Environment Current Affairs

India’s tiger population is estimated to be 3,925 with an annual growth rate of 6.1% per annum. The report was released by Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar on Global Tiger Day on 29 July 2023.

1. Last year, minimum tiger population was 3,167 based on the camera-trapped area.
2. The new estimate of 3,925 tigers comes from further analysis of data done by the Wildlife Institute of India, considering both camera-trapped and non-camera-trapped tiger presence areas.
3. India currently harbors almost 75 percent of the world’s wild tiger population.
4. The states with the largest tiger populations are Madhya Pradesh (785), Karnataka (563), Uttarakhand (560), and Maharashtra (444).
5. Among the Tiger Reserves, Corbett has the highest tiger abundance with 260 tigers, followed by Bandipur with 150 and Nagarhole with 141 tigers.

Question: What is the estimated tiger population in India, as per the report released by the Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Global Tiger Day on 29 July 2023?

A) 2,500 B) 3,167 C) 3,682 D) 3,925

Answer: D) 3,925

The government plans to replace steel barriers on highways with special ‘Bahu Balli’ barriers made of Bamboo. Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari revealed that a pilot project using bamboo barriers has already started in Chhattisgarh and will soon be implemented in other states.

1. The decision to use bamboo barriers is driven by their eco-friendliness and the potential to boost the bamboo industry and create employment opportunities in the north-eastern regions and tribal areas.
2. These bamboo barriers will also be utilized in access control areas on highways to prevent the entry of pedestrians, animals, and vehicles onto the Expressway.
3. The current standards for Expressways and green-field access controlled National Highways involve the use of mild steel sections and welded steel wire mesh for fencing. However, guidelines issued by the Ministry propose the adoption of precast concrete boundary walls in these areas.
4. A proposal has been received and an order placed for the feasibility and demonstration of the ‘Bahu Balli Fences,’ made of bamboo, as an alternative to the traditional barriers.

Question: What material will be used to replace steel barriers on highways according to the government’s plan?

A) Concrete
B) Wood
C) Bamboo
D) Plastic

Answer: C) Bamboo

The United Nations’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that heatwaves and extreme weather have affected most parts of the world, including Europe, the US, and Asia.

• Sardinia in Italy could see temperatures of more than 47 degrees Celsius, and several Italian cities could reach 40 degrees.
• Heatwaves this summer have coincided with wildfires and deadly flooding in various parts of the world.
• The WMO has warned that the world needs to prepare for increasingly intense heatwaves and that the current heatwave in the northern hemisphere is set to intensify.
• Temperatures in North America, Asia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean are expected to be above 40 degrees Celsius for a prolonged period this week.
• Overnight minimum temperatures are also expected to reach new highs, increasing the risk of heart attacks and deaths.

Q.: Which organization issued a warning about the impact of heatwaves and extreme weather worldwide?
a) World Health Organization (WHO)
b) World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
c) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
d) International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Ans : b) World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Peru has declared a state of emergency for sixty days in areas surrounding the Ubinas volcano. The volcano has been emitting ash and gas since earlier in the week, as reported by the Geophysical Institute of Peru.

The smoke cloud from the volcano has reached towns located 10 kilometers away from the volcano. Approximately 2,000 people reside in the affected areas. The region where Ubinas is located, Moquegua, is 1,200 kilometers southeast of the capital city Lima.

Ubinas is the most active volcano in Peru and is situated in a region known for volcanic activity and earthquakes, called the “Ring of Fire” along the edges of the Pacific Ocean.

What is “Ring of Fire”

The “Ring of Fire” is a horseshoe-shaped area around the Pacific Ocean known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. It stretches for approximately 40,000 kilometers and includes countries such as Chile, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and the western coast of the United States. The region experiences a high concentration of earthquakes and is home to many active volcanoes. It poses risks to the populations living in these areas, including the potential for tsunamis.

Q.: The “Ring of Fire” is known for:
a) High precipitation levels
b) Frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity
c) Rich biodiversity
d) Historical cultural sites

Answer: b) Frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity

The U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction has reported that 3 July 2023 marked the World’s hottest day ever recorded globally. The average global temperature reached 17.01 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record set in August 2016. The heatwaves experienced around the world have been attributed to the El Niño weather pattern.

In the United States, an intense heat dome has caused extreme weather conditions in recent weeks. China has also been grappling with a persistent heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. North Africa has witnessed temperatures nearing 50 degrees Celsius, while the Middle East has experienced unusually scorching heat during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Even Antarctica, in its winter season, has recorded abnormally high temperatures. Ukraine’s Vernadsky research base on the Argentine Islands in Antarctica recently broke its July temperature record with a reading of 8.7 degrees Celsius. Scientists have expressed concern about the climate crisis, which has been exacerbated by the El Niño weather pattern. The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issued a warning this week about the onset of the latest El Niño event.

Q.: Which day was recorded as the World’s hottest day according to data from the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction?

A) 5 August 2016
B) 3 July 2023
C) 21 August 2022
D) 22 June 2019

Answer: B) 3 July 2023