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India has added five more Ramsar sites to its list ahead of the World Wetlands Day on February 2, making the total count of wetlands classified under Ramsar convention to 80 from the existing 75 covering an area of 1.33 million hectares.
These wetlands include Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest in Tamil Nadu, and Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve and Aghanashini Estuary in Karnataka. The Ramsar Convention sets nine criteria for identifying Wetlands of International Importance. These include sites containing representative, rare or unique wetland types and sites of international importance for conserving biological diversity.
International recognition hasn’t stopped wetlands from degrading, being polluted or encroached upon as they are not owned by one agency, and not always entitled to legal protection, which makes conserving them a challenge. Better management of the wetlands is now high on the agenda (Mongabay, India
)
Rural women in the villages of Meerut and Hapur districts are turning water hyacinth, a pond-dwelling weed, into valuable handmade products that has helped them become self sufficient through selling the products in the market. Spearheaded by an NGO, the project aims to support marginalised women and rejuvenate water bodies, creating a win-win situation for both the environment and the local communities.
The project, launched in UP two years ago, has now expanded to five states and benefited around 2,000 women and is supported by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi).
As high as 74 percent of water bodies in India are affected by water hyacinth, which grows rapidly, obstructs sunlight and disrupts the aquatic life by negatively affecting the food chain. Rural women extract and process the hyacinth, converting them into products like handbags, fruit baskets, mats, belts, hats and slippers. Women earn as much as 6000 per month by selling these products online, in exhibitions and through other channels.
Most of the women work 5 hours per day from their homes and also contribute in in extracting the hyacinth from the wetlands. Regular income from the initiative has not only helped women become financially independent, but has also helped them gain confidence while at the same time helped in sustainable revival of water bodies (Times Of India
).
Mission Amrit Sarovar, started by the government of India on April 24, 2022, is a key part of India's efforts to tackle water problems and adapt to climate change. It represents a big step towards managing water sustainably and protecting the environment.
Shopian district in Kashmir, known for its natural beauty, has not only successfully revived existing ponds but also built new artificial water bodies in the district, under the initiative. Under the mission, activities such as fixing up old water bodies and making new ones are undertaken to aid collection of rainwater, refill underground water, and make sure there’s enough water even in dry times.
The focus of the initiative in Shopian has been on community engagement, governmental support, and meticulous planning. The project's execution is carried out by local governance bodies through the active participation of the Gram Sabha, highlighting the power of collaborative action in achieving sustainable development goals. The initiative has also helped in creating jobs through engaging people in building and taking care of these ponds (
Rising Kashmir
).
Forests are considered the most effective and abundantly available carbon sinks, capable of storing and sequestering millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, a new study from India has challenged this notion, showing that carbon uptake by forests can be variable in a warming world.
The goal to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century has popularised the idea of using forests as tools to aid climate mitigation, or carbon removal, in order to reduce global emissions. The Indian government has pledged to create a carbon sink capable of sequestering an additional 2.5-3 billion tonnes of carbon through forest and tree cover by 2030.
However, the study by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay has suggested suggested that global warming may be affecting and reducing the carbon uptake potential of forests and could have reduced the carbon uptake potential in forests by around 6% over the last two decades (
Scroll
).
Water scarcity is exacerbated by declining water quality in numerous regions, and the situation is expected to worsen in the years to come, finds a study. An important factor contributing to this crisis is nitrogen pollution in rivers, and the global impact of future nitrogen pollution will be alarming, with the number of sub-basins experiencing water scarcity expected to triple.
An additional 40 million square kilometres of river basin area and three billion more people may face water scarcity in 2050 than previously estimated. The study introduces the term "clean-water scarcity" and provides a comprehensive assessment considering both water quantity and quality. This assessment, based on global nitrogen pollution and incorporating various climatic and socio-economic scenarios, reveals a more dire situation than previous evaluations.
In 2010, 984 sub-basins were expected to be water scarce based on quantity alone, while 2,517 sub-basins faced scarcity due to both quantity and quality. This number is anticipated to increase to 3,061 sub-basins in the worst-case scenario in 2050, as outlined in the study. When considering only water quantity, the study estimated that 45 per cent of the global population lived in areas with severe water scarcity in 2010. However, when water quality is factored in, this estimate rose to 80 percent. Future clean-water scarcity hotspots were identified in China, India, Europe, North America, and potentially Central Africa in the worst-case scenario, each with unique challenges requiring targeted solutions (
Down To Earth
)
This is a roundup of important news updates from 1st February to 15th February 2024. Read our policy updates here.