Environment C A WBCS UPSC Oct 20 to Apr 21. Yojona kurushetra vision Magazine Part 1 of 3

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Part 1 of 3

Three-banded Rosefinch: 1340th Species Of The Bird Family In India

On 8^th February 2021, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) team has spotted the three-banded Rosefinch at Sela (mountain pass on the border between Tawang and West Kameng districts) in Arunachal Pradesh.
It has become the 1,340th species of the bird family in India.
The three-banded rosefinch belongs to the family Fringillidae, which are seed-eating passerine birds with a distinctively conical bill.
The three-banded rosefinch is a resident of southern China and a vagrant in Bhutan.

New Deadlines For Thermal Power Plants To Meet Emission Standards

On 1^st April, 2021, the Union Environment Ministry has declared new rules that pushed back deadlines for coal-fired power plants to adopt new emission norms by up to three years and allowed utilities that miss the new target to continue operating after paying a penalty.
India had initially set a 2017 deadline for thermal power plants to install Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) units that cut emissions of sulphur dioxides.

India's Biggest Floating Solar Power Plant To Be Set Up At Ramagundam

India's biggest floating solar power plant with a capacity of 100 MW will be set up at Ramagundam in Telangana.
The project expected to be opened in May, is being set up at Ramagundam thermal power plant reservoir.
The solar project is commissioned by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).
The world's largest solar power plant with 600 MW capacity is being set up on Omkareshwar Dam on Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh.

IUCN Changes Conservation Status Of Two African Elephant Species

On 23^rd March, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has changed the conservation status of two species of African elephants (African forest elephant and African savanna elephant).
The African forest elephant is now listed as ‘Critically Endangered’, and the African savanna elephant is now listed as ‘endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.
The two species, which were previously considered as a single species on the Red List, were previously listed as vulnerable. They are now being assessed separately due to the emergence of new genetic evidence, according to the IUCN.
The populations rarely intersect, as forest elephants live in the tropical forests of Central Africa, and savanna elephants prefer the open country in Sub-Saharan Africa, which includes grasslands and deserts.
Both species are important to the ecology where they live. Forest elephants are considered the "gardeners of the forest," as they help distribute seeds as they eat the fruit and vegetation in tropical forests. Savanna elephants are "impactful, keystone species" in the varied habitat where they live.

World Energy Transitions Outlook

The World Energy Transitions Outlook report has been brought out by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
The report proposes energy transition solutions for the narrow pathway available to contain the rise of temperature to 1.5°C and halt global warming.
The window of opportunity to achieve the 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal is closing fast. The recent trends show that the gap between where we are and where we should be is not decreasing but widening. We are heading in the wrong direction.
The IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C released in 2018 clearly indicates that a 45% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions from 2010 levels is required by 2030. However, emissions have continued to increase, except in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic economic slowdown.

‘Gram Ujala’ Scheme Launched In Bihar

Rural population was still unable to afford discounted LEDs so, Gram Ujala – a customized program for rural India, based uniquely and innovatively on carbon finance, has been launched.
The Union Power Ministry has launched the pilot ‘Gram Ujala’ programme in Arrah, Bihar. The Gram Ujala programme will be implemented in villages of the 5 districts only.
Under this scheme, LEDs (7 watt and 12-Watt LED bulbs with 3 years warranty) will be available for only Rs 10 each for each household, in exchange for working condition old incandescent lamps. Each household will get up to 5 LEDs.

Lakshadweep And Puducherry – Pilot Sites For Marine Spatial Planning

India and Norway will jointly work in the area of marine spatial planning in the oceanic space for the next five years. Lakshadweep and Puducherry have been identified as pilot sites for the project.

This is a part of the Indo-Norway Integrated Ocean Initiative under the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in 2019.
The initiative known as Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) for India.
Puducherry and Lakshadweep have been chosen for the pilot project in view of their setups with unique opportunities for multiple sectors (such as industries, fisheries, and tourism) to flourish.

Fossil Of Dickinsonia - The Earliest Animal Life Found At Bhimbetka

Dickinsonia, one of the world’s rarest fossils, has been discovered on the roof of Auditorium Cave in Bhimbetka rock shelter, Madhya Pradesh which dates back 570 million years.
Dickinsonia is an extinct genus of a basal animal, which as per the records, lived during the late Ediacaran period (also called Vendian Period, uppermost division of the Proterozoic Eon of Precambrian time and latest of the three periods of the Neoproterozoic Era, extending from approximately 635 million to 541 million years ago).

Giant Leatherback Turtle

The proposed tourism and port development projects in the Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands may threaten some of the most important nesting populations of the “Giant Leatherback Turtle.
They are largest of the seven species of sea turtles on the planet and also the most long-ranging Leatherbacks are found in all oceans except the Arctic and the Antarctic.
Within the Indian Ocean, they nest only in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Conservation Status (IUCN): Vulnerable
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, India: Schedule I (Highest Legal Protection)

Denmark To Create World's First Energy Island

Denmark has approved a plan to build the world's first energy island in the North Sea that will produce and store enough green energy to cover the electricity needs of 3 million European households.
The artificial island, which in its initial phase will be the size of 18 football fields, will be linked to hundreds of offshore wind turbines and will supply both power to households and green hydrogen for use in shipping, aviation, industry and heavy transport.
The move came as the European Union unveiled plans to transform its electricity system to rely mostly on renewable energy within a decade and increase its offshore wind energy capacity 25-fold by 2050.
The energy island is an important part of Denmark's legally binding target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 from 1990 levels, one of the world's most ambitious.
Denmark also has plans for an energy island in the Baltic Sea. The state will hold a controlling stake in both islands.

India’s First Thunderstorm Research Testbed

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is all set to establish the country’s first thunderstorm research testbed at IMD’s observation centre in Balasore, Odisha.
Expected to be fully operational in next five years, the facility will aim to reduce fatalities and loss of property due to lightning strikes in Odisha and the eastern states. Between 2011 and February 2020, about 3,218 people lost their lives in the State in lightning strikes.
DRDO Chandipur, ISRO Balasore and Bhubaneswar met office will jointly implement the project. The IMD, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are jointly working on the project.
The research unit will be equipped with augmented observational systems like radar, wind profiler, microwave radiometer and automatic weather stations to study Nor’wester thunderstorms in Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar.
Advanced observational systems will also be installed in north Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand.

India's First Geothermal Power Project

India's first ever geothermal power project, known as ‘Geothermal Field Development Project’ is planned to be commissioned by the end of 2022.
A tripartite MoU was signed between ONGC Energy, LAHDC, Leh and the Power Department of UT Ladakh.
It will be established at Puga village of eastern Ladakh which has been identified as the hotspot of geothermal energy in the country by the scientists.
In the first phase of the pilot project, one megawatt (MW) power generation capacity will be generated.
In the first phase, the pilot project implemented by the ONGC-OEC will explore within the depth of 500 metres and it is planned to supply 24 hours free power to 10 neighbouring villages which are not connected with the northern grid for power supply.
The second Phase is proposed for deeper and lateral exploration of geothermal reservoirs by drilling optimal number of wells and setting up of a higher capacity demo plant in Ladakh.

About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is the heat that comes from the sub-surface of the earth. It is contained in the rocks and fluids beneath the earth’s crust and can be found as far down to the earth’s hot molten rock, magma.
To produce power from geothermal energy, wells are dug a mile deep into underground reservoirs to access the steam and hot water there, which can then be used to drive turbines connected to electricity generators. There are three types of geothermal power plants; dry steam, flash and binary.
Dry steam is the oldest form of geothermal technology and takes steam out of the ground and uses it to directly drive a turbine. Flash plants use high-pressure hot water into cool, low-pressure water whilst binary plants pass hot water through a secondary liquid with a lower boiling point, which turns to vapour to drive the turbine.

Green Hydrogen Energy Mission

The Union Budget proposed to launch a Hydrogen Energy Mission in 2021-22 for generating hydrogen from green power sources.
India stresses on the hydrogen sources from renewable sources.
This mission would decarbonise heavy industries, and also holds the key to clean electric mobility that doesn’t depend on rare minerals.
Hydrogen can act as an energy storage option, which would be essential to meet intermittencies (of renewable energy) in the future.
Green hydrogen energy is vital for India to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions and ensure regional and national energy security, access and availability.

CWCM: India's First Wetland Conservation Centre

On the World Wetland Day 2021 (2 February), India got its first specialised institution - Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM) in Chennai.
It will work as a knowledge hub for various stakeholders for conserving wetlands that occupy 4.6% of the country's total land area.
The CWCM has been set up as a part of the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai.
It will assist the national and state/UT governments in the design and implementation of policy and regulatory frameworks, management planning, monitoring and targeted research for conservation of wetlands.
At present, India has 42 sites designated as wetlands of international importance under Ramsar convention, covering a surface area of 1.08 million hectares.
The year 2021 also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.

Arboretum To Conserve Shivalik Species

To conserve various species while spreading awareness about them a first of its kind arboretum conserving over 210 species of trees found in the Shivalik Range of Himalayas was inaugurated in Uttarakhand's Nainital district.
The range has an altitude ranging between 500m and 2500m above sea level, and owing to high rainfall, varying gradient and abundant sunshine, these mountains have rich floral and faunal biodiversity.
Apart from trees, the arboretum also conserves species of cane, moss, lichen and ferns found in the Shivalik range.

Mega Investment Textiles Parks Scheme

The Centre has proposed a Scheme of Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA) to enable textile industry to become globally competitive, attract large investments, boost employment generation, and exports.
This will create world-class infrastructure with plug-and-play facilities to create global promoters in exports.
MITRA will be launched in addition to the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme.
Seven textile parks will be established over a period of three years.

Sigur Plateau: A Corridor For Elephant And Tiger Genetic Diversity

Sigur Plateau is an ecologically fragile area, which connects the Western and the Eastern Ghats and sustains elephant and tiger populations and their genetic diversity.

It has the Nilgiri Hills on its southwestern side and the Moyar River Valley on its north-eastern side.
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which includes Sigur Plateau and the Nilgiri Hills, is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
The Supreme Court on January 27 appointed conservationist Nandita Hazarika as Member of a Technical Committee of the National Elephant 2 Action Plan that includes former Madras High Court judge, Justice K. Venkatraman; and Praveen Bhargava, trustee of Wildlife First.

Indo-French Year of the Environment

The Union Environment Ministry launched the Indo-French Year of the Environment on 28^th January 2021 along with Barbara Pompili, the French Minister for Ecological Transition.
The Indo-French Year of the Environment over the period 2021-2022 would be based on five main themes:

Environmental protection
Climate change
Biodiversity conservation
Sustainable urban development
Renewable energy
Energy efficiency

Implementing Agencies

French: From the French side, it will be implemented by the Ministry of Ecological Transition along with the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Indian: From the India, the projects will be coordinated by MoEFCC along with the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. A joint screening committee will also be set up to finalise the calendar of the events for the Indo-French Year of the Environment.

Climate Adaptation Summit 2021

The Netherlands government hosted an online international Climate Adaptation Summit (CAS Online) on 25-26 January 2021.

CAS Online was built on the advances of the UN Climate Action Summit by showcasing pioneering solutions to the climate emergency, and sustaining momentum through to UNFCCC’s COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.

What is Climate Change Adaptation

Climate Change Adaptation refers to adjustments in ecological, social, or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts. It refers to changes in processes, practices, and structures to moderate potential damages or to benefit from opportunities associated with climate change.

India at the Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021 and expressed India’s views/ efforts towards adaptation:

The 'Climate Adaptation' is more significant today than ever before and that it is a key element of India's developmental efforts.
Clean Energy: India is targeting 450 gigawatt of renewable energy capacity by the year 2030.
Clean Fuel: India is providing clean cooking fuel to 80 million rural households.
Clean Water: India is connecting 64 million households to piped water supply.
Reduction of CO₂ Emission: India is promoting LED lights and is saving 38 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Paris Agreement: India will not just meet its Paris Agreement targets, but exceed them.
Reversal of Environmental Degradation: India will not just arrest environmental degradation but reverse it. India is going to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.
Creation of New Capacities: India will not just create new capacities but make them an agent for global good.
Values: Our ancient scripture Yajurveda teaches us that our relationship with planet earth is that of a mother and her child. If we take care of mother earth, she will continue to nurture us.
Lifestyle: To adapt to Climate Change, our lifestyles must also adapt to this ideal. This sentiment should guide our way forward.

New Ant Species Discovered From Kerala

Two new species of a rare ant genus have been discovered in India.
The species of the ant genus Ooceraea found in Kerala, and Tamil Nadu add to the diversity of this rare genus. They differ from others of the same genus on the basis of the number of antennal segments.
One of them found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve of Kerala, has been named Ooceraea joshii, in honour of Prof. Amitabh Joshi, a distinguished evolutionary biologist from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR).
The two new species, the first ones spotted with ten-segmented antennae among this rare genus, were discovered by a team led by Prof. Himender Bharti of Punjabi University, Patiala.
The genus is currently represented by 14 species of which eight possess nine-segmented antennae, while five possess eleven- segmented antennae and one species has recently been reported with eight-segmented antennae. In India, the genus was so far represented by two species with nine- and eleven-segmented antennae respectively.
The newly discovered ant species with ten segmented antennae discovered, establish an old world lineage that contains a species emerging as the only model organism among the ant subfamily.

Karnataka’s First Wolf Sanctuary

Karnataka will soon get its first Indian Grey Wolf sanctuary in Koppal district of Kalyana-Karnataka region.

Besides wolves, the area will also provide conservation of striped hyena, Indian fox, golden jackal and other fauna, the agenda copy added.
Melkote region in Karnataka is said to be the first protected area for wolves in the country. The Melkote Wolf Sanctuary was reportedly set up by the maharajas of Mysuru. However, there has been no documentation of wolves in the region for over a decade.

Other Conservation Initiatives

‘Arsikere Sloth Bear Sanctuary’: The Karnataka Wildlife Board is likely to take up a proposal to set up ‘Arsikere Sloth Bear Sanctuary’ in the state by including Hirekallu Gudda and adjoining areas.
Hesaraghatta: A long-pending proposal to declare Hesaraghatta — the last standing grassland ecosystem of Bengaluru — as a Conservation Reserve is also under consideration.

Climate Change Will Alter Earth's Tropical Rain Belt

Future climate change will cause a regionally uneven shifting of the tropical rain belt -- a narrow band of heavy precipitation near the equator -- according to researchers at the University of California, Irvine and other institutions.
This development may threaten food security for billions of people.
Experts stressed that not all parts of the tropics will be affected equally. For instance, the rain belt will move north in parts of the Eastern Hemisphere but will move south in areas in the Western Hemisphere.
According to the study, a northward shift of the tropical rain belt over the eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean will result in future increases of drought stress in southeastern Africa and Madagascar, in addition to intensified flooding in southern India.

India Home To Both Species Of Red Panda: ZSI

Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have concluded that India is home to both the (sub) species — Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens) and the Chinese red panda (Ailurus styani).

The Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh splits the red panda into these two phylogenetic species.
The red panda was considered a monotypic species till 2020 until the scientists studied its genetic make-up with respect to the geographical distribution and described the occurrence of the two species.

Management Effectiveness Evaluation Of National Parks And Wildlife Sanctuaries

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has released Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of 146 National Park and Wildlife Sanctuaries in the country.

The 143 National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries arranged in five regions viz. Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western and North-eastern for evaluation. The eastern region of India presents highest overall mean MEE Score of 66.12% and the Northern region represents the lowest mean MEE Score of 56%.

SC-NBWL Approves Conservation Of Caracal

The Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife (SC-NBWL) in its 60th meeting approved inclusion of Caracal, a medium size wild cat found in some parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, into the list of ‘critically endangered’ species for taking up conservation efforts with financial support under Centrally sponsored Scheme-Development of Wildlife Habitat.

India’s 1st Pollinator Park Opened At Haldwani

To conserve various pollinator species, India’s 1st Pollinator Park has been inaugurated at Haldwani in Nainital district, Uttarakhand by Peter Smetacek, a butterfly expert.

Pollination process occurs when pollen grains from the male part of one flower (anther- the part of a flower at the top of a stamen that produces pollen) are transferred to the female part (stigma- the top of the carpel where pollen is received) of another flower. Once pollination occurs, the fertilized flowers produce seeds, which enable the associated plant to reproduce and/or form fruit.
Birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, small mammals, and most importantly, bees are pollinators.

Concerns

Most of pollinator populations are in decline mostly due to a loss in feeding and nesting habitats, pollution, overuse of pesticides and insecticides, disease, and changes in climatic patterns.
The shrinking and shifting pollinator population will endanger our food security.

Tso Kar Wetland Complex Becomes India’s 42nd Ramsar Site

India has added Tso Kar Wetland Complex in Ladakh as its 42nd Ramsar site, which is a second one in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh after Tsomoriri (A freshwater to brackish lake).
The Tso Kar Basin is a high-altitude wetland complex, consisting of two principal waterbodies, Startsapuk Tso, a freshwater lake of about 438 hectares to the south, and Tso Kar itself, a hypersaline lake of 1800 hectares to the north, situated in the Changthang region of Ladakh, India.
It is called Tso Kar, meaning white lake, because of the white salt efflorescence found on the margins due to the evaporation of highly saline water.
The Tso Kar Basin is an A1 Category Important Bird Area (IBA) as per Bird Life International and a key staging site in the Central Asian Flyway.

India’s Leopard Population Rises Over 60% Since 2014

‘Status of Leopard in India 2018’ – a recent release by the Union Environment Ministry shows that India’s leopard population has increased to 12,852 (more than 60% increase in population) over the previous estimate (about 8000) which was conducted in 2014.
The Indian leopard is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List.

States with Higher Leopard Population

Largest numbers of Leopards were found in Madhya Pradesh at 3,421, followed by Karnataka at 1,783 and Maharashtra at 1,690.

Regional Distribution

Central India/Eastern Ghats: The highest number of 8,071 leopards were found in central India and the Eastern Ghats, which include the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Western Ghats: In the Western Ghats region, comprising of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Kerala, there are 3,387 leopards.
Shivalik and Gangetic Plains: There are 1,253 leopards in Shivalik and Gangetic Plains which includes Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Bihar.
North East Hills:In the North East hills, 141 leopards were found.

Red-List Assessment Of Grasshopper Species In Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

A specialist group of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) would conduct a first of its kind Red-List assessment of grasshopper species in Nilgiri biosphere reserve in South India followed by other parts of the country.
The assessment, to be done by IUCN’s Species Survival Commission (SSC), Grasshoppers Specialist Group, would study the ecosystem by taking grasshoppers as its indicators, and also steps for their conservation.
The project is funded by United Arab Emirates-based Mohammad Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, which works for the conservation of different species across the world.
This assessment will include 30 endemic species of the NBR along with the new species of grasshopper ‘Tettilobus trishula’ or ‘Shiva’s pygmy trishula’ discovered in the Eravikulam National Park, Kerala.

Role Of Aerosols Behind High Precipitation Over The Himalayan Region

Scientists have found that aerosols like black carbon and dust, which makes the Indo-Gangetic Plain one of the most polluted regions of the world, have led to increased incidents of high rainfall events in the foothills of the Himalayan Region.
The Indo-Gangetic Plain is located south and upwind of the Himalayan foothills. The region is associated with high aerosol loading, much of which is black carbon and dust, and thus provides an opportunity for studying how aerosol affects extreme rainfall events, particularly when air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain technically called orographic forcing.
Scientists highlighted the crucial role of the aerosol direct radiative effect on high precipitation events over the Himalayan region.
They showed that particulate emissions can alter the physical and dynamical properties of cloud systems and, in turn, amplify rainfall events over orographic regions downwind of highly polluted urban areas.
Thy found clear associations between high precipitation events, high aerosol loading, and high moist static energy (MSE) values (Moist static energy of an air mass includes the potential energy due to its height above the ground and the latent heat due to its moisture content). The findings also highlight the crucial role of the radiative effect of aerosol on high precipitation events over the Himalayan region.
The results of the study indicate that aerosols can play a vital role in exciting high precipitation (HP) events over the Himalayas during the monsoon season. Thus, aerosols, including chemistry, are essential to consider when forecasting HP events over the Himalayan region in regional modelling studies.

The Production Gap 2020

On 2^nd December, 2020, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)released the Production Gap Report, 2020.

About the Report

The first Production Gap Report was launched in November 2019.
Modelled after UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report series and conceived as a complementary analysis, the Production Gap Report revealed that while the pandemic and resulting lockdowns led to “short-term drops” in coal, oil and gas production, pre-COVID plans and post-COVID stimulus measures point to a continuation of increasing fossil fuel production.

Key Findings

The report highlights the discrepancy between countries’ planned fossil fuel production levels and the global levels necessary to limit warming to 1.5°C or 2°C. This gap is large, with countries aiming to produce 120% more fossil fuels by 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
The COVID-19 pandemic and associated response measures have introduced new uncertainties to the production gap (the difference between national production plans and low-carbon (1.5°C and 2°C) pathways, as expressed in fossil fuel carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions).
The fossil fuel production gap will continue to widen if countries return to their pre-COVID plans and projections for expanded fossil fuel production.
To follow a 1.5°C-consistent pathway, the world will need to decrease fossil fuel production by roughly 6% per year between 2020 and 2030.
Countries are instead planning and projecting an average annual increase of 2%, which by 2030 would result in more than double the production consistent with the 1.5°C limit.
Between 2020 and 2030, global coal, oil, and gas production would have to decline annually by 11%, 4%, and 3%, respectively, to be consistent with a 1.5°C pathway.
This translates to a production gap similar to 2019, with countries aiming to produce 120% and 50% more fossil fuels by 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C, respectively.
To date, governments have committed far more COVID-19 funds to fossil fuels than to clean energy. Policymakers must reverse this trend to meet climate goals.
The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a reminder of the importance of ensuring that a transition away from fossil fuels is just and equitable.
Countries that are less dependent on fossil fuel production and have higher financial and institutional capacity can transition most rapidly, while those with higher dependence and lower capacity will require greater international support.

Key Recommendations

Six main areas of action for governments could help ensure a managed, just, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels that “builds back better” from the COVID-19 pandemic:

Ensure COVID-19 recovery packages and economic stimulus funds support a sustainable recovery and avoid further carbon lock-in

Many countries have begun to make investments in areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, green hydrogen, and improved pedestrian infrastructure.
But if this is accompanied by significant support for high-carbon industries, COVID-19 recovery measures still risk locking in high-carbon energy systems and development pathways for decades into the future.
Governments that choose to invest in high-carbon industries to boost economies and safeguard livelihoods in the short term — perhaps because they see few near-term alternatives — can nonetheless introduce conditions to that investment to promote long-term alignment with climate goals.

Provide local and international support to fossil-fuel dependent communities

Each country and region faces unique challenges in a transition away from fossil fuels, depending on their dependence on production and their capacity to transition.
Inclusive planning is essential, as is financial, technical, and capacity-building support for communities with limited financial and institutional capacity.

Reduce Existing Government Support for Fossil Fuels

Many long-standing forms of government support to fossil fuels — including consumer subsidies, producer subsidies, and public finance investment — stand in the way of a sustainable recovery to COVID-19 and need to be ended.

Introduce Restrictions on Fossil Fuel Production Activities and Infrastructure

Restricting new fossil fuel production activities and infrastructure can avoid locking in levels of fossil fuel production higher than those consistent with climate goals. It can also reduce the risk of stranded assets and communities.

Enhance Transparency of Current and Future Fossil Fuel Production Levels

A key barrier to aligning energy and climate plans is the lack of clarity on levels of fossil fuel production and planned or expected growth. To improve transparency, countries could ensure that relevant production data are more readily and publicly accessible.
They can also provide information on how their fossil fuel production plans align with climate goals, and on their support to the production of fossil fuels.
Governments can also take steps to disclose their level of exposure to fossil fuel asset stranding and associated systemic risk, and to require companies within their jurisdiction to do so.

Mobilize and Support a Coordinated Global Response

Policies to transition away from fossil fuels will be most effective if supported by countries collectively, as this will send consistent, directional signals to energy producers, consumers, and investors.
International cooperation, both through established channels and in new forums, can support a just and equitable wind down of fossil fuels.
The Paris Agreement’s global stocktake, nationally determined contributions (NDCs), and long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies (LEDS) offer opportunities to facilitate a transition away from fossil fuel production through the UN climate change process.
International financial institutions can help shift financial support away from fossil fuel production while scaling up support for low-carbon energy.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Founded in 1972 by Canadian businessman and philanthropist Maurice Strong, UNEP is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
Its mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)

It was created during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also referred to as RIO+20 in 2012.
It is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment, with a universal membership of all 193 Member States.