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Environmental Ecology: Current corner by Dr. Ravi P. Agrahari

Dr. Ravi P. Agrahari (PhD IIT Delhi) working as a scientist in IIT Delhi

with the association of Department of Science & Technology (GOI)

GS-III Module

Environmental Ecology

Prelims-cum-Mains-2016

Current Affairs

VOLUME –

2

(November – 2015)

By

Dr. Ravi P. Agrahari(Scientist in IIT Delhi)

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1. How can evolution be fast? Explain.

Answer: Mitogenomic analysis of a 50-generation chicken pedigree reveals a

rapid rate of mitochondrial evolution and evidence for paternal mtDNA

inheritance.

By studying individual chickens that were part of a long-term pedigree, the

scientists led by Professor Greger Larson at Oxford University, found two

mutations that had occurred in the mitochondrial genomes of the birds in only 50

years. For a long time scientists have believed that the rate of change in the

mitochondrial genome was never faster than about 2% per million years. The

identification of these mutations shows that the rate of evolution in this pedigree

is in fact 15 times faster. In addition, by determining the genetic sequences along

the pedigree, the team also discovered a single instance of mitochondrial DNA

being passed down from a father. This is a surprising discovery, showing that so-

called 'paternal leakage' is not as rare as previously believed.

The researchers reconstructed how the mitochondrial DNA passed from mothers

to daughters within the population by analyzing DNA from the blood samples of

12 chickens of the same generation using the most distantly related maternal

lines, knowing that the base population had started from seven partially inbred

lines.

There have been few studies of short-term mitochondrial evolution, including

both mutation rates and paternal leakage. There is now direct evidence that it is

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not always inherited from the mother. There is now considerable evidence of a

disparity between long-term and short-term estimates of mitochondrial changes.

2. How the NGO's and civil society can contribute to environmental protection?

Discuss.

Answer: Civil society and Non-Governmental Organizations can help build the

political will for a new approach to development that integrates environmental

and social goals. These are explored in the following three case studies.

The Crucible Group: Harnessing the Power of Diverse Voices that first met

officially in 1993 to discuss the control and management of agricultural genetic

resources.

The Global Environment Outlook and the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment:

Helping to Fill Research and Analytical Gaps

TRAFFIC: Ensuring Effective Implementation, the wildlife monitoring network for

the 1975 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna

and Flora (CITES).

As indicated by the three cases discussed above, civil society – namely, the NGO

community – has particular strengths to bring to global environmental

governance. Another remarkable example is project “Barefoot women solar

engineers”, an initiative of Sanjit “Bunker” Roy. The chief component of this

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initiative is to project solar and sustainable energy which benefits the lives of

impoverished women in the least developed countries.

NGOs can make the following Contributions:

Conducting education and citizen awareness programmes in the field of

environment

Fact – finding and analysis

Filing public interest litigations

Innovation and experimenting in areas which are difficult for government

agencies to make changes in

Providing expertise and policy analysis

Providing factual and reliable information with a network of professional

expert staff

Remaining independent while passing relevant information to the public

and governmental bodies

Solidarity and support to environmental defenders

Working in collaboration with the government for capacity building and

promotion of community participation in environmental awareness and

protection and

Working out at the grassroot level and reaching far – flung areas with or

without the government invitation.

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Having due regards to the importance of the role of NGOs in motivating the

society for participation in environmental conservation programmes the Ministry

has launched several programmes, which are being implemented with their activeparticipation. These programmes aim at spreading environmental consciousness

not only among the student community, professionals and other intellectuals but

also general public.

3. What are the factors restricting countries to reduce their emissions, as seen

in the recent UN report?

Answer: The message from the United Nations Environment Programme

(UNEP) Emissions Gap report launched in Geneva is clear. Only a dynamic Paris

climate agreement in December can help keep global warming under the 2°C

threshold, as the current levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to be cut by

2030 — 11 gigatonnes — is only about half of the total required.

The tension between developing and developed countries is fueled by ongoing

disagreements over how to interpret a fundamental underpinning of the UNFCCC

and Kyoto framework—namely, the principle of "common but differentiated

responsibilities" among industrialized and developing countries, particularly when

it comes to establishing and achieving meaningful mitigation targets.

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At the most basic level, countries disagree over climate monitoring and financing

stipulations in the Kyoto Protocol and other legally binding accords. Climate

frameworks struggle to effectively monitor greenhouse gas outputs, especially in

developing countries. Many countries lack the domestic capacity to audit their

total emissions; even if they are able to monitor national levels, some fear that

reporting such numbers would encourage international pressure to cap their

emissions. Others, like China, argue that an international monitoring system

represents an infringement on national sovereignty and that developing states

should be afforded some leniency in emissions as they are currently in critical

stages of economic development.

Additionally, the climate regime does not adequately address the sources of

financing needed to help developing countries cope with climate change. While

the meeting in Copenhagen witnessed political progress, including pledges by

industrialized countries to provide $100 billion by 2020 to developed countries

and the Green Climate Fund was put into place at Cancun, concrete funding

streams have yet to materialize.

Also, approximately one-fifth of global emissions come from land use, including

deforestation. The economic and land-use factors may constrain the achievable

benefits to around 3 GtCO2e/yr, the report notes. This reflects the fact that forest

loss, which reached 7.6 million hectares per year between 2010-2015, accounts

for the largest portion of emissions from land use, the report notes.

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4. Write a short note on biodiversity in Western Ghats.

Answer: Stretching like a mountainous spine down the western edge of India,

the Western Ghats are a unique mountain range that harbors an incredible

diversity of flora and fauna.

Biodiversity:

1.

Plants:

Over 5,000 different plants occur in the Western Ghats. Around 1,700 of these are

found nowhere else in the world.

This includes grains (including rice and barley), fruits (mango, banana and

jackfruit), and spices (black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg), as well as

numerous medicinal plants, such as the highly threatened white damor (Vateria

indica). The fragrant resin and seed oil of this large evergreen tree can be used inmedicines, as well as in soap and candle manufacturing.

2.

Mammals:

Around 120 mammal species have been recorded in the Western Ghats. Most

notably, Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and world’s tigers (Panthera tigris).

Prominent endemic mammals include the Nilgiri tahr (Hemitragus hylocrius), and

the lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) which inhabits the evergreen forest.

Nearly 50 of the mammal species found in the Western Ghats are bats. This

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includes Salim Ali’s fruit bat (Latidens salimalii), remarkable for being the only

species in its genus.

3.

Birds:

From the imposing Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) to the tiny blue Nilgiri flycatcher

(Eumyias albicaudatus), and the stunning Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus). Of the

500 bird species known from the Western Ghats, around 22 species occur

nowhere else in the world. Many of these endemic species, such as the Nilgiri

wood pigeon (Columba elphinstonii) and Nilgiri blue robin (Myiomela major), are

considered threatened.

4.

Reptiles and Amphibians:

The 225 species of reptiles such as the endemic Cochin forest cane turtle

(Vijayachelys silvatica), mugger (Crocodylus palustris), and the infamous king

cobra (Ophiophagus hannah). A family of primitive burrowing snakes, the

Uropeltidae, are also largely restricted to these mountain ranges.

Equally as intriguing are the 117 amphibian species found in the Western Ghats,

of which 89 are endemic. This includes the peculiar-looking purple frog

(Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis), which was only recently discovered in the

southern Western Ghats, and represents an entirely new genus.

5. Fish and Invertebrates:

Of the 288 species recorded, 118 are endemic. This includes the Denison barb

(Puntius denisonii), popular species in the ornamental fish trade.

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An incredible 330 butterfly species have been recorded in the Western Ghats.

One of these species, the Travencore evening brown (Parantirrhoea marshalli),

can only be found in a small area of mid-elevation forest in the Ghats, where itflutters around reed patches at twilight.

6. Suggest measures to curb environmental crimes.

Answer: At the local and regional levels, UNODC works extensively to tackle

various forms of environmental crime. In South-East Asia in particular, it conducts

widespread research to better guide countries on countering trafficking in wildlife

and illegal logging and encourages Governments to increase their efforts to

protect natural resources and convict perpetrators of crimes against the

environment.

International NGOs such as WWF also play an important role in lobbying

Governments for greater action against environmental crime and collaborating

with them on conservation issues. They also build awareness among the general

public at the global and local levels and lead debate on these concerns.

Aside from these international and national initiatives, the role of the public is

essential. Here are some of the things that the public can do:

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Demand reduction: Consumers have a big - if not the biggest - role to

play in stopping the illegal trade in wildlife and timber.

Eco-tourism: As a tourist, you can choose your routes, visits and

destinations carefully and support eco-tourism. It should also be a given

that you do not take home with you any animal or wildlife products.

Publicity: High profile individuals can speak out against environmental

crimes. In some countries, traditional practices and beliefs and a desire

for status symbols hinder efforts to curb wildlife crime. Influential public

voices can help to dispel myths, expose the cruelty of poaching and

highlight the illegality of the practices involved, thereby building support

for change.

Awareness-raising: Lack of knowledge or awareness often leads to

unknowing consumption of illegal wildlife products. Governments, NGOs

and individuals can help spread information about these issues within

society.

Providing alternatives and sustainable livelihoods: As poverty is one of

the main factors driving the illegal trade in wildlife, supporting legal

income-generating activities can be an important measure, indirectly

helping to curb environmental crime.

Business: Companies can take action through smart and sustainable

business decisions. In the timber trade in particular, companies should

check certificates to ensure that products are of legal origin. If

companies refuse to buy illegally produced timber and wood products, it

will lead to less revenue for traffickers, and therefore less deforestation.

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Such measures will vary from strengthening law enforcement, building adequate

human and financial capacity, raising public awareness, and fighting corruption, to

supporting national legislation and the overriding need to curb demand forwildlife products that are illegally sourced or unsustainably harvested.

7. What had the 5th assessment report of IPCC pointed? What could be the

steps to be taken by developed and developing countries to reach an outcome

of Paris talks?

Answer: The Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) has pointed out clearly that there

is only a specific cumulative amount of greenhouse gases that humanity can emit

into the atmosphere, to keep the rise in global average temperature below a

specified level, for a given level of uncertainty. This cumulative amount includes

what has been emitted in the past until today, as well as what can be emitted in

the future.

The already broad and ambitious efforts of developing countries to build their

own clean, climate-resilient futures will be supported by scaled-up finance from

developed countries and voluntary contributions from other countries.

Governments decided that they will work to define a clear roadmap on ratcheting

up climate finance to USD 100 billion by 2020 while also before 2025 setting a

new goal on the provision of finance from the USD 100 billion floor.

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International cooperation on climate-safe technologies and building capacity in

the developing world to address climate change are also significantly

strengthened under the new agreement.

Together, the Paris Agreement and the accompanying COP decision can be

achieved by both developing and developed countries by implementing the

following:

Reaffirm the goal of limiting global temperature increase well below 2

degrees Celsius, while urging efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees;

Establish binding commitments by all parties to make “nationally

determined contributions” (NDCs), and to pursue domestic measures

aimed at achieving them;

Commit all countries to report regularly on their emissions and “progress

made in implementing and achieving” their NDCs, and to undergo

international review;

Commit all countries to submit new NDCs every five years, with the clear

expectation that they will “represent a progression” beyond previous ones;

Reaffirm the binding obligations of developed countries under the UNFCCC

to support the efforts of developing countries, while for the first time

encouraging voluntary contributions by developing countries too;

Extend the current goal of mobilizing $100 billion a year in support by 2020

through 2025, with a new, higher goal to be set for the period after 2025;

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Extend a mechanism to address “loss and damage” resulting from climate

change, which explicitly will not “involve or provide a basis for any liability

or compensation;”

Require parties engaging in international emissions trading to avoid

“double counting;” and

Call for a new mechanism, similar to the Clean Development Mechanism

under the Kyoto Protocol, enabling emission reductions in one country to

be counted toward another country’s NDC.

8. How should India convince the developed world for equity at Paris talks?

Suggest.

Answer: India’s strategy at the Paris Climate Change summit will be to work

with emerging economies and press the developed world to concede that

responsibility for cutting carbon emissions after 2020 cannot be shared equally by

rich and poor nations.

India's emphasis should be to make the developed nations help the developing

nations in utilizing the renewable energy to the maximum extent - not only solar

cell but also wind power and ocean waves energy. They should prove to the

developing nations the extent of their using renewable energy before they start

laying down norms for carbon emission for the developing nations.

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India has to invest a little bit of her own GDP to fund young talent within India –

not the imported ones – but indigenous ones, in towns and schools, universities

and many other areas including industries at all level to think and innovate green

commercially viable technologies at domestic and industry level and reward those

entrepreneurs by a yearly fund.

The UN Convention on Climate Change has followed the principle of common but

differentiated responsibilities (CBDR), reflected in the Kyoto Protocol and

reinforced last year at Lima. Under this, poor countries were not required to cut

emissions. India is emphasizing this again, informed sources in the Ministry of

Environment and Forests said, and demanding that developing nations be allowed

greater room in cutting emissions beyond 2020, as they seek to eliminate poverty

through fast-paced economic growth.

Overall, India’s effort along with other developing countries such as Brazil, China

and South Africa would be to reinforce equity in any climate agreement arrived at

in Paris, and for developed countries to enhance action on cutting their carbon

emissions in the period before 2020.

9. What are the requirements of developing countries to fulfill their target

of carbon emissions? Discuss what problems they are having in achieving their

target.

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Answer: The following are the requirements of developing countries to fulfill

their target of carbon emissions:

Barrier-free financing from developed countries

Open source technologies from different countries

Rich nations show the vision to come up with a just and equitable

agreement that supports carbon-free growth

A concrete plan that goes beyond incremental measures and acknowledges

the seriousness of scientific evidence on dangerous climate change

Liberal financial and technological assistance from developed nations,

which have a historical responsibility for global warming

Problems being faced to achieve the target:

Bringing millions of people out of poverty without significantly increasing

their carbon emissions

Adapt to the severe consequences of changing climate, such as catastrophic

droughts and storms, damage to agriculture, loss of biodiversity and harm

to human health

The richer half of the world has been demanding that developing nations

with high rates of economic growth, accept legally binding emissions cuts

Those who are not responsible for the problem are being asked to share

the burden equally

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Challenge of crafting an agreement that incorporates all the key elements

needed to attain the climate target

10. Discuss the role of Sundarban in maintaining ecological balance.

Answer: The Sundarbans mangrove wetland serves as economic, social,

political and ecological importance, because local people increasingly want to use

its natural resources and tourists want to visit this world heritage sites. Increasing

salinity is the major threat to the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystems. In addition,

wildlife preservation, protection of cultural landscapes and establishment of

adequate management policy have become issues in Bangladesh. The Ganges

River has an influential role in the economy and ecosystems of both Bangladesh

and India.

Water availability has been an important factor shaping the economic and

environmental developments of the southwestern part of the Sundarbans region

in Bangladesh. Fresh water resource issues are also a high priority concerning

biodiversity conservation and mangrove wetland ecosystems in the coastal

region. Bangladesh needs water from the Ganges basin in the dry season

(February-June) to protect the world’s largest mangrove wetland ecosystems in

the Sundarbans.

Top-dying and die-back diseases of Heritiera fomes and Cariops decandra is

associated with water salinity. If water salinity was reduced then the soil salinity

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would also be reduced, and as a result, it can be expected that the rate of top-

dying and die-back diseases in the Sundarbans would decrease. Water allocation

policy is therefore, an issue of strategic and political importance betweenBangladesh and India. A bilateral monitoring strategy should be developed and

implemented to ensure fresh water is supplied to the Sundarbans thereby

protecting the economic, cultural and environmental resources of mangrove

ecosystems.

11. What are Bharat stage norms? Discuss its role in environment protection.

Answer: Bharat stage emission standards are emission standards instituted by

the Government of India to regulate the output of air pollutants from internal

combustion engine equipment, including motor vehicles. The standards and the

timeline for implementation are set by the Central Pollution Control Board under

the Ministry of Environment & Forests and climate change.

The standards, based on European regulations were first introduced in 2000.

Progressively stringent norms have been rolled out since then. All new vehicles

manufactured after the implementation of the norms have to be compliant with

the regulations. Since October 2010, Bharat stage III norms have been enforced

across the country. In 13 major cities, Bharat stage IV emission norms have been

in place since April 2010.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_India

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_combustion_engine


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_vehicle_emissions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_emission_standards

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_emission_standards

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_vehicle_emissions



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_India

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In 2016, the Indian goverment announced that the country would skip the Euro V

norms altogether and adopt Euro VI norms by 2020.

Role in environment protection:

The phasing out of 2 stroke engine for two wheelers, the stoppage of production

of Maruti 800 & introduction of electronic controls have been due to the

regulations related to vehicular emissions.

While the norms help in bringing down pollution levels, it invariably results in

increased vehicle cost due to the improved technology & higher fuel prices.

However, this increase in private cost is offset by savings in health costs for the

public, as there is lesser amount of disease causing particulate matter and

pollution in the air.

Exposure to air pollution can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases,

which is estimated to be the cause for 620,000 early deaths in 2010, and the

health cost of air pollution in India has been assessed at 3 per cent of its GDP.

The use of alternative fuels has been promoted in India both for energy security

and emission reduction. Delhi and Mumbai have more than 100,000 commercial

vehicles running on CNG fuel. Delhi has the largest number of CNG commercial

vehicles running anywhere in the World.

India is planning to introduce Biodiesel, ethanol gasoline blends in a phased

manner and has drawn up a road map for the same.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maruti_800#Proposed_phasing_out



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulates

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_India

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_India

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulates



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India has also set up a task force for preparing the Hydrogen road map. The use of

LPG has also been introduced as an auto fuel and the oil industry has drawn up

plans for setting up of auto LPG dispensing stations in major cities.

12. Discuss how urbanization projects are impacting the biodiversity around

the world. Substantiate with at least 3 examples.

Answer: Sadly, it is often the case that urbanization causes biodiversity to

decline. As cities grow vital habitat is destroyed or fragmented into patches not

big enough to support complex ecological communities.

In the city, species may become endangered, or even locally extinct as previously

natural areas are swallowed up by the urban jungle. In the United Kingdom for

example, an increasing human population density, and the resulting increase in

urban development were found to be the cause of 35% of scarce plant species

extinctions in the counties surrounding urbanized areas. Similarly, in the United

States, urbanization has been found to be directly responsible for the

endangerment of 275 species, only invasion by non-native species had a greater

impact causing 305 species to become endangered. Ironically, it is urban growth

that is often responsible for the introduction of non-native species, either

accidentally (e.g. the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus), or deliberately, for food, pets

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or for aesthetic reasons. Non-native plants for example, are often planted in

urban and suburban gardens and subsequently “escape” into the wild.

The growth of cities may cause biodiversity to decline by fragmenting or

destroying large areas of natural habitat on which many species depend. The

rising human population is driving the expansion of urban areas and increasing

the demand for natural resources such as timber and fossil fuels. This inevitably

leads to habitat destruction which has been called “the largest factor contributing

to the current global extinction event”.

In World:

As Hong Kong seeks to expand its international airport and with a major new

bridge project under way, campaigners warn that the dwindling number of much-

loved pink dolphins in surrounding waters may disappear altogether. There are

only around 60 dolphins left in Hong Kong waters -- a drop from 158 in 2003, due

to increase of high-speed ferry traffic.

In India:

Preliminary investigations based on literature reviews and field studies suggest

that the rapid urbanization of both Coimbatore and Kolkata has led to drastic

changes in land use, destruction of natural ecosystems, and increase in the

demand for natural resources. For instance, geographical expansion of

Coimbatore city in recent decades has led to the destruction of the Noyyal river

that had once served the city’s water needs. Similarly, the spatial growth of

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should be careful to not paint itself into a corner. As a highly vulnerable country,

with relatively high energy efficiency, low per capita carbon emissions, and a

respectable track record of domestic initiatives, India has a good hand. But it has

to play it well.

To achieve both substantive and political objectives coming out of Paris, India

needs to argue for a more, not less, effective agreement in Paris. This must

strengthen obligations for all and promote equity. The agreement must also

operationalize the oft-cited principle of common, but differentiated, responsibility

that tailors the obligations of countries to their responsibilities and capabilities.

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NEW BATCH START FROM: 5 APRIL (4:30 pm)

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