Environmental Law & Policy

* The Nagoya Protocol is an international agreement that addresses the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources. It is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and specifically focuses on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from their utilisation. * Statement 1 is correct: In India, the Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) are indeed key to the realisation of the objectives of the Nagoya Protocol. The Nagoya Protocol aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way. BMCs play a crucial role in this by ensuring that local communities have a say in the access to and use of these resources. * Statement 2 is correct: The Biodiversity Management Committees also have important functions in determining access and benefit sharing. They have the power to levy collection fees on the access of biological resources within their jurisdiction. This is part of their role in managing and conserving biodiversity, and ensuring that the benefits derived from the use of these resources are shared equitably. Therefore, both statements are correct.

* Community reserves in India are terms denoting protected areas of India which typically act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved and protected forests of India. * Statement 1 is incorrect: As per the Section 36 D of the WildLife Protection Act (WLPA): The State Government shall constitute a Community Reserve management committee, which shall be the authority responsible for conserving, maintaining and managing the community reserve. The committee shall elect a Chairman who shall also be the Honorary WildLife Warden on the community reserve. * Statement 2 is correct: After a forest has been made into a community reserve, people are not allowed to hunt there, thus hunting is prohibited in community reserves. * Statement 3 is correct: People of such areas are allowed to collect non-timber forest produce. * Statement 4 is incorrect: After a forest has been made into a community reserve, people are also not allowed to use it for agricultural practices such as shifting (jhum) cultivation.

* Statement 1 is incorrect: The Mundra Thermal Power Plant employs a closed-cycle induced draft circulating cooling water system that utilises seawater. Seawater is drawn from the Gulf of Kutch through robust glass reinforced pipes of significant diameter. In addition, purified seawater from a reverse osmosis plant is utilised by various supplementary systems. * Statement 2 is incorrect:  According to recent research by WRI (World Resources Institute), 40 percent of India's thermal power plants are situated in regions experiencing significant water stress. This poses a challenge as these plants rely on water for cooling purposes. The scarcity of water is already causing disruptions in electricity generation in these areas, with 14 out of India's 20 largest thermal utilities having experienced at least one shutdown between 2013 and 2016 due to water shortages. * Statement 3 is incorrect:  India has a total of 269 Thermal Power Plants, with 138 of them being owned by the public sector and the remaining 131 owned by the private sector.

Statement 1 is incorrect: As per the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, all wild animals in protected areas are the property of the government. But, Section 42 of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 deals with Certificates of Ownership, empowering the Chief Wildlife Warden to issue these for lawfully possessed wild animals or animal articles (trophies, etc.) with a person. This ensures traceability, allowing identification marking and conditions for housing captive animals, and requires owners to surrender such items if no longer desired, with cancellation of the certificate. Statement 2 is correct: The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 provides for the protection of wild animals, whether they are found inside or outside the designated protected areas. Statement 3 is incorrect: As per the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the capture or killing of a protected wild animal is strictly prohibited, even if it is perceived to be a danger to human life. Special permission is required from the authorities for any such action.

The term "greenwashing" is best described as deceptively conveying a misleading impression that a company's products or practices are environmentally friendly. Greenwashing is a marketing strategy where companies try to portray themselves as environmentally conscious, even if their actions don't necessarily reflect that commitment.
It often involves using misleading language, imagery, or selective data to create a positive environmental image. The goal is to gain a competitive advantage by appealing to consumers who are increasingly concerned about environmental issues.

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.

Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under Section 3 (3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control development and management of groundwater resources in the country. Central Water Commission (CWC) - Established in 1945, the CWC is a technical organization under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It focuses on water resource planning, development, and management in India, but its legal basis comes from other central government acts. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) - While it works in close collaboration with the CGWA, the CGWB is a subordinate organization under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, established in 1970. It functions as the technical arm of the CGWA, providing hydrogeological data and technical expertise. National Water Development Agency (NWDA) - This autonomous agency, established in 1982 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, operates under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. It focuses on resolving interstate water resource disputes, conducting feasibility studies for water resource development projects, and planning water transfer and linking projects.

The Polar Code is an international maritime regulation that sets safety and environmental standards for shipping in polar waters. International maritime regulation, the Polar Code, is adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for the safety and security of shipping. The code specifically addresses the unique challenges and risks associated with navigation in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The code establishes mandatory requirements for aspects like ship design, construction, equipment, operational procedures, crew training, and pollution prevention to ensure safe and environmentally sound navigation in polar waters.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Nanoparticles can exist in nature (natural nanoparticles). Volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and natural weathering processes can all create nanoparticles. Statement 2 is correct: Some cosmetics incorporate nanoparticles of ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for sun protection or other purposes. Statement 3 is also correct: The safety of nanoparticles in consumer products is a complex issue and a growing area of research. Some nanoparticles might pose potential health or environmental risks depending on their specific properties and how they interact with the body or the environment.

* Bisphenol A (BPA) is a key component in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics. * Polycarbonate plastics are a type of synthetic plastic material that is known to contain Bisphenol A (BPA) as a structural component. * BPA is used in the production of polycarbonate plastics, which are commonly used in various consumer products such as Water bottles, Food storage containers, Household electronics, Eyeglass lenses, Compact discs (CDs) and digital versatile discs (DVDs) * BPA has raised health concerns due to its potential to act as an endocrine disruptor, which can interfere with the body's hormonal system.