Sea Level Rise:

Sea Level Rise: Context: Sea level rise (SLR) is an increasing global challenge, with India's coastal regions being particularly vulnerable. The impacts of global warming, including rising temperatures and melting ice sheets, are causing sea levels to rise at an accelerating pace. This phenomenon poses significant risks to India's vast, densely populated, and economically important

Aravalli Green Wall Project (AGWP)

Aravalli Green Wall Project (AGWP) The Aravalli Green Wall Project (AGWP) is being showcased at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which is being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This marks the first time that Saudi Arabia is hosting this significant event. The conference offers a platform for international cooperation on

Cyclone Fengal

Cyclone Fengal Cyclone Fengal, a tropical cyclone, recently made landfall over Puducherry, India. This event is significant in the context of seasonal cyclonic activity in the Bay of Bengal. About Landfall Landfall refers to the event when the center of a tropical cyclone, or its eye, moves from over the water onto land. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) defines a tr

St. Martin’s Island

St. Martin’s Island is a small island located in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, specifically at the southern tip of the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf peninsula in Bangladesh. Geographic Features Location: St. Martin’s Island is situated at the southernmost point of Bangladesh, making it a unique geographical feature in the region. Chera Dwip: Adjacent to St. Martin&

Gobi Desert

The Gobi Desert is a vast arid region that stretches across northern China and southern Mongolia. Geographic Features Location: The Gobi Desert spans several provinces in northern China, including Inner Mongolia, and extends into southern Mongolia. Topography: The desert is characterized by a diverse landscape that includes: Sand dunes: Shifting sands create dynamic landscapes. Mou

Major Gulf

1. Gulf of Mexico Location: Bordered by the United States, Mexico, and Cuba. Coastline: Approximately 5,000 km. Geological Features: The floor consists primarily of sedimentary rocks. Connections: Connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Straits of Florida and to the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatán Channel. Significance: Vital for trade and shipping routes, rich in biodiversi

Lake Turkana

Lake Turkana, located in the Great Rift Valley of northern Kenya, with parts extending into southern Ethiopia, is a remarkable natural feature with significant ecological and cultural importance. Geographic Features Location: Lake Turkana is situated in the Great Rift Valley, which is characterized by its unique geological formations and tectonic activity. Size: It is Africa's four

What is Doomsday Glacier

Overview: Unveiling new details about Antarctica's "Doomsday Glacier", scientists have revealed that the Thwaites Glacier has been losing ice since the 1940s. About Doomsday Glacier: Thwaites Glacier, also known as the “Doomsday Glacier,” is located in the remote Amundsen Sea in West Antarctica. It’s a wide and fast-flowing glacier, roughly the size of F

Kinmen Island

Context: Presidential elections are scheduled in Taiwan on 13th January in which Kinmen residents are preparing to vote. About: Governance: Kinmen, also known as Quemoy, comprises a cluster of islands under the jurisdiction of Taiwan. Location in Relation to China: Geographical Position: Positioned on the southeastern coast of the People’s Republic of China

Zanskar River

The Zanskar River is a tributary of the Indus River. It originates from the Doda and Lungnak rivers, and flows entirely within Ladakh. The Zanskar River's headwaters are known as the Tsarap Chu, and originate from the snows of the Himalayas. The river's entire catchment area is formed by glaciers.

Harni lake

Harni Motnath Lake is a green lake in Vadodara, Gujarat, India.

Polar Bear Dies of Avian Flu in the Arctic

Context: The Arctic region has reported the first case of death of a polar bear due to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). News: The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation reported the discovery of a deceased bear in the vicinity of Utqiagvik, Alaska's northernmost community. The first detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the Arctic regio

Vellayani Lake

Vellayani Lake of Punchakkari wetland is the largest freshwater lake in Trivandrum, Kerala. The Vellayani Devi Temple, dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali, is located on the eastern banks of the lake.

Oil production from deepwater basin

Context: The Prime Minister applauded first oil production commences from the complex and difficult deepwater Krishna Godavari basin situated off the coast of Bay of Bengal. About Krishna-Godavari Basin The Krishna-Godavari Basin, situated in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the adjoining Bay of Bengal region, is an extensive deltaic plain formed by the Krishna and Godavari rivers on the

Krizna Jama Cave

Krizna Jama, also known as Cross Cave or Cold Cave under Cross Mountain, is a cave in Slovenia. It's located in the Loz Valley, between the Loz Karst Field, Cerknica Karst Field, and Bloke Plateau. Krizna Jama is the 4th biggest known underground ecosystem in the world in terms of biodiversity.

Indrayani river

Context: The reappearance of toxic foam in the Indrayani River has revived concerns about pollution in the region. About Indrayani River : Geographical Setting: The Indrayani River serves as a tributary of the Bhima River, a significant contributor to the Krishna River. Originating near Lonavla in Kurvande village amidst the Sahyadri mountains of Maharashtra, the river depends on rainfa

ONGC- discovered natural gas reserves- Mahanadi basin

The state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) (It is an Indian oil and gas explorer and producer.It is under the ownership of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. Its headquarters is situated in New Delhi. ONGC was founded on 14 August 1956 by the government of India. It was conferred with 'Maharatna' status by the Government of India in November 2010) recen

Warming up to climate change: How do we know humans are causing global warming?

Background: 2023 could have been the hottest year in the 174-year observational record and probably the hottest in 125,000 years. It was dotted with lethal heat waves, devastating floods, droughts, and record-low ice levels in the Arctic and Antarctic. These are only a handful of the effects of climate change. Evidences of increasing temperature on earth surface: There are several lines of e

The hottest year

Context: With temperatures at all-time high in 2023, 2024 will be pivotal in reducing emissions, without compromising developmental needs News: COP 21 Agreement: Eight years ago in Paris, countries agreed to limit global temperature increases to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and strive for a 1.5-degree Celsius limit as a defense against climate change. Unwritt

Pong dam

Recently the draft policy was prepared to declare Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary and the surrounding area an eco-sensitive zone. It is the highest earth-fill dam in India and is one of India’s largest man-made reservoir. Built in – 1975, named after Maharana Pratap and so called as Maharana Pratap Sagar. Location – Over Beas River in Himachal

Alvaro

Alvaro, the 1st cyclone of 2024, made landfall near Morombe in Madagascar recently. Mozambique named the cyclone Alvaro. Resilience and Preparedness to tropical cyclones across Southern Africa (REPRESA) is an international initiative that aims to improve community preparedness for tropical cyclones in Southern Africa.

Perihelion

The Earth reached its perihelion, or the closest point in its orbit around the Sun recently. Perihelion occurs in early January, about 2 weeks after the Winter Solstice.

Fog in North India

Dense fog covered the better part of north India during the last days of December and the 1st couple of days of 2024. What is fog? A fog – It is a collection of small droplets of water produced when evaporated water has cooled down and condensed.It is nothing but a thick cloud, but very close to the earth’s surface. Conditions for a thick fog

Tsunami in JAPAN

Tsunami waves hit several parts of Japan’s coastal areas and urgent evacuation warnings were issued after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake shook the country’s north-central region. What is Tsunami? Tsunami– A Japanese word meaning harbour wave. Tsu – harbour; nami - wave. It is a series of giant ocean waves caused by earthquakes or vol

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki is a mountain in Indonesia. It is part of the Lewotobi twin volcano, which is located in the southeastern part of Flores Island. The Lewotobi twin volcano is made up of the Lewotobi Laki-Laki (male) and Lewotobi Perempuan (female) stratovolcanoes, with summit craters less than 2 km apart. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Indonesia has erupted several times

Is the climate fight lost? 5 reasons to be hopeful it is not.

CONTEXT: Fight against climate change: From cheap renewables to lucrative green investments, there is lots of progress and innovation, according to experts. Key highlights: Carbon emissions are expected to reach record highs, but a study by the New Climate Institute provides reasons for hope. Climate awareness has become mainstream, with increased media coverage and global climate prote

EARTHQUAKE IN AFGHANISTAN

Why in the News? A shallow focus earthquake of 14 km depth with 6.3 magnitude struck about 40 kms northwest of Herat in Afghanistan that caused devastating impacts on life and property. The earthquake was a result of thrust faulting near the far western terminus of the Hindu Kush Mountain range. It was followed by another earthquake with 6.3 magnitude which occurred within the

SOLAR ECLIPSE

SOLAR ECLIPSE   A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and causing the Sun to look like an annulus (ring). An annular solar eclipse occurred on October 14, 2023. Solar

WACE pattern-Cyclones

WACE pattern-Cyclones     Cyclogenesis is an indicator that denotes the chance of a cyclone forming. It depends on parameters such as   Sea surface temperature The ocean heat content Change in winds from the surface into the upper atmosphere (or the vertical shear) Rotation of winds near the surface. A rapid increase in the cyclogenesis p

Green Drought

Green Drought     Green drought is when the vegetation may appear green on the top, but there is stunted growth and soil moisture stress for more than a month impacting yield drastically. This phenomenon is particularly problematic because it can be challenging to detect and monitor. Karnataka has urged to conduct an assessment on the ‘green drought’ p

El Niño comes with economic risks

Why in the News? The month of August has been registered as the driest ever month which shall be aggravated by strengthening of El Niño which shall pose a serious food inflation challenge. El Niño effect: The phenomenon is marked by abnormal warming of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean waters towards Ecuador and Peru.   This s

Himalayan blunders that are ravaging the Himalayas

Himalayan blunders that are ravaging the Himalayas     Why in the News? The States in the Himalayan region have been experiencing extreme climate events in recent times leading to large scale damage to lives and property led by steady environmental depredation. Blocked roads after a landslide at Chamoli Sinking in Joshimath in Uttarakhand Road caving in

Droughts in India

Why in the News? The state of Kerala is likely to face drought due to widening monsoon deficit and threat of drought looming in other states of South India as well.   News in Detail: Kerala registered a shortfall of 90% rain in the month of August, receiving only 25mm against the usual pattern of 240.2mm of rainfall. The water availability in the key reservoirs stands at a me

Crawford Lake

Crawford Lake Location- Ontario in Canada The lake's bottom sediments has provided evidence for beginning of Anthropocene epoch ( present geological time scale during which earth's ecosystem has degraded due to human activities especially after Industrial revolution) The lake bottom sediments contained burned fossil fuels, exploded nuclear weapons, plastic and fertilizers dumped

Chapter 4: A BIOLOGICAL PARADISE

Introduction •    836 islands, islets, and rocky outcrops make up the 800 km long Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. Approximately 100 million years ago, during the Upper Mesozoic Period, geological upheaval caused these Islands to become isolated from the Asian landmass. •    These islands' chains, which span an area of 8,249 km2, are actually the cam