Vasundhara Issue 5 | March 2021 THE SIXTH EXTINCTION EXPLORING THE UNPRECEDENTED DECLINE OF NATURE AND ITS SPECIES

EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH PURNIMA DEVI BARMAN When superstition leads to extinction, the only species left to blame is humanity. Hargilla (Stork) of , Eco-Club TERISAS brings to you "The Sixth Extinction", the fifth issue of Vasundhara magazine, on the theme and climate change. This is a free and creative initiative to educate young minds about the ongoing events in this field. The information in the magazine is for general use only Editor's Note 4 and has been compiled from various research India's Environmental Commitments: 5 papers/articles/government databases. Some Everything You Need To Know personal experiences and anecdotes have also been shared for which we extend our sincere gratitude to

e Climate Change and Disease 6 the contributors. The information given in this edition is accurate to Zoonotic Diseases and Biodiversity 7 the best of our knowledge as of 17th March and we The Battle For Belonging: 8 apologize for any inadvertent errors that may exist. u A Case Study of Mollem, Goa

Decoding How Your Next Meal 9

s Can Help Save The Planet

At War With Wetlands 10

THE TEAM s Kadar's: Leading The 12 Environmental Cause I The Role of Individuals in 13 EDITORIAL Conserving Biodiversity EDITOR: Kashish Bansal (MA SDP) SUB-EDITOR: Divija Kumari (MA SDP) Where The Wild Things Were 14

MEMBER: Mansi Dave (MA SDP) s MEMBER: Jaya Gupta (PhD. Business ) Superstition Led Extinction: 16 Interview with Mrs. Purnima Barman MEMBER: Parth Tandon (MSc ESRM) i Lost Paradise 18

The Science of Biodiversity 21

h and Conservation @TERISAS CONTENT EXECUTIVE: Anshita Jindal (MA SDP) Pre/ConServe: 22 Interview with Mr. Rituraj Phukan TEAM LEAD: Ashwini Ashok Huggi (MSc ESRM) T MEMBER: Nidhi Mandloi (MBA SM) The Big Debate: 24 MEMBER: Ritapriya Bandyopadhyay (MSc Economics) Economic Developments v/s Environmental Conservation

Silenced Voices of Indigenous 25

DESIGN n Communities: Chamoli Tragedy Nivedita Jha (MBA Sustainability Management) Knowlege Upgrade 26 I Vibhusha Gupta (MA SDP) Leisure Spot 29 Editor's India's Environmental Commitments: Note Everything you need to know

While environmental protection and conservation should be an innate value in every individual, laws, and For long humans have been extracting benefits from agreements often hold countries accountable to their promises. India is no different and is a signatory to many nature, be it for sustaining life or for progressing into agreements and has formulated many laws to achieve the same. the modern world. On the contrary, what man has bestowed upon nature is a hard question. I pondered India: Convention on REDD+ upon it for a while and soon gave up. Biological Diversity Reducing Emissions from and Forest Infrastructural and economic development at the cost Degradation (REDD+) is an organization dedicated The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an to working towards conservation and enhancement of biodiversity is a loss, much bigger than humankind international legal instrument for "the conservation of the carbon pool, through sustainable forest is anticipating at the moment. Although we are lately of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its management. recognizing the recent catastrophes as man-made components and the fair and equitable sharing of The agenda of “Reducing emissions from events, yet little is being done to recover from the the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic deforestation and forest degradation in developing losses and the saddest part being that the brunt of all resources" that has been ratified by 196 nations. The countries (REDD)” was first introduced in UNFCCC as Conference of Parties (CoP) through CBD monitors these plights is faced by the most innocent dwellers a climate change mitigation option to address the its implementation through periodic national and communities. The never-ending hypocrisy of our emission from deforestation and forest degradation reports. in 2005. With India’s intervention for the inclusion of actions where on the one hand, we worship some India is one of the first delegates to the Convention policy approach of conservation and sustainable as religious beings while on the other, we on Biological Diversity (CBD) and became a party to management of forests, the concept of “forest hunt, poach and kill the rest. We wander off to the Convention in May 1994. It submitted its Sixth conservation, sustainable management of forests national parks and bird sanctuaries on weekends to National Report to the CBD on 29 December 2018. and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in de-stress ourselves but also we are the ones adding developing countries” was added and the concept is stress to their existence. now collectively referred to as ‘REDD+’. IUCN The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate IUCN's (International Union for Conservation of Change, Government of India initiated the preparation of the National REDD+ Strategy in the 'The Sixth Extinction' speaks volumes about the Nature) work assesses and preserves nature, ensures year 2013. ecological heritage of our motherland and will take its effective and equitable leadership, and implements nature-based solutions to combat global climate, readers through the many glorious facets of our food, and development challenges. It endorses treasured biodiversity. I would not let go of this scientific research, manages field projects around opportunity to show my gratitude for our faculty the world, and brings together governments, NGOs, Existing Legal and Policy members, Dr. Fawzia for guiding us throughout and the UN, and companies to build policy, legislation, Dr. Jayati and Dr. Sudipta for their percipient and recommended practices. Framework in India contribution to this edition. India became a State Member of IUCN in 1969, through the Ministry of Environment, Forest and 1.Indian Forest Act, 1927 2.Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 This edition explores the close-knit relationship Climate Change (MoEFCC). The IUCN India Country Office was established in 2007 in New . 3.Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 between climate change and biodiversity and provides 4.Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 insights on several contemporary conflicts desperately 5.Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 seeking mass attention. Millennium Ecosystem 6.Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 7.National Forest Policy, 1988 Assessment 8.Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in India 9.Biological Diversity Act, 2002 concentrates on how human ecosystems have 10.National Environment Policy, 2006 - Kashish Bansal 11.The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Editor, Vasundhara Issue 5 changed, and how changes in ecosystem services MA ( Practices) have affected human well-being, how ecosystem Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 @TERI School of Advanced Studies changes can affect people in the upcoming years, 12.The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 and what types of responses can be adopted at 13.National Water Policy, 2012 local, national or international levels to improve 14.National Agroforestry Policy, 2014 ecosystem management and thus relate to social 15.National Working Plan Code-2014 well-being and poverty reduction. 16.National Action Plan on Climate Change

Vasundhara | Issue 5| Page 4 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 5 ZOONOTIC DISEASES AND BIODIVERSITY

Initial CLIMATE CHANGE Disease Hosts Anthropogenic Country/ Year of How is spreads Activities Continent Origin

Avian Ducks, Live First human 1997 Direct contact Influenza Chickens markets, infection with infected AND DISEASE and other Intensive reported poultry poultry wildlife farming. in Hong Kong animals.

Bovine African Buffalo, Animal markets, The origin is Unknown Inhaling infected Tuberculosis Greater Kudu, Animal believed to droplets. Consuming The World Health Organisation has established clear links between climatic factors Cattle, Bison, slaughtering. be in raw and and the spread of infectious diseases. We intuitively know that the hot and humid Elk, and Deer. African unpasteurized season is when vectors breed and flourish. This is also a great setting for pathogens to countries. milk from infected incubate and stay longer outside the host, making it easier to get transmitted. cows For example, Punjab had frequent incidences of malaria at the beginning of the 20th century. WHO was able to link it to unprecedented levels of rain, which made it easy for mosquitoes to breed and survive. Their report on the effect of climate change on COVID- 19 Bats, Pangolins Live animal China 2019 Coming in contact infectious diseases talks about specific human activities and their impact on disease (as of now) markets, with infected propagation. Covid 19 is a more recent and relevant example of Zoonosis. So, what are Intensive wildlife persons, touching some simple things that we know about Zoonotic diseases? farming infected surfaces. · They spread from animals to humans destroying Ironically enough, bat habitats. “squalene” an · They spread when there is a change in the environment of the animal or human. adjuvant to be used in COVID-19 vaccines Data exists, from 1940 onwards, which shows that 71.8 percent of all zoonotic diseases is derived from shark emerge from wildlife. But it’s uncommon for pathogens to jump from wildlife to liver oil humans directly. They need a bridge, which could be provided when wild animals are bought in close contact with humans, through wet-markets. Now map this to COVID 19. The wet-markets in China, where porcupines and the occasional crocodile is also Ebola Fruit Bats, Wildlife Hunting Democratic 1976 Direct contact with sold for meat, could be such a bridge. There is evidence that past viruses may have also Gorillas, and Republic of blood, body fluids of sprung from these but they continue to exist. Is this plain indifference of the affluent Monkeys, Deforestation. Congo animals/ infected towards the rest of humanity, and themselves, for the sake of an exotic wildlife meal? Forest persons On studying epidemic events over the last century, it is noted that the occurrence of Antelope, these events has been happening at an alarming rate over the past two decades, as Porcupines compared to before. We have had Ebola, Zika, MERS, SARS, Nipah in a span of a few years. There is also evidence showing that as the planet warms up, gaps between pandemics will decrease further — as the environment gets more and more suitable for Nipah Virus Fruit Bats, Deforestation, Malaysia 1999 Consumption of pathogens to live longer and move to newer regions that were earlier too cold. Infection Pigs Habitat fruits contaminated While it’s critical to have a COVID 19 vaccine created and disbursed widely, is that the encroachment. by infected bats’ only sustainable solution as we wait for the next zoonotic waiting to happen? Or for the saliva, Direct contact vaccine-resistant variant to hit us over the next few years? Also, the economically with pigs, Direct weaker sections will have to depend on the Public Health system of their countries, to contact with an get vaccinated. Will that be too late? infected person’s Organizations and countries are seeing the need to delve deeper, into understanding excretion underlying causes and finding solutions that are long-term and alleviate the life of all people on earth. SARS Bats, Civets, Live animal Guangdong 2002- Direct contact with While there are many causal factors, each interlinked with another complex set of variables, Climate Change does emerge to be a major contributor to human misery. If Domestic markets. Wildlife province, 2003 infected domestic anything, warming earth will lead to multiple challenges for our species, besides cats breeding South China animals, persons pandemics.

Zika Monkeys Habitat Africa-Asia 1952 – first Mosquitoes Fever destruction and human case Excerpt from Why do humans cause pandemics? bio diversity loss reported By Jayati Talapatra (https://jayati-talapatra.medium.com/why-do-humans-cause-pandemics-db2e5384239) caused by @TERI School of Advanced Studies activities like deforestation.

Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 7 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 6 Decoding How Your The Battle for Belonging: Next Meal Can Help A Case Study of Mollem, Goa Save The Planet

Goa, a Portuguese colonial area back then, unlike In many societies, consumption of animal products other places in the country under British rule, did Threats is part of the traditional diets, and meat is often not have any biodiversity assessment provisions to Leopard cubs, Gaurs, Spotted Deer have been believed to be a superior form of protein for the determine the status of the forest and the spotted being run over by a train, so the animals are human body. Furthermore, the production of Did you know? associated biodiversity. In 1930, when Salim Ali, an extremely vulnerable to being run over on the road. animal-sourced products and livestock is often Indian ornithologist, and naturalist, came to India, Other instances include revenge killing since the reinforced by government financial incentives in The consumption of animal-sourced he surveyed several forest and biodiversity tiger comes and eats the cow, so then farmers go many countries. food products by human beings is one conditions in Goa. Analyzing the situation Salim Ali and poison the tiger because for them, cows are the However, what we fail to account for is that of the largest drivers contributing to quotes that he did not see anything other than the only source of income and if one kills the cow, he livestock production is the single largest driver of Malabar Giant Squirrel in the Mollem National Park will be infuriated. That’s why we have to manage the habitat loss with cascading effects on biodiversity the loss of terrestrial ecosystems and and Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary as the humans, not the tigers. and ecosystem functions. Studies report that the biological diversity. And by 2050, the entire forest was destroyed. Landslides are also a key threat. Instances of conversion of land for food production has induced projected land base required to landslides will go up if the technology or the the loss of nearly one-half of all-natural grasslands support livestock production in several After liberation, the Goa government started method by which the road and the railway line are and nearly one-third of all-natural forests mega-diverse countries exceeds 30– declaring the forests as game reserves and wildlife expanded is not improved. worldwide. Land-use change is also projected to sanctuary. Also, the Netravali reserve was declared have the largest impact on biodiversity globally. 50% of their present agricultural areas. as a wildlife sanctuary very recently. So, for a long The replacement of wild and biodiversity-rich time, these forests were not protected and currently, Project Processing agricultural lands with vast monoculture Goa is doing very well in terms of biodiversity ecosystems is being driven by globalization of food assessment. After a project is sanctioned, a feasibility report trade, processing of international fodder sources, needs to be made. And as the next step and standardization of food products. This Reducing the production and consumption of Environmental Clearance (EC) is granted through industrialization threatens the diversity found in animal products can help preserve the natural Environmental Impact Assessment. After the conventional mixed cultured systems, including ecosystems and biodiversity, while meeting the If I am the chief minister of the state and I am assessment, mitigation strategies are declines in bees, butterflies, and plants. nutritional needs of people, including the 2–3 going for elections next year, and I have got a recommended. Then the government needs to hundred crores with me. I would spend the billion people projected to be added to the hundred crores doing something that the make sure that the strategies are actually executed According to current trends, the amount of land present human population. people can see visually and they would say, 'oh on the ground. But, most of the time, to put these converted to agriculture to meet increasing the chief minister of my state has done this.' We mitigation strategies or monitoring plans, there is a global food demands will increase by about 18% Given livestock production's huge ecological have a park here. We have a road here. We need for political will and budget allocation. from 2000 to 2050. This equates to the depletion footprint, humans' negative effects on biodiversity have a railway line. But imagine, if I spent 50 of 1,000,000,000 hectares of natural habitat, a can be substantially minimized by: crores out of that hundred crores in doing Unfortunately, in our country the political will and region greater than the United States of something like managing a park or managing America. the budget reallocation, are very poor. And the sad a Wildlife Sanctuary, then what would people Growing the proportion of plant-based foods say? This is the mentality of our people and our part is, many of us think that mitigation and in our diets politics and that is why mitigation doesn't work implementation of environmental concerns are of While many developed countries have maintained Substituting monogastric, aquaculture, or because we are more visually oriented. the least importance. high animal product-based diet rates, developing other more effective protein sources for countries have begun to portray a per capita ecologically inefficient ruminants and increase in consumption levels of animal products, bushmeat along with rapidly growing populations. This will be Applying ecologically integrated frameworks a formidable force that drives habitat and and functions to plant and livestock biodiversity loss in the years to come. India has also production processes in order to sustain a shown a rise in the consumption of animal products world of lower animal product food demands in recent years. Given that in our current global agricultural systems, approximately 7.0 gigatons This will considerably minimize ecosystem and (Gt) of plant biomass is needed to produce 0.26 Gt biodiversity destruction, fossil fuel oil An excerpt from a conversation with Mr. Pronoy Baidya of meat, even a small increase in the consumption consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and Pronoy Baidya currently studies at the Centre for Ecological of animal-based foods would result in a substantial waste while delivering highly nutritious diets that Sciences, Indian Institute of Science. Pronoy does research in increase in habitat conversion and greenhouse gas would significantly enhance global human health. Entomology, Ornithology, and Ecology. His current projects emissions. include 'Documenting Ant Diversity of Goa', 'Pelagic Bird Monitoring in India', 'Checklist of Birds of Goa', and 'Biodiversity Assessment and Management Solutions for Mining Sector in Goa.'

Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 9 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 8 Coringa wetlands: Climate Change At War With A Powerhouse in Peril The Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWLS) in the delta The warming may lead to a shift in mangrove of River Godavari, Kakinada, is cover to high latitudes i.e., northward, affecting estimated to be the second-largest stretch the structure and function of these coastal (following Sunderbans) of mangrove forests in India. ecosystems. As a result of high temperature and The region is known to support 35 species of plants increase in sea level, the mangroves may belonging to 24 families and over 120 species of experience increased mortality and reproductive Wetlands birds. failure, owing to which many species dependent The proposed Polavaram Dam project poses an on these may become vulnerable as it might not immediate threat to the sanctuary. The EIA of be possible for other species to adapt soon. the project reveals that as many as 276 villages Degradation of coral reefs caused by mass will be affected, and the project might also lead bleaching and impaired growth can adversely to a decrease in water supply from the Godavari affect mangrove systems that rely on reefs to river to the CWLS. Also taking into account the provide refuge from strong currents. flood trends and the history, the dam clearly Mangroves can adapt to sea-level rise if it occurs Wetlands are often referred to as “the kidneys of However, in the Era of , there are cannot withstand the peak flood scenario and slowly enough, if adequate expansion space the environment”. Just like kidneys help in filtering several concerns that are causing harm to these may get washed off creating havoc in the exists, and if other environmental conditions are waste in the human body, wetlands often absorb mangroves such as industrialization, mining, nearby downstream areas. met. excess nitrogen and phosphorus and prevent coastal pollution, tourism, dam and road In May 2020 out of 120-acre of land acquired them from traveling to water bodies, thus construction, siltation, etc which needs to be under the housing scheme 100 acres were Decreased precipitation results in a decrease in ensuring the safety of several aquatic animals. The addressed before it risks lives of 600 million already leveled by them. mangrove productivity, growth, and seedling three types of coastal wetlands—mangroves, people who reside in these coastal regions. These Also, at one point in time, GMR and the ECPL survival, and may change the composition of the seagrasses, and tidal salt marshes–commonly activities can also increase ocean acidification, dredged the mudflat on the seafront to dump species favoring more salt-tolerant species. On referred to as blue carbon ecosystems–provide a coral bleaching, permafrost melting leading to the the dredge spoil causing destruction to the the contrary, increased precipitation may full spectrum of mitigation, adaptation, and release of a huge amount of carbon dioxide, mangroves but was taken back when local increase mangrove area, diversity of mangrove resilience benefits. adding up to global warming. villagers came to oppose the move. zones, and mangrove growth rates in some Mangrove forests perform a versatile role in Environmentalist Mrutyunjaya Rao opines that species. Coastal wetlands are small but mighty. Although addressing climate change – from carbon the construction of seventh birth at the they cover less than 1% of the ocean, they store sequestration of more than 90% in their soils and Kakinada seaport will obstruct the arrival of Flooding, caused by increased precipitation, over 50% of the seabed’s rich carbon reserves. branches to keeping the fabric of coastlines migratory birds in the area. storms, or relative sea-level rise may result in together in the rising tides, but still, these Blue The government has also planned to transform decreased productivity, photosynthesis, and Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants and occur Carbon habitats couldn’t find a place in many the Hope Island (a small Island, 16km long sand survival. Inundation of lenticels in the aerial roots mainly between latitude 24°N and 38°S, and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) split) inside CWLS to a tourist hub under the can cause the oxygen concentrations in the exhibit varied morphological and physiological designed by country nations to meet their Paris ‘Swadeshi Darshan’ scheme. Environmentalists mangrove to decrease, resulting in death. evolutionary adaptations to survive the limiting Agreement Goals. have raised concern citing that the building of Inundation is also projected to decrease the factors imposed by lack of oxygen, high salinity, cottages and other infrastructure, boat ability of mangrove leaves to conduct water and and diurnal tidal inundation. They play an These mangroves contribute more than $80 connectivity for tourists may cause stress and to photosynthesize. important role in defending shorelines from the billion a year by avoiding losses from coastal lead to an increase in pollution leading to the We aren’t only putting biodiversity at threat but sea by withstanding 90% of the tidal waves flooding and protect 18 million people. They also extinction of plants and animal species. also our lives at stake. thereby protecting an area from coastal storms, provide around $40–50 billion per year in benefits cyclones, high-velocity winds, etc, and thus for fisheries, forestry, and recreation. helping in climate change mitigation and adaptation. With the total estimated mangrove cover of 495,842 ha in 2020 (66% of the total coastline of India possesses the world’s 3rd richest mangrove India) and the value of the carbon stock as 386 biodiversity, occupying a whopping 3.2% of the ton/ha, the total carbon sequestration potential of Ramsar Convention global 6% mangrove forest. the mangroves has been estimated as 702.42 has the largest mangrove cover, million tons of CO2 e. The potential of carbon The Ramsar Convention was adopted in Ramsar, Iran, and came into force in 1975. Its mission is “the occupying 43% and has the second-largest sequestration will increase to 748.17 million tons of conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cover with 23% of total cover in India. Interestingly CO2 e in 2030. Upon conservation and protection cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”. India the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have the third of mangrove cover, it has been estimated that entered Ramsar Convention on 1st February 1982. The in and the Keoladeo National largest mangrove forest in India, occupying 13% of there can be an additional sequestration potential Park in were the first declared Ramsar sites in India in 1981. Sundarbans Wetland with an the total cover, located in low energy tidal coast of 207.91 million tons of CO2 e. approximate area of 4,23,000 hectares is the largest Ramsar site in India. with rich biodiversity. India has the highest record of biodiversity in Latest allocated wetlands in India: mangrove forests of the world and no other "Confronted with global warming, coastal countries have recorded so many species to be The Tso Kar Wetland Complex (42nd Ramsar site), (December 2020) wetlands, Blue carbon habitats—including present in the ecosystem. So far, 4107 species , (November 2020) buried seagrasses, mangrove forests, salt including 23% of the flora and 77% of faunal Sur Sarovar aka Keetham Lake, (November 2020) marshes, and pelagic ecosystems—provide a species have been recorded. , (November 2020) vital service to the global community by Kanwar Lake/ Kabal Taal, (July 2020) retrieving massive amounts of carbon.” Sundarbans Reserve Forest, (February 2020)

Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 10 Kadar's: Leading the Environmental Cause The Role of Individuals in Conserving Biodiversity Malayalam for ‘forest dwellers’, Kadar's are an indigenous community living in the known for their nomadic lifestyle and shifting cultivation. However, their lifestyle changed over time and they soon became forerunners of biodiversity conservation in the area.

Although a large chunk of responsibility pertaining to the current state of biodiversity falls on governments and large industries, it would be incorrect to say that citizens are mere bystanders who must hope for the best. You too can play a part in helping conserve Image Source: Times of India biodiversity through your actions and choices going forward. Some of these may include-

It began around 2017 when the traditional village gathering passed Learn more about native species resolutions against the Athirappilly in your surroundings and how hydroelectric project which was they support the local ecosystem estimated to destroy the habitat of about 196 birds, 131 butterflies, and 51 odonate Practice when species. Further, the region was also visiting other cities, states or unique as it was home to all four south countries Indian species of hornbills. Volunteer for local organizations engaged in conservation efforts The youth of the community also led the or spread awareness through charge in conservation along with the any medium available to you Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation, the Promote/Support native species Forest department, and the World as opposed to alien species which Wildlife Fund-India Ecological Monitoring may negatively impact the Programme. existing ecosystem Use your power as a consumer to buy from brands that choose Image Source: Hornbill Foundation ethical and sustainable ingredients/materials. Labels like fair-trade, cruelty-free can help Adopt a more minimalist lifestyle you identify the same to reduce your impact on the environment. Try recycling or work towards generating lesser waste in your household for starters.

Remain conscious of your by reducing energy consumption, vehicular Their activities also include- Keeping a emissions, diversifying your diet close vigil on poaching activities by Encourage and support education to plant-based foods etc. helping the forest department prevent around the same through formal illegal felling of trees and advocating and informal means about the against poaching rings, Ensuring non- critical nature of conservation interference from humans during the right now nesting season in December. Support/Donate to local movements fighting for conservation

Image Source: Business Line Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 13 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 12 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 15 Designed by: Vibhusha Gupta (MA SDP) SUPERSTITION Q. Are there any gender prejudices you had to Q. You have received so many prestigious awards face along the way? What is it like to be a such as the UNDP India Biodiversity Award, woman in the conservation field (in India) and Green Oscar, etc., visited so many places, met so LED EXTINCTION: why do you think women play a major role in many people. Is there any unique thing you the conservation of flora and fauna? remember about such an event w.r.t conversation or anything in general, which you When I started, almost 20 years back, even my would like to share with us? The Tale of parents were scared and they cannot be blamed What further steps need to be taken at the because they were not aware of conservation. present time to aid conservation efforts? But I convinced them and that was my first challenge. I request the parents to encourage The Hargilla Stork their daughters to move forward. This is an incident of the time when I had started the I have also faced a lot of gender prejudices and conservation work for Hargilla. I approached a local then I realized that the rural women would be school and the headmaster liked my idea of meeting facing so much more and they don't get these some women from the locality and convincing them In conversation with Mrs. Purnima Barman opportunities. to save the bird. So we made arrangements for 30 women and arranged 30 lunch boxes for them. But In our society, there are a lot of gender we were shocked to see that more than 600 women differences and so women are not encouraged to had gathered in half an hour and I got very nervous. come forward and work in conservation sectors Even the headmaster was shocked. Then, he asked where they would have to go for fieldwork. The me to give a talk and I thought how can I address change of mindset will take time. But these days such a big crowd. Then, I started telling them about When I'm called Hargilla baido, it feels like a Q. Since you are from Assam, what are your we see a lot of young women coming forward. my journey and how women can make a big doctorate degree to me. It is such an honor for me. views on the current trajectory of development in I particularly feel that women can make a big difference, how powerful they are. Their roles are not But then who will think about our environment and the northeast? And how can we consider the difference here. A woman is a creator, she is a just limited to cooking at homes but also beyond birds like Hargilla? It seems like our duty is just fragile biodiversity of the region while carrying nurturer. Even your magazine's name is that, and how I desperately want their help to save restricted to visiting national parks or wetlands but out the infrastructure projects? Vasundhara, a goddess, and here lies the answer. Hargila. They all were silent and listening, they it's not the ultimate solution. We have to act now. Women should connect with others and she can befriended me and were ready to join me. We Nowadays this is the most challenging issue for There are a lot of places like where we work, for influence and motivate very easily. They can do couldn't give out the lunchboxes though and I everyone because we need development but it Hargilla, which do not come under government- anything they want; they can connect the apologized to them too. In the end, someone should not come at the cost of the environment. The protected areas. There are so many species species with their tradition and culture. Women informed me that they were actually headed to a environment should be our top priority and the unexplored. are very strong and they should be included in different meeting by some politician in another policymakers should aim for sustainable conservation projects. school but they got mistaken! And that day, I development and I request them for the same. We recognized that I had the power to motivate. all need prosperous life and luxury but that will not be possible without a healthy ecosystem. The Q. What were some of the challenges that you policymakers must involve strategies to make the faced while convincing the locals about this environment a priority with the planning bodies, bird's importance? communities, leaders, and environmentalists along "A woman is a creator, she with students like you. It is really very hard to explain, especially in my We overlook the real issue and people are unable to earlier years. Greater adjutant stork is treated as a is a nurturer. Even your foresee their near future when we lose our bad omen and as a disease-carrying, unhygienic bird biodiversity; we will also lose our identity. We cannot because they are found in the garbage dump and magazine's name is wait any longer since we've already lost a lot of our seen consuming carcasses. So people did not accept biodiversity. it and it was hard to change their perceptions. I Vasundhara, a goddess, myself had a life-changing encounter with a tree owner who was cutting down a nesting tree of the and here lies the answer." bird with 9 nests on it. And this was where my Q. What is the Hargilla Army and what inspired journey started because earlier my plan was just to you to take up this cause? And when was it when pursue Ph.D. on this Bird. I was trembling and I people started referring to you as "Hargilla rushed to him and questioned him why he cut down Q. Is there any message you would like to give for Baido"? the tree. The neighbors started pestering me but I TERI students/the community/the world? What further steps need to be taken at the pleaded with them for help since I saw some baby birds were still alive. present time to aid conservation efforts? I would love to request our youth to be very innovative and creative and to be their best version. Hargilla army is an all-women team. They are all But they continued pestering me by saying that I Love nature and raise your strong voice. Many areas rural women, housewives converted into wanted those birds so that I could consume them. are being government-protected but we still have so conversationalists. It became my passion to save Later, I realized what would my education do, if I Purnima Devi Barman is a wildlife biologist in Assam. many species unexplored and the youth should Hargilla. We're working in a human habitation area couldn't even make a person understand the value She is the founder of the Hargilla army and known for keep thinking how they can contribute even if they and my policy is to bring a lot of pride to this species of the tree, let alone the birds. From that day her conservation work with the greater adjutant stork. do not want to be a conservationist by profession. If and to integrate the bird into the cultural society. onwards, I decided to bring the bird into the hearts She is the recipient of the Whitley Award and the Nari everyone came forward to save a species or a And for this, I think women can make a big and minds of the people. Now, we have restless Shakti Puraskar. landscape, imagine how beautiful our world would difference. Currently, we have 10,000 women that awareness campaigns in villages because a few To restore populations, Purnima Barman of the NGO Aaranyak is rallying the people of Assam’s Brahmaputra be.. We all have to come forward to protect our trees have pledged to be a part and 400 forefront explanations don't work and we have to heat the valley, turning bird haters into bird lovers. (Aaranyak is a which are being cut down in the name of members who work on a daily basis. minds of people and policymakers all the time. We society for biodiversity conservation in northeast India development. We should bring more and more can't blame the people as well because they lack and was established in 1989) women into decision-making as both women and awareness. youth are the backbones.

Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 5 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 16 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 17 The valley of flowers in the was Strobilanthes Kunthiana, commonly known as Neelakurinji is a very declared as the World Heritage site in 2005. It rare species endemic to the Western ghats in which blooms is known as 'Botanical Paradise' and consists of once in 12 years. Its mass bloom covers the hills in a serene violet hue. Lost many aromatic and medicinal flowering plants. This happens to help the species survive since each shrub reproduces once before dying, while the new seeds bloom after a specific duration, and in a large quantity so that some may survive the Paradise Some rare and endangered floral species: predators.

Bees Diversity and Flora

Phaius Tankervillae Meconopsis Aculeata According to FAO, around 1,50,000 The enormous functional significance of lies in the fact (Himalyan Orchid) (Queen of Himalyan flowers) species visit flowers, out of which 25000- that they contribute to a whole lot of ecosystem services Considered one of the 12 mega diversity-rich 30000 are bees. A study tells that wild including pollinating plants, dispersing seeds, maintaining soil centers, India harbors a large floristic diversity. honeybee of the Apis, Asian bee structure and fertility, cycling nutrients and as a food source These include ornamentals in the RET (Rare, and the little bee have declined for various fauna. However, insects and pollinators are going endangered, threatened) category. 387 Indian considerably in the last 30 years. Poor through a sharp decline in their populations thus impacting plants have been listed under the IUCN's red caused the death of the mega food chain. Lack of awareness about their list and 77 of these are enlisted as "critically 168 bees every day. Many reasons have importance coupled with the general dislike/indifference endangered". About 33.5% of India's flora is accounted for the same that include towards insects is a major hurdle to conserving them. identified as endemic predominantly changes in land use and fragmentation, distributed in the Himalayas. Most of these clearing natural habitats for monoculture have grown endangered due to habitat loss. cultivation, excessive use of pesticides and Other anthropogenic activities like mining and fertilizers, pollution, and increased Magenta Ghost Flower: Pterocarpus Santalinus: quarrying combined with the disastrous . Lowered apple tree yields effects of forest fires in the Himalayas and Kerala Eastern Ghats in Kashmir have been an effect of the Southern India have threatened the flora and declining bee visits. fauna beyond recovery. Apis Dorsata Apis Bee Asian Giant Hornet

Approximately 28% of the total Indian flora and 33% of angiosperms occurring in Chlorophytum Tuberosum: Cycus Beddomei: India are endemic. Andhra Pradesh There is a need for proper policies for managing agricultural, natural, and urban landscapes. Promoting organic farming and using pulpwood Floriculture, in contemporary times, has plantations as homes for pollinators along with imposed an added stress on the flora. Pot providing buffer strips to farmers for growing nectar- plants, seed bulbs, dried flowers, tubers, and rich plants and utilizing fallow land to plant cut flowers constitute the floriculture flowering species are some steps that can be products. The annual international demand for Megalogomphus undertaken to prevent insect biodiversity loss. flowers is placed at Rs. 90,000 cr. while Superbus domestic demand is growing at a rate of 25%. Orchids, gladiolus, tulips, rose, lilies and Lotus Corniculatus: Colchicum Luteum: chrysanthemum are some of the important Gujarat flowers in international trade.

As per the Handbook on Horticulture Statistics, 2014, 76731 million cut flowers were produced in 2012. Indian exports are dominated by fresh and dried cut flowers and India ranks the second largest in the world for area under floriculture. The major floriculture states are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Haryana. Rhodothemis Zeuxine Rolfiana Saussurea Obvallata Rufa (The rarest Orchid) (Sacred Himalyan Flower)

Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 18 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 19 The Science of Jester butterfly (Symbrethia Silana) is a legally protected, rare butterfly endemic Butterflies to Eastern Himalaya and NE India. Biodiversity and Conservation

Some of the most unique butterflies of India reside in the Western Ghats, the @TERI SAS Himalayas, the north-east region, and the Branded Royal (rare), was seen in the Andamans. Harboring about 1,800 known Nilgiris after a gap of over 130 years species, India boasts a majestic 10 percent of the world’s butterfly biodiversity. Their declining population would not only impact the flowering species and pollination but also the populations of Biodiversity, the sum total of all life forms on this However, conservation comes at a cost. We should Blue Mormon, a black-coloured velvet- earth, has emerged as a subject area in the past be able to analyze the severity and consequences their predators like wasps and birds. winged butterfly, showed up in Patna. Various intentional and unintentional three decades. Global emphasis through media of conflicts emanating from conservation. There human interference has been leading to coverage and its inclusion in the curriculum in have been conflicts with local communities while schools, colleges, and universities has led to a declaring Protected Areas (National Parks, Wildlife Commercialization and illegal trade to general understanding of its definition and Sanctuaries, Reserve forests) as these decimate adorn jewelry and greeting cards has been appreciation by global citizens that biodiversity their rights to resources from such forests. These Spotted Angle butterfly, has been must be cared for. We at TERI SAS have a course include the controversy of the Western Ghats the top reason to exploit the biodiversity sighted in the reserve forests of hotspots and has priced the butterflies at Chhattisgarh. on Biodiversity and Conservation, and this brief Commission, The Dihang Dibang Valley, and the an unimaginable 100 million USD at the provides an overview of how the subject area is Tiger Census amongst others. global turnover. About 50,000 butterfly addressed at TERI SAS. specimens are smuggled out of Lahul, While advances in science have led to a better Many development agencies in the Corporate Sikkim, Ladakh, and Meghalaya each understanding of the role of biodiversity in Sector have invested in Conservation to bring month. The Liliac Silverline, a protected species ecosystem functioning, the science of as synergies. Initiatives like Business for Nature, was sighted for the first time in the a subject area, the very foundation stone of conservation support through TATA Trusts, Aravalli range of Rajasthan. documenting biodiversity has declined. initiatives are taken by Indian Tobacco Company (ITC) do not get a mention they deserve. This Biodiversity Conservation has been practiced in volume will address the gap of investments in India since prehistoric times and well evinced biodiversity and Conservation through Corporate through paleoecology, excavations, and cave Social Responsibility. Many of the conservation paintings. Documents written in languages like initiatives are by local communities. Sacred Groves , Pali, and Tibetan have enough transcripts and Community Conservation Areas are good available, yet waiting to be transcribed. examples that we need to appreciate. There are Climate Change: A Looming Peril Descriptions of floral and faunal elements of India new approaches or financial instruments which find a mention in Greek literature, travelogues of are presently supporting and also likely to fund chroniclers who visited the country for religion, conservation activities. These shall include Global Climate change is posing a severe impact on all types trade, in search of medicines, and also for Environment Facility Grants (GEF), Clean of ecosystems including floral species, now more than botanical curiosities. Museums, herbaria, and Development Mechanisms (CDM), and Reduced ever. collections in India and abroad speak volumes. Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+). The globally rising temperatures have been observed Talking of globalization, it also brought Global as the reason behind flowers losing their fragrance Conventions where countries agreed or disagreed The course at TERI SAS on Biodiversity and and interfering with plant-pollinator mutualism. to address the present and potential threats to Conservation encapsulates the journey of Other studies have found that global warming upsets biodiversity. It’s important that we appreciate the Biodiversity Conservation in India from prehistoric the critical relationship between flowers and insects, fact that domestic legislation is often the times to the present era. Our students are apprised as is the case with the early spider Orchid and the reflection of the global policy environment. of the different aspects of conservation minor bee which affects its reproduction. Threats to biodiversity and conservation are often mentioned. The course is complemented with transboundary in nature. In addition, it’s pertinent other courses in the University viz., Ecology, Another grappling issue is the mismatch between the that we appreciate the significance of Conservation and Communities, Ecosystems and flowering time of plants and the flight time of insects international, regional, national, and local Climate, Vegetation Science and Management and disrupting the pollination further. According to an institutions engaged in governance and Aquatic Systems and Management. Studying FAO report, pollinators contribute to 235-577 billion implementation of biodiversity conservation. outside the classroom to better understand the US dollars of global food production. Pollination issues functioning of nature and field based projects would further enhance malnutrition and hamper food In India, global priorities have led to species- implemented by the University are a learning security across the world. focused conservation action, Project Tiger, Project opportunity. Flora has not only been facing temperature rise but Elephant, Project Hangul, Rhino Vision to name a also climatic extremes and erratic rainfall patterns. few. It is not without a reason that the Prime Elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide and Minister of India emphasized Biodiversity Author: Dr. Sudipta Chatterjee nitrogen dioxide are affecting plant growth and Conservation and Project Dolphin in particular Associate Professor distribution. during his Independence Day Speech 2020. @TERI School of Advanced Studies

Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 20 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 21 Q.We learned that you are a commerce I agree that there has been an increase in mass Q. We would like to know more about the Antarctic graduate. Which was that moment of your life awareness among all sections of society but expedition that you were a part of and what were when you decided to quit your job and choose amongst all age groups, children have been at the the ground realities there? this path? forefront. Back in 1992, at the first , Severn Suzuki talked about the world leaders in I went on an expedition to Antarctica in 2013 led by Those days I was working with the Ministry of Home her famous speech while she was barely twelve Robert Swan, who was the first man to have walked CON Affairs and was posted in very remote areas like the years old. In 2007, nine-year-old Felix Finkbeiner to both the poles. Until I reached Antarctica my hills of Nagaland and Sikkim. There, I developed a started ‘Plant for the Planet’ about planting a ambition was to see penguins but once I reached sense of connection to nature. Hunting was million trees when nobody else was doing that there it opened doors for several other things PRESERVE prevalent in these parts and the vast natural habitat and since then his organization has planted over The first impression I got on reaching Antarctica was was being destroyed, which gave me a deep sense 100 million trees. Social media has also played an that we could have destroyed the remote continent of pain. I decided to leave my job to join the Green important role in spreading awareness. My good 100 years back if electricity was not discovered Guard Nature Organization. My first project was friend Jadav Payeng (Forest man of India) says because people used to go there hunting whales for related to the rescue and conservation of frogs. that every student should be given two saplings at blubber. Blubber was used as a fuel for lighting so the time of admission and they should be asked to whaling had a huge impact on the continent and plant and water them every day, by the time they whalers also hunted penguins to eat. As a result, the Q. How has the man-animal conflict-affected graduate to high school they would have not only whole ecosystem was disrupted due to humans. One biodiversity loss in the context of one-horned learned a lesson but earned their oxygen that I morning we were summoned up on the deck (it was rhinoceros in Northeastern India? think is a great idea. very cold) and we saw a huge tabular iceberg coming into the view and Robert Swan pointed out to the Human-wildlife conflict is prevalent across remains of the Larsen B ice shelf which had started In conversation Northeast India and the manifestation of that is the melting in 2002 and initially, people thought that it human-elephant conflict. I believe, in the case of "The biggest loss has been would take a long time to melt, but on the contrary, with rhino conservation, the biggest obstacle is poaching within a few weeks of the first crack, it melted rather than man-animal conflict because the rhinos the loss of insect completely, and eleven years later, those huge are present in the protected areas (including the icebergs were still floating which gave me insight RITURAJ PHUKAN Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, population and we do not into sea-level rise and the vulnerability of the planet. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, and Orang National have any policies for that. Rituraj Phukan is an environmental activist and Park). writer based in Assam. He is Secretary-General of We must think about the Green Guard Nature Organization, a grassroots removal of all kinds of civil society group working with fringe forest communities to explore and establish sustainable "For elephants, man-animal polluting industries from solutions for management of man-animal conflict. conflict is a major concern the periphery of because their habitat is protected areas." being degraded due to encroachments and Q. What connection can be established changing vegetation." between biodiversity (tigers), climate change, Q What are the impacts of the current and conservation needs? conservation policies on biodiversity in India and where do the policies lack? The nature of forests is changing across India– Here rhinos do tend to come out of their habitat but Central India is getting drier, forcing the deer to I believe there is a problem with the implementation the villagers inform the forest officials and they are migrate to the greener areas, which is, in turn, of laws. When the environment impact assessment driven back to the forests. Stress to the rhinos impacting the tiger (EIA) was framed, it had some loopholes, and later comes from the poachers, as it is an international population. Tigers are territorial animals so it is on, there were amendments to make it more organized crime, a lot of money is involved in it and not easy for them to follow the prey, which can effective but now the government wants to relax the sometimes even the villagers are also involved lead to conflicts amongst tigers. In Bhutan, the laws to facilitate business. I think development is all making the rhino’s horn trafficking a criminal tigers have been moving higher in altitude due to that the government is concerned about and that syndicate. For elephants, man-animal conflict is a change in climate, a troubling fact because the impacts the wildlife habitat. The biggest loss has major concern because their habitat is being tigers are moving in the territory of been the loss of insect population and we do not degraded due to various reasons like snow leopards and both of them will compete for have any policies for that. If we think about that, we encroachments and changing vegetation. the same prey i.e., Ibex (mountain goat). India must think about the removal of all kinds of polluting remains the industries from the periphery of protected areas. We last hope for the tigers because the Royal Bengal should frame policies to contain warming at 1.5 Q. Recent years have seen children being more tiger represents nearly 90% of the world’s tiger degrees above the pre-industrial level and anything aware of climate change and being vocal about population. It is crucial for communities living above that would be harmful to coral reefs and a sustainability. What are your thoughts on the close to the tiger habitat to be involved in tiger large number of insects. With our policies, we should role of the younger generation in environmental conservation. The tigers contribute immensely to ensure that the polluter pays for emission, which issues? the local economy. So they should be prioritized goes back to the people in the form of dividends. rather than approving other mining projects.

Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 22 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 23 What can be done? In the year 1973, in the erstwhile state of Silenced THE BIG Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand) several tribal women in the had The need of the hour is the adaptation and embraced the trees and offered resistance Voices of the prioritizing taking care of resources to ensure against the felling of trees. This non – sustainability in the long run. This may be violent uprising called the 'Chipko achieved through- movement' was aimed at conserving the Indigenous DEBATE flora of the region. Now, around 48 years Identifying and protective bio-diversity rich later the same district has been areas: Limiting human intervention or at the devastated by flash floods due to the Communities: very least, industrial intervention in rich areas massive clearing of trees to pave way for the implementation of a hydel project. can work wonders in protecting the often Economic fragile nature of the ecosystem The glacial collapse near Raini village above Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s Understanding the impact of infrastructure on Chamoli Chamoli district led to flash floods in the Development the environment: A thorough study of the Dhauliganga and Rishi Ganga rivers, environment can help experts analyze the causing immense destruction along the impacts of undertaking projects in an area route, including damage to major v/s hydropower. After several rescue efforts, Tragedy Local involvement: The government and the Uttarakhand government has private organizations must take the local presumed 136 missing people to be dead. Environmental opinion and expertise upon the local ecology. This will also help promote employment amongst locals and subsequently, Conservation empowerment as well.

Incentives for “greener” practices: The government should actively support Ever since the conversation around the sustainable systems in all sectors of the deterioration of the environment began, economy. Incentives could be given in the form governments and international organisations of tax benefits, subsidies, etc. around the world have been trying to navigate the line between conservation and development. Establishing Partnerships: Many national-level This is primarily since the modern world is and international level organizations are dominated by growing infrastructure and working towards conservation and can often increasing resource use which often comes at the aid people if properly funded or supported. cost of the environment. Hence, the two are often These opportunities must be utilized by pitted against each other. organizations and governments around the world. Could the Uttarakhand disaster have been prevented? However, are the two as far apart as we often think they are? Turns out, there are numerous Adapting economic practices: A transition Raini, the village in Chamoli where the disaster happened, is the birthplace of ways in which natural resources and biodiversity towards a more environment-friendly way of the Chipko movement which was initiated by the indigenous community of can aid development all around the world. In fact, economic life is also necessary. A push to Uttarakhand to save the trees. The villagers have been crying over the 40% of the world’s economy is dependent on natural products, medicine, tourism, etc. can catastrophe which has been caused by the implementation of a hydropower biodiversity and it is often the primary source of help the planet and foster economic growth. project in the hills of Uttarakhand. survival for low-income groups. Accompanying existing targets with proper The villagers had approached the officials of the Uttarakhand district In March of 2007, a worldwide study on the tools of evaluation: While many targets are set administration, forest department, NGT to draw their attention towards the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity internationally and nationally by countries, Rishi Ganga hydropower plant which was being built in an ecologically concluded that the current pace of degradation quantifying conservation efforts appropriately sensitive zone. According to a petition filed in the year 2019, the initiation of and inaction towards climate change was actually is still a task. This must be taken up so as to the Rishi Ganga Power Project was threatening the river, wildlife, and the life costing us as much as 5-20% of the global GDP increase the accountability of countries. of the villagers of the Raini village. every year. Furthermore, the greenhouse gases that we are struggling to reduce can be cut down This tragedy is one of the biggest examples of the negative impacts of by 25% if the current rate of depletion is halted. Lastly, what is most crucial is a change in attitudes towards the environment. Action at development on the commoners and poor. It highlights the societal divide wherein one section enjoys the fruits while the other pays its price. It’s high Thus, it is safe to conclude that efforts to preserve the individual level and the role of civil society time the government starts paying heed to the demands of the local and regenerate this invaluable resource without can prove to be the most effective as seen in communities and works to prevent such 'man-made' disasters. compromising development in the traditional environmental movements around the world. sense. The essence of this has been captured by the term sustainable development which has manifested into the sustainable development goals of 2015.

Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 24 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 25 Knowledge Upgrade INDIA'S CLIMATE PERFORMANCE PANEL FORMED TO OVERSEE INDIA’S PARIS CLIMATE India ranked 10th in the latest edition of the Climate Change GOALS Performance Index (CCPI). It was rated high for its performance in the Energy Use, GHG Emission and Climate Policy category and medium in category. ECOSYSTEM SERVICES SEAGRASSES Some notable achievements include being on track to achieve and even exceed targets, attaining According to a study by The Energy fourth-largest renewable capacity in the world, increasing and Resources Institute (TERI) forest cover to 80.73 mn. Hectare. On the global stage, it also commissioned by the Central Zoo pioneered the International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Authority, the annual economic value Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. of ecosystem services provided by the Image Credits: Delloitte Delhi zoo works out to be ₹426 crore. These ‘ecosystem services’ constitute heads such as biodiversity The Union Environment Ministry has conservation, employment generation, NGT SEEKS ACTION PLAN ON ELEPHANT CORRIDORS constituted a high-level inter-ministerial education and research, carbon apex committee for Implementation of sequestration and recreational and Paris Agreement (AIPA) under the cultural contributions. Image Credits: Mangroves For The Future chairmanship of Secretary, MoEFCC. The committee has been constituted with the purpose of “ensuring a coordinated CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY Recently, Scientists have claimed that protection and response on climate change matters that restoration of sea grasses can play a significant role in protects the country’s interests and mitigating climate change. Sea grasses are flowering plants ensuring that India is on track towards that grow submerged in shallow marine waters like bays meeting its climate change obligations and lagoons found in many parts of the world, from the under the Paris Agreement including its tropics to the Arctic Circle. Restoration of seagrasses has submitted Nationally Determined been taken up by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department in the Contributions (NDCs)”. Gulf of Mannar.

Image Credits: International Fund for PROJECT LION: PROPOSAL IDENTIFIES 6 Animal Welfare POKHRAN’S ‘FIREFLY BIRD RELOCATION SITES DIVERTERS’ SHINE TO SAVE THE GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD Image Credits: Sustainability Times Six new sites apart from the Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary Elephant corridors are crucial to reducing animal fatalities were identified under Project Lion that was announced by due to accidents and other reasons. The government had The Ministry of Environment Forest and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2020. sought time to inform the NGT about an action plan to Climate Change (MoEFCC) along with Recently, European Forest Institute The six new sites include: strengthen these corridors. It, however, failed to give a the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) (EFI) published the 10-point Action 1. Madhav National Park, . concrete action on physical progress on corridors. However, India has come up with a unique Plan for a Circular Bioeconomy of 2. Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan. now the NGT has directed the Odisha government to prepare initiative — a “firefly bird diverter” for Wellbeing. The “Circular Bioeconomy” 3. Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan. an action plan within three months on 14 identified elephant overhead power lines in areas where is defined as the intersection of 4. Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh. corridors for providing stress-free migration to jumbos from Great Indian Bustard (GIB) populations bioeconomy and circular economy. 5. Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan. one habitation to another in the State. are found as power lines are the most The bioeconomy substitutes fossil 6. Jessore-Balaram Ambaji WLS and adjoining landscape, important current threat for GIBs in the carbon by renewable carbon from Gujarat. Thar region. This model has been biomass from agriculture, forestry and endorsed by experts from the marine environment (including by- Lion relocation has been talked about since 1995 when the COMMUNITY TSO KAR International Union for Conservation of products and wastes). Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary was identified as an alternate site. Nature (IUCN) Species Survival FOREST RIGHTS WETLAND COMPLEX Commission’s (SSC) Bustard Specialist Group. PANNA TIGER RESERVE GETS UNESCO’S WHAT ARE DEEMED FORESTS, The new draft guidelines India now has forty-two propose to form Community Ramsar sites under the ‘ RESERVE’ STATUS AND WHY KARNATAKA Forests Resource Ramsar Convention WANTS TO DECLASSIFY SOME? Management Committee (international treaty for Madhya Pradesh’s Panna National Image Credits: iPleaders Blog (CFRMC) as an executive the conservation and Park has been declared a UNESCO Karnataka government is arm of the Gram Sabha in wise use of wetlands) Biosphere Reserve. UNESCO's planning to declassify 6.64 lakh managing CFR areas. It with the addition of recognition cited PTR as a critical hectares of the 9.94 lakh hectares further aims to empower Ladakh’s Tso Kar tiger habitat. of deemed forests in the state Gram Sabhas by integrating wetland. Tso Kar Basin is UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (nearly 67%) and hand it over to the committees for the a high-altitude wetland Programme (MAB): UNESCO initiated Revenue authorities. The issue of protection of wildlife, forest complex, consisting of the idea of the biosphere reserve in deemed forests is a contentious and biodiversity, catchment two principal 1974 under the MAB with the one in Karnataka, with legislators areas, water sources and waterbodies, Startsapuk objective of obtaining international across party lines often alleging other ecological sensitive Tso, a freshwater lake cooperation for the conservation of that large amounts of agriculture areas located within which and Tso Kar itself, a hyper the . Launched in 1971, and non-forest land are it has had traditional rights saline lake, situated in UNESCO’s (MAB) is an “unscientifically” classified as such. along with being able to file the Changthang region Intergovernmental Scientific complaints, make rules, of Ladakh, India. Programme that aims to establish a issue directions and finally, scientific basis for the improvement approve and modify CFR of relationships between people and Image Credits: plans. their environments. panna.nic.in Image Credits: Times of India

Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 26 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 27 Leisure Stop DROP IN OCEANIC SHARK POPULATIONS A CLUSTER OF VILLAGES CONSERVE SHY BLACKBUCKS IN ODISHA’S GANJAM

As many as 70 villages in Odisha’s Ganjam district in the northern Eastern Ghats have been conserving blackbucks for a century. Local communities regard the animal as harbingers of wealth and prosperity. The community protection has led to an increase in the blackbuck population over time. Experts said government intervention is not required in Ganjam even as threats from industries, road kills and dogs have emerged in recent years. DID YOU KNOW? Image Credits: WWF Pando, the world's largest organism, has survived for The global population of sharks and rays dropped thousands of years within the Fishlake National more than 70% between 1980 and 2018 according Forest in Utah. It is a massive grove of quaking to a study published in Journal Nature. While researchers have been noting a consistent decline aspens covering 106 acres of land. Pando is dying in individual species, this collective data was eye- because of animal grazing and human opening. The largest threat to them are fishing fleets along with the fact that their anatomy Image Credits: OneIndia encroachments. allows them to produce lesser offspring.

CLIMATE CHANGE IN NORTH EAST: BUDGET 2021 ARUNACHAL’S SEIJOSA SHOWS Rs 2,217 crore allotted for tackling air pollution CONNECT BETWEEN SHIFTING in 42 urban centers PATTERNS, DECLINING BIODIVERSITY The climate change action plan’s budget reduced to Rs 30 crore for the year 2021-22. Climate change plays out slightly differently than Funds for Project Tiger, Project Elephant, usual and strongly in vulnerable areas such as a National Mission for Green India, and the biodiversity-rich forest. They can be compounded National Tiger Conservation Authority have also by landscape changes due to human interventions, been reduced. illegal or legal. Seijosa circle in Arunachal Pradesh’s A deep ocean mission with a budget outlay of Pakke-Kessang district has been witnessing such Rs. 4000 cr. (over 5 years) announced impacts for the past decade-and-a-half. s n SPECIES VANISHING IN BIODIVERSITY- C o o RICH i t m

The Javan Rhinoceros, Wild Ox (Santhou), Pink a i

Headed Duck (Nganu Kokngangbi), and the d Indica: A Deep Wild and Wilful c Manipur Jungle Bush Quail have reportedly

n Natural History of Author: Neha Sinha vanished according to Manipur’s forest. C

e the Indian

Environment and climate change minister. He also Subcontinent o hinted at other vulnerable species that may face r

m Author: Pranay Lal

the same fate such as Manipur’s state animal n (Sangai), clouded leopard, etc. e m r o c e

WILD BOARS SEEN AGAIN IN R KASHMIR VALLEY

After almost 30 years, Wild Boar sightings are on the rise in the Kashmir Valley. The non-native species has managed to cause panic among Documentary: Fantastic Fungi (2019) locals for safety reasons as well as among conservationists who fear the impact of this Comic by: Mansi Dave (MA SDP) invasive species on the local ecosystem and wildlife. Image Credits: India

Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 28 Vasundhara | Issue 5 | Page 29 The population of Asiatic Lions residing in References Gujarat’s Gir Forest optimistically increased from 524 in 2015 to 674 in 2020.

India's Environmental Commitments: Everything You Need to Know https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/in/in-nbsap-other-en.pdf https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx? relid=183155#:~:text=REDD%2B%20aims%20to%20achieve%20climate%20change%20mitigation%20by%20incenti vizing%20forest%20conservation.&text=India%20has%20communicated%20in%20its,and%20tree%20cover%20by %202030. https://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/Framework.html https://scialert.net/fulltext/? doi=rjf.2016.1.7#:~:text=In%20India%2C%20NTFPs%20are%20associated,their%20subsistence%20and%20cash%20li velihoods https://fur.ca/conservation/iucn/

Climate Change and Disease Hilde Kruse, Anne-Mette Kirkemo, Kjell Handeland “Wildlife as a source of Zoonotic infections”, December 2004, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health

Decoding How Your Next Meal Can Help Save The Planet https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969715303697 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10113-016-1057-5.pdf

At War With Wetlands https://archive.unu.edu/inter-linkages/1999/docs/Faizal.PDF https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/coringa-faces- deforestationthreat/article6066924.ece#:~:text=Deforestation%20is%20posing%20a%20major,of%20endangered% 20species%20and%20plants. https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coringa-mangroves https://sustain.round.glass/habitat/mangroves-coastal-superheroes/ https://sustain.round.glass/people/coringas-mangrove-forest/ https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/forests/why- polavaram-is-a-pointless-project-33445 https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2006-041.pdf https://www.pnas.org/content/111/2/723 www.fao.org/3/XII/0894- B2.htm#:~:text=Sea%20level%20rise%20will%20affect,mudflats%2C%20especially%20in%20Gujarat%20State

Economic Development v/s Environmental Conservation https://www.homeworkjoy.com/infographics/what-is-biodiversity-importance-and-loss/ https://phys.org/news/2020-04-economic-growth-incompatible- biodiversity.html#:~:text=The%20increase%20in%20resource%20consumption,and%20sustainability%20advocate% 20economic%20growth. https://www.longfinance.net/media/documents/biodiv_axa.pdf

Chamoli Tragedy https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/village-struck-by-disaster-was-the-cradle-of-the-chipko- movement/articleshow/80741540.cms

Paradise Lost https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/the-butterfly-effect-33675 http://faunaofindia.nic.in https://downtoearth.org.in https://chesci.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/V6i23_16_CS282048052_Sanchita_1457-1464.pdf https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/rare-butterflies-spotted-across-india/article33022475.ece Fao.org.in

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"The diversity of life forms so numerous, that we are yet to identify most of them, is the greatest wonder of this planet." - E.O WILSON, BIODIVERSITY (1988)