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Kerala’s Shaikh Hassan Khan now scales Mount Vinson in Antarctica recently to spread awareness of climate change happening in Antarctica. Mount Vinson, also known as Vinson Massif, is the highest mountain in Antarctica and one of the 7 Summits, which are the highest peaks on each of the world's 7 continents. Mount Vinson is located in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, about 1,200 kilometers from the South Pole. It was discovered in 1935 by American explorer Lincoln Ellsworth.
22 December, 2023
Climate Change
The WCAS, also known as the “high-level segment,” is part of COP-28 where world leaders or their representatives meet. They are expected to make statements regarding their countries’ intent and contributions to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. India’s Climate Targets and Previous Commitments: During the 26th COP in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021, Prime Minister announced specific climate targets known as “Panchamrit.” Achieve “net zero” or carbon neutrality by 2070. Install at least 500 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil energy by 2030. Cut carbon emissions by a billion tonnes. Reduce the carbon-intensity of the economy by 45%. Meet half of India’s energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030. India’s Leadership in Climate Change: Climate…
15 December, 2023
Climate Change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth’s climate system and caused change on a global scale. Factors Affecting Climate Change Natural Factors – affect the climate over a period of thousands to millions of years. Such as – Continental Drift – have formed millions of years ago when the landmass began to drift apart due to plate displacement. This impacts climate change due to the change in the landmass’s physical…
14 December, 2023
Climate Change
India was the fifth most affected country by climate change: It was not shocking when Germanwatch, an environmental non-profit think tank, reported in 2018, that India was the fifth most affected country by climate change, globally. In the last two years, the country has been hit by at least one extreme climate event every month. According to the World Risk Index 2020, India is the fourth-most-at-risk country in South Asia, after Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan. There is no doubt that climate change is real and its implications are disastrous. Historically, internal migration in India occurred due to factors like ethnicity, kinship, work opportunities, or access to better healthcare and education. More…
14 December, 2023
Climate Change
CCPI 2024 was released at the COP 28 event in United Arab Emirates. It is an annual report, 1st presented at the COP 11 in 2005. Compiled by – 3 environmental NGO’s German watch, New Climate Institute and the Climate Action Network. Aim – To enable transparency in international climate politics and comparability of countries’ efforts and progress. Coverage – It covers major emitters, 63 countries and the EU, which together account for over 90% of global GHG emissions. Nigeria, Pakistan, UAE and Uzbekistan were added in CCPI 2024. Assessment - It uses 14 indicators under 4 categories GHG Emissions (40% weightage), Renewable Energy (20% weightage Energy Use (20%…
11 December, 2023
Climate Change
A new study published in ‘Nature’, tried to predict the effects of climate change on the physiological performance and distribution of organisms by studying the Otoliths. Otolith – They are small, white bio-mineralized ear stones in the head.Small calcium carbonate crystals are accumulated every day as very thin layers over a tiny core, and this forms an otolith. They are found in all fishes other than sharks, rays and lampreys but their shape and morphology is unique to each fish species. It contributes to both hearing and vestibular function in fish. Significance – When the fish dies the otoliths are preserved, separated from the decomposed fish body, and buried…
11 December, 2023
Climate Change
The draft text on the Santiago Network has been adopted by the Parties and sent to the Conference of the Parties (COP) of UNFCCC at COP28 in UAE. It is a collaborative framework established as part of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage(WIM) under the UNFCCC. Aim - To connect vulnerable developing countries with technical support and resources to effectively address and manage loss and damage caused by climate change. Genesis At COP19,2013 (Warsaw, Poland) – Proposal to establish At COP25, 2019 (Madrid, Spain) – Establishment At COP26, 2021 (Glassgow, UK) – Decision on functions At COP27, 2022 (Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt) – Adopted terms of references…
10 December, 2023
Climate Change
Joint initiative- United Arab Emirates as host of COP28 and the UNEP-led ‘Cool Coalition’. It is the world's first collective focus on energy emissions from the cooling sector. Passive cooling strategies- It outlines actions such as insulation, natural shading, ventilation and reflective surfaces, higher energy efficiency standards and a rapid phase down of climate-warming hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants. Aim- It commits the countries to reduce their cooling emissions by at least 68% by 2050. Outcome- It could reduce the projected 2050 emissions from business-as-usual cooling by around 3.8 billion tons of CO2 equivalent. Around 63 countries signed up the world’s 1st ever pledge to drastically…
08 December, 2023
Climate Change
According to a report from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the decade from 2011-2020 was the warmest ever in history. The report provides a longer-term perspective and transcends year-to-year variability in our climate. It reports how extreme events undermines sustainable development and how improvements in early warnings and disaster management reduced the number of casualties. Released by – World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) at the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC), COP28. It complements WMO’s annual State of the Global Climate report. Data source – Physical data analyses and impact assessments from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, Regional Climate Centres, National Statistics Offices and UN partners. Key…
07 December, 2023
Climate Change
According to the recent United Nations (UN) report, 2023 is set to be the hottest year ever recorded. Published by – World Meteorological Organisation. The final report is due to be published in the 1st half of 2024. Climate chaos – In 2023, Green House Gas (GHG) levels, global temperatures, sea level rise reached record high, while Antarctic sea ice reached record low. Higher GHGs – Concentrations of the 3 main heat-trapping gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) reached record high. Higher global temperature – This year, till October 2023, was already around 1.4C above the pre-industrial baseline. CO2 levels was 50% higher than the pre-industrial…
01 December, 2023
Climate Change
The UNESCO report has stressed for mandatory participation of the vulnerable, neglected and marginalised individuals in policy decisions related to climate engineering. It is the intentional large-scale intervention in the Earth’s climate system to counter climate change. It is also known as geoengineering which involves 2 techniques. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) – It removes and stores the emitted carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It includes Direct air capture Land-use management (afforestation / reforestation) Sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) Increasing the uptake of CO2 by the ocean Enhancing natural weathering processes that remove CO2 from the atmosphere According to a report in the journal Nature, so…
30 November, 2023
Climate Change
The British Antarctic Survey says that one of the world’s largest icebergs is drifting beyond Antarctic waters after being grounded for more than three decades. Origin – It split from the Antarctic’s Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986 but got stuck to the ocean floor for many years in the Weddell Sea. Size – Around 4,000 square kilometres (1,500 square miles). Movement – It has now ungrounded and is moving along ocean currents to sub-Antarctic South Georgia.It appears to be picking up speed because of wind and ocean currents. Iceberg An ice that broke off from glaciers or ice shelf and is floating in open water. Criteria for Iceberg Height must be greater than…
28 November, 2023
Climate Change
Climate resilient agriculture has the potential to assure food security, empower farmers, and protect our delicate ecosystems. What is Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)? It is a comprehensive strategy for managing farmlands, crops, livestock, and forests that counteracts the negative impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity. FAO in 2019 said that CSA is an approach for transforming food and agriculture systems to support sustainable development and safeguard food security under climate change. Why India needs Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)? Climate change- The world’s southern continent are reportedly experiencing severe drought due to climate change, which negatively impacts agricultural production and farmers’ livelihoods. Low crop…
27 November, 2023
Climate Change
India needs to secure a fair and equitable share of the global carbon budget at COP 28, as it is a key factor for limiting global warming. What is a global carbon budget? Global Carbon Budget - It is the amount of CO2 that humanity can emit while still having a chance to contain global warming within 1.5°Celsius compared with preindustrial levels, as advocated by the Paris Agreement. It is taken from the atmosphere, regional carbon emissions, CO2 emissions from land usage, carbon emissions from man-made projects in many forms. It is produced under the umbrella of Global Carbon Project (GCP). It is part…
25 November, 2023
Climate Change
A recent study says that Peru has lost more than half of its glacier surface in the last 6 decades, and 175 glaciers became extinct due to climate change between 2016 and 2020. The Chila mountain range lies in the Arequipa Region in the Andes of Peru. This mountain range is home to key first waters that give rise to the Amazon River, the longest and mightiest in the world, descend from the glacier. It has lost 99% of its glacial surface since 1962.
24 November, 2023
Climate Change
Australia has offered refuge to citizens of Tuvalu because of the catastrophic impacts of climate change, in a landmark agreement. Under the pact, citizens of Tuvalu will have the right to live, work and study in Australia. Tuvalu is a nation of 9 coral islands nestled in the South Pacific, formerly known as the Ellice Islands. It has been defined by the United Nations as "extremely vulnerable" to the effects of climate change, with most of its landmass less than 5 metres above sea level.
16 November, 2023
Climate Change
Recently, Adaptation and Loss and Damage (L&D) are in sharp focus due to intensification of climate crisis. What is the difference between adaptation and L&D? Adaptation L&D It refers to the actions taken to reduce the negative impacts of climate change It refers to the financial support provided to the countries that suffer from the unavoidable and irreversible impacts of climate change. It is a proactive response to cope with climate challenges It is the irreversible consequences that cannot be avoided or mitigate. It involves reducing emission to prevent future climate impacts It involves investments in issues that will reduce…
16 November, 2023
Climate Change
According to UN Report, the money available to developing countries for adaptation measures to increasing climate change has been declining, and nowhere close to the scale of requirement. Adaptation Gap Report – It is an annual publication by United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) since 2014. It is a science based independent assessment of the global situation of adaptation to climate change. It is co-produced by UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre (UNEP-CCC) and the World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP). Objectives – To inform the climate negotiations among UN member states and explores options for enhancing national and global adaptation efforts. Their objective is closely aligned with UNFCCC global…
05 November, 2023
Climate Change
G7's Commitment Towards Carbon-free Electricity Production G7 nations met for two days in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo to discuss climate, energy, and environmental policies. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the need for energy security and renewable fuel sources has grown more urgent. The climate and energy ministers and envoys of the Group of Seven (G7) nations have committed to accelerating the phase-out of coal and securing carbon-free electricity production by 2035. Prior to the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, in May 2023, the agreement was made in Sapporo, Japan. In light of its G20 chairmanship, India was also…
18 April, 2023
Climate Change
Gross Domestic Climate Risk Report According to a recent analysis titled "Gross Domestic Climate Risk," the majority of Indian states face a significant risk of building environment damage as a result of climate change threats. India contains nine states in the 50 high-risk states, including Punjab, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Kerala, and Assam, according to the Cross-Dependency Initiative's (XDI) rating of Gross Domestic Climate Risk. Global company Cross-Dependency Initiative's (XDI) specializes in analyzing climate risk for governments, financial institutions, and businesses. Study on Gross Domestic Climate Risk: The report was released by the Cross Dependency Initiative,…
27 February, 2023
Climate Change
Global Sea-level Rise and Implications: WHO According to a recent assessment by the World Meteorological Organization, (WMO), the countries that are most at risk from sea level rise worldwide are India, China, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands. The Findings of the report: India, China, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands are the countries that are most at risk from sea level rise internationally, according to the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) report, "Global Sea-level Rise and Consequences." The hazard posed by the sea level rise affects a number of major cities on all continents. Shanghai, Dhaka, Bangkok, Jakarta, Bombay, Maputo, Lagos, Cairo, London, Copenhagen,…
17 February, 2023
Climate change
Climate Finance Countries recently agreed at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt) that a complete transformation of the international financial system was required to significantly increase resources for Climate Action. The current funding for climate action amounts to only 1%-10% of the estimated needs. What is climate finance? It refers to local, national, or transnational financing derived from public, private, and alternative sources to support climate change mitigation and adaptation actions. The UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, and Paris Agreement all call for financial assistance from Parties with greater financial resources…
10 December, 2022
Climate Change
Climate Change Performance Index 2023 The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2023 places India eighth. India was ranked tenth in the CCPI 2022. What is the CCPI? Since 2005, Germanwatch, the New Climate Institute, and the Climate Action Network have published an annual report. It is an independent monitoring tool for tracking the performance of 59 countries and the European Union in climate protection. These countries are responsible for more than 92% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Its goal is to increase transparency in international climate politics by allowing countries to compare their climate protection efforts and progress. Criteria: The…
30 November, 2022
Climate Change
An Assessment of Extreme Weather Events in India by CSE According to a recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), India will experience some form of natural disaster almost every day in the first nine months of 2022. Between January 1 and September 30, 2022, India recorded 241 extreme weather events. About the evaluation The report provides a comprehensive overview of the state of extreme weather in India over the course of the year. The report analyses extreme weather events and their associated loss and damage seasonally, monthly, and regionally. CSE obtained its data from two key…
24 November, 2022
Climate Change
Global Health and Climate Change Reliance on fossil fuels, according to the Lancet report on Health and Climate Change: Health at the Mercy of Fossil Fuels, raises the risk of disease, food insecurity, and other heat-related illnesses. What are the Report's Findings? Impact on Health: Climate change has an impact on the social and environmental determinants of health, such as clean air, safe drinking water, enough food, and safe shelter. Heatwave Exposure: Rapidly rising temperatures exposed people, particularly vulnerable populations (adults over 65 and children under one) to 3.7 billion more heatwave days in 2021 than in 1986-2005. Infectious Diseases: Climate…
22 November, 2022
Climate Change
2022 Provisional State of the Climate Report The provisional State of the Global Climate report, 2022, was recently published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In April 2023, the complete and final report is anticipated to be released. What are the Report's Highlights? Greenhouse gas concentrations rising: Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (NO2) concentrations—the three principal greenhouse gases—were all at record highs in 2021. In fact, methane emissions surged at the quickest rate ever. Methane is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at causing global warming. Countries made commitments to reduce global methane emissions by at…
11 November, 2022
Climate Change
World Heritage Glaciers in Danger: UNESCO A recent UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) study discovered that a third of the glaciers on the UNESCO World Heritage list are under threat, despite efforts to limit temperature increases. A glacier is a large, perennial accumulation of crystalline ice, snow, rock, sediment, and water that forms on land and moves down slope under the influence of gravity and its own weight. They are sensitive indicators of climate change. What does the findings highlight? Glaciers are under threat: Glaciers can be found in 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites, accounting for nearly…
08 November, 2022
Climate Change
Adaptation Gap Report 2022 According to the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Adaptation Gap Report, 2022, global efforts in adaptation planning, financing, and implementation are insufficient to prepare vulnerable communities around the world to adapt to the rising risks of climate change's impacts. The report discovered some progress on adaptation plans from national governments, but they are not financially supported. What are the Report's Findings? A third of the 197 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have included quantified and time-bound adaptation targets. And 90% of them have thought about gender and underserved groups. International adaptation…
07 November, 2022
Climate Change
COP27's Challenges The annual United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP27) will soon begin in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Shaikh. Climate Objectives and the CoP These annual meetings have been the driving force behind the global fight against climate change. However, the response has been inadequate in comparison to the magnitude of the challenge. Problems and Difficulties Action plans that fall short: The world has been deciding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for at least two and a half decades. According to the most recent assessments, countries' current climate action plans are woefully inadequate. Rising emissions: Annual global…
03 November, 2022
Climate Change
Emission Gap Report 2022: UNEP The Recent publication of the "Emissions Gap Report 2022" by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Concerning the Report The Report's current edition is its thirteenth. Theme: The Closing Window: Climate Change Requires Rapid Social Transformation Overview of the discrepancy between projected greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 and where they should be in order to prevent the worst effects of climate change. Major Findings The 2015 Paris Climate Agreement's goals have not been met by the entire world. Right now, there is no plausible plan in place to keep global warming to less than 1.5…
28 October, 2022
Climate Change
Climate Change and Health According to a recent Lancet report, over 3,30,000 persons died in India in 2020 as a result of exposure to particulate matter from fossil fuel combustion. Important Findings The report's title is Countdown on Health and Climate Change: Health at the Mercy of Fossil Fuels. The seventh annual global report is now available. Temperature Influence: Heat-related mortality in India increased by 55% from 2000 to 2004 to 2017-2021. Problematic government and corporate actions: They continue to pursue tactics that endanger the health and survival of all individuals alive today and future generations. Subsidy: India had a…
24 October, 2022
Climate change
Rising Greenhouse Gas Image Source - Live Science Sea levels and greenhouse gas emissions reached new highs in 2021, according to a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States. Findings: The study, which claimed that Greenland's ice sheet is already starting to melt to dangerous levels and will eventually raise sea levels without any warming, came out just days before the report. The dwellings of hundreds of millions of people who live in low-lying locations all over the world are predicted to be submerged. Rising Greenhouse Gases: In 2021, the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse…
03 September, 2022
Climate change
Getting India to Net Zero In order to achieve its objective of net zero emissions by 2070, India will need to invest $10.1 trillion across its entire economy, according to a recent analysis. About the report The paper, titled "Getting India to Net Zero," was just made public in New Delhi. Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, who is also the president of the Asia Society Policy Institute, former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, head of the International Finance Corporation and director of climate business Vivek Pathak, and former Indian foreign minister Shyam Saran all released the report. Advantages of…
27 August, 2022
Climate Change
African ‘orphan’ Crop Researchers recently discovered genes in the regional food crops of Africa that can increase drought tolerance. About Orphan crops Orphan crops are wholesome regional food crops that could be extremely important in the fight against hunger. Although they are not traded worldwide, these crops have evolved to be able to flourish in inclement weather. Crops Orphan crops including African yam bean, jojoba, jatropha, and finger and small millet are frequently found across the continent. Significance Changing weather It provides a remedy for growing worries that crop yield will be hampered by climate change. It had discovered genes…
13 August, 2022
Climate change
CLIMATE TARGET 2030 Recently, India has enhanced its climate change targets for 2030. The Prime Minister of India made a number of new commitments to strengthen climate action from India at UNFCCC COP 26 (Click on the blue link to understand all about COP 26 and Climate Change before going through this topic) in Glasgow in 2021. Revised target Emission Intensity: India currently pledges to reduce GDP emissions intensity (emissions per unit of GDP) by at least 45% from 2005 levels. Currently, a 33–35 per cent reduction was the goal. Energy generation India has also committed to making sure that by 2030, at…
06 August, 2022
Climate Change
UN FUND INSUFFICIENT FOR CLIMATE DISASTER: OXFAM Oxfam International released a report, which says the United Nations requires eight times more climate finance than 20 years ago to be able to provide humanitarian aid to low-income countries during climate-related disasters. It is also said that United Nation cannot provide poor countries with enough humanitarian relief to recover from climate disasters as rich donor countries are holding back their finances. CLIMATE DISASTER: Climate disaster refers to activity like floods, storms, drought, and heat waves mainly due to changes in climate over a long period of time either by a shift in…
13 June, 2022
Climate Change
CLIMATE CHANGE AND COP 26 Context: Climate change is important for UPSC Prelims and GS Paper 3 and Essay Writing Climate Change is a global emergency and is evident in various forms throughout the world. To protect the planet's proactive role from all the stakeholders is the need of the hour. UNFCCC: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was signed in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development also known as the Earth Summit, the Rio Summit or the Rio Conference. India is among the select few countries to have hosted the COP of all three Rio conventions on climate change (UNFCCC), biodiversity (Convention…
29 November, 2021
Climate Change
Climate Change and COP 26 Context: This topic is important for UPSC GS Paper3. In spite of the risks it poses, the climate crisis is yet to get political resonance in India. The 26th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) in Glasgow, Scotland may not have a significant outcome as yet in sight. Prior to the summit, there was a frantic attempt by leaders of western countries, particularly the United States and summit host the United Kingdom, to have most countries agree on a mid-century net-zero goal, or when emissions dip to near zero or are balanced out by taking…
13 November, 2021
Climate Change
The lowdown on India’s Glasgow announcement Context: This topic is important for UPSE GS Paper 3. The newly unveiled commitments at COP26 at Glasgow deserve examination as they came amidst very contradictory official signals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise declaration on November 2, 2021, at the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, of striking enhancements in India’s emissions reduction targets did not, for several reasons, get the rave reviews the Government may have expected. Except for a few specialists, international commentators expressed disappointment that India was promising net zero emissions only by 2070 instead of 2050. In India, several analysts praised…
12 November, 2021
Climate Change
Does India have a right to burn fossil fuels? Context: This topic is important for UPSC GS Paper 3. Developing countries like India have smartly put the argument related to fairer share in the carbon budget, and exposed the injustice done by developed countries. But why only fossil fuels can overcome the need of energy in developing countries, when renewable potentials are far too high in these countries. There has been quite a lot of debate on India’s dependence on coal against the backdrop of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) meeting. While the coal lobbyists may have obvious interests in…
11 November, 2021
Climate Change
Study on Countries’ commitment to Climate Change Context: This topic is important for UPSE GS Paper 3. The findings, while optimistic, come amidst the deliberations underway at Glasgow. How effective are climate change pledges made by countries in containing global warming? A study published Friday in the journal Science finds that the latest Nationally Determined Contributions by 120 countries, as of September 30, improve the odds of global temperature rise staying below 2°C by 34% and below 1.5°C by 1.5%. By way of comparison, the 2015 pledges made by countries at the Paris Agreement promised only an 8% chance of…
07 November, 2021
Climate Change
The right time for India to have its own climate law Context: This topic is important for UPSE GS Paper3. The country’s existing laws are inadequate in dealing with climate change; India’s situation is also unique. As the world watches the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26, from October 31 to November 12, 2021), the most important climate summit in years at Glasgow, Scotland, India has said it wants to be a part of the climate solution. The Indian proposals Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, on November 1 at Glasgow, a ‘Panchamrit solution’ which aims at reducing fossil fuel dependence…
06 November, 2021
Climate Change
UNFCCC COP 26 Glasgow, Scotland Context: This topic is important for UPSE GS Paper 3. CoP26: Modi offers ‘Panchamrita’ concoction for climate conundrum at Glasgow Prime Minister Narendra Modi says India will become net zero by 2070. Prime Minister proposed a five-fold strategy for India to play its part in helping the world get closer to 1.5 degrees Celsius on the first day of the global climate meet in Glasgow. Several world leaders have descended or would turn up in Glasgow for the 26th Conference of Parties (CoP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, starting November 1,…
03 November, 2021
Climate Change
Context: Climate Change is one of the most important topics for UPSC Prelims 2021 and it is also important for Mains Answer Writing for IAS Mains 2021. Hence, AspireIAS has come up with a comprehensive document for Climate Change. What is Climate? Weather is what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere "behaves" over relatively long periods of time (like 100 years). Climate change is a complex problem, although Environmental in nature, has consequences for all spheres. It impacts poverty, economic development, population growth, sustainable development and resource…
31 October, 2021
Climate Change
CLIMATE CHANGE AND COP 26 Context: This topic is important for UPSE GS Paper 3 and Essay. The race to tackle global warming At the Glasgow summit, nearly 120 countries will seek consensus on rules to cut emissions, mechanisms to adapt to climate events and compensation for nations for loss & damage. In Focus IPCC warned in August that the observed increase in global surface temperature showed unusual warming during the 1850-2020 period The gap between projected emissions cut against the actual need could lead to a rise in temperature by 2.7°C by 2100, says a UN report India, which…
31 October, 2021
Climate Change
CLIMATE CHANGE and COP26 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow Context: HIGHLY Important for Prelims and Mains-ESSAY-GEO OPTIONAL About UNFCCC: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was signed in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development also known as the Earth Summit, the Rio Summit or the Rio Conference. India is among the select few countries to have hosted the COP of all three Rio conventions on climate change (UNFCCC), biodiversity (Convention on Biological Diversity) and land (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification). The UNFCCC entered into force on 21st March 1994 and has been ratified by 197 countries. It is the parent treaty of the 2015 Paris Agreement. It is also the parent treaty of…
28 October, 2021
Climate Change
Net-Zero Emissions and India's Stand Context: Net Zero emission is highly important FOR prelims “Why after PARIS net zero emission becomes the new buzz to solve the problem of climate change and sea level rise. Why? India should not sign it…” What is NET ZERO EMISSION: Net zero emissions’ refers to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere. First, human-caused emissions (like those from fossil-fueled vehicles and factories) should be reduced as close to zero as possible. Second, any remaining GHGs should be balanced with an equivalent amount of…
27 October, 2021
Climate Change
Delhi metro earned Rs. 19.5 crores from Carbon credits Read the complete topic on Climate change on this link and then read this news. The Delhi Metro has earned? 19.5 crore from the sale of 3.55 million carbon credits collected over a period of six years from 2012 to 2018, in its bid towards gaining greater energy efficiency. In 2007, Delhi Metro became the first Metro or Railway project in the world to be registered by the United Nations under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which enabled it to claim carbon credits for its Regenerative Braking Project. The CDM is…
27 September, 2021
Climate Change
'Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis' IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report The Sixth Assessment Report has been finalised and approved by 234 authors and 195 governments and updates the scientific consensus on extreme weather, human attribution, the carbon budget, feedback cycles, and charts the future state of the climate since the Fifth Assessment Report of 2014. The 3,000-plus-page report said warming is already accelerating sea level rise and worsening extremes such as heatwaves, droughts, floods and storms. The Indian Ocean is warming at a higher rate than other oceans, said the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change…
10 August, 2021
Climate Change
Pensilungpa glacier of Zanskar valley is retreating The Pensilungpa Glacier located in Ladakh’s Zanskar Valley is retreating due to an increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation during winters, a recent study has found. Since 2015, the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) at Dehradun, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, has been working on various aspects of glaciology – glacier health (mass balance) monitoring, dynamics, discharge, past climatic conditions, speculation for future climate change and its impact on glaciers in this region. A team of scientists from the institute ventured to study the less explored…
08 August, 2021
Climate Change
The IITM-ESM Model (Earth System Model) The government has developed an indigenous climate model to predict the impact of climate change on monsoon in the country. A state-of-the-art Earth System Model (ESM) has been developed at the Centre for Climate Change Research (CCCR), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). The model development was done by the scientists at IITM Pune in collaboration with the international research community. This model is a state-of-the-art climate model with components of the atmosphere, ocean including deep ocean circulation, Arctic and Antarctic sea ice and ocean biogeochemistry.…
28 July, 2021
Climate Change
Climate change has added over 1,000 lakes in Swiss Alps: study Glaciers there lost a full 2% of their volume last year alone Climate change has dramatically altered the Swiss Alp landscape — at a quicker pace than expected — as melting glaciers have created more than 1,000 new lakes across the mountains, a study published on Monday showed. The inventory of Swiss Glacial lakes showed that almost 1,200 new lakes have formed in formerly glaciated regions of the Swiss Alps since the end of the Little Ice Age around 1850. Around 1,000 of them still exist today, according to…
20 July, 2021
Climate Change
Climate Change Impact on Health With the monsoon making a revival over several parts of India, there is a rise in lightning-linked deaths. Over the years, the Home Ministry’s statistics consistently cited lightning as the biggest natural disaster-linked killer in India. The recent statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau, from 2019, said that year, there were 8,145 deaths in the country attributable to forces of nature. Of these, 35.3% deaths were reported due to ‘lightning’, 15.6% deaths due to ‘heat/sun stroke’ and 11.6% deaths due to ‘flood’. Most of those who died due to accidents caused by forces of…
13 July, 2021
Climate Change
Climate crisis to hit sooner What is the news? Climate change will fundamentally reshape life on Earth in the coming decades, even if humans can tame planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, according to a landmark draft report from the UN’s climate science advisers obtained by AFP Earlier models predicted that we were not likely to see Earth-altering climate change before 2100. But the UN draft report says that prolonged warming even beyond the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius could produce “progressively serious, centuries’ long and, in some cases, irreversible consequences”. Dangerous thresholds are closer than once thought, and dire consequences stemming…
24 June, 2021
Climate Change
Why do some corals withstand climate change better than others? In 2014 and 2015, the brown rice coral in Hawaii was completely bleached, but the blue rice coral recovered quickly after bleaching, and blue coral was unaffected by the elevated ocean temperatures. Researchers from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, U.S., have now decoded the reason for this resilience. Hawaiian blue rice corals have a deep blue pigment derived from algae called zooxanthellae that live inside the coral tissue. The researchers found that these algae produce sunscreen for the coral. This pigment has a protein named chromoprotein which filters out harmful…
13 June, 2021
Climate Change
Methane Emissions- Global Methane Assessment & Climate Change GS-Paper-3: Environment and climate change – UPSC PRELIMS – Mains Application “Human-caused methane emissions must be cut by 45 per cent to avoid the worst effects of climate change, a new United Nations report has said” Such a cut would prevent a rise in global warming by up to 0.3 degrees Celsius by 2045, the report added. It would also prevent 260,000 premature deaths, 775,000 asthma-related hospital visits annually, as well as 25 million tonnes of crop losses. Human-caused methane emissions are increasing faster currently than at any other time since record-keeping…
09 May, 2021
Climate Change
The shift in Earth’s Axis-Climate Change GS-Paper-3: Environment – UPSC PRELIMS – Mains Application A new study has added the shifting of Earth’s axis to the list of consequences of climate change, which already includes rising sea levels, heat waves, melting glaciers and storms. While this change is not expected to affect daily life, it can change the length of the day by a few milliseconds. Earth’s Axis The Earth’s axis of rotation is the line along which it spins around itself as it revolves around the Sun. The points on which the axis intersects the planet’s surface are the…
05 May, 2021
Climate Change
The Global Climate 2020 GS-Paper-3: Environment – UPSC PRELIMS – Mains Application World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its annual State of the Global Climate for 2020 on April 20, 2021. Irrespective of the widespread surmise that lockdowns and shutdowns to curb the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic would lower emissions and reduce the impact on climate, the report has scary findings. According to the report: Extreme weather combined with COVID-19 in a double blow for millions of people in 2020. However, the pandemic-related economic slowdown failed to put a brake on climate change drivers and accelerating impacts. Key Points This annual report…
29 April, 2021
Climate Change
Global Climate Risk Index 2021 GS-Paper-3: Environment – UPSC PRELIMS – Mains Application The Global Climate Risk Index analyses to what extent countries and regions have been affected by impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heat waves etc.). The report is annually released by Germanwatch, an environmental think tank and sustainable development lobbyist. The 16th edition of the Global Climate Risk Index was released on January 25, 2021. The Global CRI 2021 displayed data based on human impacts (fatalities) and direct economic losses due to extreme weather events in 2019 and between 2000 and 2019. ** India was ranked…
28 April, 2021
Climate Change
Climate Change- Saudi Green Initiative and Middle East Green Initiative Introduction To combat climate change, Saudi Arabia has launched the Saudi Green Initiative and Middle East Green Initiative. Progress towards goals The two recent initiatives launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to combat the threat of climate change — the ‘Saudi Green Initiative’ and the ‘Middle East Green Initiative’. In fact, one of the main pillars of the Saudi G20 presidency was to “safeguard the planet”. The Saudi leadership of the summit highlighted how climate change had negatively…
28 April, 2021
Climate Change
Leaders’ Summit on Climate- India-US Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership Introduction Recently, the Leaders' Summit on Climate was convened by the US President virtually. 40 world leaders were invited to the event to underscore the urgency of stronger climate action. UN COP 26 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Conference of the Parties 26 (COP 26) in November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. India-US Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership: It is a joint climate and clean energy initiative of India with the US. It will demonstrate how the world can align swift climate action with inclusive and resilient economic development, taking into…
26 April, 2021
Climate Change
National Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has recently released the National climate vulnerability assessment report. About National Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report: The National Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report identifies the most vulnerable states and districts in India, as per the current climate risk and key drivers of vulnerability. The report uses several key drivers of Vulnerability for the assessment- 1) a percentage of the population living below the poverty line; 2) income share from natural resources; 3) Also, the proportion of marginal and small landholdings, 4) women’s participation in the workforce, and; 5) the density of…
21 April, 2021
Climate Change
Green contracts Introduction This article focuses on how Indian corporations can be a major character in the country’s story of sustainable growth. Need for green contracts As both consumers and corporations reap the benefits of large-scale manufacturing and services, they must equally share the responsibilities relating to the loss of resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Some corporations contribute a fair share to building a clean and sustainable future. But here we discuss how they can contribute to cutting down emissions through the process of green contracting. What are green contracts? ‘Green contracts’ refer to commercial contracts which mandate that…
19 April, 2021
Climate Change
National Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report The report titled ‘Climate Vulnerability Assessment for Adaptation Planning in India Using a Common Framework’, was released by DST, which identifies the most vulnerable states and districts in India with respect to current climate risk and key drivers of vulnerability. A total of 94 representatives from 24 states and 2 Union Territories participated in the nationwide exercise jointly supported by the DST and the Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation (SDC). The National climate vulnerability assessment report has identified Jharkhand, Mizoram, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal as states highly vulnerable to…
18 April, 2021
Climate Change
Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier is Melting Researchers at a Sweden University released a new finding related to the melting of the Thwaites Glacier. About Thwaites Glacier: Thwaites Glacier is a 120 km wide, fast-moving glacier located in Antarctica. Because of its size (1.9 lakh square km), it contains enough water to raise the world sea level by more than half a meter. It’s melting already contributes 4% to global sea-level rise each year. It is estimated that it would collapse into the sea in 200-900 years. Studies have found the amount of ice flowing out of it has nearly doubled over…
14 April, 2021
Climate Change
Carbon Neutrality-Why shouldn’t India adopt it? Introduction At the latest count by the non-profit Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), at the beginning of April, 32 countries had declared their proposed intention to achieve carbon neutral status by mid-century. Of these, only eight have any firm status, the rest being in the form of proposed legislation or mentions in policy documents. Since some months ago, the UN Secretary-General is urging all countries, especially India, to make explicit declarations. Temperature goal Article 4.1:The impetus for such declarations arises from Article 4.1 of the Paris Agreement which states that “In order to…
08 April, 2021
Climate Change
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) Background The idea behind the CDRI was announced by Mr Modi in 2016 at the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR). The CDRI was launched by Prime Minister Modi in September 2019 at the UN Climate Action Summit. There, he declared India’s intention to work with partner countries and important stakeholders to create a coalition to work towards the ambition of improving the disaster resilience of infrastructure. What is CDRI? The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and…
18 March, 2021
Climate Change
Indian Collaborative Research in Antarctica It is an Indo-Japanese project that was initiated during 2019 to reconstruct the past climate. In 2019 India-Japan under the aegis of the National Center for Polar and Ocean Research and the National Institute of Polar Research signed an MoU to share and carry out R & D in Antarctica Objective of SONIC To understand the ice sheet variability at the Schirmacher Oasis to examine East Antarctic Ice Sheet sensitivity and its response to glacial-interglacial cycles To assess the variability of biological community through the study of pigments and DNA Similar expeditions in Antarctica by…
17 March, 2021
Climate Change
Data on Climate Vulnerability Ranking by various organizations of India’s Climate Vulnerability Status: HSBC ranking(2018) Placed India at the TOP among 67 nations in Climate vulnerability. Germanwatch(2020) India ranked 5th among 181 nations in terms of climate risk. India is 3rd largest Carbon Emitter after China and USA. Incidents supporting the same: 2013 Glacial flooding in Uttarakhand Heatwave in Delhi Hyderabad. 2018 Chennai Kerala Floods. Elsewhere Cold wave events in Texas Countries Status China announced C-Neutrality by 2060. Japan and South Korea by 2050.
15 March, 2021
Climate Change
Global Governance on climate change Introduction Joe Biden as U.S. President has catapulted climate change to the top of the global agenda, allowing him to keep his promise to “lead a major diplomatic push” to increase global climate ambition. The U.S.’s moves Interestingly, the U.S. is not just striding back to the Obama signature achievement of the Paris Accord with its voluntary commitments but also to the Bush days. This is, perhaps, best evidenced by the presidential call to reconvene the Major Economies Forum (MEF) starting with a Leaders’ Climate Summit in April this year. The MEF, which was first…
12 March, 2021
Climate Change
Green Bonds India has announced its intention to achieve all the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. The first green bond was issued in 2015. This is an alternative to the Kuznets hypothesis that is used by developed countries to achieve SDG goals A green bond is a fixed-income instrument designed specifically to support specific climate-related or environmental projects. The green bond market in India includes: Corporates issue green bonds for a period of 3-5 years. Banks opt for a longer tenure. The US dollar and Indian Rupee are two preferred currencies. The National Thermal Power Corporation and the International…
12 March, 2021
Climate Change
Carbon Watch It is India’s first app to assess the carbon footprint of an individual. Carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases-especially carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by particular human activity. Chandigarh became the first state or Union Territory in India to launch the mobile application Carbon Watch.
25 February, 2021
Climate Change
Why does it rain highest in Mawsynram? Because of the uneven relief of India due to the presence of a number of hill ranges, the monsoon is not able to shed its moisture evenly over India. Windward sides receive more rainfall and leeward sides receive less rainfall. Mawsynram lies in the funnel-shaped depression caused by the Khasi range in Meghalaya. The Bay of Bengal branch of monsoons is trapped in it and causes heavy rainfall. Decreasing rainfall trends The research analysed daily rain gauges and noted that the changes in the Indian Ocean temperature have a huge effect on the…
20 February, 2021
Climate Change
UNEP Report on Environmental crises Introduction Three environmental crises — climate change; nature loss; and the pollution of air, soil and water — add up to a planetary emergency that will cause far more pain than COVID-19 in the long-term. UNEP Report In 2020, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced that, despite a dip in greenhouse gas emissions caused by the pandemic, the world is still headed for global warming of more than 3°C this century. The Dasgupta Review reminded us of what UNEP has long warned: the per capita stock of natural capital (the resources and services nature provides…
19 February, 2021
Climate Change
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure CDRI is to be seen as an international knowledge platform. Here, countries can collaborate to make their existing and new infrastructure strong enough to withstand natural disasters. It tries to bring countries together to share and learn from one another’s experiences to protect their infrastructure against disasters. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is operating as the interim secretariat of CDRI as of now. It is headquartered at Gurugram, India.
13 February, 2021
Climate Change
USA and Paris Climate Deal Joe Biden assumed office as President of the United States on January 20, 2021, and among the first orders he signed was one to restore America’s participation in the United Nations Paris Agreement on climate change. His decision on America’s return will take effect on February 19, which would be 107 days after its withdrawal under the Donald Trump administration became formal on November 4, 2020. Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. played an active role in climate negotiations, although the Copenhagen UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference in 2009 failed to produce…
24 January, 2021
Climate Change
India’s new draft “Arctic policy” India has unveiled a new draft ‘Arctic’ policy that, among other things, commits to expanding scientific research, “sustainable tourism” and mineral oil and gas exploration in the Arctic region. India expects the Goa-based National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research to lead scientific research and act as a nodal body to coordinate among various scientific bodies to promote domestic scientific research capacities by expanding “earth sciences, biological sciences, geosciences, climate change and space related programmes, dove-tailed with Arctic imperatives in Indian universities.” #joinourtelegram# NCPOR (National Center for Polar and Ocean Research), Goa It was earlier…
23 January, 2021
Climate Change
Analysis of Climate Change in India Several parts of north India are in the grip of a severe cold wave. While winter may be longer and harsher in some regions due to La Niña, forecasters suggest that 2021 would still be among the Earth’s hottest years recorded. Rising temperatures have led to a sharp increase in climate extreme events in recent years. A recent report by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water found that 75% of districts in India, home to over half the population, were vulnerable to extreme climate risks. While India witnessed 250 extreme climate events between…
01 January, 2021
Climate Change
UPSC Climate Change - The future of Climate Policies Context: Climate Change is one of the most important topics for UPSC Prelims 2021 and it is also important for Mains Answer Writing for IAS Mains 2021. Hence, AspireIAS has come up with a comprehensive document for Climate Change. 2021 will be the year for a new global climate policy and India has the soft power to bring together the high and low emitters. Among the ‘major economies’, India will meet its Paris Agreement target for 2030. Its per capita emissions are one-third of the global average and it will remain…
30 December, 2020
Climate Change
5 year Anniversary of Paris Agreement For complete Climate Change and their summits: Click here Context: Climate Change is one of the most important topics for UPSC Prelims 2021 and it is also important for Mains Answer Writing for IAS Mains 2021. Hence, AspireIAS has come up with a comprehensive document for Climate Change. The world gathered at the Climate Ambition Summit 2020 to celebrate and recognise our resolve in working toward a safer, more resilient world with net zero emissions. Now that the World is facing a pandemic, the case for a global action to fight Climate change is…
23 December, 2020
Climate Change
BIO International Convention The BIO International Convention is hosted by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). India is represented by the Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences. The key benefits of attending the BIO International Convention are access to global biotech and pharma leaders via BIO One-on-One Partnering, exposure to industry thought-leaders and networking opportunities. BIO is the largest trade organization in the world that represents the biotechnology industry. The organization was founded in 1993 and its members include companies that make Pharmaceutical drugs, biofuels, industrial enzymes, and genetically modified crops. The Biotechnology Heritage Award is presented annually at…
14 May, 2020
Climate Change
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