Environment

Ravi Dutt Kaushik

When succession is brought
about by living inhabitants of
that community itself, the
process is called autogenic
succession, while change
brought about by outside
forces is known as allogenic
succession.
❖ The rate of biomass
production is called
productivity.
❖ Gross primary productivity
of an ecosystem is the rate
of production of organic
matter during
photosynthesis.
❖ The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was
founded in 1948
❖ IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network
❖ The Club of Rome founded a new environmental thought, with its the
publication – “The Limits of Growth”
❖ The Sierra Club which gave the concept – “Blind pace of
Development”
❖ The 1967 publication of Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’ caught public
attention on environmental disasters
❖ The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in
Stockholm, Sweden in 1972.
❖ It resulted in two things – The 26 principles and UNEP
❖In 1983, the UN General Assembly set up the World Commission on
Environment and Development, known as the Brundtland Commission.
❖ The Brundtland report, published in 1987 as ‘Our Common Future’,
declared that the time had come for a marriage between the
environment and the economy and used the term “sustainable
development” as the way to ensure that economic development would
not endanger the ability of future generations to enjoy the fruits of the
earth.
❖The UNCED in Rio (1992) was strongly influenced by the Brundtland
report.
❖ The first ‘Earth Summit’ – United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development – UNCED also known as the Rio de Janeiro Earth
Summit or Rio Summit or Rio Conference, was held in 1992.
❖ The second Earth Summit, 20 years later in 2012, called the “United
Nations Conference on Sustainable Development – UNCSD ” was also
held in Rio, and is also commonly called Rio+20 or Rio Earth Summit
2012.
 Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) Aichi Targets
❖ Conservation of Biodiversity ❖ The COP-10 also gave raise to Aichi targets
❖ Sustainable use of Biodiversity ❖ Is a ten-year framework for action by all
❖ Access and Benefit Sharing i.e. fair and equitable countries to save biodiversity
sharing of benefits arising from the use of ❖ Officially known as “Strategic Plan for
genetic resources Biodiversity 2011-2020″
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO)
❖ Was adopted at Cartagena, Colombia in 2000 ❖ Is the periodic publication of the CBD
❖ Governs the movements of living modified ❖ This report summarises the latest data on the
organisms (LMOs), resulting from modern status and trends of biodiversity and
biotechnology, from one country to another Implementation
Nagoya Protocol ❖ It is supported primarily by funding from
❖ Adopted in Nagoya, Japan, 2010 member governments and operated by the
❖ Aids fair and equitable sharing of benefits Global Environment Facility (GEF)
arising from the use of genetic resources with
the local community
❖ Aids access to genetic resources for industrial
purposes
International Convention for The Basel Convention on the Control of
the Prevention of Pollution Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
from Ships (MARPOL) Wastes and their Disposal
❖ Adopted in response to a ❖ To protect human health and the
spate of tanker accidents environment against the adverse effects
❖ Aims at preventing and of hazardous wastes
minimising pollution from Outcome
ships – both accidental ❖ Covers a wide range of wastes –
pollution and that from hazardous wastes, household waste and
routine operations incinerator ash
Outcome ❖ Promotion of environmentally sound
❖ Made it mandatory for oil management of hazardous wastes
tankers to have double ❖ A regulatory system applying to cases
hulls where transboundary movements are
❖ Provides strict controls on permissible
operational discharges
 CITES

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild

Fauna and Flora(CITES)
❖To ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and
plants does not threaten their survival
Outcome
❖Is legally binding on the Parties
❖Provides a framework to be respected by each Party
❖Parties will adopt its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is
implemented at the national level
❖It does not take the place of national laws
❖The CITES Secretariat is administered by UNEP (The United Nations
Environment Programme) and is located at Geneva, Switzerland.
 The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance(Ramsar
Convention)
❖For the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources
❖Cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland
systems and shared species
Outcome
❖Designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of International
Importance
❖Ensure the effective management of Ramsar sites
❖The Ramsar Convention works closely with six other organisations known
as International Organization Partners (IOPs). These are:
❖ Birdlife International
❖ International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
❖ International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
❖ Wetlands International
❖ WWF International
❖ Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT)
 The United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
❖ To combat desertification
❖ Mitigate the effects of drought through
national action programs
❖ To improve the living conditions for
people in drylands
Outcome
❖ Stems from direct recommendation of
the Rio Conference’s Agenda 21
❖ Addresses specifically the arid, semi-
arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as
the drylands
❖ Committed to a bottom-up approach
❖ Works through national action
programs
❖ Incorporate long-term strategies
supported by international cooperation
and partnership arrangements
The Rotterdam Convention The Stockholm Convention on
❖ To promote shared Persistent Organic Pollutants
responsibility and cooperative ❖ To protect human health and the
efforts in the international trade environment from Persistent
of certain hazardous chemicals Organic Pollutant (POPs)
Outcome Outcome
❖ Creates legally binding ❖ Prohibit and/or eliminate the
obligations for the production and use, import and
implementation of the Prior export, of the intentionally
Informed Consent (PIC) produced POPs
procedure. ❖ Reduce or eliminate releases from
❖ Covers pesticides and industrial unintentionally produced POPs
chemicals that have been ❖ Promotes the use of best available
banned or severely restricted by techniques and best
Parties environmental practices for
❖ Facilitate information exchange preventing releases of POPs into
about the chemicals the environment
 Biodiversity
The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), or Godawan is the State Bird of
Rajasthan. It belongs to the family Otididae, and is a large brown white bird,
with a black crown and white marks on its wings.

❖ One of the heaviest flying birds.

❖ Categorized as “critically endangered” by the
International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN).
❖ The Rajasthan state government has started
"Project Godawan" for its conservation at
Desert National Park (DNP) in Jaisalmer.
❖ It’s one of the Species for the Recovery
Programme under the Integrated
Development of Wildlife Habitats of the
Ministry of Environment and Forests.
 Biodiversity
The Desert Wildlife Sanctuary is also a place where the fossilized remains of
180 million-year-old forests were found, which has been preserved in the Wood
Fossil Park at Akal, near Jaisalmer.
Biodiversity
 Biodiversity
❖ The Olive Ridley Turtles are one of the smallest
and most abundant of all sea turtles found in
the world, inhabiting warm waters of the Pacific,
Atlantic and Indian oceans.
❖ Olive Ridley turtles’ mass nesting behaviour is
known as arribada (Spanish for arrival) that
occurs only at a handful beaches across the
planet.
❖ IUCN Red list: Vulnerable; CITES: Appendix 1,
CMS: Appendix 1.
❖ They are carnivores,
❖ The Coast Guard had launched the 'Operation
Oliva’ exercise as part of its annual mission.
❖ Operation Save Kurma: species specific
operation on Turtles by Wildlife Crime Control
Bureau.
 Biodiversity
❖ The Green Turtles migrate long
distances between feeding grounds &
beaches from where they hatch.
❖ The Green Turtles graze on seagrasses
& algae, which maintains the seagrass
beds & makes them more productive.
 Biodiversity
Leatherback turtles have delicate scissor like
jaws & feeds on soft bodied animals like
jellyfish.
❖ Operation Turtshield is a new Central
programme to protect endangered turtles.
❖ The flapshell turtle, which is smaller in size,
is killed for its meat which is considered a
delicacy in both Bengal and Bangladesh. It is
listed as Least Concerned under IUCN Red
list.
❖ Indian peacock softshell turtles are
categorised as Vulnerable in IUCN Red list.
The species is heavily exploited for its meat
and calipee (the outer cartilaginous rim of
the shell).
 Biodiversity
❖ The Greater Adjutant Stork, locally known as ‘Hargilla’, is categorized as
Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
❖ It resides only in the states of Assam and Bihar of India and in Cambodia.
❖ There are an estimated 1,200 individuals remaining globally, with Assam
harboring nearly 75-80% of the population.
❖ It is a large bird with its large, dull-orange bill and gray, black and white
plumage.
❖ It is a carnivore and scavenger, and it left bits of dead animals in its nests.
 Biodiversity
The Greater Adjutant Stork, locally known as ‘Hargilla’, is
categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
• It resides only in the states of Assam and Bihar of India
and in Cambodia.
• There are an estimated 1,200 individuals remaining
globally, with Assam harboring nearly 75-80% of the
population.
• It is a large bird with its large, dull-orange bill and gray,
black and white plumage.
• It is a carnivore and scavenger, and it left bits of dead
animals in its nests..
 Biodiversity
❖The black-necked stork also known as
Loha Sarang spotted at Gangetic flood
plains of Bhagalpur is a member of stork
family that lives across south and
southeast Asia.
❖This wetland wader uses its long legs and
neck to see and reach 360° and its sword-
like bill to skewer its prey.
 Biodiversity
❖ India's first elephant reserve was the Singhbhum
Elephant Reserve in 2001 in the newly formed
state of Jharkhand.
❖ It has been declared the National Heritage
Animal in 2010.
❖ Among the states, the highest population is
recorded in Karnataka, followed by Assam and
Kerala.
Captive Elephants:
❖ India has nearly 2700 Captive Elephants.
❖ DNA profiling & creation of database for all
captive elephants in the country is being
undertaken.
❖ This will ensure that no elephants from the wild
are included in the captive stock illegally.
❖ The Asian Elephant Alliance, an initiative by
five NGOs namely Elephant Family,
International Fund for Animal Welfare,
IUCN Netherlands and World Land Trust
have teamed up with Wildlife Trust of India’s
(WTI) in the alliance.
❖ Elephant corridors are narrow strips of land
that allow elephants to move from one
habitat patch to another.
❖ Among the States, West Bengal has the
highest number of corridors (14), followed by
Tamil Nadu with 13 and Uttarakhand with
11.
Project Elephant
A centrally sponsored scheme, was launched
in February 1992 to provide financial and
technical support to major elephant bearing
States in the country for protection of
elephants, their habitats and corridors.
South Asia Wildlife Enforcement
Network (SAWEN)
❖ Its regional network comprises of
eight South Asia countries:
Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal,
Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and
Maldives.
❖ SAWEN is regional inter-
governmental wildlife law
enforcement support body of South
Asian Countries.
❖ It was launched in January, 2011 in
Paro, Bhutan during the second
meeting of the South Asia Expert
Group on Illegal Wildlife Trade.
 Biodiversity
National Elephant Action Plan
(NEAP)
❖ It is a technical committee under
the chairmanship of Noyal
Thomas.
❖ It has been mandated under the
guidelines of Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate
hange (MoEF&CC).
❖ It aims to mitigate human-
elephant conflict, along with
improvement of habitat.
 Biodiversity
Thrissur Pooram ❖ Kambala, a buffalo race in Karnataka.
❖ It’s an Elephant Show: A grand ❖ Jallikattu, the annual bull taming
display of the fifteen elephants is one festival of Tamil Nadu.
of the most anticipated aspects of this
festival. The fifteen elephants are
decorated in stunning, gold-threaded
work and finery.
❖ The parading of elephants in festival
violates laws such as the Wildlife
Protection Act, the Performing
Animals (Registration) Rules, 2001
and the Kerala Captive Elephants
(Management and Maintenance)
Rules, 2003 and Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.
Biodiversity
❖ Project Tiger was launched in 1973 with
just 9 tiger reserves. Today, India has 50
reserves having 2967 tigers.
❖ Tiger sits at the peak of the food chain and
the increased numbers is a testimony of the
robust bio-diversity.
❖ The first tiger census was conducted in
2006. Counting of the majestic tigers is
done in every four years by the National
Tiger Conservation Authorities (NTCA).

M-STrIPES (Monitoring system for

Tigers – Intensive Protection and
Ecological Status), a software-based
monitoring system
❖ The oldest tiger reserve is Corbett Tiger ❖ Madhya Pradesh has the
Reserve which was declared in the year 1973 highest number of tigers at
under ‘Project Tiger‘, Whereas Kamlang Tiger 526, closely followed by
Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh is the newest Karnataka (524) and
Tiger Reserve of India declared in the year Uttarakhand (442).
2018. ❖ Chhattisgarh and Mizoram
❖ Madhya Pradesh is the state with the saw a decline in tiger
maximum number of Tiger Reserves in India. population and all other States
There are 6 tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh. saw a “positive” increase.
❖ Pench Tiger Park ❖ While Pench Tiger Reserve in
❖ Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve Madhya Pradesh recorded the
❖ Kanha Tiger Reserve highest number of
❖ Satpura Tiger Reserve tigers, Sathyamangalam Tiger
❖ Panna Tiger Reserve Reserve in Tamil Nadu
❖ Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve registered the “maximum
improvement” since 2014.
❖ TX2: to double wild tiger numbers by 2022 in 13
tiger range countries.
❖ It is implemented by WWF.
 Biodiversity
Hangul
❖ The Hangul (Cervus hanglu hanglu), also
known as the Kashmir stag has seen a
massive decline in population.
❖ It is the state animal of Jammu & Kashmir.
❖ It is restricted to the Dachigam National
Park in Jammu & Kashmir
❖ It is placed under Schedule I of the Indian
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
❖ The IUCN has classified it as Critically
Endangered
❖ It is listed under the Species Recovery
Programme of the Wildlife Institute of India
(WII) and the Environmental Information
System (ENVIS) of the MoEFCC
 Biodiversity
Bar-headed Goose uses
habitats like Mountain
grasslands & crop fields
from surrounding villages
& tend to use high altitude
Freshwater marshes, Lakes
& streams as stop-over &
over-wintering sites.
 Biodiversity
The Bar-tailed Godwit is
a medium sized shore
bird, found on both east
& west coasts of India.
Biodiversity
Rat Kangaroo Bramble Cay Melomys:
❖ A truffle-eating Australian marsupial Extinct: The Bramble Cay
known as the “Northern Bettong” or “Rat Melomys, a tiny rodent that went
Kangaroo” has suffered a dramatic extinct.
population decline. Australian Great Barrier Reef
❖ IUCN Status endangered. rodent (also known as Bramble
❖ Endemic to: Northern Bettongs are Cay Melomys) has become the
endemic to far north Queensland. first mammal species driven to
❖ Threats: The nocturnal, rabbit-sized extinction by human-induced
bettongs are at risk from feral cats, land- climate change
clearing and wildfires, which have
become more frequent and fierce in
Queensland due to climate change.
Biodiversity
 Biodiversity
Located in the State of
Assam in North-East India,
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is
a Biodiversity hotspot &
Natural World Heritage Site
covering an area of 39,100
hectares. It spans the Manas
river & is bounded to the
north by the forests of
Bhutan.
 Biodiversity
This mosaic of grasslands,
Woodlands, woodland
swamps & Wetlands of just
2,873 ha, once a duck-
hunting reserve of the
Maharajas is one of the
major wintering areas for
large numbers of aquatic
birds from Afghanistan,
Turkmenistan, China &
Siberia.
 Biodiversity
This mosaic of grasslands,
Woodlands, woodland
swamps & Wetlands of just
2,873 ha, once a duck-
hunting reserve of the
Maharajas is one of the
major wintering areas for
large numbers of aquatic
birds from Afghanistan,
Turkmenistan, China &
Siberia.
 Biodiversity
The Nanda Devi & Valley
of Flowers National Parks
are exceptionally beautiful
high-altitude West
Himalayan landscapes with
outstanding Biodiversity.
Situated in the Himalayas,
covering 71,210 ha, is one
among the seven 'World
Heritage Sites' in India
 Biodiversity
Covering 42,996 ha,
located in the State of
Assam, Kaziranga National
Park is the single largest
undisturbed & representative
area in the Brahmaputra
Valley floodplain. It is one
among the seven 'World
Heritage Sites' in India.
 Biodiversity
A Biodiversity Heritage site
having unique Shola
vegetation and grassland
with a number of floral
species which are unique
and have a lot of medicinal
value serves as a "Wildlife
Corridor" between
Kudremukh and Bhadra
Wildlife Sanctuary.
 Biodiversity
Only 20% of a Phumdi's
thickness floats above the
Water surface while the
other 80% remains
submerged.
 Biodiversity
Tiruppadaimarathur
Conservation Reserve in
Tamil Nadu, declared in
2005, & Nongumiang
Community Reserve in
Meghalaya, declared in 2003,
are the first Conservation
Reserve & Community
Reserve of India.
Biodiversity
 Biodiversity
Tiruppadaimarathur
Conservation Reserve in
Tamil Nadu, declared in
2005, & Nongumiang
Community Reserve in
Meghalaya, declared in 2003,
are the first Conservation
Reserve & Community
Reserve of India.
 Biodiversity
The Sundarbans
mangrove Forest a Natural
World Heritage Site is one
of the largest Forests in the
world that spreads in
1,40,000 ha. of land & lies on
the delta of the Ganges,
Brahmaputra & Meghna
Rivers on the Bay of Bengal.
 Biodiversity
❖ 62 ICMBAs have been
identified along the west
coast, & 44 have been
identified along the east
coast.
❖ Of these, 22 ICMBAs have
been prioritized for
immediate conservation
actions to conserve a
substantial portion of the
coastal and marine areas
in the country.
MPA is essentially a
space in the ocean
where Human
Biodiversity
Activities are more
strictly regulated
than the
surrounding Waters.
These places are
given special
protection for
natural or historic
Marine Resources
by local, state,
territorial, native,
regional, or national
authorities.
Biodiversity
 Biodiversity
The Coral Triangle is a
marine area located in the
Western Pacific Ocean.
Including waters of
Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Papua New
Guinea, Timor Leste &
Solomon Islands.
Its extensive coral cover
provides food, income &
protection from storms to
locals.