Current Affair 1:

Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)

Source Link

News:

The Department of Science & Technology (DST) under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology has established the National Centre of Excellence in Carbon Capture and Utilisation (NCOE-CCU) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. This Centre of Excellence explores and unlocks the potential of Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technologies to set India on the path to achieving its climate goals and commitments.

DST aims to nurture the area of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage through emphasis on research and development, and capacity building of both human resources and infrastructure. The objective is to evolve technologies and methodologies that address issues related to high capital costs, safety, logistics and high auxiliary power consumption.

Globally, power and industry account for about 50% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) programme aim to reduce carbon emission by either storing or reusing, so that captured carbon dioxide does not enter the atmosphere.

Reservoirs of carbon:

The primary reservoirs of carbon dioxide are the oceans, the terrestrial surface (primarily in plants and soil), and geological reserves of fossil fuels. The atmosphere is a carbon reservoir, too, but as you can see from the schematic of the carbon cycle below, the atmosphere contains a tiny fraction of the carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) compared to the oceans and geological reserves.

The oceans are, by far, the largest reservoir of carbon, followed by geological reserves of fossil fuels, the terrestrial surface (plans and soil), and the atmosphere.

But carbon moves naturally between the earth and atmosphere continuously. For example, volcanoes and other geologic activity emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. On the other hand, the weathering of some rocks results in chemical reactions with atmospheric carbon dioxide that removes it from the atmosphere.

Plant photosynthesis also removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and returns it to the terrestrial surface.

Note in the diagram above that the natural exchanges (marked by purple arrows) between the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial surface are balanced (emissions into the atmosphere are balanced by transfer back to the ocean and terrestrial surface).

Current Affair 2:

Kaziranga National Park is a net carbon emitter

 

Kaziranga National Park in Assam, home to the largest-population of the one-horned rhinoceros in the world, is releasing more carbon than it is absorbing. This is according to latest research conducted by a group of scientists from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, Maharashtra and Tezpur University in Tezpur, Assam.

A forest, or trees in a forest, take up carbon dioxide for the process of photosynthesis and release carbon dioxide when they breathe. If the amount of carbon dioxide taken up by a forest is more than the carbon dioxide released by it through respiration, it acts like a carbon sink.

Usually, forests absorb more carbon than they release, which makes them carbon sinks and they are globally promoted to counter the carbon dioxide emissions from different human activities.

The research published in the journal Agricultural and Forest Meteorology February 9, 2022, showed that as the planet warms further, the ability of the Kaziranga National Park to absorb carbon would further decrease.

Reasons:

1. This is mainly due to decreasing rainfall in the region, which has already been observed in the last few decades.
2. The answer to why Kaziranga National Park releases more carbon than it absorbs lies in the unique soil of the deciduous forest. The soil is home to a large population of bacteria that release carbon dioxide as they breathe, which adds to the carbon dioxide being emanated by other organisms, including trees.
3. The photosynthetic activity of trees during the monsoon decreases due to increased cloud cover. Hence, the ability of the forest to absorb carbon dioxide also decreases.
4. Scientists witnessed a decreasing trend in the rainfall coming from the transpired water (Transpiration is the biological process by which water is lost in the form of water vapour from the aerial parts of the plant) in the pre-monsoon months which are responsible for the highest carbon absorption.

About Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga National is home to, approximately 2/3rd of their total world population. Formed in 1908 on the recommendation of Mary Curzon, the park is located in the edge of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspots – Golaghat and Nagaon district. In the year 1985, the park was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Current Affair 3:

US Green Building Council

 

News:

India is placed third in the globe on the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) annual ranking of the top 10 nations and areas outside of the United States for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in 2021. The country has seen a 10% rise in LEED certified space since 2020.

US Green Building Council's (USGBC)

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), co-founded is a private, membership-based non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in building design, construction, and operation. USGBC is best known for its development of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems. USGBC was one of eight national councils that helped found the World Green Building Council.

Now, we will see

1. World Green Building Council.
2. LEED

World Green Building Council (WGBC)

The World Green Building Council is a non-profit organisation and global network of national Green Building Councils (GBCs).

As members of the UN Global Compact, WGBC work with businesses, organisations and governments to drive the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development. Through systems change approach, network is leading the industry towards a net zero carbon, healthy, equitable and resilient built environment.

It has member councils in over 70 countries worldwide. Now it has 70 councils, so we will see what is Green Building Council.

Green Building Councils are independent, non-profit organisations accelerating the uptake of sustainable buildings.

As members of World Green Building Council, they convene businesses and governments to collectively drive environmental, economic and social impact within the built environment on a national, regional and global scale. Currently, there are 70-member Green Building Councils.

So, whether India is a part of it or not? YES. It is.

Now, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Available for virtually all building types, LEED provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership.

LEED is for all building types and all building phases including new construction, interior fit outs, operations and maintenance and core and shell.

Meet ESG goals

LEED helps investors meet their environmental, social and governance (ESG)  goals by providing investors with the robust and globally recognized green building framework to measure and manage their real estate performance. LEED helps investors implement management practices to prioritize building efficiency, decrease operational costs, increase asset value and ensure productivity, comfort, health and wellbeing for occupants.

To achieve LEED certification, a project earns points by adhering to prerequisites and credits that address carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health and indoor environmental quality.

Current Affair 4:

What is One District One Product Scheme?

 

The ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) was launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, to help districts reach their full potential, foster economic and socio-cultural growth, and create employment opportunities, especially, in rural areas. It aims to do this by identifying, promoting and branding a product from one district. The One District One Product scheme aims to turn every district in India, into an export hub through promotion of the product in which the district specialises.

The one district one product launch date is January 24, 2018, by the Uttar Pradesh Government, and due to its success, was later adopted by the Central Government. This initiative is carried out with the ‘Districts as Exports Hub’ initiative by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce. In the scheme, the ODOP product is identified by the state for a district. The criteria for ODOP identification are given below:

Benefits to Districts

Capital Investment: Existing micro-enterprises would be supported through capital investment. Enterprises producing ODOP products are given preference. New units, on the other hand, would be supported for ODOP products only.

Marketing and Branding: Marketing and branding infrastructure support is provided. If marketing and branding are being conducted at the state or regional level, other products would also be supported.

Subsidy: Under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme with the ODOP approach, a credit-linked capital subsidy comprising 35% of the eligible project cost, up to Rs. 10 lakh (US$ 13,379.7) may be provided. The beneficiary may need to contribute at least 10% of the amount and the balance as a bank loan.

Credit-Linked Grant: A credit-linked grant of 35% would be provided to support groups such as self-help groups (SHGs), Producer Co-operatives, etc. in their operations such as sorting, grading, storage, packaging, processing and so on.

Seed Capital: Seed capital is provided at Rs. 40,000 (US$ 535.2) per SHG member involved in food processing. The capital is to be utilised for working capital and buying small tools.

Branding and Marketing: Branding and marketing support is provided through grants of up to 50% of total expenditure, for the state or regional level ODOP product, to SHGs, co-operatives, etc. Branding and marketing are crucial for the growth of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

<< Previous Next >>