Thirst Waves

Source: TH

Global warming is making the air thirstier, causing higher evaporative demand that dries out land and plants—a phenomenon called thirst waves.

Thirst Waves

• About: Thirstwave, a term coined by researchers Meetpal Kukal and Mike Hobbins, refers to a period of three or more consecutive days with extreme atmospheric evaporative demand—reflecting how "thirsty" the air is for moisture.
• Causes: Thirst waves are influenced by temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed, unlike heatwaves, which are mainly driven by temperature and wind.
• Measurement: It is measured through Short-crop evapotranspiration that measures water loss from a well-watered 12-cm grass surface.
  • Rising evapotranspiration indicates higher temperatures, lower humidity, and increased wind speed and solar radiation.
• Impact: Stronger thirst waves lead to faster soil moisture loss, greater irrigation requirements, and a higher risk of crop stress and yield reduction.
• Thirstwaves & India: Studies show that evaporative demand is increasing in parts of India, including Northern India and the Western/Eastern Himalayas, driven by agricultural expansion and vegetation growth.
  • While in the past, higher humidity helped offset the impact of rising temperatures, future warming is expected to further raise evaporative demand.

Read More: Heatwaves as a Notified Disaster

State of Climate in Asia 2024 Report

Source: IE

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released the State of Climate in Asia 2024 report that revealed Asia warmed nearly twice as fast as the global average in 2024, marking its hottest or second-hottest year on record.

Key Findings:

• Unprecedented warming: Asia’s 2024 temperature was 1.04°C above the 1991–2020 average, with warming rates doubling since 1961–1990.
• Heatwaves: In India, extreme heat waves claimed over 450 lives, pushed temperatures to 45–50°C, and, along with storms, caused around 1,300 deaths due to lightning.
  • Marine heatwaves impacted around 15 million sq km, particularly the northern Indian Ocean and seas near Japan, China.
• Tropical Cyclones: In Asia, 29 tropical cyclones struck in 2024, with the deadliest being Cyclone Yagi (Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar) 
  • The Indian subcontinent was hit by Cyclones Remal, Fengal, Dana and Asna.
• Glacial Retreat: Glaciers continued to lose mass, as 23 out of 24 glaciers in High Mountain Asia (Himalayas, Pamir Mountains, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush) showed decline, with Urumqi Glacier No. 1 (Tian Shan) recording its highest melt since 1959.
• WMO, headquartered in Geneva, is an intergovernmental body with 193 Member States and Territories, including India. 
  • It evolved from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), founded after the 1873 Vienna Congress. 

Read More: State of the Global Climate 2023: WMO

Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan

Source: PIB

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched the Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan (DAJA), the largest-ever tribal empowerment campaign, reaching over 1 lakh tribal villages across 31 States/UTs, including 207 PVTG districts.

• It follows a camp-based, community-driven model, involving district administrations, youth volunteers, CSOs, and tribal leaders.

Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan (DAJA)

• About: A nationwide tribal empowerment campaign under Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh, for tribal communities, especially in remote and  PVTG habitations.
  • November 15th was designated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas in 2021 to honor tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda and commemorate his 150th birth anniversary. 
  • Additionally, Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh (15th November 2024–15th November 2025) has been launched as a year-long celebration of tribal pride, identity, and progress
• 5 Pillars of DAJA:
  • Janbhagidari: Community-led participation
  • Saturation: Universal coverage of entitlements
  • Cultural Inclusion: Tribal languages, arts, and traditions integrated
  • Convergence: Coordination among ministries, CSOs, youth groups
  • Last-Mile Delivery: Reaching remote tribal habitations
• Objective: Achieve saturation of all central government welfare schemes like Aadhaar, Ayushman Bharat, PM-Kisan, PM Ujjwala Yojana, Jan Dhan, and tribal-specific entitlements. 
  • It also supports key initiatives like PM-JANMAN and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA). 
• Cultural Emphasis: Celebrates tribal heritage and honours Birsa Munda (Dharti Aaba), a symbol of tribal pride and resistance.

Other Schemes for Tribal Welfare: 

• Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) 
• Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas
• Van Dhan Vikas Kendras

Read More: Launch of Tribal Welfare Projects Under DAJGUA, EMRS and PM-JANMAN