DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

MoEFCC is the nodal agency for planning, co-ordination and overseeing the implementation of India’s environmental and forestry policies and programmes.

Updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

• The updated NDCs seeks to enhance India’s contributions towards achievement of the strengthening of global response to the threat of climate change, as agreed under the Paris Agreement.
• It would safeguard India’s future development needs based on the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

These two targets have been achieved well ahead of the time.

• • The cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources is 43.81% of the total cumulative electric power installed capacity.
  • The emission intensity of its GDP has been reduced by 33% between 2005 and 2019.

Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)

• It was launched in 2022 after India joined Mangrove Alliance for Climate(MAC) at COP27 in Egypt.
• Aim- To comprehensively explore the possible area for development of mangroves covering approximately 540 sq. kms. spreading across 11 States and 2 Union Territories.
• Tenure- 5 years
• Feature- Sharing of best practices on plantation techniques, conservation measures, management practices and resources mobilization through Public Private Partnership (PPP).

Green Credit Program

• It is an initiative within the LiFE movement that was launched by India on the side-lines of COP 28.
• It is an innovative market based mechanism designed to incentivise environmental actions.
• Green Credit Rules 2023 has been notified in 2023 under Environment Protection Act 1986.
• It puts in a mechanism to encourage voluntary environmental positive actions resulting in issuance of green credits.
• It is independent of the carbon credit under Carbon Credit Trading Scheme2023.

Ecomark Scheme

• It is a voluntary certification scheme for environment friendly products and services in India.
• The Central Pollution Control Board administers the scheme in partnership with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is the national body for standards and certification.
• Products accredited under this scheme will adhere to specific environmental criteria, ensuring minimal environmental impact.

Mission LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment)

• It is a public movement to mobilize individuals to become 'Pro-Planet People' introduced by India at COP 26 in Glasgow.
• An India-led global mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment.

It is an environment conscious lifestyle with the motto “Mindful and Deliberate Utilisation, instead of Mindless and Destructive Consumption”.

Phases- Each phase requires a fundamental shift in our approach towards sustainability.

• • Change in Demand
  • Change in Supply
  • Change in Policy

50 years of Project Tiger

• Launch year- 1973
• Objective - Conservation of tiger and ensures the preservation of their natural habitat.
• It is one of the most successful species conservation programmes in the world, it has 53 tiger reserves spread over 75,000 km.
• National Tiger Conservation Authority- It was created under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 which strengthens the tiger conservation in the country.

International Big Cat Alliance

• It is a mega international event launched to commemorate 50 years of Project Tiger.
• It is launched for conservation of 7 big cats - Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma.
• It will reach out to “range” countries that are home to the 7big cats to strengthen efforts to conserve these denizens in the wild.
• It will facilitate the mobilization of financial and technical resources to support the entire ecosystem linked to big cats.

Indira Parayavaran Bhawan

• It houses the building of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• It is India’s first on site net zero building built by adoption of solar passive design and energy efficient building material.
• It has been designed as the highest green rated building, i.e., GRIHA 5-Star and LEED India Platinum

India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021

• Released by- Forest Survey of India (FSI)
• Publication- Biennial (Every 2 years)
• Significance- The report for the 1^st time provides the forest cover in tiger reserve areas, tiger corridors and Gir forests that houses the Asiatic lion.
• Increase in forest cover has been observed in open forest followed by very dense forest.
• The North East region reported the biggest losses in forest cover.

PARIVESH 2.0

• It is a Pro Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive and Virtuous Environmental Single window Hub.
• It is a single window integrated system for Environment, Forest, Wild Life and Coastal Regulation Zone Clearance Process.
• The updated version leverages on emerging technology such as GIS, Advance Data Analytics, etc. for providing faster decisions on green clearances.
• The PARIVESH Portal and Gati Shakti Portal are seamlessly integrated through Map service.

Ramsar Sites

• Aim - To preserve the ecological character of their wetlands of international importance.
• Pillars-
  • Wise use of wetlands
  • International Cooperation
  • Wetlands of International Importance - Designation and Management
• The convention dose not directly bind on the nation, but countries formulate policies based on it.
• Categories- The Ramsar sites are grouped into 3 categories.
  • Marine and Coastal wetlands
  • Inland wetlands
  • Human-made wetlands
• India ratified the Ramsar Convention in 1982.
• Recently, India added 10 wetlands to the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites) within the framework of Ramsar Convention.
• This takes the total number of Ramsar Sites in India to 75, the 2^nd largest network of Ramsar sites in Asia.

As of March 2024, there are 80 Ramsar Sites in India.

List of Ramsar sites in India

Ramsar Convention is a convention on wetlands that was signed in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. The negotiations for the convention started in the 1960s by the different countries and NGOs for the protection of wetland habitats of migratory waterbirds. Finally, it came into force in 1975.

February 2 is celebrated as International Wetlands Day as the Ramsar Convention was signed on February 2, 1971.

The Ramsar Convention works with the collaboration of the following organizations:

1. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
2. Birdlife International.
3. International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
4. Wetlands International.
5. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT)
6. WWF International

Under the “three pillars” of the Convention, the Contracting Parties commit to:

1. work towards the wise use of all their wetlands;
2. designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of International Importance (the “Ramsar List”) and ensure their effective management;
3. cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems, and shared species.

Keoladeo National Park (in Rajasthan) and Chilika lake (in Odisha) were the 1^st two sites to be placed on the Ramsar list by India.

Amrit Dharohar Yojana has been launched for conservation of Ramsar sites through community participation.

Ramsar Sites in India

• The Ramsar convention entered into force in India on 1 February 1982.
• All wetlands, irrespective of their location, size, ownership, biodiversity, or ecosystem services values, can be notified under the Wetlands Rules 2017, except river channels, paddy fields, human-made waterbodies specifically constructed for drinking water, aquaculture, salt production, recreation, irrigation purposes, wetlands falling within areas covered under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011.
• India has over 7 lakh wetlands, covering 4.5% of the country’s area, yet none of the wetlands has been notified under domestic laws.
• Wetlands are regulated under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.

Forest (Conservation) Amendment) Act, 2023

• It amends the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 which provides for the conservation of forest land.
• It is amended to achieve the country’s national as well as international commitments of NDCs, carbon neutrality, eliminate the ambiguities and bring clarity about the applicability of the Act.
• It will promote the plantation in non-forest land, enhance the productivity of the forests.

Blue flag beaches

• The Blue Flag certificateis given by the Foundation for Environment Education in Denmark (FEE) for beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.
• Mission- To promote sustainability in the tourism sector, through environmental education, environmental protection and other sustainable development practices.
• To receive the certificate, the beaches must comply with all the 33 criteria as mandated by the FEE.

National Clean Air Program

• Launch year - 2019
• Aim- To improve air quality in 131 cities (non-attainment cities and Million Plus Cities) in 24 States/UTs by engaging all stakeholders.
• Non-attainment cities- They are the cities which did not meet the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for 2011-15 under the National Air Quality Monitoring Program (NAMP).
• Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan- More than 100 cities are monitored for air quality with an intent and plan to improve the air quality through holistic approach.
• The programme envisages to achieve reductions up to 40% or achievement of NAAQS for PM 10 by 2025-26.

Mission Circular Economy

• Purpose- To create new business models and employment opportunities, thereby integrating the informal sector.
• It will result in moving away from mindless consumption to mindful utilisation and will help achieve the vision of Mission LiFE.
• Efforts - Mission Circular Economy is emphasised through
  • Plastic Waste Management Rules
  • e-Waste Management Rules
  • Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules
  • Metals Recycling Policy, etc.
• To expedite the transition of the country from a linear to a circular economy, 11 committees have been formed for 11 focus areas such as scrap metal, Li-ion batteries, electronic wastes, etc.
• The Indian Railways has set a target of becoming net zero carbon emitter by 2030.
• Regulations on market based Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle have been notified for 4 categories of wastes - plastic packaging waste, battery waste, e-waste and waste tyre.

Cheetah Reintroduction in India

• Project Cheetah- It is India’s relocation programme, the first intercontinental reintroduction of a wild, large carnivore species.
• The project is to bring in 5-10 animals every year, over the next decade, until a self-sustaining population of cheetahs is established.
• In India, the cheetah was found from Jaipur and Lucknow in the north to Mysore in the south, and from Kathiawar in the west to Deogarh in the east.
• The cheetah was officially declared extinct by the Indian government in 1952.
• A plan to reintroduce cheetahs in India was endorsed in 2009 but it was shot down by the Supreme Court in 2013.
• The idea was revived in 2017, and the SC cleared the move in 2020 on an experimental basis.
• Kuno-Palpur National Park, Madhya Pradesh was found to be ready to receive the cheetah immediately, as it had already been prepared for the translocation of Asiatic Lion.
• Need for reintroduction- The main objective is
  • To restore India’s historic evolutionary balance
  • To develop a cheetah metapopulation that will help in the global conservation of the animal
  • As it is a flagship species, the conservation of the cheetah will revive grassland-forests habitat

G20 INDIA PRESIDENCY 2023

• G20 framework on Land Degradation- To accelerate actions on achieving the G20goal of reducing degraded land by 50% by 2040, through enhancing the G20 Global Initiative for Reducing Land Degradation (GIRLD).
• G20 Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition- To foster global partnerships among key industries for enhancing technological cooperation, exchange of ideas and mobilizing de-risked finance.

• GIR-GIP- Gandhinagar Implementation Roadmap and Gandhinagar Information Platform (GIR-GIP) emanated from G20 deliberations to tackle restoration of forest fire and mining degraded lands.

• Green Development Pact- It envisages a green development pact that endorses high-level principles on lifestyle
  • Chennai principles- For a sustainable resilient blue economy
  • Deccan principles- For food security and nutrition
• Chennai High-Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue/Ocean-based Economy- It stresses on a sustainable ocean-based economy, strengthening international cooperation to tackle shared maritimechallenges, and enhancing ocean finance.

Gangster Goldy Brar, the mastermind behind the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, was declared a designated terrorist by the Centre under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

UAPA

The UAPA aims to prevent unlawful activities and terrorist activities in the country.

Terrorist Act - Any act committed with intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, security, economic security, sovereignty of India or any section of the people in India or in any foreign country.

2019 Bill - Originally only covering organizations that engage in terrorism, the Act was amended in 2019 to allow the government to designate individuals as terrorists too.

• The 2019 Bill sought to empower the central government to designate an individual a terrorist if they are found committing, preparing for, promoting, or involved in an act of terror.
• A similar provision already existed in Part 4 and 6 of the legislation for organisations that can be designated as a terrorist organisation.
• The 2019 amendment did not clarify the standard of proof required to establish that an individual is involved, or is likely to be involved, in terrorist activities.

The designation of an individual as a global terrorist by the United Nations is associated with sanctions including travel bans, freezing of assets and an embargo against procuring arms, however, the 2019 amendment did not provide any such detail.

Appeal - Under the amendment, the central government set up a review committee comprising a chairperson (a retired or sitting judge of a High Court) and three other members.

• The review committee will be empowered to order the government to delete the name of the individual from the schedule that lists terrorists, if it considers the order to be flawed.
• Apart from these two avenues, the individual can also move the courts challenging the government’s order.

Satinderjit Singh, popularly known as Goldy Brar has become the 56th person to be named an individual terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Individual Terrorists

• The central government may designate an individual as a terrorist through a notification in the official gazette, and add his name to the Fourth Schedule to the UAPA.
• The government is not required to give an individual an opportunity to be heard before such a designation.

An individual who is convicted in a terror case is legally referred to as a terrorist, while those suspected of being involved in terrorist activities are referred to as terror accused.

India is poised to establish a National Maritime Domain Awareness Centre (NMDAC) in response to emerging threats in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

NMDAC

• The Indian Navy’s Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram, is on track to upgrade into the National Maritime Domain Awareness Centre in about three years.

Objective - The primary objective of the NMDAC is to meticulously gather, analyze, and provide actionable intelligence to address maritime challenges.

• The center will maintain vigilant oversight of the expanding Chinese naval activities within the IOR.
• Once operational, the NDMA Centre will house people from 15 agencies under seven Ministries enabling exchange of maritime information in real-time across the board.
• The involved ministries include petroleum, defense, fisheries, shipping, among others.

BEL - Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a defense public sector undertaking, is entrusted with the responsibility of providing all the requisite hardware and software necessary for the NMDAC.

IMAC

• IMAC is the nodal agency for maritime information and monitoring and was set up after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
• Approved by the Defence Acquisition Council in 2012, the IMAC became operational in 2014 and is located in Gurugram.
• IMAC serves as the nodal center of the National Command, Control, and Intelligence (NC3I) Network, and the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in 2018.
• Both function as hubs for maritime domain awareness for domestic and international information sharing.
• NC3I - It is the nodal centre of the National Command Control Communication and Intelligence System (NC3I).
• It is spearheaded by the Indian Navy.
• NC3I was established to link the operational Centres and lower echelons of Navy and Coast Guard spread across the country’s coastline including the island territories.
• The NC3I, , links 51 stations, comprising 20 Navy and 31 Coast Guard stations, providing a comprehensive, real-time depiction of the approximately 7,500-km long coastline.

IFC-IOR - In the case of the IFC-IOR, the center presently has 12 International Liaison Officers, with plans to increase this number to 40 by 2025-26.

• Additionally, the IFC-IOR has established agreements with 25 countries and 1 international maritime construct concerning the sharing of white shipping information.

Functions of the IMAC -

1. 1. Tracks vessels on the high seas
   2. Gets data from the coastal radars
   3. White shipping agreements
   4. Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) transponders fitted on merchant ships
   5. Air and traffic management
   6. Global shipping databases management

Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

• The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is a vital maritime area spanning over 36 littoral and island countries.
• The region is strategically important due to its significant trade routes, natural resources, and geopolitical importance.
• It is home to some of the world’s busiest sea-lanes, including the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca, which serve as a conduit for international trade.
• Major portion of the world population and comparatively younger population resides in this region.

Sea Turtle

• These are large, air-breathing reptiles that live in tropical and subtropical seas all over the world.
• Their shells are made up of an upper section (carapace) and a lower section (plastron).
• Hard scales or scutes cover all but the leatherback, and the number and arrangement of these scutes can be used to identify the species.
• The upper shell, or carapace, of each sea turtle species, varies in length, color, shape, and scale arrangement.
• Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle, and Flatback Sea Turtle are the seven sea turtle species.
• In Indian waters, there are five species (Leatherback, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Green and Olive Ridley).
• Though sea turtles are protected in India under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, consumption of turtle meat and eggs is prohibited by all except indigenous tribal communities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, including the Onges and Shompen.

Turtles in India

• Leatherback turtle (Dermicherlus coriacea)
• Hawksbill turtle (Eritmocheilus imbricate)
• Loggerhead turtle (Caretta)
• Green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
• Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidocheilus olivaceae)

Need to protect Sea Turtles

What is the need to protect Sea Turtles?

• Sea turtles are incredible and beautiful creatures, but few people realize how large they can grow.
• Some can grow to be three meters long and weigh up to 750 kilograms, and many have stunningly beautiful shells.
• However, this is where the problem for many turtle species lies: they are being poached for their shells to the point of extinction.
• This, along with the frequent destruction of their natural habitats, is why sea turtle conservation is so critical.
• In light of this, the importance of turtle conservation efforts cannot be overstated, because if we want to ensure the future of these marine animals, we must act now.
• The Kemp Ridley is the most endangered sea turtle species, with numbers plummeting dramatically since the 1940s, when 100,000 were filmed nesting in one location.
• Almost all sea turtle species are now endangered, with three of the seven remaining species critically endangered.

Sea Turtle Project

What is the Sea Turtle Project?

• Every winter, a significant proportion of the world's Olive Ridley Turtle population migrates to Indian coastal waters to nest, primarily along the eastern coast.
• With the goal of conserving olive ridley turtles and other endangered marine turtles, the Ministry of Environment and Forests launched the Sea Turtle Conservation Project in November 1999 in collaboration with UNDP, with the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun serving as the implementing agency.
• The project is being carried out in ten coastal states of the country, with a particular emphasis on the state of Orissa.
• This project establishes guidelines for development activities in the area, with the goal of securing turtle breeding areas and protecting them from other types of disruptions.
• Furthermore, it provides funds for project development and monitoring. The satellite method is used to examine the nesting area of Olive Ridley Turtles.
• The project assisted in the preparation of the following:
  • an inventory map of sea turtle breeding sites,
  • identification of nesting and breeding habitats along the shoreline, and migratory routes taken by sea turtles,
  • development of guidelines to safeguard and minimize turtle mortality,
  • development of national and international cooperative and collaborative action for sea turtle conservation,
  • development of guideline plans for tourism in sea turtle areas, and
  • development of infrastructure and habitat.
• One of the significant achievements has been the demonstration of the use of Satellite Telemetry to locate the migratory route of Olive Ridley Turtles in the sea, as well as sensitising fishermen and the State Government to the use of Turtle Exclusion Devices (TED) in fishing trawlers to reduce turtle mortality in fishing nets.