Environment

Edge effect: Edge effects refer to the changes in population or community structures that occur at the boundary of two habitats. Trophic cascade: A trophic cascade is an ecological phenomenon triggered by the addition or removal of top predators and involving reciprocal changes in the relative population of Predator and prey through a food chain … Read more

single-use plastics are goods that are made primarily from fossil fuel–based chemicals (petrochemicals) and are meant to be disposed of right after use—often, in mere minutes. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. The bigger challenge is to put in place an efficient waste management … Read more

Air pollution is broken down into ambient (outdoor) air pollution and indoor air pollution. This pollution comes from many sources, the majority of them a result of human activity: the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal to generate electricity for homes and businesses, or petrol and diesel to power our cars, buses, ships and … Read more

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. The MARPOL Convention was adopted on 2 November 1973 at IMO. The Protocol of 1978 was adopted in response to a spate of tanker … Read more

Environment Impact Assessment or EIA can be defined as the study to predict the effect of a proposed activity/project on the environment. A decision making tool, EIA compares various alternatives for a project and seeks to identify the one which represents the best combination of economic and environmental costs and benefits. EIA systematically examines both … Read more

Social forestry means the management and protection of forests and afforestation on barren  lands with the purpose of helping in the environmental, social and rural development. The  National Commission on Agriculture (1976) has classified social forestry into three categories. The main thrust of social forestry is to reduce pressure on the  traditional forest areas by … Read more

. India’s policy on climate change can be broadly divided into two phases – one in which it strictly adhered to ‘Historical Responsibility’  slogan and the other when it diluted it as it became a bigger economy and bigger polluter. India has  become third largest emitter of GHG in absolute terms only behind China, which … Read more

Global warming due to GHGs and Ozone depletion may have following adverse consequences: Faster snow melting and glacier depletion Melting of glaciers will put close to half of  world’s population under threat from flooding in short term and draughts, water and  power shortages in long run. Siachin Glacier has retreated by around 1 km in … Read more

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants ( POP’s) is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife, and have harmful impacts on human health or on the environment. … Read more

.  The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and  Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits has been negotiated under the aegis of CBD to  fulfill one of the objectives of CBD i.e. to promote equitable sharing of benefits arising  out of use of genetic resources. It was signed by CoP in Nagoya, Japan. Once … Read more