Environment & Biodiversity

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed in 1987. It successfully orchestrated global phase-out of harmful chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). [Memory Trick: Protect the ozone shell to prevent the Earth from getting warm and 'Melting'= 'Montreal' Protocol.]

Biomagnification or biological magnification is the accumulation and concentration of non-biodegradable toxins sequentially upwards in food web, severely impacting top predators like eagles. [Memory Trick: As toxins travel up the chain, their danger gets 'Magnified' (bigger) = 'Biomagnification'.]

Project Tiger was launched on April 1, 1973, from Jim Corbett National Park during Indira Gandhi's tenure. It designated national tiger reserves to create controlled ecosystems for the endangered species. [Memory Trick: The Tiger has 'three' strip marks (3) in his forehead which saved his life in '73 = 1973.]

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was signed in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. February 2nd is celebrated globally as World Wetlands Day to mark this. [Memory Trick: Safeguard birds and marshy lands where 'Ram' drank water in '71 = 1971.]

Eutrophication occurs when excess nutrients cause dense algal blooms, depleting dissolved oxygen as algae decay, suffocating fish and creating aquatic dead zones. [Memory Trick: Excess nutrients lead to algae growth, blocking light so fish say 'You suffocated me' = 'Eu'-trophication.]

Minamata disease was caused by the release of methylmercury in industrial wastewater into Minamata Bay in Japan, accumulating in fish and shellfish eaten by local populations. [Memory Trick: 'Minamata' sounds like a beautiful eastern name from 'Japan'.]

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997 and entered into force in 2005. It operationalized the UNFCCC by committing industrialized countries to limit emissions. [Memory Trick: Kyoto Protocol was set up in '97' because 'Greenhouses' make nine-seven look fine.]

Adopted in 2001, the Stockholm Convention focuses on eliminating or restricting the production and use of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which persist in the environment and bioaccumulate. [Memory Trick: POPs stick around too long in the 'Stock' room of nature = Stockholm targets POPs.]

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Earth Summit, took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992, giving rise to the CBD, UNFCCC, and Agenda 21. [Memory Trick: We reached the grand 'Rio' bay to design a sustainable 'Agenda' for the earth.]

The Silent Valley Movement (1973–1983) was a social movement in Kerala to save the Silent Valley Reserve Forest from a hydroelectric project across the Kunthipuzha River, protecting the endangered lion-tailed macaque. [Memory Trick: Best to keep nature 'Silent' and peaceful in 'Kerala's' lush green backwaters.]

Sunderlal Bahuguna was a pioneering environmentalist who led the Chipko Movement in the 1970s. He coined the slogan: 'Ecology is permanent economy' and successfully lobbied to ban tree felling in the Himalayas. [Memory Trick: Tree-hugging makes the forest 'Sunder' (beautiful) and brings 'Bahuguna' (many benefits).]

The Appiko Movement was started in September 1983 by villagers of Salkani in Sirsi district, Karnataka, to protest against commercial logging and monoculture in the Western Ghats. [Memory Trick: 'Appi' translates to 'hug' in Kannada, the state language of 'Karnataka'.]

The CPCB was constituted in September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. It was later entrusted with powers and functions under the Air Act, 1981. [Memory Trick: Water flows first, so the CPCB was born inside the 'Water' Act flow.]

The NGT was established under the NGT Act 2010 for effective disposal of cases relating to environmental protection. Its principal bench is in New Delhi, with regional benches in Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata, and Chennai. [Memory Trick: The green 'Tribunal' sits in the capital 'New Delhi' to guard the country's environmental rules.]

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), founded in 1948 and headquartered in Gland, Switzerland, compiles the Red List which evaluates the conservation status of plant and animal species worldwide. [Memory Trick: 'I-U-C-N' = International Union that 'Cares' for species in the Red Zone.]

India has four biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, the Indo-Burma region, and Sundaland. The Western Ghats run along the western coast and are exceptionally rich in endemic flora and fauna. [Memory Trick: Water and clouds hit the 'Ghats' to create a steaming 'Hotspot' of wildlife.]

The Wildlife Protection Act was passed in 1972. It contains six schedules that accord varying degrees of protection, with Schedule I providing absolute protection and the highest penalties. [Memory Trick: We protected the 'Wildlife' in '72' (Seventy-Two) before launching the Tiger project next.]

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, was enacted under Article 253 of the Constitution in the wake of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy. It serves as an umbrella legislation to manage overall environment policy. [Memory Trick: An 'umbrella' protects us from acid rain, just like the 'Protection' Act of '86' shields all ecology.]

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was enacted in 1981. It was amended in 1987 to include 'noise' under the definition of air pollutants. [Memory Trick: Loud noise travels through the 'Air', hurting our ears in '87.]

Members of the Central and State Pollution Control Boards hold office for a term of three years from the date of their nomination. [Memory Trick: SPCB officers serve a neat term of 'Three' (3) years to clear the liquid waste.]

The Biological Diversity Act, 2002, was passed to realize the objectives of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) signed in 1992, promoting conservation and fair benefit sharing. [Memory Trick: Clean 'Diversity' Act in '2002' matches the CBD goals perfect and true.]

Established in 1936 as Hailey National Park in Uttarakhand, it was later renamed Ramganga National Park, and finally Jim Corbett National Park to honor the legendary naturalist and author. [Memory Trick: The 'First' hunter-turned-saver 'Jim' placed his 'Corbett' park at the top in '1936'.]

Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur is famous for its floating decomposed plant material called 'phumdis' and is the last natural refuge of the endangered Eld's deer or Sangai (brow-antlered deer). [Memory Trick: You need strong 'Cable' (Keibul) locks to hold a 'floating' park on a lake!]

Gahirmatha beach in Odisha is the world's most important nesting beach for Olive Ridley turtles, which gather in thousands for mass nesting known as 'Arribada'. [Memory Trick: Millions of 'Olive' turtles swim across 'Gahirmatha' (deep waters) for their beach party.]

The Paris Agreement (2015) aims to keep global temperature rise in this century well below 2.0 °C above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5 °C. [Memory Trick: Keep it below 'Two' (2) degrees or things will get too hot for me and you.]