Subject: Environment

Why in the news?

As a new term begins for the government and the Lok Sabha, it must prioritize environmental concerns. No government has ever truly prioritized the environment, and the last one, focused on development, actively harmed it.

Problems Associated with Lack of Political Will on Environmental Governance

• Neglect of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Inadequate actions to reduce carbon emissions and build climate resilience.And failure to address the remediation aspects of climate change, such as food security and disaster preparedness.
• Degradation of Forest Cover: Significant decline in both quantitative and qualitative forest cover.Recent legislation weakening forest protections, leading to further environmental damage.
• Deteriorating Urban Environments: Severe air pollution and water scarcity in major cities, adversely affect public health.Poor sewage treatment infrastructure, resulting in heavily polluted rivers and water bodies.
• Environmental Degradation in the Himalayas: Rapid glacial melting and altered weather patterns threatening water and food security. Government inaction on local environmental protests and concerns highlights a disconnect between policy and grassroots needs.
• Ineffective Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA): EIAs are reduced to mere formalities, failing to prevent environmentally harmful projects.Dilution of EIA regulations and lack of meaningful stakeholder engagement, compromising environmental protection efforts.

How This Can Be Restored?

• Enhanced Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA): Strengthen EIA mechanisms, elevate them to statutory status, and ensure they are thorough and transparent to prevent projects from causing environmental harm.
• Restoration Projects: Initiate large-scale conservation and restoration projects for glaciers, forests, and rivers in the Himalayan region.
• Community Involvement: Actively involve local communities and stakeholders in decision-making processes to ensure their concerns and knowledge are integrated into policy-making.
• Strict Enforcement of Environmental Laws: Improve enforcement of existing environmental regulations and increase penalties for violations to deter harmful activities.
• Sustainable Development Policies: Develop and implement policies that balance development with environmental conservation, ensuring long-term ecological health and resilience.
• Revised Legislation: Reassess and amend legislation like the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, to provide stronger protections for natural habitats.
• Resilience Building: Invest in infrastructure and programs aimed at enhancing resilience against climate change impacts, such as improved water management systems and disaster preparedness plans.

Government steps taken: 

• The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) was launched as part of India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change to holistically address the vulnerabilities of the Himalayan ecosystem.
• Under NMSHE, the government has developed a common framework and methodology for climate vulnerability and risk assessment across 12 Himalayan states.
• The government has also established the “G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development” to focus on sustainable development and environmental conservation in the Indian Himalayan Region.

Conclusion: To achieve Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action), India must enhance environmental governance, prioritize climate resilience, and enforce robust conservation policies to protect the Indian Himalayan Region and its ecosystems.

Mains PYQ:

Q Climate change is a global problem. How India will be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India will be affected by climate change? (15) (UPSC IAS/2017)

Why in the news?

At least 38 people have died after consuming spurious liquor in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district.

Key Points Related to the Kallakurichi District Incident in Tamil Nadu

• Incident Overview: As of 9:30 p.m. on June 20, at least 38 people died after consuming spurious liquor in Kallakurichi district and 82 others were receiving treatment in hospitals. The tragedy follows a similar incident a year ago in Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts, which resulted in over 20 deaths.
• Government Response: Chief Minister M.K. Stalin transferred the Collector and suspended the district superintendent of police. The State deployed 2,000 police personnel around the district. A one-man commission headed by former High Court judge B. Gokuldas was constituted to inquire into the tragedy.

How is Spurious Liquor Made and Why Does it Have Deadly Effects?

• Composition: Spurious liquor often contains methanol in addition to ethanol. Methanol is sometimes added to increase the intoxicating effect and/or bulk volume of the homemade liquor.
• Methanol’s Deadly Effects: Methanol is metabolized in the liver to formaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzymes. Formaldehyde is further metabolized to formic acid by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) enzymes. The accumulation of formic acid leads to metabolic acidosis and acidaemia, damaging various organs and leading to potential death.

Why is Methanol added to Liquor and How is it Processed by the Body if Ingested?

• Reasons for Adding Methanol: To enhance the ‘kick’ or intoxicating effects of the liquor and increase the volume of the liquor cheaply.
• Processing in the Body: ADH enzymes convert methanol to formaldehyde.ALDH enzymes then convert formaldehyde to formic acid. The build-up of formic acid causes metabolic acidosis, optic neuropathy, cerebral oedema, hemorrhage, and potential death.

Is Treatment Effective?

• Timeliness is Crucial: Early intervention is essential for effective treatment of methanol poisoning. Prompt administration of antidotes and supportive therapies significantly improves the chances of recovery and reduces the risk of severe complications such as blindness or death.
• Available Antidotes: Ethanol and Fomepizole are effective antidotes that inhibit the metabolism of methanol to toxic compounds. Ethanol competes with methanol for ADH enzymes, while fomepizole directly inhibits these enzymes, preventing the formation of harmful formaldehyde and formic acid.
• Supportive Therapies: Hemodialysis can effectively remove methanol and its toxic metabolites from the bloodstream, while folinic acid helps break down formic acid. These treatments, when combined with antidotes, can mitigate the damage to vital organs and improve patient outcomes.

Way forward:

• Strict Regulation and Monitoring: Enhance regulatory oversight of liquor production and distribution to ensure all alcoholic beverages meet safety standards. Regular inspections and stringent enforcement of licensing laws can prevent the production and sale of illicit alcohol.
• Public Awareness and Education: Conduct widespread public education campaigns to inform the community about the dangers of consuming spurious liquor. Awareness programs can help people recognize the signs of adulterated alcohol and understand the severe health risks associated with its consumption.

Mains PYQ:

Q Effectiveness of the government system at various levels and people’s participation in the governance system are interdependent.” Discuss their relationship with each other in the context of India. (UPSC IAS/2016)

Why in the news?

A new “gene revolution” is being promoted as a solution to increasing global food demand and the impact of climate change on agriculture.

What does the World Economic Forum (WEF) say?

• The WEF supports GM technology and believes it can help ensure food security for a global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050.
• Research into new strains of rice, maize, wheat, potato, and cassava can help these staples survive extreme weather and new climate-induced diseases.
• Latest bioengineering technologies can help plants and soils capture and store atmospheric carbon, potentially reducing planet-heating carbon.
• Projects are optimizing photosynthesis in crops like maize and rice to improve yields and reduce atmospheric carbon.

Industrial-Scale GMOs Perpetuate Climate Change

• Critics argue that GM crops sustain an “agro-industrial system” responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions. Current food systems contribute to around one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• GMOs often involve large-scale monocultures requiring significant amounts of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation.
• This system is criticized for being energy-intensive and unsustainable, benefiting large agro-industrial companies that dominate the seed, food, pesticide, and fertilizer markets.

What is the Present Scenario?

• Over half of harvested cropland in the US uses genetically modified seeds.
• Despite the proliferation of GM crops, food insecurity remains widespread, with 250 million people in nearly 60 countries experiencing crisis-level food insecurity.
• Successful campaigns, like in the Philippines, have led to production moratoriums on certain GM crops due to health and ecological concerns.

Are Non-GM Ecological Crops Also a Food Security Solution?

• Resistance to GMOs persists, with scepticism about their safety and ecological impact.
• Non-GM ecological approaches face challenges due to limited research support, as most funding comes from large agri-biotech companies.
• Ecological, non-GM crops aim to produce toxic-free food and nurture biodiverse ecosystems that can resist and mitigate climate change.
• There is ongoing development of ecological, non-GM seed, food, and nutrition systems to address food security in a warming world.

Way forward:

• Enhanced Regulatory Oversight and Support for Ecological Practices: Strengthen regulations to ensure the safe development, testing, and deployment of GM crops while supporting research and development of non-GM ecological farming practices.
• Public Awareness and Inclusive Research Funding: Launch comprehensive public education campaigns to inform communities about the benefits and risks of GM and non-GM crops, promoting informed decision-making.

Note:  India has approved the commercial cultivation of only one GM crop, Bt cotton. No GM food crop has been approved for commercial cultivation in the country.

Mains PYQ:

Q What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification? (UPSC IAS/2021)

Why in the news?

In 2024, the Hindu Kush Himalaya snow update from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) reported that the Ganga River basin, India’s largest, experienced its lowest recorded snow persistence.

What does the report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development highlight?

• Record Low Snow Persistence: The Ganga River basin, along with the Brahmaputra and Indus basins, reached record low snow persistence in 2024.
• Significant Declines: The Ganga basin recorded its lowest snow persistence in 22 years, 17% below the long-term historical average. The Brahmaputra basin was 14.6% below normal, and the Indus basin fell 23.3% below normal.
• Broader Impacts: Similar low snow persistence was recorded in the Amu Darya and Helmand river basins, significantly below normal levels.

How important is snow persistence?

• Water Supply: Snow persistence, the fraction of time snow is on the ground, is crucial as its melt provides significant water to streams and ecosystems.
• Runoff Contribution: Snowmelt contributes 23% of the runoff to the HKH region’s 12 major river basins, supporting nearly one-fourth of the world’s population.
• Regional Significance: The HKH mountains, known as the “water towers of Asia,” are vital for 10 major river systems, including the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus, which are essential freshwater sources for millions.

How much of a role does climate change play in river basins receiving low levels of snowmelt this year?

• Weak Western Disturbances: Lower persistence in 2024 was primarily due to weak Western disturbances, which are low-pressure systems bringing rain and snow to the HKH region.
• Global Warming Effects: Climate change and global warming destabilize weather patterns, exacerbating prolonged La Niña–El Niño conditions, and influencing the arrival and intensity of western disturbances.
• High Sea-Surface Temperatures: Persistently high sea-surface temperatures in the regions where western disturbances originate disrupt their formation, leading to reduced snowfall.
•  Changed the weather system: The pattern of high temperatures and altered weather systems explains both the record low snow persistence in 2024 and similar historical records.

Way forward:

• Integrated Water Management: Develop comprehensive water management plans that incorporate predictions of reduced snowmelt. This includes optimising reservoir operations, prioritising water allocation, and implementing efficient irrigation practices to mitigate water scarcity risks.
• Transboundary Collaboration: Foster regional cooperation among countries sharing river basins affected by declining snow persistence. Develop joint strategies for sustainable water management, disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation. This includes sharing hydrological data, coordinating emergency responses, and implementing mutual benefit agreements.
• Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Strengthen efforts to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions at local, national, and international levels. Promote renewable energy sources and sustainable practices to curb global warming, thereby stabilising weather patterns crucial for snowfall.

Mains PYQ:

Q Climate change’ is a global problem. How India will be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India will be affected by climate change? (15) (UPSC IAS/2017)