Basics of Energy and Environment Short Notes Part-4

By Vineet Vijay|Updated : December 10th, 2019

CONVENTION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

  • Adopted in 1992 (In Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazil)
  • wef 1993
  • Parties (Countries): 196 [US not a party]
  • Secretariat: Montreal (Canada)

Three aims of CBD

  1. Conservation of bio diversity
  2. Sustainable use of its component
  3. Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of Genetic Resources

NAGOYA PROTOCOL

  • Adopted in 2010
  • wef 2014
  • India is a party, US not a party
  • Based on third aim of CBD

It is a supplementary protocol to CBD. It provides for creating a legal mechanism for providing an access to genetic resources & it also provides that the benefits derived from such use of genetic resources shall be shared in fair and equitable manner with the society where these resources originally belong to.

CARTAGENA PROTOCOL

  • Adopted in special session of CBD in Columbia in 2000
  • wef 2003
  • A supplementary protocol to CBD on “Biosafety”

Aim is to protect human helath & environment from the potential negative impact of living modified organisms (LMOs)

LMOS: GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

Organisms having new genetic combination acquired with the use of modern biotechnology

Example: GM Crops like Bt Cotton (1st GM crop of India), Bt Brinjal (1st GM food crop of India)

GM crops may be developed for

  1. Providing resistance against insects/pests
  2. Increasing crop yield
  3. Providing nutritional addition
  4. Providing resistance aganst a disease or against adverse climatic conditions

RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLANDS

Secretariat: Gland (Switzerland)

Wetland is a transitional zone between terrestrial area and water body

As per Ramsar Convention,

Wetlands are the

  • Area of marsh, fens, peatlands or water
  • Temporary or permanent
  • Natural or anthropogenic
  • Water may be static or flowing
  • Water may be fresh, brackish or saline

As per Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005, Wetlands are the most endangered of the ecosystems
6 to 7% of the total global area is Wetlands

As per national Wetlands Atlas, In India,

Maximum area under Wetlands: Gujarat

Maximum percentage area under Wetlands: Lakshadweep

Largest stretch of Wetlands: Indo-gangetic plains

Februray 2 is celebrated as World Wetlands Day

2018 theme: Wetlands for a sustainable urban future

From India, 26 sites are included in Ramsar list. First two being, Chilika (in Odisha) and Keoladeo (in Rajasthan)

26th site: Nalsarovar bird sanctuary (in Gujarat)

Wetland’s significance

  1. High biodiversity
  2. Plays important role in water purification
  3. Provides wood, food, medicinal plants etc.
  4. Habitat of many species
  5. Provides protection against natural calamities like floods, cyclones etc.

Montreux Record

 It is the list of those Ramsar sites where ecological characteristics have already been changed or are changing or likely to be changed because of anthropogenic activities.

It includes two sites from India

  1. Keoladeo NP
  2. Loktak NP

Chilika was earlier included in this list but now it has been removed due to conservation efforts

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources)

Estd: 1948

Headquarters: Gland (Switzerland)

It is not an agency of UN

Publishes Red Data Book (Official Name: Red List)
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(7) under data sufficient are as follows:

  1. Extinct [[Ex]
  2. Extinct in wild [EW]
  3. Critically Endangered [CR]
  4. Endangered [ER]
  5. Vulnerable [VU]
  6. Near Threatened [NT]
  7. Least Concerned [LC]

According to Red List,

Extint: Stellar’s sea cow, Passenger pigeon, Dodo etc.

Extinct in India: Cheetah (VU), Banteng (ER), Java Rhinoceros (CR), Sumatran Rhinoceros (CR)

Critically Endangered: Indian Vultures, Jerdon’s Courser, Namdapha Squirrel, Kondana rat, Great Indian Bustard, Gharial crocodile, Red crowned roof turtle, Forest owlet etc.

Endangered: Asiatic lion, Tiger, Elephant, Dolphin, Red Panda (Lesser Panda), Snow leopard etc.

Vulnerable: Mugger crocodile, Dugong etc

Near Threatened: Wild ass

Least Concerned: Rhesus Monkey, Blue bull, Peacock, Saltwater crocodile, Hanuman Langur

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna & flora)

Adopted in 1973 in Washington D.C., hence also known as “Washington Convention”

Appendix I: List of species facing extinction

Appendix II: List of species not facing extinction but may face extinction if illegal trade continues

Appendix III: List of species for which at least which one of the parties (countries) have requested to be included seeking global cooperation

WWF (World Wide Fund for nature)

estd: 1961

Headquarters: Gland (Switzerland)

Emblem: Giant Panda (Black & White Panda)

WWF organizes “Earth Hour” annually on a particular day in the month of March (usually Saturday)

During this event lights are switched off for an hour. The aim of this event is to create awareness for environment protection

Earth Hour 2018: 24 March 2018

Earth Hour 2019: 30 March 2019
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Ecological Foot Print

It is a relationship between human consumption demand & the nature’s capacity to regenerate the resources

As per some estimates, presently it is around 1.5 to 1.6

Ecological Over Shoot

The excess of human consumption over the regeneration by nature

Population Over Shoot

Excess of population over the nature’s carrying capacity

Green Peace

estd: 1971, in Vancouver, Canada

Headquarters: Amsterdam

Recently Govt. recommended for deregistration of Green Peace on account of some foreign exchange rules violation

It works in the area of environment including anti-nuclear protest

CMS (Convention on Migratory Species)

Adopted 1979 in Bonn (Germany) aka Bonn Convention

wef 1983

Includes migratory species like mammal, fishes, reptiles, birds, insects

Recently India signed MoU with CMS with respect to “Raptors”

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food & Agriculture

Adopted 2001

aka International Seed Treaty

Includes 64 seeds which provides 80% or more food grain availability

Includes 4 main seeds namely, viz. Rice, Wheat, Maize, Potato. These 4 are known as Big Four

Main aims: Conservation, exchange and sustainable use

International Plant Protection Convention

  • Adopted 1951
  • wef 1952
  • Aim: to protect plant & plant products from pests

World Heritage Convention

  • estd 1972
  • India is a party
  • Divided into three categories, Cultural properties, Natural properties, Mixed properties
  • India is a party

From India, 37 sites are there in the list, known as “World Heritage List”. This list is published by UNESCO

29 sites are included in Cultural properties. They are

  • Agra Fort
  • Ajanta Caves
  • Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
  • Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
  • Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
  • Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus)
  • Churches and Convents of Goa
  • Elephanta Caves
  • Ellora Caves
  • Fatehpur Sikri
  • Great Living Chola Temples
  • Group of Monuments at Hampi
  • Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram
  • Group of Monuments at Pattadakal
  • Hill Forts of Rajasthan
  • Historic City of Ahmadabad
  • Humayun's Tomb, Delhi
  • Khajuraho Group of Monuments
  • Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya
  • Mountain Railways of India
  • Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
  • Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat
  • Red Fort Complex
  • Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka
  • Sun Temple, Konarak
  • Taj Mahal
  • The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
  • The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
  • Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai

 7 sites are included in Natural properties. They are

  • Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area
  • Kaziranga National Park
  • Keoladeo National Park
  • Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
  • Sundarbans National Park
  • Western Ghats

 1 site is included in Mixed properties. It is

  • Khangchendzonga National Park

 Birdlife International

  • estd: 1922
  • Headquarters: Cambridge
  • Focusses on important Bird & Biodiversity areas

 Wetlands International

  • estd: 1937
  • Headquarters: Ede, Netherlands
  • Works along with Ramsar Convention for wetlands conservation

 Conservation International

  • estd: 1987
  • Headquarters: Arlington, Virginia

 UNEP (United Environment Programme)

  • estd: 1972
  • Headquarters: Nairobi
  • It is under UN

 ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION & CONSERVATION RELATED CONSTITUTIONAL & LEGAL PROVISIONS

 Constitutional Provisions

  1. Article 21 (Fundamental Right): Right to life includes right to have healthy environment
  2. Article 48 (DPSP): Agriculture & Animal Husbandry on Modern & Scientific lines & prohibition of slaughter of cows, calves & other milch & drought animals
  3. Article 48A (DPSP): Protection & improvement of environment & conservation of forest & wildlife
  4. Article 51A (g) (Fundamental Duties): To protest environment & wildlife

 Important laws

  1. Environment Protection Act, 1986

Ecosensitive zone comes under this law

Ecosensitive zone

  • Right to notify ecosensitive zone is with Central govt.
  • Eco sensitive zones acts as a shock absorbing zone acting as a buffer to National Parks & Wildlife Sanctuaries
  • In eco sensitive zones, activities are mainly regulated; harmful activities may not be allowed
  • Its extension is upto 10 kms from boundaries of NP and WLS
  1. Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
  2. Indian Forest Act, 1927
  3. Forest Conservation Act, 1980
  4. Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
  5. Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

National Green Tribunal (NGT)

  • estd. under NGT Act, 2010
  • wef Oct 2010
  • Aim: to provide speedy disposal (within 6 months) to environment related cases
  • NGT draws the powers from Article 21

 NGT is a statutory body not required to follow

  • Civil Procedure Code, 1908
  • Indian Evidence Act, 1872

Chairman: is/has been Supreme Court Judge or Chief Justice of High Court 

Principal bench: Delhi

4 other benches at Kolkata, Pune, Chennai, Bhopal

NGT replaced National Environment Tribunal estd. by NET Act, 1995

NGT works on the principle of Natural Justice

 Before order, NGT to follow

  • Polluter pays principle
  • Principle of Sustainable Development
  • Precautionary principle

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