Asian Waterbird Census |
Why in News: The 2023 Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) has documented a 65% rise in the population of waterbirds within Kerala’s Punchakkari-Vellayani wetland system.
About Asian Waterbird Census
- Citizen Science Initiative:Thousands of volunteers participate annually in January.
- Wetland Visits:Volunteers observe and count waterbirds in wetlands across Asia and Australasia.
- Global Integration: Integral component of the International Waterbird Census (IWC), managed by Wetlands International.
- Geographic Coverage: Encompasses the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and significant portions of the Central Asian Flyways.
Green Deal Industrial Plan |
Why in News: The European Union introduces its ‘Green Deal Industrial Strategy.’
About ‘Green Deal Industrial Plan’:
- Proposal Components: Simplifying regulations, expediting fund access, boosting skills, and enhancing trade networks.
- Key Highlights:
- “Net-Zero Industry Act”:Intended to streamline permit issuance for green initiatives.
- Establishment of “Net-Zero Industry Academies”:Designed to offer up-skilling and re-skilling programs within critical sectors.
IPCC Synthesis Report |
Why in News: The Synthesis Report for the Sixth Assessment Cycle was recently published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
About Synthesis Report
- Compilation: Summarizes key findings from the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, drawing on inputs from Working Groups I, II, and III.
- WG I: Examines the physical science basis of climate change.
- WG II: Assesses impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability.
- WG III: Focuses on mitigation strategies.
- Key Points:
- Urgent Call: Emphasizes the critical need to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, aligning with the Paris Agreement goals.
- Temperature Increase:Despite warnings issued by the IPCC in 2018, the global surface temperature has already increased by 1.1°C compared to pre-industrial levels.
World Air Quality Report |
Why in News: The 5th edition of the World Air Quality Report was recently published by IQAir.
Overview:
IQAir, a Swiss company specializing in air quality technology, compiles annual world air quality reports using PM2.5 data from 131 countries.
- Key Findings:
- Pollution Ranking: Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, and Bangladesh are identified as the top five most polluted countries in 2022.
- WHO Guidelines: The World Health Organization recommends an annual PM2.5 level of 5 μg/m3, but these guidelines lack regulatory force.
- Indian Cities: Among the 50 most polluted cities globally in 2022 based on average annual PM2.5 levels, 39 are located in India.
Project Greensand |
Why in News: Project Greensand is set to become the inaugural carbon capture and storage (CCS) venture spanning multiple borders.
About Project Greensand
- Carbon Storage Location:Located in Denmark’s North Sea.
- Cross-Border CCS:Described as the first instance of injecting carbon dioxide into offshore storage across borders.
- CO2 Transportation:Carbon dioxide captured at an INEOS Oxide facility in Belgium was transported to the North Sea and stored in the INEOS-operated Nini field.
- Hosting Partners:INEOS and Wintershall Dea Company spearheaded this project.
- Future Goals: Aims to store up to 8 million tonnes of CO2 annually in the area by 2030.
