Himalayan High Altitude Atmospheric and Climate Research Centre: India has inaugurated the Himalayan High Altitude Atmospheric and Climate Research Centre at Nathatop, Jammu & Kashmir, marking a major milestone in global climate science. Himalayan High Altitude Atmospheric and Climate Research Centre is located at an altitude of 2,250 meters above sea level in Nathatop, chosen […]
Category: Environment Current Affairs
Adenium obesum
Adenium obesum: Tiruvallur district in Tamil Nadu is making inroads in cultivating Adenium obesum, more popularly known as ‘desert rose’, a unique flowering plant that has drawn major attention for its novelty as an ornamental houseplant. The Adenium obesum, commonly known as the Desert Rose, is a succulent shrub in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It […]
Arctic Biome
Arctic Biome: The 2024 Arctic Report Card by the US NOAA confirms this trend, noting that frequent fires and fossil fuel pollution are turning the Arctic tundra into a carbon source. The Arctic tundra is a treeless plain with permafrost within a meter of the soil surface. Summers cause only the top layer to thaw, […]
De-Extinction of Dire Wolf
De-Extinction of Dire Wolf: A U.S.-based biotech firm, Colossal Biosciences, claimed the birth of three genetically engineered wolf pups, marking the first-ever attempt at “de-extinction” of the extinct dire wolf species after 12,500 years.De-extinction refers to the process of reviving extinct species using advanced biotechnological methods such as: Gene editing (e.g., CRISPR-Cas9). Ancient DNA sequencing […]
Brazil’s Proposal for a UN-Backed Global Climate Action Council
Brazil’s Proposal for a UN-Backed Global Climate Action Council: Brazil has proposed the establishment of a Global Climate Action Council under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to boost global climate efforts. This proposal comes ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), which will take place in Belem, Brazil, in November […]
Long-snouted Vine Snake
Long-snouted Vine Snake: A rare long-snouted vine snake (Ahaetulla longirostris) was rediscovered in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh during a rhino release operation in the Palia Kheri division. This marks the first recorded sighting in Uttar Pradesh and only the second documented instance in India. The species was previously seen only in Valmiki Tiger Reserve, […]
Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary
Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary: A recent study found that dense vegetation in Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary, home to spotted deer and blackbucks, has shrunk from 41.8% in 1993 to 37.1% in 2023. Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Puri district, Odisha. It was declared a sanctuary on 23 April 1984. It has an area of 87 sq.km. […]
Woolly Flying Squirrel
Woolly Flying Squirrel: The wildlife wing of Himachal Pradesh Forest Department (HPFD) recently captured the first-ever photographic evidence of the elusive Woolly Flying Squirrel at Miyar Valley in Lahaul and Spiti district. Woolly Flying Squirrel, also known as Western Woolly Flying Squirrel, is one of the rarest and least known mammals in Asia. It is […]
Kancha Gachibowli Land Controversy Protest
Kancha Gachibowli Land Controversy Protest: The auction of 400 acres of forested land in Kancha Gachibowli, Hyderabad, has sparked widespread protests, particularly among students of the University of Hyderabad. The Telangana government’s decision to monetize the land, which lies adjacent to the university, has raised serious concerns over environmental degradation, land ownership disputes, and a […]
Star-rating System for State Environmental Bodies
Star-rating System for State Environmental Bodies: The Centre has dropped the star-rating system for state environmental bodies after a legal challenge by a Tamil Nadu fishermen’s association, as per an order by the National Green Tribunal’s southern bench. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) introduced a star-rating system to evaluate State Environmental […]
