CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Central Government has declared the biodiversity-rich area ranging from 0 to 1 km around the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

Recently, Iceland declared the potential collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) a direct threat to its national security and existence.

The Union government has notified detailed rules governing the utilisation of the Environmental (Protection) Fund, created from penalties imposed under key environmental laws. The rules aim to ensure that monetary penalties collected for environmental violations are systematically channelled into environmental restoration, pollution control, and sustainability-related initiatives.

Recently, during the Southern Hemisphere summer (January 2026), an unusual phytoplankton bloom was observed in the ocean around the Chatham Islands. The bloom was so extensive that it was clearly visible from space through the VIIRS sensor of the NOAA-20 satellite. Swirling green and blue patterns appeared on the sea surface, indicating intense biological activity.

The latest crocodile census has recorded an increase in the crocodile population in Similipal National Park in Odisha, reflecting improving aquatic ecosystem health and conservation outcomes.

Recently, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) recommended that the Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) in Bengaluru should be restored to its original 2016 extent, citing concerns over ecological degradation and increasing urban pressure.

Recently, the CSIR–National Physical Laboratory (NPL) established the National Environmental Standard Laboratory (NESL), a specialised national facility to test and recalibrate air pollution monitoring instruments and environmental sensors under Indian conditions.

The Flamingo Festival recently drew large numbers of families and nature enthusiasts to the Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary near Sullurpeta in Andhra Pradesh, highlighting growing public interest in wetland conservation and avian biodiversity.

Renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil passed away in Pune at the age of 83. His contributions to environmental conservation have been profound and long-lasting. Among his achievements, his role as Chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) is considered most significant.