Weather and climate

Weather and climate are two different but related terms one must comprehend. Most of
us have seen the weather report on the news dictated by the weather forecaster,
speaking about the temperature, cloudiness, humidity, and whether a storm is likely to
hit in the next few days and more. This is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere at a
particular place.

Weather refers to the condition of a place or an atmosphere on a daily basis. It could be

cloudy, sunny, rainy, stormy or clear. It is a part of the natural phenomenon which
maintains the equilibrium in the atmosphere.

In contrast to the weather, the climate is the long-term condition of a particular region. It
refers to the average weather in a place over many years.

While the weather could change in just a few hours, climate takes hundreds, thousands,
even millions of years to change. However, it is changing at an alarming rate over the
past few years. This explains why deserts are too hot while poles are freezing.
A desert, for example, is referred to as an arid climate because little water falls, as rain
or snow, during the year. Other types of climate include tropical climates, which are hot
and humid, and temperate climates, which have warm summers and cooler winters.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns
in a place. Climate change could refer to a particular location or the planet as a whole.

In polar regions, the warming global temperatures associated with climate change have
meant ice sheets and glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate from season to season.
This contributes to sea levels rising in different regions of the planet.

Together with expanding ocean waters due to rising temperatures, the resulting rise
in sea level has begun to damage coastlines as a result of increased flooding and
erosion.
CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE

The cause of current climate change is largely human activity, like burning fossil fuels, like
natural gas, oil, and coal. Burning these materials releases what are called greenhouse
gases into Earth’s atmosphere. There, these gases trap heat from the sun’s rays inside the
atmosphere causing Earth’s average temperature to rise. This rise in the planet's
temperature is called global warming.

The warming of the planet impacts local and regional climates. Throughout Earth's history,
climate has continually changed.

When occuring naturally, this is a slow process that has taken place over hundreds and
thousands of years. The human influenced climate change that is happening now is
occuring at a much faster rate.
 IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

1. Impact on human communities: Humans and wild animals face new challenges for
survival because of climate change. More frequent and intense drought, storms, heat
waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and warming oceans can directly harm animals,
destroy the places they live, and wreak havoc on people’s livelihoods and communities.

Human societies will be seriously affected by extremes of climate such as droughts and
floods. A changing climate would bring about changes in the frequency and/or intensity
of these extremes. This is a major concern for human health. To a large extent, public
health depends on safe drinking water, sufficient food, secure shelter, and good social
conditions. All these factors are affected by climate change.

Fresh water supplies may be seriously affected, reducing the availability of clean water
for drinking and washing during drought as well as floods. Water can be contaminated
and sewage systems may be damaged. The risk of spread of infectious diseases such as
diarrhoeal diseases will increase.
2. Impact on agriculture
Extreme heat: Crops need suitable soil, water, sunlight, and heat to grow. However,
extreme heat events and reductions in precipitation and water availability have
hampered the crop productivity.
Changing Rainfall Patterns: Rainfall patterns have already begun shifting across the
country, and such changes are expected to intensify over the coming years.

3. Impact on global economy

Not only is it a serious threat to the planet and to people, climate change is also
threatening the global economy.
As well as its serious impact on the environment and people, climate change is one of
the biggest threats to economic stability. Heat waves make us less able to work and
reduce productivity. Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons devastate millions of people,
leaving them in absolute poverty after ruthlessly sweeping away their communities.
4. Impact on biodiversity: Rising temperatures already affect the world's polar regions.
Diminishing ice packs reduce the habitats of polar bears, penguins, puffins, and other
Arctic creatures.

As the ice melts, it increases the sea level, which will affect and perhaps destroy
ecosystems on coastlines. Changes in temperatures will also cause shifts in mating
cycles, especially for migratory animals that rely on changing seasons to indicate their
migration and reproductive timing.

Rising sea levels will also cause changes to ocean temperatures and perhaps even
currents. Such changes would have a strong impact on zooplankton, an essential part
of the food chain in the ocean.
 GLOBAL WARMING

“Global warming is a gradual increase in the earth’s temperature generally due to

the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other
pollutants. “
Global warming is the phenomenon of a gradual increase in the
temperature near the earth’s surface. This phenomenon has been
observed over the past one or two centuries. This change has disturbed
the climatic pattern of the earth. However, the concept of global warming
is quite controversial but the scientists have provided relevant data in
support of the fact that the temperature of the earth is rising constantly.
CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING
Following are the major causes of global warming:
Man-made Causes of Global Warming
1. Deforestation
Plants are the main source of oxygen. They take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen
thereby maintaining environmental balance. Forests are being depleted for many
domestic and commercial purposes. This has led to an environmental imbalance,
thereby giving rise to global warming.
2. Use of Vehicles
The use of vehicles, even for a very short distance results in various gaseous emissions.
Vehicles burn fossil fuels which emit a large amount of carbon dioxide and other toxins
into the atmosphere resulting in a temperature increase.
3. Chlorofluorocarbon
With the excessive use of air conditioners and refrigerators, humans have been adding
CFCs into the environment which affects the atmospheric ozone layer. The ozone layer
protects the earth surface from the harmful ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun. The
CFCs has led to ozone layer depletion making way for the ultraviolet rays, thereby
increasing the temperature of the earth.
4. Industrial Development
With the advent of industrialization, the temperature of the earth has been increasing
rapidly. The harmful emissions from the factories add to the increasing temperature of
the earth.
In 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change reported that the increase in
the global temperature between 1880 and 2012 has been 0.9 degrees Celsius. The
increase is 1.1 degrees Celsius when compared to the pre-industrial mean temperature.

5. Overpopulation
Increase in population means more people breathing. This leads to an increase in the
level of carbon dioxide, the primary gas causing global warming, in the atmosphere.
Natural Causes of Global Warming
1. Volcanoes
Volcanoes are one of the largest natural contributors to global warming. The ash and
smoke emitted during volcanic eruptions goes out into the atmosphere and affects the
climate.
2. Water Vapour
Water vapour is a kind of greenhouse gas. Due to the increase in the earth’s
temperature more water gets evaporated from the water bodies and stays in the
atmosphere adding to global warming.
3. Melting Permafrost
Permafrost is there where glaciers are present. It is a frozen soil that has environmental
gases trapped in it for several years. As the permafrost melts, it releases the gases back
into the atmosphere increasing the earth’s temperature.
4. Forest Blazes
Forest blazes or forest fires emit a large amount of carbon-containing smoke. These
gases are released into the atmosphere and increase the earth’s temperature resulting
in global warming.
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

Following are the major effects of global warming:

Rise in Temperature
Global warming has led to an incredible increase in earth’s temperature. This has
resulted in an increase in the melting of glaciers, which have led to an increase in the
sea level. This could have devastating effects on coastal regions.
Threats to the Ecosystem
Global warming has affected the coral reefs that can lead to a loss of plant and animal
lives. Increase in global temperatures has made the fragility of coral reefs even worse.
Climate Change
Global warming has led to a change in climatic conditions. There are droughts at some
places and floods at some. This climatic imbalance is the result of global warming.
Spread of Diseases
Global warming leads to a change in the patterns of heat and humidity. This has led to
the movement of mosquitoes that carry and spread diseases.
High Mortality Rates
Due to an increase in floods, tsunamis and other natural calamities, the average death toll
usually increases. Also, such events can bring about the spread of diseases that can
hamper human life.
Loss of Natural Habitat
A global shift in the climate leads to the loss of habitats of several plants and animals. In
this case, the animals need to migrate from their natural habitat and many of them even
become extinct. This is yet another major impact of global warming on biodiversity.
ACID RAIN

•Acid Rain as the name suggests can be said to be the precipitation of acid in the
form of rain in the simplest manner. When atmospheric pollutants like oxides of
nitrogen and sulphur react with rainwater and come down with the rain, then this
results in Acid Rain.

•When fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are burned, chemicals like sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides are produced. These chemicals react with water and
other chemicals in the air to form sulfuric acid, nitric acid and other harmful
pollutants like sulfates and nitrates. These acid pollutants spread upwards into the
atmosphere, and are carried by air currents, to finally return to the ground in the
form of acid rain, fog or snow.
Effects: Acid rain is known to cause widespread environmental damage.

1. Acid rain is very harmful to agriculture, plants, and animals. It washes away all
nutrients which are required for the growth and survival of plants. Acid rain
affects agriculture by the way how it alters the composition of the soil.

2. Acid rain that falls or flows as ground water to reach rivers, lakes and wetlands,
causes the water in them to become acidic. This affects plant and animal life in
aquatic ecosystems.

3. Acid rain also has far reaching effects on wildlife. By adversely affecting one
species, the entire food chain is disrupted, ultimately endangering the entire
ecosystem. Different aquatic species can tolerate different levels of acidity. For
instance clams and mayflies have a high mortality when water has a pH of 6.0,
while frogs can tolerate more acidic water, although with the decline in supply of
mayflies, frog populations may also decline.
4. Acid rain and dry acid deposition damages buildings, automobiles, and other
structures made of stone or metal. The acid corrodes the materials causing extensive
damage and ruins historic buildings. For instance the Parthenon in Greece and the Taj
Mahal in India have been affected by acid rain.

5. Although surface water polluted by acid rain does not directly harm people, the toxic
substances leached from soil can pollute water supply. Fish caught in these waters may
be harmful for human consumption. Acid, along with other chemicals in the air,
produces urban smog, which causes respiratory problems.
Solutions:
•The best way to stop the formation of acid rain is to reduce the emissions of sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere.

•This can be achieved by using less energy from fossil fuels in power plants, vehicles
and industry.

•Switching to cleaner burning fuels is also a way out. For instance using natural gas
which is cleaner than coal, using coal with lower sulfur content, and developing more
efficient Vehicles.

•Being responsible citizens, one should be aware of the harmful effects they cause and
of the industries which give out nitrogen and sulphur compound wastes unethically.
Ozone layer depletion
“The ozone layer is a region in the earth’s stratosphere that contains high
concentrations of ozone and protects the earth from the harmful ultraviolet
radiations of the sun.”

The ozone layer is the layer present in the Stratosphere. It absorbs the
harmful ultraviolet rays that come from the sun.

The ozone-depleting substances that contain chlorine include chlorofluorocarbon,

carbon tetrachloride, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and methyl chloroform. Whereas,
the ozone-depleting substances that contain bromine are halons, methyl bromide,
and hydro bromofluorocarbons. Chlorofluorocarbons are the most abundant ozone-
depleting substance.
Causes of Ozone Layer Depletion
The ozone layer depletion is a major concern and is associated with a number of factors.
The main causes responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer are listed below:
1. Chlorofluorocarbons: Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs are the main cause of ozone layer
depletion. These are released by solvents, spray aerosols, refrigerators, air-
conditioners, etc.
2. Unregulated Rocket Launches: Researches say that the unregulated launching of
rockets result in much more depletion of ozone layer than the CFCs do. If not
controlled, this might result in a huge loss of the ozone layer by the year 2050.
3. Nitrogenous Compounds: The nitrogenous compounds such as NO2, NO, N2O are
highly responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer.
4. Natural Causes: The ozone layer has been found to be depleted by certain natural
processes such as Sun-spots and stratospheric winds. But it does not cause more
than 1-2% of the ozone layer depletion. The volcanic eruptions are also responsible
for the depletion of the ozone layer.
Effects Of Ozone Layer Depletion
The depletion of the ozone layer has harmful effects on the environment. Let us see the
major effects of ozone layer depletion on man and environment.
1. Effects on Human Health: The humans will be directly exposed to the harmful
ultraviolet radiations of the sun due to the depletion of the ozone layer. This might
result in serious health issues among humans, such as skin diseases, cancer,
sunburns, cataract, quick ageing and weak immune system.
2. Effects on Animals: Direct exposure to ultraviolet radiations leads to skin and eye
cancer in animals.
3. Effects on the Environment: Strong ultraviolet rays may lead to minimal growth,
flowering and photosynthesis in plants. The forests also have to bear the harmful
effects of the ultraviolet rays.
4. Effects on Marine Life: Planktons are greatly affected by the exposure to harmful
ultraviolet rays. These are higher in the aquatic food chain. If the planktons are
destroyed, the organisms present in the food chain are also affected.
5. Effects on crops: An increase of UV radiation would be expected to affect crops. A
number of economically important species of plants, such as rice, depend
on cyanobacteria residing on their roots for the retention
of nitrogen. Cyanobacteriaare sensitive to UV radiation and would be affected by its
increase.
KYOTO PROTOCOL
•The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was an
international agreement held in 1992 in which member countries agreed to reduce
greenhouse gas concentrations in the earth’s atmosphere in order to prevent
devastating climate change. This was, however, not binding on the members, and no
specific targets were set.

•The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and entered
into force on 16 February 2005. There were 192 parties to the Protocol in 2020.

•Most nations have ratified the treaty. The USA is a notable exception to this. It takes
the stand that having binding targets only for developed countries and not polluting
countries like China and India is potentially harmful for its own economy. Canada
withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol in 2012.

•The targets are for the following greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide,
methane, sulphur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons.
•The Protocol's first commitment period started in 2008 and ended in 2012. All 36
countries that fully participated in the first commitment period complied with the
Protocol.
•After the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ended, an amendment i.e.
changes was carried out to the Kyoto Protocol.

•A second commitment period was agreed to in 2012 to extend the agreement to 2020,
known as the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, in which 37 countries had binding
targets.

•The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialised
countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

•The Compliance Committee of the Kyoto Protocol is made up of two branches:

a facilitative branch and an enforcement branch. As their names suggest, the facilitative
branch aims to provide advice and assistance to Parties in order to promote compliance
under the Kyoto Protocol, whereas the enforcement branch has the responsibility to
determine consequences for Parties not meeting their commitments under the Kyoto
Protocol.
MONTREAL PROTOCOL

▪The Protocol was signed in 1987 and entered into force in January 1989. The
protocol gives provisions to reduce the production and consumption of Ozone
Depleting Substances (ODSs) to protect the ozone layer. Examples of ODSs are
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), carbon tetrachloride,
methyl chloroform, hydrobromofluorocarbons, halons, etc.

▪By the late 1970s, scientists were able to prove that chemical substances that were
used in air conditioners, refrigerators, and aerosol cans were causing damage to the
ozone layer. In 1985, a huge hole was discovered in the ozone layer over Antarctica.
This hole allowed hazardous levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation to reach the earth’s
surface.
The Montreal Protocol entered into force on 1 January 1989, and has since undergone
nine revisions, in 1990 (London), 1991 (Nairobi), 1992 (Copenhagen), 1993 (Bangkok),
1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), 1998 (Australia), 1999 (Beijing) and 2016 (Kigali).

Since the Montreal Protocol came into effect, the atmospheric concentrations of the
most important chlorofluorocarbons and related chlorinated hydrocarbons have either
leveled off or decreased.
In a 2001 report, NASA found the ozone thinning over Antarctica had remained the
same thickness for the previous three years.

Multilateral Fund: The Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal
Protocol was set up in 1991 to help developing countries to comply with the provision
of the Protocol. It provides financial and technical assistance to developing member
countries whose yearly per capita consumption and production of ODSs is less than 0.3
kg.
 CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD),

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known informally as the Biodiversity

Convention, is a multilateral treaty.

Its objective is to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use
of biological diversity, and it is often seen as the key document regarding sustainable
development.

The convention was opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 5
June 1992 and entered into force on 29 December 1993. It is commonly known as
“Biodiversity Convention“. It has two supplementary agreements, the Cartagena
Protocol and Nagoya Protocol.
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an
international treaty governing the safe transport, handling and use of living
modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology from one
country to another. It was adopted on 29 January 2000 as a supplementary
agreement to the CBD and entered into force on 11 September 2003.

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable
Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) to the Convention on
Biological Diversity is another supplementary agreement to the CBD.

The Nagoya Protocol was adopted on 29 October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, and
entered into force on 12 October 2014. As of April 2022, 137 parties have
ratified the protocol, including 136 UN member states and the European
Union. India signed the Nagoya Protocol in 2011 and ratified it in
October 2012. The ratification by India was done at the 11th Conference
of Parties (COP) to the CBD, which was conducted in Hyderabad.
•Genetic resources from animals, plants, and microorganisms are progressively
valuable in the development of specialty enzymes, small molecules, or enhanced
genes. These can be used in many areas, including drug development, crop
protection, specialized chemical production, and also in industrial processing.
•The protocol gives researchers a framework in which to access these genetic
resources for biotechnology research in return for a fair share in the benefits
arising from the usage.
•Indigenous and local communities may receive benefits through a legal
framework that respects the value of traditional knowledge associated with
genetic resources.

This is also intended to help indigenous peoples everywhere to avoid being

exploited for their traditional knowledge and expertise.
Goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity
The goals of the Convention are listed below:

▪Conservation of Biological Diversity

▪Sustainable use of the components of the Biodiversity
▪Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the genetic resources

Its objective is to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity, and it is often seen as the key document regarding sustainable
development.
The United Nations proclaimed May 22nd of every year to be observed as the
International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), with an intention to increase the
understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues across the world.

The theme for International Biodiversity Day 2021 is “We’re part of the solution
#ForNature” and was chosen to be a continuation of the momentum generated last year
(2020) under the overarching theme, “Our solutions are in nature.”
RAMSAR CONVENTION

Ramsar Convention is a convention on wetlands that was signed in 1971 in the

Iranian city of Ramsar. The negotiations for the convention started in the 1960s by
the different countries and NGOs for the protection of wetlands and their
resources. Finally, it came into force in 1975.

Purpose of the Ramsar Convention

The convention works on three pillars that define the purpose of the Ramsar
Convention:
Wise Use – To work towards the wise use of all wetlands
List of Wetlands of International Importance – Designate suitable wetlands under
the Ramsar List to effectively manage those
International Cooperation – To bring cooperation internationally over the
transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems and shared species.
What are wetlands?
As per the broad definition of the Ramsar Convention, “Wetlands are “areas of
marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or
temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including
areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six
metres.”
Examples of Wetlands are:
•Marine and coastal areas
•Estuaries
•Lakes and rivers
•Marshes and peatlands
•Groundwater and human-made wetlands such as rice paddies, shrimp
ponds, and reservoirs
wetlands provide many important services to the environment and to the public. They offer
critical habitat for fish, waterfowl and other wildlife, they purify polluted waters, and they help
check the destructive power of floods and storms. They also provide a wide variety of
recreational opportunities such as fishing, hunting, photography, and wildlife observation
Wetlands are important for many reasons:
•Biodiversity: Wetlands are home to a wide variety of plants and animals, including at least one
third of all threatened and endangered species.
•Water quality: Wetlands improve water quality by absorbing pollutants.
•Flood protection: Wetlands reduce the impact of floods, especially in coastal areas.
•Erosion control: Wetlands help prevent shoreline erosion.
•Climate change: Wetlands are an important part of the fight against climate change.
•Recreation: Wetlands provide opportunities for recreation and aesthetic appreciation.
•Education: Wetlands are important sites for research and education.
•Economic benefits: Wetlands provide commercial fishery benefits and are important to
industry.
•Air quality: Wetlands produce moist air that can cool and cleanse the atmosphere.
There are 42 wetlands in India that have international importance and are hence
recognized as the Ramsar Sites in India. Ramsar Sites are wetlands that have international
importance.

World Wetlands Day – It was first celebrated in 1997. It is celebrated each year on 2nd
February to mark the anniversary of the Ramsar Convention and promote its mission.
2nd February 2021 marked the 50th anniversary of the Ramsar Convention, the day which
is also celebrated as World Wetlands Day.

India on this occasion established the Centre for Wetland Conservation & Management
which is the first in the country. It is set up under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change (MoEF&CC), at the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management
(NCSCM) in Chennai.
 UNFCCC
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the UN process
for negotiating an agreement to limit dangerous climate change. It is an international
treaty among countries to combat "dangerous human interference with the climate
system". The main way to do this is limiting the increase in greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. It was signed in 1992 by 154 states at the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio
de Janeiro.
The UNFCCC entered into force on March 21, 1994, and has been ratified by 197 countries.

Objective
1. According to Article 2, the Convention’s ultimate objective is “to achieve, stabilization
of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent
dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”.

2. This objective is qualified in that it “should be achieved within a time frame sufficient
to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food
production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a
sustainable manner”.
The countries that have ratified the convention are called the UNFCCC conference of
parties (COP). The first Conference of the Parties (COP) was held in Berlin, Germany, in
1995. COP29 will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2024.
CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION (CWC)
Like nuclear weapons and biological weapons, chemical weapons are often classified
as weapons of mass destruction. Under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) of 1993,
the use of chemical weapons in war is prohibited, as is all development, production,
acquisition, stockpiling, and transfer of such weapons.
The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), officially the Convention on the Prohibition of
the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their
Destruction, is an arms control treaty administered by the Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), an intergovernmental organization based in The Hague, The
Netherlands.

The treaty entered into force on 29 April 1997, and prohibits the large-scale use,
development, production, stockpiling and transfer of chemical weapons and
their precursors, except for very limited purposes (research, medical, pharmaceutical or
protective).

India signed the treaty in January 1993. Thereafter, the Chemical Weapons Convention Act,
2000 was passed in parliament to implement the CWC. This act is applicable to all citizens.
 This convention prohibits:

•The development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, or retention of chemical

weapons.
•Transferring of chemical weapons
•Using chemical weapons
•Assisting other States to indulge in activities that are prohibited by the CWC

The OPCW is the authority to which countries parties to the treaty declare their
chemical weapons stockpile and then destroy them.

About 96% of the world’s chemical weapons have been destroyed after the
CWC implementation.
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP)

United Nations Environment Programme is an agency that takes care of the environment.
The Headquarters of the UNEP is located at Nairobi, Kenya.

UNEP's mission is “to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the
environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their
quality of life without compromising that of future generations.”

It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference
on the Human Environment in Stockholm in June 1972. Its mandate is to provide leadership,
deliver science and develop solutions on a wide range of issues, including climate change,
the management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and green economic
development. The organization also develops international environmental agreements;
publishes and promotes environmental science and helps national governments achieve
environmental targets.
 CITES

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild

Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral
treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of international
trade

CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora. CITES is an international agreement between governments with the objective of the
preservation of the planet’s plants and animals by ensuring that the international trade in
their specimens does not threaten their survival. It was adopted in 1963 and entered into
force in 1975.

CITES was conceptualised in 1963 at a meeting of the (IUCN) International Union For
Conservation Of Nature.

It came into force in 1975 and consists of 183 member-countries till date that abide by
CITES regulations by implementing legislation within their own borders to enforce those
regulations.
Located in Geneva, Switzerland, the CITES is administered by the United
Nations under its UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) Wing.

The Convention of Parties to CITES is the supreme decision-making body of the

Convention and comprises all its Parties.

The last CoP (17th) was held at Johannesburg (South Africa), in 2016. India
hosted CoP (3rd) in 1981.

Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties, it does not take the place of
national laws.
The 17 goals under the Sustainable Development Goals are as mentioned below:

1.End poverty in all its forms everywhere

2.End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable
agriculture
3.Ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all at all stages
4.Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities
for all
5.Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6.Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7.Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8.Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive
employment and decent work for all
9.Built resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster
innovation
10.Reduce inequalities within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production pattern
13. Take urgent actions to combat climate change and its impact
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably
managed forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation and
halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide
access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all
levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for
sustainable development
Sustainable Development Goals: India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change
and its major missions

National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) is a Government of

India's programme launched in 2008 to mitigate and adapt to the adverse impact of
climate change. The action plan was launched in 2008 with 8 sub-missions.

It aims at creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different

agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat
posed by climate change and the steps to counter it.
The 8 missions under NAPCC are as follows:

1. National Solar Mission

2. National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
3. National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
4. National Water Mission
5. National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem
6. Green India Mission
7. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
8. National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change
1. National Solar Mission

National Solar Mission was launched as Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission in
2010. It has been revised two times since then. The Mission was launched with a target
of producing 20,000 Megawatts of solar power in three phases of (2010-2013); (2013-
2017); and (2017-2022).

To fulfill the targets set up under the mission, the Government launched several
schemes in order to promote solar power and reduce dependency on the traditional
power sources. One such scheme called Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Uthhan Mahabhiyan
(KUSUM) was approved by Cabinet Committee on Economic affairs in 2019.
2. National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE)

The National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency was developed from the Energy
Conservation Act of 2001.

The Mission document, which was approved in 2010, established the immense energy
efficiency potential of India, which was about Rs. 74,000 crores. The Mission, upon its
complete execution, aims to achieve total avoided capacity addition of 19,598 MW,
fuel savings of around 23 million tonnes per year and green house gas emissions
reductions of 98.55 million tonnes per year.

Example: "Bachat Lamp Yojna" was later replaced by the "Unnat Jyoti Affordable LED
for All" (UJALA) scheme in 2015, in which LED bulbs were distributed to replace the
comparatively more efficient CFL bulbs.
3. National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
The transport sector along with urban buildings are major consumers of energy in India apart
from electricity production sector. The National Mission on Sustainable Habitat is an umbrella
programme to reduce the energy consumption and hence the risk of climate change due to the
urban settlement pattern. The mission also covers under its ambit, the water resource
management as well as drinking water management.

4. National Water Mission

National Water Mission is a comprehensive programme for equitable distribution of water
across the country as well as for enhancing the capacity building process for the management
of over exploited blocs. It is focused upon tackling the issues related to water availability and
pollution which is owed to the global warming and climate change.

5. National Mission for Sustainable Himalayan Ecosystem

The Himalayas are one of the most important ecosystem of India with millions of people
depending upon it. This particular mission sets the goal to prevent melting of the Himalayan
glaciers and to protect biodiversity in the Himalayan region.
6. Green India Mission
The Green India Mission is aimed at protecting, restoring and enhancing India's green
cover in response to the climate change. The mission has a cumulative target of
increasing forest cover on 5 million hectares of land while improving the forest cover
on additional 5 hectares.
7. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
The NAPCC aims to support climate adaptation in agriculture through the
development of climate-resilient crops, expansion of weather insurance mechanisms,
and agricultural practices.

8. National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change:

To gain a better understanding of climate science, impacts, and challenges, the plan
envisions a new Climate Science Research Fund, improved climate modeling, and
increased international collaboration.