Severe heatwave conditions likely to prevail over parts of India: IMD

Lake Faguibine in Mali is a prime example of increasing aridity . Here's how it changed over the years, as seen through false-color Landsat satellite images - Initially, it was one of the largest lakes in West Africa, fed by the Niger River during floods. - In 1974, it spanned approximately 590 square kilometers (230 square miles). - A decline in precipitation from the late 1980s led to its gradual drying. - By the late 1990s, traditional livelihoods like fishing , agriculture , and livestock herding became impractical. - Despite the resumption of normal rainfall after 2000, the lake has remained nearly dry. Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and remains filled with water.
Lake Oguta is located in Nigeria and is still a freshwater lake.
Lake Volta is one of the largest artificial lake by surface area in the world and remains filled with water from the Volta River.

Earth’s rotation and axis can shift due to changes in how mass is distributed across the planet, such as melting polar ice. ✅Statement I is correct: * Studies show that Earth’s rotation and axis are shifting slightly due to internal mass redistribution. ✅ Statement II is correct: * But it doesn’t explain the shift — solar flares affect only the upper atmosphere, not Earth’s rotation. ✅ Statement III is correct: * It explains the shift — melting polar ice moves water toward the equator, altering Earth’s mass distribution and spin.

Congo Basin Peatlands: The Congo Basin in Central Africa is home to the world's largest tropical peatland complex. This vast peatland stores an immense amount of carbon, estimated to be equivalent to about three years of global fossil fuel emissions.  Importance of Peatlands: Peatlands are a critical carbon sink. They store more carbon than all the world's forests combined. When peatlands are drained or degraded, this stored carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. The Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Cong and Indonesia are parties to the Brazzaville Declaration, aimed at protecting the Cuvette Centrale region in the Congo Basin, the world’s largest tropical peatlands, from unregulated land use and preventing its drainage and degradation.  _Other Options:_  * Amazon Basin: While the Amazon is known for its vast rainforests, it is not the primary location of the world's largest tropical peatland. * Kikori Basin: The Kikori Basin is located in Papua New Guinea and contains significant peatlands, but not the largest tropical peatland complex. * Rio de la Plata Basin: This basin in South America is primarily known for its grasslands and is not associated with major peatland areas.

Statement I is correct: Without the atmosphere to trap heat, the Earth’s surface temperature would drop to well below freezing, making it too cold to support life as we know it.
In statement 1 though it's an extreme statement but from UPSC CSE point of view it's generally considered true. Statement II is correct: The atmosphere absorbs and retains heat (a natural greenhouse effect), which helps maintain the Earth’s average temperature within a habitable range. Statement III is correct: Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor are particularly effective at absorbing and trapping infrared radiation, helping to warm the planet.

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) is an independent scientific analysis that tracks government climate action and measures it against the globally agreed Paris Agreement aim of holding warming well below 2C, and pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5C. A collaboration of two organisations, Climate Analytics and NewClimate Institute, the CAT has been providing this independent analysis to policymakers since 2009. CAT quantifies and evaluates climate change mitigation targets, policies, and actions. It also aggregates country action to the global level, determining likely temperature increases during the 21st century using the MAGICC climate model. CAT further develops sectoral analysis to illustrate the required pathways for meeting the global temperature goals.

✅ A. The European Union:
The Nature Restoration Law (NRL) is an EU legislative initiative adopted in 2024. It sets binding targets to restore ecosystems, fight climate change, and protect biodiversity across EU member states. ❌ B. The World Bank:
An international financial institution providing loans and grants; it does not enact laws like the NRL. ❌ C. OECD:
An organization promoting economic cooperation and policy coordination; it does not enact binding environmental laws such as the NRL. ❌ D. FAO:
A UN agency focused on hunger and agriculture; it does not enact regional laws like the NRL.

At COP28, India chose not to sign the “Declaration on Climate and Health,” and this decision can be understood by analyzing the nature of the declaration and India’s concerns. ✅ Statement I: Correct. India did not sign the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, unlike over 120 other countries. ❌ Statement II: Incorrect. The declaration is not legally binding; it is a voluntary political commitment. Signing it does not legally mandate countries to decarbonize their health sectors immediately. ✅Statement III: Correct. India’s concern is that rapid decarbonization of its health sector could compromise the resilience and accessibility of healthcare services, given current developmental challenges and resource constraints. Therefore, only Statement III correctly explains Statement I, while Statement II is factually wrong about the binding nature of the declaration.

The Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) were submitted by countries before the Paris Agreement (2015) as their initial climate action plans to combat climate change. These documents outlined how each country intended to contribute to global efforts in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapting to climate impacts. These were preliminary pledges, meaning they were not legally binding commitments but rather expressions of intent. Each country independently decided its contribution based on its capabilities, national circumstances, and priorities. Unlike top-down approaches in past climate treaties, INDCs followed a bottom-up approach. The plans outlined specific measures countries intended to take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase renewable energy use, improve energy efficiency, and adapt to climate change impacts.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat launched the Climate Neutral Now initiative in 2015 to encourage individuals, businesses, and governments to take voluntary action towards climate neutrality. In 2016, the Secretariat introduced a new pillar under its "Momentum for Change" initiative, focusing on Climate Neutral Now as part of broader efforts to highlight and promote successful climate action worldwide. Climate neutrality is a three-step process, which requires individuals, companies, and governments to: 1. Measure their climate footprint (greenhouse gas emissions). 2. Reduce emissions as much as possible through sustainable practices and efficiency improvements. 3. Offset unavoidable emissions using UN-certified emission reductions (CERs). This initiative aligns with global efforts to meet the Paris Agreement goals, fostering greater accountability and proactive engagement in combating climate change.

The Rio20 Conference, also formally known as the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), was a significant event held in 2012. Key objectives of the Rio20 Conference was to assess progress made since the 1992 Earth Summit (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The Future We Want document outlining a vision for sustainable development in the future, including commitments to a green economy and poverty reduction was an outcome of the summit.