Rights of Nature

Q. Considering Nature as a living entity with rights will yield less towards
environment conservation and damage more towards sustainable development.
Ans: Thought that Nature has in intrinsic value and its worth doesn’t depend on its
significance for humans advocates concept of environmental protection as a
human rights issue and conferring living entity status to Nature, to ensure an
ecologically-sustainable society. As companies, trust or other similar artificial
entities can have legal status, similarly mountains, rivers, parks etc. can have it.
Ecuador gave constitutional status, Bolivia has give legal status, NZ has conferred
the status on Whanganui river, Mt. taranaki, In USA, Ohio state has granted Lake
Erie the legal right to exist, flourish nand naturally evolve.
It will boost environment conservation by enabling the defense of environment in
the court and may lead to proactive action to prevent ecosystem degradation and
to promote ecosystem restoration.
 Rights of Nature
Limitation:
Enforcement issues
If Nature can sue, it can be sued to for floods, forest fire, zoonotic diseases
If scope broadened, no more exploitation of Natural resource,
Hydropower projects, interlinking of river, river navigation, wildlife safaris, mining
and quarrying and similar activities will extreme legal hassles
Too many PIL
Difficulty and uncertainty in determining ecologically safe threshold
Problems in enforcing accountability of guardians or Trustees
Millions depend with respect to livelihood and survival on such natural resources
Jurisdiction Issues, International and Intra-national boundaries as nature doesn’t
follow political boundaries
 Rights of Nature
Responsible Anthropocentric approach with focus on reducing per Capita
ecological footprint by following Life Style For Environment can ensure quality of
life by living in harmony with nature.
Or Collective, Conscious policies protecting essential ecological process and life
support system, conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of ecosystems can
promote economic development that is socio-culturally and environmentally
compatible.
 Environmental Degradation and Pollution
Q. Explain Planetary Boundary Concept.
 Global Warming is Due to Human Activities
Q. “Global Warming is due to Human Activities.” justify the statement
Earth’s Climate has changed numerous times in last 4.5 billion years where
changes ago. Geological records show that large variations in the Earth’s climatein
the past were caused by many natural factors, including changes in the Solar
irradiance value, Powerful volcanic eruption, variations in Earth’s orbit and
changing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2). These changes typically occurred very
slowly, over thousands or millions of years.
Natural factors that act as Climate forcings include
Solar Cycles and Change in the Solar Output
‘Milankovitch cycles’ comprising of eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession cycles.
The time period between these changes can be tens of thousands of years
(precession and axial tilt) or more than hundreds of thousands of years
(eccentricity).
 Global Warming is Due to Human Activities
Glacial and interglacial periods cycle roughly every 100,000 years, caused by
changes in Earth's orbit around the sun.
Asteroid/Meteorite impact (66 millioin year ago – Chicxulub crater)
Powerful volcanic eruption – 66 million year ago – Deccan trap region, many other
mass extinctions in the last 500 million years also coincide with large volcanic
outpourings.
Present Climate Change is mainly attributed to Rising concentration of GHGs
mainly attributed the Big 3 of CO2, CH4, N2O. There presence of carbon dioxide
(CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) in the atmosphere has reached to
new highs in 2021, with CO2 at 415.7ppm, CH4 at 1908 ppb and N2O at 334.5ppb.
These values constitute, respectively, 149%, 262% and 124% of pre-industrial
(before 1750) levels. These three big gases together with CFC-11 and CFC-12
account for 96 percent of Radiative forcing of GHGs (WMO). Carbon dioxide
concentrations are at their highest in at least the last 2 million years. Methane and
nitrous oxide concentrations are at their highest in at least 800,000 years
 Low carbon growth opportunities
Q. Low Carbon growth is no longer an impediment to growth rather it is a tool to
address triple crisis of Poverty, Climate Change and Economic Downturn.
Ans:
Positive feedback of Ice Albedo, Sea level rise, wildfire, etc already on the move,
warranting action based on now or never understanding
Delay in addressing any of the 3 will be catastrophic – pushing millions more under
poverty, enhancing ghg buildup in atmosphere and further accelerating positive
feedback, causing collapse of poor and vulnerable economies which may have
domino effect – All three challenges require urgent, decisive, strong and effective
actions.
Key Pillars of Sustainable development Goals specially direct impact on
1,2,3,7,8,9,11 and 13
 Low carbon growth opportunities
a well-constructed response to one can provide great direct advantages and
opportunities for the other
To tackle Climate change is required to cut emissions which fall broadly into three
categories: Enhancing energy efficiency, adoption and promotion of low to NO
carbon technologies, and a halt to deforestation and promotion of afforestation-
reforestation. To drive these actions policies related to: tax, carbon trading and
regulation; increased technology support; and measures that halt deforestation
hold the key.
Remaining carbon budget is diminishing fast
 Low carbon growth opportunities
Opportunities:
Renewable energy sources can free countries from a dependence on imported
fossil fuels. Cleaner transport and cooling mean less pollution and better
health. Halting deforestation protects water supplies, controls flooding and
provides bio-diversity.
The transition to a low-carbon future can bring major economic gains which
appear soon. Energy efficiency can help boost incomes. Low-carbon technologies
can open up new sources of growth and jobs. They can help even the poorest
countries leap-frog old approaches – they can avoid some of the cost of large grids
in the way cell phones helped cut the need for telephone wires. And smarter grids
can both enhance energy efficiency and enable new technologies whilst cutting
transmission costs. New sources of low-carbon energy – hydro, solar – could help
create a comparative advantage for some of the poorest countries.
 Low carbon growth opportunities
Focus on Adaptation too:
But the fact remains that no matter how successful we are with mitigation, we are
now committed over the next few decades to some degree of climate change due
to the levels of GHGs already in the atmosphere and those which will be emitted in
the coming years. That means all countries will have to adapt.
Triple injustice of climate change makes poorest people most vulnerable to the
triple crisis. (Most affected, Least responsible, Least capable to adapt). This
fundamental inequity warrants the rich countries to provide more funds to
developing countries, in addition to current development commitments, to fund
the extra costs created by climate change.
Low cost technology and finance transfer by developed countries is in the interest
of theirs only as Archbishop Desmond Tutu argued ‘the problems of the poor will
arrive at the doorstep of the wealthy, as the climate crisis gives way to despair,
anger and collective security threats.
 Low carbon growth opportunities
Adaptation, defined as “the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate
and its effects, in order to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities,” is
increasingly viewed as a necessary complement to mitigation.
Since adaptation is basically development in a hostile climate, there is no sense in
separating out funds and thereby distorting our efforts. Some aspects of the ways
in which the funds should be allocated will differ from our usual methods for
development assistance, for example, where ‘compensation’ for direct climate
effects such as rising sea levels are involved, but even this does not imply that we
need new institutions to manage them. One option would be a window alongside
IDA.
National efforts by developed countries have been slower to emerge than those
targeting mitigation, and there is evidence that the pace of their development is
not keeping up with the growth in need
This so-called “adaptation deficit” has been attributed to myriad barriers that
complicate adaptation, such as uncertainty over risks and the benefits from
 Low carbon growth opportunities
Economic Downturns – what affects one may affect all
Requirement to invest in new technologies for low-carbon growth
Example of some projects contribution in tackling triple crisis:
Great Green Wall for Sahara and the Sahel Initiative (GGWSSI) – with 8,000km-long
line of trees and plants although primarily focused on reversing land degradation
and desertification in the Sahel and Sahara, had also boosted food security,
livelihood opportunities, biodiversity and ecosystem services, carbon sequestration
along with supporting local communities to adapt to climate change.
Manzanillo, Costa Rica: A women-led mangrove plantation aids in combatting the
effects of climate change
 Indian Cooling Action Plan
Q. What are the key features of India’s Cooling Action Plan?
As average temperatures increasing, the heatwaves frequency and intensity
increasing, heat stress increasing, causing reduced productivity, enhanced morbidity
and mortality. At such times, launch of ICAP by the Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is a significant and positive development.
Plan is launched with an overarching goal of providing sustainable cooling and thermal
comfort for all while securing environmental and socio-economic benefits for the
society.
Launched – 2019 with 20yrs time horizon has following important pillars -
To Decrease cooling demand by 20-25%,
To Decrease Refrigerant demand by 25-30%,
To Decrease Cooling Energy Demand by 25-40 by 2037;
To have minimum 1 lakh services personnel trained by 2022-23,
Recognising cooling and related areas as thrust areas for R&D.
 Indian Cooling Action Plan
India is one of the first countries in the world to do so ;long term vision to address the cooling
requirement across sectors; Cooling requirement is cross sectoral and an essential part for
economic growth and is required across different sectors of the economy such as residential and
commercial buildings, cold-chain, refrigeration, transport and industries
Benefits to the society over and above the environmental benefits:
(i) Thermal comfort for all – provision for cooling for EWS and LIG housing,
(ii) Sustainable cooling – low GHG emissions related to cooling,
(iii) Doubling Farmers Income – better cold chain infrastructure – better value of produce to
farmers, less wastage of produce,
(iv) Skilled workforce for better livelihoods and environmental protection,
(v) Make in India – domestic manufacturing of air-conditioning and related cooling equipment’s,
(vi) Robust R&D on alternative cooling technologies – push to innovation in cooling sector
Concern:
Doesn’t define ‘cooling’, “adaptive thermal comfort”
ICAP heavily relies on ECBC/ECBC regulation however significant portion of EWS/LIG/Slum
dwellers not covered under this, no substantive plan to meet their demand of affordable
and sustainable cooling, leaving it to Municipalities and NGOs for programmes in cool
roofs.
ICAP noticeably missing the provisions to harness the potential of measures regulating
the energy consumption demand through changes in habits and behavior.
Lack of effective mechanism for enforcing, disincentivising and penalising over-cooling.
ICAP shall also focus on having robust mechanism for managing heat stress generated by
Cooling itself, contributing in Urban Heat Island effect. IPCC suggest the same. The ICAP
only mentions in passing that municipal bodies must develop “urban heat action plans”.
For offsetting the UHI effect, there shall be steps like mandatory afforestation and tree
cover rules along with an increase in the number of parks and water bodies.
Needs better collaboration between MoEnvt, MoHUA, MoPower etc
 Carbon Market a Necessity
Economic Downturns – what affects one may affect all
Requirement to invest in new technologies for low-carbon growth
Example of some projects contribution in tackling triple crisis:
Great Green Wall for Sahara and the Sahel Initiative (GGWSSI) – with 8,000km-long
line of trees and plants although primarily focused on reversing land degradation
and desertification in the Sahel and Sahara, had also boosted food security,
livelihood opportunities, biodiversity and ecosystem services, carbon sequestration
along with supporting local communities to adapt to climate change.
Manzanillo, Costa Rica: A women-led mangrove plantation aids in combatting the
effects of climate change
 Carbon Market a Necessity
If effectively enforced, high certainty that emissions will remain below the cap (Cap
and Trade)
A platform for international cooperation reducing emissions and mitigate the
impacts of climate change.
carbon offset revenues provide an additional revenue stream that enhances the
overall financial viability of low-emission projects.
they can help incentivize the often large up-front capital investments needed for
low carbon projects
providing incentives to overcome social inertia, lack of awareness and various
transaction costs that tend to hinder climate friendly investment
Pay-upon-performance‖ nature
Levy on carbon credits mobilises revenue for the Adaptation Fund.
In contrast to international resource flows dedicated to mitigation, the carbon
market channels primarily involve private resources
 Carbon Market a Necessity
Carbon market support basic development needs (e.g., access to sustainable
energy services and waste management solutions, etc.)
Carbon Markets Contributes to technology transfer and diffusion
 Carbon Market a Necessity
Challlenges:
Uncertainty of global regimes
Market fragmentation in the absence of homogeneity of global practices
Transparency challenges
Duplication of carbon credit issuance
Business as usual scenarios
Enhanced transaction costs
low capacity in many countries
non-inclusion of some sectors with significant abatement potential (e.g.,
agriculture)
Uncertainty and Volatility in carbon prices (regulatory uncertainty or market
illiquidity)
inflationary tendencies
 Carbon Market a Necessity
Shall be done:
1. Long term global agreement
2. Floor price guarantee
3. International Monitoring and Oversight Authority
4. Clarity regarding eligible projects
5. Digital repository of projects assigned carbon credits
6. Use of Block Chain that can contribute in decentralization, transparency, data
security and system autonomy – enhancing trust and transparency
 Framework for carbon markets under Kyoto Protocol
Principle - common but differentiated responsibilities based on ―respective
capabilities.‖
Kyoto Protocol: commits industrialized country signatories to reduce their GHG
emissions collectively by around 5% below 1990 levels on average over 2008-12
while developing countries can take no-regrets actions and participate voluntarily
in the carbon market.
To comply with their Kyoto targets, industrialized countries can:
take domestic actions (e.g., carbon tax, carbon trading, standards, subsidies,
investment in cleaner technologies);
trade allowances (Assigned Amount Units, AAUs) among governments; or
Purchase ERs from projects in developing countries (Clean Development
Mechanism or CDM, generating Certified Emission Reductions or CERs) or in
industrialized country signatories (Joint Implementation or JI, generating Emission
Reduction Units or ERUs).
 Net Zero
For achieving 1.5°C or 2°C target of Paris Agreement, along with mitigation of GHGs
emission it is necessary to remove Co2 from atmosphere.
Sinks, Removals, sequestration or Negative emissions
IPCC estimates that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees C depends on CO2 emissions
reaching net zero between 2050 and 2060. Moreover to avoid temporary
overshooting world shall try to achieve Net Zero before 2050.
Two approaches to achieve Net Zero
Stop releasing GHGs in the first place, by cutting emissions
Remove CO2 from the atmosphere using “negative emissions technologies” (NETs).
 Net Zero
Focus Areas For Climate Change Mitigation
1. Retire Coal Plants/Fossil Fuel Divestment Strategy – Concern Carbon Bubble
2. Invest In Clean Energy and Enhancing Energy Efficiency
3. Retrofit and Decarbonize Buildings
4. Decarbonize Hard to abate Industries (hard to abate sectors like steel,
cement, coal-based power, chemical, etc.) (use of CCUS)
5. Shift to electric Vehicles – Electricity from Renewable sources
6. Increase Public transport, Biking and Walking
7. Decarbonise Aviation and Shipping – CORSIA
8. Halt Deforestation and Restore Degraded lands
9. Reduce Food Loss and waste and Improve agricultural practices – (Global
food loss and waste generate annually 4.4 GtCO2 eq, or about 8% of total
anthropogenic GHG emissions, almost equivalent (87%) to global road
transport emissions) (Climate Smart Agriculture)
 Net Zero
Decarbonization options for industries
1. Demand-side measures: Light Weighting – less material needed and thus
lower production and less CO2 emission, better fuel efficiency and
handling, Eg; In Construction Cement replaced by Wood/Biomass based
material, EG; increasing recycling or reuse of plastics and steel, would
lessen CO2 emissions by reducing the production of virgin materials.
2. Energy-efficiency improvements: Increases in energy efficiency can
economically cut fuel consumption for energy use by 20 to 40 percent
across sectors.
3. Electrification of heat: switching to furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps that
run on zero-carbon electricity. Electrifying heat can involve a change in the
production processes.
4. Green Hydrogen usage or Low Carbon Hydrogen usage: For example,
ammonia production can be decarbonized by replacing the natural gas
 Net Zero
Decarbonization options for industries
5. Biomass usage: Like hydrogen, sustainably produced biomass can be used in
place of some fuels and feedstocks. Depending on the fuel or feedstock
required, biomass in a solid (wood, charcoal), liquid (biodiesel, bioethanol), or
gaseous (biogas) form can be used. For example, steel producers in Brazil use
charcoal as a fuel and feedstock instead of coal, and chemical producers in
several European countries experiment with bionaphtha in chemicals
production.
6. Carbon capture: With carbon-capture technology, CO2 can be collected from
the exhaust gases produced by an industrial process and prevented from
entering the atmosphere. The CO2 can be stored underground (CCS) or used as
a feedstock in other processes through carbon capture and usage (CCU).
7. Investment in Development of New Technologies
 Net Zero
Challenges:
1. Availability of alternate source of energy
2. Renewable Resources of energy - Availability & Reliability
3. Base Load Power supply dependency on fossil fuel sources
4. Changes in the entire production process
5. Global trade and price competition
6. Cost is determining factor in many carbon intensive industries like
products made of Iron or steel etc.
7. Cost of imparting skill to workforce
8. Investment in research and development
9. Lack of incentive like in case of Carbon capture and storage
 Carbon offsetting Limitation
Pollute and Pay principle
Definitional Inconsistency
Lack of Accounting Standards
Lack of Verifiability and Transparency
Problem of Double counting
Delayed impact of offsets (afforestation impact in
future whereas CO2 emission now)
Postponement of decarbonisation
 Carbon offsetting Limitation
Offsets may not be permanent (plantation this year may be
destroyed next year naturally or anthropogenic ally)
Business as usual reductions also may be used for offsets
Carbon Leakage
Cost of offset leading to competitive disadvantage to some/
viability issues
Limitation of developing countries to divert funds for offsets
Carbon offsets focuses mostly on CO2 whereas Ch4 and N2O
are among the fastest growing GHGs with higher GWP than
that of CO2
 Negative Emission Technologies
1. Afforestation and reforestation
2. Biochar
3. BECCS
4. ‘Blue carbon’ habitat restoration
5. Building with biomass
6. Cloud or ocean treatment with alkali
7. Direct air capture
8. Enhanced ocean productivity/Ocean fertilisation
9. Enhanced weathering/carbon mineralisation
10.Soil carbon sequestration/well managed grasslands/ag
methods
 Negative Emission Technologies
1. Afforestation and reforestation
2. Biochar
3. BECCS
4. ‘Blue carbon’ habitat restoration
5. Building with biomass
6. Cloud or ocean treatment with alkali
7. Direct air capture
8. Enhanced ocean productivity/Ocean fertilisation
9. Enhanced weathering/carbon mineralisation
10.Soil carbon sequestration/well managed grasslands/ag
methods
 Negative Emission Technologies
Q. Negative Emission Technologies are no silver bullet in fight
against climate change. Comment 150 Words
 Net Zero
Two approaches
Stop releasing GHGs in the first place, by cutting emissions
Remove CO2 from the atmosphere using “negative emissions technologies” (NETs).
1. A net-zero target is met when residual emissions are offset by CO2 removals. The problems lie
in the interaction between these two. If we pay more attention to removals, how might that
affect releases?

Challenges/Limitation
1. Cost
2. Technology
3. Development requirement of poor countries and lack of resources
4. Hard to abate Industries
5. Even if negative emissions simply substitute for feasible emissions reductions, there could be
negative side-effects. Unlike carbon emissions prevented by mitigation, carbon put into
forests, soils or even geological stores could leak back into the atmosphere. And NETs may
bring other environmental or social risks, such as heightened competition for land.
 India is doing more than its fair share to address climate change
18% of the global population
Significant Population of Poor (SDG 1, 2, 3 and 4)
India’s per capita CO2 emission below 2 tonne level.
Per capita Electricity Consumption - 1255 kWh in 2021-22, which is around
one-third of the global average of per capita electricity consumption.
Low per capita EFP
Low Cumulative GHG Contribution - - only about 4% of the global cumulative
greenhouse gas emissions between 1850 and 2019.
India was represented by its PM in first big conference under UN auspices
held in Stockholm in 1972 highlighting India’s commitment towards the
cause.
India is a Party to UNFCCC and to its supplementary agreements of Kyoto
Protocol and Paris Agreement.
 India is doing more than its fair share to address climate change
India is a party to Montreal Protocol and has ratified all five its legally
binding amendments which control although ODS but these ODS are
also GHGs.
India had submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)
balancing the concerns and priorities of climate change, sustainable
development including poverty eradication, and economic growth of the
country.
India recently revised NDCs where India has enhanced target to reduce
emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 percent by 2030 from 2005 level,
achieve about 50 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity
from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
Even though, India is not a part of the problem but it is a part of the
solution and is doing more than its fair share.
 India is doing more than its fair share to address climate change
In November 2022, India has submitted its Long-Term Low-Carbon
Development Strategy. India’s long term strategy rests on seven key
transitions to low-carbon development pathways. One of these
transitions will focus on promoting Adaptation in Urban Design, Energy
and Material-Efficiency in Buildings, and Sustainable Urbanisation.

India is implementing several programmes and schemes including the

National Action Plan on Climate Change(NAPCC) which comprises
missions in specific areas of solar energy, energy efficiency, water,
sustainable agriculture, Himalayan ecosystem, sustainable habitat, green
India, and strategic knowledge for climate change.
 India is doing more than its fair share to address climate change
Thirty-four States /Union Territories (UTs) have prepared and some have
updated their State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) in line with
NAPCC taking into account the State-specific issues relating to climate
change. These SAPCCs outline sector-specific and cross-sectoral priority
actions, including adaptation and climate resilient infrastructure.
The National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) was
established to support adaptation activities in the States and Union
Territories (UTs) of India that are vulnerable to the adverse effects of
climate change. NAFCC is implemented in project mode and till date, 30
projects have been sanctioned in 27 States and UTs. As a result of
various actions undertaken, India has achieved reduction of 24% in
emission intensity of its GDP between 2005 and 2016.
 India is doing more than its fair share to address climate change
Apart from resolutely addressing climate change domestically, India has launched
international coalitions such as International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Coalition for
Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
At COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021, new initiatives under CDRI and ISA, viz,
Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) and Green Grids Initiative—One Sun
One World One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG) were also launched.
Along with Sweden, India co-leads the Leadership Group for Industry Transition
(LeadIT) for voluntary low carbon transition of hard to abate sectors.
Further, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued several
disaster specific guidelines for managing extreme weather-related disasters such as
cyclones, floods and heat wave.
National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) has been formulated to assist all
stakeholders including State Governments in disaster risk management of various
hazards including hazards related to climate change.
 India is doing more than its fair share to address climate change
Furthermore, advance and early warning systems are being implemented by Indian
Meteorological Department to facilitate timely evacuation in the event of floods/cyclones and
prevent the loss of lives.
Government of India has implemented Integrated Coastal Zone Management project (ICZMP)
that has contributed, inter-alia, mapping of hazard line, Eco-sensitive Area, Sediment cell for the
entire coastline of India. The hazard line is indicative of the shoreline changes, including the sea
level rise due to climate change and is a projection of impact due to sea level rise, and shoreline
changes over a long period of time viz. over 100 years. This line is required to be used by the
Coastal State agencies concerned as a tool for Disaster Management for the coastal environment,
including planning of adaptive and mitigation measures.
 India’s updated NDC
1. To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way
of living based on traditions and values of conservation and
moderation, including through a mass movement for ‘LIFE’– ‘Lifestyle
for Environment’ as a key to combating climate change [ UPDATED].
2. To adopt a climate friendly and a cleaner path than the one followed
hitherto by others at corresponding level of economic development.
3. To reduce Emissions Intensity of its GDP by 45 percent by 2030, from
2005 level [UPDATED].
4. To achieve about 50 percent cumulative electric power installed
capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030, with
the help of transfer of technology and low-cost international finance
including from Green Climate Fund (GCF) [UPDATED].
 India’s updated NDC
5. To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2
equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
6. To better adapt to climate change by enhancing investments in
development programmes in sectors vulnerable to climate change,
particularly agriculture, water resources, Himalayan region, coastal
regions, health and disaster management.
7. To mobilize domestic and new & additional funds from developed
countries to implement the above mitigation and adaptation actions in
view of the resource required and the resource gap.
8. To build capacities, create domestic framework and international
architecture for quick diffusion of cutting edge climate technology in
India and for joint collaborative R&D for such future technologies.
Ballast Water Management Convention
 Eutrophication
Q. What is Eutrophication? Its causes and Impact? Mitigation Measures
 Kigali Amendment
Q. What is Kigali Amendment? How would it impact the fight against climate
change?
 Kyoto and Montreal Protocol
Over the last 30-40 years, climate change and depletion of the ozone layer have
been widely believed to be the world's largest environmental problems. The two
problems have many similarities. Both involve global risks created by diverse
nations, and both seem to be best handled through international agreements.
Both are attributed to anthropogenic actions
Both the problems emanated from the actions of Diverse of nations and both
problems threatened to cause large scale harm
International cooperation is must as none of the two problems can be handled by a
country alone, hence both addressed by various International Agreement
Both are caused by substances that may remain in atmosphere for long, hence
even if immediate and aggressive actions taken, results may be visible very late
Both raise serious issues of intergenerational and international equity.
 Kyoto and Montreal Protocol
Both the agreements follow the principle of CBDR
1. It is easier to regulate production and consumption than it is to regulate actual
emissions.
2. One sector contribution v. multiple sectors
3. Substitutes being developed for ODS whereas GHGs Emission from activities
hard to abate
4. Binding to Both Developed and Developing, USA didn’t join, not binding to
developing
5. Easy to regulate, difficult
 Methane Pledge
Q. What is Global Methane Pledge? Explain its significance? Why has India not
joint it?
Methane is a powerful but short-lived climate pollutant that accounts significant
rise in global average temperature since the pre-industrial era (262% emission of
Pre Industrial level, highest growth rate among the big 3 GHGs.
The Pledge was proposed by the European Union and the United States of America
at the Major Economies Forum (MEF) on Energy and Climate on September 17,
2021 targeting at 30% reduction in global methane emissions from 2020 levels by
2030. It was officially launched at COP 26 in November 2021 in Glasgow.
The Pledge aims to catalyze global action and strengthen support for existing
international methane emission reduction initiatives to advance technical and
policy work that will serve to underpin Participants’ domestic actions. The Pledge
also recognizes the essential roles that private sector, development banks, financial
institutions and philanthropy play to support implementation of the Pledge and
welcomes their efforts and engagement. Over 100 countries have joined it.
 Methane Pledge
India’s Position:
The Pledge is outside the ambit of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement.
India submitted NDC, No sector or gas specific emissions reduction targets
The two predominant sources of methane emissions in India are enteric
fermentation and paddy cultivation.
In India agricultural activities mainly by small, marginal, and medium farmers
whereas, agriculture in developed countries is dominated by industrial agriculture.
In the context of food security, the methane emissions are ‘survival’ emissions and
not luxury emissions.
Impact on farmers’ income.
India is one of the largest producers and exporters of rice, may affect India’s trade
and economic prospects.
 Methane Pledge
As per the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, the predominant gas responsible for climate change is CO2 which has a
lifetime of 100-1000 years.This Pledge shifts the CO2 reduction burden to methane
reduction, which has a lifetime of just 12 years.
India has the largest cattle population in the world, which is a source of livelihood
to a large section of population. The contribution of Indian livestock to global pool
of enteric methane is very low, as Indian livestock utilizes large volumes of
agricultural byproducts and unconventional feed material.
Note: As per the Global Methane Initiative (GMI) – Largest Methane Emitter -
China, Russia, USA India. India’s methane emissions are nearly one-third that of
China.
 Methane Pledge
Government programmes to harness energy from the large amount of Methane
released from its animal husbandry related activities:
The Gobar (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) – Dhan’ scheme and New
National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme incentivize cattle waste, in
addition to production of clean energy in villages.
Gobar Dhan scheme supports biodegradable waste recovery and conversion of
waste into resources, reduction of GHG emissions, reduction in imports of crude
oil, boosts entrepreneurship and promotes organic farming.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing National
Livestock Mission, which inter alia, includes Breed Improvement and Balanced
Rationing. Feeding livestock with superior quality balanced ration is helping to
reduce methane emissions from the livestock.
 Carbon Sequestration
Q. Preventing the loss of carbon stocks in Earth’s ecosystems is critical to address
the climate and biodiversity emergencies.
Land and oceans are natural “carbon sinks”
Loss of forest, land degradation, desertification
Ocean acidification, warm oceans
• Five Ecosystems to be protected:
• Forest – REDD+, Bonn Challenge, Sahara Sahel Initiative
• Peatlands: Earth’s most potent carbon stores – 3% of world land, 30 % of soil
carbon
• Farmlands: where carbon feeds humanity -A shift to sustainable farming with
regenerated, carbon-rich soils can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
chemical fertilizers and pesticides and cut energy use during farming. Less
intensive livestock-rearing can cut emissions of methane
 Carbon Sequestration
• Oceans, Coastal ecosystems, mangroves – Blue carbon Ecosystem restoration,
Mangroves, salt marshes and seagrass
• Cities: the urban frontier of climate change- focus on green infrastructure –
Restoration and rejuvenation of wetlands; restoration of lakes and streams;
creation of parks; biomass based building material; urban forestry, carbon sink
parks,
Conclusion:
UNEP report says that with careful planning and ramped-up investment, nature-
based solutions can cut net emissions by the equivalent of up to 18 gigatons of
carbon dioxide per year by 2050.
Nature-based solutions can reduce global warming and shift our economies and
societies onto a sustainable path.
 Cheetah Reintroduction
World’s fastest land animal is the only large carnivore becoming extinct in India,
mainly due to over-hunting and habitat loss.
Why: Cheetah is one of the apex predator, acting as conduit of transfer of energy
from one trophic level to next, contributes in maintaining quantitatively and
qualitatively healthy population of its prey species, contributes in top down trophic
cascade, also prevents anthropogenic disturbance up to a certain extent. Help
conservation of biodiversity. Cheetah plays the role of flagship species, keystone
species and a umbrella species.
Overall improvement of conditions in maintaining healthy ecosystem.
Boost to ecotourism and associated activities, enhancing livelihood options
Not too much of genetic dissimilarity between African and Asian Cheetah
Roles in enhancing carbon sequestration by protecting forest and grassland
ecosystems, thus contribution in climate change mitigation
 Cheetah Reintroduction
Concern:
Vulnerability upon introduction to new place, genetic drift, founder effect,
Transition from enclosures to open wild areas
Indian protected areas offer relative less space for free run of cheetah than that of
Africa.
Chances of conflict with other large predators like leopards, tigers, lions (kuno has
significant leopard population)
Adaptability issues, Large human population, and the presence of larger feline
predators and packs of feral dogs, could all cause potentially "high mortalities,"
and require a continual import of African cheetahs.
Relocation of villages to protect cheetah habitat, additional pressure on other
places’ carrying capacity
 Questions

Q.: Invasive Species have emerged as one of the big threat for Biodiversity and Human Economic Wellbeing? Suggest measures
for tackling IAS.
Q. Negative Emmission Technologies and India’s Opportunities and Challenges?
Q. Enumerate Various initiatives taken by government of India to tackle climate change?
Q. What is National Action Plan on Climate Change
Q. What do you mean by Adaptation and Mitigation strategy in fight against climate change. Highlight the concerns in present
state of affairs regarding the climate change fight strategy.
Q. POPs. Control methods, International conventions
Q. Non timber forest products? Role in sustainable development of Forest dependent population in India?
Q. Human Wildlife Conflict
Q. Challenges of Species reintroduction programme
Q. India’s Action for Mitigation and Adaptation?
Q. Zero Budget natural Farming
Q. Integrated Pest management and Non Pesticide management
Q. Explain the concept of Sustainable Development? Discuss in brief the post 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
 Questions
Q. Enumerate the Global Initiatives for Environment Conservation.
Q. One Health – Healthy Animal, Healthy Humans and Healthy Ecosystems
 Bioremediation
Q. What is Phytoremediation? Discuss its importance and Imitations.
Q. What is Bioremediation?
 Sea Level Rise
Q. What are the effect of Climate Change on the Sea Level? how would these
impact coastlines and coastal communities?
 Waste Management
Challenges:
1. Waste collection
2. Waste Segregation
3. Legacy Waste
4. Behavioral challenges
5. Lack of Segregation of waste at source (Extended Producer responsibility issue)

Waste Segregation – Green Blue etc.,

Waste to Energy
EPR
Participation of RWAs and Accountability
Promotion of Circular Economy – Focus on R, R, R
 High Sea Treaty
.
 Global biodiversity Framework 2030
.
 Energy Conservation Amendment Act
.