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Global Methane Pledge

Why in News Recently, the US President has announced the Global Methane Pledge, which is an US-EU led effort to cut methane emissions by a third by...

18 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
United in Science 2021: WMO

Why in News Recently, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a report named United in Science 2021. It is a multi-organization...

17 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Tarballs

Why in News Recently, black oil-emanating balls also called Tarballs were seen, lying on the shore of Mumbai Beach. Key...

16 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
World Ozone Day

Why in News Every year, 16th September is observed as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone layer (World Ozone Day). Key...

16 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Arsenic Contamination of Food Chain

Why in News A recent study in Bihar has found Arsenic contamination not only in groundwater but in the food chain as well. The research...

16 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Shoonya Campaign: NITI Aayog

Why in News Recently, NITI Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and RMI India’s have launched the Shoonya Campaign. It is an initiative...

16 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Groundswell Report: World Bank

Why in News Recently, the updated Groundswell report released by the World Bank indicated that climate change could force 216 million people across...

15 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Task Force for Coal-Based Hydrogen Production

Why in News Recently, the Union Government constituted a Task force and Expert committee to prepare a road map for coal-based hydrogen production...

14 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Changing Rainfall Pattern in North East India

Why in News Recently, an analysis showed a changing rainfall pattern in North East (NE) India because of Climate Change. The National Action Plan...

13 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Towards A Zero Carbon Future

This article is based upon Green hydrogen, a new ally for a zero carbon future which was published in The Hindu on 09/09/2021. It talks about the...

11 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Creating Methanol from Coal

Why in News Recently, the first Indigenously Designed High Ash Coal Gasification Based Methanol Production Plant has been opened in...

11 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Alternative to Crop Stubble Burning

This article is based on the article From Waste To Wealth: An alternative to Punjab’s crop stubble burning which was published in The Hindu...

09 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Improved Air Quality of Indian Cities

Why in News Recently, the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, while speaking at the International Day of Clean Air For Blue Skies,...

08 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
IUCN World Conservation Congress

Why in News The world’s largest and most inclusive environmental decision-making forum ‘IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020’...

07 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Microplastics

Introduction About: Plastic pollution that ends up in the ocean deteriorates and breaks down and ends up as Microplastics. Microplastics are...

06 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Land Sink & Emissions

Why in News Despite caution from scientists, policymakers and corporations still assume that natural carbon sinks like land and oceans will mop up...

04 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Report on Weather Disasters: WMO

Why in News Recently, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), has released a report, which stated that weather disasters killed 2 million in...

03 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
State of the World's Trees Report: BGCI

Why in News Recently, Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) launched the State of the World's Trees Report. The report warns that...

03 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Crocodilian Species in India

Why in News Recently, Odisha's Kendrapara district has earned the distinction of being the only district in India where all three species of...

01 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Sand and Dust Storms Risk Assessment in Asia and the Pacific

Why in News According to a new United Nations (UN) report, more than 500 million people in India and more than 80% of the entire populations of...

01 Sep 2021 Environmental Pollution & Degradation

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		'article_id' => (int) 9834,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Global Methane Pledge',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the US President has announced the <strong>Global Methane Pledge,</strong> which is <strong>an US-EU led effort to cut methane emissions by a third by the end of this decade.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The announcement has come ahead of 26<sup>th</sup> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cop-28" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Conference of the Parties (COP26)</strong></a> of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)</strong></a> in Glasgow, UK.</li>
<li>This will also help in abiding by the targets of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/five-years-of-paris-climate-accord#:~:text=Legal%20status%3A%20It%20is%20a,compared%20to%20pre%2Dindustrial%20levels." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Paris climate deal.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The pact between the US and the EU <strong>sets a target of cutting at least 30% from global methane emissions,</strong> based on 2020 levels, by 2030.</li>
<li>If adopted around the world, this<strong> would reduce global heating by 0.2C</strong> by the 2040s, compared with likely temperature rises by then. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The world is now about 1.2C hotter now than in pre-industrial times.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Methane Gas: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Methane is the <strong>simplest hydrocarbon, consisting of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms</strong> (CH<sub>4</sub>).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is flammable, and is used as a fuel worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Methane is a powerful <a href="/infographics/info-paper3/greenhouse-gas-emission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>greenhouse gas.</strong></a></li>
<li>Approximately 40% of <strong>methane emitted is from natural sources</strong> and about 60% <strong>comes from human-influenced sources,</strong> including livestock farming, rice agriculture, biomass burning and so forth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>More Global Warming Potential:</strong> It is nearly 80-85 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of its global warming capacity. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This makes it a critical target for reducing global warming more quickly while simultaneously working to reduce other greenhouse gases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Promotes Generation of Tropospheric Ozone:</strong> Increasing emissions are driving a rise in <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/ozone" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>tropospheric ozone</strong></a> air pollution, which causes more than one million premature deaths annually.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Indian Initiatives: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>&lsquo;Harit Dhara&rsquo; (HD):</strong> Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed an anti-methanogenic feed supplement<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anti-methanogenic-feed-supplement-harit-dhara" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;Harit Dhara&rsquo; (HD)</strong></a>, which can cut down cattle methane emissions by 17-20% and can also result in higher milk production.</li>
<li><strong>India Greenhouse Gas Program:</strong> The India GHG Program led by WRI India (non-profit organization), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/12th-griha-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)</strong></a> is an industry-led voluntary framework to measure and manage greenhouse gas emissions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The programme builds comprehensive measurement and management strategies to reduce emissions and drive more profitable, competitive and sustainable businesses and organisations in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NAPCC</a></strong> was launched in 2008 which aims at creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat posed by climate change and the steps to counter it.</li>
<li><strong>Bharat Stage-VI Norms:</strong> India shifted from <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-india-will-shift-to-bs-vi-norms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) to Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI)</strong></a> emission norms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Global Methane Initiative (GMI)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an international public-private partnership focused on reducing barriers to the recovery and use of methane as a clean energy source.</li>
<li>GMI provides technical support to deploy methane-to-energy projects around the world that enable Partner Countries to launch methane recovery and use projects.</li>
<li><strong>India is a partner country.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/biden-unveils-plan-to-cut-methane-emissions/article36529295.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9828,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'United in Science 2021: WMO',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-of-the-global-climate-wmo#:~:text=The%20World%20Meteorological%20Organization%20(WMO,1873%20Vienna%20International%20Meteorological%20Congress." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Meteorological Organization (WMO)</strong></a> released a report named <strong>United in Science 2021.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>multi-organization high-level compilation</strong> of the latest climate science information.</li>
<li>The report is coordinated by the WMO, with inputs from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/making-peace-with-nature-unep-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Environment Programme</strong></a>, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organization</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-2021-report-ipcc#:~:text=It%20was%20set%20up%20in,options%20for%20adaptation%20and%20mitigation." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</strong></a>, Global Carbon Project, World Climate Research Programme and the Met Office (UK).</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631881682_image19.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631881682_image19.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<h3>Key points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Climate Change:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The pace of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a> has not been slowed by the global<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and the world remains behind in its battle to cut carbon emissions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has caused only a <strong>temporary downturn in carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>)</strong> emissions in 2020.</li>
<li><strong>High latitude regions</strong> and the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/green-wall-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Sahel</strong> </a>are likely to be <strong>wetter</strong> over 2021&ndash;2025, than the recent past.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Reduction targets are not being met and there is a <strong>rising likelihood the world will miss its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/five-years-of-paris-climate-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paris Agreement</a> target</strong> of reducing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There is an increasing likelihood that <strong>temperatures would temporarily breach the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius</strong> above the pre-industrial era, in the next five years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Temperature:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Average global<strong> temperature for the past five years</strong> was among the <strong>highest on record.</strong></li>
<li>Rising global temperatures are <strong>fuelling devastating extreme weather throughout the world,</strong> with spiralling impacts on economies and societies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Climate hazards such as heatwaves, wildfires and poor air quality combine to threaten human health worldwide, putting vulnerable populations at particular risk.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Greenhouse Gases:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Concentrations of major <a href="/pdf/Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>greenhouse gases</strong></a> in the atmosphere continued to increase last year and during the first half of 2021.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fossil Fuel Emissions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Fossil fuel emissions from coal, gas, cement, etc were back to 2019 levels or even <strong>higher in 2021.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sea Level:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Global<strong> mean sea levels rose 20 cm</strong> from 1900 to 2018. Even <strong>if emissions are reduced to limit warming to well below 2&deg;C,</strong> global <strong>mean sea level would likely rise by 0.3-0.6 m by 2100,</strong> and could rise <strong>0.3-3.1 m by 2300.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Loss of Work Hours:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An excess of <strong>103 billion potential work hours were lost globally in 2019,</strong> compared to 2000. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was due to heat-related mortality and work impairment, caused by rising temperatures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>More countries should develop <strong>long-term strategies</strong> that are <strong>consistent with the 2015 Paris Agreement.</strong></li>
<li>Net-zero commitments needed to be translated into <strong>strong near-term policies and action.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Adaptation strategies are needed</strong> where they do not exist &ndash; especially in low-lying coasts, small islands, deltas and coastal cities.</li>
<li>Covid-19 <strong>recovery efforts should be aligned with national climate change and air quality strategies</strong> to reduce risks from compounding and cascading climate hazards, and gain health co-benefits.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>World <strong>needs a breakthrough on protecting people and their livelihoods,</strong> with at least half of all public climate finance committed to building resilience and helping people adapt.</li>
<li>And it needs much <strong>greater solidarity, including full delivery of the long-standing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-finance-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate finance pledge</a></strong> to help developing countries take climate action.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/covid-19-pandemic-has-not-slowed-climate-change-un-79059" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9799,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Tarballs',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, black oil-emanating balls also called <strong>Tarballs</strong> were seen, lying on the shore of Mumbai Beach.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631789099_image13.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631789099_image13.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tarballs are dark-coloured, sticky balls of oil that <strong>form when crude oil floats on the ocean surface.</strong> They are formed by weathering of crude oil in marine environments.</li>
<li>Some of the balls are as big as a basketball while others are smaller globules. They are <strong>transported</strong> from the open sea to the shores<strong> by sea currents and waves.</strong></li>
<li>Most of the time, the presence of several tarballs <strong>indicate an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/oil-spills-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oil spill</a>.</strong> However, its annual occurrence on the west coast during the monsoon has led marine biologists and experts to demand an investigation in the matter.</li>
<li>Oil-well blowouts, accidental and deliberate release of bilge and ballast water from ships, river runoff, discharges through municipal sewage and industrial effluents also <strong>leads to the formation of tarballs.</strong></li>
<li>Once tarballs hit the beaches, they <strong>may be picked up by hand or by beach-cleaning machinery.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tarballs that travel towards the coast <strong>can get stuck to the fishing nets</strong> installed in the sea, making it difficult for fishermen to clean.</li>
<li>In addition, it <strong>could affect marine life,</strong> especially filter feeders like clams and oysters.</li>
<li>Tarballs are <strong>difficult to break down,</strong> and can therefore travel for hundreds of miles in the sea.<strong> Tarball pollution</strong> is a major concern to the global marine ecosystem.</li>
<li><strong>Food retrieved from the coastal waters</strong> including fish and other sea food <strong>might also get contaminated</strong> and become a part of the larger food chain harming the health of people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/mumbai-beaches-tarballs-explained-7510246/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9798,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'World Ozone Day',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Every year, <strong>16<sup>th</sup> September</strong> is observed as the <strong>International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone layer</strong> (World Ozone Day).</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>After the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ozone-layer-is-recovering-un" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Montreal Protocol</strong></a> on Substances that deplete the ozone layer signed by almost every country in 1987, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nation General Assembly</strong></a>, in 1994, proclaimed this day as the <strong>International Day for the Prevention of the Ozone Layer.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Montreal Protocol has <strong>led to the phase-out of 99% of ozone-depleting chemicals in</strong> refrigerators, air-conditioners and many other products.</li>
<li>The latest Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion completed in 2018, shows that parts of the ozone layer have<strong> recovered at a rate of 1-3% per decade since 2000.</strong></li>
<li>Ozone layer protection efforts have also <strong>contributed to the fight against <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a></strong> by averting an estimated 135 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, from 1990 to 2010.</li>
<li>In September 2009, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ozone-layer-preservation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Vienna Convention</strong> </a>and the<strong> Montreal Protocol</strong> became the first treaties in the history of the United Nations to achieve universal ratification.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Establishment of a mechanism for cooperation to take action to protect the ozone layer was formalized in the <strong>Vienna Convention in 1985.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2016 as a continuation of the global effort the Parties to the Montreal Protocol <strong>reached agreement at their 28<sup>th</sup> Meeting of the Parties in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ozone-layer-is-recovering-un" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kigali</a>, Rwanda</strong> to phase-down <strong>hydrofluorocarbons</strong> (HFCs).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-decides-to-ratify-the-kigali-amendment" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Government approved the ratification of the Kigali Amendment</strong> </a>to the Montreal Protocol.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>2021 Theme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Montreal Protocol &ndash; <strong>Keeping us, our food, and vaccines cool.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Ozone</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a <strong>special form of oxygen with the chemical formula O<sub>3</sub>.</strong> The oxygen we breathe and that is so vital to life on earth is O<sub>2</sub>.</li>
<li>Most ozone resides high up in the atmosphere, <strong>between 10 and 40km above Earth's surface.</strong> This region is called the <strong>stratosphere</strong> and it contains about 90% of all the ozone in the atmosphere.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Classification:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Good Ozone:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ozone occurs naturally in the <strong>Earth's upper atmosphere (Stratosphere) where it forms a protective layer</strong> that shields us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.</li>
<li>This &ldquo;good&rdquo; ozone is gradually being destroyed by man-made chemicals referred to as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ozone-layer-preservation#:~:text=Reason%20for%20Ozone%20Hole,4)%2C%20and%20methyl%20chloroform." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS)</strong></a>, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), halons, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bad Ozone:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the <strong>Earth's lower atmosphere (troposphere) near ground level,</strong> ozone is formed when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and other sources react chemically in the presence of sunlight.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Surface level ozone is a harmful <strong>air pollutant.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631787057_image16.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631787057_image16.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="512" height="403" /></strong></a></p>
</div>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9796,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Arsenic Contamination of Food Chain',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A recent study in Bihar has found&nbsp;<strong>Arsenic contamination</strong> not only in groundwater but in<strong> the food chain</strong> as well.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The research study was a part of the <strong>Project Nature and Nurture in Arsenic Induced Toxicity of Bihar</strong> jointly funded by the<strong> British Council in the United Kingdom</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/50th-foundation-day-of-dst" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Department of Science and Technology</strong></a> in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Major Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Food Chain Contamination:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631779954_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631779954_image4.png" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Arsenic has found its way into the food chain - mainly <strong>rice, wheat and potato.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Arsenic <strong>contamination in groundwater has been a growing concern in several parts</strong> of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Arsenic is present <strong>in the groundwater as it is used on a large scale for irrigation by farmers.</strong> That is how it finds its way into the food chain as well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Food vs Water Contamination:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The food had more arsenic content than drinking water, even when arsenic levels in drinking water was above the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organization (WHO)</strong></a> provisional guide value of 10 micrograms per litre (&mu;g/L).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>concentration was higher in cooked rice compared to raw rice.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Arsenic:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631779933_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631779933_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is an <strong>odourless and tasteless metalloid</strong> widely distributed in the earth&rsquo;s crust.</li>
<li>It is naturally present at high levels in the earth crust and groundwater of a number of countries. <strong>It is highly toxic in its inorganic form.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Arsenic Poisoning:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It can <strong>get into the human body through drinking water as well as eating food</strong> that has been contaminated with arsenic.</li>
<li><strong>Arsenicosis</strong> is the medical word for <strong>arsenic poisoning,</strong> which occurs due to accumulation of large amounts of arsenic in the body.</li>
<li>It <strong>leads to adverse health effects through inhibition of essential enzymes,</strong> which ultimately leads to death from multi-system organ failure.</li>
<li>Long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking-water and food can cause<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-cancer-awareness-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> cancer</a> and skin lesions.</strong> It has also been associated with <strong>cardiovascular disease</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-diabetes-day-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>diabetes.</strong></a></li>
<li>In utero and early childhood exposure has been linked to <strong>negative impacts on cognitive development</strong> and increased deaths in young adults.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Steps Taken:</strong> Under the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development</strong></a>, the indicator of "safely managed drinking water services" calls for tracking the population accessing drinking water which is free of faecal contamination and priority chemical contaminants, including arsenic.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jal-jeevan-mission-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jal Jeevan Mission</strong></a> is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India.</li>
<li>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jal-jeevan-mission-urban" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban)</strong></a> has also been launched.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is an urgent need to <strong>monitor irrigation water quality along with drinking water.</strong></li>
<li>What is required is to <strong>make its mitigation a success by involving the public in planning and maintenance,</strong> while also giving states the necessary push.</li>
<li>The <strong>remedial measures</strong> include a variety of options, ranging from removing arsenic from groundwater after it is extracted, searching alternative aquifers, reducing the level within the aquifer itself, dilution of the contaminants by artificial recharge, blending with potable water etc.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/arsenic-now-in-wheat-potato-and-more-than-that-in-drinking-water-in-rural-bihar-79032" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9795,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Shoonya Campaign: NITI Aayog',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fast-tracking-freight-in-india-niti-aayog" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)</strong></a> and <strong>RMI India&rsquo;s</strong> have launched the <strong>Shoonya Campaign.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an initiative to promote <strong>zero-pollution delivery vehicles</strong> by working with consumers and industry.</li>
<li>RMI is an <strong>independent nonprofit organization</strong> founded in 1982.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Shoonya Campaign:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Electric Deliveries:</strong> The campaign aims to <strong>accelerate adoption of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/electric-vehicles-evs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Electric Vehicles (EVs)</a> in the urban deliveries segment</strong> and create <strong>consumer awareness</strong> about the benefits of zero-pollution delivery.</li>
<li><strong>Shoonya Brand:</strong> A <strong>corporate branding</strong> and <strong>certification programme</strong> is being launched to recognise and promote industry&rsquo;s efforts towards transitioning to EVs for final-mile deliveries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will help e-commerce companies to distinguish their offerings from those of their competitors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Online Tracking Platform :</strong> An online tracking platform will share the campaign&rsquo;s impact through data such as vehicle kilometers electrified, carbon savings, criteria pollutant savings and other benefits from clean delivery vehicles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need of EVs for Final-Mile Deliveries: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Growing E-Commerce Market:</strong> Between 2013 and 2017, India&rsquo;s online retail market grew at an average rate of 53% each year and is expected to become a $150 billion market by 2022. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By shifting the end-transportation of goods from the consumer, this has dramatically expanded the fleets of delivery vehicles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reduce Emissions:</strong> Urban freight vehicles account for 10% of freight transportation-<strong>related CO<sub>2</sub> emissions</strong> in India, and these emissions are expected to grow by 114% by 2030. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>EVs emit no tailpipe emissions, which can contribute immensely to an improved air quality.</li>
<li>Even when accounting for their manufacture, they emit 15-40% less CO2 compared to their internal combustion engine counterparts and have lower operational cost.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Energy Security:</strong> Shifting towards EVs will help India to reduce oil dependency while solving the challenge of energy scarcity and moving towards renewable and clean sources of energy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Technological:</strong> India is technologically deficient in the production of electronics that form the backbone of the EV industry, such as batteries, semiconductors, controllers, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Infrastructural Support:</strong> The lack of clarity over AC versus DC charging stations, grid stability and range anxiety (fear that batteries will soon run out of power) are other factors that hinder the growth of the EV industry.</li>
<li><strong>Availability of Materials for Domestic Production:</strong> Battery is the single most important component of EVs. India does not have any known reserves of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lithium-ion-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>lithium</strong></a> and <strong>cobalt</strong> which are required for battery production. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is dependent on countries like Japan and China for the import of<strong> lithium-ion batteries.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Skilled Workers:</strong> EVs have higher servicing costs and higher levels of skills is needed for servicing. India lacks dedicated training courses for such skill development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Initiatives Taken:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP): <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-electric-mobility-mission-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NEMMP</a></strong> was launched in 2013 with an aim to achieve national fuel security by promoting hybrid and electric vehicles in the country.</li>
<li><strong>FAME Scheme:</strong> The Indian government has created momentum through its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fame-ii-1#:~:text=Background,development%20and%20Manufacturing%20eco%2Dsystem." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &amp;) Electric Vehicles</strong></a> schemes that encourage, and in some segments mandates the adoption of EVs, with a goal of reaching <strong>30% EV penetration by 2030.</strong></li>
<li><strong>National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage:</strong> The Mission will recommend and drive the strategies for transformative mobility and phased manufacturing programmes for EVs, EV Components and Batteries.</li>
<li><strong>Fiscal Incentives:&nbsp;</strong>To spur the production and consumption of EVs and charging infrastructure - such as income tax rebates, exemption from customs duties, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1755119" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9774,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Groundswell Report: World Bank',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the updated <strong>Groundswell report</strong> released by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> indicated that <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-2021-report-ipcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a> could force 216 million people across six world regions to move within their countries by 2050.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Hotspots of<strong> internal climate <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/human-migration-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">migration</a></strong> can emerge as early as 2030 and continue to spread and intensify by 2050.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Report:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>First Groundswell Report:</strong> It was<strong> published in 2018</strong> and used a robust and novel modeling approach to understand the scale, trajectory, and spatial patterns of future climate migration within countries, <strong>with a focus on three regions: Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, </strong>and <strong>Latin America.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Second Groundswell Report:</strong> It builds on the first report, applying the same approach to <strong>three new regions:</strong> the <strong>Middle East and North Africa, East Asia and the Pacific,</strong> and <strong>Eastern Europe and Central Asia.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Qualitative analyses of climate-related mobility in countries of the <strong>Mashreq</strong> (i.e eastern part of the Arab World) and in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-impacting-small-island-developing-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Small Island Developing States (SIDS)</strong></a> are also provided.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The two reports&rsquo; combined findings provide, for the first time, a global picture of the potential scale of internal climate migration across the six World Bank regions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Findings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Internal Climate Migrants:</strong> As many as 216 million people could be internal climate migrants across the six World Bank regions (by 2050). This represents <strong>almost 3%</strong> of these regions&rsquo; total projected population.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Sub-Saharan Africa:</strong> 85.7 million internal climate migrants (4.2% of the total population);</li>
<li><strong>East Asia and the Pacific:</strong> 48.4 million (2.5%);</li>
<li><strong>South Asia:</strong> 40.5 million (1.8%);</li>
<li><strong>North Africa:</strong> 19.3 million (9 %);</li>
<li><strong>Latin America:</strong> 17.1 million (2.6%); and</li>
<li><strong>Eastern Europe and Central Asia:</strong> 5.1 million (2.3%).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Most Vulnerable Region:</strong> The scale of internal climate migration will be largest in the poorest and most climate-vulnerable regions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>SubSaharan Africa:</strong> The most vulnerable region due to desertification, fragile coastlines and the population's dependence on agriculture - would see the most migrants.</li>
<li><strong>North Africa:</strong> It is predicted to have the <strong>largest proportion of climate migrants (9%).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This is due to a great extent to severe water scarcity, as well as the impacts of sea-level rise on densely populated coastal areas and in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/conflict-over-nile" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nile Delta.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>South Asia:</strong> In South Asia, <strong>Bangladesh is particularly affected</strong> by flooding and crop failures, accounting for almost half of the predicted climate migrants, with 19.9 million people, including an increasing number of women, moving by 2050.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Policy Recommendations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Reduce Emission:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Five years after the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/five-years-of-paris-climate-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Paris Agreement</strong></a>, the world is still headed for at least 3&deg;C of warming by 2100.</li>
<li>Ambitious action to curb global emissions is critical to reducing the burden of climate change impacts on key resources, livelihood systems, and urban centers that may drive people to migrate in distress.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Inclusive and Resilient Development Pathways: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Integrating internal climate migration in development planning</strong> is critical to address the poverty factors that make people particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, such as a lack of viable livelihood options and lower quality assets.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Plan for Each Phase of Migration:</strong> Planning for internal climate migration means accounting for <strong>all phases of migration - before, during, and after moving.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Before migration, adapt-in-place solutions can help communities stay in place where local adaptation options are viable and sensible.</li>
<li>During migration, policies and investments can enable mobility for people who need to move away from unavoidable climate risks.</li>
<li>After migration, planning can ensure that both sending and receiving areas are well equipped to meet the needs and aspirations of their populations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Investments:</strong> More investments are needed in research at scale, including new, more granular data sources and differentiated climate change impacts, to better contextualize and understand internal climate migration at the regional and country level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 99.9242%; text-align: center; height: 19px; background-color: #0d0000;" colspan="2"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Global Efforts to Address Climate Change and Migration Challenges</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 20px;">
<td style="width: 11.7513%; height: 20px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Cancun Adaptation Framework (2010)</strong></td>
<td style="width: 88.1729%; height: 20px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)</strong></a> formally incorporates mobility in the context of climate change in the <strong>2010 Cancun Adaptation Framework,</strong> calling on countries for &ldquo;measures to enhance understanding, coordination and cooperation with regard to climate induced displacement, migration, and planned relocation,&rdquo; while &ldquo;taking into account their common but differentiated responsibilities&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 11.7513%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><strong>UNFCCC Task Force on Displacement (2013)</strong></td>
<td style="width: 88.1729%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The UNFCCC Task Force on Displacement, established under the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Warsaw Mechanism.</strong></a></li>
<li>The Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage focuses on preparing for and addressing loss and damage from both sudden- and slow onset climate change impacts, including effects on mobility.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 11.7513%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Paris Agreement (2015)</strong></td>
<td style="width: 88.1729%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Preamble of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/five-years-of-paris-climate-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Paris Agreement</strong> </a>states that the &ldquo;Parties should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on migrants&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 11.7513%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-30)</strong></td>
<td style="width: 88.1729%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/sendai-framework-report#:~:text=Sendai%20Framework%20for%20Disaster%20Reduction%202015%2D30&amp;text=The%20present%20Framework%20applies%20to,and%20biological%20hazards%20and%20risks." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sendai Framework</strong> </a>outlines targets and priorities for action to prevent and reduce disaster risks, including through governance, investment in disaster reduction for resilience, and disaster preparedness, recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.</li>
<li>It articulates the need to include migrants in disaster risk reduction and management in three places.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 11.7513%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><strong>UN Global Compact on Refugees (2016)</strong></td>
<td style="width: 88.1729%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Provides <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-refugee-forum" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>specific commitments to address the drivers of environmental mobility</strong></a> and develop policies aimed at ensuring greater protection for those affected by these movements.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 11.7513%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><strong>UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (2018)</strong></td>
<td style="width: 88.1729%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recognizes the need to<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-compact-on-migration" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> strengthen joint analysis</strong> </a>and <strong>sharing of information to better map, understand, predict, </strong>and<strong> address migration movements,</strong> such as those that may result from sudden-onset and slow-onset natural disasters and the adverse effects of climate change, as well as develop adaptation and resilience strategies, taking into account the potential implications on migration.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 11.7513%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><strong>UNFCCC 24<sup>th</sup> Conference of Parties Decision (2018)</strong></td>
<td style="width: 88.1729%; height: 19px; background-color: #f0f6ff; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cop24" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COP24 Decision</strong></a>, informed by a report from the <strong>UNFCCC Task Force on Displacement,</strong> invites UNFCCC parties to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility in the context of climate change, by considering the needs of migrants and displaced persons, communities of origin, transit and destination, and by enhancing opportunities for regular migration pathways, including through labor mobility.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/climate-change-can-force-216-million-people-to-migrate-within-their-own-countries-by-2050-79002" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9755,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Task Force for Coal-Based Hydrogen Production',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Union Government constituted a <strong>Task force and Expert committee</strong> to prepare a road map for <strong>coal-based hydrogen production (Black Hydrogen).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Task Force is also responsible for <strong>coordination</strong> with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coal-gasification-plant-for-urea-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coal Gasification Mission</strong></a> and <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Coal-Based Hydrogen Production:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Coal (one of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/hydrocarbon-exploration-and-licensing-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hydrocarbon Fuels</strong></a>) is one of the important sources of hydrogen making apart from natural gas and renewable energy through <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indigenous-fuel-cell-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Electrolysis</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>However</strong>, Coal has not been encouraged in hydrogen production because of the fear of <a href="/pdf/fall-in-india-s-co2-emissions.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Carbon Emission</strong></a> while extracting hydrogen via coal.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Almost 100% of hydrogen produced in India is through natural gas (Grey Hydrogen).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Cost of hydrogen produced from coal can be <strong>cheaper and less sensitive to imports.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenge:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Production of hydrogen from coal will have challenges in terms of<strong> high emissions</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-award-for-recycling-carbon-technology#:~:text=Carbon%20Capture%2C%20Utilization%20and%20Sequestration,will%20not%20enter%20the%20atmosphere." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CCUS (Carbon capture, utilisation and storage)</strong></a> will play an important role. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide</strong> formed during the coal to hydrogen process have to be trapped and stored in an environmentally sustainable manner (CCS and CCUS).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hydrogen Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an economy that<strong> relies on hydrogen as the commercial fuel</strong> that would deliver a substantial fraction of a nation&rsquo;s energy and services.</li>
<li>Hydrogen is <strong>a zero-carbon fuel</strong> and is considered <strong>an alternative to fuel and a key source of clean energy.</strong> It can be produced from <strong>renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind.</strong></li>
<li>It is an <strong>envisioned future</strong> where <strong>hydrogen is used as fuel for vehicles, energy storage and long-distance transport of energy.</strong> The different pathways to use hydrogen economy includes hydrogen production, storage, transport and utilization.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 1970, the term <strong>'Hydrogen Economy'</strong> was coined by <strong>John Bockris</strong>. He mentioned that a hydrogen economy can replace the current hydrocarbon-based economy, leading to a cleaner environment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631601913_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631601913_image5.png" width="500" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Present Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>current global demand for hydrogen is 70 million metric tons</strong>, most of which is being produced from fossil fuels- <strong>76% from natural gas and 23% from coal</strong> and remaining from the electrolysis of water-- consumes 6% of the global natural gas and 2% of the global coal. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This results in CO2 emissions of around 830Mt/year out of which only 130Mt/year is being captured and used in the fertilizer industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Currently, <strong>much of the hydrogen produced is used for oil refining</strong> (33%), <strong>ammonia</strong> (27%), <strong>methanol production</strong> (11%), <strong>steel production</strong> (3%) and others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-hydrogen-energy-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Hydrogen Energy Mission</a>.</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hydrogen-fuel-cell-based-bus-and-car-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hydrogen Fuel Cell Based Vehicles</a>.</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/green-hydrogen-for-green-roadmap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green Hydrogen Mobility project</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1752915" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 9733,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Changing Rainfall Pattern in North East India',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, an analysis showed a changing rainfall pattern in North East (NE) India because of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-of-the-climate-report-2020-imd" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Climate Change</strong></a>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)</strong></a> was launched in 2008 by the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change. It identifies measures that promote India's development objectives while also yielding co-benefits for addressing climate change effectively.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631517496_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631517496_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NE normally receives <strong>heavy rainfall</strong> during the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/monsoon-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Monsoon</strong></a> months (June-September), but has <strong>changed its course in recent years.</strong></li>
<li>The rains come in quick bursts and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/flood-management-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Flood</strong></a> the region, followed by <strong>elongated dry periods</strong> that border on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pollution-worsens-drought" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>drought.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A research paper published in 2018 found that the <strong>monsoon rainfall in NE decreased by 355 mm between 1979 and 2014.</strong></li>
<li>Out of this, 30-50 mm decrease was due to<strong> a reduction in local <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-soil-moisture-forecast-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moisture</a> levels.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Because of its unique topology and steep slopes suddenly giving way to plains, the region is <strong>prone to river course changing.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NE is mostly hilly and is an <strong>extension of the Indo-Gangetic Plains,</strong> the region is <strong>highly sensitive to changes in regional and global climate.</strong></li>
<li>Pre-monsoon and monsoon are the rainy seasons of northeast India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In most of the NE states the rainfall during monsoon has <strong>declined in two decades</strong> below the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/imd-forecasts-surplus-rains" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Long Period Average (LPA)</a>.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>number of rainy days decreased</strong> in most districts to the north of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-on-brahmaputra" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Brahmaputra.</strong></a> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This means that increased rainfall now happens over fewer days, increasing chances of river flooding.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Factors Causing Rainfall Patterns Change:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Moisture and Drought Together:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>An aspect of warming that influences rainfall is <strong>drying of the land,</strong> which increases the frequency and intensity of <strong>dry periods and Droughts.</strong></li>
<li>Increase in<strong> moisture and the drying up together change the rainfall</strong> patterns in unpredictable ways.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increased Snowfall in the Eurasian Region:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Increased snowfall in the Eurasian region also impacts monsoon rainfall in NE India as the excessive snowfall in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/eurasian-economic-forum" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Eurasia</strong></a> causes <strong>cooling of the atmosphere of the region,</strong> which triggers events eventually<strong> leading to a weak summer monsoon season there.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Change in Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Sea surface temperatures over the subtropical <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pacific Ocean</strong></a>, which vary in a cycle and each phase of which lasts a decade. The peak comes every 20 years and is known as the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pacific-decadal-oscillation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO).</strong></a> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It may have an impact on the monsoon rainfall in NE.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>PDO is also being<strong> influenced by global warming</strong> as it decreases the difference of temperatures among the layers of the ocean.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sunspot Epoch:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>During the monsoon, rainfall patterns in <strong>NE differed significantly from one <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sunspots" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sunspot</a> epoch to another,</strong> suggesting differential intensification of the seasonal trough of low pressure over the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Sunspot Epochs</strong> are alternating periods of increased and decreased activity on the Sun&rsquo;s surface that influence the climate of Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The changing rainfall pattern, especially during the monsoon season, <strong>affects the flow of rivers, extent of snow cover and health of mountain springs,</strong> which in turn have an <strong>impact on livelihoods, especially agriculture and fishing, forest flora growth, animal and bird habitat</strong> (and behaviour) and other ecosystem aspects.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There is some evidence of rivers<strong> such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/subansiri-dam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Subansiri</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/etalin-hydroelectric-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dibang</a> (tributaries of Brahmaputra) and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-on-brahmaputra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brahmaputra</a></strong> changing courses in unexpected ways.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Extreme rainfall events being caused by global warming trigger<strong> a cascade of events such as accelerated <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/India%20lost%20One-Third%20of%20its%20Coastline%20Due%20to%20Soil%20Erosion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soil Erosion</a> along the hill slopes devoid of forest cover.</strong> This increases surface run-off of rivers and changes their course.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/climate-crisis-in-north-east-india-how-geography-rainfall-variations-define-calamity-course-78845" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 9731,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Towards A Zero Carbon Future',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based upon <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/green-hydrogen-a-new-ally-for-a-zero-carbon-future/article36369777.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Green hydrogen, a new ally for a zero carbon future</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 09/09/2021. It talks about the need for alternative sources of energy and the significance of Green Hydrogen in &ldquo;Zero Carbon dioxide Emissions&rdquo;.</p>
</div>
<p>The quest for discovering alternatives to fossil fuels, responsible for the production of over 830 MT per annum of carbon dioxide, has been going on for years.</p>
<p>The latest studies by scientists have signalled the crucial issue of climate vulnerability, especially for the Asian countries. The forthcoming <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cop-28" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>26<sup>th</sup> UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow</strong></a> will re-examine the climate adaptation measures and coordinated action plans to mitigate the impact of greenhouse gases.</p>
<p>In the light of finding an alternative source for powering India&rsquo;s industries and lighting its homes with zero emissions of CO<sub>2</sub>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/green-hydrogen-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Green Hydrogen</strong></a> is a compelling option to rely on.</p>
<h3>Green Hydrogen</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Hydrogen and Green Hydrogen:</strong> It is the most abundant element on the planet having<strong> energy density almost three times that of diesel,</strong> but present rarely in its pure form.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hydrogen is designated with different colours depending upon its production technique; <strong>Black hydrogen</strong> is produced by use of fossil fuel, whereas<strong> Pink hydrogen</strong> is produced through electrolysis, but using energy from nuclear power sources.</li>
<li><strong>Green hydrogen is a zero-carbon</strong> fuel produced from <strong>electrolysis</strong> using renewable energy (wind or solar) to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need for Green Hydrogen:</strong> Generation of power via natural resources like Green hydrogen will be a major step forward in achieving the target of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-transforming-to-a-net-zero-emissions-energy-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;net zero&rsquo; emissions.</strong></a> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As per the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-energy-outlook-2021-iea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Energy Agency (IEA)</strong></a>, India is the world&rsquo;s fourth largest energy consuming country after China, USA and EU and<strong> will overtake the EU to become the third largest energy consumer by 2030.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For a country with such a high level of energy consumption, shifting to a renewable source of energy becomes even more important considering the present climate vulnerabilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Initiatives Taken for Adopting Green Hydrogen:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Indian Railways have recently announced the <a href="/state-pcs-current-affairs/countrys-first-passenger-train-to-run-on-hydrogen-fuel" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>country&rsquo;s first experiment of a hydrogen-fuel cell technology-based train</strong></a> by retrofitting an existing diesel engine. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-budget-2021-for-green-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Union Budget (2021-22)</strong></a> has announced a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-hydrogen-energy-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Hydrogen Energy Mission (NHM)</strong></a> for using hydrogen as an energy source.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Saudi Arabia</strong> is also prioritising plans to manufacture renewable energy by utilising <strong>&lsquo;idle-land-banks&rsquo;</strong> for solar and wind energy generation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is working to establish a mega<strong> $5 billion green hydrogen manufacturing unit</strong> covering a land-size as large as that of Belgium, in the northern-western part of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In the Asia-Pacific sub-continent, <strong>Japan</strong> and <strong>South Korea</strong> are on the front foot in terms of hydrogen policy making.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Japan&rsquo;s <strong>Basic Hydrogen Strategy</strong> sets out the country&rsquo;s action plan till 2030, including the establishment of an international supply chain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631362062_1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631362062_1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="512" height="225" /></a></p>
<h3>Issues Associated</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>An Expensive Source:</strong> The production cost of green hydrogen has been considered to be a prime obstacle. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/renewable-power-generation-costs-in-2020-irena" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Renewable Energy Agency (IREA)</strong></a>, the production cost of this &lsquo;green source of energy&rsquo; is <strong>expected to be around $1.5 per kilogram</strong> (for nations having perpetual sunshine and vast unused land), by the year 2030.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Large Investments Required:</strong> The commercial usage of hydrogen as a fuel and in industries <strong>requires mammoth investment in R&amp;D</strong> of such technology and <strong>infrastructure for production, storage, transportation and demand creation</strong> for hydrogen.</li>
<li><strong>Availability of Electrolysers:</strong> The shortage of electrolysers (a device which splits water to form H2 and O2 using electricity) can become a roadblock for meeting the estimated requirement on green hydrogen. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>cost of electrolysers has the highest share in the total production cost</strong> of green hydrogen.</li>
<li>Manufacturing capacity of such electrolysers may require investments between Rs 15,000-20,000 crore.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Decentralised Production:</strong> Decentralised hydrogen production must be promoted through <strong>open access of renewable power to an electrolyser.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There shall be mechanisms to<strong> ensure access to round-the-clock renewable power supply</strong> for decentralised hydrogen production.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Wheeling Electricity:</strong> It is a more viable option than transportation of hydrogen by trucks. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, wheeling electricity from a solar plant in Kutch to a refinery in Vadodara could lower the transportation cost by 60%, compared to delivering hydrogen using trucks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Blending Hydrogen:</strong> Blending a certain percentage of green hydrogen with grey hydrogen <strong>for existing applications</strong> like oil refining and fertilizers, depending on the viability gap. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mandating new greenfield capacities of hydrogen applications like oil refining and fertilizers to use only green hydrogen from a future cut-off date (to avoid long term lock-ins).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Regional Cooperation:</strong> India should form a <strong>regional alliance with countries</strong> South Korea, Japan and Singapore <strong>to export green hydrogen</strong> from coastal India to help them reach their net-zero ambitions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Power generation by green hydrogen will be a viable solution to achieve the target of &lsquo;net-zero&rsquo; emission to remain under 1.5&deg; C. It will also be a leap forward in minimising the dependence on conventional fossil fuels.</p>
<p>It is high time to catch up with the rest of the world by going in for clean energy, decarbonising the economy and adopting &lsquo;Green hydrogen&rsquo; as an environment-friendly and safe fuel for the next generations.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7fffa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Green hydrogen as an alternative source of energy can be the long-sought solution of the problem of global warming and GHG emissions. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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		'article_id' => (int) 9718,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Creating Methanol from Coal',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>first Indigenously Designed High Ash Coal Gasification Based Methanol Production Plant</strong> has been opened in Hyderabad.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With this, Government owned engineering firm <strong>BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited)</strong> has successfully demonstrated a facility to create methanol from high ash Indian coal.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Methanol is utilized as a motor fuel,</strong> to power ship engines, and to generate clean power all over the world. <strong>However,</strong> the majority of worldwide methanol <strong>production is derived from <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/natural-gas-a-stepping-stone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">natural gas</a>,</strong> which is a relatively easy process.</li>
<li>Since <strong>India doesn&rsquo;t have much of the natural gas reserves,</strong> producing methanol from imported natural gas leads to outflow of foreign exchange and is uneconomical because of higher prices.</li>
<li>The <strong>next best option is to utilise India's abundant coal.</strong> However, due to the high ash percentage of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/coal-sector-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian coal</strong></a>, most internationally accessible technology will not be adequate.</li>
<li>To address this issue, BHEL successfully demonstrated a facility to create 0.25 TPD (Ton per Day) Methanol from high ash Indian coal using a 1.2 TPD Fluidized bed gasifier. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The methanol purity of the crude methanol produced is between 98 and 99.5%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This is part of<strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> NITI Aayog's</a> 'Methanol Economy' programme</strong> that is aimed at reducing India's oil import bill, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and converting coal reserves and municipal <a href="/daily-news-editorials/solid-waste-management-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>solid waste</strong></a> into methanol.</li>
<li>Also this in-house capability will <strong>assist India's <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coal-gasification-plant-for-urea-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coal gasification mission</a></strong> and coal-to-hydrogen production for <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-hydrogen-energy-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hydrogen Mission</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NITI Aayog&rsquo;s Methanol Economy Programme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About Methanol:</strong> Methanol is<strong> a low carbon, hydrogen carrier fuel produced from</strong> high ash coal, agricultural residue, CO<sub>2</sub> from thermal power plants and natural gas. It is the best pathway<strong> for meeting India&rsquo;s commitment to <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COP 21 (Paris Agreement).</a></strong></li>
<li><strong>Methanol vis-a-vis-Petrol and Diesel:</strong> Although <strong>slightly lower in energy content than petrol and diesel,</strong> methanol<strong> can replace both these fuels</strong> in the transport sector (road, rail and marine), energy sector (comprising boilers, process heating modules, tractors and commercial vehicles) and retail cooking (replacing LPG [partially], kerosene and wood charcoal).</li>
<li><strong>Environmental and Economic Impact:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Blending of 15% methanol in gasoline can result in <strong>at least 15% reduction in the import of gasoline/crude oil.</strong> In addition, this would <strong>bring down GHG emissions by 20%</strong> in terms of particulate matter, NOx, and SOx, thereby improving the urban air quality.</li>
<li>The Methanol Economy <strong>will also create close to 5 million jobs</strong> through methanol production/application and distribution services.</li>
<li>Additionally, Rs 6000 crore can be saved annually by<strong> blending 20% DME (Di-methyl Ether, a derivative of methanol) in LPG.</strong> This will help the consumer in saving between Rs 50-100 per cylinder.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Initiatives Taken:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bureau-of-indian-standards-bis-act-2016" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bureau of Indian Standards</a> has notified 20% DME blending with LPG,</strong> and a notification for M-15, M-85, M-100 blends has been issued by the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways.</li>
<li>In <strong>October 2018,</strong> Assam Petrochemicals launched <strong>Asia&rsquo;s first canister-based methanol cooking fuel programme.</strong> This initiative is in line with the Prime Minister&rsquo;s vision of striving towards the provision of a clean, cost-effective and pollution-free cooking medium.</li>
<li><strong>Five methanol plants</strong> based on high ash coal, five DME plants, and one natural gas-based methanol production plant with a capacity of 20 MMT/annum, <strong>in a joint venture with Israel,</strong> have been planned to be set up.</li>
<li>Three boats and seven cargo vessels are being built by the Cochin Shipyard Limited for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/use-of-waterways-for-reducing-transportation-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Inland Waterways Authority of India</strong> </a>to use <strong>methanol as a marine fuel.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India, with 125 Billion Tonnes of proven Coal reserves and 500 million tonnes of Biomass generated every year has a huge potential for ensuring energy security based on alternate feedstock and fuels.</li>
<li>However, Methanol does not get the same attention from the government as<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/electric-vehicles-evs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> EV (Electric Vehicles)</strong></a>, even though the former can come in faster. There is significant work needed to implement the Methanol Economy holistically.</li>
<li>The development of methanol based technology can turn energy-importing India into an energy exporting country.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1753524" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9698,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Alternative to Crop Stubble Burning',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on the article <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/from-waste-to-wealth-an-alternative-to-punjabs-crop-stubble-burning/article36375696.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>From Waste To Wealth: An alternative to Punjab&rsquo;s crop stubble burning</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu BusinessLine on 09/09/2021. It talks about the issues of stubble burning and the alternative ways to deal with it.</p>
</div>
<p>In the monsoon months, paddy cultivation is in full swing in the Indo-Gangetic plains, which cover the Indian States of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The same farmers who are toiling hard to bring food to our plates will soon engage in the highly unhealthy practice of stubble burning, a common sight in Indian paddy waste management.</p>
<p>Though cheaper and faster in the interim, stubble burning is incredibly unsustainable for the environment &ndash; it fills the air with soot, dispels nutrients out of the soil, and leads to several other ecological complications.</p>
<p>In this context, it is of utmost importance to find out the alternate solution to deal with the issue of stubble warming.</p>
<h3>Hazards of stubble burning</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Contribution to Atmospheric Pollution:</strong> Stubble burning is a significant contributor to atmospheric pollution, coming in 3<sup>rd</sup> after industrial and vehicular emissions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In Asian countries such as China, around 60% of total biomass emissions come from stubble burning. At the same time, globally, it constitutes about one-fourth of the total biomass burning (inclusive of forest fires).</li>
<li>The awful haze surrounding India&rsquo;s<strong> national capital region (NCR)</strong> has been directly linked to stubble burning, coinciding with burning periods in October-November.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Human Health Impacts:</strong> Several health effects have been noticed that arise from the resultant air pollution, ranging from skin and eyes irritation to severe neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Prolonged exposure to high pollution also leads to an increase in mortality rates &ndash; as per research, the life expectancy of Delhi inhabitants has decreased by about 6.4 years due to their exposure to high levels of pollution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Detrimental to the Soil&rsquo;s Health:</strong> It strips soil of its essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/refroming-nutrient-based-subsidy-regime" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>(NPK)</strong></a>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It raises soil temperature to about 42&deg;C, thus displacing or killing important microorganisms up to a depth of about 2.5 cm.</li>
<li>It hampers agriculture productivity because pollutants in the atmosphere lead to acid rain and prolonged exposure to particulate pollution favours growths of pests or diseases.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ozone-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ground-level ozone</strong></a> produced by stubble burning affects the plant&rsquo;s metabolism, and penetrates and destroys its leaves, causing severe damage to crops in northern parts of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Costs to the Economy:</strong> As per reports, tourists&rsquo; inflow has decreased in Delhi by about 25-30% due to the increase in air pollution. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is estimated that air pollution has a USD 2.9 trillion economic cost, equating to 3.3% of the world&rsquo;s GDP.</li>
<li>14 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are from India (mostly from Delhi, UP, and other northern States), and the issue costs the country USD 150 billion per year on average.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in Adoption of Alternative Method</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lack of Alternatives:</strong> Despite being aware of the ill effects of stubble burning, it continues to be the modus operandi for farmers regarding post-harvest waste management.Closer-to-ground interaction reveals that the farmers do not have much choice.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Capacity:</strong> Let us take the example of Punjab, where farmers harvest almost 80% of the rice crop using combine harvesters which leave stubble stalks around 15 cm high. For paddy and wheat, the stubble generated is 1.5 times the grain. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These are difficult to either remove or incorporate into the soil through manual labour or using farm equipment, both of which are economically not viable for an average farmer.</li>
<li>Markets for other methods of paddy residue management are fragmented; for instance, together, the seven biomass power plants in Punjab consume 1 million metric tons of paddy straw annually.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Stubble Management Infrastructure:</strong> As a result of the lack of infrastructure for waste management, farmers set almost 15.4 million metric tons (out of the 19.7 MMT) on fire in open fields (Punjab government 2017). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This method is sought after as it is cheaper and faster for the farmer, helping them clear the land in time before the next cropping cycle.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Alternative to Stubble Burning</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Bio Enzyme-PUSA:</strong> The<strong> Indian Agriculture Research Institute</strong> has devised a radical solution for stubble burning in the form of a bio-enzyme called PUSA. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When sprayed, this enzyme decomposes the stubble in 20-25 days, turning it into manure, further improving the soil quality.</li>
<li>It leads to an increase in organic carbon and soil health while significantly reducing the fertiliser expense for the next cropping cycle.</li>
<li>Being a sustainable agriculture practice, it also cuts back on the emission of greenhouse gases and prevents the release of toxins and soot into the air.</li>
<li>When practised over a while, it considerably increases the soil&rsquo;s nutrient health and microbial activity, both of which ensure better yield at reduced input costs for the farmers as well as organic produce for the consumers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Grassroot Participation with Public Private Partnership:</strong> This calls for active public-private partnerships, where resources are moved to the grassroots and solutions are deployed in time to benefit society. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Farmers should be onboarded into the scheme developed for them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Technology Enabled Smart Revolution:</strong> Stubble burning is one of the many ramifications of the green revolution. It is time to correct it and give our farmers a new and sustainable impetus: A Smart Revolution! <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Technology will be the primary enabler here, helping to scale, reach and extend the benefits of a shared economy to the farmers.</li>
<li>With <strong>digitisation</strong> and a commitment to enabling sustainable practices and outcomes, we can seed the benefits of sustainable agriculture in farmers&rsquo; minds.</li>
<li>If done well, the soil and air will be healthier, water tables replenished, and farmers will be earning more.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In-situ treatment, Ex-situ treatment of stubble and Changing Cropping Pattern:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For in-situ management (eg. crop residue management by zero-tiller machines and use of bio-decomposers) the government is currently giving equipment to farmers to mix the stubble back into the soil, so that they do not have to burn it, but everyone is not getting these machines. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The government should ensure their availability to everyone.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Similarly, in ex-situ management (eg. use of rice straw as cattle fodder), some companies have started collecting stubble for their use, but we need more action on this front</li>
<li>There is also a need to change the cropping pattern as the current pattern (Paddy in drier North west India) is not suitable for the declining water table.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Alternative Use:</strong> Instead of burning the stubble, it can be used in different ways like <strong>cattle feed, compost manure, roofing in rural areas,</strong> biomass energy, mushroom cultivation, <strong>packing materials,</strong> fuel, paper, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-ethanol-roadmap#:~:text=The%20Government%20of%20India%20has,blended%20with%20petrol%20in%20India." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>bio-ethanol</strong></a> and industrial production, etc.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fafaff;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Though a cheaper and faster way to get rid of stubble waste, stubble burning is incredibly unsustainable for the environment. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 9676,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Improved Air Quality of Indian Cities',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, while speaking at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-day-of-clean-air-for-blue-skies" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Day of Clean Air For Blue Skies</strong></a>, informed that the number of cities with <strong>improved air quality</strong> had increased.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On the occasion, he also inaugurated the <strong>first functional Smog Tower at Anand Vihar</strong> in Delhi and launched<strong> Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution or &lsquo;Prana&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Earlier, a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/delhi-s-new-smog-tower" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Smog Tower was installed</strong></a> in Delhi&rsquo;s Connaught Place and India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-tallest-air-purifier-chandigarh#:~:text=India%27s%20tallest%20air%20purifier%20will,in%20Connaught%20Place%2C%20New%20Delhi." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tallest Air Purifier</strong></a> was also inaugurated in Chandigarh.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Air Quality Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>In 2020:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Cities with <strong>improved air quality had increased to 104 in 2020 from 86 in 2018.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>From 2015-2019:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/link-between-air-quality-and-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Particulate Matter</a> (PM) 10 levels</strong>: 23 cities marking a &ldquo;decreasing trend&rdquo;, 239 cities a &ldquo;fluctuating trend&rdquo; &amp; 38 cities an &ldquo;increasing trend&rdquo;.</li>
<li><strong>PM 2.5 levels</strong>: 11 cities showed a decreasing trend, 79 cities a fluctuating trend and 9 cities an increasing trend.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for Improvement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> related lockdown had resulted in a &ldquo;temporary improvement&rdquo; of air quality in many cities <strong>due to closure of industries, fewer vehicles plying, drop in construction activities</strong> and <strong>absence of human activities.</strong></li>
<li>Government i<strong>nitiatives to tackle air pollution</strong> also helped in improving air quality in recent years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prana Portal:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was launched under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-clean-air-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)</strong></a> in Non-Attainment Cities (NAC), cities which didn&rsquo;t meet <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/govt-launches-mission-to-fight-air-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ambient Air Quality Standards</strong> </a>under NCAP.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is targeted to <strong>achieve 20-30% reduction in particulate matter</strong> (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations across the country by 2024.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will support tracking of physical as well as financial status of <strong>city air action plan implementation, and disseminate information</strong> on air quality to the public.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Known as "SAFAR", for greater metropolitan cities of India to provide location specific information on air quality in near real time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Air Quality Index:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-air-quality-report-2020#:~:text=Development%20of%20the%20National%20AQI,%2C%20ozone%2C%20and%20carbon%20monoxide." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AQI</strong></a> is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms, which are easy to understand. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/graded-response-action-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Graded Response Action Plan for Delhi and NCR</strong></a> has been prepared for implementation under different AQI categories.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>AQI has been developed for <strong>eight pollutants</strong> viz. PM2.5, PM10, Ammonia, Lead, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>For Reducing Vehicular Pollution:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The introduction of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-bs-vi-emission-norms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BS-VI vehicles</strong></a>, push for <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/electric-vehicles-evs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Electric Vehicles</strong></a> (EVs), <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/health-emergency-in-new-delhi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Odd-Even</strong></a> as an emergency measure and construction of the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways to reduce vehicular pollution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-commission-for-air-quality-management-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New Commission for Air Quality Management:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is made for better coordination, research, identification, and resolution of problems related to air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Subsidy to farmers for buying <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/crop-stubble-burning-challenge-in-punjab" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Turbo Happy Seeder (THS)</strong></a> which is a machine mounted on a tractor that cuts and uproots the stubble, in order to reduce stubble burning.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Particulate Matter</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also called <strong>particle pollution</strong>, a term for <strong>a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air.</strong> It <strong>causes respiratory problems and also reduces visibility.</strong></li>
<li><strong>It includes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>PM10</strong>: inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 10 micrometers and smaller; and</li>
<li><strong>PM2.5</strong>: fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sources of PM:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Some are emitted directly from a source, such as <strong>construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bhupender-yadav-delhi-smog-tower-7495696/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 9648,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'IUCN World Conservation Congress',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The world&rsquo;s largest and most inclusive environmental decision-making forum <strong>&lsquo;IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020&rsquo;</strong> (postponed from June 2020 to September 2021) is being held in <strong>Marseille, France.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It took critical policy decisions to address conservation priorities including the ongoing biodiversity crisis.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)</strong></a> conducts the World Conservation Congress which is held<strong> every four years</strong> in a different location around the globe. The <strong>first</strong> was conducted <strong>in the United States in 1948.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Union for Conservation of Nature</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>membership union</strong> uniquely composed of <strong>both government and civil society organisations.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Created in 1948,</strong> it is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.</li>
<li>It is headquartered<strong> in Switzerland.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>IUCN Red List of Threatened Species,</strong> is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Global Indigenous Agenda:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It calls for the secure recognition and respect for collective indigenous rights and governance of lands, territories, waters, coastal seas and natural resources.</li>
<li>It was <strong>developed by IUCN&rsquo;s Indigenous Peoples Organisation Members.</strong></li>
<li>It lays out 10 high-level proposals and outcomes relating to<strong> five themes:</strong> Indigenous governance; biodiversity conservation; climate action; post-Covid-19 recovery efforts and food security; and global policy setting.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>IUCN Red List Update:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>No. of Species on Nine Categories:</strong> The updated <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Red List</strong> </a>says that despite global improvement at the species level, the number of species that are at high risk continues to grow.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Some 902 species are officially <strong>extinct.</strong> 30% of the species that it assessed (138,374) face the threat of extinction.</li>
<li>Some 80 species are<strong> extinct in the wild,</strong> 8,404 are <strong>critically endangered,</strong> 14,647 are<strong> endangered,</strong> 15,492 are<strong> vulnerable</strong> and 8,127 are <strong>near threatened.</strong></li>
<li>Some 71,148 species are of<strong> least concern,</strong> while 19,404 are <strong>data deficient.</strong></li>
<li>The ninth category is <strong>&lsquo;Not Evaluated&rsquo;</strong> - species not assessed by the IUCN.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Komodo Dragons:</strong> Indonesia&rsquo;s <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/komodo-dragon-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Komodo dragon</a></strong> <em>(Varanus komodoensis)</em> is the world&rsquo;s largest living lizard and it has been moved from <strong>vulnerable to endangered.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The species is increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change, with rising sea levels expected to shrink its tiny habitat by at least 30% over the next 45 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tuna Species:</strong> Four of the seven most commercially fished tuna species have shown signs of recovery. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Atlantic bluefin tuna</strong> <em>(Thunnus thynnus)</em> moved from endangered to least concern.</li>
<li><strong>Southern bluefin tuna</strong> <em>(Thunnus maccoyii)</em> moved from critically endangered to endangered.</li>
<li><strong>Albacore</strong><em> (Thunnus alalunga)</em> and <strong>yellowfin tunas</strong> <em>(Thunnus albacares)</em>, both moved from near threatened to least concern.</li>
<li>Other tuna species like the <strong>bigeye tuna</strong> <em>(Thunnus obesus)</em> remain vulnerable while the <strong>skipjack tuna</strong> <em>(Katsuwonus pelamis)</em> remains least concerned.</li>
<li>The <strong>Pacific bluefin tuna</strong> <em>(Thunnus orientalis)</em> moved from vulnerable to near threatened due to the availability of newer stock assessment data and models.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sustainable Tourism Initiative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The programme, which is funded by Germany and includes <strong>implementing partners such as <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unesco-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)</a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wwf-conservation-drive-on-world-wildlife-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF)</a>.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will use <strong>tourism as an instrument</strong> to contribute to sustainable development in developing and emerging countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>To pilot the initiative, IUCN will work with<strong> two World Heritage sites</strong> and <strong>five other protected areas</strong> in <strong>Peru</strong> and <strong>Vietnam</strong> to increase the resilience of the community-based tourism sector to future disruptions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Recent Updates:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/raptor-species-under-threat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Raptor Species under Threat</a>:</strong> According to an analysis by the IUCN and BirdLife International, around 30% of the 557 raptor species around the world are threatened by extinction to some degree.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/behler-turtle-conservation-award" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Behler Turtle Conservation Award</a>:</strong> Recently, Indian biologist Shailendra Singh has been awarded the Behler Turtle Conservation Award for bringing three critically endangered turtle conservation species back from the brink of extinction.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Co-presented by Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Turtle Conservancy, and Turtle Conservation Fund.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/over-900-species-of-animals-have-become-extinct-according-to-latest-iucn-red-list-78836" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 9628,
		'category_id' => (int) 28,
		'title' => 'Microplastics',
		'description' => '<h3>Introduction</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Plastic pollution that ends up in the ocean deteriorates and breaks down and ends up as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/microplastics-in-deep-oceans" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Microplastics.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Microplastics are plastic particles less than 5mm in diameter. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Classification: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Primary Microplastics:</strong> They are tiny particles <strong>designed for commercial use and microfibers</strong> shed from clothing and other textiles.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>E.g. <strong>microbeads</strong> found in personal care products, <strong>plastic pellets</strong> and plastic fibres.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Secondary Microplastics:</strong> They are <strong>formed from the breakdown of larger plastics</strong> such as water bottles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Menace of Microplastics</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Marine Debris:</strong> According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>IUCN</strong></a>, at least 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans every year and <strong>make up about 80% of all marine debris</strong> from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As per<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/making-peace-with-nature-unep-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> UNEP</strong></a>, in the last four decades, concentrations of these particles appear to have increased significantly in the surface waters of the ocean.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact on Marine Life:</strong> The most visible and disturbing impacts include <strong>suffocation and entanglement of hundreds of marine species.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Marine organisms such as fish, crabs and prawns consume these microplastics <strong>misidentifying them as food. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact on Humans:</strong> Humans consume these marine animals as seafood which leads to several health complications. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A study conducted by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/living-planet-report-wwf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Wide Fund for Nature</strong> </a>revealed that an <strong>average person consumed 5 grams of plastic. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>WHO&rsquo;s Stand on Microplastics:</strong> The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organization (WHO)</strong></a> claims that the level of microplastics in drinking-water is not yet dangerous for humans but called for more research into potential future risk.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Microplastics larger than 150 micrometres are not likely to be absorbed by the human body</strong> but the chance of absorbing very small microplastic particles, including nano-sized plastics, are higher.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Initiatives Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Global Initiatives: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML):</strong> The GMPL was launched at the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Earth Summit</strong></a> in 2012 in response to a request set out in the <strong>Manila Declaration.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the Manila Declaration, 65 signatories reaffirmed their <strong>commitment to develop policies to reduce and control wastewater, marine litter </strong>and<strong> pollution from fertilizers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>G7 Summit:</strong> At the 2015<strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/g-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> G7</a> summit</strong> in Bavaria, Germany, the risks of microplastics were acknowledged in the Leaders&rsquo; Declaration.</li>
<li><strong>GloLitter Partnerships Project:</strong> Launched by the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/international-maritime-organization-and-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> IMO</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/42nd-session-of-fao-conference" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FAO</strong></a>, it aims to <strong>prevent and reduce marine plastic litter from shipping and fisheries.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>30 countries including India have joined this global initiative to tackle marine litter.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>London Convention, 1972:</strong> The <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/marine-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>1972 Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter</strong></a> was signed to control all sources of marine pollution and prevent pollution of the sea through regulation of dumping into the sea of waste materials. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>1996 Protocol to the London Convention</strong> (the London Protocol) and the <strong>1978</strong> Protocol to the <strong>International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/marine-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MARPOL</a>)</strong> are other similar initiatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>World Environment Day, 2018:</strong> It was hosted in India, the world leaders vowed to &ldquo;Beat Plastic Pollution&rdquo; &amp; eliminate its use completely.</li>
<li><strong>Plastic Pacts:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-plastics-pact" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Plastics Pacts</strong> </a>are business-led initiatives to transform the plastics packaging value chain for all formats and products.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They bring together everyone from across the plastics value chain to implement practical solutions.</li>
<li><strong>The first Plastics Pact was launched in the U.K. in 2018.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India-Specific Initiatives:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Elimination of Single Use Plastic:</strong> In 2019, the Prime Minister of India pledged to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ban-on-single-use-plastics" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022</strong></a>, with an immediate ban in urban Delhi.</li>
<li><strong>Important Rules: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-retailers-to-collect-plastic-waste" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016</a></strong> state that every local body has to be responsible for setting up infrastructure for segregation, collection, processing, and disposal of plastic waste.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018 introduced the concept of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-retailers-to-collect-plastic-waste" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Un-Plastic Collective: <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/plastic-waste-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Un-Plastic Collective (UPC)</a></strong> is a voluntary initiative launched by the<strong> UNEP-India, Confederation of Indian Industry and WWF-India.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Collective seeks to minimise externalities of plastics on the ecological and social health of our planet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>EPR is a<strong> policy approach under which producers</strong> are given a significant responsibility &ndash; financial and/or physical &ndash; for the<strong> treatment or disposal of post-consumer products.</strong></li>
<li>Assigning such responsibility could in principle provide incentives to prevent wastes at the source, promote product design for the environment and support the achievement of public recycling and materials management goals.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Issues Associated</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Under-Researched Field:</strong> The microplastics are under-researched, probably because it is <strong>hard to identify</strong> them. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>One can&rsquo;t recognise them with the naked eye, sophisticated instruments like <strong>spectrophotometers are needed.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> impact of microplastics on the ecologically rich areas</strong> like mangroves, coral reefs and kelps is <strong>not studied well</strong> too.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Availability in Remote Areas:</strong> Microplastics, in recent times, are recorded even in the remotest of places; <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-height-for-mount-everest" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mount Everest</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/melting-of-arctic-s-last-ice-area" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Arctic snow</strong></a>, Icelandic glaciers, the French Pyrenees, and the depths of the Mariana Trench. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They pose a hazard as plastics pollutants in such areas <strong>outpace the ability of governments to collect and manage waste.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Irresponsibility on Government&rsquo;s Part:</strong> Successive governments in India have issued waste management rules, but <strong>dropped the ball on implementation.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the <strong>cities have failed to implement existing rules</strong> on ending single-use plastics, waste segregation, recycling labels on packaging, extended producer responsibility for manufacturers and recovery of materials.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Incapability of Current Degradation Mechanisms:</strong> The existing plastic degradation mechanisms such as <strong>photodegradation</strong> (using sunlight) and<strong> biological degradation</strong> (using microbes) are ineffective as they only breakdown the microplastics rather than degrading them completely.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Understanding Actual meaning of Swachh Bharat:</strong> Swachh Bharat must mean not merely keeping waste out of sight, achieved through costly dumping contracts, but <strong>sharply reduced generation, full segregation and recycling.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Awareness must be created among the common people regarding the impact of microplastics.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Combination of Degradation Mechanisms:</strong> A <strong>combination of photo and biological degradation</strong> systems for<strong> effective and complete decomposition of microplastics</strong> has been suggested.</li>
<li><strong>International Collaboration:</strong> Plastic waste around the world demands a new global treaty modelled on the<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ozone-layer-preservation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Montreal Protocol</a> and the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/five-years-of-paris-climate-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Paris Agreement</a>.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The global problem of plastics will only be solved if all countries and decision-making policies decide to monitor microplastics along their respective coasts and also implement orders to use only biodegradable plastics.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of Government:</strong> Plastic consumption can be reduced to ensure the reduction in the level of microplastic pollution. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>use of single-use plastic can also be regulated</strong> to ensure proper waste management.</li>
<li>Government, industry and the community shall work together to significantly reduce the amount of litter seen along beaches and in oceans.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Initiatives at Individual Levels:</strong> Personal initiatives such as <strong>zero-waste trips, shunning disposable</strong> and using own utensils, quitting the use of bottled water and giving up plastic packaging are some of the steps that every citizen can take to curb microplastic pollution.</li>
<li><strong>Economic Support for Recycling Projects:</strong> The economical support including<strong> tax rebates,</strong> R&amp;D funds, technology incubation, <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model#:~:text=Public%2DPrivate%20Partnership%20Model%3A%20PPP,be%20completed%20with%20private%20funding." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Public-Private Partnerships</strong> </a>and support to projects that recycle single-use items and turn waste into a resource can be enforced.</li>
</ul>',
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	(int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 9609,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Land Sink & Emissions',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Despite caution from scientists, policymakers and corporations still assume that <strong>natural carbon sinks like land and oceans will mop up their fossil fuel emissions.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Land Sink:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Land is a<strong> critical component of the climate system,</strong> actively<strong> engaged in the flows of carbon, nitrogen, water, and oxygen</strong> - essential building blocks for life.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/greenhouse-gas-levels-reach-record-highs-un-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Greenhouse Gases</strong></a> (GHGs such as carbon dioxide) follow a natural cycle - they are constantly released into the atmosphere and are removed from it via natural &lsquo;sinks&rsquo; such as the land and oceans.</li>
<li>Plants and healthy ecosystems have an<strong> unparalleled capacity to absorb carbon through <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bbx11-gene-greening-of-plants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photosynthesis</a></strong> and store it in living biomass.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>About 56% of the carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emitted by humans is absorbed by the oceans and land.</li>
<li>About 30% by land and the rest by oceans.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1630740361_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1630740361_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Recognition of Role of Land:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The role of land (forests and agricultural land) as a mitigation pathway to reduce CO<sub>2</sub> emissions was <strong>recognised by</strong> the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)</strong></a> in 1992.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cop25-climate-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kyoto Protocol</strong></a> in 1997<strong> endorsed</strong> the notion that not only should governments employ policies to enhance the land carbon sink capacities of their territories but also that such <strong>mitigation could be set against requirements for reductions in emissions</strong> from fossil fuel consumption.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Data:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Land use accounted for 13% of anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> emissions during 2007-2016, according to a report by The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-2021-report-ipcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</strong></a> (IPCC) in 2019.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>But it also <strong>provided a net sink of around 11.2 gigatonnes</strong> of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to 29% of the total CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in the same period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This means,<strong> 29-30% human-driven CO<sub>2</sub> emissions have been soaked up by the world&rsquo;s land sinks</strong> during the past three decades.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Rising Heat Levels:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Increased heat levels are adding to the <strong>moisture stress in forests and leading to widespread burning.</strong></li>
<li>So, on the one hand, forests are being <strong>cut for different economic activities, reducing their role as sinks</strong> for the CO<sub>2</sub> released from fossil fuel burning.</li>
<li>On the other hand, as temperatures increase, the forests will shrink further.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Anthropogenic and Natural Factors:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Human-induced factors such as <strong>deforestation and natural factors</strong> such as climate variability in sunshine, temperature and rainfall can cause a variation in the strength of the land carbon sink.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rising CO<sub>2</sub> Concentration:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-report-on-climate-change-ipcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Climate Change 2021 Report: IPCC</strong> </a>states that <strong>CO<sub>2</sub> emissions are the highest in at least two million years.</strong> Humans have emitted 2,400 billion tonnes of CO<sub>2</sub> since the late 1800s.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Growing Trees:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The world is not on track to reduce GHG emissions at the scale needed to avert a temperature rise of 1.5&deg;C over pre-industrial levels.</li>
<li>The solution, then, is to <strong>find ways in which emissions can be removed</strong> from the atmosphere and growing trees becomes part of this package.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Get off Fossil Fuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There is a <strong>need to use land especially in this interim of moving from fossil fuels to <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-renewable-energy-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Renewables</a>;</strong> but in the end fossil fuels must be gotten rid of.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Artificial Carbon Sequestration:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/carbon-sequestration" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> artificial carbon trapping</strong></a> technologies efficiently <strong>capture carbon in large amounts,</strong> convert it and also store it for thousands of years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The technique is based on passing air through a stack of charged electrochemical plates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The technology aims to <strong>make coal a viable, technical, environmental and economic case</strong> for the future.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bonn Challenge:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/land-degradation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bonn Challenge</strong></a> is a global effort<strong> to bring 150 million hectares of the world&rsquo;s deforested and degraded land into restoration by 2020,</strong> and 350 million hectares by 2030.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In March 2019, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nation General Assembly</strong></a> declared 2021-2030 as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration <strong>to &ldquo;prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>LEAF Coalition:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/leaf-coalition" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>an effort</strong></a> led by the US, the UK and Norway <strong>to mobilise at least USD 1 billion for financing countries</strong> committed to protecting their tropical forests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/forests/let-s-talk-land-sinks-are-they-enough-to-beat-global-warming-78765" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 9594,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Report on Weather Disasters: WMO',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-of-the-global-climate-2020-wmo-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Meteorological Organization (WMO)</strong></a>, has released a report, which stated that<strong> weather disasters killed 2 million in the last 50 years.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WMO has published <strong>'Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes, from 1970 to 2019'.</strong></li>
<li>WMO is <strong>a specialized agency of the United Nations.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Findings of the Report:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>No. of Disasters:</strong> The number of disasters <strong>has increased by a factor of five over the 50-year period,</strong> driven by climate change, more extreme weather and improved reporting.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>From 1970 to 2019,<strong> weather, climate and water hazards accounted for 50% of all disasters,</strong> 45% of all reported deaths and 74% of all reported economic losses.</li>
<li>More than <strong>91% of these deaths occurred in developing countries.</strong></li>
<li>Droughts, storms, floods and extreme temperature were the<strong> leading causes.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Decreasing Number of Deaths:</strong> Due to improved early warning systems and disaster management, the number of deaths <strong>decreased almost threefold between 1970 and 2019.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Spiralling Costs:</strong> During the 50-year period, US$ 202 million dollars in damage occurred on average every day. Economic losses<strong> have increased sevenfold from the 1970s to the 2010s.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Storms,</strong> the most prevalent cause of damage, resulted in the largest economic losses around the globe.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Climate Change Footprints:</strong> The <strong>number of weather, climate and water extremes are increasing and will become more frequent and severe</strong> in many parts of the world as a result of climate change.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>More water vapor in the atmosphere</strong> has exacerbated extreme rainfall and flooding, and the<strong> warming oceans</strong> have affected the frequency and extent of the most intense tropical storms.</li>
<li>This has augmented the <strong>vulnerability of low-lying megacities, deltas, coasts and islands</strong> in many parts of the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Failure of Sendai Framework:</strong> The report also warned that the failure to reduce disaster losses as set out in the <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/sendai-framework-report#:~:text=Sendai%20Framework%20for%20Disaster%20Reduction%202015%2D30&amp;text=The%20present%20Framework%20applies%20to,and%20biological%20hazards%20and%20risks." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>2015 Sendai Framework</strong></a> is putting at risk the ability of developing countries to eradicate poverty and to achieve other important <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Sendai Framework 2015</strong> was adopted at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, held in 2015 in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.</li>
<li>The present Framework applies to the risk of small-scale and large-scale, frequent and infrequent, sudden and slow-onset disasters caused by natural or man-made hazards, as well as related environmental, technological and biological hazards and risks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recommendations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Need for Adaptability: Only half of WMO&rsquo;s 193 member countries have multi-hazard early warning systems </strong>and severe gaps in weather and hydrological observing networks exist in Africa, some parts of Latin America and in Pacific and Caribbean island States.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Thus, there is a need to install early warning systems in developing and under-developed countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management:</strong> Need for a greater investment in comprehensive <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/disaster-management-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>disaster risk management</strong></a> to ensure that climate change adaptation is integrated in national and local disaster risk reduction strategies.</li>
<li><strong>Review Hazard Exposure:</strong> The report further recommends countries to review hazard exposure and vulnerability considering a changing climate to reflect that tropical cyclones may have different tracks, intensity and speed than in the past.</li>
<li><strong>Proactive Policies:</strong> It also calls for the development of integrated and proactive policies on slow-onset disasters such as drought.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Initiatives Taken by India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-disaster-management-authority-ndma-" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/disaster-management-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP)</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/weather-disasters-killed-2-million-in-last-50-years-un-agency-says-7482425/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 9592,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'State of the World's Trees Report: BGCI',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI)</strong> launched the<strong> State of the World's Trees Report.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report warns that almost a <strong>third of the world&rsquo;s tree species are at risk of extinction</strong>, while <strong>hundreds are on the brink of being wiped out.</strong></li>
<li><strong>BGCI</strong> is a <strong>membership organisation</strong>, representing botanic gardens in more than 100 countries around the world. It is an independent <strong>UK charity established in 1987</strong> to link the botanic gardens of the world in a global network for plant conservation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Species Under Threat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>17,500 tree species which is some 3<strong>0% of the total</strong> &ndash; are at <strong>risk of extinction</strong>, while <strong>440 species have fewer than 50 individuals left in the wild.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>11% of the flora or plant life of every country</strong> was made up of threatened species.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Overall the <strong>number of threatened tree species</strong> is double the number of threatened mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles combined.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Most At-Risk Trees:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Among the most at-risk trees are species including <strong>magnolias</strong> and <strong>dipterocarps</strong> &ndash; which are commonly found in Southeast Asian rainforests. <strong>Oak trees, maple trees</strong> and <strong>ebonies</strong> also face threats.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Countries with Highest Risk:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thousands of varieties of trees in the <strong>world&rsquo;s top six countries</strong> for tree-species diversity are at risk of extinction.</li>
<li>The greatest single number is in <strong>Brazil</strong>, where 1,788 species are at risk. The other five countries are <strong>Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Colombia and Venezuela.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There were also <strong>27 countries that had no threatened species</strong> of trees.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Island Trees:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Though megadiverse countries see the greatest numbers of varieties at risk of extinction, <strong>island tree species are more proportionally at risk.</strong></li>
<li>This is particularly <strong>concerning because many islands have species of trees that can be found nowhere else.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> top three threats</strong> facing tree species are <strong>crop production, timber logging and livestock farming</strong>, while <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a> and <strong>extreme weather</strong> are emerging threats.</li>
<li>At least 180 <strong>tree species are directly threatened by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rising-sea-levels#:~:text=Global%3A%20Global%20sea%20level%20has,in%20the%20previous%202%2C700%20years." target="_blank" rel="noopener">rising seas</a></strong> and severe weather, especially island species such as <strong>magnolias</strong> in the Caribbean.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need of Saving Trees:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Support System:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Trees <strong>help support the natural ecosystem</strong> and are considered <strong>vital for combating global warming and climate change.</strong></li>
<li>The extinction of a single tree species could cause a <strong>domino effect</strong>, catalysing the loss of many other species.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Act as Buffer:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They <strong>store 50% of the world&rsquo;s terrestrial carbon</strong> and provide a <strong>buffer from extreme weather</strong>, such <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hurricane-ida" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>hurricanes</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tsunami-early-warning-system-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>tsunamis</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat &amp; Food:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Many threatened tree species provide the <strong>habitat and food for millions</strong> of other species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, insects and microorganisms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestion for Policymakers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Extend Protection:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Extend protected area coverage for threatened tree species that are currently not-well represented in protected areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conservation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ensure that all globally threatened tree species, where possible, are conserved in botanic garden and seed bank collections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increase Funding:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Increase availability of Government and corporate funding for threatened tree species.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Expand Schemes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Expand tree planting schemes, and ensure the targeted planting of threatened and native species.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increase Collaboration:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Increase global collaboration to tackle tree extinction, by participating in international efforts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Indian Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nagar-van-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nagar Van (Urban Forest) Scheme</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sankalp-parva-plantation-of-trees" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sankalp Parva</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/compensatory-afforestation-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-forest-cover-wasteland" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Mission for a Green India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/desertification-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Afforestation Programme</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/some-30-of-global-tree-species-at-risk-of-extinction-report-7483149/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 18 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 9560,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Crocodilian Species in India',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Odisha's Kendrapara district</strong> has earned the distinction of being the <strong>only district in India where all three species of crocodiles, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-26th-november-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">salt-water</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/release-of-gharials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gharial</a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ghodahada-reservoir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mugger</a>, are found.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mugger or Marsh Crocodile:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1630494496_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1630494496_image4.jpg" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>An egg-laying and hole-nesting species, also known to be dangerous.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mainly <strong>restricted to the Indian subcontinent</strong> where it may be found in a number of freshwater habitat types and also in coastal saltwater lagoons and estuaries.</li>
<li>It is <strong>already extinct in Bhutan and Myanmar.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Habitat destruction, fragmentation, and transformation, fishing activities and use of crocodile parts for medicinal purposes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IUCN List of Threatened Species</a>:</strong> Vulnerable</li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CITES</a>:</strong> Appendix I</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/wildlife-protection-act-wpa-1972" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wildlife Protection Act, 1972</strong></a>: Schedule I</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Estuarine or Saltwater Crocodile:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1630494527_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1630494527_image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Considered as the<strong> Earth&rsquo;s largest living crocodile species,</strong> infamous globally as a known maneater.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Found in Odisha&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-26th-november-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bhitarkanika National Park,</strong></a> the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sundarban-national-park" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sundarbans</strong></a> in West Bengal and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sustainably-developing-andaman-nicobar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Andamans and Nicobar Islands.</strong></a></li>
<li>Also found across Southeast Asia and northern Australia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Illegal hunting, habitat loss, and antipathy toward the species because of its reputation as a maneater.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>IUCN List of Threatened Species:</strong> Least Concern</li>
<li><strong>CITES :</strong> Appendix I (except the populations of Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, which are included in Appendix II).</li>
<li><strong>Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 :</strong> Schedule I</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gharial:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1630494551_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1630494551_image5.jpg" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Sometimes called gavials, are <strong>a type of Asian crocodilian</strong> distinguished by their long, thin snouts which resembles a pot (ghara in Hindi).</li>
<li>The population of Gharials is a <strong>good indicator of clean river water.</strong></li>
<li>Known to be<strong> a relatively harmless, fish-eating species.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mostly found in <strong>fresh waters of the himalayan rivers.</strong></li>
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/decrease-in-dolphin-number-chambal-river" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Chambal river</strong></a> in the northern slopes of the Vindhya mountains (Madhya Pradesh) is known as the <strong>primary habitat</strong> of gharials.</li>
<li>Other himalayan rivers like<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-09th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Ghagra</strong></a>, Gandak river, Girwa river, Ramganga river and the Sone river are<strong> secondary habitats.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Illegal sand mining, poaching, increased river pollution, dam construction, massive-scale fishing operations and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/flood-management-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Floods.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>IUCN List of Threatened Species:</strong> Critically Endangered</li>
<li><strong>CITES:</strong> Appendix I</li>
<li><strong>Wildlife Protection Act, 1972:</strong> Schedule I</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conservation Efforts:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Odisha</strong> has announced <strong>a cash award of Rs. 1,000</strong> to conserve gharials in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rescuing-gharials-mahanadi-river" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahanadi River Basin.</strong></a></li>
<li>The <strong>Crocodile Conservation Project</strong> was <strong>launched in 1975 in different States.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/odisha-s-kendrapara-now-india-s-only-district-to-have-all-3-species-of-crocodilians-78740" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Sand and Dust Storms Risk Assessment in Asia and the Pacific',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a new <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations (UN)</strong></a> report, more than<strong> 500 million people in India</strong> and<strong> more than 80% of the entire populations</strong> of Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran are <strong>exposed to medium and high levels of poor air quality due to sand and dust storms.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> risk of impacts from sand and dust storms is projected to increase in the 2030s</strong> due to more extreme drought conditions in parts of Western Australia, south-easternTurkey, Iran and Afghanistan.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Sand and Dust Storms:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Sand and dust storms are <strong>common meteorological hazards</strong> in arid and semi-arid regions.</li>
<li>They are usually caused by <strong>thunderstorms &ndash; or strong pressure gradients</strong> associated with <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper1/cyclone-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cyclones</a></strong> &ndash; which increase wind speed over a wide area.</li>
<li>Some <strong>40% of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aerosol-levels-hit-20-year-low" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aerosols</a> in the troposphere (the lowest layer of Earth&rsquo;s atmosphere)</strong> are dust particles from wind erosion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Main Sources:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The main sources of these mineral dusts are the <strong>arid regions of Northern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia and China.</strong></li>
<li>Comparatively, <strong>Australia, America and South Africa make minor,</strong> but still important, contributions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impacts:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Negative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Impact on Power Plants:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They can interfere with energy infrastructure, adversely affecting electricity transmission lines and causing power outages.</li>
<li>India, China and Pakistan witnessed <strong>1,584 gigawatt-hours (gWh), 679 gWh and 555 gHw of energy loss,</strong> respectively.</li>
<li>These losses amounted to over<strong> Rs. 782 crore for India per year.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Affect Source of Freshwater:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Very high dust deposition also occurs in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hindu-kush-himalayan-mountains#:~:text=ICIMOD%20is%20an%20intergovernmental%20knowledge,Myanmar%2C%20Nepal%2C%20and%20Pakistan." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Himalaya-Hindu Kush mountain range</strong></a> and the <strong>Tibetan Plateau,</strong> the so-called <strong>&lsquo;third pole&rsquo;</strong> that are the sources for fresh water for more than 1.3 billion people in Asia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increases Melting of Ice:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The deposition of dust on glaciers induces a <strong>warming effect,</strong> increasing the melting of ice, with direct and indirect impacts on society through numerous issues, including food security, energy production, agriculture, water stress and flood regimes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>On Farmland:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Dust deposition<strong> impacted large portions of farmland</strong> in Turkmenistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Much of this dust is characterised by<strong> high salt content, making it toxic for plants.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It <strong>reduces yield,</strong> posing a significant threat to the production of irrigated cotton and other crops.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>On Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They directly affect <strong>11 of the 17 United Nations-mandated <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)</a>:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ending poverty in all forms, Ending hunger, Good health and well-being, Affordable and clean energy, Decent work and economic growth, Climate action, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Positive:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They can<strong> increase the nutrient content in the areas of deposition</strong> and benefit vegetation.</li>
<li>Dust <strong>deposited on water bodies can alter their chemical characteristics,</strong> triggering both positive as well as adverse outcomes.</li>
<li>Dust particles that carry iron can enrich parts of oceans,<strong> improving the phytoplankton balance and impacting marine food webs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Their impacts are complex, and thus, they represent <strong>an important emerging issue for policy-makers in the Asia-Pacific region.</strong></li>
<li>Member States<strong> need to strategize their joint actions,</strong> considering gaining a deeper understanding of the socio-economic impact of sand and dust storms, establishing a coordinated monitoring and early warning system with an impact-based focus, and coordinating actions in most at-risk and exposed geographical areas to mitigate the risks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/pollution/sand-and-dust-storms-impact-over-500-million-in-india-study-78736" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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