UPSC Environment

YAVARÍ-TAPICHE TERRITORIAL CORRIDOR: BIODIVERSITY & THREATS

The Yavarí-Tapiche Territorial Corridor is a 16-million-hectare transboundary Amazonian reserve between Brazil and Peru. It shelters the world’s largest population of isolated indigenous tribes but faces severe threats from logging, oil expansion, and highway infrastructure projects.

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SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES FOR CROP RESIDUE MANAGEMENT

Stubble burning severely degrades air quality and soil health across Northern India. By adopting sustainable technologies, providing Minimum Support Price for paddy residue, and leveraging shared-economy machinery, the government aims to mitigate farm fires and enhance environmental conservation effectively.

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OIL SPILLS: ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS, CAUSES, AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES

Marine oil spills cause catastrophic ecological degradation, severely destroying marine biodiversity, coastal habitats, and traditional livelihoods. Mitigating these disasters requires rapid mechanical recovery, advanced bioremediation, and strict institutional frameworks like the National Oil Disaster Contingency Plan to ensure effective shoreline protection.

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INTERNATIONAL BIG CAT ALLIANCE (IBCA) SUMMIT 2026

The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in New Delhi focused on conserving seven big cat species. India will host the first global summit in June 2026 to adopt the historic New Delhi Declaration

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EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY (EPR)

India’s Extended Producer Responsibility framework enforces waste management for plastics, e-waste, and batteries. The Central Pollution Control Board launched a unified portal for compliance and certificate trading to enhance traceability, formalize recycling, and promote a robust circular economy in India.

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CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS OUTBREAKS IN KANHA TIGER RESERVE

Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) is a highly contagious, fatal RNA virus threatening India's endangered tigers and lions. Transmitted primarily by feral dogs, prevention requires establishing immunization buffers of 70-80% to create herd immunity around tiger reserves.

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CHANNA STEWARTII (ASSAMESE SNAKEHEAD): HABITATE, FEATURES, DIET, IUCN STATUS

Channa stewartii, or the Assamese snakehead, is an endemic freshwater ornamental fish of Northeast India. Recently, ICAR-CIFRI achieved India's first hormone-free captive breeding of this species.

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ECOCIDE: WAR AND ENVIRONMENT

Ecocide involves severe, widespread, and long-term environmental destruction. Advocates are pushing to amend the Rome Statute to make it the fifth international crime. This eco-centric shift aims to deter rampant corporate and military ecological destruction.

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MICROPLASTIC PROBLEM IN OCEANS

Microplastics, plastic fragments under 5mm, severely pollute global ecosystems. Arising from synthetic textiles, tire wear, and degrading macroplastics, they threaten biodiversity and human health by transferring toxic chemicals through food webs, demanding urgent international mitigation efforts.

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UN REPORT: STATE OF THE WORLD’S MIGRATORY SPECIES

A new UN report warns that 49% of migratory species protected under the CMS are declining and 24% face extinction. Major threats include overexploitation, habitat loss, and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1), highlighting the urgent need for stronger global conservation cooperation.

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GHG EMISSIONS REACHED ALL-TIME HIGH IN 2025

The Climate TRACE 2025 report shows global emissions reached a record 60.63 BtCO₂e, mainly from fossil fuels and methane. Power-sector emissions slightly declined. India recorded the largest reduction among major economies, reflecting renewable expansion and partial decoupling of economic growth from power-sector emissions.

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NATIONAL HIGHWAYS GREEN COVER INDEX (NH-GCI) EXPLAINED

National Highways Authority of India launched the NH-GCI with National Remote Sensing Centre under Indian Space Research Organisation to track highway vegetation via satellites. The index enables targeted greening, improves sapling survival, creates carbon sinks, supports biodiversity, and helps India meet its Paris Agreement climate commitments.

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