Environmental Issues

Two researchers from Tamil Nadu have spotted a rare moth species, Mimeusemia cylonica for the first time in India in the buffer zone of the Kalakkad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) after it was last sighted 127 years ago — at Trincomalee in Sri Lanka in 1893. Mimeusemia ceylonica is a moth of the …

NASA announced that it is partnering with the Italian Space Agency ASI (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana) to build and launch MAIA, or the Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols missions. The joint mission will investigate the health impacts of air pollution in the world’s most populated cities. MAIA will make radiometric and polarimetric measurements needed to characterize the sizes, compositions and quantities of particulate matter in air …

Change in debris cover plays a critical role in the glacier surface lowering, shrinkage, retreat, and mass balance, according to a recent study. Therefore, these factors need to be accounted for in future studies for a complete understanding of the observed glacier changes and responses. Despite the importance of the …

Last week, the UN member states agreed on a historic treaty for protecting marine life in international waters that lie outside the jurisdiction of any country. The ‘breakthrough’ followed talks led by the UN during the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) where negotiations …

Nearly 6.37 lakh Olive Ridley turtles have arrived for mass nesting on the Rushikulya coast this year, setting a new record for the beach in Ganjam district of Odisha. The arrival of the turtles for laying eggs from February 23 to March 2 — which is treated as the mass …

Recent investigation by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) revealed that India has become the second largest importer of “conflict wood” from Myanmar, after China. India hasn’t banned the import of teak from Myanmar, which is being exported to the US & EU. These supplies of teak not only chip away at the Myanmar’s …

World Wildlife Day (WWD) was commemorated recently. To draw attention to issues of conservation of flora and fauna. It marks the 50th anniversary of CITES’ establishment. CITES is considered a landmark agreement on conservation that focuses on ensuring the sustainability of endangered species. Theme: Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation. What is the CITES? CITES is an international agreement between governments. Its …

The report said 75 per cent of methane emissions from the energy sector can be reduced with the help of cheap and readily available technology. However, fossil fuel companies have failed to take any substantial action regarding the issue. According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) annual Methane Global Tracker …

Things aren’t looking too good for coral reefs. They’re suffering from bleaching, overfishing and are being cooked by warming oceans. Coral reefs are essentially just big limestone structures built by thousands of tiny coral creatures called polyps. They’re found in more than 100 countries, and just like pina coladas, they …

The burgeoning problem of managing e-waste is a cross cutting and persisting challenge in an era of rapid urbanisation, digitalisation and population growth. The first set of e-waste Rules was notified in 2011 and came into effect in 2012. An important component of the Rules (2011) was the introduction of …