GIST of India Year Book 2024 : Chapter-24 : Environment (Arora IAS)

Chapter-24 : Environment

Short Notes or Revision Notes 

GIST of India Year Book 2024

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)

Focus Areas:

• Conservation of forests, biodiversity, and pollution prevention.
• International collaboration with UNEP and ICIMOD.

Biodiversity & Conservation:

• Botanical Survey of India (BSI): Researches plant diversity.
• Zoological Survey of India (ZSI): Researches animal diversity.
• Forest Survey of India (FSI): Assesses forest resources.
• Implementation of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) through:
  • Biological Diversity Act.
  • National Biodiversity Action Plan.
• Biosphere Reserves & Biodiversity Heritage Sites: Designated for conservation.
• International Day for Biodiversity: May 22nd.

Forest Management:

• Forest Policy Division: Oversees national forest policies and international cooperation.
  • Forest cover: 24.62% of India.
• Forest Conservation Division: Manages proposals for non-forestry land use.
• Forest Protection Division: Addresses illegal logging, encroachment, and forest fires.
  • Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022:
    • Project Screening Committee for participation.
    • Delegates power for faster processing.

Wildlife Management:

• Wildlife Division: Oversees wildlife policies and laws.
  • Project Elephant: Protects elephants and habitat.
  • Asiatic Lion Conservation Project.
• Autonomous bodies:
  • Wildlife Institute of India: Research.
  • Central Zoo Authority: Zoo management standards.
  • National Tiger Conservation Authority: Tiger conservation.
  • Wildlife Crime Control Bureau: Combats wildlife crime.
  • National Zoological Park: Complements national conservation efforts.
• Project Tiger (1973): Increased India’s tiger population to 2,967 (highest globally).
  • International Tiger Day: July 29th.
• Cheetah reintroduction project for ecosystem restoration.

Animal Welfare:

• Animal Welfare Board of India: Advises on animal welfare (domesticated & captive wild).

Pollution Control:

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (since 1994): Integrates environmental concerns into development projects.

Air Pollution:

• Regulated under Air Act and Environment Act.
• Measures include monitoring, standards, and National Clean Air Programme.

Noise Pollution:

• Monitoring and reduction measures in urban areas.
• Advisories, regulations, and awareness campaigns.

Plastic Waste Management:

• Phase-out of single-use plastics.
• Extended Producer Responsibility for plastic packaging waste.

Waste Management:

• Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) reduce treatment costs for small-scale industries.
• Hazardous Substances Management Division oversees hazardous waste and chemical emergencies.
• Hazardous Waste Management Rules regulate waste generation, treatment, and disposal (aligned with Basel Convention).

E-Waste Management

• Producers set up collection systems and manage environmentally sound disposal of electronic waste.

Solid Waste Management

• Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016: Mandate waste segregation in urban areas, industrial sites, and government establishments.
• Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016: Regulate plastic usage, increase plastic thickness, and promote recycling.

Fly Ash Utilisation

• Regulations promote fly ash utilisation in construction, transforming it from waste to a resource.

International Conventions

• Basel Convention: Hazardous waste.
• Rotterdam Convention: Hazardous chemicals.
• Stockholm Convention: Persistent organic pollutants.
• Minamata Convention: Mercury.

National River Conservation Plan (1985)

• Aims to improve water quality in major rivers through pollution abatement projects (central-state cost sharing).

Wetlands Conservation

• National Wetland Conservation Programme: Conserves wetlands (India a Ramsar Convention signatory).
• Wetlands Rules, 2010: Regulate wetland conservation.
• World Wetlands Day observed annually.

National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board (1992)

• Promotes afforestation, ecological restoration, and ecodevelopment activities in degraded forest areas, focusing on rural communities’ needs.

National Mission for Green India

• Protects and enhances forest cover, counters climate change, promotes ecosystem services and alternative fuel energy (part of National Action Plan on Climate Change).

Eco-Sensitive Areas in Western Ghats

• Designated to conserve the biodiversity hotspot and support sustainable development, balancing conservation with regional needs.

Wildlife Conservation

• Wildlife Institute of India (WII): Premier institution for wildlife research and training (South Asia).

National Green Tribunal (NGT) (2010)

• Expedites environmental cases, enforces legal rights, provides relief, and compensates for damages (specialized expertise, multiple locations).

Climate Change Initiatives

• National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
• National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC).
• Climate Change Action Programme: Focuses on mitigation, adaptation, and knowledge dissemination.

Paris Agreement and Green Climate Fund

• India ratified Paris Agreement in 2016.
• Engages with Green Climate Fund for projects addressing climate change impacts (mitigation & adaptation).

Himalayan Environment

• Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (GBPNIHE): Research on environmental studies, technological solutions, and local knowledge enhancement in the Indian Himalayas.

Natural History and Ozone Protection

• National Museum of Natural History (NMNH): Promotes environmental awareness through exhibits and educational activities.
• India’s Ozone Cell supports ozone layer protection through international agreements and domestic policies.

International Agreements (Ozone Layer)

• Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol: Aim to protect the ozone layer (Montreal Protocol successful in phasing out ozone-depleting substances).

UN Convention to Combat Desertification

• India addresses land degradation and desertification through national policies (coordinated by MoEF&CC’s Desertification Cell).

Global Environment Initiatives

• UNEP, GEF involvement and Mission LiFE launch showcase India’s commitment to:
  • Sustainable lifestyles.
  • Innovative environmental solutions.

UNFCCC COP Conferences

• India actively participates, advocating for:
  • Equitable climate action.
  • Financial support.
  • Technology transfer.
• COP 27: Transformative education emphasized.
• COP 28: Agreements to reduce fossil fuel consumption.

India’s Contribution to Climate Action

• International Solar Alliance (ISA).
• Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
• Lead IT (Lead Innovation for Transforming Infrastructure).
• Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS).

India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)

• Eight key goals:
  • Sustainable lifestyles.
  • Cleaner economic development.
  • Reduced emission intensity of GDP.
  • Increased share of non-fossil fuel based electricity.
  • Enhanced carbon sink.
  • Adaptation and mobilizing finance.
  • Technology transfer and capacity building.

Green Credits Programme (Oct 2023)

• Creates a market-based incentive for various environment-positive actions, not just carbon emission reductions.