Environment & Ecology: March 2022 Current Affairs | Environment for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Draft Policy Framework for Distributed Renewable Energy

Why in News?
Recently, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) released a draft policy framework on 14th February 2022 for DRE livelihood applications.

• The aim is to achieve the objective of a decentralised and distributed renewable energy supply in the country, particularly for rural populations with little or no access to power.

What are Provisions of the Draft Policy Framework?

• Committee to Monitor the Progress: MNRE proposed forming a committee to monitor the progress of DRE projects, which will meet at least once every six months. Within the committee, each member ministry shall nominate the main point of contact for interministerial collaboration.
  Depending on the scheme being implemented on DRE livelihood application, the committee may co-opt additional ministries / departments as members.
• Digital Catalogue of DRE-Powered Solutions:  MNRE will make available a digital catalogue of DRE-powered solutions to be used by various stakeholders to raise awareness.

What are the main Objectives Outlined in the New Framework?

• Enabling a market-oriented ecosystem.
• Increasing the adoption of DRE-based livelihood solutions by enabling easy finance for the end-user.
• Encouraging development and management of highquality products.
• Developing effective DRE livelihood applications through innovation as well as research and development.
• Establishing energy-efficiency standards for highpotential livelihood products Using applications powered by mini / micro-grids operating in hybrid mode along with the main grid.

What is the Significance of Distributed Renewable Energy?

• DRE and its downstream applications offer an opportunity to not only meet India’s climate and energy access targets, but also provide attractive returns to financial investors.
• It also provides pathways for India to reduce importdependence on crude oil as well as create economic growth and jobs in the long run.
• In addition, addressing existing policy and financing gaps would not only allow for better targeting and risk-hedging of government spending programs, but would also allow capital to be recycled efficiently, thereby enhancing both the duration and magnitude of the impact. 

What are the Issues with DRE?

• Lack of Technology: In order to use renewable energy in their livelihoods, people need access to technology and financing, which are not available to most rural households in India despite the existence of several technology options to deploy small-scale renewable energy-based livelihood applications.  Local communities in the villages often find it difficult to pay upfront for these innovations.
• Unique Challenge for Women:  Microbusinesses, under-represented groups and women face unique challenges when it comes to acquiring assets. As a result, businesses that use operating expense-based financial models, such as pay-as-you-go or leasing, may be eligible for credit facilitation.
• Others: Lack of proper financing channels, consumer awareness, consumer affordability and quality products / standards are some of the major challenges facing DRE in India.

Greater One-Horned Rhino

Why in News?
Recently, a case of poaching of the world-famous one-horned rhino has been suspected inside the Kaziranga National Park in Assam

What are the Key Points related to One-Horned Rhino?

1. About:

There are five species of rhino – white and black rhinos in Africa, and the greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran rhino species in Asia.

• IUCN Red List Status: 
  (i) Black Rhino: Critically endangered. Smaller of the two African species.
  (ii) White Rhino: Near Threatened. Researchers have created an embryo of the northern white rhino by using In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) process.
  (iii) One-Horned Rhino: Vulnerable
  (iv) Javan: Critically Endangered
  (v) Sumatran Rhino: Critically Endangered. It has gone extinct in Malaysia. Only the Great One-Horned Rhino is found in India. Also known as Indian rhino, it is the largest of the rhino species. It is identified by a single black horn and a greybrown hide with skin folds. They primarily graze, with a diet consisting almost entirely of grasses as well as leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruit, and aquatic plants.
• Habitat: The species is restricted to small habitats in IndoNepal terai and northern West Bengal and Assam. In India, rhinos are mainly found in Assam, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. Assam has an estimated 2,640 rhinos in four protected areas, i.e. Pabitora Wildlife Reserve, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, Kaziranga National Park, and Manas National Park.

What is Viral Load?

• It refers to the amount of genetic material, commonly RNA, of a virus present in an infected person’s blood.
• This is expressed as the total number of viral particles present in each millilitre of blood.
• A higher viral load in the blood means that the virus is replicating and the infection is progressing.
• An infected person with a high viral load is more likely to shed more virus particles, in the process known as “viral shedding”. About 2,400 of them are in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR).
• Protection Status:
  (i) IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
  (ii) CITES: Appendix I (Threatened with extinction and CITES prohibits international trade in specimens of these species except when the purpose of the import is not commercial, for instance for scientific research).

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.

Threats:

•  Poaching for the horns
•  Habitat loss
•  Population density
•  Decreasing Genetic diversity.

What are the Conservation Efforts ?

• The five rhino range nations (India, Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia) have signed a declaration ‘The New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019’ for the conservation and protection of the species.
• Recently, the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has begun a project to create DNA profiles of all rhinos in the country.
• National Rhino Conservation Strategy: It was launched in 2019 to conserve the greater one-horned rhinoceros.
• Indian Rhino Vision 2020: Launched in 2005, it was an ambitious effort to attain a wild population of at least 3,000 greater one-horned rhinos spread over seven protected areas in the Indian state of Assam by the year 2020

Sustainable Cities India Program

Why in News?
Recently, the World Economic Forum and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) signed a MoU to collaborate on a jointly designed ‘Sustainable Cities India program’.

• The ‘Sustainable Cities India’ intends to enable cities to decarbonise in a systematic and sustainable way that will reduce emissions and deliver resilient and equitable urban ecosystems.
• This initiative is in synergy with India’s commitment to turn net zero by 2070 as a climate mitigation response at COP26.

What are the Key Points of ‘Sustainable Cities India Program’?

• The program aims to create an enabling environment for cities to generate decarbonization solutions across the energy, transport, and the built environment sectors.
• The Forum and NIUA will adapt the Forum’s City Sprint process and Toolbox of Solutions for decarbonization in the context of five to seven Indian cities across two years.
• City Sprint Process: The City Sprint process is a series of multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder workshops involving business, government, and civil society leaders to enable decarbonization, especially through clean electrification and circularity.
• Toolbox of Solutions: It provides a digital platform containing over 200 examples of clean electrification, efficiency and smart infrastructure best practices and case studies across buildings, energy systems and mobility from over 110 cities around the world.

What is the Need for Decarbonisation?

• As per the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2022, densely populated countries that are highly dependent on agriculture, such as India, are especially vulnerable to climate insecurity.  Decarbonization in cities is a real opportunity to keep global warming well below 2°C and cities in India can make an enormous contribution in reaching this goal.
• The World Economic Forum’s Net Zero Carbon Cities’ mission is to create an enabling environment for clean electrification and circularity, resulting in urban decarbonization and resilience.
• The program aims to do this by fostering public-private collaboration to bridge the gap across the energy, built environment and transport sectors.

What is NIUA?

• Established in 1976, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is India’s leading national think tank on urban planning and development.
• As a hub for the generation and dissemination of cutting-edge research in the urban sector, NIUA seeks to provide innovative solutions to address the challenges of a fast urbanizing India, and pave the way for more inclusive and sustainable cities of the future.

What Initiatives are Taken by Government of India’s for Urban Development?

• Smart Cities Mission.
• Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U).
• Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs).
• Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework 2.0.
• TULIP-The Urban Learning Internship Program.

Carbon Capture and Utilisation Technologies

Why in News?

• According to a study conducted by Radboud University, most Carbon Capture and Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technologies, which suck carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and convert it into fuel or other valuable products, might fail to help the world reach Net Zero emissions by 2050.
• The study noted that a majority of these systems are energy intensive and the resultant product can also release CO₂  into the atmosphere.
• ‘Net zero emissions’ refers to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere.

What are CCUS?

• Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) encompasses methods and technologies to remove CO₂ from the flue gas and from the atmosphere, followed by recycling the CO₂ for utilization and determining safe and permanent storage options.
• CO₂  captured using CCUS technologies is converted into fuel (methane and methanol), refrigerants and building materials. The captured gas is used directly in fire extinguishers, pharma, food and beverage industries as well as the agricultural sector.
• CCUS technologies can play an important role in meeting net zero targets, including as one of few solutions to tackle emissions from heavy industry and to remove carbon from the atmosphere.
• CCUS is considered an important tool to help countries halve their emissions by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. These goals are crucial to meet the Paris Agreement targetsfor restricting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius (°C), and preferable to 1.5°C, over preindustrial levels.

What are Applications of CCUS?
Mitigating Climate Change: Despite the adoption of alternative energy sources and energy efficient systems to reduce the rate of CO₂ emissions, the cumulative amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere needs to be reduced to limit the detrimental impacts of climate change.

• Agriculture: Capturing CO₂  from biogenic sources such as plants and soil to boost crop growth in a greenhouse could work.
• Industrial Use: Combining CO₂ with steel slag - an industrial byproduct of the steel manufacturing process — to make construction materials compatible with the Paris Agreement goals.
• Enhanced Oil Recovery: CCU is already making inroads into India. For instance, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation signed a MoU with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) by injecting CO₂

What are the Challenges associated with CCUS?

• Expensive: Carbon capture involves the development of sorbents that can effectively bind to the CO₂ present in flue gas or the atmosphere, which is expensive.
• Lesser Demand for Recycled CO₂: Converting CO₂ into useful chemicals of commercial importance, or utilizing CO₂ for oil extraction or remediation of alkaline industrial wastes, would add economic value to this greenhouse gas. However, the demand for CO₂ is limited compared to the vast amount of CO₂ that needs to be removed from the atmosphere, to reduce the detrimental environmental impacts of climate change

Saltwater Crocodile

Why in News?
Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), used to be found in Vietnam and southern China, became extinct in these areas due to human activity.

What do we know about the Saltwater Crocodile?

1. About
It is the largest of the 23 species of ‘extant’ or living crocodilians. This includes ‘true crocodiles’, alligators and caimans. The saltie is also called the ‘estuarine crocodile’ and as the name suggests, is typically found in the brackish water of estuaries.  It can also tolerate saltwater in the oceans and can travel long distances over the open ocean, making use of tidal currents.

2. Habitat
The ‘saltie’ is today found in three locations in India — the Sundarbans, Bhitarkanika National Park and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.  It is one of the three crocodiles native to the Indian Subcontinent, along with the mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) and the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus).
It is also found in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia and the Solomon Islands.
During antiquity the species’ range extended from the Seychelles and Kerala, India in the west through to southeastern China, Palau and Vanuatu in the east.

3. Threats
Habitat destruction, fragmentation, and transformation, fishing activities and use of crocodile parts for medicinal purposes.

What is the protection Status of Saltwater Crocodiles?

• IUCN List of Threatened Species: Least Concern
• CITES: Appendix I (except the populations of Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, which are included in Appendix II).
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Annual Frontiers Report 2022

Why in News?
Recently, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released its Annual Frontiers Report named Noise, Blazes and Mismatches.

• The document has been released 10 days ahead of the UN Environment Assembly
• The Frontiers report identifies and offers solutions to three environmental issues: urban noise pollution, wildfires and phenological shifts that merit attention and action from governments and the public at large to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

What is the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)?

• About: The UNEP is a leading global environmental authority established on 5th June 1972. It works to identify and draw attention to emerging issues of environmental concern.
• Functions: It sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for global environment protection.
• Major Reports: Emission Gap Report, Adaptation Gap Report,Global Environment Outlook, Frontiers, Invest into Healthy Planet.
• Major Campaigns: Beat Pollution, UN75, World Environment Day, Wild for Life.
• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya.

What is the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)?

• It is the governing body of the UN Environment Programme.
• It is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment.
• It meets biennially to set priorities for global environmental policies and develop international environmental law.
• It was created in June 2012, during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also referred to as RIO+20.

What are the Key Highlights of the Report?

• Urban Noise Pollution: The unwanted, prolonged, and high-level sounds from road traffic, railways, or leisure activities, impair human health and well-being. Chronic annoyance and sleep disturbance caused by traffic can result in severe heart diseases and metabolic disorders with the very young, and mostly affect the elderly and marginalised communities near busy roads.
• Wildfires: The trends towards more dangerous fire-weather conditions are likely to increase due to rising concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gasses and the attendant escalation of wildfire risk factors. Climate change can prompt extreme wildfires, generating lightning that can ignite other fires, far beyond the fire front and creating a so-called hazardous feedback loop.
• Such extreme events are disastrous for human health and the environment.  Wildfires have also become more common in the Savannah ecosystem, which has affected over one-fourth of species in the Savannah ecosystem. Wildfires are also responsible for air pollution.
• According to a global study published in September 2021, there is a link between the impact of wildfire-related pollution and human deaths Wildfires seldom spread to humid tropical forests in the past. But these forests are now more vulnerable due to deforestation and forest fragmentation.
• Phenological Shifts: Plants and animals in terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems use temperature, day length or rainfall as cues for when to bear fruit, migrate or transform in other ways.
  However, climate change disrupts these natural rhythms as plants and animals are being pushed out of sync with their natural rhythms, leading to mismatches, such as when plants shift life cycle stages faster than herbivores.
• Phenology is the timing of recurring life cycle stages, driven by environmental forces, and how species interacting within an ecosystem respond to changing conditions.

What are the Recommendations of the Report?

• Appreciating and adopting indigenous fire management techniques.
• A preventive approach, rather than reactive approach by engaging vulnerable groups, will help adapt to the wildfires.
• It is important to enhance fire-fighting capabilities and strengthen community resilience-building programmes
• It is important to focus on long-range weather forecasting.
• Focus on remote-sensing capabilities such as satellites, ground-based radar, lightning detection as well as data handling.

Army Tag for New Gecko

Why in News?
Recently, a team of herpetologists have recorded a new species of bent-toed gecko from a wooded part of the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya.

• Its scientific name is Crytodactylus exercitus and its English name is Indian Army’s bent-toed gecko.
• Further, another new bent-toed gecko, the Cyrtodactylus siahaensis named after Mizoram’s Siaha district where it was found.
• A herpetologist is someone who specializes in the study of reptiles and amphibians.

What are Geckos?

• Geckos are reptiles and are found on all the continents except Antarctica.
• These colorful lizards have adapted to habitats from rainforests, to deserts, to cold mountain slopes.
• Over a long period of time, geckos have developed special physical features to help them survive and avoid predators.
• Gecko tails serve many purposes. They help balance their weight as they climb branches, they act as fuel tanks to store fat, and as camouflage to help them disappear into their environment. Geckos are also able to shed their tails if a predator grabs them.
• Most geckos are nocturnal, which means they are active at night, but day geckos are active during the day and nibble on insects, fruits, and flower nectar.
• Most geckos make noises such as chirping, barking, and clicking when they are defending their territory or attracting a mate.
• There are many species of geckos. Depending on the species, their endangered status can range from least concern to critically endangered.

Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022

Why in News?
Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change announced the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022, which notified the instructions on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging.

• Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 has been amended to fast-track the elimination of single-use plastics and promote alternatives.
• The term Extended Procedure Responsibility means the responsibility of a producer for the environmentally sound management of the product until the end of its life.

What are Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016?

• It mandates the generators of plastic waste to take steps to minimize generation of plastic waste, prevent littering of plastic waste, and ensure segregated storage of waste at source among other measures.
• The rules also mandate the responsibilities of local bodies, gram panchayats, waste generators, retailers and street vendors to manage plastic waste.

What are the Provisions under the New Rules?

• Classification of Plastics:
  (i) Category 1: Rigid plastic packaging will be included under this category.
  (ii) Category 2: Flexible plastic packaging of single layer or multilayer (more than one layer with different types of plastic), plastic sheets and covers made of plastic sheet, carry bags, plastic sachet or pouches will be included under this category
  (iii) Category 3: Multi-layered plastic packaging (at least one layer of plastic and at least one layer of material other than plastic) will be included under this category.
  (iv) Category 4: Plastic sheet or like used for packaging as well as carry bags made of compostable plastics fall under this category.
• Plastic Packaging: Reuse of rigid plastic packaging material has been mandated in the guidelines to reduce the use of fresh plastic material for packaging.
  • The enforceable prescription of minimum level of recycling of plastic packaging waste collected under EPR along with use of recycled plastic content will further reduce plastic consumption and support recycling of plastic packaging waste.
• Extended Producer Responsibility Certificates:  In a significant first, the guidelines allow for sale and purchase of surplus extended producer responsibility certificates.
  • This will set-up a market mechanism for plastic waste management.
• Centralised Online Portal:  The government has also called for establishing a centralised online portal by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the registration as well as filing of annual returns by producers, importers and brand-owners, plastic waste processors of plastic packaging waste by 31st March, 2022.
  • It would act as the single point data repository with respect to orders and guidelines related to implementation of EPR for plastic packaging under Plastic Waste Management Rule, 2016.
• Environmental Compensation: Environmental compensation will be levied based upon polluter pays principle, with respect to nonfulfilment of EPR targets by producers, importers and brand owners, for the purpose of protecting and improving the quality of the environment and preventing, controlling and abating environment pollution.
  • The Polluter Pays Principle imposes liability on a person who pollutes the environment to compensate for the damage caused and return the environment to its original state regardless of the intent.
• Committee to Recommend Measures: A committee constituted by the CPCB under the chairmanship of CPCB chairman will recommend measures to the environment ministry for effective implementation of EPR, including amendments to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines.
• Annual Report on EPR Portal: State Pollution Control Board (SPCBs) or Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) have been tasked to submit an annual report on EPR portal with respect to its fulfillment by producers, importers and brand-owners and plastic waste processors in the state/Union Territory to the CPCB.

What is the Significance of the Guidelines?

• It will promote development of new alternatives to plastics and provide a road map for businesses to move towards sustainable plastic packaging.
• The guidelines provide a framework to strengthen the circular economy of plastic packaging waste. A circular economy depends on reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling of resources to create a closed-loop system, minimising the use of resources, generation of waste, pollution and carbon emissions.
• These are important steps for reducing pollution caused due to littered plastic waste in the country.  India generates about 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. The United Nations Development Programme aims to almost triple its plastic waste management to 100 cities in India by 2024.
•  Accumulation of plastic waste is detrimental to the environment and when this waste finds its way into the sea, there can be major harm to aquatic ecosystems, too.

What are the other Initiatives taken to Curb Plastic Waste?

• Swachh Bharat Mission
• India Plastics Pact
• Project REPLAN
• Un-Plastic Collective
• GoLitter Partnerships Project