Environment and Ecology: November 2022 UPSC Current Affairs | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

Loss and Damage Funding for Climate Damages

Context
At the recently concluded COP27 summit, delegates from the United Nations agreed to create a 'Loss and Damages' fund which will compensate the most vulnerable countries for their losses due to climate-related disasters 

Loss and Damage Fund COP27

• It will be a dedicated fund to compensate the most vulnerable developing countries that are already bearing the brunt of climate change-linked natural disasters.
• It will provide support to developing countries in efforts to avert, minimise and address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change in the light of continued global warming.
• Corpus: The expected monetary compensation from the L&D fund is estimated to be nearly $500 billion and rising by $200 billion annually.
• The proposal for a loss and damage finance facility was put forward by the G77 and China (India is part of this group), least-developed countries and small island states.
• Establishing a transitional committee: It will decide the modalities, sources etc which will be considered at COP28 in November–December 2023.
  • It will have 23 members, comprising 10 members from developed country Parties and 13 members from developing country Parties.
• The Committee will consider:
  • Establishing institutional arrangements, modalities, structure, governance and terms of reference of the fund
  • Defining the elements of the new funding arrangements
  • Identifying and expanding sources of funding
  • Ensuring coordination and complementarily with existing funding arrangements.
• Setting up Santiago Network: It will provide technical assistance in averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage.

About 27thedition of the UN-Conference of Parties (UN-COP)

• The participants include representatives of the 195 member-countries of the UN-COP, business persons, scientists, and members of indigenous and local communities and activists.

Loss and Damage Fund Details

• L&D refers to impacts of climate change that cannot be avoided either by mitigation (cutting greenhouse gas emissions) or adaptation (modifying practices to buffer against climate change impacts).
• They also include not only economic damage to property but also loss of livelihoods, and the destruction of biodiversity and sites that have cultural importance.
• This broadens the scope for affected nations to claim compensation.

Concerns with Loss and Damage Fund

• COP27 only commits to a fund being created and leaves discussions for how it is to be set up and, most importantly, who will pay how much to it.
• Developed nations, particularly the US, had opposed this new fund over fears that it would hold them legally liable for massive damages caused by climate change.

Loss and Damage Fund Significance in India

• It’s a positive outcome of the climate change conference as this fund would be a lifeline for low-income families.
• It acknowledges the impact of climate change particularly warming of 1.1 degree C till now on people’s lives and livelihoods.
• It states that keeping the global average temperature rise to below 1.5 degree C will be essential to limiting future loss and damage.
• It is seen as a progressive step towards climate justice, recognising that the most vulnerable, facing the irreversible effects of climate change.
• It has sent a warning to polluters that they can no longer go scot-free with their climate destruction.

Way Forward

• While the gain is incremental, countries ought not to lose momentum and must work harder to ensure that COPs remain credible catalysts and are not mere occasions for some hollow victories.
• Further, there is a need to sustain a political commitment to raising new finance, besides, ensuring that finance is better targeted at reducing emissions and vulnerability. Learning and improving from recent experiences, particularly as the Green Climate Fund gets to work.

Adaptation Gap Report 2022

Context
According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Adaptation Gap Report, 2022, global efforts in adaptation planning, financing and implementation are not enough to prepare vulnerable communities around the world to adapt to the rising risks from the impacts of climate change.

• The report found some progress on adaptation plans from national governments, but they are not backed by finance.

What are the Findings of the Report?

A third of the 197 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have incorporated quantified and time-bound targets on adaptation. And 90% of them have considered gender and disadvantaged groups.

• International adaptation finance flows are 5-10 times lower than required and this gap continues to grow. Finance for adaptation increased to USD 29 billion in 2020, a 4% increase over 2019.
• This is when developing countries' estimated annual adaptation needs are USD 160-USD 340 billion by 2030 and USD 315-USD 565 billion by 2050.

What are the Steps Suggested by the Report?

• A Nature-based Approach: The report highlighted that the best way was to link actions on mitigation and adaptation in terms of planning, financing and implementation, which would provide co-benefits.
  • One example of this could be nature-based solutions.
• Climate Adaptation: Countries need to back the strong words in the Glasgow Climate Pact with strong action to increase adaptation investments and outcomes, starting at COP27.
• Other Strategies: The adaptation gap must be addressed in four critical ways:
  • Increase Financing for Adaptation: There is a need for developed countries to provide a clear roadmap for their promise of doubling finance for adaptation to USD 40 billion, which was decided at COP 26 in Glasgow.
  • A New Business Model: The world urgently needs a new business model for turning adaptation priorities into investable projects as there is a mismatch between what governments propose and what financiers consider investable.
  • Need for Data Implementation: The availability of climate risk data and information, an issue for adaptation planning in many developing countries.
  • Modified Warning Systems: The implementation and operationalisation of early warning systems against extreme weather events and slow onset changes such as sea level rise.

What are India’s Initiatives regarding Climate Finance?

• National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC):
  • It was established in 2015 to meet the cost of adaptation to climate change for the State and Union Territories of India that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
• National Clean Energy Fund:
  • The Fund was created to promote clean energy, and funded through an initial carbon tax on the use of coal by industries.
  • It is governed by an Inter-Ministerial Group with the Finance Secretary as the Chairman.
  • Its mandate is to fund research and development of innovative clean energy technology in the fossil and non-fossil fuel-based sectors.
• National Adaptation Fund:
  • The fund was established in 2014 with a corpus of Rs. 100 crores with the aim of bridging the gap between the need and the available funds.
  • The fund is operated under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

Leith’s Soft-shelled Turtle

Context: In a step forward towards conservation, two Indian turtle species — the red-crowned roofed turtles (Batagur kachuga) and Leith’s soft-shell turtle (Nilssonia leithii) — have made it to the Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The decision was made at the ongoing 19th Conference of Parties (COP19) of CITES in Panama City.

• The species were moved from Appendix II to Appendix I which means the species is threatened with extinction.
• Appendix II lists species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction, according to CITES.
• Earlier in 2019 during the 18th CITES plenary meeting in Geneva, Indian star tortoises were added to the Appendix I.

About the Red crowned roofed turtle:

• Red-crowned roofed turtle is native to India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
• It is known to be widely found in the Ganga and Brahmaputra River basins.
• At present in India, the National Chambal River Gharial Sanctuary is the only geographic area where the species is found in substantial numbers.

About Leith’s soft shell turtle:

• Leith’s soft-shell turtle inhabits rivers and reservoirs mainly in southern peninsular India, in states like Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
• Its presence is substantial in the Cauvery, Tungabhadra, Ghataprabha, Bhavani, Godavari and Moyar drainages.

Major Threats:

• Major threats for these turtles and other species are increasing loss of habitat due to pollution and unchecked urbanisation.
• Other reasons for habitat loss include water extraction and irrigation, leading to irregular flow of upstream dams and reservoirs.
• Sand mining and agriculture activities along the Ganga are significantly affecting the sandbars, which are safe nesting areas for the species.
• Drowning due to illegal fishing nets, poaching and illegal trade further threaten their existence

Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site

Context

• Recently, the Tamil Nadu Government issued a notification declaring Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage site the first biodiversity heritage site in the State.

More about the Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage site

• About:
  • The state government notified 193.215 hectares of area spread across Arittapatti and Meenakshipuram villages in Madurai district as ‘Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site’. 
  • The declaration was made under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. 
• First in the state:
  • This is the first Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS) notified in Tamil Nadu.
• Wildlife:
  • Arittapatti village, known for its ecological and historical significance, houses around 250 species of birds including three flagship raptor species - 
  • Laggar Falcon , Shaheen Falcon, and Bonelli’s Eagle—and wildlife such as Indian pangolin, python, and slender loris.  
  • It is also home to wildlife such as the Indian Pangolin, Slender Loris and pythons.

Chain of seven hillocks:

• The village Arittapatti consists of a chain of seven barren granite hillocks. The distinctive landscape of rocky hills acts as a watershed and supports 72 lakes, 200 natural spring pools, and three check dams. 
• The Anaikondan tank, built during the reign of Pandiyan kings in the 16th century is one among them.
• Other structures:
  • The site also features various megalithic structures, Tamil Brahmi inscriptions, Jain Beds, and 2,200-year-old rock-cut temples, lending it historical value.

Biodiversity Heritage Sites

• About:
  • Biodiversity heritage sites are well-defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems with high diversity of wild and domesticated species, presence of rare and threatened species, and keystone species. 
• Statute:
  • The significance and aims of BHS are outlined in Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act of 2002. 
  • As per provision under Section 37(1) of ‘Biological Diversity Act, 2002’: The State Government may, from time to time in consultation with the local bodies, notify in the Official Gazette, areas of biodiversity importance as under this Act.
• First BHS of India:
  • Nallur Tamarind Grove in Bengaluru, Karnataka was the first Biodiversity Heritage Site of India, declared in 2007.
• Significance:
  • Creation of BHS may not put any restriction on the prevailing practices and usages of the local communities, other than those voluntarily decided by them. 
  • The purpose is to enhance the quality of life of the local communities through conservation measures.

Carbon Border Tax 

Context

• At COP27  India, China, Brazil, South Africa opposed the ‘carbon border tax’.

About Carbon Border Adjustment Tax

• The European Union has proposed a policy — called the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism —  to tax products such as cement and steel that are extremely carbon intensive, with effect from 2026.
• It is a duty on imports based on the amount of carbon emissions resulting from the production of the product in question. 
  • As a price on carbon, it discourages emissions. As a trade-related measure, it affects production and exports.
• Opposition : BASIC, a group constituting Brazil, India, South Africa and China, and therefore large economies that are significantly dependent on coal, has for several years voiced common concerns and reiterated their right to use fossil fuel in the interim during their countries’ eventual transformation to clean energy sources.
  • They  jointly stated that carbon border taxes, that could result in market distortion and aggravate the trust deficit amongst parties, must be avoided.

Melocanna Baccifera

Context

• Recently, a study spanning 13 years has given information about flowering in Melocanna baccifera.
  • Melocanna baccifera flowers almost fully synchronically every 48 years.

Outcomes of the recent study

• Bamboo death and Rat floods 
  • It has long fascinated researchers for its association with the occurrence of bamboo death, rat floods and famines in northeast India.
  • It is called ‘Muli’ in northeast India.
• Population boom in rats 
  • Researchers detected a correlation between the sugar content in the fruit of Melocanna baccifera and the frenzied feeding and population boom in rats during ‘Mautam’, the cyclical, mass bamboo flowering that occurs once in 48 years.

About Melocanna Baccifera

• It is one of two bamboo species belonging to the Melocanna genus.
• It is the largest fruit-producing bamboo. 
• It grows up to 10–25 m tall. 
• It is native to Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, and Thailand.
• It is an invasive species that can occupy large areas due to its long and vigorous rhizomes and, in flowering, for its fruits that are easy to germinate.