Launched in 2007 by the African Union, the Great Green Wall (GGW) stretches across the Sahel region from Senegal in the West to Djibouti in the East of Africa.
The initiative covers a total area of 156 million hectares, with major intervention zones in Niger, Mali, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
The GGW symbolizes hope against the challenge of desertification and aims to become the largest living structure on the planet, three times the size of the Great Barrier Reef.
According to a recent FAO study, the GGW is a significant contribution to combating climate change.
The project envisions a green corridor 8,000 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, composed of trees, grasslands, and other vegetation across Africa.
By 2030, the goal is to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land, sequester 250 million tons of carbon, and create 10 million green jobs.
As of 2019, the initiative has restored 4 million hectares.
Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021
India is the first country to include environmental protection in its constitution.
The Wildlife Protection Act provides for a wildlife advisory board, wildlife wardens, and specifies their powers and duties, organized into six schedules:
Schedule 1 and Part 2 of Schedule II: Species receive the highest protection, with severe penalties for violations.
Schedule III and IV: Species are protected but with lower penalties.
Schedule V: Lists animals that can be hunted.
Schedule VI: Lists plants that are banned from cultivation, collection, and trade.
The proposed amendments aim to streamline wildlife management by establishing standing committees at the state level, similar to the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). These committees will make decisions on wildlife management and project permissions without necessarily referring them to the NBWL.
A new Chapter VB will regulate international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora.
The Act’s schedules have been consolidated from six to four.
Section 42A has been added, stipulating that surrendered articles or animals become state property.
Wildlife Management Plans for sanctuaries and national parks will now be part of the Wildlife Act and must be approved by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state, rather than through executive orders.
The amendments aim to align the Wildlife Protection Act with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). India has previously been blacklisted by CITES, and another blacklisting could impact the livelihood of many who depend on the trade of plant specimens.
IUCN World Conservation Congress 202
The IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020, the largest global environmental decision-making forum, was held in Marseille, France, from September 2021, having been postponed from June 2020.
Conducted every four years by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Congress began in the United States in 1948.
IUCN is a membership union of over 1,400 organizations and engages more than 18,000 experts from both government and civil society..
Global Indigenous Agenda
The Global Indigenous Agenda advocates for the recognition and protection of collective indigenous rights and governance over lands, territories, waters, coastal seas, and natural resources.
Developed by IUCN’s Indigenous Peoples Organisation Members, it emphasizes securing these rights and governance structures.
Question for Great Green Wall (GGW) Programme
Try yourself:
What is the main goal of the Great Green Wall initiative?
Explanation
- The Great Green Wall initiative aims to combat desertification and restore degraded land in Africa to combat climate change.
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IUCN Red List Update
Recent updates to the IUCN Red List show positive developments for four of the seven most commercially fished tuna species: Atlantic bluefin, Southern bluefin, Albacore, Yellowfin, Bigeye, and Pacific bluefin tunas. These species have exhibited signs of recovery.
The Komodo dragon, the world’s largest living lizard found in Indonesia, has been reclassified from vulnerable to endangered.
Kunming Declaration on Biodiversity
The Kunming Declaration was adopted by over 100 countries during the first part of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), held virtually on October 12-13, 2021, in Kunming, China.
The Declaration, signed by all participating countries, calls for urgent and integrated action to integrate biodiversity considerations across all sectors of the global economy.
Its theme, “Ecological Civilization: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth,” includes the “30 by 30” goal, which aims to protect 30% of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030.
Cartagena Protocol
The Cartagena Protocol is an international treaty regulating the transboundary movement of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology.
Nagoya Protocol
The Nagoya Protocol addresses the Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS).
Kunming Biodiversity Fund
China has pledged USD 233 million to the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, designed to support biodiversity protection in developing countries.
Some critics view this fund as insufficient, given China’s status as the world’s largest polluter.
Environmental Concerns and Laws
Environmental Laws (Amendment)
The Environmental Laws (Amendment) Bill proposes changes to the Environment Protection Act 1986 and the National Green Tribunal Act 2010. The amendments aim to introduce stricter penal provisions and a monetary penalty system for environmental violations.
Environmental Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2015
Published on October 7, 2015, by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), this draft bill aims to enhance deterrent penal measures and introduce monetary penalties for environmental violations.
Violations are categorized into three types: minor, non-substantial, and substantial.
The bill proposes that monetary penalties for substantial violations be used for environmental remediation and reclamation.
Environment Protection Act, 1986
Enacted based on the principles from the United Nations Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm, the Environment Protection Act 1986 focuses on imposing penalties on those who threaten environmental safety and health.
National Green Tribunal Act, 2010
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established on October 18, 2010, under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 to address environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues. It replaced the National Environment Appellate Authority and is inspired by Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees a healthy environment for Indian citizens.
India’s Response to Climate Change
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
The NAPCC outlines both current and future policies for climate mitigation and adaptation. It identifies eight core national missions, which were initially set to run until 2017: Solar Energy, Enhanced Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, Green India, Sustainable Agriculture, and Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change. Most of these missions focus strongly on adaptation.
National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF)
Established in 2010, the NCEF is aimed at financing and promoting clean energy projects and funding related research in India. The fund is generated by levying a cess of INR 50 per tonne of coal produced or imported, which was increased to INR 100 in 2014.
Paris Agreement
Under the Paris Agreement, India has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 33-35% below 2005 levels by 2030. Additionally, 40% of India’s power capacity is to come from non-fossil fuel sources, and India aims to create an extra carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
The ISA was launched on November 30, 2015, during the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris by India and France, with the presence of former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Bharat Stage (BS) Emission Norms
Emissions from vehicles are a significant source of air pollution. The government introduced BS 2000 (Bharat Stage 1) emission norms in April 2000, followed by BS-II in 2005 and BS-III in 2010. In 2016, India decided to skip BS-V norms and move directly to BS-VI to align with global best practices.
Question for Great Green Wall (GGW) Programme
Try yourself:
Which international treaty regulates the transboundary movement of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology?
Explanation
- The Cartagena Protocol is an international treaty regulating the transboundary movement of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.
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Climate Change Performance Index 2022
The 2022 Climate Change Performance Index left the top three overall rankings empty due to no country meeting all criteria effectively.
Sweden ranked 4th.
India is ranked 10th with a score of 69.22, categorized as a ‘high performer’ overall but as ‘medium’ in renewable energy.
China is ranked 37th overall with a “low” rating.
The Index, compiled by Germanwatch, New Climate Institute, and Climate Action Network, monitors climate mitigation progress across 60 countries and the EU.
It is based on 14 indicators under four parameters.
26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26)
Originally scheduled for November 9-19, 2020, COP26 was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and began on October 31, 2021.
Climate Change and Its Implications
The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), released in August 2021, highlighted the urgent risks of global temperature rise, noting significant human impact on the atmosphere, oceans, and land. This is causing more frequent and intense extreme climate events such as droughts, extreme rainfall, rising sea levels, and heatwaves.
12th Emissions Gap Report
The 12th Emissions Gap Report, released by the UN Environment Programme, indicates that current climate action is insufficient to curb rising global temperatures. There is a substantial gap between current emissions reduction pledges for 2030 and the required levels to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C or 2°C, potentially leading to a 2.7°C increase by the century’s end. The report emphasizes the shrinking window to reduce emissions effectively.
Pre-Summit Goals for COP26
Prior to COP26, four primary goals were set: achieving global net-zero emissions by mid-century and maintaining the 1.5°C target, adapting to protect communities and natural habitats, mobilizing finance for these goals, and developing detailed rules to support the Paris Agreement.
COP26 Goals
The conference aimed to secure global net-zero by 2050, promote ambitious 2030 emissions reduction targets, and protect and restore ecosystems. It also called for developed countries to fulfill their commitment of USD 100 billion in annual climate finance and to frame detailed rules for the Paris Agreement.
Glasgow Summit Outcomes
At COP26, 12 countries pledged $12 billion in public funding for developing countries.
Funding is aimed at restoring degraded lands and combating wildfires.
Additionally, 28 countries committed to removing deforestation from global food trade.
Targeted products include palm oil, soy, and cocoa.
The summit’s major agreement is a pledge to halt deforestation by 2030.
This builds on the 2014 New York Declaration on Forests.
The goal of the declaration is to halve deforestation rates by 2020 and end it by 2030.
Over 100 leaders have committed to reversing deforestation and land degradation.
Nearly £14 billion ($19.2 billion) has been pledged for these efforts.
The US and the EU announced a global partnership to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
Clydebank Declaration
Signed at COP26, the Clydebank Declaration involves 22 countries, including the US, Japan, Australia, and Canada, agreeing to develop at least six green shipping corridors (zero-emission maritime routes) by 2025 and more by 2030. India has not yet adopted this declaration.
IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the first part of its Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) titled Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Key points include:
The Earth's average surface temperature is expected to surpass 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels within the next 20 years (by 2040), and 2°C by mid-century if emissions are not sharply reduced. This is the first time the IPCC has stated that 1.5°C warming is inevitable even under the best-case scenario.
The last decade was the hottest in the past 125,000 years.
CO2 concentrations are the highest they have been in at least two million years. The world has already utilized 86% of its available carbon budget.
Sea levels have increased threefold compared to the period from 1901 to 1971.
Kigali Amendment to the 1989 Montreal Protocol
India has decided to ratify the Kigali Amendment, a significant addition to the 1989 Montreal Protocol.
The Montreal Protocol is focused on protecting the Earth from ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
These CFCs were replaced by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which, while not harming the ozone layer, are highly potent in causing global warming.
The Kigali Amendment aims to phase out HFCs, with the goal of achieving over an 80% reduction in their consumption by 2047.
Under this amendment, India will reduce HFCs in four steps starting from 2032, with a cumulative reduction of:
10% by 2032
20% by 2037
30% by 2042
85% by 2047
Question for Great Green Wall (GGW) Programme
Try yourself:
Which major agreement was made at the COP26 summit to address the issue of deforestation?
Explanation
- The major agreement made at the COP26 summit to address the issue of deforestation was a pledge to halt deforestation by 2030.
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Connect Karo 2021
The Union Home Minister addressed the Connect Karo 2021 event, which focuses on creating equitable and sustainable Indian cities. This event is part of a global series organized by the World Resources Institute (WRI) India, which brings together leaders and stakeholders to discuss inclusive, sustainable, and climate-forward city designs. WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, features presentations on topics such as air pollution, electric mobility, urban planning, urban water resilience, climate mitigation, and public transit.
Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue (CAFMD)
India and the USA have launched the Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue (CAFMD).
This initiative is part of the India-U.S. Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 partnership.
It was introduced at the Leaders’ Summit on Climate in April 2021.
The partnership aims to provide financial and technological support to India.
This support is intended to help India meet its Paris Agreement goals.
The focus is on transitioning to renewable energy by 2030.
The revamped U.S.-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) is the first track of this agenda.
India Assumes UNSC Presidency
India has assumed the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), taking over from France. This marks India's first presidency during its 2021-22 tenure as a non-permanent UNSC member. India began its two-year term as a non-permanent UNSC member in January 2021, marking its eighth term on the UNSC.
India’s 5-Point Agenda to Enhance Maritime Cooperation
Prime Minister Modi has outlined a five-point framework for maritime security at the UNSC:
Removing barriers to legitimate maritime trade.
Resolving maritime disputes peacefully in accordance with international law.
Addressing threats from natural disasters and non-state actors.
Conserving marine resources.
Promoting responsible maritime connectivity.
India Re-elected to International Maritime Organisation Council
India has been re-elected to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council for the 2022-23 biennium during the 32nd IMO Assembly in London. India is elected under Category A, which includes the 10 states with "the largest interest in international seaborne trade." The other countries in this category are Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Question for Great Green Wall (GGW) Programme
Try yourself:
Which initiative aims to provide financial and technological support to India to help meet its Paris Agreement goals?
Explanation
- The Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue (CAFMD) initiative aims to provide financial and technological support to India to help meet its Paris Agreement goals.
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Global Commons
Global commons are traditionally defined as areas of the planet that fall outside national jurisdictions and are accessible to all nations. They do not belong to any single community or individual, but to all of humanity. International law identifies four global commons:
The High Seas
The Atmosphere
Antarctica
Outer Space
Significance of Commons Globally
Area: About a third of the global population relies on global commons for survival, and 65% of the global land area is covered by commons in various forms.
Carbon Storage: The collective forestlands of indigenous peoples and local communities store at least 293,061 million metric tonnes of carbon (MtC).
Pollination: The role of commons in supporting pollination, estimated to be worth $224 billion annually at a global level, is significant.
In India’s Context
The extent of common land in India ranges from 48.69 million to 84.2 million hectares, representing 15-25% of its total geographical area.
Common-Pool Resources: These resources contribute $5 billion annually to the incomes of poor Indian households.
Around 77% of India's livestock is raised in grazing-based or extensive systems dependent on commons.
Approximately 53% of India's milk and 74% of its meat requirements are met from livestock kept in extensive common systems.
Issues Related to Global Commons
Multilateral Negotiations: Efforts to address climate change and other global commons issues through multilateral negotiations have seen limited success.
Governance Challenges: While local community-level governance might offer some insights, these do not directly tackle global-scale challenges.
National Interests: Countries often prioritize their own interests over global commons, leading to insufficient attention to their deteriorating conditions.
According to a report by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), biodiversity has been so poorly managed that 60% of the lost resources cannot be recovered. Problems within global commons include the spread of zoonotic diseases like COVID-19, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, overfishing, and the accumulation of plastic waste.
India
Despite their importance, commons in India have faced ongoing decline and degradation.
Data from the National Sample Survey Office show a 1.9% quinquennial decline in common land area, with microstudies indicating a more rapid decline of 31-55% over 50 years. This decline has negatively impacted key systemic drivers like soil health, moisture, nutrient levels, biomass, and biodiversity, exacerbating food, fodder, and water crises.
India Energy Outlook 2021
The first India Energy Outlook report was released in 2015 by the International Energy Agency (IEA). A new, India-specific energy outlook report was published in February 2021.
The India Energy Outlook is a country-specific version of the IEA’s World Energy Outlook. Notably, the report projects that India will surpass the European Union to become the world’s third-largest energy consumer by 2030.
The report highlights two positive developments in India’s energy sector:
Household electrification: India’s progress in providing electricity to millions of its citizens.
Growth in renewable energy: India’s advancements in the solar energy sector.
Question for Great Green Wall (GGW) Programme
Try yourself:
What are the four global commons identified by international law?
Explanation
- The global commons identified by international law include the High Seas, the Atmosphere, Antarctica, and Outer Space. These areas are accessible to all nations and do not fall under any single jurisdiction.
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India to Become Third-Largest Energy Consumer by 2030
Industrialization in India is expected to drive it to account for nearly 20% of global growth in industrial value-added and lead in global growth in industrial final energy consumption, particularly in steel-making by 2040.
India’s oil import bill could double by 2030.
The demand for natural gas is projected to triple and exceed expectations by 2040.
India’s energy sector, predominantly reliant on coal, is set to see an increase in demand from 590 million tonnes (MT) to 772 MT by 2040.
The document Great Green Wall (GGW) Programme | Political Science for CUET(PG) - CUET PG is a part of the CUET PG Course Political Science for CUET(PG).