Frequent outbreaks of bird flu in Kerala require diagnostic studies Subject :Environment Kerala’s wetlands, which inhabitat more than 80 % of duck population, are under threat due to outbreaks of bird flu. Many of them are Ramsar sites with rich biodiversity. Ramsar sites require continuous monitoring and epidemiological studies; investigations required on whether […]
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals: Ecological connectivity Subject : Environment What is Ecological Connectivity? Definition: Ecological Connectivity is the unimpeded movement of species and the flow of natural processes that sustain life on Earth. Ecological connectivity is an essential part of nature. It is necessary for the functionality […]
India now has 212 indigenous livestock breeds after ICAR-NBAGR registers 10 new ones Subject: Environment Context: In the last one year, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has registered 10 new breeds of livestock species, including cattle, buffalo, goat and pig. This has taken the total number of indigenous breeds to 212 […]
First round of talks for a global plastic treaty was not a success Subject: Environment Context: On December 2, 2022, negotiators responsible for carving out a global treaty on ending plastic pollution by 2024 concluded their first ever meeting in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. Global Plastics Outlook: Economic Drivers, Environmental Impacts and Policy […]
World’s first vaccine for honeybees gets conditional nod in US Subject: Environment Context: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted a conditional licence for a vaccine for honeybees to curb American foulbrood (AFB), a fatal bacterial disease for the insect. American foulbrood (AFB): AFB is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus […]
Silent Valley bird species goes up to 175 Subject : Environment Context: A bird survey conducted at the Silent Valley National Park in the last week of December identified 141 species, of which 17 were new. So far, 175 species of birds have been spotted in Silent Valley. About the survey: The survey […]
Green hydrogen mission gets Cabinet nod, initial outlay Rs 19,744 crore Subject : Environment Context: With the aim to make India energy independent and decarbonise major sectors of the economy, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), with an initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore. More on the news: […]
New MoEFCC notification on fly ash includes solar, wind power plants for reclamation Subject: Environment Context: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) clarified the compliance dates for the complete utilisation of fly ash for thermal power plants (TPP) in a new notification. Major Highlights of the notification: It is […]
How termite behaviour is linked to a warming world Subject : Environment What did the study find? A recent study has found that termites decompose wood at a much higher rate in warmer conditions. For every 10 degrees Celsius increase in temperature, their decomposition activity goes up by almost seven times. These wood-eating […]
Indian Rhinoceros Subject: Environment Context: Assam Chief Minister has recently announced that no rhinos were poached in the state in 2022. More about Indian Rhinoceros The Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is found only in the Brahmaputra valley, parts of North Bengal, and parts of southern Nepal. It has a single black horn that […]