theIASHub | 18 Jun, 2025 | 15
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Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) : Recently, marking a significant milestone in Earth observation, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite arrived at India’s spaceport in Sriharikota.
o Uses microwave pulses and captures returning echoes from surfaces like land, water, ice, and cities.
o All-Weather, 24/7 Monitoring: Can operate through clouds, smoke, haze, and light rain, making it ideal for continuous Earth observation both day and night.
o Wide-Area Coverage: Can scan large areas — often hundreds of kilometers wide — in a single pass, enabling efficient monitoring of vast regions.
o Surface Composition Detection Detects surface types and subtle changes by sensing differences in microwave reflections, unlike optical sensors.
o Set to launch in June 2025 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Andhra Pradesh, aboard ISRO’s GSLV Mk II rocket.
o It is the first radar-based Earth observation mission jointly developed by the U.S. and India.
o Map the Earth’s entire surface every 12 days, allowing for frequent & accurate observations.
o Monitoring Objectives: It will track ecosystem shifts, ice sheet movements, vegetation growth, sea level rise, and groundwater changes.
o Disaster and Hazard Detection: The mission will help monitor and assess natural hazards like earthquakes, volcanic activity, tsunamis, and landslides.
Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN): Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched a large-scale outreach campaign covering over 1 lakh tribal-dominated villages across more than 500 districts.
o The drive focuses on achieving benefit saturation and doorstep delivery of two flagship schemes — the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.
o Launch Year: 2023
o Key Components: Delivery of Aadhaar cards and Ayushman Bharat health insurance.
ü Access to banking services like Jan Dhan accounts and pension enrolment.
ü Land and forest rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
ü Development of infrastructure and services specifically designed for PVTG needs.
o Launch Year: 2024
oNamed After: Tribal icon Birsa Munda (Dharti Aaba, or “Father of the Earth”).
o Key Focus Areas: Construction of tribal hostels and rural homes under PM Awas Yojana
ü Rural electrification and water supply access
ü Livelihood enhancement through support for livestock and fisheries
Green India Mission (GIM) : Recently, in a major move to address climate change and land degradation, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) unveiled a revised strategy for the Green India Mission (GIM) for 2021–2030.
o Objective: To integrate climate adaptation and mitigation through large-scale afforestation and ecosystem restoration.
o Key Goals: Add 5 million hectares of forest/tree cover on forest and non-forest lands.
ü Improve the quality of forest cover on another 5 million hectares.
ü Improve biodiversity, hydrological functions, and carbon sequestration across 10 million hectares.
ü Boost forest-based income for around 3 million households dependent on forests.
o Carbon Sink Target: Create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
o Forest Expansion: Expand forest and tree cover over 24.7 million hectares.
o Priority Ecologically Vulnerable Regions Aravalli Ranges , Western Ghats ,Mangrove Ecosystems , Indian Himalayan Region and Arid Zones of Northwest India
Study on ‘How Extreme Heat is Impacting India: Assessing District-level Heat Risk’ : A recent study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) reveals that 76% of India’s population across 417 districts faces very high risk from extreme heat, with rising humidity and warmer nights intensifying the crisis.
→ 201 districts: Moderate risk → 116 districts: Low risk
o Dry cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kanpur, and Varanasi are now recording humidity levels of 40–50%, compared to historical levels of 30–40%.
o 70% of districts saw more than five additional very warm nights per summer between 2012–2022 (compared to 1982–2011 baseline).
o Major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Bhubaneswar experience intensified urban heat island effects.
o Public Health Implications: Increased risk of heat strokes, dehydration, and cardiovascular issues, particularly for elderly, children, and outdoor workers in vulnerable regions.
o Established: 2010 : Headquarters: New Delhi, India
o Objective : Aims to develop integrated, evidence-based solutions for India’s balanced growth and sustainable development
ü Provides independent, research-driven insights to guide policymakers
o Key Research Areas: Focuses on energy and resource efficiency, power sector reforms, industrial decarbonization, sustainable mobility and cooling, climate risks and adaptation, geoengineering governance, air quality, water resource management, sustainable food systems, sustainable finance, and the interlinkages between energy, trade, and climate.
Strait of Hormuz : Recently, rising tensions between Israel and Iran have sparked concerns over potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil transit route.
o For India, which depends on imports for 85% of its crude oil and 50% of its natural gas, any instability in the region could pose serious risks to its energy security and economic stability.
o It serves as a link between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, playing a crucial role in global maritime trade.
o Stretching about 167 kilometers, the strait’s width ranges from 39 km to 95 km, accommodating the passage of even large oil tankers.
o Due to its role in transporting roughly 25% of the world’s oil and nearly 30% of global LNG, it is considered one of the most critical chokepoints in global energy supply routes.
o Key islands like Hormuz, Qishm, and Hengam are located within the strait, enhancing its geopolitical sensitivity.
Ozone Pollution : A recent analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed dangerously high levels of ground-level ozone pollution across Delhi-NCR during the summer of 2025.
o Ozone Surpasses PM2.5: Ozone became the lead pollutant in Delhi’s AQI for an extended period, overtaking fine particulate matter.
o Persistent Night-Time Pollution: Ozone levels stayed high into the night, averaging 14–15 hours of exceedance daily. Gwal Pahari (Gurugram) had the most night-time spikes.
o Health & Agricultural Risks: Ozone exposure can trigger respiratory issues and worsen lung diseases. Ozone drifts into rural areas, potentially harming crop yields and food security.
o Good Ozone (Stratospheric Ozone): Located in the stratosphere (6 to 30 miles above Earth).
ü Forms the ozone layer, which protects life by blocking harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun.
o Bad Ozone (Ground-Level Ozone): Found in the troposphere (Earth’s surface up to ~6 miles high).
ü Formed by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in sunlight.
ü A key component of urban smog.
ü Harmful to human health (causes respiratory issues) and damaging to crops, forests, and other vegetation.
UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD): Recently, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) raised a red flag over an escalating global land degradation crisis.
o Restoration Opportunity: Restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land can potentially create a $1 trillion global restoration economy.
o Current Economic Loss: Land degradation and drought are costing the global economy $878 billion annually—three times more than total official development aid in 2023.
o Primary Causes: Deforestation, unsustainable agriculture, urban sprawl—intensified by climate change, poverty, and overconsumption—are major drivers of land degradation.
o Establishment: In 1994, effective from 1996 ; Permanent Secretariat: Bonn, Germany
o Origin: Rio Conference's Agenda 21, 1992
o Principle: Based on participation, partnership, and decentralization, a global commitment to combat land degradation and ensure food, water, shelter, and economic opportunity for all.
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