3,117 sqkm of settlements and agricultural land

Ecologically Sensitive Area

MoEF defines it as a bio-climatic unit wherein human actions have caused irreversible changes

ESZ is created under Section 3 of EPA to act as a buffer around Protected Areas

Government can prohibit industrial operations like mining, sand quarrying and thermal power plants in it.

But Environmental Act 1986 does not mention ESA explicitly.

ESZ Guidelines classify activities under three categories:

Prohibited: Commercial Mining, Setting of Saw Mill, Setting of industries causing pollution

Regulated: Felling of Trees, Establishment of hotels and resorts, electrical cables

Permitted: Ongoing agriculture and horticulture practices by local communities, rain water harvesting

A mountain and a movement: the Save Western Ghats March

This year marks the 30th anniversary of ‘Save Western Ghats March’ , a response to the socio-env challenges

Scientists, anthropologists, sociologists, activists, journalists and local communities—marched together for 100 days

along the length of ghats and met at a conference in Goa

Straddling six states, the 1600km long WG is home to biodiversity, human communities and cultures.

WG are recognised today as one of the world’s top 35 biodiversity hotspots

1970s agitation to save Silent Valley in Kerala from a dam project, a large conservation research and action project

initiated a few years ago, effort to declare large parts of the ghats eco-sensitive.

Challenges: unregulated mining, dams, submergence of forests, roads and rail line is fragmenting forests, habitat loss

due to urbanization, agriculture and exotics leading to a rise in human-wildlife conflict; and tribal communities

continue to be marginalised

Centre to tap MGNREGA funds to revive ancient rivers

Palaeo-channels are old rivers that have dried up and filled with sediment.

Wherever these channels were located, the soil was generally soft and therefore, it was easy to direct surface waters

towards them and raise the water table

To recharge remnants of ancient rivers — including the mythical Saraswati — in a bid to boost groundwater reserves.

Valdiya Committee of hydrologists, geologists and archaeologists reported evidence on the course of the Saraswati,

concluded that the Sutlej river “represented the western branch of the Saraswati.”

Lost and found: the tale of two cities

DST is looking to send robotic vehicles into the sea near Dwaraka, Gujarat and Puhar, TN to look for submerged

structures that may point to evidence on the ancient cities.

The programme is expected to involve organisations such as NIOT & NIO

NIO has previous experience in marine archaeology

Along with historical interest, this is also to test technologies such as imaging, sonar and date old stones

Tamil and Buddhist literature have references to Poompuhar or Puhar as being the port capital of the Chola dynasty

This isn't the first attempt by the government to search for evidence of mythological entities.

Curious case of dip, rise in Indian seas

From 1993 to 2003 global temperatures soared — the North Indian Ocean (NIO) sea levels fell.

After 2004, sea levels accelerated spike till 2014

This means a rise in average global temperature doesn’t mean a concurrent rise in sea levels everywhere.

NIO consists of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and part of the Indian Ocean up till the 5°S latitude.

Such a “decadal swing” in NIO was unique and never observed in either the Pacific or Atlantic oceans

NIO was hemmed in 3 sides. This influenced rate at which heat was absorbed and flushed out from within the system.

Sea levels primarily rise due to water expanding from heat and more water being added

70% of the NIO’s warming could be explained by expansion.

Moreover, wind flows, which led to warm water welling up on NIO surface, changed directions every decade and

probably influenced sea level patterns.

Himalayan rocks may up flood risk, finds study

Earthquakes and landslides in the Himalayas — that lead to large volume of hard rocks being dumped into rivers —

can increase flood risk says study by University of Edinburgh, U.K

Rocks in the south Himalayas are extremely hard and can build up in rivers, altering the natural path of the water

Broken down into sand, rocks from more northerly regions of the Himalayas tend to be softer

Mission Everest Inc.

Push for records has led to concerns about the fragile ecology of the region.

Everest climbing become part of Nepal’s tourism industry, generate foreign currency, providing employment

It has even allowed small passenger aircraft to fly near the summit, in order to give passengers a look at the world’s

tallest mountain peak.

Hillary Step, the most challenging part of the climb located just below the summit, has reportedly crumbled.

How does the monsoon affect the economy?

IMD had predicted normal monsoon rains in 2017 raising prospects of higher farm output, consumption demand and

economic growth.

The country gets about 70% of annual rainfall in the June-September monsoon season

Agriculture accounts for about 15% of India’s GDP

A deficit monsoon could lead to a drought, thereby affecting the rural household incomes, increases imports of food

and forces the government to take measures like farm loan waivers, thereby putting pressure on finances.

A normal monsoon is also crucial this time as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rollout is likely to cause headaches

for enterprises in the initial phase and disrupt the working capital cycle of businesses.

El Nino is weaker than anticipated, says IMD

In April, the IMD had said there was a 38% chance of near normal rains (96% of the LPA).

El Nino is known to dry up monsoon rain every six out of 10 years.

A positive IOD is said to buffer the impact of El Nino and contribute to better rains.

IOD is a swing in surface temperatures that turns the WIO alternately warmer and then colder than the EIO

April, the IMD shifted to using a new monsoon forecast system, called a dynamical model that works by

supercomputers simulating the weather and extrapolating it.

The dynamical model, according to the IMD statement, showed monsoon rains to be 100% of the LPA.

Aerosols ‘shrinking’ India’s monsoon: IITM, Pune

Aerosols from vehicular exhaust; half-burnt crop residue, dust and chemical effluents may be weakening it

GHGs, aerosols, changes in forest and agricultural cover was affecting the strength of the monsoon

Dust clouds shield the earth from the sun’s rays, depressing land and sea temperatures. The monsoon, which is

produced by the difference in temperature between the two, is thus weakened.

Studying the health of Arabian Sea

Biogeochemical and biological studies of E.Arabian Sea expected to throw light into ocean dynamics and economy.

CMLRE and ICMAM, under MOES, have drawn up a 3-year-programme to study the coastal seas of western India.

Health of sea, carbon credit, biological productivity, trawl ban effects and oceanography are thrust areas for study

Would assess ecosystem for biological resources which are influenced by natural processes or man-made effects.

The GHG emissions from the ecosystems would be assessed for redefining marine carbon credit, as part of India’s

commitment to the 2016 Paris Summit

The influence of coastal upwelling on coastal fishery

Water staircases in sea

Studies have revealed presence of water staircases of different densities, which play role in melting of Arctic ice.

Similar to a wave on the surface, an internal wave can develop where two layers of water have different densities

In the Arctic region, Pacific water is cooler and less saline, while the Atlantic water is warmer but heavier due to

higher salinity and hence settles down.

A storm could trigger these internal waves to travel downward and stir up a deep reservoir of warmer water, driving it

upward where it could melt sea ice.

Internal waves can only travel vertically if the water they travel through has a continuous change in density and it

reflects back upwards, if the waves suddenly encounter a thick layer with a different density.

In the Arctic, layers of water with different densities, called a density staircase might stand in the way of these internal

waves and shield the bottom of the ocean from these waves unless the storms are really big.

In a staircase-like formation, density is constant within the step, there is a jump in density from one step to another.

Indian environment – Pollution

A new score in waste management

Scientists from CSIR have been able to turn W2W.

Produced ethanol from discarded cotton-stalks by using a combination of chemical and biological techniques.

Bioethanol has a number of advantages over conventional fuels as it comes from a renewable resource.

It is mandatory to blend 10% ethanol with petrol.

Bioethanol presently in use is obtained by fermentation of sugar cane molasses

After SC order, focus on chemicals in firecrackers

Ban on the use of antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic and lead in the manufacture of firecrackers to prevent air

pollution has turned the focus on what chemicals are used to produce visual effects and noise.

The court entrusted the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO) with the responsibility of ensuring

compliance particularly in Sivakasi.

Court noted it appeared that no standards have been laid down by CPCB with regard to pollution by firecrackers.

Sound and light show is produced by sulphur, aluminium powder and charcoal, potassium nitrate and barium nitrate;

the industry says.

Procurement of raw materials for fireworks does not come under the purview of the Explosives Act.

PESO has been testing samples of crackers only for adherence to the sound limit of 125 decibels at a distance of 4m

It’s time to focus on the toxic air we breathe

Niti Aayog released the draft National Energy Policy.

An important aspect that the draft policy ignores is public health, especially in the context of the energy mix

envisaged under the NITI Ambition Scenario.

The Ambition Scenario is a tool to arrive at a range of possible energy futures till 2040; which India may follow if it

were to follow a business-as-usual path versus if it were to transition to an ambitious cleaner pathway

WHO reports that air pollution is the number one environmental health risk. In 2012, about 3mn premature deaths

were attributable to ambient air pollution.

In East and South Asia, welfare losses related to air pollution were the equivalent of about 7.5% of GDP.

WHO’s Health in All Policies framework: health considerations are made in policymaking across different sectors

National Health Policy of 2017 views reducing air pollution as vital to India’s health trajectory.

NGT bans use, sale of plastic bags less than 50 microns

Expressing anguish over the plight of Delhi with its drains clogged by plastic

Government and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee shall

Neerdhur:

NEERI and CSIR has developed a novel multi-fuel cooking stove (wood, coal, cow dung and agricultural residue)

Neerdhur has been approved and certified by mnre and meets the emission parameters of bis.

Internal carbon price:

A carbon price is a cost applied to carbon pollution to encourage polluters to reduce the amount of GHG. Types:

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

Mahindra & mahindra became first indian firm to announce an internal carbon price of $10 per ton of carbon emitted.

It enables companies to create resources which are invested in low carbon technologies

Mahindra partnered with WB and IFC led carbon pricing leadership coalition

India’s first ‘green corridor’:

The 114-km-long mana madurai– 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

Indian railway had developed the environment friendly ‘bio-toilets’, in association with drdo

CEPI score of 70 or above is considered as critically

polluted. CEPI score between 60 and 70 is categorised as

severely polluted industry.

Centre lets microbeads off the hook

Microbeads, small pellets of plastic, extensively

used in personal care products considered toxic to marine

life, are being banned internationally

Also called microplastics, these plastics are too

small to be caught by STP and water filtration techniques

and they pass unchecked into rivers and seas

They take centuries to degrade and worse, are sometimes eaten by fish and could make way into human diets.

BIS maintained a list of chemicals that were disallowed in the manufacture of cosmetics; ‘microbeads’ not in that list.

Sensor network to map and predict pollution, effluents in Godavari

Group of U.S. researchers using satellite, traversing river to collect water samples and using special sensors

The researchers are trying to develop a cost-effective forecast system to inform State officials and citizens

Ammonia hotspots over agricultural areas

Increased ammonia concentrations over agricultural centres in US, Europe, China and India

Linked to fertilizers, animal wastes, changes in atmospheric chemistry and warming soils that retain less ammonia.

Ammonia concentration in the atmosphere over India is the highest in the world

Gaseous ammonia is a natural part of the Earth’s nitrogen cycle, but excessive ammonia is harmful to plants, aquatic

organisms, lead to algal blooms and “dead zones”, acidification of ground and water bodies

Easing of rules for clearance of non-polluting industrial projects: MOEF

Projects under new category of “white”, which is practically non-polluting, will not require environmental clearance.

MOEF+CPCB reclassified the industries into “Red”, “Orange”, “Green” and “White” to promote EOB

The hurry to spare the real estate projects when similar matter under the December 9 notification is pending in NGT.

It also bypasses the Environment (Protection) Act as well as the 2006 EIA notification"

UN World Water Development Report 2017 Four-pronged strategy (4R-Wastewater)

Reducing: Minimising waste water flow. Prohibiting or controlling the use of certain contaminant.

Removing: Low-cost decentralized wastewater treatment systems.

Reusing: Enhance water availability and offset water scarcity.

Recovery: Energy can be recovered from wastewater in the form of biofuel, biogas, heat, and electricity generation.

Water issues

UNEP: water demand will increase by 50% by 2030.

Issues: water scarcity/quality, endangering human health, ecosystems and sustainable development (SDG 6)

India has 63 million people in rural areas without access to clean water

Agri accounted for 92% of total water use in the India. Industry and domestic 4.4% and 3.6%, respectively.

Government emphasis is on symbolic aspect rather than factual outcome.

The existing water governance framework faces complete lack of coordination and views GW, river rejuvenation and

other such challenges as isolated tasks

A new regulatory regime for groundwater needed

Primary source of domestic water and irrigation is GW but the media and policymakers still often focus on SW

One of the underlying reasons for excessive use of GW is the legal framework governing access to GW

Landowners see groundwater as their own and as a resource they can exploit without considering the need to protect

and replenish it since there are no immediate consequences for over-exploiting it.

1970s Bill focussed on adding some State-level control; failed to address the problem of falling water tables

There is no provision in the existing legal regime to protect and conserve groundwater at the aquifer level.

Fails to give panchayats a say (top down), incapable of addressing local situations

Groundwater (Sustainable Management) Bill, 2017 based on current understandings of GW and its links with SW

Recognition of unitary nature of water, need for decentralised control and need to protect it at aquifer level.

Recognition that water is a public trust, recognition of the FR to water and the introduction of precautionary principle

Flu gas technology

MoEF has decided to use Flu-Gas Desulfurization to reduce emissions from thermal power plants

To remove SO2 from exhaust flue gases of fossil-fuel power plants & other sulfur oxide emitting processes.

Wet scrubbing, Spray-dry scrubbing, Wet and Dry lime scrubbing, SNOX, Dry sorbent injection etc.

Fly ash utilization policy:

Maharashtra state cabinet has recently approved Thermal Power Plant Ash Utilisation Policy.

With this it has become the first state to adopt this policy to utilize all coal waste at source.

Cluster development of ash-based industries, such as cement, pre-fabricated building material, bricks, roads, dams,

flyovers, reclaiming low-lying areas, wasteland development, in the vicinity of all thermal power plants.

Government has directed departments like Rural Development to use at least 15% ash component in their works.

The government has also decided to export fly ash after treating it with cenospheres

Chennai oil spill

Two vessels collided off the Kamarajar Port resulting in oil spill in the sea.

Damage to marine animals, Loss of livelihood to fisherman, Consumers’ reluctance to buy sea food

When oil hits the sea, its surface is quickly dispersed by wind, while currents spread the lower layers

This twin action creates a large, ever-expanding film of oil called a “slick”.

National Oil Spill Contingency Plan 1996 completely failed in taking action on the ground.

A state contingency plan has not been prepared even after Coast Guard demanding states to formulate

International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution, 1969, of which India is a signatory, provides for

adequate compensation for the damages and has strict liability for ship owners.

Oilzapper is cocktail of 5 different bacterial strains that are mixed with a carrier material powdered orncob. It feeds

on hydrocarbon compounds present in oily sludge and converts them into harmless CO2 and water.

Oilivorous-S; more effective against sludge and crude oil with high-sulphur content.

Indian researchers have developed a membrane with hydrophobic and high oil-loving (oleophilic) properties.

NGT:

For effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environment, forests, natural resources, enforcement of any

legal right relating to environment and giving relief and compensation

Tribunal is not bound by the procedure laid down under CRPC and is guided by PNJ

Tribunal is mandated for disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same

FOREST FIRE:

Parliamentary Standing Committee on SNT submitted its report on forest fires.

Frequency of forest fires across Central Indian forests and Himalayan Pine forest have increased by 55% in 2016.

Odisha, Chhattisgarh and MP accounted for 1/3rd of the forest fires.

Himalayan forests turn into tinderbox during severe dry seasons.

Chir pine needles, which are highly inflammable due to its high resin content, are a prominent factor

In comparison, incidents of fire in broad leaves forests were found to be minimal

Accidental or intentional involvement of people in starting the blaze

It is possible that the changing patterns of climate may be exacerbating the problem; EX. El-nino

Recommendations: Planting of broad tree leaves in forests, replacement of chir pine, incentives and programmes

(including MGNREGA) to collect pines for use as fuel, use CSR funds for creating awareness campaigns on forest

fires, intervention of community-led ‘van panchayats’

Governments are yet to find scientific ways to tackle the phenomenon.

‘India’s air pollution rivals China’s as world’s deadliest’

India’s poor air quality causes nearly 11L premature deaths every year linked to PM2.5

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

Statutory organisation under MOEF established in 1974 under the Water act.

CPCB is also entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air Act, 1981 & EPA 1986

Smoke on the water

Bellandur Lake on fire, with plume of smoke, is a warning sign that urban environments are crashing

No longer the city of lakes and famed gardens, it has lost an estimated 79% of water bodies to rampant encroachments

A number of lakes feed Bellandur, before joining the Pinakini riverine system that ultimately joins the Cauvery.

Pollution caused by sewage, industrial effluents and garbage, contributed to the blaze on Bellandur lake.

At least 480 million litres of sewage flow daily into Bellandur from four main inlets

Concentration of heavy metals in such sites is leading to bioaccumulation

Knee-jerk reactions of erecting meshes to stop the overflow of froth or sprinklers to suppress foam are not enough.

Identifying all surviving wetlands and demarcating them, removal of land-grabbers and restoration of interconnecting

channels is crucial

NGT pulled up Bengaluru’s governing bodies & ordered the shutdown of industries nearby to de-weed and de-silt,

submit details of BOD and capacities of STPs

The government said the frothing was due to the presence of phosphorus in detergent waste flowing into the lake

Government mulls microbial solutions

Committee of Secretaries setup to speed up the implementation of Namami Gange

Committee will meet at least once in a fortnight.

Union government approved “Namami Gange” Program in May 2015.

Focus on pollution abatement, Interception, diversion & treatment of wastewater flowing through the open drains

through bio-remediation / appropriate in-situ treatment / use of innovative technologies.

In order to improve implementation, a three-tier mechanism has been proposed

A) High level task force chaired by Cabinet Secretary assisted by NMCG at national level

B) State level committee chaired by Chief Secretary assisted by SPMG at state level

C) District level committee chaired by the District Magistrate.

The programme also focuses on involving the States and grassroots level institutions

National ganga council:

To replace the existing NGRBA under river Ganga Authorities Order, 2016.

Mission status will be granted to the Authority with corresponding power under the Environment Act (1986).

The special focus to maintain ecological flows in Ganga, water quality and sustainable development.

Setting of an Empowered Task Force that will ensure the existence and implementation of an action plan under

various Departments, Ministries and States.

The NMCG will have a Governing Council and an Executive Committee.

NMCG will take action in case of non-compliance if CPCB does not do so. CPCB can take action jointly

Tribunal prohibits dumping of waste near Ganga banks

Stretch of 100 metres between Haridwar and Unnao has been declared a ‘No Development Zone,’ with NGT

prohibiting dumping of waste within 500 metres of the river. Fine of Rs. 50,000 will be imposed

The NGT also directed UP and UK governments to formulate guidelines for religious activities on the ghats

Bench noted that all industries in the catchment areas of Ganga should be stopped from indiscriminate GW extraction.

The green court reiterated its earlier order of a ban on mechanical mining in the Ganga

The court also appointed a supervisory committee, headed by Secy of Water Ministry, IIT professors and officials of

UP gov, to oversee implementation of the directions passed in its verdict.

Ganga, Yamuna termed ‘living persons’: Uttarakhand High Court

Ganga and Yamuna, all their tributaries, streams are declared as juristic/legal persons/living entities with all

corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person

Order recognises that rivers are lifelines and culturally significant for people living along them.

NZ law recognises Whanganui River as an indivisible and living whole & entrusts the protection of the river’s rights

jointly to Iwi people and the government

Indian court puts its faith in Director, Namami Gange, Chief Secretary and Advocate General of Uttarakhand.

HC ordered the Director, Namami Gange, for cleaning and rejuvenating the river, Chief Secy and AG to act as “legal

parents” of the holy rivers and human face to protect, conserve and preserve them and their tributaries.

Uttarakhand High Court does not mention associated lakes and wetlands.

SC stays HC verdict on Ganga status

Uttarakhand govt has moved SC to consider “substantial questions of law”

The petition questions whether in case of human casualties in a flood, the affected people can file suit for damages

against the chief secretary of the State and whether the State would be liable to bear such financial burden.

SC Froze the status of “legal persons” on a petition filed by Haridwar resident over mining and stone crushing along

the banks of the Ganga.

Draft ganga model law

Ministry of Water Resources had formed committees on cleaning of river Ganga and prepare adequate law on it

A committee headed by Justice Malviya submitted its draft model law on cleanup of river Ganga

Chitale committee was formed to prepare guidelines for desilting the river stretch between UK and WB.

Committee recognized the challenges being faced to maintain the wholesomeness - Nirmalta and Aviralta due to

unavailability of water, over stressed demand, sustaining the religious faith, historical and social belief

Centre also plans to establish a 4-battalion Ganga Env-Task Force

A law with penalties defined for individual acts of polluting Ganga will deter the polluters to pollute rivers.

Target specific timeline will enable the government to effectively plan the cleaning of the rivers.

Chitale committee

It observes that it is impossible to apply a one-size-fits-all approach to sediment management because of region

specific issues like topography, river control structures, soil and water conservation measures, tree cover, and land-use

It has recommended to - Study sediment transport processes & annual sediment budgets, morphological and flood

routing studies, Catchment Area Treatment, Watershed Development, good agricultural practices and river bank

protection to reduce silt inflow.

Instead of “keeping the silt away”, strategy to “giving the silt way” should be adopted.

In case where constriction is causing large scale siltation, de-siltation along channel to deepen and attract the flow

could be tried to guide the main course of flow.

Desiltation of this stretch would also provide easier navigability of water transport.

The de-siltation may result into some adverse impacts like River bed degradation, Bank erosion, Channel widening,

lowering of water surface elevations

Supreme Court bans registration and sale of BS-III vehicles from April 1

The health of the citizen is more important than the commercial interests of the automobile industry, Court observed

Vehicles that are not BS-IV compliant shall not be sold in India by any manufacturer or dealer

Registering authorities under Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, are prohibited from registering vehicles except on proof that

such a vehicle has already been sold on or before March 31, 2017

SIAM argued that they were entitled to make BS-III vehicles till March 31. They should be given a reasonable time to

dispose of their stock of 8.24L vehicles.

Court had pointed out that new fuel was “cleaner” and refineries had spent 30,000 crore since 2010 to produce it.

BS-IV engines cut emissions drastically

They differ in electronics, sensor system, Diesel Particulate filter & Selective catalytic reduction, ability to process

low-S fuel and their “after-exhaust” system

BS-IV engines require sulphur content of the fuel be less than 50 ppm whereas BS-III ones can run on 350 ppm fuel.

BS-III built engines employed a mechanical fuel pump and used fuel less efficiently, emissions of NO, CO and PM.

Cannot retrofit these engines as high sulphur can clog the injectors

From new trucks, the emissions can dip by 80% and from cars by half.

Bharat emissions standards

India introduced emission norms in 1991 and by 1996 most manufacturers had to incorporate technology upgrades

Court in 1999 made Centre notify BS-I (BIS 2000) and BS-II norms, broadly equivalent to Euro I and Euro II

In 2014, Saumitra Chaudhary committee gave recommendations on Auto Fuel Vision Policy 2025 which had

recommended implementation of BS-IV (2017), BS-V (2019) and BS-VI (2024) standards.

Currently BS-IV norms are currently followed across 63 Indian cities

BS-VI by April 2020 skipping BS-V standard.

Petrol, diesel cars face ban in U.K.

Britain will join other European nations (France 2040, Norway 2025) in plans to ban diesel and petrol cars by 2040

The plan also includes local governments to bring in innovative ideas

Smart ‘pebbles’ to monitor air, water

Soon Ganga river-cleaning project may be monitored by tiny low-cost, low-power sensors that assess water quality

Could monitor a range of variables, from bacterial levels in a river to heavy metal concentration in the atmosphere.

Pebbles are an analogy; they could be any shape. The main criteria is that they be cheap and hardy.

The sensors will need to work for at least a year, getting power from solar, wind, water, wave motion and vibrations.

Similar devices have been used to monitor the health of oil wells

Water Quality Index set to be announced soon

To find out pollution levels in water based on the proposal of the Telangana-SPCB, CPCB

Since developing an index for water quality is complex than air quality, we decided to have three different models for

lakes/rivers, GW and coastal waters. The parameters that will be considered will differ for each

Waste to wealth (inc ghazipur in answer)

Waste to energy plant

W2E plant can have two types of municipal solid waste.

One, which burns all the municipal waste other which burns Refuse Derived Fuel produced from combustible

components of MSW removing out components such as glass, etc.

World Water Day: An opportunity being drained away

This year’s theme was “wastewater”, water that has been affected in quality by anthropogenic influences

Globally, over 80% of the wastewater goes back to the ecosystem without being treated which increases health issues

Wastewater is source of water, energy, nutrients and other recoverable materials.

Probs: treatment plants are not performing, Run-off from agriculture fields

Water flow or storage capacity of water bodies has declined, adversely affecting their waste assimilation functions.

Water pollution prevention policies should be integrated into non-water policies, participatory, market-based such as

taxes, levies, subsidies, soft loans

Technology developed overseas should be introduced in India.

Sewage to battery grade

Sulphur from a contaminated pond recovered and used in a high-performance battery by CSIR

Sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB), to convert sulphate to sulphide, were used.

Electrochemical approach is applied to further convert sulphide to sulphur.

Since cost of pure sulphur is high this sulphur can be used in various applications ex in lithium sulphur battery

Plastic bottles turn mattresses, quilts & much more

At the recycling plant, these bottles are sorted, crushed, cleaned, coloured and turned into PET fibre.

This fibre is mixed with fibre from hosiery waste and supplied to power loom

When it is not mixed with hosiery waste fibre, it is used to make mattresses, cushions, quilts and non-woven fabrics.

Western countries adopt Global Recycle Standards and garments made of recycled fibre sold as sustainable products.

The government does not permit the import of waste PET bottles

Recycled plastic may be contaminated: study

Brominated flame retardants are chemicals added to plastic parts of electronic gadgets to make them less flammable.

Plastic laden with harmful flame retardants might be contaminating

This gets mixed with other plastic and then reaches us in the form of new products.

Adverse health effects including thyroid hormone disruption, permanent learning and memory impairment

The study reveals that India currently generates almost 1 lakh tonnes of this contaminated plastic annually, which is

expected to go up to 1.7 lakh tonnes in 2018.

Most of this huge quantity of plastic reaches the informal recycling sector, where majority of it is mixed with other

plastics and recycled with no safety or health precautions.

Wildlife

Delhi declaration on agro-biodiversity management:

The first International Agro-biodiversity Congress held in Delhi.

900 participants from 60 countries have urged researchers and policy-makers to strengthen and promote strategies to

conserve and use agrobiodiversity.

Major Highlights: agrobiodiversity for food-nutrition; adaptation to CC; IPR and ABS and farmers’ rights; quarantine,

biosafety and biosecurity issues; conservation strategies, science-led innovations

Wwf’s living planet report 2016:

The report is compiled with data from zoological society of london

The report points out we have ushered in the era of anthropocene

Global population of mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles declined by 58 percent between 1970 and 2012

Rivers and lakes are the worst hit with animal population down by 81 percent since 1970.

Report states that food demand is the primary factor responsible for the destruction of habitats and wildlife.

Pollution is another problem. Many sea animals are being harmed due to high levels of pollutants.

HERITAGE HEROES AWARD:

Assam-based ecologist Bibhuti Lahkar has become the first Asian to be awarded by IUCN

The objective of this initiative is to inspire people to value the importance of natural World Heritage sites and

recognise the need to collectively invest in their conservation.

He has been working to save the grasslands, flora and fauna of Manas National Park area for the past two decades.

He was instrumental in connecting Manas Wildlife Sanctuary with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan.

NCR becoming a death trap for birds: report

Recently Amity released a report; declining population of migratory birds and endemic birds in Aravalli range.

It is speculated that more than 70% of birds around this area have vanished.

Reasons: air quality, water sources, noise levels, non- ionized microwave radiations, Radio frequency radiation

(RFR), unleaded petrol, pesticides, vanishing grasslands, rising temperature, Bird-unfriendly architecture, Crop

residue burning around Delhi

Online filing of access and benefit sharing applications by MOEF

National Biodiversity Authority & NIC to launch the website to enable E-filing of applications.

ABS refers to the way in which genetic resources may be accessed, and how benefits from their use are shared

between the people or countries using the resources (users) and the people or countries that provide them

Nagoya Protocol on ABS is a supplementary agreement to CBD

181 endangered Irrawaddy dolphins counted in Odisha census

Humpback (34), bottlenose (31) and 5 pantropical spotted dolphins were also sighted.

This marks a significant drop from 2015, when survey teams recorded 450 dolphins.

Found in Chilika Lake, Bhitarakanika and Bhadrak Wildlife Sanctuary

Forest department sources said that sighting of dolphins depended on the weather condition of the day

Irrawady Dolphins also known as Snubfin Dolphins can be found in rivers, lakes and seas across southern Asia

Major threats: fisheries gear; Habitat loss due to Dams, Deforestation; Live captures for display, pollution

IUCN status: Vulnerable

Though the net tightens, India remains hub for turtle trade

India continues to be source of the illegal trade and export of tortoises and freshwater turtles (TFT).

While domestic consumption of turtle meat in WB and Bangladesh continues, it is the

international export to SEA and China that rake in profits for smugglers.

Turtles form an important part of the riverine system, acting as scavengers in cleaning up

water bodies and generally being indicators of river health.

Ironically, NMCG envisages breeding and release of turtles to clean wetlands

Rhino report impartial: BBC

Describing its ‘programme’ on conservation of rhinoceros at the Kaziranga National Park as “balanced and impartial

NTCA urged MEA to revoke the visas of BBC correspondent Rowlatt and his crew, and prevent “their further entry

into India, for a period not less than five years”.

Vulnerable (2400 now in kaziranga, 70% of world) as per IUCN. Endangered in 1986 list.

World heritage site (1985) and a tiger reserve too.

1 of highest densities of Tigers in the wild and also houses almost entire population of Eastern Swamp Deer

Home of the “Big Five” - Rhinoceroses, Tigers, Asiatic wild buffalos, Eastern Swamp Deer, and Elephant.

Four States come together for elephant census

Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have decided to conduct a synchronised elephant census

The four States together have the maximum number of human-elephant conflict-prone regions in India.

Wild elephants census after 5 years

All-India Synchronised Asian Elephant Population Estimation will be carried out simultaneously in the southern

States & eastern States, after a five-year gap.

The protocols have been designed and approved by the Project Elephant Directorate of MOEF

In the previous counting exercise in 2012, the population of wild elephants was about 30K compared to 27K in 2007

The exercise involves estimating numbers through direct sample block counts and indirect or line transect dung

The census will help assess the population structure that includes age and sex ratio

The census is expected to show the impact of growing conflicts with humans.

India home to 27, 312 elephants: Census

Current estimate, derived from sighting-based direct count method alone, will be confirmed with estimates from the

indirect dung-count method

Karnataka has the highest number of elephants (6,049), followed by Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054).

Parallels cannot be drawn between previous census because estimation methodologies were different

Synchronised census was conducted to minimise errors and rule out duplication

'Ecological culling' – decreasing populations by not permitting them to colonise new territories using barricading

All India tiger estimation

Carried out once in every four years by NTCA

The tigers are monitored through a special field protocol (Phase-IV monitoring) which involves: Collating camera

trap pictures, e-Eye system using thermal cameras, scat samples, smart protocols like M-STrIPES

Olive Ridley eggs hatch in thousands in Ganjam

The Rushikulya coast in Ganjam district of Odisha is a major mass nesting site for Olive ridley turtles in India.

Each nest contains around 100 eggs.

As the rate of mortality among the hatchlings is so high, the Olive Ridley remains an endangered species

The hatchlings come out of the sand 48 hours after they hatch. During this period, they remain under the sand, getting

oxygen through the porous sand, their shells turning hard for them to cope with the condition outside.

Endangered dholes to run free in Eastern Ghats

Endangered and hard-to-spot dholes, or Indian wild dogs

Indira Gandhi Zoo running a breeding centre for the species, plans to reintroduce 16 into forests near Visakhapatnam.

Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad will map the genetic variability of the packs

It will be the third such zoo effort for the recovery and long-term survival of an endangered species.

Earlier, Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu programme for red panda and a Pygmy Hog Programme in Assam.

Protected under Schedule 2 and ‘endangered’, dhole was adopted by IGZP under Central Zoo Authority’s mandate.

A shrinking home for endemic birds

Birds endemic to WG appear to be in greater danger than they were thought to be

An example is the Malabar grey hornbill which IUCN classifies as ‘Least Concern’ and believes is distributed across

2.3 lakh sq.km in Kerala and Karnataka. But when researchers used a spatial modelling technique, they found its

range was just 43,060 sq. km. This would put the bird in the ‘Near Threatened’ category.

Nilgiri pipit appears to have lost 88% of its habitat

IUCN uses expert sightings and other records, while the study used land cover, forest type (satellite imagery),

temperature, precipitation and ‘citizen science’ using the eBird online birding checklist.

On tribals and tigers

NTCA recently ordered that there would be no tribal rights in critical tiger habitats.

Premise that guidelines for notification of 'critical wildlife habitats' envisaged under FRA, 2006 had not been issued

NTCA under the Wildlife Protection Act have a mandate to ensure conservation along with human coexistence.

Compromises on the rights of tribals can be made only where there is proof that the tribal presence in these protected

areas will create irreversible damage to their ecology.

The order has no legal basis as NTCA has no jurisdiction over the rights of forest dwellers.

Tribals have helped in increasing the tiger population, whether the Soligas in BRT Karnataka or Baigas in the Kanha

WORKING OF BIODIVERSITY ACT 2002:

NGT had recently asked for action against top State officials who had failed to respond to an application filed before

the tribunal for effective implementation of the act.

RTI responses from 15 States have revealed that out of more than 61,000 PRI, only 14 per cent(less than 1,400) have

PBR (People’s Biodiversity Register).

Much of India's forestland has been given away for industrial and infrastructural activities.

About 80 per cent of the forest area faces heavy grazing while fire affects 50 per cent of the forest cover.

PBR could be an effective tool to counter misleading statements given in forest diversion proposals and EIA reports,

help a community present the facts in order to highlight ‘true value’ of ecological entity proposed to be ‘sacrificed’

Nod to shut gates of Sardar Sarovar

Narmada Control Authority has given go ahead to Gujarat to close Dam gates, 56 years after the dam was laid

Project has faced environmental issues, displacement of tribals and legal battle

Result in an increase in the dam’s storage capacity, hydro power generation, irrigate about 8 lakh hectares, 1 crore

people will get assured drinking water.

It will submerge 1 town and 176 villages, displace 20,000 families, agricultural land, and destroy biodiverse forest.

Since Independence, between 25 and 60 million people have been displaced from their homes and uprooted

The steep slopes of the Narmada valley are prone to erosion: they have been protected so far because of the dense

forests that line the sides of the valley. Once these trees are lost, soil will flow unchecked into the river

Compensation to the displaced, when given, has often come in the form of land unsuitable for farming or living

Resettlement sites lack basic facilities: no wells, drinking water pipelines, or grazing land for cattle

In Mumbai, penguins cause a flutter

Bought eight Humboldt penguins from South Korea because they are better suited to relatively higher temperatures

and adapt themselves to captivity.

Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti), also known as the Chilean penguin, Peruvian penguin, or patranca, breeds

on the coasts of Chile and Peru.

They are medium-sized penguins

The air temperature in their enclosure is controlled, between 16°C and 18°C, and the water in their pool is between

11°C and 16°C.

Just three months after the penguins came in, a female (informally named Dory by one of the zoo’s doctors) died in

quarantine. The autopsy report suggested that the penguin contracted a bacterial infection leading to septicaemia.

Environment Ministry official to chair animal welfare board

AWB, a statutory advisory body under MoEF, will now be permanently chaired by a senior MoEF official

It has always been chaired by somebody outside government, such as veterinarians, activists

Differences between the AWBI and MoEF, especially on the conduct of the jallikattu

Chennai-based AWB derives its legal structure from Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, frames rules on how

animals ought to be humanely treated everywhere.

Several government organisations, animal rights activists and parliamentarians, are represented on the Board.

Government’s chairmanship would improve the financial management of the AWBI and there would be no

compromise on the board’s independence.

Time in camera-trap data throws more light on tiger behaviour

Time in camera-trap data, which could help learn more about the behaviour and movement of tigers

A new model incorporated time and location of photo-capture to estimate the abundance and spatial distribution

70% of wild tigers are concentrated in less than 6% of remaining habitats worldwide.

Scientists illustrated spatial capture-recapture (SCR) model by analysing spatial and temporal patterns evident in the

camera-trap detections of tigers living in and around Nagarahole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka.

OLIVE RIDLEY

They are smallest and most abundant of all the sea turtle species. They are Omnivores.

Gets their name from olive green colouration of its heart shaped shell.

They are found only in warmer waters

known for their arribadas (synchronised mass nesting) during which time tens of thousands of female turtles come

ashore to nest in the span of a few days.

Gahirmatha located in the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha houses the world largest mass nesting site

Sandy stretches of Hope Island of the Coringa, Andhra Pradesh have also emerged as a breeding ground

They have been categorized as Vulnerable in IUCN Red list and Listed as Schedule I

DEER ANTLERS

Kerala has sought permission from Union government to allow the use of Antlers of Spotted and Sambhar deer in

Ayurvedic medicines by amending Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Kerala Spotted deer, Sambhar deer and Barking deer shed their antlers annually which regrow again.

their sale and use are banned in India under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Act of 1972, has included antler in the definition of wildlife trophy which are considered as owned by government.

IDUKKI WILDLIFE SANTUARY

Osprey (fish eagle), listed in the IUCN red category, Great Indian Hornbill, Grey-headed Bulbul, etc.

illegal cultivation of marijuana – world renowned “Idukki Gold” or “Kerela Gold”

It is becoming a destination for migratory birds as it is closely located to Idukki Arc Dam, Asia's biggest Arch Dam

CITES (1975, also called Washington Convention)

On the scent of dead big cats

Till July 29, in 2017, 62 tigers died of natural or unnatural causes and 14 cases of seizure of body parts

Other than poaching for gains, tigers were killed in retaliation for attack on humans.

Karnataka has recorded the highest 14 deaths. Madhya Pradesh follows with 13

The use of technology is challenging long-held ideas about conservation

Camera traps, for instance, have provided new evidence of tiger presence in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa

Radio collars have helped solve the mystery of tiger deaths in Bandipur

Satellite telemetry promises to provide new insights into the behaviour and movement patterns of Bustard

Keep an eye on developments across large landscapes

More individual wild animals are perhaps being caught and handled today than has ever happened earlier.

Dept. draws flak for dilution of ESZ proposals

Forest Department has come under flak for diluting the original proposals of the ESZ around Nagarahole National Park as

evident in the draft notification, which was issued in July this year

Biodiversity around the deep sea vents

Deep sea vents are found on the sea floor through which the geo-thermally heated water, minerals and gas comes out.

Formed near the oceanic ridges where the two tectonic plates intersect

There existed a diverse and vibrant benthic community of deep sea organism near the hydro-thermal vents.

Potential for mineral exploration as the vents are rich in Poly Metallic Nodules

Benthic organisms in the hydrothermal vents depend on the chemosynthetic bacteria for food. The water in the

hydrothermal vents is rich in dissolved minerals and forms the energy base for the chemosynthetic bacteria.

Benthic organisms found in vents are Vent Shrimps, Giant Tubeworm, Siboglinid Tubeworms