Current Affairs - Environment

The study on Olive Ridley turtles was conducted by the Dakshin Foundation in partnership with IISc Bengaluru and State Forest Departments. This long-term assessment, covering 16 years, provided valuable insights into the population trends of these turtles in India, including the impact of climate change on their sex ratio and other conservation concerns. The collaboration with IISc Bengaluru highlights the significant role of research institutions in wildlife conservation efforts.

COP16, the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), was held in Rome, where global leaders committed to securing $200 billion annually to protect biodiversity and implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The agreement also included the establishment of the Cali Fund to ensure fair benefit-sharing from genetic resource data. Additionally, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) allocated over $3 billion, leveraging a total of $22 billion for biodiversity conservation efforts worldwide.

The Cali Fund was launched at COP16 in Rome on February 25, 2025, to gather contributions from businesses using Digital Sequence Information (DSI) like genetic data. The fund is dedicated to supporting biodiversity conservation, with a focus on directing at least 50% of its resources to indigenous peoples and local communities. Managed by the UNDP and UNEP, the Cali Fund aims to support various conservation projects to safeguard biodiversity globally.

Denmark launched the Green Transition Alliance India (GTAI) to strengthen its collaboration with India in the field of sustainable energy solutions. The initiative aims to fast-track both nations' efforts toward global carbon neutrality through cooperation in renewable energy, green fuels, and energy efficiency. The initiative is a part of the Green Strategic Partnership (GSP) between Denmark and India, focusing on accelerating the transition to net zero emissions, with Denmark aiming for net zero by 2045 and India by 2070. Various Danish companies and strategic partners will play crucial roles in the initiative.

Bisleri International has partnered with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0 Programme’ to restore and protect historic water bodies at heritage sites across India. This collaboration is part of Bisleri’s CSR initiative, ‘Nayi Umeed,’ which focuses on water conservation and environmental sustainability. The project will start by revitalizing four significant water bodies in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, contributing to ecological restoration and improving tourism experiences while preserving India’s heritage.