General Awareness

ENVIRONMENT - December 2018

Dec 2018

Sep 21, 2024

India formally Joins International Big Cat Alliance

India formally joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), which it launched in 2023. After an approval from the Union Cabinet, India signed and ratified the framework.
Four nations, including India, Nicaragua, Eswatini and Somalia, have become the IBCA members now. In April 2023, PM Narendra Modi had launched the IBCA with an aim to secure the future of big cats and their landscapes.
Among the seven big cats, five — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah — are found in India, excluding puma and jaguar.

Sep 13, 2024

New Species of Genus Curcuma Discovered in Nagaland

Researchers discovered a new variety of the turmeric, thanks to a serendipitous discovery during a field trip in Nagaland.
Belonging to the genus Curcuma (the ginger family Zingiberaceae), the plant, which stands 65-90-cm high with prominent yellow flowers at full growth, has been given the name Curcuma ungmensis after Ungma, the village in Mokokchung district where it was found.
This family plant has 21 types and 200 taxa in India presently.
Curcuma is one of the most famous and the largest plant of this type of this plant family in India. The best known being turmeric (Curcuma longa), black turmeric (Curcumacaesia) and mango ginger (Curcuma amada).

Sep 12, 2024

Researchers Discover Endangered Myristica Swamp Forest in Maharashtra

Researchers near the Goa-Maharashtra border discovered a sacred Myristica swamp forest in Kumbral, Maharashtra. This finding highlights the importance of local communities in preserving rare ecosystems. Sacred groves like this are often protected due to cultural beliefs, in this case, tied to the reverence of Lord Shiva, locally known as Bhalandeshwar.
Myristica magnifica is an endangered plant species mainly found in Karnataka and Kerala. It plays a key role in the ecosystem, providing food for wildlife, including the threatened hornbill birds. This tree is part of the nutmeg family and can grow up to 50 meters tall. Though its seeds resemble nutmeg, they are not as commercially valuable. Its wood is used locally, and the tree's essential oil has potential in aromatherapy.
This discovery makes Kumbral the second village in Maharashtra, after Hewale-Bambarde in Sindhudurg, to have a Myristica swamp forest.

Nepal Became 101st Member of ISA

Nepal became the 101st country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as a full member. The Ministry of External Affairs said that Nepal handed over its Instrument of Ratification to the ISA in New Delhi.
The ISA is a global intergovernmental organisation dedicated to advancing solar power adoption for a carbon-neutral future.
The ISA is a collaborative initiative between India and France aimed at uniting efforts to combat climate change by implementing solar energy solutions. It was conceptualised on the side lines of COP21 in Paris in 2015.
Following a 2020 amendment to its Framework Agreement, all UN member states are now eligible to join the Alliance.

Sep 09, 2024

Super Typhoon Yagi Hits Southeast Asia

Super Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm to hit Asia in over a decade, caused significant disruption across Southeast Asia. After devastating the northern Philippines, the typhoon made landfall in southern China's Hainan province, leading to mass evacuations and widespread damage. Yagi is expected to continue its path towards Vietnam and Laos, impacting northern regions with severe weather conditions.
Super Typhoon Yagi struck Hainan Island and Guangdong province in southern China, with winds exceeding 230 km/h (143 mph). The storm has been described as equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane, and authorities in Hainan evacuated over 400,000 residents prior to its arrival. The typhoon caused significant disruptions in Hong Kong, including the suspension of trading and school closures.
Yagi is the second-most powerful tropical cyclone of 2024 globally, following Hurricane Beryl. This super typhoon's arrival underscores the growing intensity of tropical storms, likely exacerbated by climate change. Scientists note that warming oceans are contributing to the increasing strength and frequency of such storms.

Sep 08, 2024

India Emerges as the Largest Plastic Polluter Globally

India emerged as the world's biggest plastic polluter displacing China as the country releases 9.3 million tonnes of such waste into the environment each year, scientists reported.
The amount of plastic waste generated in India can fill up an area equivalent to 604 Taj Mahals as the country's waste plastic load is three times more than each of the next four biggest polluters – Nigeria, Indonesia, China and Pakistan.
Using sophisticated artificial intelligence tools, researchers from the University of Leeds created a detailed global inventory of plastic waste that puts India on top of the list, accounting for one-fifth of the global burden.

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