China to ban polluting tourist vehicles near Mt Everest in Tibet

China is planning to ban polluting tourist vehicles at the Mount Everest base camp in Tibet from next year as part of  its efforts to reduce pollution in the area that has a environment. 
Eco-unfriendly tourist transport vehicles will be banned from base camp and permit electric golf-style buggies to raise the income of the locals, China-Tibet Online reported.

Indian court eases fire cracker ban even as pollution soars

the high court of India eased a ban on fireworks for a major Hindu festival despite air pollution in New Delhi and other cities against reaching the danger levels. last year supreme court banned firecrackers for the Diwali festival, firecrackers set off makes a huge air pollution. in this year the court ordered that only reduce smoke fireworks. the court has also set  a two-hour window from 8:00pm to 10:00pmfor lightning of crackers   

Uber to introduce clean air fee to all London rides

Uber will charge its customers in London extra 15p per mile on every trip to help its drivers buy electric cars. Uber say that evey extra penny would go towards helping drivers upgrade their vehicle. The fund was announced as a part of clean air plan,as Uber continues its effort to prove itself to Transport for London after it initially decided not to renew its licence to operate last year.

Hawaiian island erased by powerful hurricane: The loss is a huge blow

East Island, a remote spit of gravel and sand that sat atop a coral reef, has vanished after having this misfortune to come into contact with hurricane Walaka, an intense storm that surged past Hawaii earlier this month. Scientists have confirmed the disappearance of 11 acre island after comparing satellite images of the surrounding French Frigate Shoals, part of an enormous protected marine area in the north western Hawaiian Islands.
The island played an important role for wildlife including critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal, a soecies taht numbers just 1400 individual, Green sea turtles and seabirds such as albatrosses.

Two rhinos die in Chad after being relocated from South Africa

• Rhinos in Chad were wiped out by poaching nearly 50 years ago
• The six rhinos which had been relocated to Chad from South Africa, were intended to establish a new population in the country after intensive anti-poaching measures were put in place to protect them.
• Black rhinos are rated as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 
• Rhinos are targeted to feed a booming demand for rhino horn  in China, Vietnam and other Asian countries, where it is believed to have medicinal qualities. 

SOURCE :  TIMES OF INDIA

State hopeful of lifting Bandipur Ban

• With a Supreme Court-appointed committee considering the measures proposed by the Centre for development of the ecosystem without impacting wildlife, Kerala is hopeful that the night traffic ban on National Highway 766 through the Bandipur Tiger Reserve may be lifted.
• The proposals have been submitted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
• several mitigative steps needed to be adopted if the apex court accepted the proposal to construct five elevated sections of one-km stretch, of which four will be at Bandipur and one in Wayanad on the highway.
• As per the plan, the metalled road portion underneath these elevated sections will be milled and converted into a forest landscape so as to maintain the continuity of the forest for the ease of movement of wildlife without any barrier.
• Besides, the State Forest Department has to provide land in exchange for the land re-converted into forest for the length of five km under the elevated sections in order to achieve a uniform right of way of 15 m.
• The wildlife departments of both States will jointly decide on the locations of elevated sections. The night-time restrictions on traffic will be lifted after the project is completed.

The Hindu October 24 2018

Chorus for cutting trees grows

• More than 500 requests for tree pruning were received in the Thiruvananthapuram range over the past six months, according to Forest Department officials.
• Destruction caused by uprooted trees and damage caused by branches falling during heavy rain seem to have led to people paying more attention to trees that pose danger.

Priority

• We can clear the branches of trees located on Corporation roads or on the premises of our offices once we get the approval from the Tree Protection Committee. 
• We are giving priority in case of educational institutions and hospitals to ensure that the pruning is carried out soon enough. Some of the councelor are not specific, as they don’t pinpoint specific trees to be pruned but request pruning for a larger area. For the bigger trees, above a specific size we need to call for a tender before we can do anything says the official.

China to ban polluting tourist vehicles near Mt Everest in Tibet

• China is planning to ban polluting tourist vehicles at Mt.Everest base camp in next year as a part of effort to reduce pollution in the area that has a fragile environment.
• Eco unfriendly tourist vehicles will be banned.
• Locals who live below the poverty line will employed as tour guide and drivers of new electric Gulf Style buggies to and from the camp.
• This area has a fragile environment and its natural conditions has limited processing capabilities of trash and sewage which must be handled very carefully.

Times Of India October 22.2018

Soil Takes Decades to Catch Up to Climate Changes

Soil bacteria often take 50 years or more to react to changes in climate.Soil bacteria respond dramatically to changes in climate.The findings suggest that today's climate conditions will continue to cause upheaval in the soil for decades.

Soil bacteria don't always reproduce that fast. At any given time, a large fraction of them are dormant.

More importantly, climate can affect soil bacteria indirectly, through slow-changing conditions such as soil acidity.

If the microbes could catch up with contemporary climate, there can be a widespread increase in microbial diversity.

Himalayas facing severe global warming disruption, say foresters

Being sensitive to temperature variations, mountain ecosystems in the Himalayas are facing severe disruption from global warming as they are witnessing melting glaciers and major ecological and geophysical changes.

The prevention of soil erosion and the preservation of native flora and fauna are increasingly becoming a big challenge.

The unpredictability of weather and natural changes that have struck the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh in the past two decades are clear indicators of a marked shift in weather patterns in the region.

The alien species such as lantana, parthinium, wattles, eucalyptus and numerous others can adversely affect the overall functioning of these ecosystems.These non-native species  has had substantial economic, conservation and societal consequences.

In urban U.P., 87% of waste from toilets goes to rivers, agri land

 The urban Uttar Pradesh has an 80% coverage of toilets, inefficient sanitation systems ensure that almost 87% of the excreta bring generated by these toilets is being dumped in water-bodies or agricultural lands, according to a new analysis of 30 cities by the Center for Science and Environment.

The report points out that building more toilets will only worsen the environmental, sanitation and manual scavenging situation, unless sewerage connections increase from the current 28% of households in the 30 cities studied.

In cities with a population over 10 lakh, such as Lucknow, Kanpur and Agra, the sewerage system covers 44% of the population.But  only 28% of that waste water is safely treated.

In cities with a population between five and 10 lakh, more than 70% of the population is dependent on tanks connected to open drains,only 18% of waste and sludge is safely managed.

Wayanad to be made carbon neutral

 Meenangadi panchayat implementing project with the aim of zero carbon footprint.When the project is completed by 2020, it would double the income of the farmers in the grama panchayat in an ecologically sustainable way.

 The carbon neutral project intends to reduce emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases through a series of greening initiatives. The local body is working towards zero carbon footprint, to be achieved by bringing down pollution, carbon emissions, and plastic waste.

 Silvy culture is one of the major components of the project and the farmers will get incentives at the time of planting trees on their land and on the third year of planting. The farmers could mortgage the matured trees in a bank and get 70% of the value of the tree as cash at times of financial needs, instead of felling trees.

Environment pollution more hazardous than climate change ,say experts-Source, Business line

• Unsafe environment poses greater risk to health than climate change.
• If it is ignored it could result in extinction of humans in the next 100-150 years.
• Emphasis on the need for human capital and investment to clean up the contaminated sites.
• Globally less than 10% of the contaminated sites have been cleaned up.
• There are an estimated five million potentially-contaminated sites globally that threatens the well-being of the people.
• The European chemical agency has listed more than 1.44 lakh chemicals are hazardous and it is growing about 2000 every year.
• Seven million deaths are linked to air pollution and other five million due to chemical exposure.
• Measures have been initiated to sensitize people about the chromium contamination in the soil. 
• The country and state need to work with the policy makers to clean up the environment before it is too late.

 

Ban on toxic and loud firecrackers- Source, The Hindu

• Bursting of fire crackers during Diwali is not only the reason for air pollution,but the supreme court states it as one of the reason which causes the quality of the air during festivals.
• The supreme court declared ban on toxic and loud crackers to tackle the other factors which are contributing to the air pollution.
• Unregulated construction activities which generates a lot of dust and crop burning in neighbouring states are the two other major reasons.
• Vehicular pollution is also another cause.

Supreme Court allows sale of 'green' firecrackers :Key highlights

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused a blanket ban on the sale and bursting of firecrackers across
the country, but said that only 'green' firecrackers will be sold which are less polluting . A group of activists had petitioned the top court for a complete ban on fireworks as it increases the pollution levels. Here are the key highlights of the SC order :

- Ahead of Diwali, the SC permitted the sale and manufacture of " green "crackers which have low emission across the country.

- The apex court fixed 8 pm to 10 pm period for bursting of firecrackers on Diwali.

- However, it restrained e-commerce website like Flipkart and Amazon from selling firecrackers.

- The SC also said that selling of  'larries' or series firecrackers will not be allowed to be sold in the market etc..

                                                                                                                 24 October 2018

Delhi's air quality index stays in 'poor' category

Delhi's air quality continued to be in the "poor " category on Tuesday ,a day after it had improved from "very poor" Air Quality Index(AQI) zone. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded the city's overall AQI at 252 at 11 am.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good',51 and 100 'satisfactory',101 and 200 'Moderate',201 and 300 'Poor',301 AND 400 'Very poor', and 401 and 500 'Severe'.

The air quality in the national capital had shows signs of improvement Monday as it moved from 'very poor' to 'poor' category, but experts said it could deteriorate in the coming days due to toxic air coming out of a fire at Bhalswa landfill site.

If the wind spread is lower and the temperature dips, the polluted air coming out of landfill fires will get trapped ,which would severely affect the air quality.

                                                                                       (TOI - 24/10/2018)

Researches connect the current mix of soil bacteria to climate conditions from 50 years ago

Scientists expect climate change influences the geographical of microbes in the soil, but few studies have dug deeply into that relationship. A study published this week suggests the connection can drag across decades .After sequencing soil samples from North America and the Tibetan plateau, and comparing those to historical climate records, an international team of researches found that today's mix of soil bacteria is strongly influenced by the climate of 50 years ago.

The past climate can better predict bacteria distribution than today's climate. Previous studies have shown a lag in plants and animals , in which organisms take years or decades to adjust to the changing climate , but this study is the first to show such a legacy effect for soil - based prokaryotes.

Climate change ,rising sea levels a threat to farmers in Bangladesh

Rising sea levels driven by climate change make for salty soil, and that is likely to force about 200000 coastal farmers in Bangladesh inland as glaciers melt into the world's oceans, according to estimates from a new study.

Frequent flooding with salt water is already pushing farmers in Bangladesh to shift from growing rice to raising shrimp and other seafood, but not all coastal residents will be able to stay put and maintain their agriculture livelihoods. Unfortunately ,this is likely to be most challenging for those farming families who have the fewest resources .

Changes in snow coverage threatens biodiversity of Arctic nature

Many of the plants inhabiting northern mountains depend on the snow cover lingering until late spring or summer. 
Snow provides shelter for plants from winter-time extreme events but at the same time, it shortens the length of growing season, which prevents the establishment of more southern plants. 
The reduced snow cover may be an even larger threat to the Arctic plants than rising temperatures.
Changes in temperature and snow cover duration will affect the risk for extinction in northern flora. The results show that many plant species can benefit from a warmer climate, but the rapidly receding snow cover may irradicate a large part of the flora typical to northern mountains. Many of these species are already endangered, which makes their conservation an urgent challenge.

'Himalayan Viagra' under threat from climate change

A prized caterpillar fungus that is more valuable than gold and is nicknamed 'Himalayan Viagra' in Asia becoming harder to find due to climate change.
It is believed that this can cure cancer.
There can be two factors overharvesting and climate change which is not yet proved.
The cone-shaped fungus is only found above an elevation of 9800 feet and forms when the parasitic fungus lodges in a caterpillar, slowly killing it.

Arctic greening thaws permafrost, boosts runoff

Arctic shrub-snow interactions to obtain a better understanding of the far north's tundra and vast permafrost system.
shrubs can lead to significant degradation of the permafrost layer that has remained frozen for tens of thousands of years.
If the trend of increasing vegetation across the Arctic continues, there are likely to see a strong increase in permafrost degradation.