India’s first study on ‘teal carbon’, undertaken at Keoladeo National Park (KNP) in Rajasthan

Context:

• India’s first ‘teal carbon’ study bets on wetlands to address the challenges of climate adaptation and resilience

Teal carbon:

• The concept of teal carbon is a recent addition to the environmental science pertaining to organic carbon in inland fresh wetlands.
• It refers to carbon stored in non-tidal freshwater wetlands, encompassing carbon sequestered in vegetation, microbial biomass, and dissolved and particulate organic matter.
• ‘Teal carbon’ being a colour-based terminology reflects the classification of the organic carbon based on its functions and location rather than its physical properties.
• As opposed to teal carbon, black and brown carbons are primarily produced by incomplete combustion of organic matter from sources such as wild fires, fossil fuel combustion, and industrial activities. They contribute to global warming.
• Teal carbon ecosystem would contribute to an increase in the ground water level, flood mitigation and heat island reduction, supporting a sustainable urban adaptation.
• At the global level, the storage of teal carbon across the ecosystems is estimated to be 500.21 petagrams of carbon (PgC), which is a unit to measure carbon.
• Peatlands, freshwater swamps, and natural freshwater marshes account for significant amount of this storage.
• The study, carried out in the form of the KNP’s global review, has depicted the potential of teal carbon as a tool to mitigate climate change if the anthropogenic pollution in the wetlands can be controlled.

UPSC PYQ (2021):

What is blue carbon?

1. Carbon captured by oceans and coastal ecosystems
2. Carbon sequestered in forest biomass and agricultural soils
3. Carbon contained in petroleum and natural gas
4. Carbon present in atmosphere

Ans: A

Rare sighting of Atlas moth in Kalvarayan Hills in T.N.

News:

• The Atlas moth, considered to be one of the largest moth species in the world, was spotted in Kalvarayan Hills (Eastern Ghats) in Kallakurichi district.
• Though the moth has been previously sighted in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts in the Western Ghats, this is said to be the first sighting of the species in Kalvarayan Hills in Kallakurichi district.
• The rare sighting of the Atlas moth serves as a reminder of the rich biodiversity prevalent in Kalvarayan Hills.
• This sighting has further reinforced the urgency to protect these fragile ecosystems to ensure that different species continue to flourish.

About Atlas moth:

• The Atlas moth (Attacus atlas), endemic to South East Asia and considered to be one of the largest moths in the world.
• These moths are typically found at 500-3,000 feet above sea level in tropical dry forests.
• They rest during the day and remain active at night.
• As in most silk moths, females are noticeably larger and heavier than males.
• In India, Atlas moths are cultivated for their silk in a non-commercial capacity.

Note: Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies.

UPSC PYQ (2020):

With reference to India’s biodiversity, Ceylon frogmouth, Coppersmith barbet, Gray-chinned minivet and White-throated redstart are

1. Birds
2. Primates
3. Reptiles
4. Amphibians

Ans: A

Health Ministry Releases “Health Dynamics of India (Infrastructure and Human Resources) 2022-23”

News:

• Union Health Secretary released “Health Dynamics of India (Infrastructure and Human Resources) 2022-23”, an annual publication formerly known as “Rural Health Statistics”.
• The document has been published since 1992.

Key features of the publication:

• Comparative Analysis: Provides comparisons of health infrastructure and manpower between 2005 and 2023, and from 2022 to 2023, highlighting progress and gaps.
• District-Wise Data: Offers district-level details of health facilities, including Sub-Centers (SCs), Primary Health Centers (PHCs), Community Health Centers (CHCs), Sub-District Hospitals (SDHs), District Hospitals (DHs), and Medical Colleges.
• Rural, Urban, and Tribal Focus: Details infrastructure and manpower in rural, urban, and tribal areas, providing targeted insights for policy planning.
• Classification of States/UTs: States and Union Territories are categorized based on key healthcare performance metrics, aiding in targeted interventions.

Highlights:

• The annual publication is a valuable document furnishing much needed information on manpower and infrastructure within National Health Mission (NHM), helpful in policy making, improving processes and problem solving.
• The document gives a cross analysis across the states on the availability and deficiencies in manpower and infrastructure.
• The data is immensely helpful in understanding the requirements of the states, their priority areas and formulating policies and targeted campaigns.
• The health statistics also aids in making a comparison in the performance of the states on different parameters.
• This data is crucial for stakeholders in the health sector, as it supports effective planning, monitoring, and management of health infrastructure across the country.
• By providing a clear snapshot of the current state of healthcare infrastructure and human resources, the publication serves as a foundational tool for identifying gaps and addressing needs in various areas, including rural, urban, and tribal regions.
• The information contained in the publication enables policymakers, health administrators, and planners to assess the distribution and adequacy of healthcare facilities and human resources.
• It helps in formulating targeted strategies to optimize health service delivery and allocate resources efficiently.
• Additionally, the data serves as a vision document for understanding the needs in different regions, facilitating a more equitable distribution of health services.

Conclusion:

• The publication is an essential resource material for ensuring that health infrastructure development is aligned with the specific requirements of all population groups, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and responsive healthcare system across the country.

Five Successful Years of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana (PM-KMY)

Introduction:

• Launched on September 12, 2019, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojna (PM-KMY) has been providing social security to all land-holding Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs) across the country.
• This old-age pension scheme is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme.
• Under the initiative, eligible small and marginal farmers are given a fixed monthly pension of Rs. 3,000 after attaining the age of sixty.
• To qualify, farmers contribute monthly to the pension fund during their working years, with matching contributions from the central government.

PM-KMY:

• Under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojna (PM-KMY), small and marginal farmers can enroll by paying a monthly subscription to the Pension Fund.
• Farmers aged between 18 and 40 years need to contribute between Rs. 55 to Rs. 200 per month until they turn 60.
• Once they reach the age of 60, enrolled farmers receive a monthly pension of Rs. 3,000, provided they meet the scheme’s exclusion criteria.
• The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) manages the pension fund.
• All farmers with cultivable land holdings of up to 2 hectares and listed in state/UT land records as of 1st August 2019 are eligible for benefits under the scheme.

Key Benefits under PM-KMY:

• Family Pension: If a subscriber passes away while receiving their pension, their spouse will be entitled to a family pension equal to 50% of the amount the subscriber was receiving i.e. Rs.1500 per month as Family Pension.
• This is only applicable if the spouse is not already a beneficiary of the scheme. The family pension benefit is exclusively for the spouse.
• PM-KISAN Benefit: SMFs can choose to use their PM-KISAN benefits to make voluntary contributions to the scheme.
• Leaving the Pension Scheme: There are also benefits of leaving the scheme before attaining 60 years i.e., share of contribution + interest.

INDIA-USA JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS-2024 COMMENCES IN RAJASTHAN

News:

• The 20th edition of India-USA Joint Military Exercise YUDH ABHYAS-2024 commenced in Rajasthan.

Exercise YUDH ABHYAS:

• It has been held annually since 2004, alternating between India and the USA.
• Aim: To enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake counter terrorism operations in a sub conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
• The exercise will focus on operations in the semi-desert environment.
• Tactical drills to be rehearsed during the exercise include joint response to a terrorist action, joint planning and combined field training exercises that simulate real-world counter-terrorism missions.
• It will enable both sides to share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting joint operations.
• It will facilitate developing inter-operability, bonhomie and camaraderie between the two armies.
• The joint exercise will also enhance defence cooperation, further augmenting bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.

India, not China, is world’s largest plastic emitter: study

Context:

• The study published in ‘Nature’ has reported India ranks first due to a lack of access to waste collection facilities

News:

• New research published in the journal Nature has said that India is responsible for around one-fifth of global plastic emissions of around 9.3 million metric tonnes (Mt) per year.
• The rate places India at the top of the emitters’ list, whereas the study places China, generally considered to be the greatest committer, fourth.

Plastic emissions:

• Plastic emissions include materials that have moved from controlled systems for waste, however basic, managed or mismanaged, to the environment where they are under no control.
• According to the study, conducted by researchers at the University of Leeds, plastic emissions are highest in southern Asian, sub-Saharan African and southeast Asian countries.
• It estimated Nigeria produces 3.5 Mt of plastics per year, ahead of Indonesia with 3.4 Mt/year and China with 2.8 Mt/year.

China’s case:

• In the last 15 years, China has improved its waste management substantially and is approaching a point where it has a comprehensive collection system.
• China is fast approaching high-income group status and has more monetary resources than India.

India’s plastic problem:

• India has emerged as one of the world’s largest plastic polluters for several reasons.
• There is a large and increasing population which is becoming more affluent.
• That means more and more waste, and the country has struggled to keep pace with providing waste management services.
• Dumping sites in the country are home to uncontrolled land disposal and outnumber sanitary landfills.
• The country’s official waste generation rate, estimated to be 0.12 kg per capita per day, is possibly underestimated while waste collection is overestimated.
• While India claims to have a national waste collection coverage of around 95%, the study found evidence that official statistics don’t include rural areas, open burning of uncollected waste, and waste recycled by the informal sector.
• Around 5.8 Mt of plastic solid waste is openly burned each year in India.

Other findings of the study:

• Around 69%, or 35.7 Mt, per year of the world’s plastic waste comes from 20 countries.
• High-income countries have higher plastic waste generation rates but none are ranked in the top 90 polluters, mostly due to 100% collection coverage and controlled disposal.
• Despite lower plastic waste generation rates in low-income countries (LICs), lower-middle-income countries (LMCs), and upper-middle-income countries (UMCs), a large part of it is either uncollected or disposed of in dumping sites, contributing to uncontrolled disposal.
• More plastic waste is burned than is emitted as debris (physical particles larger than 5 mm) worldwide, which may have a significant impact on human health and ecosystems.
• Shortcomings in local and national waste management systems are more evident on a per-capita basis.
• China to be the world’s fourth-largest absolute emitter but 153rd on a per-capita basis.
• India ranked 1 but 127th per capita.
• Russia on the other hand is the world’s fifth-largest absolute emitter but also has high per-capita emissions, reportedly due to low levels of controlled disposal.
• In the Global South, uncollected waste is the largest contributor to plastic pollution. It accounts for 68% of all plastic waste emissions and 85% of all debris emissions.
• In high-income countries, littering is the largest source of plastic emissions, accounting for 53% of debris emissions and 49% of all plastic emissions in the Global North.
• Mismanagement of rejects from plastics sorting and recycling systems in both Global North and Global South adds around 1 Mt/year of plastic waste emission to the environment.

Way forward:

• The study aimed to create a global inventory of macroplastic pollution at local levels to inform policies designed to reduce plastic emissions and to provide a global baseline for researchers monitoring emissions.
• An inventory like this can prove critical to the success of the United Nations’ Plastics Treaty, a draft resolution that negotiators are hoping to turn into an international legally binding agreement by the end of this year. Once finalised, this agreement will aim to end plastic pollution.

UPSC PYQ (2023):

• What is oil pollution? What are its impacts on the marine ecosystem? In what way is oil pollution particularly harmful for a country like India?