GS Paper: GS3-18.Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Why in the News?

The Union Environment Ministry has notified the Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) Rules, 2025 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

About the Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) Rules, 2025:

• Nodal Agency: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Legal Basis: Framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Purpose: India’s first dedicated legal framework to identify, clean up, and monitor contaminated sites.
• Goal: Prevent environmental degradation, enforce clean-up, and ensure polluter accountability.
• Funding Pattern:
  • Himalayan & Northeast states: 90% Centre – 10% State
  • Other states: 60% Centre – 40% State
  • Union Territories: 100% Centre

Key Features:

• Site Classification: Sites categorized as suspected, potentially contaminated, or confirmed, based on scientific evidence.
• Exclusions: Sites involving radioactive waste, mining, marine oil spills, or municipal solid waste (regulated separately).
• Transparency & Tracking: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to maintain a real-time online portal with public access.
• Public Participation:
  • 60-day window for stakeholder feedback post-listing.
  • Final site lists must be published in regional newspapers.
• Polluter Pays Principle:
  • Identified polluters must bear full remediation cost and repay within 3 months.
  • Land use changes or ownership transfers restricted during/post clean-up.
• Orphan Sites (No Known Polluter): Clean-up funded through:
  • Environment Relief Fund
  • Environmental violation penalties
  • Government budgetary support
• Voluntary Remediation: Private entities with technical capacity may remediate sites with landowner consent.
• Monitoring Committees: State and Central-level bodies to oversee implementation and submit annual compliance reports.

Why in the News?

The Prime Minister recently highlighted a first-of-its-kind grassland bird census in Kaziranga National Park, Assam.

About the Bird Census:

• Significance: India’s first-ever dedicated census of grassland birds
• Led by: Chiranjib Bora (PhD scholar), supported by INSPIRE Fellowship from the Department of Science & Technology
• Organised by: Park authorities, scientists, and conservationists
• Objective:
  • Document rare, endemic, and threatened grassland bird species
  • Focused on 10 priority species endemic to the Brahmaputra floodplains

Methodology Used:

• Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM):
  • Recording devices placed in tall trees during breeding season
  • Recordings captured across 29 locations over 3 days
  • Ideal for detecting small, shy, camouflaged birds not easily visible
• Sound Identification Tools:
  • BirdNet: Machine learning tool used to identify bird calls
  • Spectrograms: Visual analysis of sound patterns; Final identifications verified by ornithologists

Key Findings:

• Total Species Recorded: 43 grassland bird species
• Priority Species Identified: Bengal Florican, Swamp Francolin, Finn’s Weaver, Jerdon’s Babbler, Black-breasted Parrotbill, among others
• Major Discovery: A breeding colony of over 85 Finn’s Weaver nests—first-ever documentation

Why in the News?

Vijai Sharma, a 1974-batch IAS officer and architect of India’s climate diplomacy, who helped shape the Kyoto Protocol for safeguarding the interests of developing countries like India, has passed away.

About Kyoto Protocol:

• Adopted: 11 December 1997 (UNFCCC COP-3, Kyoto, Japan); Came into Force: 16 February 2005
• Legal Status: Legally binding on developed (Annex I) countries
• Parent Treaty: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992)
• Objective: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change
• Principle: Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC)
• Parties: 192 ratified; key non-parties include United States and Canada

Key Features:

• Emission Targets:
  • Annex B nations to cut emissions by 5% below 1990 levels (2008–2012)
  • Doha Amendment (2012): 18% cut for 2013–2020
• Greenhouse Gases Covered:
  • Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Hydrofluorocarbons, Perfluorocarbons, Sulfur hexafluoride
• Market Mechanisms:
  • Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): Carbon credits via projects in developing nations
  • Joint Implementation (JI): Emission reduction between Annex I countries
  • International Emissions Trading: Trade surplus emission units
• Monitoring and Enforcement:
  • Mandatory reporting and independent verification
  • Compliance Committee oversight
  • Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) included; aviation/shipping excluded
• Equity Element:
  • No binding targets for developing nations like India and China
  • Developed nations held accountable for historical emissions

Vijai Sharma’s Contributions:

• Climate Negotiations Leader: India’s chief negotiator (1995–2001), led G77+China, defended equity and exemptions for developing nations
• Policy Architect: Helped shape CDM governance, promoted India’s clean-tech access
• Environmental Reformer: As Environment Secretary (2008–2010), improved clearance processes
• Legacy: Called “Sir Humphrey Sharma” for his sharp wit and bureaucratic skill; key figure in India’s Kyoto-era climate diplomacy

Why in the News?

A 24-year-long study conducted by the Nature Conservation Foundation reveals that coral cover in Lakshadweep has declined by 50% since 1998.

Coral Decline in Lakshadweep: Key Highlights

• Study Duration: Based on a 24-year study (1998–2022).
• Findings: 50% decline in live coral cover—from 37.2% to 19.6%.
• Main Cause: Repeated marine heatwaves linked to climate change.
• Study Locations: Monitored across Agatti, Kadmat, and Kavaratti atolls.
• Response Clusters: Six coral groups identified based on:
  • Depth and wave exposure
  • Heat resistance and recovery patterns
• Recovery Timeline: Requires at least 6 years without bleaching for healthy regeneration.

Back2Basics: Corals and Coral Bleaching:

• About: Corals are colonies of tiny animals called polyps, which build calcium carbonate skeletons.
• Symbiotic Algae: Host zooxanthellae, microscopic algae that provide nutrients via photosynthesis.

• Coral Types:

• • Hard Corals: Form reef structures (e.g., brain coral, staghorn coral).
  • Soft Corals: Flexible, grow on reef surfaces but do not build reefs.
• Habitat Requirements:
  • Water Quality: Must be clean and low in sediment.
  • Temperature Range: Prefer 20–21°C.
  • Depth: Typically found in waters less than 90 metres deep.
  • Salinity: Optimal range is 27–30 parts per thousand (ppt).
  • Ocean Currents: Require nutrient-rich water flow.
• Coral Bleaching:
  • Cause: Triggered by heat stress, pollution, or acidification, which drive algae out.
  • Effect: Coral turns white due to loss of algae; Loses its main food source. Dies if stress persists for long periods.

Why in the News?

The World Bank’s report, “Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India”, warns that climate risks like extreme heat and floods threaten India’s cities, despite their role as economic growth engines.

About the ‘Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India’ Report

• Prepared By: World Bank in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
• Focus: Evaluates Indian cities’ exposure to climate risks like heatwaves and urban flooding
• Scope: Covers 24 cities with deeper analysis of Chennai, Indore, New Delhi, Lucknow, Surat, and Thiruvananthapuram
• Support: Backed by Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR)

Key Highlights:

• Urban Growth:

• • 70% of new jobs to emerge in urban areas by 2030
  • Urban population to nearly double to 951 million by 2050
  • Estimated housing demand: 144 million new homes by 2070

• Climate Vulnerabilities:

• • Urban heat: City temperatures rising by 3–4°C due to the heat island effect
  • Flood risk: Rapid construction limiting natural drainage and stormwater absorption

• Investment Needs: $2.4 trillion required by 2050 for low-carbon, climate-resilient infrastructure

• Recommendations:

• • Promote cool roofs, urban green spaces, and early warning systems
  • Invest in energy-efficient housing, flood-resilient transport, and waste systems
  • Strengthen urban financial systems and incentivize private participation