Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (Environment) | November 7,2020

Green bonds are debt instruments issued by financial, non-financial or public entities where the proceeds are ‘ear-marked’ for use towards financing ‘green’ projects.
•India’s First Green Bond was issued by Yes Bank Ltd in 2015.
•In 2016, India became second country (after China) to provide national level guidelines for Green bonds, issued by SEBI.
•According to the 2019-20 Economic Survey, India has the second largest green bond market among emerging economies after China.
•India has issued $10.2 billion of green bonds in the first half of 2019.
•India’s first listed Green Bond on ‘India INX’ issued by Indian Railway Finance Corporation.
Source: The Hindu

Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) are being introduced with the roll-out of BS VI norms, which were not a part of BS IV.
•Real Driving Emission (RDE) will be introduced in India for the first time with the implementation of Bharat Stage VI emission norms.
•It will measure a vehicle’s emission in real-time conditions against laboratory conditions.
•Onboard Diagnostics (OD) has been made mandatory for all vehicles which will give the vehicle owner or repair technician access to the status of the various vehicle sub-systems.
Source: MOEFCC

: Petcoke is a by-product (carbonaceous solid) of the oil refinery process mainly “the bottom of the barrel.”
It is characterized as a high grade fuel with high calorific value of more than 8,000 Kcal per kg, having low ash content and low volatile matter but high sulphur content, up to 7%.
Source: Indian Express

The permissible limit according to the World Health Organization (WHO) is 30 microgram per litre.
•However, unlike the limits for arsenic and other toxic or heavy metals specified in the under Bureau of Indian Standards’ Drinking Water Specifications, there is no limit maintained for uranium.
•Earlier, a report brought by Central Ground Water Board noted widespread uranium contamination in groundwater from aquifers across 16 states in India including Punjab, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, etc.
Uranium can cause serious ailments such as:
•If uranium-laced water, more than permissible level, is consumed for long, it can cause thyroid cancer, blood cancer, depression and other serious ailments.
•Some studies have also linked the excessive ingestion of uranium to chronic kidneys disease.
Source: Down to Earth

Dobson Unit is the most common unit for measuring ozone concentration. One Dobson Unit is the number of molecules of ozone that would be required to create a layer of pure ozone 0.01 millimeters thick at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 1 atmosphere.
Source: NOAA

Petersburg Dialogue was launched in 2010 by Germany after failed climate negotiations at the 2009 Copenhagen Summit.
•It is an informal annual meeting of the high-level ministers and representatives of various countries that enables them to have constructive exchanges on the issues of international climate actions.
•The co-chair of the Climate Dialogue is the country presiding over the next conference of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Source: The Hindu

The Southern Annular Mode (SAM), also known as the Antarctic Oscillation (AAO), refers to the (non-seasonal) north-south movement of the strong westerly winds that blow almost continuously in the mid- to high latitudes of the southern hemisphere.

Agasthyavanam was established in 1997, Agasthyavanam Biological Park is a wildlife sanctuary in Kerala.
•The park is located near Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala.
•Agasthyavanam Biological Park is spread over an area of 23 sq. km., of which 17.5 sq. km. of the park has been dedicated for natural regeneration to develop into a dense forest.
•It is contiguous to Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary.
•The rest area of the park is left for systematic conservation programs.
•The park has been named after the Agasthyamalai Agasthyakoodam Peak, which can be seen at a distance from the park.
•Forest Department is procuring forest produce collected by the tribes people of the Agasthyavanam Biological Park (ABP) and surrounding forest ranges to be sold to commercial establishments and various collectives to deal with the lockdown necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic
Source: The Hindu

The Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) was created in 2015 by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to develop consistent climate-related financial risk disclosures for use by companies, banks, and investors in providing information to stakeholders.
•Increasing the amount of reliable information on financial institutions’ exposure to climate-related risks and opportunities will strengthen the stability of the financial system, contribute to greater understanding of climate risks and facilitate financing the transition to a more stable and sustainable economy.
•Following the publication of the final recommendations by FSB’s TCFD in June 2017, UNEP FI began a series of ‘TCFD Pilot Projects’ for banks, investors, and insurers. Participants in these pilots have worked to pioneer practical approaches for the assessment and disclosure of climate risks and opportunities.
Source: World Bank

Assam has added to India’s botanical wealth a plant that yields dragon’s blood — a bright red resin used since ancient times as medicine, body oil, varnish, incense and dye.
•A trio of researchers led by Assam forest officials has discovered Dracaena cambodiana, a dragon tree species in the Dongka Sarpo area of West Karbi Anglong.
•This is for the first time that a dragon tree species has been reported from India.
•Dracaena cambodiana is an important medicinal plant as well as an ornamental tree.
•It is a major source of dragon’s blood, a precious traditional medicine in China.
Several antifungal and antibacterial compounds, antioxidants, flavonoids, etc., have been extracted from various parts of the plant.
Source: The Hindu