Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (Environment) – June 13, 2020

The concept of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) was enshrined as Principle 7 of the Rio Declaration at the first Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The declaration states:

• “In view of the different contributions to global environmental degradation, States have common but differentiated responsibilities.
• The developed countries acknowledge the responsibility that they bear in the international pursuit of sustainable development in view of the pressures their societies place on the global environment and of the technologies and financial resources they command.”

The targets for the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol cover emissions of the six main greenhouse gases, namely:

• Carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Methane (CH4)
• Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
• Hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCs)
• Per-fluorocarbons (PFCs) and
• Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

MARKAL computes energy balances at all levels of an energy system: primary resources, secondary fuels, final energy, and energy services.

• The model aims to supply energy services at minimum global cost by simultaneously making equipment investment and operating decisions and primary energy supply decisions, by region.
• For example, in MARKAL, if there is an increase in residential lighting energy service (perhaps due to a decline in the cost of residential lighting), either existing generation equipment must be used more intensively or new equipment must be installed.
• The choice of generation equipment (type and fuel) incorporates analysis of both the characteristics of alternative generation technologies and the economics of primary energy supply.
• MARKAL is thus a vertically integrated model of the entire energy system.

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 64/236 of 24 December 2009, in which it decided to organize the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development at the highest possible level in 2012, as well as its resolution 66/197 of 22 December 2011.

• Expresses its profound gratitude to the Government and the people of Brazil for hosting the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro (RIO+20 summit) from 20 to 22 June 2012, and for providing all the necessary support.
• Endorses the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want“, annexed to the present resolution.

The Agasthyamalai Mountain falls in the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu and the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala.

• It is a Sacred Mountain and pilgrim centre, where devotees come to worship sage Agasthya. Agasthya was a Dravidian sage, and is considered to be one of the seven rishis (saptarishi) of Hindu mythology. The Tamil language is considered to be a boon from Agasthya. There is a statue of Agasthya at the top of the peak and the devotees can render poojas themselves.
• The Agasthyamalai region constitutes an extensive and compact tract of forest-clad mountains and plays a very important role as a watershed and repository of biodiversity. The region receives precipitation from both the southwest and northeast monsoons and has a very short dry season of less than 2-3 months duration.
• Agasthyamalai is one of the few safest homes in Western Ghats for many endemic animals such as Lion -Tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Brown Palm Civet, Malabar Spiny Dormouse, Nilgiri Marten and Nilgiri Tahr. The eastern side of Agasthyamalai is composed of the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), a 900 sq km. protected area.

Indian pangolin.

Statement 1 is correct: Of the eight extant species of pangolin, the Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata and Chinese Pangolin M. pentadactyla occur in India. Indian Pangolin is a large anteater covered dorsally by 11-13 rows of scales.

• The adult male is about one-third larger than the female. A terminal scale is also present on the ventral side of the tail of the Indian Pangolin, which is absent in the Chinese Pangolin.
• Its sticky tongue, which is longer than its body, is specially adapted for reaching and lapping up insects in deep crevices.
• To tear open the anthills or termite mounds, it uses the powerful forelimbs that are armed with three disproportionately long claws. In sharp contrast, the hind legs have tough soles and short, blunt nails on the five toes.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Listed in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and as Endangered on IUCN Red List.

India, with the help of Bangladesh and Nepal, is engaged in a tough battle at the forum for international trade for endangered species to de-list ‘Dalbergia sisoo’, commonly known as rosewood or sheesham, from the list of threatened varieties in order to protect the livelihood of handicraft manufacturers and farmers in the Sub-continent.

• The Ministry has submitted a proposal to CITES based on Non Detrimental Finding (NDF) study carried out by Botanical Survey of India, which shows that Dalbergia sissoo does not fall into any threatened category and is available in abundance both in wild and cultivated populations.
• Moreover, the species grows at a very fast rate and has the capacity to become naturalized outside its native range.

Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko).

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko) is one of the largest geckos in the country and the world; at about 15 inches the males are gigantic. This is a nocturnal arboreal gecko, ranging from northeast India, to Nepal and Bangladesh, throughout Southeast Asia, Philippines to Indonesia and western New Guinea. They are very colorful lizards too.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) was included for the first time under Appendix II of CITES at the Conference of the Parties (CoP18) to the convention. The gecko is used in Chinese traditional medicine and traded throughout south-east Asia in dried form or preserved in alcohol.

Asian Elephant: It is found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar. IUCN status of Asian Elephant is Endangered. It is also listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Great Indian Bustard: It is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world. Its largest populations are found in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is state bird of Rajasthan. It is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List. It is also listed in Appendix I of CITES and Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Bengal Florican: In India it is found in Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It has been listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List. The bird is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of India, 1972 and Appendix I of CITES.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen outlined the European Green Deal on Wednesday, vowing to “leave no-one behind” in the race to achieve a climate neutral economy by 2050. “This is Europe’s man on the moon moment,” she said in a video statement. “Our goal is to reconcile the economy with our planet” and “to make it work for our people,” she added, describing climate policy as Europe’s new growth strategy.

Here are the main points in the commission plan:

• ‘Climate neutral’ Europe: This is the overarching objective of the European Green Deal. The EU will aim to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, a goal that will be enshrined in a ‘climate law’ to be presented in March 2020.
• Circular economy: A new circular economy action plan will be tabled in March 2020, as part of a broader EU industrial strategy. It will include a sustainable product policy with “prescriptions on how we make things” in order to use less materials, and ensure products can be reused and recycled.
• Building renovation: This is meant to be one of the flagship programmes of the Green Deal. The key objective there is to “at least double or even triple” the renovation rate of buildings, which currently stands at around 1%.
• Zero-pollution: Whether in air, soil or water, the objective is to reach a “pollution-free environment” by 2050. New initiatives there include a chemical strategy for a “toxic-free environment”.
• Ecosystems & biodiversity: A new biodiversity strategy will be presented in March 2020, in the run-up to a UN biodiversity summit taking place in China in October. “Europe wants to lead by example” with new measures to address the main drivers of biodiversity loss. That includes measures to tackle soil and water pollution as well as a new forest strategy.
• Farm to fork strategy: To be tabled in spring 2020, the new strategy will aim for a “green and healthier agriculture” system. This includes plans to “significantly reduce the use of chemical pesticides, fertilisers and antibiotics”.
• Transport: One year after the EU agreed new CO2 emission standards for cars, the automotive sector is once again in the commission’s firing line. The current objective is to reach 95gCO2/km by 2021.
• Money: To “leave no-one behind,” the commission proposes a ‘Just Transition Mechanism’ to help regions most heavily dependent on fossil fuels. “We have the ambition to mobilise €100 billion precisely targeted to the most vulnerable regions and sectors”.