General Awareness

ENVIRONMENT - December 2019

Dec 2019

May 19, 2023

UNEP Suggests Measures to Reduce 80% of World's Plastic pollution by 2040

As per a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), countries can reduce plastic pollution by 80% by 2040 using existing technologies and making major policy changes.
The Kenya-based U.N. body released its analysis of policy options to tackle the plastic waste crisis two weeks before countries convene in Paris for a second round of negotiations to craft a global treaty aimed at eliminating plastic waste.
The report focused on three main market shifts needed to create a circular economy that keeps produced items in circulation as long as possible: reuse, recycling and reorientation of packaging from plastic to alternative materials.
The treaty negotiations, known as INC2, will take place from May 29 to June 2 and are expected to result in key inputs for the first treaty draft, which needs to be done before the third round of negotiations in Kenya in November.

May 18, 2023

Next Five Years to be Hottest Ever, Forecasts WMO

The global temperatures, apparently owing to the climate change, are likely to surge to a record high in the next five years. This will be caused due to heat-trapping greenhouse gases and a naturally occurring El Nino event, said the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
The annual mean global near-surface temperature for each year between 2023 and 2027 is predicted to be between 1.1°C and 1.8°C, which is higher than the 1850-1900 average.

May 16, 2023

France Hosts Pro-nuclear Meet to Push for EU Recognition of Climate Benefits

France hosted a meeting of ministers from 16 pro-nuclear European states aimed at coordinating expansion of atomic power and urging the EU to recognise its role in meeting climate goals for 2050.
The meeting in Paris included EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson and representatives from 14 EU countries including France, Belgium and the Netherlands, plus Italy as an observer and the United Kingdom as a non-EU invitee.
As per a draft of the post-meeting, the countries would encourage the commissioner to integrate nuclear energy into the EU's energy policy by recognising nuclear alongside other green energy technologies in EU decarbonisation goals.

May 11, 2023

Deep depression over Bay of Bengal Intensifies into Cyclonic Storm 'Mocha'

The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm; 'Mocha'; overnight and it is likely to make landfall between Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh and Sittwe in Myanmar.
The cyclone, named Mocha by Yemen -- pronounced as 'Mokha', is likely to bring heavy rain to the Andaman island chain.
In 2000, a group of nations called WMO/ESCAP-- Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand-- decided to name cyclones in the region. In 2018, five more countries were added-- Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. After the aforementioned countries sent in suggestions, the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) finalised the list.

May 10, 2023

COP28 President Designate Urges Oil & Gas Industry to Phase out Methane Emissions by 2030

The United Arab Emirates' COP28 president designate Sultan al-Jaber said that the oil and gas industry should phase out its methane emissions by 2030 and that investment in technology was needed to develop carbon alternatives.
Jaber was speaking in Abu Dhabi at the inaugural UAE Climate Tech conference.
Jaber also renewed calls for a tripling of renewable energy capacity to 11,000 gigawatts by 2030 and then doubling that again by 2040, but added that renewable energy was not the only answer to climate change.

Rare Butterfly Genus Named After Lord of the Rings Villain Sauron

A new species of butterfly with unique orange wings and dark dots on its eyes was discovered by scientists. The genus was named Saurona, after the dark lord Sauron, who is the primary antagonist of the epic high fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings, because of its remarkable appearance.
The Eye of Sauron is a well-known symbol from the Lord of the Rings, and was famously depicted on screen as a fiery orange eye peering over the landscape of Middle Earth. So when a group of butterflies with bright orange hindwings and dark eyespots needed redescribing, researchers wasted no time in honouring the work of J.R.R. Tolkien in the name of a new genus.

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