Important Concepts/Facts of Environment from TTS 24

TTS 24 TEST 1
Q.8 Bioremediation:
• removal of contaminants, pollutants, and
toxins from soil, water, and other
environment by using living organisms,
like microbes and bacteria
o used to clean up oil spills or
contaminated groundwater.
• requires a combination of the right
temperature, nutrients, and foods.
• Conditions that are unfavourable for
bioremediation may be improved by
adding “amendments” to the environment, such as molasses, vegetable oil, simple air, pesticides,
methane, corn syrup etc.
o they optimise conditions for microbes to flourish, thereby accelerating the completion of
the bioremediation process.
• TERI has developed a mixture of bacteria called ‘Oilzapper and Oilivorous-S’ which degrades
the pollutants of oil-contaminated sites, leaving behind no harmful residues
• Bioremediation is limited to biodegradable compounds. Not all compounds are susceptible to
rapid and complete degradation.

Phytoremediation Plant Chemicals Removed

• Phytoremediation is the use of plants Sunflowers (Helianthus
to remove contaminants from soil annuus) Lead, Arsenic, Uranium
and water.
Poplars (Populus spp.) Nitrates, Solvents
• Natural phytoremediation is carried
out by mangroves, estuarine Indian Mustard (Brassica
vegetation and other wetland juncea) Lead, Cadmium, Zinc
vegetation. Pesticides, Herbicides,
• Phytoextraction/phytoaccumulation: Willow Trees (Salix spp.) MTBE
plants accumulate contaminants into Ferns (Pteridophyta) Arsenic
the roots and aboveground shoots or
leaves.

Q.9 Polymetallic Nodules:

• Polymetallic nodules contain a variety of metals including manganese, iron, copper, nickel,
cobalt, lead and zinc, and small but significant concentrations of molybdenum, lithium, titanium,
and niobium, among others. cover vast areas of the seafloor but are most abundant on abyssal
plains at water depths of 4000- 6500 metres.
• India has the exclusive rights to explore poly metallic nodules from seabed in Central Indian
Ocean Basin (CIOB). These rights are over 75000 sq. km of area in international waters
allocated by International Seabed Authority
o India has been granted two exploration contracts from the ISA so far – one for
polymetallic nodules, and one for polymetallic sulphides.
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Deep Sea Mining:
• the extraction of mineral resources
from the ocean below 200 metres is
called deep sea mining (IUCN)
• Methods are:
o Extracting metals from
polymetallic nodules on
abyssal plains
o Stripping cobalt crusts from
seamounts
▪ mountains formed
through volcanic activity are potentially rich in cobalt. Accumulate at depths of
between 400 and 7,000 metres
o Extracting polymetallic sulphides from hydrothermal vents:
▪ aka sea floor massive sulphides and are rich in copper, iron, zinc, silver and gold.
▪ Active hydrothermal vents are also homes to unique ecosystems, containing
chemosynthetic bacteria, giant tube worms, crustaceans, molluscs and other speci

• Clarion Clipperton Zone

o CCZ, in the eastern Pacific is the most studied area of commercial interest for deep sea
mining. Situated at depths between 3,500 and 5,500 metres, this one zone contains more
nickel, manganese and cobalt than all terrestrial resources combined.
o CCZ falls outside national jurisdictions, and hence is regulated by the ISA. So far, the
authority has granted 16 exploration contracts in the CCZ.
• Regulations:
o ISA can grant exploration contracts only in international waters —the area defined as the
seabed and subsoil beyond the limits of national jurisdiction by the (UNCLOS)
o Countries are free to carry out exploration within their borders.

Q.24 FACT Dialogue:

• As COP26 Presidents, the UK launched the Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade (FACT)
Dialogue with Indonesia as co-chairs.
• This government-to-government dialogue is bringing together the largest producers and
consumers of internationally traded agricultural commodities (such as palm oil, soya, cocoa,
beef, and timber) to protect forests and other ecosystems while promoting sustainable trade and
development and addressing the climate and biodiversity crises.
• India has not joined it.

Q.28 Particulate Pollutants:

• Particulate matter or particle pollution is the general term for a mixture of solid particles and
liquid droplets found in the air.
• can be seen only using an electron microscope.
• It includes sulphates, nitrates, black carbon, particle-bound water, metals (cadmium, copper,
nickel, zinc) and hydrocarbons.
• In addition, biological components such as allergens (pollen, dust mites) and microbial
compounds (fungi) are also PM.
• PM 10: inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 10 micrometres (average human
hair is about 70 micrometres in diameter).
• PM 2.5: fine inhalable particles, 2.5 micrometres and smaller.

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 • sources of PM?
o The major man-made sources are
▪ Emission from power stations, factories, industries, incinerators, diesel generators
and automobiles
▪ Dust from construction sites and unpaved roads
▪ Burning of garbage
• Standard for PM
Annual Indian WHO
Average Standard Standard
PM 2.5 40 ug/m3 5 ug/m3
PM 10 60 ug/m3 15 ug/m3

Q.35 Tamrind & Bhringraj:

• Tamarind (Tamarindus indica):
o tropical fruit-bearing tree that belongs to the Fabaceae family, which is indeed a
leguminous family.
o tamarind seeds contain compounds with antidiabetic properties, such as polyphenols and
flavonoids have hypoglycemic effects, which means they can help lower blood sugar levels
o covered under the MSP scheme for minor forest produce announced by government.
• Bhringaraj (Eclipta prostrata):
o also known as False Daisy, is not a leguminous tree
o used in traditional medicine, particularly in Ayurveda, as a deobstruent and to promote
bile flow. It is believed to have hepatoprotective properties
o covered under the MSP scheme for minor forest produce announced by government.
• Under Forest Rights Act, 2006, "minor forest produce" includes all non-timber forest produce
of plant origin including bamboo, brush wood, stumps, cane, tussar, cocoons, honey, wax, lac,
tendu or kendu leaves, medicinal plants and herbs, roots, tubers and the like.
o The Scheme for MSP for MFP and development of value chain was started by the
Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Procurement is done by state govt and center provides funds
Q.47 Subnivium Climate:
• The area between the bottom of the snow layer and the top of the frozen ground — known as
‘subnivium’ — is at risk from global warming
• species will face is longer periods of frozen ground, which will expose them to colder
temperatures and leave them more vulnerable to predators.
• Animals like rodents will be more exposed to predators and find it tough to find food in frozen
ground.

Q.53 Stockholm Water Prize:

• Is announced every year, usually in March in conjunction with World Water Day. A royal prize
ceremony is held as part of World Water Week in August, where the Laureate plays an
important role. The Stockholm Water Prize is not part of the Nobel family.
• Rajendra Singh of India won the Stockholm Water Prize in 2015. He is also known as the
Waterman of India because he revived the traditional techniques of storing water in those parts
of the villages of Rajasthan which were abandoned for decades and brought the water back

Q.73 Ultraviolet (UV) filters:

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 • Specific chemicals, known as ultraviolet (UV) filters,
are added to sunscreens to absorb or block UV
radiation from the sun.
• commonly used organic ultraviolet (UV) filters,
including oxybenzone (benzophenone-3), 4-
methylbenzylidene camphor, octocrylene, and
octinoxate (ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate)
• they cause serious impacts like stagnant growth,
tissue accumulation, DNA damage are noticed in the
reefs due to sunscreen. It also causes deformities and
growth anomalies and disrupts a coral’s hormonal processes for growth and reproduction.

Q.80 Sexual Cannabalism:

Sexual cannibalism is identified only in spiders. In which female organism kills the male before during
or after copulation. In most species in which it occurs sexual cannibalism is related to the larger size of
female due to sexual dimorphism.

Q.81 Carnivorous Plants:

• These plants obtain some nutrients by trapping and digesting various invertebrates, and
occasionally even small frogs and mammals
• most common habitat for these plants is in bogs and fens, where nutrient concentrations are low
but water and sunshine seasonally abundant.
• carnivorous plants absorb nitrogen from their animal prey through their leaves specially modified
as traps.
• Examples: Pitcher Plant, Nepenthes, Venus Flytrap, Waterwheel Plant, Cobra lilly, Bladderwort

Q.83 NGGIP:
The IPCC established the National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme (NGGIP) to provide
methods for estimating national inventories of greenhouse gas emissions to, and removals from, the
atmosphere.

Q.85 Blue Forests:

• They play an important role in protecting marine biodiversity and supporting the livelihoods of
coastal and island communities by providing habitats for fisheries, filtering water, guarding
shorelines and creating opportunities for tourism and recreation
• 5 Blue forests are: Mangroves, Saltwater Marshes, Seagrass Meadows, Kelp Forests, Rockweed

Q.87 Porcupine Strategy:

• The porcupine is not an aggressive animal and will only attack if it is threatened. Once
threatened:
o porcupines will chatter their teeth and produce a chemical odour to warn off predators.
o If the threat continues, the porcupine will turn its back, raise its quills and lash with its
tail.
o Although porcupines cannot shoot their quills, they can aim their body movements for
vital places on the predator’s body.
o They emit a pungent odour (likened to the smell of stinky cheese) to let predators —
primarily fishers, but also courageous owls and coyotes — know they're serious about
defending themselves.
• Taiwan also adopted porcupine strategy against China.
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 o porcupine doctrine is a strategy of asymmetric warfare focused on fortifying a weak state’s
defences to exploit the enemy’s weaknesses rather than taking on its strengths.
o could be attacked and damaged but not defeated, at least without unacceptably high costs
and risks
o 3 Layers of strategy:
▪ The outer layer is about intelligence and reconnaissance to ensure defence forces
are fully prepared.
▪ Behind this come plans for guerrilla warfare at sea with aerial support from
sophisticated aircraft provided by the US.
▪ The innermost layer relies on the geography and demography of the island

TTS 24 TEST 2
Q.17 Chameleon:
• A chameleon changes its color to adjust its body temperature to the outside temperature. They
change color by changing the arrangement of certain skin cells called iridophores.
• These cells have nanocrystals that reflect light of different wavelengths, depending on their
physical orientation

Q.19 Species reintroduction

• In-situ conservation is the conservation of wild animals in their natural habitats. National Parks,
Biosphere Reserves, Sacred Groves, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Community Reserves and
Biodiversity hotspots are examples of in-situ conservation.
• In-situ conservation ensures the ongoing process of evolution and adaptation within their
habitats.
• Release of animals in a new locality which come from anywhere else is animal translocation.
o Translocation is carried in following cases:
1. When a species on which an animal is dependent becomes rare.
2. When a species is endemic or restricted to a particular area.
3. Due to habit destruction and unfavorable environment conditions.
4. Increase in population in an area.
• Thus, reintroduction is a type of translocation
• Ex-situ conservation means the conservation of species outside their natural habitats. It involves
the transfer of genetic material away from the location where it is found

Q.29 Oxygenates
• Oxygenates refer to oxygen containing compounds, which are used as fuel components.
• Traditionally oxygenates refer to gasoline components, such as ethanol, fuel ethers, and recently
also butanol.
• Oxygenates are generally polar in nature, which may lead to compatibility problems when
blended with diesel fuel
o The most polar oxygenates, e.g. methanol and ethanol, are not miscible with diesel fuel
with exception of emulsions. Less polar oxygenates, for instance n-pentyl ether, are
miscible with diesel fuel.
• Can enhance fuel combustion and thereby reduce exhaust emissions. Some oxygenates also
boost gasoline octane
• They are also examples of VOC.

Q.30 Mycorrhizae
• Mycorrhizae are a symbiotic association between plant roots and fungi.

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 • Their major role is to enhance nutrient and water uptake by the host plant by exploiting a larger
volume of soil than roots alone can do.
• Mycorrhizae come in many forms, dependent upon both host plant and fungal taxonomy.
• Mycorrhizae are being used in agriculture, forestry, and restoration to improve yield and
overcome some of the pollutants associated with plantings on disturbed sites.
• The ability of mycorrhizal fungi to accumulate heavy metals and radionuclides makes them
possible candidates for the restoration and remediation of polluted environments.

Q.35 Medicinal Plants

• Arogyapacha is highly potent medicinal plant endemic to the Agasthya hills. The peak lies on
the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu
• This ‘miracle plant’ is known for its traditional use by the Kani tribal community to combat
fatigue
• Properties such as antioxidant, aphrodisiac, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory,
immunomodulatory, antitumour, anti-ulcer, anti-hyperlipidemic, hepatoprotective and anti-
diabetic.
• The tribal physicians – known as Plathi – are the exclusive holders of the traditional medicinal
knowledge of the tribe.
o According to Kani tribal customs, only the Plathi have the right to transfer and
disseminate their traditional medicinal knowledge

Q.40 hydroxyl radical (OH) in atmosphere:

• The hydroxyl radical (OH) is the primary oxidant of both the natural as well as anthropogenic
hydrocarbons in the troposphere. It reacts with these hydrocarbons to produce water and carbon
dioxide. This process is known as oxidation. The oxidation of hydrocarbons by OH radicals can
lead to the production of pollutant ozone.
• The hydroxyl radical (OH) is an important chemical species throughout the atmosphere.
o In the troposphere it is the primary oxidant of both natural and anthropogenic
hydrocarbons, leading to the production of pollutant ozone.
o In the stratosphere and mesosphere, OH is key catalyst of ozone destruction.

Q.57 Red Mud

• for the first-time red mud disposal, its utilisation as a hydroelectric cell produces green electricity
at ambient temperature
• It's not a common or established method for green electricity generation at this time.
• Red mud is a side-product of the Bayer process, the principal means of refining bauxite en route
to alumina.
• The resulting alumina is the raw material for producing aluminium by the Hall–Héroult process.
A typical bauxite plant produces one to two times as much red mud as alumina.

Q.62 bisphenol A
• When ingested, the chemical that is widely used to soften plastics, paints and other products,
disrupts the endocrine system by interfering with the hormones and affects the brain and prostate
gland of foetuses, infants and children.
• urban wastewater canals, which serve as breeding sites for mosquitoes, are choked with BPA-
laden plastic waste

Q.70 Boreal Forest

• Climate: Boreal forests are located in colder, northern regions with shorter growing seasons.

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 • Species diversity: Boreal forests are often dominated by coniferous trees, such as spruce, pine,
and fir, which generally have lower growth rates compared to the broadleaf trees found in many
temperate forests.
• Soil quality: Boreal Forest soils tend to be acidic and nutrient poor.
• Due to above reasons boreal forests typically have lower primary productivity compared to
temperate forests

Q.77 City Climate Gap Finance Fund

• It is a global partnership that supports cities in developing countries plan for, prioritize, and
deliver climate change mitigation and adaptation projects.
• The Gap Fund is an initiative of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Global Covenant
• of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM), along with other key partners in the urban and climate
finance arena including C40 Cities, ICLEI, and the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance
(CCFLA)
• funding supports three main goals:
o Provide technical assistance and capacity building Enhance cities and local authorities’
o Build a high-quality urban investment pipeline for later-stage technical assistance
o Share knowledge on project preparation with developers and financiers.

Q.81 UN High Level Dialogue on Energy

• Announced ambitious targets, transformational actions and bold investments towards achieving
universal energy access and net-zero emissions.
• One of the main outcomes of the Dialogue is the first-ever global roadmap for accelerated SDG
7 action which presents a clear strategy for the achievement of universal energy access and energy
transition by 2030, including a set of concrete and practical milestones.
• The first leader-level meeting on energy under the auspices of the UN General Assembly in 40
years, the Dialogue aimed to boost efforts to provide energy access by 2030 to the nearly 760
million people still lacking electricity and the 2.6 billion without clean cooking fuels and
technology, while setting the world on a trajectory towards net-zero emissions by 2050.

TTS 24 TEST 3
Q16 Fumigation
• It is a method of pest control that involves totally saturating a space with gaseous insecticides or
fumigants in order to poison any pests present.
• Eg: Methyl bromide, Formaldehyde, Vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP), Phosphine,
Chlorine Dioxide

Q22 Pollutants in Water

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has underpinned specific standards to ensure the
availability of safe drinking water and safe limits of pollutants in river

Q30 Chemicals
• Chromium III is much less toxic than chromium (VI).
• hexavalent chromium VI is considered as the most toxic form because it readily passes cellular
membranes and then reduced to trivalent form.
o Chromium toxicity attracks respiratory system
• Dimethylmercury is readily absorbed through the skin. A severely toxic dose
o The nervous system and kidneys are the two major target organs
• Arsenic (III) is more toxic than Arsenic (V).
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Critical Minerals:
• What: Critical minerals are essential to the economic and security interests of nations due to
their fundamental role in manufacturing high-tech products, renewable energy
technologies, electric vehicles (EVs), defense systems, and various other applications but face
potential supply risks due to geological scarcity, geopolitical issues, or other factors.
• Key Critical Minerals and Their Uses
✓ Lithium, Cobalt, and Nickel: Essential for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles,
portable electronics, and energy storage solutions.
✓ Rare Earth Elements (REEs)
✓ Copper: Vital for electrical wiring, renewable energy systems, and electric vehicles due to
its high electrical conductivity.
✓ Titanium: Used in aerospace for its strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and
high-temperature performance.
✓ Platinum Group Metals (PGMs): Essential for catalytic converters in vehicles, fuel cells,
and various electronics.
✓ Graphite: Critical for the anodes of lithium-ion batteries and its lubricating properties in
many industrial applications.
✓ The Indian government released a list of 30 critical minerals for India in 2023.
▪ These minerals are Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium,
Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium,
Nickel, Platinum Group elements (PGE), Phosphorous, Potash, REE, Rhenium,
Silicon, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium,
Zirconium, Selenium and Cadmium.

Rare Earth Elements (REEs): A group of 17 elements used in high-strength magnets, electronics, wind
turbines, and military applications. Neodymium and dysprosium, for example, are critical for
permanent magnets in motors.
• All are metals and have many similar properties which often cause them to be found together in
geologic deposits
• Referred to as “rare earth oxides” because many of them are sold as oxide compound
• All REEs are part of list of 30 critical minerals released by India.
• 15 lanthanides (Z=57 through 71) along with Scandium, and Yttrium.
• Maximum Reserves: China > Vietnam > Brazil > Russia > India > Australia
• Maximum Production: China > US > Myanmar > Australia > Madagascar > India
• India has 6% of the world’s rare earth reserves but it produces 1% of global output.
• Sweden’s state-owned mining company has identified more than 1 million tonnes of rare earth
minerals in the northern area of Kiruna was the largest of rare earth oxides in Europe.
• They are not rare in quantity some of them are very abundant in the earth’s crust but their
extraction is very difficult
• Its usage ranges from daily use (e.g., lighter flints, glass polishing mediums, car alternators) to
high-end technology (lasers, magnets, batteries, fiber-optic telecommunication cables).
• Even futuristic technologies need these REMs (For example high-temperature
superconductivity, safe storage and transport of hydrogen for a post-hydrocarbon economy,
environmental global warming, and energy efficiency issues).
• Uses of Rare Earth Metals (REMs) in Defense

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Q30 Crop Acreage:
• India got 1st place in the world in cotton acreage with 120.69 Lakh Hectares area under cotton
cultivation i.e. around 36% of world area of 333 Lakh Hectares
• Trends of Gross area of major crops
o GCA of foodgrains not consistently inc/dec.
o GCA of Pulses consistently increased in last 5 years
o GCA of Tea, coffee, rubber remained constant in last one decade

Q69 Jatropha:
• Native to Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean, but has been widely planted throughout
the tropics
• It is tolerant of drought, salinity, and poor soil quality. Jatropha is also a nitrogen-fixing plant
• Gestation period of of Jatropha is 3 to 5 years
• Some varieties of Jatropha have toxic esters that make them non-edible. The most common
toxic ester in Jatropha is phorbol ester.
• The leaves, fruits, and seeds of Jatropha can be used as animal feed
• The Union government launched the National Biodiesel Mission (NBM) identifying Jatropha
as the most suitable tree-borne oilseed for biodiesel production.
• biodiesel is produced mostly from
o rapeseed and sun flower in Europe; soyabean in the US; Malaysia utilises palm oil;
Nicaragua uses Jatropha curcas

Q70 Insect Decline:

• New global study of the drivers of insect decline says habitat loss by conversion to intensive
agriculture is the main driver of the insect declines.
• Agrochemical pollutants, invasive species and climate change are additional causes. Another
contributing factor to insect declines could be light pollution.
o Insects make up about half of all known living organisms
o single most pervasive service provided by insects is their role in developing and
maintaining soil structure and fertility,”
o Across the world, more than 40 per cent of insect species are declining and a third are
endangered, the analysis found.
o The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles.

Q78. The Arctic Council:

• The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation,
coordination, and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic Indigenous Peoples, and
other Arctic inhabitants.
• It was formally established in 1996 through the Ottawa Declaration.

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 • The eight Arctic States (whose territories fall in the Arctic region) are members of the Arctic
Council.
• These are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the US.
• All Arctic Council decisions:
o Require consensus of the eight Arctic States.
o Happens in consultation with the permanent participants.
• Six organisations representing the indigenous people of the Arctic region have been granted the
status of permanent participants.
• Observers of the Arctic Council are:
o Thirteen Countries, including India (2013)
o Intergovernmental and inter-parliamentary organisations & non-governmental
organisations.

• It doesn’t do:
o The Arctic Council’s mandate excludes military security.
o It has no programming budget. Arctic States sponsors all project
o cannot implement/enforce its guidelines. The responsibility belongs to individual Arctic
States or international bodies

TTS 24 TEST 5
Q19. CAFE or Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency/Economy regulations
• Are in force in many advanced as well as developing nations, including India.
• They aim at lowering fuel consumption (or improving fuel efficiency) of vehicles by lowering
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, thus serving the twin purposes of reducing dependence on oil
for fuel and controlling pollution.
• Corporate Average refers to sales-volume weighted average for every auto manufacturer.
• The norms are applicable for petrol, diesel, LPG and CNG passenger vehicles.
• CAFE regulations in India came into force from April 1, 2017.
• Under this, average corporate CO2 emission must be less than 130 gm per km till 2022 and
below 113 gm per km thereafter.

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Q19. Euryhaline
• Euryhaline organisms are able to adapt to a wide range of salinities.
• Some fishes are Euryhaline and not most
• There are two main physiological ‘strategies’ employed by euryhaline species that allow them to
adapt to reductions in environmental salinity:
o osmoconformity and osmotic/ionic regulation.

Q24. Competitive Ability:

• In temperate zones: mortality is independent of density as well as genotype and phenotypes of
organisms. It rather depends on the environmental condition. So, selection favours the
organisms with high reproduction and growth rate
• In tropical zone: where climate is stable, selection favours the organisms with higher competitive
ability. Therefore, in tropics organisms tend to produce fewer offspring with slower
developmental rate which ultimately leads to improving competitive ability.

Q24. Competitive Ability:

• Bonobos are only found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), separated from
chimpanzees by the Congo River
• Chimpanzees and the closely related bonobos are the species nearest genetically to humans,
sharing about 98.8% of our DNA.
• Chimpanzees are extremely territorial. They undertake regular border patrols, where individuals
roam in the periphery of their territory in a very coordinated and cohesive way,
• They use human like tactical elevated terrain in warfare situations

Q29. The king cobra

• Is an oviparous snake which is only nest building snake found in India. The main reason for
building a nest is to keep the eggs safe
• The king cobra inhabits the Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats and Terai regions in India. It has
also been sighted in Uttarakhand. The oil palm plantations in the region have the right
temperature and resources to attract snakes including king cobras.
• King cobras predominantly feed on other snakes and play a vital role in maintaining an ecological
balance

Q30. Filter Feeder

• Filter feeders are animals that get their food by moving water through a structure that acts as a
sieve.
• Some filter feeders are sessile organisms - they don't move much, if at all. Examples of sessile
filter feeders are tunicates (sea squirts), bivalves (e.g. mussels, oysters, scallops), and sponges
• Some filter feeders are free-swimming organisms who filter the water while swimming or even
actively pursue their prey. Examples of these filter feeders are basking sharks, whale sharks, and
baleen whales
• Fossils unearthed in China's Hubei Province indicate that a curious marine reptile
called Hupehsuchus nanchangensis that lived 248 million years ago in the Triassic Period
employed a similar system during a time of tremendous evolutionary innovation following Earth's
worst mass extinction.
• Hupehsuchus perhaps could be the smallest-known vertebrate filter-feeder
• Its feeding anatomy is an example of a phenomenon called convergent evolution in which
disparate organisms independently evolve similar features

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 • Importance:
o Filter feeders like mussels and oysters filter small particles and even toxins out of the
water and improve water clarity.
o Filter feeders can also indicate the health of water. For example, filter feeders like shellfish
can be harvested and tested for toxins

Q32.Green infrastructure
• Has been defined as “A strategically planned network of natural and seminatural areas with other
environmental features, designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services,
while also enhancing biodiversity.”
o Such services include, for example, water purification, improving air quality, providing
space for recreation, as well as helping with climate mitigation and adaptation
o Green infrastructure includes planted and remnant native vegetation, soils, wetlands,
parks and green open spaces, as well as building and street-level design interventions that
incorporate vegetation
• Blue infrastructure includes bodies of water, watercourses, ponds, lakes and storm drainage, that
provide ecological and hydrological functions including evaporation, transpiration, drainage,
infiltration and temporarily storage of runoff and discharge.
• Grey infrastructure: Engineered physical components and networks of pipes, wires, roads and
tracks that underpin energy, transport, communications (including digital), built form, water and
sanitation, and solid-waste management systems.
• Social infrastructure: The social, cultural and financial activities and institutions as well as
associated property, buildings and artefacts and policy domains such as social protection, health
and education that support well-being and public life

Q58. Creepers & Climbers

• Example of Creeper: Watermelon, pumpkin, strawberry, Bougainvillaea, Bignonia, cucumber,
etc.
• Example of Climbers: Beans, Grapevine, Gourd, Jasmine, Money plant, Sweet gourd, Bitter
gourd, Bottle ground
• Epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants, usually trees, without harming or taking nutrients
from the host plant. They do not have roots on the ground but depend on the host plant for
support and access to sunlight and nutrient
• While some epiphytes may be creepers or climbers, not all epiphytes are like this
• Epiphytes are much less common in desert environments, where the air is characteristically dry.
But in parts of the Sonoran Desert in Baja California (Mexico) there is sufficiently humid air
blowing across from the Pacific Ocean to support extensive growth of lichens and of a flowering
plant called ball moss on the trunks and stems of trees and shrubs.

Q59. Green Credit Program:

• Lists out eight sectors, or activities, that can qualify for generating credits:
1. Tree plantation
2. Water conservation, water harvesting and water use efficiency/savings
3. Sustainable agriculture-based
4. Waste management
5. Air pollution reduction
6. Mangrove conservation
7. Ecomark Labelling
8. Sustainable building and infrastructure

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 • Unlike carbon markets, where only greenhouse gas emissions were traded, the Green Credit
Scheme was “trickier” as it involved accounting for a wide range of actions.
• Green Credit Program (GCP) was announced in Budget 23-24
• market-based mechanism designed to incentivize voluntary environmental actions across diverse
sectors, by various stakeholders like individuals, communities, private sector industries, and
companies
• The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) serves as the GCP
Administrator, responsible for program implementation

Q72. Sea buckthorn

• It has nothing to do with sea. Found in hilly areas
• Sea buckthorn is a deciduous shrub or tree. It is a pioneer tree species for soil improvement,
wind and sand control, and soil and water conservation
• Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a flowering shrub native to the cold-temperate
regions of Europe and Asia
• used in popular foods such as bread, yoghourt, and jam, and in beverages, such as tea.
• India, has awarded the GI tag to the Department of Industries & Commerce, Ladakh, for
'Ladakh Sea Buckthorn'

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Q40. 30X30 Targets
• The 30×30 target implies protection of at least 30 % the of world’s land and ocean by 2030.
• The initiative has been endorsed by more than 100 countries, including the European Union,
the G7, and India, and has become a target of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity
Framework adopted in December 2022

Q44. Global Energy Alliance for People & Planet

• Founded by Rockefeller and Ikea foundations and the Bezos Earth Fund, GEAPP is an
alliance of entrepreneurs, governments, technology, policy, and financing partners working
together to support developing countries shift to a clean energy model
• Power, jobs, and climate are three thematic areas for the alliance in context of climate change

Q46. TREES Standard

• TREES – The REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard – is ART’s standard for the
quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission
reductions and removals from REDD+ activities at a jurisdictional and national scale.
• Under TREES, countries and eligible subnational jurisdictions can generate verified emission
• reduction and removal credits by meeting precise and comprehensive requirements for:
o accounting and crediting monitoring,
o reporting and independent verification
o mitigation of leakage and reversal risks
o avoidance of double counting
o assurance of robust environmental and social safeguards
o and the transparent issuance of serialised units on a public registry

Q54. Brazzaville Declaration

• The Republic of Congo, as the initiator of the alliance between the Three Great Basins, hosted
the Founding Summit of the Amazon – Congo – Borneo – Mekong – Southeast Asia, Summit
of the Three Basins
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 • These regions alone account for 80% of the world’s tropical forests and two-thirds of terrestrial
biodiversity, playing an essential role in regulating the carbon balance
• purpose of the Summit is to implement, within the framework of the United Nations Decade
for Ecosystem Restoration, the first global coalition to restore 350 million hectares of terrestrial
and aquatic ecosystems.

Q55. Women for water

• The programme, ‘Women for Water, Water for Women’, is an initiative of the Union Urban
Affairs Ministry under its flagship scheme - AMRUT, in partnership with the National Urban
Livelihood Mission (NULM) and Odisha Urban Academy.
• They will be given first-hand knowledge about the water treatment process through visits to
Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) in their respective cities.

Q97 Biomethanation
• Biomethanation is a process by which organic material is microbiologically converted under
anaerobic conditions to biogas.
• Three main physiological groups of microorganisms are involved: fermenting bacteria, organic
acid oxidising bacteria, and methanogenic archaea

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Q17 Loss & Damage Fund
• “Loss and damage” are a general term used in UN climate negotiations to refer to the
consequences of climate change that go beyond what people can adapt to.
• This also includes situations where adaptation options exist, but a community doesn’t have the
resources to access or utilise them.
• To date, there is no official definition of loss and damage under the UN
• History of L&D:
o 2007- Bali Action Plan: Loss and damage first appeared in a negotiated outcome of the
UN climate talks
o 2013- COP 19: formed the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage to
avert, minimise and address loss and damage.
▪ share knowledge, strengthen dialogues among stakeholders, and mobilise
expertise but no funding mechanism.
o 2019- COP 25: Santiago Network for L&D was set up, but the developed countries didn’t
commit any funds.
o 2021- COP 26: Glasgow Dialogue on finance for L&D was established to continue
discussions
o 2022- COP 27: historic decision to establish a “loss and damage fund
o 2023- COP 28: countries set the loss and damage fund in motion and agreed on critical
details, like selecting the World Bank as its host.
▪ pledged almost $700 million to start filling the fund.
▪ The Santiago Network on Loss and Damage was also operationalized, with the
UN Office of Disaster Risk Reduction and UN Office for Project Services as its
hosts
▪ based on cooperation and facilitation and do not involve liability or compensation
Global Shield Against Climate Risks
• Initiative was formally launched at COP27.
• It is a collaboration between the V20 group of finance ministers representing 58 climate-
vulnerable countries and the G7.

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 • The initiative is envisioned as a social protection and insurance-based finance mechanism for
loss and damage outside the UNFCCC process.
• The initiative will provide pre-arranged financial support designed to be quickly deployed in
times of climate disasters

Q21 Right to water & sanitation

• In July 2010, UN General Assembly Resolution for the first time, recognises the right to water
and sanitation and acknowledges that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the
realisation of all human rights
• The Resolution calls upon States and international organisations to provide financial resources
help in capacity-building and technology transfer to help countries, in particular developing
countries, to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all

Q25 Lisbon Declaration

• The United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference is a high-level conference that aims to provide
solutions for the ocean.
• 1st UNOC was in UN HQ (New York) in 2017
• 2nd UNOC in 2022 ended with Lisbon Declaration titled ‘Our Ocean, Our Future: call for
action’. It was co-hosted by Kenya and Portugal in Lisbon
• Lisbon Declaration includes:
o Protecting at least 30% of national maritime zones by 2030
o Achieving carbon neutrality by 2040
o Allocating funds to research on ocean acidification, climate resilience and surveillance
o Protect biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, which lie outside the exclusive
economic zones of countries.
o India: Will take up the Coastal clean sea campaign (‘Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar’.) &
Ban on single use plastics.
• 3 UNOC in 2025 will be held in Nice, France co chaired by Costa Rica
rd

Q39 CTH & CWH

Critical Tiger Habitat Critical Wildlife Habitat

are identified under the WPA, 1972 are identified under the FRA, 2006
CTH could be diverted for non-forest purposes CWH – once notified – couldn’t be diverted
CTH is done by the state government in CTH is done by the MOEFCC in consultation
consultation with the expert committee with the expert committee constituted for the
constituted for the purpose purpose (Local community + MoTA)

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Q42 Carbon Dioxide Removal:

• CDR, is using technologies, practices, and approaches to remove carbon dioxide from our
atmosphere
• traditional methods like afforestation, as well as more sophisticated technologies like direct air
carbon capture and storage (DACCS).
• CDR also includes durable and efficient storage of extracted carbon dioxide in natural reservoirs
like soil and vegetation, or in manufactured products like carbonated drinks.
• Natural processes, like the growth of a natural forest, are not CDR methods.

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 • Some methods are:
o Biochar is the substance produced by burning organic waste from agricultural lands and
forests in a controlled process called pyrolysis. Biochar is a stable form of carbon that
cannot easily escape into the atmosphere.
o Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, or BECCS, is similar to biochar in the sense
that it also uses biomass to produce energy while preventing the release of carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere. combustion is captured and stored underground
o Direct air carbon capture and storage, or DACCS (also called DACS), extracts CO2
directly from the atmosphere at any location. This captured CO2 is then permanently
stored in deep geological formations or used for other applications. DACCS uses
electricity to remove CO2 from the air.
▪ The gas can also be used in industries, like carbonated drinks.
▪ DACCS is also the most expensive form of CDR
o Enhanced rock weathering: pulverising silicate rocks to bypass the conventionally slow
weathering action. The resultant product, usually a powder, has higher reactive surface
area, which is then spread on agricultural lands for further chemical reactions.
o Ocean alkalinity enhancement: adding alkaline substances to seawater to accelerate this
natural sink. Alkaline substances in the ocean can convert dissolved, inorganic CO2 in
water into bicarbonates and carbonates, which are stable forms of carbon with extensive
lifetimes.

The Micro-Fragmentation technique

• Consists of breaking the corals into smaller pieces of 1 to 5 polyps, using a specialised band-saw.
• This stimulates the coral tissue to grow, allowing them to grow into clones at 25 to 50 times the
normal growth rate.
• Micro-fragmentation can increase coral cover by orders of magnitude faster than natural growth,
which now allows cultivation of slow growing massive forms and shows promise and flexibility
for active reef restoration

Q47 Emission Intensity:

• The Emission intensity of the economy refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted
for every unit increase of gross domestic product (GDP).
• India reduced its GDP emission intensity by 33 per cent between 2005 and 2019, achieving the
target 11 years in advance
• According to the third national communication:
o The energy sector accounted for the max. share of anthropogenic emissions (75.81 %)
o Agriculture (13.44 %)
o Industrial Process and Product Use (8.41%).
o Waste (2.34 %).

Q49. Global Ecosystem Typology:

• The IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology is the first-ever comprehensive classification
framework for classifying and mapping all Earth's ecosystems, which integrates their functional
and compositional features.

Q70. Blue Ocean Event

When the Arctic Ocean might first become ice-free in summer, sometimes called a “blue ocean event”
and defined as when the sea ice area drops below 1 million sq. km. This threshold is used mainly
because older, thicker ice along parts of Canada and northern Greenland is expected to remain long
after the rest of the Arctic Ocean is ice-free.
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Q50. Deep-sea mining
• It refers to the extraction of minerals and other resources from the seabed, which can be found
in large quantities in the deep ocean.
• Major types of deep-sea mining
o Manganese nodule mining: This involves collecting nodules of manganese, iron, and
other metals that are scattered on the ocean floor.
o Seafloor massive sulphide (SMS) mining: This involves extracting mineral deposits
formed near hydrothermal vents, which can contain high concentrations of copper,
zinc, and other metals.
o Cobalt crust mining: This involves collecting crusts of cobalt, nickel, and other metals
that form on the surface of seamounts.
• Under UNCLOS, exploration for and exploitation of seabed minerals in the Area may only be
carried out under a contract with the International Seabed Authority and subject to its rules,
regulations and procedures
• Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) was founded in 2004 in response to international
concerns over the harmful impacts of deep-sea bottom trawling

India’s ‘Deep Ocean Mission’

• As a part of DOM, India’s flagship deep ocean mission, ‘Samudrayaan’, was initiated in 2021
by the Minister of Earth Sciences.
o In ‘Samudrayaan’, India is embarking on a groundbreaking crewed expedition to reach
the ocean bed at a depth of 6,000 m in the central Indian Ocean.
o The U.S.A., Russia, China, France, and Japan have already achieved successful deep-
ocean crewed missions. India is poised to join the ranks of these nations
o This historic journey will be accomplished by Matsya6000, a deep-ocean submersible
designed to accommodate a crew of three members.
▪ Accompanied by three crew members, called “aquanauts”
▪ Constructed from a titanium alloy, the sphere is engineered to withstand
pressures of up to 6,000 bar.
▪ It is equipped with propellers enabling movement in all six directions and
features three viewports that allow the crew to observe its surroundings in real-
time.
o With Matsya, India will be the only country to have an entire ecosystem of underwater
vehicles encompassing deep-water ROVs, polar ROVs, AUVs, deep-water coring
systems
o The minerals we can mine from the ocean bed in the central Indian Ocean region,
allocated to us by the United Nations International Seabed Authority (ISA), include
copper, manganese, nickel, and cobalt

Indian deep-ocean mining system ‘Varaha’

• Varaha, is a self-propelled track-based seabed mining system.
• It operates on the flexible riser technique: the mining vehicle is lowered to the ocean bed from
a surface ship using a high-strength flexible cord system.
• Once the vehicle reaches the ocean bed, it will be able to move around while the surface ship
moves in tandem.
Q67. Internet of Birds (IoB)
• It is the first platform to identify birds from the Indian subcontinent through the power of
Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning and Image Recognition. IoB is a citizen science platform
by Accenture Labs in collaboration with BNHS.

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Q92. Global Cooling Pledge:
• The Global Cooling Pledge commits the countries to reduce their cooling emissions by at least
68% by 2050
• These kinds of emissions now account for 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions and are
expected to triple by 2050
• Cooling emissions are essentially
emissions generated from refrigerants,
used in appliances like ACs and
refrigerators, and the energy used for
cooling.
• 63 countries including the US, Canada
and Kenya. India has not signed the
pledge yet.
• While investing in renewable energy sources is a critical step in addressing climate change, it’s
not specifically listed as a strategy in the pledge.
• The other three options – increasing energy efficiency, protecting natural carbon sinks, and
developing carbon capture and storage technologies – are all mentioned as key strategies in the
pledge
• Recall: HFCs, Montreal Protocal & Kigali Amendment

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Q3. Photobionts
• Phycobiont refers to the algal component of the lichens and mycobiont refers to the fungal
component. Both of these are present in a symbiotic relationship in which algae prepare food
for fungi due to the presence of chlorophyll whereas the fungus provides shelter to algae and
absorbs water and nutrients from the soil.
• both the fungi and the photosynthetic partners, called photobionts

Q7. Monaco Blue Water Initiative

• The Monaco blue initiative is a unique platform for debate that brings together major players in
ocean conservation and governance to reflect on the key challenges facing our future ocean, in a
concrete and forward-looking way
• launched in 2010 by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and is co-organized by the Oceanographic
Institute
Q61. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle
• Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles only produce tailpipe water vapour (a green house gas) and heat,
meaning they produce less noxious and greenhouse gas emissions
• Being the lightest molecule, hydrogen gas has a very low density. This means that to store the
same amount of energy, hydrogen requires more space than conventional fuels
• A fuel cell system running on hydrogen can be compact and lightweight, and have no major
moving parts
• Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) are more efficient than traditional internal combustion
engines because they directly convert chemical energy into electrical energy, reducing energy loss
from heat.

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Q99. Wetland City Accredition:
• WCA is a voluntary accreditation system established under Ramsar Convention during
Conference of Parties -12 (COP-12) held in 2015.
• It recognizes cities which have taken exceptional steps to safeguard their urban wetlands
• India has sumbitted nomination for 3 cities
o Indore: Sirpur Lake (Ramsar Site), Yashwant Sagar is a Ramsar site located close to
Indore.
o Bhopal: Bhoj Wetland (Ramsar Site is the city’s lifeline), world-class wetland’s
interpretation centre, Jal Tarang.
o Udaipur: five major wetlands, namely, Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar,
and Doodh Talai
• Globally, 43 cities including 13 from China and six from France are currently accredited under
the WCA scheme.

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