Class Notes 4 You

Biodiversity: Concept and Facts 1) Services Provided by Biodiversity 2) Threats to the biodiversity 3) Pollinating agents 4) Adverse effects of fall in the population of species of butterflies 5) Biopiracy 6) Nitrogen-fixing plants 7) Biofertilizers and examples 8) Cultivators of fungi 9) Gadgil Committee Report 10) Kasturirangan Committee Report 11) M-STrIPES 12) National Aquatic Animal 13) Herbivores turtle species 14) Herbivores marine mammal 15) Herbivores fish species 16) Viviparous snake 17) Filter feeder and examples 18) Aflatoxins 19) Protected Areas are located in Cauvery basin 20) Living root bridges 21) Declining Vultures population 22) Biodiversity in Coral reefs 23) Biosphere reserves 24) Botanical gardens 25) National parks 26) Wildlife sanctuaries 27) Wetlands declared under Ramsar Convention – Significance 28) Tiger Reserves – recently declared 29) Eco-Sensitive Zones 30) Red Data Books 31) Critical 'tiger' habitats (CTHs) 32) Critical Wildlife Habitat 33...

Cellulose is a molecule, consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Cellulose is the main substance in the walls of plant cells, helping plants to remain stiff and upright. The degradation of cellulose is a biochemical process involving organic and inorganic phases to form carbon dioxide, water etc. Cellulose in Planet Earth: Organic: Detritus Food Chain This type of food chain starts from organic matter of dead and decaying animals and plant bodies from the grazing food chain.  Dead organic matter or detritus feeding organisms are detrivores or decomposers. The detrivores are eaten by predators.  In an aquatic ecosystem, the grazing food chain is the major conduit for energy flow.  As against this, in a terrestrial ecosystem, a much larger fraction of energy flows through the detritus food chain than the grazing food chain.  Cellulose in Planet Earth: Inorganic: Leaching, Mineralisation and Weathering. Hence, Cellulose degradation is a prime example where both...

Reduce non-fossil energy capacity to 500GW by 2030. Fulfil  50% energy requirements via RE by 2030. Reduce 1bn carbon emissions by 2030. Reduce carbon intensity >45% by 2030. Achieve the target of Net-Zero by 2070.

Carrying capacity is the maximum population size that an ecosystem can sustainably support without degrading itself. When a population exceeds the carrying capacity of its ecosystem, it results in deaths and long-term damages to the ecosystem. Factors affecting the carrying capacity. 1. Number of resources available in the ecosystem, 2. Size of the population, and 3. Per capita resource consumption How understanding carrying capacity helps in sustainable development. 1. Economic Planning: Strategies for optimal resource use can be developed through analysis of resource availability and requirements of the economy. Eg. linear economy vs circular economy. 2. Population Control: Based on the carrying capacity of a region. E.g. Gangetic plains can support a higher population but Himalayan region can't.  3. Biodiversity Conservation: Animal population beyond the carrying capacity of forests leads to man-animal conflicts. 4. Agriculture Management: Agriculture practices must reflect the ...

According to a UNEP report, sand is the 2nd most extracted natural resource after water and sand mining is one of the major sustainability challenges of the 21st century. Coastal sand mining is one of the concerns related to sand mining. It has various environmental impacts like: 1. Coastal erosion affecting coastal terrain and communities. 2. Deepening of rivers and estuaries, and enlargement of river mouths. 3. Saline water intrusion and flooding. 4. Creates turbidity in seawater affecting the marine ecosystem and wildlife. It poses a larger challenge for India that has a coastline of more than 7000 km. For instance: 1. Excessive sand mining in Gahirmatha beach is disturbing the nesting grounds of olive ridley turtles. 2. Sea water intrusion, inundation of coastal land along the coast of Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam due to sand mining. 3. NGT imposed 100 crores fine on Andhra Govt due to Illegal sand mining. Thus, strengthening policy frameworks and using alternatives like M-sand (an...

Air pollution is becoming one of the major public health issues worldwide, of which India is no exception. India was ranked the fifth most polluted country by WHO (2019), in which 21 among the top 30 polluted cities were in India. In this backdrop, the government launched NCAP in 2019, a five-year national action plan for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target. Key Features: 1. Goal: To achieve 20% to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations by 2024, keeping 2017 as the base year. 2. 102 non-attainment cities have been identified based on ambient air quality data for the period 2011-2015. 3. The city-specific action plans have been prepared and approved for ground implementation for these cities. 4. Implementation of such plans to be regularly monitored by Committees at Central and State level. 5. Increasing number of monitoring stations in the country including rural monitoring stations, technology support. 6. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) wi...

To tackle the increasing water crisis in the country, GoI launched a time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign namely Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA). Key features: 1. Aims at making water conservation a Jan Andolan through asset creation and extensive communication. 2. A collaborative campaign of various Central Ministries and the State Governments being coordinated by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS). 3. Focuses on accelerated implementation of five targeted interventions a. Water conservation and rainwater harvesting b. Renovation of traditional water bodies c. Reuse and recharge structures d. Watershed development e. Intensive afforestation 4. Development of Block and District Water Conservation Plans. 5. Encompasses Krishi Vigyan Kendra Melas, to promote efficient water use for irrigation (Per Drop More Crop), and better choice of crops for water conservation. 6. Promote urban waste water reuse, for industrial and agriculture purposes. Despite being a won...

India had first proposed connecting solar energy supply across borders at the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in 2018 to allow parts of the world with excess solar power to send it to other countries. Then in May 2021, the UK and India agreed to jointly launch GGI-OSOWOG for all kinds of renewable power, which was finally launched at COP-26 in Glasgow by a group of national leaders. Purpose of the initiative- 1. Transmission of renewable power from areas having excess power to deficit power areas. 2. Address issue of electricity supply from solar power plants after the sunset. 3. Galvanize international cooperation for large-scale capacity addition of renewable energy. 4. Address variability in renewable energy supply. 5. Address issue of high cost of energy storage. 6. Speed up decarbonization of energy production. 7. Research and knowledge sharing. 8. Creation of 'good jobs'. Challenges . 1. Financing for transmission infrastructure. 2. Global cooperation 3. Security risk...

Since its first CoP in 1995, the UNFCCC has played a significant role in fighting climate change. The Kyoto Protocol (1997) and the Paris Agreement (2015) have been its major milestones. Recently, CoP-26 was held in Glasgow, where nations took a range of decisions in the collective effort to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. Major Outcomes of COP26 . 1. Completion of the Paris Agreement rulebook. 2. Member countries agreed for the Glasgow Climate Pact. a. Asked nations to strengthen their NDCs. b. Make efforts to phase-down usage of coal and phase-out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. c. Created a two-year work programme to define a 'Global Goal on Adaptation'. d. Initiated discussions on setting the new target for climate finance, beyond $100 billion for the post-2025 period.  e. Allowed leftover carbon credits under Kyoto protocol to be used in meeting countries’ first NDC targets. 3. Pledge to reverse deforestation by 2030. 4. Global Methane Pledge, to reduce methane ...

Essay facts: “ Prakatih Rakshatih Rakshitah  ” - ’Nature protects when it is protected' 15 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India. Gurugram tops the list - a study by Greenpeace. An estimated 4.2 million premature deaths globally linked to pollution (World Air quality report - Greenpeace) 99% cities in South Asia exceed the WHO’s safe standard exposure of PM 2.5 limit.  The lancet claims that 2.5 million deaths occurred in India due to air pollution in 2015 India has 14 of its 15 cities among the worst 15 polluted air cities (WHO) Children in Delhi have a smaller lung capacity than peers. London smog. Breaking of Larcen C ice-shelf.  India is among the top 6 vulnerable countries to climate change according to World Risk Assessment by German-watch.  Water: NITI Aayog’s Composite water management Index (NITI + Min of rural devp + Min of Jal shakti) - 70% of the water resources in this country are polluted. 75% households do not have drinking water and more...