Down To Earth (01–15 June, 2025)

Importance of Pollinators

• Pollinators like bees, butterflies, wasps, and bats are vital for:
• One-third of global food crops;
• 85% of cultivated crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and oilseeds;
• Livelihoods and biodiversity, especially in developing countries;
• Causes of the Crisis: Pollinators are vanishing due to:
• Intensive farming and monocropping;
• Pesticide use;
• Climate change and rising temperatures
• Habitat loss and pollution
• Alarming Data:
• 71% of pollinator species have declined globally; 3.4% extinct in two decades
• 30% of island-based species at risk (IUCN)

• Up to 90% hive losses in parts of the US due to colony collapse disorder
• India’s Worrying Trends:
• Studies in Odisha and Bengaluru show 70–90% bee species decline in some areas
• Wild bee populations are diminishing in the Himalayas, affecting crops like apples
• Pollinator scarcity is impacting highvalue crops including coffee, spices, fruits, and vegetables

Rise of Artificial Pollination

• Bee rentals: Beekeepers earn more from pollination than honey production.
• Manual pollination: Labour-intensive process now used for crops like coffee, vanilla, cardamom, oranges, and jasmine.
• Labour costs are high, and results are inferior to natural pollination

Regional Case Studies

• Janjehli Valley, Himachal Pradesh: Beekeepers earn up to ₹3 lakh in one flowering season from hive rentals.
• Kodagu, Karnataka: Coffee growers employ teams for hand pollination.
• Bagalkot and coastal Karnataka: Over 60% of chilli and fruit farmers rely on manual pollination.
• Udupi: Jasmine growers report yield drop due to thermal plant pollution, now resort to hand pollination.

Concerns Surrounding Artificial Pollination

• Ecological Disruption: Artificial pollination does not replicate the natural biodiversity benefits provided by insects.
• High Labor Costs: Manual pollination is labor-intensive and expensive, making it unsustainable for small-scale farmers.
• Genetic Risks: Over-reliance on artificial methods may lead to reduced genetic diversity in crops, affecting resilience to diseases.
• Long-Term Sustainability: Experts warn that artificial pollination is a temporary fix, not a solution to the broader pollinator decline.

Way Forward: Reviving Natural Pollinators

• Beekeeping in Kerala-Karnataka border districts revived cashew yields
• Pollinator gardens, companion planting, and organic practices adopted in Melukote.
• Bumblebee domestication underway in Himachal for greenhouse pollination—more efficient than honeybees.

About the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9

• It was developed by Nobel Prize winners Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier in 2012.
• It enables scientists to precisely modify DNA sequences, offering immense potential in agriculture, healthcare, and environmental conservation.

About the Mhadei River (aka Mandovi River)

• It is a west-flowing river originating in the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, and flows through Goa before draining into the Arabian Sea.
• It is home to several tributaries, including Kalasa and Banduri.
• It has been at the center of a decades-long dispute between Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra over water-sharing rights.

About the Tungnath Bugyal

• It is a high-altitude meadow located at approximately 3,600 meters above sea level in Uttarakhand's Garhwal Himalayas.
• It is known for its alpine grasses and panoramic views of peaks like Chaukhamba, Kedar Dome, and Nanda Devi.

Ecological and Aesthetic Significance

• Rich Biodiversity: The Bugyal transforms into a floral paradise, with wildflowers such as rhododendrons, primulas, and gentians carpeting the landscape during summer.
• The region supports Himalayan birds and small mammals, enriching its ecological value.
• Environmental Role:
• A carbon sink, helping to combat climate change.
• A water retention zone, regulating water flow in the mountains.
• A biodiversity hotspot, sustaining various flora and fauna.
• A support system for pastoralism, aiding traditional livelihoods.

Conservation Challenges

• Impact of Tourism: Unregulated trekking has led to:
• Trampling of vegetation.
• Creation of informal paths, which hasten erosion.
• Disturbance to wildlife and loss of vegetation cover.
• Soil Erosion: Due to the young and fragile nature of the soil:
• Monsoon rains trigger significant erosion.
• Steep slopes reduce soil accumulation.
• Unmanaged foot traffic exacerbates degradation.
• Lack of Enforcement: Though signboards prohibit shortcuts and warn of penalties, on-ground enforcement is absent.
• There is no active action plan for restoration or erosion control.

Way Forward

• Sustainable Tourism:
• Establish controlled trekking routes.
• Educate visitors on low-impact practices.
• Introduce caps on daily footfall.
• Conservation Measures:
• Implement erosion control methods like bioengineering and contour bunding.
• Strengthen forest department presence for rule enforcement.
• Develop community-based models for meadow stewardship.

About the Indian Gharial (Gavialis Gangeticus)

• It is a fish-eating crocodilian native to the Indian subcontinent; and only about 800 mature individuals remain globally.
• They show Sexual Dimorphism means males and females differ significantly in size and appearance.
• They feed exclusively on warm-blooded species and are not man-eaters, unlike crocodiles.
• It is listed as Critically Endangered by IUCN.
• It is listed under Schedule 1 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

Habitat Concentration

• The majority of gharials are found in India, primarily along the Chambal River, which traverses Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Several gharial breeding and rehabilitation centres came up across India.
• The most prominent ones are the National Chambal Sanctuary and the Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Center in Uttar Pradesh.

Major Threats

• Sand mining along riverbanks
• Hydropower projects altering natural habitats
• Human encroachment disrupting breeding grounds

About the Global Environment Facility (GEF)

• It was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, to provide funding to developing countries for projects that tackle biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and land degradation.
• It operates as a multilateral fund, supporting initiatives under six major environmental conventions which aims to protect 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030.

Recent Funding Initiatives (67th GEF Council)

• $495.6 million under the GEF Trust Fund for biodiversity conservation and pollution reduction.
• $37.8 million under the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) to support protected areas in Brazil and Mexico.
• $203 million under the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) for climate resilience projects.
• India has received $6.7 million to expand its protected area network and $10.7 million for conservation efforts along the Central Asian Flyway.

Key Features of the Database

• Historical Records (1980–2024): NOAA documented 403 billion-dollar disasters, with total costs exceeding $2.9 trillion.
• It recorded disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damages, providing valuable insights into climate trends and economic losses.
• Annual Tracking: In 2024, the U.S. experienced 27 billion-dollar disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires, and severe storms.
• Data Sources: The database compiled information from FEMA, state agencies, and insurance organizations to estimate disaster costs.

Concerns Over NOAA’s Decision to Retire the Database

• Loss of a Key Climate Tool: The database was widely used by government agencies, researchers, and insurers to assess climaterelated financial risks.
• Rising Disaster Costs: With climate change intensifying extreme weather events, experts argue that tracking financial impacts is more important than ever.
• Alternative Data Sources: While other datasets exist, they often lack the scope and detail of NOAA’s database.

Why Is Snow Cover Important?

• Snow cover plays a crucial role in protecting glaciers from heat and sunlight.
• During winter, snowfall replenishes the glaciers, forming a protective layer that slows down melting in the warmer months.
• However, this year’s low snow accumulation leaves glaciers more vulnerable to rapid melting, potentially contributing to global sea-level rise.

Impact of Climate Change

• Swiss glaciers lost 10% of their volume in 2022 and 2023 alone, marking one of the fastest rates of glacial retreat in recorded history.
• Last summer, despite good snowfall, glaciers still lost 2.4% of their volume due to high temperatures and dust deposition from the Sahara Desert, which reduced their ability to reflect sunlight.

About the Environmental Clearances (ECs)

• These are a regulatory mechanism designed to ensure that industrial and infrastructure projects comply with environmental standards before they commence operations.
• In India, these clearances are governed by the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, which mandates prior approval for projects that could significantly impact the environment.
• Process of ECs:
• Screening and Scoping: Identifying potential environmental risks.
• Public Consultation: Gathering feedback from affected communities.
• Expert Appraisal: Reviewing environmental impact reports before granting approval.
• Role of Office Memorandums (OMs): OMs issued by the MoEFCC provide administrative guidelines for implementing environmental policies.
• However, some OMs have been controversial, particularly those allowing retrospective environmental clearances—a practice where projects that began without prior approval could later seek regularization.

Challenges in Environmental Governance

• Loopholes in policy implementation allowing unauthorized projects.
• Conflicts between development and environmental conservation.
• Jurisdictional complexities in regulating large-scale industrial activities.

Implications of the Ruling

• Strengthens Environmental Governance: Ensures that industries comply with environmental regulations before starting operations.
• Discourages Regulatory Evasion: Sends a strong message against regularizing illegal industrial activities post-facto.
• Protects the Right to a Clean Environment: Upholds Article 21 of the Constitution, reinforcing citizens' right to a pollution-free environment.

About the Stockholm Convention

• It is a global treaty aimed at reducing and eliminating the production, use, and release of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)— chemicals that pose serious environmental and health risks.
• It was adopted in 2001 and entered into force in 2004, with the goal of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous substances.

Challenges in Environmental Governance

• Elimination & Restriction: The treaty bans or restricts the use of harmful chemicals such as DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dioxins.
• Global Cooperation: Countries work together to phase out POPs, promote safer alternatives, and manage contaminated sites.
• Scientific Review: The convention continuously evaluates new chemicals for inclusion in its list of restricted substances.
• Support for Developing Nations: Financial and technical assistance is provided to help countries transition away from harmful chemicals.

Recent Conference of the Parties (COP) in Geneva

• Nearly 200 countries, including India, agreed to allow the use of UV-328 in the aerospace and defence sector. UV-328, in use since the 1970s, protects plastics and paints from sunlight but is toxic to the liver and endocrine system.
• UV-328 is a chemical compound, specifically a phenolic benzotriazole, used as a UV absorber in various products like plastics, coatings, and personal care items.
• Three new POPs were added under Annex A:
• Chlorpyrifos (neurotoxic insecticide)
• Long-chain Perfluorocarboxylic Acids (LC-PFCAs) (linked to cancer)
• Medium-chain Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCPs) (harmful to liver, kidneys, thyroid)
• India’s Limited Participation: India has not ratified most updates to Annex A.
• India had implemented bans on only 7 out of 33 listed chemicals, as of 2021.
• Like 20 other nations, India’s opt-in stance allows it to delay or ignore new amendments.