Current Affair Category: Environment & Ecology

What is E20? E20 means petrol blended with 20% ethanol and 80% petrol. Ethanol is mainly produced from sugarcane, maize, rice and molasses. India has rapidly expanded its ethanol production capacity to support the blending target. Why is India promoting E20? Reduce crude oil imports and dependence on imported fossil fuels. Save foreign exchange. Provide an additional market for farmers and […]

Why in news?: The Ujani reservoir is facing a severe ecological crisis due to invasive foreign fish species—such as the suckermouth catfish, Tilapia, and African catfish—which have collapsed local fish populations and threatened fishermen’s livelihoods, prompting the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) to launch India’s first community-driven removal and native-restocking programme. Key Points: Ecological Crisis […]

Why in News? Date: August 4, 2026 (International Clouded Leopard Day). Major Announcement: India officially launched the Clouded Leopard Conservation Action Plan (CAP) during the 91st Standing Committee meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) held in Coimbatore. Core Message: Recognized as an “indicator of healthy forests,” urging immediate, targeted nationwide conservation.  About the […]

  Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav announced on August 3, 2026, that Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh has been designated as the country’s 101st Ramsar Site. Marking a historic achievement, this is the very first time Arunachal Pradesh has received a Ramsar Site designation. Glaw Lake: Arunachal Pradesh’s First Ramsar […]

Why  in News? CAMPA Accountability: To ensure financial and physical transparency in the utilization of the ₹60,000+ crore Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA). Past audits by the CAG and strict observations by the Supreme Court flagged fund leakages and ‘ghost’ plantations, making 100% geo-tagging mandatory for all CAMPA-funded works. Integration with Early Warning Systems: Recent scaling […]

Why in News? Event: Recent wildfires in southern France (Le Porge village) uncovered a cache of approximately 400 historic World War II shells and munitions. Key Points: Intense heat from the wildfires caused buried historic explosives to detonate, which locals initially mistook for exploding gas cylinders. Over 100 explosions were heard, creating a war zone-like […]

Why in News? The sixth draft notification issued to declare over 56,000 square kilometres of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) officially expired without reaching a final consensus among the concerned states. Because agreement on final demarcation and development restrictions could not be reached within the 725-day validity period, a seventh draft […]

Impact of Climate Change on Elderly Why in News? India’s elderly population is projected to rise from 149 million (2022) to 347 million by 2050, increasing climate vulnerability. Key Challenges: Extreme Events: Floods, cyclones, droughts, heatwaves cause displacement, injuries and deaths. Slow-Onset Risks: Rising temperatures, water scarcity, coastal erosion and indoor heat stress. Health Impacts: Worsening chronic diseases, respiratory illnesses, reduced […]

Why in News? Launch: NSE Indices Limited (a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange) launched the Nifty500 Ahimsa Index on July 10, 2026. Shift in Investment Trends: Reflects a growing preference among modern and younger investors for thoughtful, sustainable, and ethical investing that goes beyond traditional ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks. About the Index: […]

Why in News: The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) under the Union Environment Ministry granted in-principle clearance for the 1,200-MW Kalai-II hydroelectric project on the Lohit River in Arunachal Pradesh. Controversy arose because the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) completely omitted the presence of the White-bellied Heron, a critically endangered bird species living directly in the […]