Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (Environment) – September 19, 2020

The world could be heading toward tipping points in the climate system.

• In an interconnected climate system, passing one tipping point may trigger a cascade of irreversible changes.
• As the world continues to warm, some call for urgent global action to avert an “existential threat to civilization.”
• We may be about to pass – or may already have passed – tipping points in the Earth’s climate, according to a group of leading scientists.

The scientist’s analyzed evidence on these nine components of our climate system – called “tipping points” because they are under growing threat of abrupt and irreversible changes.

The National Chambal Sanctuary, that stretches over the Chambal River (that spreads to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan).

• The sanctuary was granted Protected Area Status in 1979, to revive the gharial population that was once subject to rampant poaching.
• This river is home to freshwater river dolphins.
• The river is home to a variety of birds as well, including sandpipers and egrets and bar-headed geese.
• The red-naped ibis and Ruddy shelduck, as well as painted storks that added a dash of colour to the stark landscape.
• The famed gharials, crocodiles and the critically endangered red-crowned roofed turtles.
• The smooth-coated otters reside in Chambal Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu became the fifth State to declare a State butterfly and Tamil Yeoman bagged the distinction.

Maharashtra (Blue Mormon), Kerala (Malabar Banded Peacock), Uttarakhand (Common Peacock) and Karnataka (Southern Bird-wing).

Pushpawati River flows through the Valley of Flowers in Chamoli district in Garhwal region of the Indian state of Uttarakhand.

• The forests of Panna National Park along with Ken Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining territorial divisions form a significant part of the catchment area of the 406 km (252 mi) Ken River which runs northeast for about 72 km (45 mi) through the park.
• Kaziranga is a vast stretch of tall elephant grass, marshland and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests crisscrossed by four main rivers — Brahmaputra, Diphlu, Mora Diphlu and Mora Dhansiri and has numerous small water bodies.

The scope of the National Bio-fuels Policy encompasses following categories of fuels as “Biofuels” which can be used as transportation fuel or in stationery applications:—

• ‘bioethanol’: ethanol produced from biomass such as sugar containing materials, like sugar cane, sugar beet, sweet sorghum etc.; starch containing materials such as corn, cassava, rotten potatoes, algae etc.; and, cellulosic materials such as bagasse, wood waste, agricultural and forestry residues or other renewable resources like industrial waste;
• ‘biodiesel’: a methyl or ethyl ester of fatty acids produced from non-edible vegetable oils, acid oil, used cooking oil or animal fat and bio-oil;
• ‘Advanced biofuels’: Fuels which are (1) produced from lignocellulosic feedstocks (i.e. agricultural and forestry residues, e.g. rice & wheat straw/corn cobs & stover/bagasse, woody biomass), non-food crops (i.e. grasses, algae), or industrial waste and residue streams, (2) having low CO2 emission or high GHG reduction and do not compete with food crops for land use. Fuels such as Second Generation (2G) Ethanol, Drop-in fuels, algae based 3G biofuels, bio-CNG, bio-methanol, Di Methyl Ether (DME) derived from bio-methanol, biohydrogen, drop in fuels with MSW as the source / feedstock material will qualify as “Advanced Biofuels”.
• ‘drop-in fuels’: Any liquid fuel produced from Biomass, agri-residues, wastes such as Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW), Plastic wastes, Industrial wastes etc. which meets the Indian standards for MS, HSD and Jet fuel, in pure or blended form, for its subsequent utilization in vehicles without any modifications in the engine systems and can utilize existing petroleum distribution system.
• ‘bio-CNG’: Purified form of bio-Gas whose composition & energy potential is similar to that of fossil based natural gas and is produced from agricultural residues, animal dung, food waste, and MSW and Sewage water.

The European Investment Bank said that it would stop funding fossil fuel projects at the end of 2021, in a landmark decision.

• The ban on funding comes into effect a year later than originally proposed after lobbying by European Union member states.
• Under the new policy, energy projects applying for EIB funding will need to show they can produce one kilowatt hour of energy while emitting less than 250 grams of carbon dioxide, a move which bans traditional gas-burning power plants.
• Gas projects are still possible, but would have to be based on what the bank called “new technologies,” such as carbon capture and storage, combining heat and power generation or mixing in renewable gases with the fossil natural gas.
• The European Commission has only an observer role on the EIB board, but the powerful EU executive body has much sway and holds the power to cast a deciding vote at a deadlock between the bank’s current 28 shareholders, the EU member states.
• There was no need for that as the bank said that members representing 90% of its capital had approved the new energy lending policy.
• The EIB, the biggest multilateral lender in the world, has ambitious goals on sustainable finance.

The Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, confirmed avian botulism — a neuro-muscular illness caused by a toxin which is produced by a bacterial strain — as the reason for mass mortality of birds, including migratory species from Northern Asia, at Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan.

• The laboratory tests conducted on the samples of carcasses collected from the lake confirmed the disease infecting the birds, the probability of which was earlier stated by veterinarians in the State.
• The illness, caused by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum, affected the nervous system of birds, leading to flaccid paralysis in their legs and wings and neck touching the ground.
• More than 18,000 carcasses of birds have been removed from the lake and its catchment area so far, raising concern among environmentalists and ornithologists.
• The scientists at IVRI found the samples infested with maggots of third stage with a clear indication that the avian mortality had occurred over a period of time.

World Economic Forum, Davos has launched a global initiative to grow, restore and conserve 1 trillion trees around the world – in a bid to restore biodiversity and help fight climate change.

• The initiative aims to unite and promote reforestation efforts worldwide through fund mobilization and political support.
• The 1t.org project aims to unite governments, non-governmental organizations, businesses and individuals in a “mass-scale nature restoration”.
• org offers innovative technologies, which will serve to connect tens of thousands of small and large groups around the world that are engaged in tree planting and forest restoration.

Dachigam National Park is located 22 km from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.

• The name literally stands for ‘ten villages’, which could be in memory of the ten villages that were relocated in order to create the park.
• The Park is only 141 sq. kms. and roughly rectangular in shape, approximately 23.5km by 6km.
• It is best considered as two sections – Upper and Lower Dachigam.
• Lower Dachigam, in the west, comprises approximately a third of the total area and is the area most accessible to a visitor.
• Upper Dachigam in the east extends over the higher reaches and is a good day’s trek from the nearest road head.
• Dachigam was initially established to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to Srinagar city.
• A protected area since 1910, it was declared as a national park in 1981.
• The park is best known as the home of the hangul, or Kashmir stag.