CURRENT AFFAIRS

Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) technologies are gaining policy and industry attention in India as the country explores pathways to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors such as cement, steel, power, and chemicals. Unlike Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), which stores CO₂ underground, CCU converts captured carbon dioxide into useful products like fuels, chemicals, polymers, and construction materials — integrating emissions back into the economic cycle.

Recently, a rare Ferruginous Pochard was spotted among a flock of Common Pochards at Amur Lake in Chennai. This species is seen in limited numbers in India, making such sightings significant for birdwatchers and conservationists.

Recently, Indian marine researchers discovered a new species of squat lobster near the Lakshadweep Islands coral reef ecosystem. The species has been scientifically named Leiogalathea samudragiri.

An adult male tiger named ‘Explorer’ has been reintroduced into the wild in Papikonda National Park as part of Operation Stripes, a wildlife management initiative aimed at strengthening tiger conservation and habitat restoration.

The United Nations' declaration of 2026 as the "International Year of Grasslands and Pastoral Communities" acknowledges the fact that grasslands and their dependent communities have not received the appropriate attention in global environmental discourse. 

The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has approved the diversion of 4.68 hectares of forest land from the Kapilash Wildlife Sanctuary for the construction of the 111 km six-lane Capital Region Ring Road (CRRR) project.

India’s tiger conservation strategy has traditionally focused on central and eastern forest landscapes, where contiguous habitats and established tiger populations exist. However, the Western Ghats, despite being a global biodiversity hotspot

The Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, notified by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, will come into force on April 1, 2026, replacing the 2016 framework. The new rules comprehensively overhaul waste management by urban and rural local bodies, emphasising waste reduction, reuse, segregation, and at-source processing.

A recent faunal survey in the Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary has significantly expanded the biodiversity records of Kerala’s youngest protected area. The findings underscore the sanctuary’s ecological importance and reinforce its role in regional conservation, especially within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and Nilambur Elephant Reserve.

Ahead of World Wetlands Day, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced the addition of two new wetlands to India’s Ramsar network, strengthening the country’s commitment to wetland conservation and biodiversity protection.