Environment - Current Affairs for January, 2016

A bird viewed as rapidly declining- the Lesser Adjutant Stork- during a complete survey on birds found in state conducted by NGO Conservation Core Society for Wildlife and Bilaspur University shows that the atmosphere is perfect for endangered species as well as migratory birds. This bird was sighted at Marwahi forest division of Bilaspur district. University has also sent the proposal for initiation of conservation of 400 species of birds of the 1300 found in Chhattisgarh. Presence of Lesser Adjutant indicates the climate in the state is perfect for breeding and habitation of birds and they can easily adapt to it.

One of every 3 lions in Gujarat’s Saurashtra have lived outside sanctuaries, the final count of the May 2015 census of lions has revealed. Of the total 523 lions in the region, 167 are currently outside protected areas. Of them, around 80 lie in Savarkundla, Lathi and Lilliya areas in Amreili ensuring the best encounters with big cats. Close to 37 lions in Bhavnagar have been spotted here. National Board for Wildlife and Lion Expert has indicated that lions are moving beyond sanctuaries in a search for fresh areas.

With a significant set to reduce pollution in vehicles, GoI has announced that BS-VI emission norms for automobiles and auto fuel run by 2020. Government has also made the decision to advance the earlier deadline of 2023 to 2020 for enforcement of BS-VI emission norms and BS-VI auto fuel across the country.

This is the world’s largest canyon which is far larger than the Grand Canyon in the US has been spotted by Chinese scientists who participated in the Antarctic expedition to the South pole. Canyon has more than 1000 kilometers in length and 1500 meters in depth as well as 26.5 kilometers in width. Grand Canyon was once the world’s largest canyon. China’s expedition team has found the canyon in the Princess Elizabeth Area of the South Pole.

World Bank tames wild economies and enables people to stabilise fluctuating finances but in a global first, banker has also extended support to urban regeneration. In Vishakapatnam, global bank is extending an assistance of USD 20 million for helping reconstruct the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park. This has been devastated by cyclone Hudhud. This is part of the USD 370 million from 2015-2020.

Indian Meteorological Department launched a System of Aerosol Monitoring and Research/SAMAR that will help the country to study the concentration of black carbon in the atmosphere due to air pollution and its effect on the climate. Aerosols are subset of air pollution containing gases, fumes and dust in a massive proportion. Aerosol particles can be solid as well as liquid that affects environmental visibility. SAMAR equipped with many sophisticated equipments including 12 sky radiometers will study aerosols’ different properties and determine the impact on the climate over a longer period of time. Country as to depend on other nation’s research for this reason. System was launched on the 141st foundation day of IMD launching new user friendly website of the country’s central weather forecaster on the occasion.

Global warming is going to disrupt a natural cycle of ice ages and contribute to delaying the onset of the next big freeze till 100,000 years from the present times. Within the past million years, world has close to 10 ice ages before reaching warmer conditions like current times. In the last Ice age that ended 12,000 years ago, ice sheets blanketed Canada, northern Europe and Siberia. Humanity has become the force in shaping the geology of the planet.

Central government on 13th January 2016 approved the entry of the country into International Energy Agency Ocean Energy Systems- IEA OES. PM Narendra Modi took the decision under the chairmanship of the Union Cabinet. India will have access to advanced research and development teams and technologies across the world by becoming a member of IEA-OES. OES launched in 2001 is an intergovernmental partnership between nations that operate as per framework under the IEA.

India on 13th January 2016 signed a loan agreement with Japan International Cooperation Agency for pollution abatement of river Mula Mutha in Pune by January 2022. As per this agreement, government of Japan has made the commitment to provide a soft loan of INR 1000 crore to India for the project at interest rates of 0.30% per year. Major components proposed under the project comprise construction of 11 new Sewage Treatment Plants that result in creation of additional treatment capacity of 396 million litres per day over the existing treatment capacity of 477 MLD. Mula Mutha river is one of the 302 polluted river stretches of the country are identified by the Central Pollution Control Board.

Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the River Information System/RIS. The first of its kind in India, the new system will encourage safe and accurate navigation on National Waterway 1 on the Ganga River. RIS is being implemented by Inland Waterways Authority of India. RIS aims to streamline the exchange of information between waterway operators and users.

Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has decided to make the transition from BS-IV to BS-VI emission norms directly by 01/04/2020. A unanimous decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari. GoI has taken the decision to eliminate BSV altogether. A notification in this regard will be issued. Bharat stage emission standards are instituted by GoI to regulate output of air pollutants from international combustion engine equipment including motor vehicles.

Pug marks and dead prey from wild Siberian tigers were found in China’s Jilin province, suggesting that the tiger population has expanded in this region for the first time. Latest survey by government authorities found that 27 Siberian tigers are currently flourishing in Jilin. Jilin is an ecologically corridor from Russo-Chinese border to Huangnihe nature reserve under the area administered by Baishishan Forestry Bureau. Siberian tigers are currently among the most endangered species in the world. They are found in NE China and eastern Russia.

Karnataka is already No. 1 when it comes to the country's tiger population and its lush forests are home to more big cats than 406, the number thrown up by the national tiger census report in 2014. Census report released by Wildlife Institute of India in protected areas has found a healthy tiger population here. The findings clearly indicate that protected areas, located in the confluence of the Eastern and Western Ghats, have scope for adequate funding and more protection under the Project Tiger initiative.