Current Affair Category: Environment & Ecology

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit 2026: The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) is currently making headlines because India is hosting the first-ever IBCA Summit in New Delhi on June 1-2, 2026. This is a landmark moment in India’s “Eco-Diplomacy,” positioning the country as a global leader in wildlife conservation. Key Points : The focus […]

Relevance for Civil Services (UPSC/UPPCS): GS Paper II: Use this for questions on Federalism, Statutory Rules, and Decentralisation (73rd/74th Amendments). GS Paper III: Essential for topics on Environmental Pollution and Waste Management. Key Terms: Subsidiarity, Circular Economy, Knowledge Problem, Legacy Dumpsites, Mandatory vs. Underfunded Mandates. Waste management in India has escalated from a local urban […]

1st International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit 2026: Context: Website and logo launched by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi (May 2026). Theme: ‘Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save Ecosystem’ About the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA): Establishment: Launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2023. Status: An inter-governmental international organization headquartered in India. Objective: […]

Why in the News? A recent report from Lebanon accused Israel of committing “ecocide” during its 2023-24 military actions in southern Lebanon, citing the reshaping of its physical and ecological landscape. Definition & Origin: Definition: “Ecocide” refers to the most severe forms of environmental harm caused by human activities on a major scale or affecting […]

Why in News? The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, in the case of Udasa & Others vs. Union of India (2026), quashed a government order that rejected the forest claims of the Tharu tribe in Lakhimpur Kheri. The Court ruled that administrative bodies cannot use outdated judicial orders to bypass modern social justice […]

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), also known as ‘aviation biofuel’, shares similar chemical and physical characteristics with Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). It can be sourced from municipal solid waste, oils and fats (such as oilseeds and algae oils), agricultural residues (including Sugarcane bagasse, husk, and corn), and wood wastes. It can also be produced artificially using a method that collects carbon out of the air. Benefits of SAF: Green […]

Why in the News? The report, primarily based on the Ember Annual Global Electricity Review, is trending because it marks a “decoupling” of economic growth from fossil fuel use. Historically, as India’s economy grew, coal power rose; 2025-26 proves that renewable energy is now scaling fast enough to meet and even exceed new demand. ### […]

To protect the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Bangladesh government has officially approved a ban on new industrial projects within a 10-kilometer radius of the Sundarbans’ Ecologically Critical Area (ECA). Ecologically Critical Area (ECA): Subject: Environment & Ecology (UPSC GS Paper III) An Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) is an environmentally sensitive zone where the ecosystem […]

1. Definition & Context: MSP: A public, collaborative process of analyzing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas. Objective: To balance ecological, economic, and social objectives through a planned framework rather than ad-hoc development. Nodal Agency: National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. 2. […]

State of India’s Bats (2024-25) This report represents a landmark study conducted over two years by 36 experts from 27 institutions. It highlights a critical “data dark spot” and significant neglect regarding the conservation of bats in India. Key Statistics: Total Species: India is home to approximately 135 bat species. Endemic Species: 16 species are […]