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Subject: Environment

  • Tiger Density in India

    Preliminary findings of a study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) suggest that the density of tigers in the Sunderbans may have reached the carrying capacity of the mangrove forests, leading to frequent dispersals and a surge in human-wildlife conflict.

    Tiger Density of India

    • In the Terai and Shivalik hills habitat — think Corbett tiger reserve, for example — 10-16 tigers can survive in 100 sq km.
    • This slides to 7-11 tigers per 100 sq km in the reserves of north-central Western Ghats such as Bandipur, and to 6-10 tigers per 100 sq km in the dry deciduous forests, such as Kanha, of central India.
    • The correlation between prey availability and tiger density is fairly established.
    • There is even a simple linear regression explaining the relationship in the 2018 All-India Tiger report that put the carrying capacity in the Sunderbans “at around 4 tigers” per 100 sq km.
    • A joint Indo-Bangla study in 2015 pegged the tiger density at 2.85 per 100 sq km after surveying eight blocks spanning 2,913 sq km across the international borders in the Sunderbans.

    Conflict: cause or effect

    • The consequence, as classical theories go, is frequent dispersal of tigers leading to higher levels of human-wildlife conflict in the reserve peripheries.
    • Physical (space) and biological (forest productivity) factors have an obvious influence on a reserve’s carrying capacity of tigers.
    • What also plays a crucial role is how the dispersal of wildlife is tolerated by people — from the locals who live around them to policymakers who decide management strategies.
    • More so when different land uses overlap and a good number of people depend on forest resources for livelihood.

    Why tiger corridors are not a solution?

    • But though vital for genes to travel and avoid a population bottleneck, wildlife corridors may not be the one-stop solution for conflict.
    • First, not all dispersing tigers will chance upon corridors simply because many will find territories of other tigers between them and such openings.
    • Even the lucky few that may take those routes are likely to wander to the forest edges along the way.
    • Worse, the corridors may not lead to viable forests in reserves such as Sunderbans, bounded by the sea and villages.

    Way ahead

    • Artificially boosting the prey base in a reserve is often an intuitive solution but it can be counter-productive.
    • To harness the umbrella effect of tigers for biodiversity conservation, it is more beneficial to increase areas occupied by tigers.
    • For many, the prescription is to create safe connectivity among forests and allow tigers to disperse safely to new areas.

    Try this PYQ from CSP 2020:

    Q.Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat” ?

    (a) Corbett

    (b) Ranthambore

    (c) Nagarjunasagar- Srisailam

    (d) Sunderbans

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”3sm90ja3rc” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • Need for political will to tackle climate change

    Context

    Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on Monday its sixth assessment report.

    Bleak assessment of our future

    • In its sixth assessment report, titled ‘Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability’, the IPCC discusses the increasing extreme heat, rising oceans, melting glaciers, falling agricultural productivity, resultant food shortages and increase in diseases like dengue and zika.
    • Failed climate leadership: Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary General, quoted in The New York Times, describes the IPCC report as being “an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership.”
    • The IPCC warns that should our planet get warmer than 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial times (we are at 1.1 degrees at present), then there will be irreversible impact on “ecosystems with low resilience” such as polar, mountain and coastal ecosystems “impacted by glacier melt, and higher sea level rise”.
    • This will cause devastation to “infrastructure in low-lying coastal settlements, associated livelihoods and even erosion of cultural and spiritual values.”
    • The increased heat will lead to an increase in diseases like diabetes, circulatory and respiratory conditions, as well as mental health challenges.

    Impact on India

    • Climate “maladaptation”: The IPCC also highlights that climate “maladaptation” will especially affect “marginalised and vulnerable groups adversely, indigenous people, ethnic minorities, low-income households and informal settlements” and those in rural areas.
    • Therefore, India, with a majority of its people falling in these categories, will be especially devastated.
    • The IPCC highlights India as a vulnerable hotspot, with several regions and cities facing climate change phenomena like flooding, sea-level rise and heatwaves.
    • For instance, Mumbai is at high risk of sea-level rise and flooding, and Ahmedabad faces the danger of heat waves — these phenomena are already underway in both cities.
    • Vector-borne and water-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue will be on the rise in sub-tropical regions, like parts of Punjab, Assam and Rajasthan.
    • When the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, the grains we consume, including wheat and rice, will have diminished nutritional quality.
    • Over the past 30 years, major crop yields have decreased by 4-10 per cent globally due to climate change.
    • Consequently, India, which continues to be predominantly agrarian, is likely to be especially hurt.
    • Urban India is at greater risk than other areas with a projected population of 877 million by 2050 nearly double of 480 million in 2020.
    • The concentration of population in these cities will make them extremely vulnerable to climate change.

    Conclusion

    Fighting climate change requires fiscal expenditure and policy changes fuelled by political will, which will reap results in a decade or so. Yet, our political class has no cohesive and urgent policy roadmap to combat rising emissions and our diminishing life spans.

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  • IPCC releases part of the Sixth Assessment Report

    What is the issue:

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the second part of its sixth assessment report. The first part was released in 2021.

    What is IPCC?

    • The IPCC, an intergovernmental body was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
    • It was later endorsed by the UN General Assembly. Membership is open to all members of the WMO and UN.
    • The IPCC produces reports that contribute to the work of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the main international treaty on climate change.
    • The objective of the UNFCCC is to “stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human-induced) interference with the climate system.”

    What are the Assessment Reports?

    • Every few years, the IPCC produces assessment reports that are the most comprehensive scientific evaluations of the state of earth’s climate.
    • Instead, it asks scientists from around the world to go through all the relevant scientific literature related to climate change and draw up the logical conclusions.
    • So far, five assessment reports have been produced, the first one being released in 1990.
    • The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report was a critical scientific input into the UNFCCC’s Paris Agreement in 2015.

    Highlights of the recent report

    • Rapidly advancing climate change: From the melting of the Greenland ice sheet to the destruction of coral reefs, climate related impacts are hitting the world at the high end much more quickly than previously assessed by the IPCC.
    • Limitations of technology: The use of some technologies designed to limit warming or reduce CO2 could make matters worse rather than better.
    • Impact of urbanization: While large cities are hotspots for climate impacts, they also offer a real opportunity to avoid the worst impacts of warming.
    • Limited opportunity for mitigation: The report has warned the opportunity for action will only last for the rest of this decade.

    Some projections of the first part of 6th Report

    • Regional focus: It is expected that this report would likely state what the scenarios for sea-level rise in the Bay of Bengal region is, not just what the average sea-level rise across the world is likely to be.
    • Rise of extreme events: There is expected to be bigger focus on extreme weather events, like the ones we have seen in the last few weeks.
    • Vulnerabilities of urban areas: Densely populated mega-cities are supposed to be among the most vulnerable to impacts of climate change. The report is expected to present specific scenarios the climate change impacts on cities and large urban populations, and also implications for key infrastructure.
    • Synergy of climate action is needed: IPCC is expected to present a more integrated understanding of the situation, cross-link evidence and discuss trade-offs between different options or pathways, and also likely to cover social implications of climate change action by countries.

    Here is what the previous assessment reports had said:

  • [pib] International Monsoons Project Office (IMPO)

    Union Minister of Science & Technology has launched the International Monsoons Project Office (IMPO).

    International Monsoons Project Office (IMPO)

    • IMPO will be hosted at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, an institution under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt of India, initially for five years.
    • Setting up the IMPO reiterates the importance of monsoons for the national economy.
    • It would encompass activities and connections related to international monsoon research that would be identified and fostered under the leadership of the World Climate Research Programme.
    • Both the World Climate Research Programme and World Weather Research Programme are international programmes coordinated by the United Nations World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

    Significance of IMPO

    • Setting up the IMPO in India would mean expanding an integrated scientific approach to solve the seasonal variability of monsoons, enhancing the prediction skill of monsoons and cyclones.
    • It would promote knowledge sharing and capacity building in areas of monsoon research crucial for agriculture, water resources and disaster management, hydropower and climate-sensitive socio-economic sectors.
    • It is a step towards making India a global hub for monsoon research and coordination in a seamless manner for addressing common and region-specific aspects of the monsoons around the world.

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    Back2Basics:

    Various terms related to Indian Monsoon

  • Plastic waste Management

    Context

    The UN Environment Assembly meeting in February-March 2022 may finalise a way forward for global cooperation on the emissions of plastic waste into the aquatic ecosystems.

    Plastic as a consumption externality

    • Plastics represent an example of a consumption externality, which involves many people, rather than a production externality, which involves one or multiple firms.
    • Why is it challenging to address? Consumption externality is more challenging to address, as it is difficult to differentiate the behaviour of consumers.

    2 Approaches and issues with them

    • Imposing the cost of the harm on all consumers may not yield efficient solutions.
    • As the number of consumers is high, the cost of controlling them is also high.
    • 1] Banning plastic: This approach promotes a sustainable environment, intergenerational equity, saves marine and wildlife ecosystems, and restores soil quality.
    • But it also causes inconvenience for consumers, increases substitution cost, and creates unemployment shocks as it affects the production of plastics, leading to less economic activity, less income generation and finally less employment.
    • 2] Tax on plastic: Other key aspects that may be considered for global cooperation are the options if plastics are banned, the effectiveness of imposing tax and the potential problems with both these approaches.
    • It is difficult to identify the exact tax to be imposed, which may depend on country-specific circumstances.

    Way forward

    1] Command and control approach

    • The environment regulation for plastics may include a ‘command and control’ approach, and fiscal reforms like eco-taxes or subsidies.
    • The efficiency of such a regulation depends on its architecture — how well it is planned, designed and executed. It should be credible, transparent and predictable.

    2] Fiscal reforms like eco-taxes or subsidies

    • Eco-taxes may be imposed in the various stages of production, consumption or disposal of plastics.
    • Pollution due to plastics may happen during the production stage.
    • That is the logic for imposing tax on polluting inputs, as it forces the producer to look for cleaner substitutes.
    • Pollution also occurs during the consumption stage, and thus an eco-tax is recommended to discourage consumption.

    3] Estimating the social cost at the local and global level

    • Social cost should be evaluated differently in the local/regional and global contexts.
    • While health and hygiene are predominant considerations in the former case, climate change is the predominant consideration in the latter.
    • Ideally, eco-tax rates on plastics ought to be equal to the marginal social cost arising from the negative externality associated with production, consumption or disposal of goods and services.

    Comprehensive policy measures

    • Comprehensive policy measures against plastics may generally involve three complementary activities:
    • 1] The removal of existing taxes and subsidies that have a negative environmental impact.
    • 2] Taking into account the different types or grades of plastics.
    • 3] Restructuring existing taxes in an environmentally friendly manner.
    • Other suggestions include: Promoting multiple use of plastics through better waste management,
    • Educating the public on the harmful use of plastics,
    • Providing subsidy for research and development activity for substitute development.
    • Appropriate disposal mechanisms and waste management and use of waste for constructive usage like roads.

    Conclusion

    The key aspects that may be considered for global cooperation are the options if plastics are banned, the effectiveness of imposing tax and the potential problems with both these approaches.

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  • Species in news: Dugong

    India’s first Dugong conservation reserve will be built in Tamil Nadu for the conservation of Dugong, a marine mammal.

    Dugong Conservation Reserve

    • The reserve will spread over an area of 500 km in Palk Bay on the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu.
    • Palk Bay is a semi-enclosed shallow water body with a water depth maximum of 13 meters.
    • Located between India and Sri Lanka along the Tamil Nadu coast, the dugong is a flagship species in the region.

    Dugong: The sea cow

    • Dugong or the sea cow is the State animal of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
    • This endangered marine species survive on seagrass and other aquatic vegetation found in the area.
    • It is the only herbivorous mammal that is strictly marine and is the only extant species in the family Dugongidae.
    • Dugongs are usually about three-meter long and weigh about 400 kg.
    • Dugongs have an expanded head and trunk-like upper lip.
    • Elephants are considered to be their closest relatives. However, unlike dolphins and other cetaceans, sea cows have two nostrils and no dorsal fin.

    Their habitat

    • Distributed in shallow tropical waters in the Indo-Pacific region, in India, they are found in the Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
    • Dugongs are long-living animals, that have a low reproductive rate, long generation time, and high investment in each offspring.
    • The female dugongs do not bear their first calf until they are at least 10 and up to 17 years old.
    • A dugong population is unlikely to increase more than 5% per year. They take a long time to recover due to the slow breeding rate.

    Causes of extinction

    • Having being declared vulnerable, the marine animal calls for conserving efforts.
    • Studies have suggested the reasons for the extinction of the animal such as slow breeding rate, fishing, and the loss of habitat.
    • They are also known to suffer due to accidental entanglement and drowning in gill-nets.

    Conservation in India

    • The conservation reserve can promote growth and save vulnerable species from the verge of extinction.
    • Dugongs are protected in India under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Act 1972 which bans the killing and purchasing of dugong meat.
    • IUCN status: Vulnerable

    Try answering this PYQ:

    Q. With reference to ‘dugong’, a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?

    1. It is a herbivorous marine animal.
    2. It is found along the entire coast of India.
    3. It is given legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1974.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) 1 and 3 only

    (d) 3 only

     

     

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  • Fire Ready Formula by UNEP

    The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has called on global governments to adopt a new ‘Fire Ready Formula,’ as it warned that incidences of wildfires would rise in the future.

    What is the Fire Ready Formula?

    • The new formula envisages that 66 per cent of spending be devoted to planning, prevention, preparedness and recovery.
    • The remaining 34 per cent can be spent on response.

    New “Fire Ready Formula” focuses on Planning and Prevention  

    Serial No Budget item Percentage share of the total on  wildfire management  recommended
    1 Planning 1 %
    2 Prevention 32 %
    3 Preparedness 13 %
    4 Response 34 %
    5 Recovery 20 %

    Why need such a formula?

    • The UNEP report projected that the number of wildfires is likely to increase by up to 14 per cent by 2030.
    • Integrated wildfire management was key to adapting to current and future changes in global wildfire risk, the UNEP.
    • There is a need to invest more in fire risk reduction, work with local communities and strengthen global commitment to fight climate change.
    • Achieving and sustaining adaptive land and fire management requires a combination of policies, a legal framework and incentives that encourage appropriate land and fire use.

    Back2Basics: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

    • UNEP is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system.
    • It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in June 1972.
    • Its mandate is to provide leadership, deliver science and develop solutions on a wide range of issues, including climate change, the management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and green economic development.
    • UNEP hosts the secretariats of several multilateral environmental agreements and research bodies, including:

    1.      Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD),

    2.      Minamata Convention on Mercury,

    3.      Convention on Migratory Species and

    4.      Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

    • In 1988, the World Meteorological Organization and UNEP established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
    • UNEP is also one of several Implementing Agencies for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

     

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  • What are CRZ norms?

    The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) inspected a bungalow owned by a Union Minister for alleged violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.

    What is the news?

    • The Union Minister’s bungalow named has been illicitly constructed within 50 metres of the sea in violation of the CRZ rules.
    • The crackdown assumes significance in the escalating verbal spats between the two political rivals (which were allies for years).

    What are CRZ norms?

    • In India, the CRZ Rules govern human and industrial activity close to the coastline, in order to protect the fragile ecosystems near the sea.
    • They restrict certain kinds of activities — like large constructions, setting up of new industries, storage or disposal of hazardous material, mining, reclamation and bunding — within a certain distance from the coastline.
    • After the passing of the Environment Protection Act in 1986, CRZ Rules were first framed in 1991.
    • After these were found to be restrictive, the Centre notified new Rules in 2011, which also included exemptions for the construction of the Navi Mumbai airport and for projects of the Department of Atomic Energy.
    • While the CRZ Rules are made by the Union environment ministry, implementation is to be ensured by state governments through their Coastal Zone Management Authorities.

    Where do they apply?

    • In all Rules, the regulation zone has been defined as the area up to 500 m from the high-tide line.
    • The restrictions depend on criteria such as the population of the area, the ecological sensitivity, the distance from the shore, and whether the area had been designated as a natural park or wildlife zone.
    • The latest Rules have a no-development zone of 20 m for all islands close to the mainland coast, and for all backwater islands in the mainland.

    New Rules under CRZ regulations

    • The government notified new CRZ Rules with the stated objectives of promoting sustainable development and conserving coastal environments.
    • For the so-called CRZ-III (Rural) areas, two separate categories have been stipulated.
    • In the densely populated rural areas (CRZ-IIIA) with a population density of 2,161 per sq km as per the 2011 Census, the no-development zone is now 50 m from the high-tide level, as against the 200 m stipulated earlier.
    • In the CRZ-IIIB category (rural areas with population density below 2,161 per sq km) continue to have a no-development zone extending up to 200 m from the high-tide line.
    • The new Rules have a no-development zone of 20 m for all islands close to the mainland coast, and for all backwater islands in the mainland.

     

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  • EV Battery Swapping Policy

    NITI Aayog is holding a consultation on the upcoming electric vehicle (EV) battery swapping policy.

    What is BaaS?

    • Battery-as-a-service (BaaS) is seen as a viable charging alternative.
    • Manufacturers can sell EVs in two forms: Vehicles with fixed or removable batteries and vehicles with batteries on lease.
    • If you buy an electric scooter with battery leasing, you do not pay for the cost of the battery—that makes the initial acquisition almost 40% cheaper.
    • Users can swap drained batteries for a fully charged one at a swap station. The depleted batteries are then charged on or off-site.
    • The advantages of swapping include low downtimes for commercial fleets, reduced space requirements, and lower upfront costs.
    • It is also a viable solution for those who don’t have parking spots at home.

    What is battery interoperability?

    • That’s when a battery is compatible across vehicles and chargers, so you can seamlessly swap a battery at any swap station. This can help achieve scale.
    • However, manufacturer and service providers say there are safety concerns around the ‘one-size-fits-all’ model and caution too much standardization can kill innovation.

    Why hasn’t BaaS taken off yet?

    • There are economic and operational constraints.
    • Energy service providers offering swapping solutions have to charge 18% goods and services tax (GST) for swapping, compared to 5% GST on the purchase of an EV.
    • Additionally, the government’s FAME-II incentives are not offered to vehicles sold with BaaS or swap station operators.
    • While these are economic disadvantages compared to direct charging solutions, the lack of a dense and interoperable battery swap infrastructure has also hindered the roll-out.
    • Manufacturers, on the other hand, are keen to create proprietary battery and charging systems.

    Issues with BaaS

    • There is a need for standardization of safety specifications  as well as  the battery.
    • Swapping in the various permutations and combinations of batteries at a station  where  they  have not been tested for compatibility could lead to safety hazards.
    • Also, mandating only one type of battery to  be eligible for  concessions  would be  disadvantageous  to  many  players.

    Who offers BaaS in India?

    • Bengaluru-based startup Bounce is the first e-two-wheeler maker to sell its scooters with BaaS, and claims to have achieved a million battery swaps.
    • Others like Ola Electric and Ather have stuck to direct charging solutions, while Hero Electric offers both fixed and removable batteries.
    • Many makers are working with energy service providers to offer battery swapping.
    • The global precedent is a mixed bag: Ample, which offers swaps in the US, has found success with commercial fleets, while most personal users charge at home.

    Why is Battery Swapping needed?

    • High Cost of EVs: An EV, by industry standards, is 1.5-2x costlier than IC Engine counterpart and at least half the cost is from the battery pack.
    • Cost reduction: Many manufacturers are offering batteries separately from a vehicle, reducing the cost. In that case, a fleet owner can buy vehicles without battery and utilize battery swapping.
    • Range Anxiety: Another major reason stopping people from buying EVs is range anxiety, or in simple terms, the fear of battery getting empty without finding a charging station.
    • Inadequate charging infrastructure: Unlike petrol pumps, EV charging stations are rare to spot and that further increases the range anxiety exponentially, especially while going on a road trip.
    • Hazard management: In case of a Swapping Station, one can simply locate a station, go and replace the empty battery with a new one.

     

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  • Green Hydrogen Policy

     

    The Ministry of Power has notified the first part of the National Hydrogen Mission policy on green hydrogen and green ammonia, aimed to boost production of hydrogen and ammonia using renewable energy.

    What is green hydrogen?

    • Green hydrogen is hydrogen gas produced through electrolysis of water.
    • It is an energy intensive process for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen— using renewable power to achieve this.

    Key takeaways of the Green Hydrogen Policy

    • The new policy offers 25 years of free power transmission for any new renewable energy plants set up to supply power for green hydrogen production before July 2025.
    • This means that a green hydrogen producer will be able to set up a solar power plant in Rajasthan to supply renewable energy to a green hydrogen plant in Assam.
    • It would not be required to pay any inter-state transmission charges.

    What are the incentives?

    • The government is set to provide a single portal for all clearances required for setting up green hydrogen production.
    • It will facilitate producers to transfer any surplus renewable energy generated with discoms for upto 30 days and use it as required.
    • The requirement of time bound clearances for these projects would spur investment while grid connectivity on priority will ease operational processes.
    • The energy plants set up to produce green hydrogen/ammonia would be given connectivity to the grid on a priority basis.
    • State DISCOMS may also procure renewable energy to supply green hydrogen producers but will be required to do so at a concessional rate.
    • Such procurement would also count towards a state’s Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) under which it is required to procure a certain proportion of its requirements from renewable energy sources.

    Facilities to boost export

    • Under the policy port authorities will also provide land at applicable charges to green hydrogen and green ammonia producers to set up bunkers near ports for storage prior to export.
    • Germany and Japan could be key markets for green hydrogen produced in India.

    Why such move?

    • The move is likely going to make it more economical for key users of hydrogen and ammonia such as the oil refining, fertiliser and steel sectors to produce green hydrogen for their own use.
    • These sectors currently use grey hydrogen or grey ammonia produced using natural gas or naphtha.

     

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