Organisations and initiatives

What is the News?

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has received the Asia Environmental Enforcement Award-2020.

About Asia Environmental Enforcement Award:

• It is given by the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) in partnership with UNDP, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), CITES, INTERPOL, and World Customs Organisation(WCO).
• Purpose: The award publicly recognises excellence in controlling transboundary environmental crime. Government officials and institutions or teams can be awarded for the enforcement.
• The award covers any transboundary environmental crime such as illegal trade in wildlife and illegal trade in chemical or waste including plastic.

Why was WCCB awarded?

• WCCB was awarded under the category ‘Innovation’. It was awarded for “Operation WILDNET-II” or  ‘Innovation’ for planning and conducting a multispecies enforcement operation.
  • Operation WILDNET: The purpose of the Operation was to control the ever-growing illegal wildlife trade on the Internet, through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.
• Significance: This is the second time WCCB is receiving this award. Earlier, it received this award in 2018.

Click Here to Read about WCCB

 Source: AIR

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What is the news?

The Arbor Day Foundation and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation have recognised Hyderabad as ‘2020 Tree City of the World’.

About Tree Cities of the World Programme:

Tree Cities of the World programme is an international program. It recognises cities and towns for properly and sustainably maintaining their urban forests and trees.

Criteria: To receive recognition, a town or city must meet five core standards:

1. Establish Responsibility: The city must have a written statement by city leaders. It must clearly delegate responsibility for the care of trees within its municipal boundary to either a staff member, a city department, or a group of citizens—called a Tree Board.
2. Set the Rules: The city should have a law or an official policy that governs the management of forests and trees.
3. Know What You Have: The city should have an updated inventory or assessment of the local tree resource. It will be helpful in effective long-term planning for planting, care, and removal of city trees.
4. Allocate the Resources: The city must have a dedicated annual budget for the implementation of the tree management plan.
5. Celebrate Achievements: The city holds an annual celebration of trees. It will raise awareness among residents, citizens and staff members who carry out the city tree programme.

Why was Hyderabad selected as a Tree City?

• Hyderabad is selected as a Tree City because of its initiatives like Haritha Haram programme and Urban Forest Parks plan.
  • Haritha Haram is a flagship program of the state government for large-scale plantations across the state to increase the green cover.
• Significance: Hyderabad is the only city from India to get recognition as a Tree City. With this recognition, Hyderabad joins 120 other cities from 23 countries including the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Source: The Hindu

What is the News?
The Prime Minister will inaugurate the World Sustainable Development Summit 2021.

About World Sustainable Development Summit(WSDS):

• It is an annual event organized by The Energy and Resources Institute(TERI) since 2001. The summit was earlier known as Delhi Sustainable Development Summit.
• Purpose: The Summit brings together a wide number of participants in the fight against climate change. Participants include governments, business leaders, academicians, climate scientists, youth, and civil society.
• Key Partners: The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change(MoEFCC), Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and the Ministry of Earth Sciences are key partners of the Summit.
• Theme for 2021: “Redefining our common future: Safe and secure environment for all”.

The Energy and Resources Institute(TERI)

• It is a non-profit research institute. It was established in 1974 as Tata Energy Research Institute and renamed to The Energy Resources Institute in 2003.
• Purpose: It conducts research work in the fields of energy, environment, and sustainable development for India and the Global South.
• Location: New Delhi.

Other Initiatives by TERI:

• Lighting a Billion Lives(LaBL): It is an initiative of TERI to provide clean lighting access to the bottom of the pyramid communities.
• Green Olympiad: It is conducted by TERI in association with MoEFCC. It is an international environment examination that is annually organized for middle and high-school students.
• Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA): It was conceived by TERI and developed with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. It is a national rating system for green buildings in India.

Source: PIB

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What is the News?

The United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) has released the Global Climate Litigation Report 2020.

About Global Climate Litigation Report 2020

1. Published by: The report was published by the UNEP in cooperation with the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University.
2. Objective: The provides an overview of the current state of climate change litigation cases.

Key Findings of the report:

1. Increase in Climate litigation cases: The climate-related cases have nearly doubled over the last three years. It has made the courtrooms increasingly relevant to address climate change across the world.
2. These cases of pushing governments and corporations to implement climate commitments in their countries.
3. Common climate litigation charges:
   1. Violations of “climate rights” that impact fundamental human rights including the right to life, health, food, and water.
   2. Government failure to enforce climate change mitigation and adaptation commitments.
   3. False and misleading Corporate messaging about climate change impacts.
4. Climate litigation Petitioners: The background of plaintiffs is becoming increasingly diverse. Plaintiffs are from non-governmental organizations, political parties as well as senior citizens, migrants, and indigenous peoples.

Source: UN

What is the News?
The Indo-French Year of the Environment launched for the period 2021-22.

About Indo-French Year of the Environment

• Objective: To strengthen Indo-French cooperation towards climate change and environment protection.
• This platform would be used for discussions on critical areas of collaboration relating to the environment and allied areas.
• Themes: The cooperation would be based on five main themes: environmental protection, climate change, biodiversity conservation, sustainable urban development, and the development of renewable energies and energy efficiency.
• Implementation: From the Indian side, it will be coordinated by the MoEFCC along with the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and other concerned Ministries/Departments/Organisations.
• Joint Committee: A joint screening committee will also be set up to finalize the calendar of the events for the Indo-French Year of the Environment.

Source: PIB

Why in News?

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau(WCCB) and Barasat Forest Range have rescued a live pangolin in Kolkata.

Facts:

 Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)

• It is a statutory multi-disciplinary body.  It functions under the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Its responsibilities include combating organized wildlife crime in the country.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Functions: Under Section 38 (Z) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, it is mandated to:
  • Collect intelligence related to organized wildlife crime activities. And to circulate it to the States and other enforcement agencies for immediate actions, to catch the criminals.
  • Establish a centralized wildlife crime data bank.
  • Coordinates with foreign authorities and international organization to facilitate universal action on wildlife crimes.
  • Build capacity of the wildlife crime enforcement agencies for scientific and professional investigation into wildlife crimes.
  • Assist State Governments to ensure success in prosecutions related to wildlife crimes.
  • Advise the Government of India on issues relating to wildlife crimes having national and international ramifications, relevant policy, and laws.
• It also assists and advises the Customs authorities in inspection of the consignments of flora & fauna as per the provisions of Wild Life Protection Act, CITES, and EXIM Policy governing such an item.

Source: The Hindu

Why in News?  

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released the Adaptation Gap Report 2020. 

Key Facts: 

• Adaptation: It is one of the pillars of Paris accord. It involves increasing capacity and reduction of vulnerability of countries and communities to climate-related disasters. This capacity will be built by national efforts and funding mechanisms.  
• Aim of the report: The report aims to indicate national and international efforts to advance adaptation. 

Findings of the Adaptation Gap report, 2020: 

• Finance: Annual adaptation costs in developing countries is much higher at $70 billion, compared to current finance of around $30 billion annually for adaptation. This cost is estimated to at least quadruple by 2050. 

• • Cost of Adaptation includes costs like planning, preparing for, facilitating and implementing adaptation measures. 
  • The flow of funds to developing countries is increasing faster than the cost of adaptation. 

• Rise in Temperature: The world is heading for at least a 3°C temperature rise this century. Even if countries are successful in limiting global warming to well below 2°C, or even 1.5°C, the poor countries will suffer. 

• Impact of Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to hit the ability of countries to plan for, finance and implement adaptation actions. It will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable countries and population groups. 

Recommendations: 

• Along with faster implementation, Countries need to step up the Public and private finance for adaptation.  
• Nature-based solutions – locally appropriate actions that address societal challenges, such as climate change, and provide human well-being and biodiversity benefits by protecting, sustainably managing and restoring natural or modified ecosystems – must also become a priority. 
• Cutting greenhouse gas emissions will reduce the impacts and costs associated with climate change. 
• Pursue a Green Pandemic Recovery and increase the Nationally Determined Contributions(NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. 

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News: One Planet Summit has commenced virtually through video conference.

Facts:

• • One Planet Summit: It has been organised by France in cooperation with the United Nations and the World Bank.
  • Objective: The summit focuses on four major topics 1) protecting terrestrial and marine ecosystems; promoting agro ecology 2) more sustainable way to grow food c) increasing funding to protect biodiversity and 4) identifying links between deforestation and the health of humans and animals.
  • Theme: “Let’s act together for nature!”.

Key Takeaways from the summit:

• • At least 50 countries committed to protecting 30% of the planet, including land and sea, over the next decade to halt species extinction and address climate change issues. However, the officials of the US, Russia, India and Brazil were absent at the summit.
    • According to a 2019 U.N. report on biodiversity, human activities are putting nature in more trouble now than at any other time in human history with extinction looming for over 1 million species of plants and animals.
  • The High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People which was launched in 2019 by Costa Rica, France and Britain to set a target of protecting at least 30% of the planet by 2030 has been joined by 50 countries.
  • The summit also launched a program called PREZODE which is an international initiative to prevent the emergence of zoonotic diseases and pandemics, which is already mobilizing over 400 researchers and experts across the world.
  • The summit also focused on investment for Africa’s Great Green Wall project, which involves gigantic efforts to stop the Sahara Desert from spreading further south.

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News: UN Environment Programme(UNEP) has announced the winners of the 2020 Champions of the Earth award.

Facts:

• Champions of the Earth award: It was launched in 2005 by the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP).It is the UN’s highest environmental honour.
• Purpose: It recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations from the public and private sectors and from civil society whose actions have had a transformative positive impact on the environment.
• Categories: The award recognizes laureates in the following categories: (1) Lifetime Achievement, (2) Policy Leadership, (3) Action and Inspiration, (4) Entrepreneurial Vision and (5) Science and Innovation.

Source: Click here

News: The 9th edition of Sustainable Mountain Development summit commenced in virtual mode on the occasion of International Mountain Day.

Facts:

• Sustainable Mountain Development Summit(SMDS): The summit was organized by Indian Mountain Initiative(IMI)
• Aim: To deliberate on issues such as migration, water security, climate resilience and innovative solutions for the farm sector and disaster risk reduction in the Indian Himalayas.
• Theme: Emerging Pathways for Building a Resilient Post COVID-19 Mountain Economy, Adaptation, Innovation and Acceleration.

Additional Facts:

• Integrated Mountain Initiative (former Indian Mountain Initiative): It is a civil society led network formed in 2011 with the objective of providing stakeholders from the states of the Indian Himalayan Region a platform to come together to discuss issues related to the development of the Himalayan region.