Okay, good evening to you all. So I hope the audio and video is clear. So today we will try to see some environmental current affairs from 2022 to 23 for the last one year. Some of the major current affairs we'll see. So how we'll go about this, we will start with biodiversity, some of the important conventions and the newses and then we'll get into some of pollutions and finally we'll get into climate change. And also we'll try to see anything major that is given in the budget of 2023 related to the environment. So first we'll start with some international convention related to biodiversity. So it is the conference of party 15 of convention on biological diversity. So that is a, you know, that's one of our important convention related to our biodiversity. We can say it's a master convention. So the 15th conference of party, actually it is called Quimming Monterial Declaration. So why it is called Quimming Monterial List? This convention, actually it has happened in two parts. The part one in the last year, 22, it happened in the Quimming of China. The part two, it was concluded in Montreal. So it has actually happened two times. So that is something called Quimming actually Monterial Declaration. So what is the main thing about us? We have to go for a new global framework. So what are the new global framework? Before in CBD, we had one target from 2010 to 2020 that is called ICHI target. I hope you remember. So the target is over. So ICHI 20 target. So India has taken the 20 target into 12 national biodiversity target and it was completed by 2020. So after 2020, they have taken a new target that is called post 2020 new biodiversity framework. So actually the target is for 2050, that's a long-term target. The short-term is 2030 because we have our sustainable development goal that is by 2030 agenda. So that is how we have taken this 2030 target. So that is, it is called as Global Biodiversity Framework, GPF, it is a 2030 target. So in 2030, that is within 2030, we have to achieve 23 target that is subdivided into four goals. So that is our idea. So here, it is not possible for you to remember all the 23 target, but at least you can have one glance of this 23 target. So what is, what way it is going to be different from the ICHI target is? So they say that ICHI target, according to convention, it is a failure because of two reasons. The one reason why ICHI target is a failure is it is lack of budget, that is lack of finance. And the second reason what they told about ICHI target is there is no clear indicator because whenever you set a target, there should be a very clear target, clear indicator should be there in terms of measurable. So it was not there in the ICHI target, that is what the CBD convention says. But in the Global Biodiversity Framework, they say that this two problem will be rectified. So the 23 target, whatever they are going to keep, it is going to have some clear target that is clear indicator. At the same time, they are going to give more fund for it. So for this, under the Global Environment Facility, they have created one fund, especially for this particular declaration, it is called Special Trust Fund, especially to support the GBF. So we can say that comparing with the older ICHI target, this 2030 Global Biodiversity Framework target, I will say that it will have comparatively much more better clear indicator. Number two, it will also have better funding for it. So that is the difference it comes. So what are the key points? So first thing is 30 by 30 deal. So under this, the key target is within 2030, that is 2030 agenda, 30% of the land and 30% of the ocean, we want to bring it under the protected area. So as of now, 17% of the land and the 8% of the ocean is not under the protected area. But so, sorry, it's under the protected area. Now we have to increase to 30-30. So that is called 30 into 30 deal. The second important target is, we have to stop the extinction of species by 2050. So right now the system, you know that the sixth mass rate extinction is very rapid. So we have to control the sixth mass rate extinction. So for that reason, at least by 2050, we have to reduce. So in that, as a target, they say that we have to reduce at least 10-fold times the extinction rate. The third one is, we have to reduce the risk of pesticide by 50% age. Because pesticide, some or other way, it results in water pollution, as well as in soil pollution. And also, you know that many pesticides is a carcinogen mutation. And also sometimes some pesticide may also contain some nutrient. So pesticide control is another one. And then we have to reduce the loss of nutrients to the environment by 50% age. So soil nutrient loss, which is also soil erosion, soil degradation is also major one. So that also we have to control. The next one, we have to reduce the pollution risk and also pollution risk and negative impact of pollution on all the organisms. See, because today organic, if you take any biodiversity, so whether a plant or animal can take pollutants, yes, they can take pollutant within a particular limit. So here we are not completely, so the target is not completely eliminating the entire pollutant. We have to reduce the pollutant to a level where the biodiversity can sustain. So that is how it is given. That is not harmful, reduce the level that are not harmful to the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. And then we have to reduce the global footprint of consumption. So it's related to the agriculture consumption. So here, over consumption should be controlled. And at the same time, food waste. So that also should be controlled. So as a target, we have to reduce off-food waste. So these are the some of the important target. Apart from that, the next important target is to manage or control agriculture and agro-allied. So agro-allied like aquaculture, fisheries and all, forestry. So you know that these activities, sometimes we take it in a very unsustainable way. So we want to make it in a very agro-ecological basis. At the same time, biodiversity-friendly basis. So that's one. Then the next one is to tackle the climate change by nature-based solution. So by going for aforestation, by improving the blue carbon ecosystem. So that is another target. And we have to control the next target is to control the invasive alien species at least by 50 percentage. Because you know that the main reason for the system-assayed extinction, the first and foremost reason is a habitat loss. The second reason is invasive species. So more the invasive species, it will drastically reduce your biodiversity. So control the invasive species. We cannot completely remove it because invasive, it's not possible to completely remove the invasive. Because once you remove invasive, it is something a position like we cannot keep it. At the same time, we cannot remove it. So at least 50% reduction, we want to commit by, we have to bring it by 2030. And then the next one is about the trade on wildlife. So anyway, we are doing some trade on many wildlife plant and animal specimen for certain commercial benefit, for medicinal benefits. So we want to have a very safe or probably a controlled secured trade and coming to the urban. So urban, we have to increase the green spaces. That's what green up of urban spaces. So these are the, some of the major target that was taken in the Quinming declaration. Totally, if you see as a target, it will be around 23 target that is divided into four goals. So what is, what you can expect from this Quinming declaration? The first thing is, as I told you, money funding. So the signatory, what they have accepted is, we have to mobilize $200 billion of money we have to channel for the conservation. So that, of course, it's not immediately in a long term, from the government sources, even from the private sources, because we want the private also to participate in it. So $200 billion is something ultimate goal we have. But as of now, we want, because we want to apply the concept of CBDR, common but differential responsibility. Country like India and all, we told very clearly that CBDR should be there because biodiversity laws is not happening only because of the developing country. Many developed the country has done a lot of biodiversity laws before that is start from the industrialization. So that is the reason we want a commitment of the developed country to give fund. To start with $20 billion, at least the developed country has to fund by 2025, $30 billion by 2030. So if you directly see for the climate change in the green climate fund, it is $100 billion. So you can keep in mind $100 billion for the climate change, $30 billion for the global biodiversity framework for the CBD convention. The second one is the Quinming declaration, the Quinming Montreal declaration says that, big companies, the big companies, large company, large infrastructure project, they do an activity that disturbs the biodiversity. So we want a reporting system. So every country should control their company's infrastructure company. So that before a company, any company or infrastructure company start any project, they have to provide a clear assessment how their project is going to affect the biodiversity. We want a complete report. Under the same time, the government has to, the country government has to ensure that the company have a proper mitigation for proper, sorry, proper mitigation plan for the conservation of the biodiversity because of their project. So that is the second important thing. The third one is subsidies. So here subsidies, when you come to subsidies, you know that many countries are giving subsidies for fertilizers. Even India, we are giving fertilizer. So now fertilizer will result in, you know that one is in eutrophication because more the fertilizer goes to the lake, goes to the ocean, creates an algae bloom, harmful algae bloom and all. Second, more the fertilizer enters into the soil, that also results in the de-neutrification process. You know, de-neutrification process, some hydro, sorry, some pseudo monols and all when they react on the fertilizer, they produce nitrous oxide, which is a very powerful greenhouse gases. So controlling subsidies will control your aquatic ecosystem, will preserve your aquatic ecosystem as well as climate change. So that is the reason we want to control. So here the countries have committed at not to immediately remove it, at least phase down and reform the subsidy. Anyway, by at least by 2030, you have to control around $500 billion of subsidies. So you have to slash out those subsidies, you have to control it. So that we can expect from the pin being, so it's a very measurable target. Then we can see the monitoring and progress system. So in this convention or probably in this Montreal declaration, it was told that every five years, once the country has to report, so that we can see what progress it's going on in that. And at the same time, national action plan also should be created by the country and it has to be reviewed. But anyway, in this, you know, in the climate change, even in the Paris agreement also, every country has to come out with a national action plan that will be reviewed. But here, some of the members of the CBD convention, they said that it should not be something like a sort of, you know, deadline or commitment. So countries will prepare their national guideline, that is national action plan that will be submitted. So it can be reviewed, but there should not be any form of a legal commitment for it. So that is what some countries told it. So these are the things you can expect from the pin being Montreal declaration, mainly 30 by 30 deal. Now the next one, the latest one, the next one in the current affair is the sites convention, conference of party, 19, it held in Panama, you know, sites. It's a convention on India, international trade and endangered species of wildlife, flora and fauna. So here it is a intergovernmental treaty. It's a legal binding treaty to control the legal trade, to control the trade. Yes, of course, the legal trade. So here some plans and animals are being traded from one country to another country for some commercial, even for many, for commercial or medicinal purpose. So we don't want the trade to happen in such a way that at one point of time the species becomes extinct. So it should not, the main idea is the trade should not serve with the, should not pretend the survival of the particular species. So that is the reason under the sites convention we have appendix one, appendix two and appendix three. You know that appendix one is something where no trade is allowed, trade is completely prohibited. Appendix two is something controlled trade I can say. Appendix three, it is protected at least in one country. So what, we'll directly go, what is the resolution they have taken in that particular conference of party. So more than 52 proposals was made related to the regulation of some of the species on the international trade, especially on certain mammals like sharks, sharks reptiles, even hippopotamus, hippos and even in the rhinoceros and more than 203 species also was included in that. More than 52 different types of proposals was made. So in this, if you want to see the key one, India, we'll come to the India. So we have a tree called Shisham. It is also called as Indian rosewood. Suppose people who cannot offer teak, you know the teak is very costly. People who cannot offer teak, most of the time they go for this Indian rosewood but the original rosewood is something very costly, Shisham, it's also called as Shisham, Shisham. It is an Indian rosewood. So we want, we made a proposal that, rosewood has to be put under, Indian rosewood that Shisham has to be put under appendix two. So by that way, it was also put under the appendix two. So the benefit is, because we are using for a lot of handicrafts and other things, even for furniture and all, so that it will boost our Indian exports. So anyway, finally it was accepted and today it is going to boost our Indian handicraft exports. So keep in mind Shisham. The second one is sea cucumber. So India gave a proposal of putting sea cucumber in the appendix two. So it was also accepted. So Tamil Nadu, you can see that it was the highest number of seashells we found, especially the marine wildlife seashells and even in the last year, more than four crore worth of sea cucumber was about to get smuggled. So it was stopped by the WCCB, Wildlife Control Bureau. The second one is about the sea cucumber as a marine species. The third one, India has proposed one species that is called Batakur Tachuga. It's called the red-crowned roof turtle. So it's a freshwater turtle. So we want to put it under the sites convention. So it was welcomed by the party members and also they appreciated, the sites members also appreciated the WCCB, the World, sorry, the Wildlife Control Bureau Operation Turtle Shield. So it is nothing but to control the poaching of turtles and tortoise, that was also appreciated. And the last one is about the ivory trade. So coming to the ivory trade, so countries like Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and even Zimbabwe, so they want the ivory to be traded, the elephant ivory to be traded. So normally how the elephant ivory traded in the sense, if sometimes if any sea shell of any ivory or some time any dead elephant ivory and all, they want to go for a trade, they want to have a systematic trade under the sites. But whenever they put for a vote for a trade, generally it will be rejected. So if you take India for the last 30 years of time, we oppose this ivory trade because if you allow a trade, automatically you can see more demand will increase, automatically more poaching and all will happen. The chances of poaching will increase more. So that's the reason, India for the last 30 years of time, we didn't support the ivory trade. But for the first time, we didn't vote against the ivory trade. So when Namibia moved forward, actually we didn't vote it. So we didn't vote against it. So that means we supported for the ivory trade. So why India has to do it? It's only based on the national interest because Namibia has requested, we got cheetah from Namibia. So Namibia has requested not to vote against for the ivory trade. For that reason, we didn't vote it. But anyway, the Namibia proposal was defeated. So ultimately it was not accepted in the sites, but it's one important thing that India decided not to vote against the proposal to reopen the international trade in ivory. So these are the things we have to keep in mind, especially in the conference party 19. So let's move to the next one. Slowly we'll come to the wildlife. Come to the Indian context. Yes, wildlife protection amendment bill. So we have gone for a, there is a wildlife protection act. You know that it's one of a very powerful act for the wildlife. 1972, it was established for the protection of wildlife against poaching and as well as illegal trade or any sort of a poaching illegal trade or whatever it may be. And we did some amendment in 2003 and all. So now there is an amendment bill of 2022. So anyway, Rajesh Shaba has moved forward this bill. So what are the major provisions of the bill? Why we have to go for this amendment is, first thing is we have implemented some of the provisions of the sites. Anyway, site is a legal binding convention, but the kites convention itself says that it does not take the place of national law. So that means you have any national law related to wildlife protection. So it is not going to be an alternate. So some of the sites provision or many sites provision was not included. For example, in the sites, we have appendix one, appendix two and all, whether it is reflected in the wildlife protection act in the original act, no, not directly. So in this way, today, now we want to implement some of the provisions of the sites. So that was included number one. Number two, under this act, now the central government is getting more power. So how in the census, now the central under the new amendment bill, the central government can create or designate management authority. So this management authority only will grant all the imports and exports or any trade of a wildlife, all wildlife specimen. So management authority is a very important authority you can find. The second is the central government will also have a power to regulate or to control, to regulate or prohibit the trade or possession or any proliferation of invasive species, invasive species or alien species. Now the central government will have a more power related to invasive species. So that it can be a little in line with your Montreal protocol. That's not the, sorry, Montreal framework. There is a Quimving Montreal framework. So that control of the invasive species will come under the ambit of central government. The third one is the central government will also have the power to declare or notify a conservation reserve. So you know that protected, when come to the protected area under the wildlife protection act, we have national park wildlife sanctuary, conservation reserve, community reserve, even tiger reserves also we have. National park wildlife sanctuary can be created by any government. State government can also create, central government can also create. But when come to conservation reserve, community reserve, it was included in 2003 amendment. So it was said that it is one of the most of the time it's the state government declare a conservation reserve, community reserve. So any land adjacent to a national park or wildlife sanctuary. I hope you know the basic provisions. Under the new amendment, the conservation reserve can also be notified by the central government. The next one is they're reducing the number of schedules. Now this is where a lot of controversy comes. So here in the original act, actually we have six schedules. You know, schedule one, schedule two is a high protected. Schedule three, schedule two is a less protection schedule, schedule three, schedule four. Schedule five is a vermin category. Schedule six is a plants prohibited from cultivation. Some medicinal plant like cute plant, picture plant, Vanda plant, this is the original one. Now from the six schedules, we are changing to in the new amendment, they are changing to four schedule. So schedule one, it is sorry, it's a higher level of protection. Schedule two, it is a lesser protection, lesser degree of protection like certain nail guys and all will come. Schedule three, they brought a protected plant species, mostly the picture plant, cute plant, medicinal plants and all will come. That is you cannot cultivate those plants. No one can cultivate the plant without the permission of a chief wildlife warden because he's authority. The fourth schedule is being kept for appendixes, that is sites appendices. So now we have made, we have included some of the sites provision, that is one. And now vermin is removed completely. So here there is a lot of news that came during the period of time when this amendment bill was proposed, even in down to earth and all it came. They said it's a vermin politics. So what's that vermin politics says, normally vermin, you know that vermin under the original act, any wild species that is nuisance to the wildlife.  And normally what the central government will do is if any state government request a particular species, schedule three, schedule four species to put under vermin category, they will put it. Now the concept of vermin category is not there. So does it mean that we are coming completely rid away from, get rid away from vermin? No, it's not like that. The interpretation says the activist, the wildlife activist, forest activist says that, now this is giving more power for the central government to declare any animal as a vermin category. So that is what the interpretation says. So here the procedure for declaring the vermin also becomes very easy because it is not under the any schedule. So central government can declare any species as a vermin category. So that is a concern we have in this. The next one is control of sanctuaries by the chief IDF warden, which is already is given here. And then if you want to register any live specimen of any scheduled species, so that can be only done from a certificate from the management authority. So which we have included in the provision. So these are the some of the provision. And apart from that, suppose by chance anyone has any species, any captive animal or something, they can come voluntary surrender to the chief IDF warden. Chief IDF warden is authority. That's called voluntary surrender of captive animal. If you surrender voluntarily, so compensation doll will not be paid. So the amendment says that there will not be any provision for compensation or anything, nothing else. And the next one important addition in this is, they have given exemption for live elephant. That is the bill allows for a commercial trade in the live elephant. But if you see previous act, the original act, it completely prohibits trade. Any sort of a trade in the wildlife, but for especially in the captive and wild elephants and all, but here they have given a provision for allowing some of the trade here. So especially then comes under the sanctuaries that is falling in the scheduled area. That is in the fifth schedule. So they told that if any sort of a sanctuary, if it is going to fall in the scheduled area, a proper management plan should be created. So we have to oblige to the forest right act. So in that line, you have to get some sort of a concern from the Gram Shabba, okay. Any sanctuaries that is falling under a scheduled area. And the penalties also they have increased it normal for general violation and all. So the penalty from 25,000, they increased to one lakh. And for the specially protected animal, they have increased from 10,000 to 25,000 rupees. So these are the some of the provisions they have increased, they have done. Okay, what are the issues with the thing? So there are some few issues. The first issue, the parliamentary win, this particular bill has went for the parliamentary committee. The parliamentary committee headed by Mr. Jayram Ramesh, he told that. So he especially come to the elephants. So that should be a very clear indication that it should, that elephant should limit only to the temple elephants that is kept for religious purpose for other reasons and all. You know, the live elephants and all should not be traded. So that is the one criticism was put under. The second type of criticism, vermin category. So since vermin category was removed, now it seems that the center will have a very easy hand on the vermin. So they can declare anything as a vermin. So they will, they don't need any special procedure to declare a particular species as a vermin. So that is, that is another concern that was raised. And at the same time, the bill also severely cartile the grazing area across the pastoral spaces. So by that way, some of the pastoral community like one Guja Sandal, the tribal community, they may get impacted. So these are the some of the criticism that has been put on the Wildlife Protection Act Amendment Bill of this 2017-22. The next one, the next amendment bill is the Biological Diversity Amendment Bill of 2021. So we have a Biological Diversity Act, 2002. So we brought this act in order to oblige the CBD Convention. Since we have signed the CBD Convention, this act was created. The purpose of the act is nothing but the purpose of the CBD Convention. So here, if you come to the CBD Convention, once again, if you come to the CBD Convention, so basically the convention objective is to convention objective or the Biological Diversity Act objective is to conserve the biodiversity, sustainably use of its component. And the third one important is the fair and equitable sharing. So for the fair and equitable sharing of genetic resources, they brought one protocol that is something called Nagio Protocol. I hope you know it. So now this amendment bill, what it tries to do. So now we'll see. So here, it seems that we are trying to include some of the provisions of Nagio Protocol. So that means the changes in the bill, some provisions of, we cannot say all the provisions of Nagio Protocol, some provisions of Nagio Protocol will be done. So that is what, gently they say that the reference to Nagio Protocol has been given to the Biological Diversity Amendment Bill. So what are the major provision? The first provision is, they are exempting some of the Aayush practitioner and even the people accessing the codified traditional knowledge from the prior intimation of state biodiversity board. So you know that the original act says that there will be three level of organization, NVA, SBA, BMC. I hope you know that National Biodiversity Authority, State Biodiversity Board and State Biodiversity Board and the Biodiversity Management Committee, local level, central government, state government, government. So normally any foreigner and all, if they want access, they have to come to the NBA. Any Indian, any Indian or Indian company, when they want to do an access research or something, they have to come and ask for the SBB. And anyone, you or me, a common man wants to take any resources, no need for any permission. So here now what they have done is anyone who do Aayush practitioner or one who have an access to a codified traditional knowledge, some of the Aayush also will have that. They don't need to do any, they don't need to give any prior intimation to the state biodiversity board for accessing biological resources. So by that way, what we try to do, what they try to do us, they try to open up the resources for more research and more exploitation. So what is the codified traditional knowledge? So that's very important. So it is given in IPR, intellectual property, right? Even the WHO, the World Health Organization, what they say about codified traditional knowledges, that is, it is a sort of a traditional medicine that has been disclosed in the ancient scriptures. So that should be a return one. So for example, if you take a Ayurveda. So Ayurveda, whether yes, Ayurveda, it is written in Sanskrit, you can see. And even some Chinese traditional medicine also, it's written in their script. And if you take Ayurveda and all, we have 44 authorized texts we have. Approximately, they say that authorized books we have. Even for Siddha, we have more than 29 authorized books. For Unani, you know that there are more than 13 authorized books. That is something which is written in ancient scripture, it should be in a written form. That is something called codified traditional knowledge. It's a system of medicine. So for Chinese medicine, we have Ayurveda, Siddha and all, codified traditional knowledge. Suppose there are some medicine which you don't have a scripture. You don't have a script or something. You don't have a book, an ancient sort of a book. Most of the time that come from oral tradition, from one generation to another generation. You know the Vedic period and all, how the Vedas came. From one generation to another generation by oral tradition. Suppose if it comes in the oral tradition, that is something called non-codified traditional knowledge. So here, we have only given for the codified traditional knowledge because we believe that codified traditional knowledge will have some, some sort of a scientific relevance. So especially Ayurveda and all. So anyway, Ayush, they are getting covered under it. That is number one. Number two, the bill is exempting all the cultivated medicinal plant from the purview of the act. So earlier, so if you want to cultivate any medicinal plant and all, it will be, you need a permission and all. Now, so they are exempting it. So it is now free. Number three is, they want to fast track research because we want to go for a bio prospecting, exploitation of bio diversity. So as per the mega protocol. So in order to fast track the research patent and all, so fast track the research patent and all, they have made some provisions in that. That's the third one. And the fourth very important is, if you're doing any violation in the law, during the access of biological resources and all, in the earlier act, it was a criminal offense. So jail imprisonment and all was there. But now they are made into a civil offense. That means it will go with a penalty. So that means I can say that many people will easily enter into bio diversity research, go for bio prospecting. And also the fifth one is also, they try to improve some investments, especially in the research, especially in the research of the bio diversity. So that's how we want the foreign companies to come. So foreign investment, how they have made in the new amendment is, the foreign investments, yes, foreigners can come, but the one condition is, they have to necessarily, they have to come along with the Indian company, especially for a bio diversity research. But foreign entity approval should come only from the NBA, National Biodiversity Authority. They are approved NBA authority, sorry NBA approval is mandatory for the foreigners. So this all in turn, will going to boost your Indian system of medicines. And also it is going to fast track your research patent and other thing. And at the same time, it will also give a boost for the farmers to cultivate the medicinal plants. So that also is because it's something, medicinal plant from the cultivation. So these are, sorry. These are the sum of the provisions they have made. Okay. So what some criticism we have. So what are the major criticism what we have is, so first thing is some of the activists, they believe they see this as something, this amendment bill is more of a economic oriented, something like trade and other thing. But the core objective for convention on biological diversity or the biological diversity act is to conserve bio diversity. Conserve bio diversity is sustainable exploited. But rather than conserving bio diversity, they believe that this changes and all is going to lead to unsustainable exploitation of bio diversity. Second is now we are opening up more for the exemption of codified traditional knowledge, all this and all that could be a possibility of bio piracy. Okay. Because without a prior intimation, they do it immediately. They come and take a patent and all. So then bio piracy can happen. The third one important provision is, if you see the total amendment in that the BMC. So earlier, if they want to do a research or any sort of exploitation, the NBA, SBA will cancel the BMC and then only they will do it. But then the new provision, it seems that the SBA, the SBB, that is state bio diversity board itself can represent BMC in order to determine the benefit sharing agreement. So that means BMC has been marginalized. So that is a third criticism comes. And the fourth one is side-leading the local community. So here, when we try to say that for certain large companies and all, they are giving a prior approval for sharing the benefit. Now, when you allow for cultivation and all, we cannot ensure that the local people will be involved. So sometime massive cultivation of medicinal plants will happen, local people may be there, but benefit sharing may not also happen. So that possibility is also is a criticism which has been highlighted by the conservation activist. So that is about the Biological Diversity Act. And they have given a reference to the Nagio protocol. The next one, come to the biodiversity forest. We have brought a forest conservation rules, forest conservation rules. So it is coming out of the Forest Conservation Act. You know that Forest Conservation Act, basic idea is to, the main idea of Forest Conservation Act, any forest land when it is diverted for non-forest purpose, it should get a, the state government should get a prior approval from the central government. So the fundamental is, otherwise the state government for the purpose of revenue generation, they may divert the forest land for some non-forest purpose like plantation, palm plantation, something. So because of that, the biodiversity will decline, the forest cover may also decline. So that is the reason, any forest land when it is diverted for any non-forest purpose, prior approval of the central government is needed. So here under that in 2003, they brought a forest conservation rule. Now that rules they are doing amendment, that is called the forest conservation rules of 2022. Okay, what are the changes they have done in this rule? The first thing is, they brought or they formed a certain committee. So the first committee, it is called advisory committee. This advisory committee, so any forest land diversion. So advisory committee, it will be created by the central government. It may contain around six members and it will meet for every month. So most of the time, it is the advisory committee only, they will grant approval for forest land diverting for non-forest purpose. Okay, so it's come to the scope of central government. The second is, they will form another committee, regional empowered committee. So this regional empowered committee, it is also created by the central government. So two times a month, they will meet. Most of the time, they are the one who will examine the project. So normally first we have to examine what type of project is going to come. So whether for the project, it is worth to divert the forest land for non-forest purpose that we need to see. For examination, the project proposal and all, so actually for the project, they are the one, our regional empowered committee is created. Then the third one is project screening committee. Project screening committee, it is created by state government. It is created by state government. So they are the one who will advise, they are the one who will advise for the proposal of the project. Okay, they just propose it. Regional advisory committee only will examine it. Finally grant will be given by the advisory committee. So they brought three, like three committees, three structures. Okay, so normally project screening committee, they will generally do it for all the project, except the project that comes in the, comes in less than five hectares. So that's a standard they have given it. So what they say under this forest conservation rule, so first thing is compensatory afforestation. So you know that when a forest land is acquired by any corporate or government organization, they have to pay a compensation. So that compensation money, how to be used that is given in the compact. Now normally that compensation money, what they can do is they can do afforestation. Normally that is a fundamental idea. You get a money, you take a land, you give the money, that money go for the compensation. Now, sorry, the money go for the afforestation. So coming to the afforestation, so what is the rule says is, suppose if any corporate is taking corporate or any agency is taking a forest land. Now they want, it is their liability to do afforestation. Suppose if it is something, a forest land is taken from a hill or mountain range. So what they, mountain range, that covers two third of its geographical area. So you're taking a mountain or any hill range. So you're taking a area which is two third of the geographical area, or probably one third of its, sorry, if it's a state or a unit territory, if it has one third of its geographical area, then what you can do is the compensatory afforestation, no need that you have to do it in that place. You can also do it in some other place, some other state or some other unit territory where the cover is less than 20 percentage. So simple, you're going to do in Himachal Pradesh. Let me say that the Himachal Pradesh has got a, the particular area has got two third of the areas coming under the forest region. So then you can also propose an Andhra Pradesh. Suppose assuming that Andhra Pradesh or some other state has 20% less than it, in some other place also you can do afforestation. So that is one. So you don't want to do afforestation in that state. That's what it implies. Number two, it is also allowing private plantation. So let me come, let me give an example. Suppose we will allow the state government to allow the private to acquire a land and do a plantation. Suppose a corporate takes some other land, some other forest land, they want to do afforestation. Now what they can do is they come to the private land, they come to the private land, they can pay the money, they can get that afforestated land. So that is what allow private plantation. The rules make a provision for private parties to cultivate plantation and sell them to a land, sell them that land to company who need to meet compensatory afforestation target, okay? So that is also allowed. So in this, then the third one is no need for, no consent of Gramsabha needed. So here this is one of the biggest thing that happens. Now the Forest Conservation Act, the Forest Conservation Rule says that if they have decided to acquire any forest land, so whether you need to get approval from the forest, normally as per the present procedure, any acquisition of forest land, we have stage one clearance, stage two clearance. So normally before the stage one clearance itself, they will get a consent from the Gramsabha. Then only the acquisition and all will happen. But the new procedure says that no need to get a clearance. Stage one, even in the stage two, after stage two clearance, you can get a consent from the Gramsabha, okay? If needed. So that is another provision they brought. That means that is something they are diluting the Gramsabha. That is what the meaning it implies. Then apart from that, the Forest Conservation Rules also says that you can also allow building in forest. So especially structures and all, for structures related to the forest protection, related to the forest procession and residential unit up to 250 square meters, it is allowed. As a relaxation, it will be allowed. So these are the, some of the major changes they are doing in the forest conservation. So rules so that they want to, they want to ease that forest land diverting for non-forest purpose if it is needed for development activity or not. So what are the criticism, major criticism? So that is only one criticism. Once this particular rules was brought, the National Commission of Tribal Affairs, they have sent a notice to a ministry of environment stating that it is diluting the Forest Right Act. So it is violating the Forest Right Act because no need of no consent from Gramsabha. But anyway, they say that the particular commission on Tribal Affairs says that, so the recognition of right actually should happen before stage one, at least after stage two, at least you should have, but it's completely removing the provision. So for that, the ministry of environment says, anyway, if you take a land, anyway the land is taken or any project is cleared after the land acquisition. So even in the Forest Right Act or you take Indian Forest Act. So in that, if a land is taken most of the time, so they will appoint a settlement officer, forest settlement officer, claims and all, they will do it. After that only, they go for clearance and all. So they say that it is not going to impact this Forest Right Act. So this particular Forest Conservation Act or the particular the Forest Right Act, it is something a parallel process. So it's not going to affect it. Anyway, we are going to pay the compensation. If a land is just like that, we are not going to take a land. We are going to take a land by paying the compensation. So why unnecessary need of concern for the Gramsabha? So that is their stand. We are going to pay a compensation. We are going to take the land. So that and all is going to be done. After that only, we are going for a clearance and all. So in this way, so why there should be a need for Gramsabha? So that is a argument that has been put by the Ministry of Environment. So that is a one criticism that has happened. So local people participation seems to be negated in this particular Forest Conservation Rules. That is one. The next is this year, we brought a Forest Conservation Amendment Bill. So in the FC Act itself, we are being an amendment. So what are the major, I'm sorry, major amendment is they want certain activities. So the same way, forest land when it is diameter for non-forest purpose, we want some of the, we want the concern from the central government. So here, the central government wants to do relaxation for certain projects. Certain project, they don't want the clearance from the central government. So what are the different types of project? We'll directly go for the type of project which has been given. So the one is ecotourism. So relaxation has been given to ecotourism. The second is zoos and safaris. The third one is selvicultural activity for that is forest development activities and all. And if you want to bring any land situated, suppose land situated 100 kilometer along international borders, because sometime there is a possibility that they can give you some list, they can ask you under the Forest Conservation Amendment Bill, which are all exempted. So for the purpose of national security, if it is a land situated 100 kilometer along the international border, so directly it can take no need for prior approval from the central government. And also security-related infrastructures, security-related infrastructures, even defense-related, defense-related and public utility project, public utility project, obviously central government. That is proposed by anything central government brings, public utility project. And also when come to the, sorry, infrastructure project, rail line, rail line or any sort of a public road. But the condition is it should be less than one hectare of land. Because rail line and all, you're not going to take a very big land. So if it is less than 1.1 hectare of land, so for this and all, so exemption has been given. So no need for a permission, prior approval is not needed. So main idea is especially for the defense-related projects and especially infrastructure projects and all, the government-related project is getting delayed because of the clearance, because it has to come to the, from state government, it has to come to the central government. So it has to come to the Ministry of Environment. There is a section, so it will take more time. So they don't want a delay in this project. So this project has to move smooth. So for that reason, they brought this amendment bill. Anyway, so the only concern is, so sometime there is a possibility of exploitation in the eco-tourism, even some of the forest under government record will also get exploited. So that is also another concern we have in this forest amendment bill, Conservation Act amendment, okay? So the next one is Community Forest Right. So Community Forest Right, it comes under the section three of the Forest Right Act, that is a Scheduled Tribes and the Traditional Dollars Regulation of Rights Act. So here, we are exclusively re-organizing rights. If you take a Forest Right Act, so we have four types of rights they have. The one is the ownership right. We have a use right, that is they can take minor forest produce and all. They have a relief right. By chance you are taking their land, you have to pay a compensation and then forest management right. So I can say that the fourth right is something, forest management right, it comes under the, that is what in the form of a CFR, Community Forest Right. So what is the major news is, so here the first state to give a Community Forest Right under the section three is Udisha, Shimli Park. In the Shimli Park they have given it. The next one comes the Chattisgarh. In the Chattisgarh, there is a National Park, Kangar Gatti National Park. The Kangar Gatti National Park is a second protected area. Chattisgarh has got the Community Forest Right. So what is the provision? So first thing it is normally a forest land that has been traditionally protected by the tribal people or community people. So that is something that type of land only we provide a Community Forest Right. The main thing is it can, the very important is it can be any type of a land. So whether it can be a National Park, Reserve Forest, Tiger Reserve does not matter, you have to provide the right. Community Forest Right will be applicable there. So no restriction. So whether if it is a National Park or Wildlife Century, no, there is no restriction at all. Any land can be any forest land, reserve forest, whichever forest it can be brought in. Now, once the Community Forest Right is given, so they can have a rights on the non-timber forest produce and all, they can ensure the sustainable livelihood. And more important is the Gram Shaba will have more power. So that is the ownership of the forest land will go to the Gram Shaba instead of the forest department. So that is a very important provision. So controlling it and all management of that, creating a management plan, so how to formulate rules, everything will be done by the community. So that means it allows the community to formulate the rules and regulation and the Gram Shaba will become the nodal body. So that is very important. Nam Shaba will become the nodal body for the management of the particular forest. And the one important thing is the Gram Shaba, what they can do is they can also adopt some of the local traditional practices for the conservation. That is something called traditional knowledge, we call it as. So they are living with the forest for a long period of time. So they were in harmony with the forest, the tribal people or traditional dollar. So they can use the traditional method, they can also use the traditional knowledge for the conservation and management of that particular forest. So that is a aim of the Community Forest Resource Right. So CFR, so we can also call it as a CFR on. So first of all was the Odisha, the second is the Khangirgati Chattisgarh. The next there was a news about the eco-sensitive zone. So according to the wildlife action plan, so the Ministry of Environment has stipulated that every state government, they have to declare 10 kilometer surrounding a national park or wildlife sanctuary as a ecological sensitive zone under the Environment Protection Act of 1986. So basically this is based on the Supreme Court judgment some few years back. So Supreme Court told that if you have a national park or wildlife sanctuary, 10 kilometer, you have to minimum 10 kilometer, you try to declare. Suppose if it is a very economic, sorry, if it's a ecologically very fragile zone, the central government can also declare more than 10 kilometer also. But possibly 10 kilometer you have to declare. So once you declare as a ecological sensitive zone. So here, what are the activities will be prohibited? What are the activities are permitted or regulated? Prohibited, some of the major commercial mining and all is completely prohibited. Even sawmills and all, the industry, anything causes pollution will be prohibited. So for pollution, the sense air pollution, water pollution or noise pollution and major hydroelectricity projects also will be prohibited. And also commercial use of the wood, exploitation is also prohibited. So these are all prohibited. What and all regulated is filling of tree, cutting of tree. So here the forest department will control. So how much trees to be cut? So filling of trees will be regulated. They will allow some hotels and resorts and all for developing tourism for local income, local people development. So that will be regulated. Natural water, commercial use will be regulated. And apart from that, certain electric cables, some of the basic infrastructures and all, widening of loads, even for some changes in agriculture and all, that and all they will regulate it. And what they will permit it? So permitted activity. So any ongoing agriculture activity, horticulture activity, that will be, sorry, permitted. Rainwater harvesting, organic farming and the use of renewable energy sources and adoption of any green technology, that and all will be permitted if you declare as a ecological sensitive zone. So here, why we need to create it? Basically, we are trying to control the man and animal conflict. That's a major one. So here we want to minimize the impact of development activity. So that is the first thing. Second is we want to better improve the insight to conservation because National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary, Tiger Reserve, so all are some sort of insight to conservation. So you have a buffer zone. It is going to be like a shock absorber zone. By that way, better, the particular zone will be conserved. And at the same time, forest depletion also is conserved. And more important is it's going to be a smooth transition. So you have a National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary, nearby you have a village or you have a town. So you can see a huge human activity, a completely secluded forest. So it will be going to be nearby. So when you have a forest region where you have a buffer zone, so the transition between the risky to the low risky. So urban area or sorry, any sort of a town is a risky area. So that risky to low risky, the transition also is going to be smooth. For that reason only they brought it. That is what the Supreme Court has brought this particular gave a judgment related to the ecological census zone.  I hope you know that Kerala, more than 10 protected area in the Kerala, they are not able to create a ecological census zone because according to the ministry rules or even to the Supreme Court judgment, 10 kilometer, at least 10 kilometer, you have to create a ecological census zone like a buffer zone or shock observed zone. But it seems that in Kerala, many protected area, 10 kilometer, they are not able to give it. So what the Kerala government is justifying us, the Kerala, the remote sensing environment center says that approximately 29 percentage or 30% of the Kerala, Kerala, the state comes and falls in the ecological census zone. So that is very difficult, where you have lot of residential building, commercial buildings and all. And almost it is reported that more than 115 villages with a lot of tribal settlement, more than 83 to 80 to 85 tribal settlement falls in the ecological census zone. So such a massive displacement of people. So definitely it will create more trouble in the state. Second is copying such a compensation also will have more burden for the state government. And also the state government says that but as for the 2011 census, if you see the number of people, it is going to be 860 people per square kilometer. So if you see population wise, so that means it is twice the population density in the country, the population density is also more. So in that sense, creating such a 10 kilometer of ecological census zone where more people are there, where to shift the people, shift such a huge amount of people is also very, very difficult. So that is the reason at one point of time, Supreme Court told that just give one kilometer. Even for that one kilometer also, they say that it is not possible. For that itself, we have to vacate many number of people. So where it is not possible, lot of chaos will happen. Compensation, paying compensation, resettlement, rehabilitation, appointing a settlement officer, doing the activity itself becomes very, very difficult. So that's the reason the issue is going with the ecological census zone. The protests is going happening in the Kerala regarding the ecological census zone. Okay, the next, we'll come to the next forestry. So here we have one of a very important forestry Congress that is last year. It is a 15th World Forestry Congress that happened in the Seale. So it's called Seale Declaration. So here, more than 141 countries have participated. So this World Forestry Congress, it was mostly, it is done in the auspice of United Nation FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization. So normally it happens for every six year once. Every six year once, because it's one of a very important Congress and one of the important report. They released a report called State of World Forest Report. So last year, the 2022 State of World Forest Report was released. Okay, so what in this declaration, first we'll see what has happened to this declaration, then we'll see what is the report says. We'll see only the major key finding of the report. So in the forestry Congress, all the countries, first they discuss about the investment in the forest. So they are planning to, they say they took a resolution that we have to triple the investment in the forest. Then only there is something, a green investment we have to do. So improving the forest cover or better sustainable use of forest. So by that way, we will be able to reach many target. For example, in the convention, in the CBD convention, we have 13 to 30. So if you want to reach the target, even if you want to mitigate the climate change, even land degradation. So we have one bone convention. So there are also 350 million hectares of deforested land we have to restore it. So if you want to achieve all this target, at least we have to, even for climate change mitigation and all, we have to increase the investment into three times in the forest, forest and the landscape for the restoration. That is number one. Number two, the Congress also decided to move towards circular bio economy. So circular economy, you know that it is something we have to reuse and recycle it. So ensure that the reuse and recycle happens in a cyclic manner. It should not happen in a linear manner. So it's called circular bio economy and also to achieve the climate neutrality because that is one of the biggest threat for the forest resources. And the third one is we have to make a healthy forest because many pandemics are connected to the forest, forest and forest loss. So in future, this CEO declaration, this World Forestry Congress says that Food and Agriculture Organization says that more pandemic is going to happen because of the forest loss. So controlling the pandemic, controlling the forest loss and improving the forest will reduce the pandemic. So these are the major one in related to the forest and also human health. So for this, so two sort of a plan initiative they brought, the one is called Affirm. So Affirm is nothing but it is a risk management plan. So what is a risk management plan is it is something we can take example from other countries. See, every country has their own forest management. So some countries they do better management. So two things, when you want to improve the forest, when you want to manage a forest, protect the forest, so you have to invest more money either investment in form of money or investment in form of ideas. So two things are there. So some countries, even without investing more money through ideas, through better practices, they can also, they also conserve. So the Affirm initiative is all about what we need to do is we need to bring all the ideas together and also so that when you bring all the ideas by that way, we can understand what are all the risks associated with the forest and how to improve the forest. So that is something called Affirm. That's called assuring the future of forest with integrated risk management. That is number one. Number two is about safe initiative. So what are the safe initiative? Sustaining on abundance of forest ecosystem. Sometime they can ask you in one word. Safe initiative is related to what? So World Bank, FAO. So just keep in mind Affirm, safe. Safe initiative is nothing but to increase the capacity building. So as of now, investment in forest, today under the climate change, one of the biggest investment is going to come through the RED Plus program. So you know the RED and RED Plus program. So through the RED Plus program, we have to further develop the RED Plus program and we have to increase the capacity building of the RED Plus program. RED Plus program is nothing but the rich country is funding the developing country and poor country to conserve the forest. So here we are predicting in the near future, another 20, 30 years of time, there are going to be a big carbon market because of the forest. So they are going to their rich country is going to give many billion dollars. We are expecting many billion dollars or million of euros. We'll be moving from rich country to developing country or poor country to conserve the forest. Because as of now, for every five seconds, a football ground size of a forest is being cut. Tropical forest is cut. So when the forest is cut, a lot of carbon dioxide, trapped carbon dioxide from the soil is emitted. At the same time, carbon secretion is also controlled. So the only way is to stop the cutting of forest. So that for that, the rich country is transferring money to the developing country or poor country to stop the cutting of the forest. So that is something called RED Initiative. So here, under the SAFE Initiative, they want to improve the capacity of RED Plus so that better forest conservation can happen. This is the two important sort of initiative they've taken. Now come to the report. So what the report says, you will see only the key finding of the reports. See, this report is very essential because in the last conference of party 26, the countries in the Glasgow, that is conference of party 26 of UNFCCC, in the Glasgow, they have taken a Glasgow leaders' declaration on forest and land use. More than 140 countries have pledged that by 2030, they will completely eliminate forest loss. They will stop deforestation. But India didn't sign this particular thing because we feel that this declaration is something connecting to trade. So anything connecting to trade, we don't want climate change and trade to come together. Trade means we want that to be discussed only in the World Trade Organization. So anything connecting trade and climate change, we don't want. Because of climate change, where trade is affected, so our economy will get affected. So in that sense only, we didn't sign the certain declaration. Even during the Glasgow also, there is a fact dialogue that also we didn't sign. So here, globally, many 140 countries have signed this Glasgow declaration. So the state of the world forest report is something very important for the Glasgow leaders' declaration. So in what ways, first thing, this report is published by annually. And this is one of the most important report for forest. It's the most important, I can say, stock take on the forest ecosystem. So what this report says, finding alone, we will directly see. So first thing is key finding. It seems that between 1990 to 2020, so in a 20 years period, that's a key crucial period where a lot of development took place. You know that after 1991 and all, India, LPG, liberalization program and all, many countries liberalization and all happened. So in this period, more than 420 million hectares of forest land has been deforested. But actually what we have is only 4.6 billion forest land. This is the hectare of forest land we have. But in this 20 years of period, we can see 420 million hectares of land we have lost. So just you can imagine. The second is the rate of deforestation. So whether it is increasing or declining, between 2015, you know that from 2015, Paris Agreement and all came. So anyway, the consciousness from 2010, 15 onwards, deforestation rate has declined. So the rate of deforestation, it is declining, okay? But we have lost more than 10 million hectare of forest every year between 2015 to 2020. So comparing with previous period, anyway, the deforestation rate is declining, but every year we are at least losing 10 million hectare. The second is it is projected that this report projects between 2015, that is 2016 to 2015, we may lose anywhere around 289 million hectare of forest. So you see that 289, despite of taking many measures, because under the Paris Agreement, we are bringing many red plus program. We have taken a Glasgow declaration and all. Despite of that, it is predicted that 289 or 290 million hectares of forest cover or forest will be deforested between 2016 to 2015, especially in the tropical country alone. That is what he say, within the tropical country alone, we are going to do that itself will result in 169 giga ton of carbon dioxide emission. Suppose if you don't take action. So that is another one. And the last one important thing is infectious disease. It seems that if you take a infectious disease, 250 infectious disease we have, approximately emerging infectious disease related to forest, 15, sorry, infectious disease we have, in that 15% of the emerging diseases comes or limited with forest. So especially COVID-19 and all, COVID-19 or drug resistant infections, even Zika virus and anything that is reported from 1960s, some or other way we can attribute to deforestation and land use. So that is what the world report says, forest report says. So they say that we have to control the forest, that is we have to control the deforestation. So that is a key finding of this report. Another one, it's connected to poverty. So that is one. And next one is very important GDP dependence. So how much percentage of GDP is dependent to forest? So forest in general, they don't say in terms of forest, they say that at least 50% of the world GDP, 50% of the world GDP, some or other way, it is tied up with ecosystem services. So we have four different types of services, I'm right provisioning services, the regulating services, supporting services and cultural services. So if you calculate more than 50% is directly or indirectly dependent on the ecosystem services. So in that forest pays a very important role. So that is what this report says. These are the key finding, at least the key finding alone, you can have a look at it. Okay, now we will come to some ocean and water. So ocean and water, there are many reports and all was there, but some of the important report alone, we will take it. The first one is the UN United Nation Ocean Conference 2022 that has happened last year. So this conference is a conference related to ocean ecosystem. It was co-hosted by government of Kenya and Portugal. It is co-hosted by government of Kenya and Portugal. From the Indian side, the Ministry of Science, Ed Sciences has led the delegation. So in this conference, India, the Science and Technology Ministry has given a provider has promised that we will provide science and innovation based to solution, especially for the marine related technology related to ocean exploration and all. So that type of technology, the Ministry of Ed Sciences has given a commitment. So anyway, this ocean conference is in line with our sustainable development goal because we're all working for SDG 2030, am I right? 17th sustainable development goal. So in this, if you take SDG 14, life below water, life below water, that's a SDG 14. So it's nothing but related to the marine technology and marine and ocean, marine diversity. So this conference is directly related to the SDG 14. Now we will see what is the key discussion that has happened. The first thing, they acknowledge the triple threat of climate change. So to the ocean. See climate change, how it is impacting the ocean. If you see, when the temperature increases, first thing, the ocean becomes very warm. You know, the ocean temperature changes, the marine biodiversity pattern is also changing. The second is when the thermal pollution is increasing, when the temperature is increasing, the dissolved oxygen level will reduce, am I right? So the devol level reduces. So it's a second threat. The third one is when the carbon dioxide increases, you know that most of the carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean, 70, 75% is the ocean. So by that way, the ocean acidification also happening. It is becoming more acidic. So this is what triple threat. So warming, carbon dioxide increase, ocean acidification. And the third one is about the oxygen level is reducing. So what is the consequence? You know that when the warming happens, the water expands, sea level rise happens. So again, there's when the carbon dioxide goes and dissolves, it will acidity increases, coral bleaching is happening. And the temperature increases, acidity changes, you can see the algae pattern will change. Some of the phytoplankton, some bad diatom, bad dinoflagellate will flourish. So that will result in harmful algae, bloom, red tides and all. So that's another problem. When the oxygen level reduces, you know, many marine biodiversity will decline. Their habitat is lost, biodiversity losses happening. And at the same time, the fishery resources is also getting declined. So first thing, they acknowledge the triple threat of the climate change, because that is a very important one. Okay, what are the outcomes? So what they decided? Anyway, it's not a very legal binding, they took some resolutions. So first thing, they decided to have a moratorium on the deep sea mining. Because, you know, for the electronic industry, lot of rare earth minerals are needed. So for the deep sea exploration is going on, first and foremost, the deep sea mining do more damage to the ocean ecosystem. So they want to put a moratorium. Second is, they want to improve the ocean or the coastal ecosystem for carbon sequestration. So it's nothing but a blue carbon. So you know that mangroves, if you take a mangrove, promoting mangrove is one important aspect. Because mangrove soil contains two to three times more carbon than the tropical forest. Because the soil organic carbon in mangrove is very high. The second one, you take a seagrass bed. So today they say that for a climate change mitigation, seagrass bed, coastal ecosystem plays a very important role. Because seagrass capture 35 times more carbon dioxide than the tropical rainforest. So in that way, even promoting the coral beds. So if you take any coastal ecosystem, marine coastal ecosystem, that is something a very good carbon sequestration. At the same time, it also improves the biodiversity. So that is number one. Then blue deal. It is nothing but sustainable exploitation anyway. So without economy, we cannot survive. So anything you conserve, you should have some sort of a sustainable exploitation. So in this, they call it as a blue deal. So what is a blue deal is, we have to use the ocean resource for economic growth, especially sustainable way. So in that way, trade investments and all. Okay, for a resilient ocean economy, you have to do it. And then there was also talk on the high seas. Anyway, we will see a one separate topic on high seas. See today, the high seas is not regulated. Anyway, right now we have one agreement, one sort of a legal binding is going to come, BB and J. We will see now under the UN clause. So some talk on the under-regulated high seas because there is no comprehensive framework, legal framework we have the high seas. That's the discussion went on. The last one is they want to, they also discuss about the triple threat of the ocean. They want to control the ocean pollution. Apart from that very important pollution is a plastic pollution. Apart from general pollution or global warming, marine acidification and all, plastic pollution, lot of plastic waste. Because by 2050 a billion tons of plastics is going to be from the ocean and at the same time micro plastic. So that's a second concern we have. So that also they had a discussion. So that's one confidence related to the thing. Now the next one is UN treaty on high seas. Once again UN treaty on high seas. Okay. So first thing, what is territorial water? So if we take a country, every country will have a exclusive economic zone. That is their territorial water. For example, from the country land, anywhere around 200 nautical mile. So approximately 370 kilometer. From the coastline it is considered as a territorial waters. So they have a complete jurisdiction on the living and the non-living resources. So beyond that, we call it as a high sea. So here no country is responsible for the protection and management of the high seas. So in this line in around 1958, there was a Geneva convention on high seas. So in that they said that it is not included in the territorial water. So that is what it said. But a concrete resolution was not there. And then 1982, we have a UN clause. So I hope you'd have heard about the United Nations Convention on Law of Sea. So that was a sighted. So even in that, so basically they talk about high seas, but there is no clear or comprehensive legal framework for high seas. So there is no, so it is not, it's something global common. It's not directly related to anyone. So no one will have a control or any sort of a legal authority over the high sea. But the concern is climate change. Now when the climate change global warming, when it is increasing, so in that time, the marine biodiversity is affecting, high seas is getting affected. So that is the reason today, definitely we need to have some sort of a control on the high sea. Second thing, they want to expand the resource. That is also another important thing because high seas has got more than 70%, 60, 65% of land comes to the soil. The surface area comes out of the high sea. So that is the reason they want. So in 2015, in the United Nations General Assembly, okay, they have developed a, they have planned to develop a legal instrument for the high seas under the UN clause. So for that, they created one IGC, Intergovernmental Conference. So to create a legal instrument on the high seas, it is something they've created one talk. So agreement is done, but it's not fully completed. It is something called biodiversity of area beyond national jurisdiction. That is called BBNJ. So that is beyond the territorial water, diversity, whatever we have. So that we need to bring some sort of a legal agreement. The IGC, Intergovernmental Conference, in the talk only this marine biodiversity of area beyond national jurisdiction, BBNJ, it was created. So recently in the New York, the discussion took place. The treaty is yet to formally adopted. So the members are, but it's a legal binding treaty. The members are yet to ratify it. So once it is ratified, it's going to be a, the BBNJ is going to be a legal binding treaty under the UN clause. So okay, why high seas? So first thing, more than 60, as I told you, 60% of the ocean area. So it is a no one's land, no man's land. So it is something off of the earth surface area. So where you have a huge diversity resources. So right now it is not under the control of anyone. So we don't want anyone to take a direct control of it. And also more than 2.11 lakh species are in the high seas. And it's very important for the planetary regulation, basically, and at the same time, there is a biggest ocean wealth we have. So in terms of raw material, genetic, medicinal resources. So in all the aspects, you have different types of ecosystem services done by the high seas. So that's the reason we want the BBNJ, a legal binding treaty to come. So okay, what the, suppose if this legal binding is ratified, so what and all the basic provisions you will find, what are key features you will find? The first thing is access and benefit sharing. So here they will form a committee, access and benefit sharing committee. So now the committee will decide how the benefits or how the access should be given to a country to exploit the resources to maintain it. At the same time, how the benefit will be shared to everyone. So here no single country can have exclusive right. So through the committee only, the access will be given and the benefit sharing agreement also will be done based on that. So and most of the time, we have to ensure that whatever the country do activity in the high sea, it should be peaceful related activity. So that committee will ensure it, that is number one. Number two, environment impact assessment. Suppose a country, any country is doing some sort of activity on a high sea, any exploitation or anything. They have before the activity they start, they have to conduct a EIA, sort of an environment impact assessment. So they're like the same thing like a screening, scoping and all should be done. And they have to prepare like an environment management plan. So how it is going to likely affect how the preservation will be done. So that and all should be assessed or that should be done. That's a sort of EIA should be conducted. Then suppose if the particular region is comes near any indigenous people. So here the resource sharing to the indigenous community should happen. Sometimes it can be island or whichever it may be. So that marine resources, so the state, whichever the state is exploiting, they have to equitably share with the genetic resources or something to the local community. That also we have to ensure. So no state can climates jurisdiction and all. Then the next one, we will be having a clearing house mechanism. So the clearing house mechanism is nothing but, so if anyone want to do a research or something.  So they are the one who gives approval and other thing. And at the same time, they will create a fund. So under this, they will create a conference of party and all. So in that funding will be done so that how the funding will be used for the conservation of that high sea and also sustainable, sustainable exploitation of the high seas. So this will also support our 30 by 30 target. The CMD convention current 30 by 30 target also, it will support it. So because it's also, because 30% of the ocean should be covered, because already we have one submit called one planet submit and we had a one ocean submit. So in that itself, we deserve 30 by 30, 30% of the land and 30% of the ocean should be conserved by 2030. So this UN treaty on high seas will also be in line with the older one planet submit or one ocean submit. You can see that high ambition coalition. So India also joined this. So first thing for this, some of the developed country because you know that during the COVID period and all we couldn't take any action. So at 2022, that is last year, February itself, there was one one ocean submit was happened. So that time itself, some of the rich countries has proposed one coalition that is called high ambition coalition on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, BB and J. So to principally, they want the countries to come and accept it so that later point of time, we can bring as a legal binding under the UN clause. So one ocean submit. So in that time itself, India has gave a proposal, India has accepted that high ambition coalition and we have joined that high ambition coalition, okay, for the day. So these are the something good. So we'll just have just a five minutes of a break and then we'll go to the next water conference. Just two to three minutes. Okay, we'll start. So related to water, so we have two reports. So two are very important report. One is by the United Nation and another by the United Nation organization that is WMO. So first thing is United Nation 2023 water conference. So it happened recently in the month of March. So this is a conference that has happened after 46 years. They brought this conference. It was co-hosted in New York only it happened. It was co-hosted by the government of Tajistan and the Netherlands. So the first two conference, it was, that is the last, you cannot say it's first conference, the last conference has happened in 1977 in Argentina. So that time in 1977, they took a global action plan. So related to water for safe drinking of water for everyone. Because every year we are getting one question or sometime, one question related to water, ground water, something we'll get it. So 1977 after that, so now in 2023 we created this, we have brought this conference. So what is the reason for it? The reason is we got a report that is something called sort of a report, Water for Sustainable Development, 2018 to 2020 aid. The UN based report it came. In that report, it was told that the United Nations, the United Nations realized that, recognize that the countries are not doing much effort or not taking much effort to meet water related demands. That is nothing but sustainable development goal six. So it's related to water. It is something, you know, it is a water for drinking water for everyone. So regarding the clean water and sanitation for everyone by 2030, for that the countries are not working. So if you go by it, so definitely clean water and sanitation for everyone by 2030 cannot be achieved. So that is the reason they brought this particular conference again. So here the conference theme is our watershed moment, uniting the world for water. So that is a thing. So again, it is to support the 2030 agenda, at least we have to take some drastic action from 2023 to the next 2030 to achieve our sustainable development goal six. Anyway, here we have brought water action agenda. So sometimes we can ask you, what action agenda is related to water? It is related to UN conference 2023. Anyway, no legal binding commitment for it. Okay, so what and all the decisions they have taken. So some of the major decision alone we can see. So first is they have taken a water action agenda. So this water action agenda is a little large one. So more than 713 voluntary commitment came from many governments philanthropic NGOs, corporation, corporates and all. So more than 713 different organization have come together and created this water action agenda. So under this first one, they said they will support technology because today we have a special innovation or probably specific innovation in wastewater management, treatment, solar treatment of water. So those technologies and all is not accessible. It's a present in some of the rich country and some developing country, but it is not accessible to the remote area and poor country. So in terms of technology, they will try to share. That is number one. Number two, so the World Meteorological Organization has committed that they will try to give some cost-effective datas and modeling especially through sensors or through satellites for data analysis of water. So that where the water is more, where the water is less water-related management for that we need to do some data collection for that the WMO has given a commitment to provide a sort of a datas and model. The third one is the UNESCO has developed on platform. W12 plus blueprint. This platform, it is something to provide some of the case studies of various cities. You know that many cities have done better water management and water conservation. So those ideas and all will be put under this platform so that any cities or any government can take the idea from this platform for their water management. That's the third one. The fourth one is to have a capacity building for the water management, specifically water for women fund. So that's a fourth one they have established. So this is a major outcome we can say. Apart from this, lot of initiative was taken. That is many governments, I think you can just have a glance of it, no need to see it because many government has given a commitment during this conference. For example, USA has announced a commitment of $49 billion for climate resilient water and sanitation infrastructure. Even you can see the country, Japan has announced for a quality infrastructures. So related to quality infrastructure, related to water, especially in the Asian Pacific region. So Vietnam has pledged for cleaning of major river basins. Even African Union also pledged that we will mobilize around $30 billion by 2030. So like that, European Union has given a commitment. So many initiatives was taken. But what is more important in this conference is this conference, water action agenda. So that is three things. The WMO data and modeling, technological sharing and the W plus 12 blueprint platform. These are the major initiatives or major decision was taken on this. So that is one. Number two is there is another small report from World Meteorological Organization that is called State of Global Water Resource 2021. So this is a first report, annual report. This report is about the freshwater resources. So what the World Meteorological Organization says is, or the report says, the report focuses on three area. If you take a freshwater, you know that one, it'll be in the stream, the river system. Number two, the terrestrial water storage like lakes, dams and all. The third one is the cryosphere, the frozen one. So these are the three areas where you have water. So what they say about this three area, the major finding is we are first and foremost thing in all the three area, the water is reducing. So the water management is poor. And second thing, the World Meteorological Organization says it, if you see from 2000, approximately 2001 to 2018, if you take, what are all the natural disasters happened in the world? Most of the natural disaster, more than 74% of the natural disaster is water related. And the report very important is, they say that approximately 3.6 billion people. So today we have 8 billion people. In the 3.6 approximately 50% of the people, at least one month, they have inadequate access to water. And it is going to increase by 5 billion by 2050. So when you reach 2050, the population may also increase. So you can assume that more than 50% of the population will have an inadequate access to water. And also they told that in the 2011, so comparatively drier than normal condition was very high because of the climate change and the learning effect because the precipitation pattern and all has changed it. So this is a major finding. So specific to India, what they told us, the Indus-Gangetic Brahmabutra, so that belt is suffering a lot. So you can see that there is a more evidences to show that because of climate change, global warming, the Indo-Gangetic plane is struggling a lot. It can start from the Indus, even from the East Pakistan to the Northern India to Southern Nepal to the whole of Bangladesh. So there is a more impact on the water resource because of global warming. So what is the finding is because of the glacial melt, the water flow has increased, but the total water storage in the region has declined. So even though you can see that the gaseous are melting, so the water flow should be increased. Yes, the water flow is increasing. Doesn't mean that the water flow increase has resulted in good water storage, no. So that is poor basin management. So water storage is declined despite of glacial melt and increase. So this is going to have an extremely worrying effort of the IGP because the IGP itself has nearly half a billion people across the four countries. So more population was residing in that belt. So the belt is a very, very belt which is suffering a lot. So related to the water resource, that is a very key point in this report. Okay, then we have some short news related to aquatic ecosystem and biodiversity. Shallow water mining. So what is the shallow water mining is? So any mining that takes in a depth less than 200 meters, we call this a shallow mining. So generally they consider the shallow mining, water mining is something less destructive than terrestrial and also they consider this as a low cost and low cost, low cost at low risk. So right now it is underway in the Norway, sorry, Namibia, Indonesia and also some new projects in New Zealand, Sweden, Mexican dollars going on. But in reality, in a shallow water mining, you will be removing large amount of sediments. So you know that sediments and all because of the erosion process, sediment comes. So it takes a many years, thousand of, thousand of years to come, a sediment to come and form, where the benthic zone is created with a lot of organism. So when you disturb it, many microbes and many benthic organism, marine organism is getting affected. And at the same time that is also resulting spread of seabed material. So when the seabed material increases, sometime you can see the water will get more polluted and at the same time the marine environment is also affected. So they consider it is not safe, but generally people consider it as a very comparatively safe than the terrestrial mining. And some of the species that was repeatedly coming in the news, so one is about the red-eared slider turtle. So you can see the near the year it is red, it's called a slider turtle. So India if you take, we have 29 freshwater turtle and tortoise species. So if you take in the global level, 365, 350 turtles are there. So in any worldwide 80% of them are threatened. So in India also threatened. This is a invasive, it's a non-native. So basically it is a native of South America, that is South Eastern USA and Mexico. So as a pet and all, they have been brought. But once when they keep it as a pet, as a small they will keep it. When it becomes larger, generally people go and put in a lake or any other thing. Since it's an invasive, it will do more damage. Most of the time if you see this habitat, they can survive in the estuaries and coastal waters. Even in a brackish water, they can survive. Even it can tolerate a difference in water quality. Even high pollutant level effluent also they can tolerate. It's primarily aquatic, but sometime it comes and bask on the land that is in the rocks and blocks. So today it's in the least concern, but now more numbers are increasing. It is damaging the aquatic ecosystem. Okay, then come to the marine protected area. So India extended support. So already in Antarctica, marine protected area in Antarctica. In Antarctica, we have two protected area. The one is the South Orkney Island and the Rose Sea. These are two one we have. So apart from this, some of the rich countries has proposed for another two marine protected area, East Antarctica and Vettel Sea. So India has supported it. So designating as a marine in 2021, and we have supported it. Okay, most of the time the marine protected area, generally we will not allow much activity. First thing, the discharge of waste will be completely controlled and prohibited. And most of the time we'll close the commercial fishing. So the European Union has proposed this two region to be brought as a marine protected area. So India has supported it. Okay, dead zone. So again, it's coming in the news. You know that in the process of eutrophication, when more nutrients are entering into any aquatic body, whether it's a lake or whether it's a ocean. So you can see after some point of time, the biological oxygen demand decreases because algae die, they go to the bottom, BOD decreases. Sorry, BOD increases and the DO level decreases. And after some point of time, when the oxygen level is not there, we call it as a dead zone. It's also called as hypoxia, reduced level of oxygen. So the largest dead zone, so it is now in Arabian Sea. So which is covering in terms of 63,700 square mile. Okay, the second largest is Gulf of Mexico, which is covering around 6,000. So now the largest dead zone in the world lies in the Arabian Sea. So already they asked on this eutrophication and dead zone. Okay, then we have some turtle. The one is the Northern River Trapin. It is called Batakur Basca. So Batakur Kachuga, we saw sites, we have introduced Batakur Kachuga. So another one, Batakur Basca, Northern River Trapin. So it is also in the critically endangered. Basically it's a reverend turtle native to Southeast Asia. So today it has come to critically endangered. So it's found in Bangladesh, India, Sundarbansk, Cambodia and all. So why it has come to critically endangered? Basically because of high exploitation. So hunting, poaching of, x and poaching of the particular turtle for meat, even for medicinal and oil property. So this particular river trap in Northern River Trapin, this omnivore has come to the critically endangered. Then there was a news about Indian Flapshell. It came in PIB. So IUCN status wise is vulnerable. So it is in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and all. Most of the time it is found in the waters, fresh waters of rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, irrigations and all. So normally they prefer to be in the mudwaters, mud bottoms because of their tendency to borrow. So right now the status is vulnerable. So it's an omnivore. So why this flap shell is very important? Conservation of Flapshell is very important because they feed, they reduce the pollution level in the aquatic body. They have a very important role to produce the pollution in the aquatic ecosystem. Okay, now come to the pollution. So in the pollution, some conventional part we have discussed about, already we have discussed. So here conventional part, BS6 norms and CAQM, Commission on Air Quality Management and the third one, National Clean Air Program. So these are the three conventional part already we discussed in the class. So those three things, you please revise it. There are chances that this year they can ask CAQM. So anything now we will see in the pollution what are the current affairs that has come. The first thing is National Clean Air Program. So here the original plan of this National Clean Air Program, see if you take NCEAP, National Clean Air Program, Bharat Sej Sitsandal, we brought it after one report in 2019. 2019 from WHO and CCAC, we got a report called Air Quality Report. In that report one day they told, so the India pollution is very worst. So that is the reason we brought this Bharat Sej Sitsand NCEAP. So NCEAP idea, original idea is to reduce at least 20 to 30% of particulate matter, PM2.5 and PM10 by 2024. Because actually original plan is 2019 to 2024. It's a five-year plan, original plan, but actually originally we are planning for 25 years because such a program, it is in China which is very successful, which is the claim to be successful. So that's the reason first we started with the five-year National Clean Air Program. So to reduce at least 20 to 25% of, sorry, 20 to 30% of particulate matter, 2.5 and particulate matter 10 in one 31 non-attendement cities. So actually the numbers was changing. So they said the numbers was earlier, they told that 43 smart cities and one or two non-attendement city, then it came to 135, 132. So news comes in 132, 131, but the latest news what seems to be is 131 non-attendement city. So what are the non-attendement city? So these are the cities who fail to control their particulate matter, that is NAQS, the 12 pollutants, especially particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide in the last five years. So here we have done one small change. So from 20 to 30% reduction, the new target is 40% reduction. By 2026. So earlier it is 20 to 30% reduction by 2024. Now it is 40% reduction by 2026, okay? So we have little extended it. So that is updated one for 131 non-attendement city. The second is there is a international day of clean air for blue skies. So in the 74th session of UN General Assembly, they adopted this in 2019, they adopted this international day of clean air for blue sky. It is more of a awareness, awareness, collaboration and data sharing and all. So it is to combine effort of all the UN members to have a common framework for a common agenda for reducing the air pollution. So yeah, they host it. So in this, the Ministry of Environment has organized the third international day for clean air program. So this is a clean air, sorry, international day of clean air for blue sky. It's called SWATCH YU divorce. So to raise awareness and all and to facilitate action to improve air quality under our NCAP itself. So we are connected to national clean air program. So here in that, what they told us out of 131 cities, 20 city, we have achieved the standards because these are the non-attendement cities that 131 cities are the one that does not achieve the NAQ standard that is prescribed by the CPCB. So here this 20 cities have achieved it through the national clean air program. So the theme is air we share. And they told that we have to, so it is to highlight that importance of international collaboration, cooperation and effective implementation because you put it in one country, another country it will work. So all the country should have a equal policies and programs and implementation strategy to control the air pollution. Then only as a globally we can reduce. We cannot, one country cannot reduce it. So that is a major idea of having this international day for clean air for blue skies. Then come to the report, specific report. So we got one report from UNEP, annual frontiers report of 2022, last year because why this report is, sometime it's important as it's related, it's a very controversial mention, we cannot say controversial report, it's a controversial mentioning of a city, Muradabad in UP. So here this report, coming to the report, they identify on three environmental issue. The one is noise pollution, urban noise pollution. Now it is an emerging pollution. Second is wildfires and also any phenological shift in the pollution. So in terms of climate change pollution and all, but here air pollution, noise pollution is very important. So in this, we will directly come to the issue. So what they told us, the report compiles about the noise pollution, Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, Assange Seoul and Muradabad. So Assange Seoul and also in West Bengal. So this four cities, sorry, five cities is mentioned in that particular report, saying that the decibels, 61 cities, the decibel level, noise pollution is more in this five cities, it is more. So what is the unusual thing is, they told that the highest noise pollution in the city, it is in Dhaka, that is Bangladesh, which is a value of decibels, you know, 70 to 75 is a prescribed level to have a better noise control. So they told that in the Dhaka, Bangladesh, it is 190, 119. In Muradabad, UP, they told that the value goes up to 114. The second, the noisest city in the world. So noise pollution in the city, mostly it is because of road traffic industry and high population density. Okay, why it is becoming a very controversial is, till now, we didn't have any study to show that Muradabad has this noise level, because already we are monitoring noise and all, but we don't have any such a data to show Muradabad has got the highest noise level. But in the world itself, highest to second, highest to noise level, the reports as annual frontier report says that it is in Muradabad. So it seems to be a little controversial. So that way. And normally noise, since this report has come in 2022, sometime there's a chance that noise pollution, what are the problems it will create? See normally, first thing, noise pollution will affect the sleep. Once the sleep is affected, you can see the hormone regulation, you can see important physiological process and all will change. Second is, noise also directly connected. There is traffic noise as a high risk factor for cardiac disease and also elevated blood pressure. Okay, any sort of a heart disease and diabetes, it's also linked to diabetes, they say, because of hormonal changes, physiological changes. And then it will create psychological stress. So noise pollution, how noise we control? So here we had to be very careful. That is in India, we have an air pollution prevention and control act. That is for, it was created in 1880, 1981. It is for air noise. So noise also generally get covered under the Air Pollution Act. But specifically we brought a noise regulation control rules 2000. So what they have done is, so normal noise standards, if you take a noise standards for motor vehicle, air conditioner, refrigerator, diesel generator, that is major things and all, it is prescribed under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986. So because noise pollution is separately regulated under. Industry related noise, keep in mind, industry related noise alone comes under the air pollution and control of pollution. Okay, general noise, other major source of noise, rules, motor vehicle, air conditioner, refrigerant pollution, sorry, refrigerant noise, diesel generator, construction equipment noise and all, directly come under the EP Act. It is not under the Air Pollution Act. Okay, the second one, it's another small news about the underwater noise emission. So a study has showed that the underwater noise emission is also increasing. So here in Goa, from the Goa, from the 30 nautical miles from the Goa, they have set up one hydrophone autonomous system. So when they carried out a noise level, so in that they found that the marine sound pollution is very high, especially the underwater pollution is very high. So most of the time, the reason for the underwater pollution comes from the shipping activity, military sonar oil and gas exploration, the creation activity, boating, that and all, because continuous shipping movement is one of the biggest reasons for underwater noise pollution, that's a major contributor. So generally the sound pressure level, underwater noise, if you see, it will be in the Indian waters, it is anywhere around 102 to 115 decibels. So the East Coast has got slightly higher than the West Coast. So you can see some 20 points will be more in the Eastern Coast. So Eastern Coast has got more noise comparing to the Eastern Coast. Okay, what is the problem with the underwater noise pollution? So that is also a major marine problem, because it is also posing threat to some of the dolphins, marathis, some whales and certain dugongs and all, because many animal under the marine, so their reproduction or feeding, foraging, that and all is based on the sound. So normally the sound will go and interrupt the sound, that is something called masking. Most of the time, the noise that come from the missionaries or from the ships or something that will go and overlap with the marine communication, marine species communication. So that is something called masking. So by that way, so all these factors like foraging, reproduction, everything is affected. And also it will result in hearing ability, behavioral changes, so even in internal injuries and all also it's creating. So underwater marine noise pollution is also another new emerging threat we are finding, sorry. The next one is Kochi landfill site fire.  So generally we do it. So most of the time we will ensure that the landfill is separated from water, ground water, surface water and all so that it is controlled. That's what a landfill be called. But why the landfill has got fire? So first and foremost reason is unprocessed. So in India, we don't generally process the waste because if you say a municipal solid waste and all collection wise more than 18, 90% is collected but processing happens only 30 to 40%. So all the waste has been put together. So since this unprocessed weight remains in a long landfill for a long period, so that could be one source for it. Second is high calorific value because we are also using a lot of plastic. Plastic, keep in mind, it's a high calorific value, plastic as even than the coal plastic as a high calorific value. So generally if you take a Indian solid waste and all MSW 60% is biodegradable, 25% is non biodegradable and 15% is something inert like silt and all. So high calorific values material is also one of the reason and the hot weather. So especially the hot weather dry, it become inflavable, the risk increases. So in the Kochi land fire what we found, first thing we found a lot of air pollution. So in that the more concern this particulate matter will come since impoverished combustion happens, carbon monoxide level is also increasing and you can see sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compound and all will increase. So that will result in respiratory diseases and it also creates smog and during the monsoon it can also create acid right. And apart from that, the two important carcinogen that is dioxins and furon. So it is also persistent organic pollutant. It's a byproduct of it's a, we call it as an unintentional production. That is when you burn a plastic in a low temperature this dioxins and furons also will come. So it is a very serious pollutant. So that also has come. So it will immediately have a much more impact. So sometimes they say that it is something equivalent to three cigarette packets smoking. When you smoke that smog of this Gucci, particular landfill. Second is groundwater also it will contaminate. So don't think that is related to air pollution alone because this fire toxic chemicals and heavy metal that will leach into the groundwater, ground and land. So that soil contamination is also happening. Groundwater contamination is also happening. The ecosystem aquatic and soil ecosystem is also getting affected and once the soil is getting affected the plant will get affected. And it will also have once the fire comes you know economic causes also that losses, economic losses, business losses. So property, some property is also it's loss that also happens. And then deli pollution if you take. So deli pollution main reason for deli pollution is lot of thermal power plant, lot of brick industries, brickling industries and all. And stubble burning. So already we have discussed it again I won't discuss stubble burning because it's one of the major costs. So all because of the air movement, direction of the air movement and apart from that the winter time the temperature inversion, cold water sink, sorry cold air sinks. So pollutants are getting trapped in the lower level and even some few months back through three months back and all why deli pollution was severe is wind movement is also poor. When the wind movement is not good so stagnation of the pollutant is more. So that creates more smog and more sorry that creates more trouble in that. Okay then there is one report. So this report is IQR report, World Air Quality Report. So why it's a basically a Swiss air quality technology company has brought it. So why this report can be important is this report is first thing this report is based on data from 7,200 cities from 131 country. So it's a large study. So they don't do any technical study most of the time they take the report they take the data from the countries and also they will take some data from the monitoring station that is operated by the government and other institution. So based on that they compile and create a data. So in this the key finding is out of that 131 cities India ranked eight in terms of pollutant especially PM 2.5 they closely monitor PM 2.5 the data itself is based on PM 2.5 because PM 2.5 is more dangerous. So if you see that it seems the India PM 2.5 level is 53.3. Okay, grams micrograms of a milligram per meter cube. But if you see the units what that is prescribed by the WHO is only five. In Delhi they have approximately it has 96, sorry 92, 92.6. India average is 53, but the prescribed is five only. The Delhi is 92. Comparing with last year it has reduced. Last year I think 2021 I think it was 96. It has reduced but still we are very, very, very far away from the WHO. So in that they mentioned about Delhi actually they separated Delhi, New Delhi.  Then comes the next emerging form of critical pollution. So water pollution. So it seems that nearing 50% or anywhere around 43% of the world river are contaminated with active form of cuticle that is medicine ingredient. Now it comes to another emerging pollution. So definitely it will have a very disastrous consequence of the human health. So why in Indian context is very important is they say that India is one of the third largest to producer of form of cuticle. So it is anywhere around the 10,000 manufacturing unit form of cuticle manufacturing unit we have some or other way it is leaching into the water body. So here Hyderabad, you know the Hyderabad as the largest drug industries. So more than 3000 drug companies are there anywhere around 10,500 medicinal manufacturing units we have. So most of the time how it comes, it comes. So people take consume this medicines. Men, women, children and all consume this medicine. You know through the excretion process it comes and also from the industry leaching. So unused medicine we throw it sometime that goes landfill intern comes to the water. So how it impacts the ecosystem. If you see the first and foremost thing if you take some of the pills especially estrogen, estrogen-related pills that is birth control pills. Birth control pills and all because when they took a sample of the water they found that estrogen level the birth because of the birth control pill medicines that content of the estrogen is very high comparatively very high in the water that is affecting the male that is creating a feminizing effect in the male fish. So because of that male female fish ratio is changing. That is one. And also you know that post menopausal hormones and all we have. So that medical medicines also is entering into the water body. Second is we are using you know a lot of antibiotic. So we have a very huge population, a lot of antibiotic. When this antibiotic finally when it you see some are when we take any antibiotic any sort of antibiotic excretion through urination it comes out. So anyway it comes to the sewage. So whether that antibiotic will be there. So antibiotic when it is there automatically what it happens you see it inhibits the sewage bacteria because sewage bacteria is also very important, am I right? So organic matter decompotion that is getting affected. That is the second one the disruption of sewage system. The third one again it comes back to the drinking water because it will find anything is excreted finally it has to come back to us. So if you take a municipal sewage treatment facility or any water treatment facility it is not we don't have a very efficient treatment facility to remove this form of critical medicines. So they cannot remove it. So it will again come back to us in some form. So which will have a serious health effect and also long-term you know that it will definitely bio-accumulate and bio-magnify and especially antibiotics and all some form it goes inside multi-resistant drugs. So the bacteria whatever it's present it will create a infection. So in India we find anywhere around 60,000 new born they die because of multi-drug resistance. So in future if you don't control the form of critical pollution they say that in future we will find more trouble with the form of critical pollution since India is one of the major drug producing industry. The next one issue with the forever chemical it is the per and polyfluoroalkyl substance. So it came in the news itself it's also sometime called as forever because it stays in the air water soil for a long period of time. So it's a man-made chemical most of the time it is used in the non-stick cookware, some stain resistant fabric cosmetic firefighting. So in other products like grease water and all we are using it. So they can easily migrate to soil water and doing the production and use and they will stay there for a long period of time. So we have within this we have different types of P, O, F, S the different types of per and polyfluoro. So some are classified in the some are classified as a POP persistent organic pollutant. So you know that POP is very dangerous. So it is a some are controlled especially P, F, O, S is controlled under the Stockholm Convention. So mostly what they will do you know that always a persistent organic pollutant will have a very damaging effect. So it affects the fertility, developmental effect it will go and suppresses our hormones and you can see it will also change our cholesterol level and also some are carcinogen mutation it also increases the cancers. So even a low level exposure also will create more trouble. So the United States and all they called it as a forever chemicals. The next one is a biomass co-firing.  So here, so we'll directly go to the issue. So biomass co-firing, so as a policy we want 5 to 7% of biomass should be used in the coal power plant. So by that way at least 38 million tons of carbon dioxide will be reduced. So this will have be helpful because when you're taking all the biomass when you use it as a co-firing most of the time the stubble burning and all will be controlled. So that is in that way biomass can be helpful. But we have some challenges. So what are the challenges? Basically we can we can say it's a cost effective method and all. So it is a one movement towards decarbonizing low carbon strategies. But the one thing is we have to change the existing coal power plant. Because the coal the same coal power plant the structures whatever you know the same structure we cannot use it. We need to do some retrofishing retrofitting and other changes in the plant then only it can be done. So here we will directly go to the issues. So what are the challenges you will find is it's good to mix coal and biomass. But the problem is biomass has a high moisture content. And also low energy comparatively. So in that way the burning efficiency will reduce and also biomass storage is very difficult. Storage and transportation because immediately it will catch there are chances that it will catch fire and at the same time it will immediately it will accumulate moisture. So storage and transportation is biggest challenge. So converting into pellet transporting the pellet storage is really a challenge we have. Sometime they say that biomass cost whether it's a cost effective or something sometime what happens you see you're changing the coal power plant you're you're conserving the biomass because to maintain the biomass convert into pellet maintain the biomass itself storage until you will cost more. So now finally if you see that cost and the petrol, coal burning cost sometime the biomass burning cost will increase. So commercially viability some have a doubt but anyway biomass co-firing can be better. So the problem always comes in the storage because during the storage also carbon monoxide can be released and at the same time in the storage accidents can happen that is fire can happen and also it will accumulate moisture also and at the same time once the moisture comes fungi microorganism will come. So the question of long-term storage of pellet is very very difficult, okay? And definitely biomass comparatively carbon dioxide emissions is less but particulate matter and sulphur dioxide will limit it. So we cannot say that it will be completely clean. So climate change related pollutant it can reduce but air pollutant will come, okay? Now we'll go for the next section, climate change. So first we'll see the budget. So what the budget says? The budget says about India is moving towards a net neutrality, am I right? By 2030, so all the countries are planning for 2050 but we said that with our capability and with our capacity on financing and technology it is only possible by 2070. Already in the conference of party 26 our prime minister has given a punch of breath change in the NDC. So 2015 we gave the first NDC we have given a second NDC in the Glasgow in the last conference of party in that only we told the net zero that is the carbon neutrality we will reach only by 2070. So in that line, so we have to work. So for this, what is that first thing? Our budget, all our economic activity all our movement towards the climate change will be based on the prime minister principle of life. So what is life? Lifestyle for environment. So what is often we come across this life? So what is this life is? It is nothing but lifestyle for environment. We have to become an environment conscious citizen. So under this, they have under the life principle we have to adopt every common man, every one of us has to adopt 75 lifestyle practices. 75 lifestyle practices normally comes under the seven categories, seven categories. For example, go for LED, okay. Go for some of the thing I will tell you go for LED, go for bamboos. So go for bamboos, even go for, if you have any old books or something, don't burn it, donate it. So that is one practices, even TV remote, TV after you see it, don't switch off with the remote, go and switch off on the main switch. So switch off the stabilizer. So these are all some of the things, okay. Go for drip irrigation. And if you have any old electronic repair and reuse it. So these are all the some of the sustainable practices. So when the people adopt it, they call it as pro-planet people. When you adopt all those things, we call it as a pro-planet people because we cannot spend more money. But see, we country like India, country like other countries and all, we don't have much technology, we don't have money. So we cannot go by technology. So we can change our life practices. That is the concept of prime minister life. So what is the ultimate goal idea under the life is? So we have taken a commitment that at least it is to bring awareness and to bring a pro-planet people or better lifestyle practices, at least with 1 billion Indian people, that is global, global and Indian people between 2022 to 2027. Between this, at least we want to bring 1 billion people, Indian and global, both Indian and global, to adapt this practices, seven categories of 75 lifestyle practices. Okay, and before 2028, we want to make within India 80% of the villages. Before 2028, 80% of the villages, even the local urban, urban local, we want to bring them as a pro-planet people. That is environment friendly practices. It is a fire program. So what we need to do is we need to change everything. So here, even the government brings as a policy, so we have to see demand supply because the customer is the one who demands it. Now the customer has to change the lifestyle practices and supply, the corporate has to change, the distributor has to change. So that is the reason they say, it is a demand, we have to work on the demand side, we have to change the people, we have to work on the supply side, especially on the corporates, corporates are the one who produce the product, especially on the corporate distributors, who are maybe in the supply chain, at the same time, government policy. So we have to work on the three level to bring the 75 lifestyle practices. This is what life. So in the budget, they told that our policy will be based on the conference of party 26, that is the Glasgow Conference of Prime Minister 26, environmentally conscious lifestyle. It is something green growth. We will go for a green growth. So under that they told that seven priorities will be given. So what are the major one? The Prime Minister, sorry, the Finance Minister has told us, so we will focus first more on the green hydrogen mission. So at least by 2030, 5 million metric ton of production of green hydrogen should come by that way, because ultimately our objective is to, carbon intensity, we have to reduce, am I right? So this green hydrogen can help us to reduce the carbon intensity, that is one. Second is the Prime Minister, sorry, the Finance Minister has told about the green credit program. So don't confuse with green credit scheme. 2020 we brought this green credit scheme, that is totally different. This is something called green credit program. Okay, what is the green credit program? So green credit program, it is nothing but to reduce the carbon dioxide footprint. So here under this, the government is going to incentivize companies, even a individual, or even a sort of a corporate or local body to add her practices, lifestyle practices, under the Environment Protection Act. So if they try to reduce their low carbon and other thing, so generally they will try to get a credit. So for this they are planning for a viability gap funding and all. So green credit program, so it is to bring a behavioral change. The third is they are focusing on mangroves, MISTI scheme. A budget has been focused on MISTI. So this year, mangroves, they can ask Kustin. So we have to see about all the mangrove botanical features, mangrove covering India and all. So MISTI scheme, it's a mangrove initiative for shoreline habitat and tangible income. Because we have come to know that mangrove plays a very important role in loss and damages. Second thing, sustainable livelihood. So through the MISTI program, so we will take up a lot of mangrove plantation. So that is we go for a mangrove plantation along the coastline and salt plan and all, wherever feasible, wherever it is feasible. And we will try to converge Kampa and Naraga scheme. So Kampa, we have money. Naraga scheme is something which is giving a, for the 100 days of compulsory work. So through the MISTI program, we try to increase the mangrove cover so that no loss and damage it can reduce. At the same time, it's a blue economy is developed, blue carbon is developed, biodiversity is developed. At the same time, people livelihood is also maintained. So that's the reason the focus this budget is more on the mangrove. The next one is about go-bar-down scheme. So it is nothing but to create 500 waste energy. That is nothing but bio compressed biogas plants. So 10,000 crores, they are going to invest. So 200 compressed biogas plant, they are going to provide. So it's called galvanizing organic bio agro resource-down scheme. So here some exemption. So for in order to cascade the taxes and all on the compressed natural gas, some exception on excess duty, GST and all will be done. So that to promote. So at least 5% compressed biogas mandate we have to bring. So that's another one. And there is another scheme for wetland. Amrit Darohar. So it is to include the local people in the wetland conservation because wetland is a very important ecosystem. It's one of the high productive ecosystem. So in the next three years, we have to optimally utilize wetland, conserve the wetland so that improve the carbon. Because wetland soil has a very good carbon sequestration, including wetland means it includes peatland and all. Today we are talking more about peatlands. It's a very good important carbon sequestration, carbon terrestrial sequestration. It can give a lot of tourism opportunity ecosystem services at the same time. It can also generate income for the local communities. So this is another one. So focus. And also the last one is energy transition and storage projects. So anyway, we'll see that. Here we are planning for battery energy storage systems with a capacity of 4,000 MWH. So which will be supported by the viability gap funding and to go for a net zero objective. So all the budget objective is in line with the net zero 2017. Now directly we'll come to the convention. So convention part. So you know that there is a one conference called Stockholm plus 50. Anyway, it does not gain much popularity. So what is that Stockholm 50? The very first two conference on environment is 1972. 1972, 1982, 1992, yet summit only we have taken major decision. 2002, 2012, this is 2022 for last year. So that is something actually it is supposed to be Rio plus 30, but they want to call it a Stockholm plus 50. So here the planet team, the theme is healthy planet for prosperity for all. So that is a planet team. So responsibility and opportunity. So what they have taken, I think they have taken only general declaration. So it does not seems to be any specific declaration at all. If you see last conference 2012, it is called UN conference on sustainable development. So the time they took some declaration on green economy page and all partnership alliance that and all they asked it. So like that this year does not seems to be any very specific. So basically they spoke about sustainable development lifestyle practices, circular economy they spoke about. They spoke about partnership and developing fund for pro-planet people. That is planet people prosperity. They discussed more on zero pollution, net zero and young people participation. And finally collaboration of business, especially for driving the changes in the environment. So the theme alone, I think you can keep in mind just you can have a look at it. So much resolution was not taken. Then the next conference is about UNCCD conference of party 15. So that happened to the last year. So it is a 15th conference of party that happened in West Africa. So here, you know that conference of party, sorry, the UNCCD is about land degradation and justification fight against reservation and justification. The agenda is about drought and land restoration. So already we have one bone convention. So 350 million hectare by 2030. So they're also working for 2030. So in this conference, the theme is land life legacy from scarcity to prosperity. So what are the major things they have taken us? So they have taken more than 38 different types of decision. So first thing is they created one working group called intergovernmental working group on drought for 2022 to 2024, two year plan. So in this, it is based on one report drought in numbers in 2022. So that report has told that we are going for a more of a reactive approach for drought and drought mitigation, drought mitigation, drought management, we have to go for a proactive approach. So that is one. The next very important is we have a plan of at least one billion hectare restoration of degraded land by 2030. So that is what the bone convention is different, but as a UNCCD, we have a plan for one billion hectare restoration, but we are very slow on it. So they said that at least in the rest of seven years of time, we have to accelerate for one billion hectare of restoration of degraded land. And then three key declaration they took, one declaration that is something called Abidjan for the long-term sustainability, state and government long-term sustainability. The second one is on boosting equity in the successful land degradation, gender equity, sorry, gender equity. The third one is about the report, global land outlook two. So one is on the long-term environmental sustainability. Second is on the gender equality. The third one is the on the direct on the theme, land life legacy that came from the global report. That is a report come from the UNCCD, that's global land outlook two report. And then the next one, they discuss about the green wall initiative. If you see the green wall initiative, only 18% of the project only has been achieved. So just 18 million hectare restoration only has happened against the 100 million thing. So we have to accelerate it for that green wall acceleration program, they launched it. So nothing much about. So let us come to the last, the next one, UNCCD. Sorry, UN of Tbilisi, Yivit conference party. So in the class, we have seen till Glasgow. So we'll directly go to the issue, what and all the major decision that has taken, that was discussed or taken in the COP 27, Shamil Sheikh. The first one is loss and damage. That's a key outcome. So for almost for more than 20 to 30 years of time, two to three decade, we were fighting for loss and damage, a fund for loss and damage. So officially in 2013, in the UN of Tbilisi conference party only, they brought in Warsaw, they brought a Warsaw international mechanism for loss and damage. So the time the rich country said that, we acknowledge loss and damage, okay, but we will not provide any fund. We will not give any commitment for funding for loss and damage. That is what they told because already we have given a commitment in Paris agreement, GCF, Green Climate Fund, $100 billion, we have given a commitment. So apart from that, a separate financial commitment, we cannot give it for loss and damage. But that particular scenario was changed last Glasgow con. In the Glasgow conference, they brought a Santiago, the Joe Biden has brought a Santiago network to work out on loss and damage. Now in the Egypt conference of party only, they accepted for a fund. For loss and damage, we will provide a fund. But anyway, they told that a fund will be created, but how much money will come, how the agreement, how the money operation will happen, for what they are going to give money. So that and all, we do not know. So they have principally accepted that it'll be a fund for loss and damage. So for that only, they created a Santiago network for loss and damage last time itself. This time they accepted for a fund, but how the fund is going to come, we do not know. That's the second one, that's the first one, sorry. The second one is on 1.5 degrees Celsius. So in the conference of last conference itself, they agreed that even though the Paris Agreement for two degrees Celsius, we have to work for 1.5. So in that, we have to work towards 1.5. So for that, every year we have to come and we have to discuss for the purpose of 1.5. So that is something called, that is every year you come and discuss and you make a commitment. That is something called ratchet mechanism. Ratchet mechanism is nothing but even though the Paris Agreement says two degrees Celsius is a target, legal binding target, but the countries have agreed that every year they will come, they will make the commitment stronger towards 1.5. So that is something called ratchet mechanism. So some countries have backed it. Many countries have not accepted it. They said that they will not come for it. They will not come for the commitment of 1.5, especially like Saudi and all. That's the second one. The third one comi