AUGUST-2018

The vast reservoir of carbon stored in the soil is entering the Earth's atmosphere at an increasing rate, most likely as a result of
warming temperatures, scientists say.When bacteria chew on decaying leaves and fungi chow down on dead plants, they convert
that storehouse of carbon into carbon dioxide that enters the atmosphere.In a study published in the journal Nature, scientists
show that this process is speeding up as Earth warms and is happening faster than plants are taking in carbon through
photosynthesis.Researchers from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in the US found that the rate at which
microbes are transferring carbon from soil to the atmosphere has increased 1.2 per cent over a 25-year time period, from 1990
through 2014.While that may not seem like a big change, such an increase on a global scale, in a relatively short period of time in
Earth history, is massive.The finding, based on thousands of observations made by scientists at hundreds of sites around the
globe, is consistent with the predictions that scientists have made about how Earth might respond to warmer temperatures."It's
important to note that this is a finding based on observations in the real world. This is not a tightly controlled lab experiment,"
said Ben Bond-Lamberty of the Joint Global Change Research Institute."Soils around the globe are responding to a warming
climate, which in turn can convert more carbon into carbon dioxide which enters the atmosphere," Bond-Lamberty
said."Depending on how other components of the carbon cycle might respond due to climate warming, these soil changes can
potentially contribute to even higher temperatures due to a feedback loop," he added.Globally, soil holds about twice as much
carbon as Earth's atmosphere. In a forest where stored carbon is manifest in the trees above, even more, carbon resides unseen
underfoot.The team relied heavily on two global science networks as well as a variety of satellite observations.The Global Soil
Respiration Database includes data on soil respiration from more than 1,500 studies around the globe.FLUXNET draws data
from more than 500 towers around the world that record information about temperature, rainfall and other factors.Most studies
that address this question look at one individual site which we understand very well," said Vanessa Bailey, a soil scientist."This
study asks the question on a global scale. We are talking about a huge quantity of carbon. Microbes exert an outsize influence on
the world that is very hard to measure on such a large scale," said Bailey.The study focused on a phenomenon known as "soil
respiration," which describes how microbes and plants in the soil take in substances like carbon to survive, then give off carbon
dioxide.Soils don't exactly breathe, but as plants and microbes in soil take in carbon as food, they convert some of it to other
gases which they give off - much like we do when we breathe.Scientists have known that as temperatures rise, soil respiration
increases.The team sought to compare the roles of the two main contributors, increased plant growth and microbial action.The
researchers discovered a growing role for microbes, whose action is outstripping the ability of plants to absorb carbon.In the 25-
year span of the study, the proportion of soil respiration that is due to microbes increased from 54 to 63 per cent
Starting next year, India has planned to bring down emission levels of all old power plants to national standards by 2022, a top
Environment Ministry official has said.Union Environment Secretary C K Mishra also said that "very old" plants in the country
might be closed down."When it comes to addressing climate change issues, the first thing that one needs to do is to acknowledge
that there is an issue... In the backdrop of the Paris agreement, the NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) announced by
India, so far, according to me, is already ambitious."But, there are development imperatives, and India is one of the fastest
growing economies, so as growth takes place, emissions levels are bound to rise. So, the story of India and the narrative is that of
responsible growth," he said.Mishra said this on Wednesday during the inaugural edition of 'The Earth Dialogues', hosted by a
public advocacy firm here. He also discussed the road ahead for the government in the clean energy sector."We have a plan in
place, wherein from 2019 onwards and by 2022, emission levels of all old power plants will be brought to national standards.
Some may be closed which are very old, but rest will be done," Mishra said.State-run National Thermal Power Corporation
(NTPC) is doing retrofitting works in old plants in a "big way", the secretary said."It is a time-consuming process and one of
these additions takes about 18 months," he said.Mishra said the emission scenario would improve if emission norms for boilers
and technology that are friendly to emission reduction are implemented.Thermal and other fossil fuel-based power plants are one
of the main causes of air pollution. "Doing is well worth it, as the cost of not doing is much higher," he said.The secretary said
the Badarpur Thermal Power Plant in Delhi remains "closed" and it would be operated only in case of "extremely critical power
situation" in the national capital."The Badarpur plant, for example, remains closed. We are holding it, and will operate only in
case of extremely critical power situation in Delhi. Next year, anyways, we are shutting it down, as we have an alternative system
being built," he said.In Bawana, the gas power plant is running at 20 per cent capacity. It has two units of 750 MW each, Mishra
said."By next month, the first unit of 750 MW will fully run on gas with full capacity. Gas is a much greener fuel," he
said.Mishra said while the Paris agreement has it own modalities, "what about the pre-2020 commitments".The 2015 Paris accord
is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) dealing with greenhouse gas
emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance starting in 2020.The agreement sets out a global action plan to put the world on
track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below two degrees Celsius."There are two factors
which are of importance in the backdrop of the Paris accord -- transfer of technology to developing countries must be unfettered
and when it comes to climate finance, it should be new and distinguishing
Over the last few days, the word formalin or formaldehyde, a powerful carcinogenic disinfectant used to preserve dead bodies in
mortuaries, is on the lips of most fish-loving Goans, after the state Food and Drugs Administration cracked down on
consignments of fish from other states laced with the chemical.Surprisingly, soon after the raid and a subsequent tweet (since
unavailable) by Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai, the FDA flip-flopped, saying only permissible quantities of formalin was
found in the seized fish consignment.The "fishy" flip-flop and Sardesai's tweet subtly backing the fish importer, whose seafood
consignments largely come in from Karnataka, Odisha, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, has triggered not just outrage among
Goans, but has also unleashed a fresh stream of humour on social media.Some advise the unthinkable -- as far as Goans are
concerned: Give up fish until the formalin conundrum is put to rest."To stop chemicals in fish, we can only take action. Rather
than blaming politicians for no action, let us take action and set an example. Can we quit fish for 10 days," asked Margarida
Tavora, who runs the popular Nostalgia restaurant in the South Goan village of Raia, known for its local fish and meat
preparations.A day after the raid, fish markets wore a deserted look on Saturday as patrons ditched their "fish fix" for the day in
view of the scare.Availability of cheap fish had been the poll plank of several political parties like the Congress, Aam Aadmi
Party and the Goa Forward ahead of the last state assembly polls.Fish is popularly consumed in the state and is sought after in the
tourism belt, which is frequented by more than six million tourists every year.Pollution, the overkill of fish for export and to cater
to the hospitality industry in the tourism-oriented state, as well as rising sea temperatures, have already triggered a fish famine of
sorts in the waters off Goa, driving prices of locally consumed staple fish through the roof.And the fresh suspicion of imported
fish laced with the carcinogenic substance isn't helping either now, as questions are being asked of Chief Minister Manohar
Parrikar, who is himself recovering from pancreatic cancer."Will the IIT-educated CM tell us if cancer causing formalin (is) ok at
permissible levels," Margao-based lawyer Cleofato Countinho asked.For now, the FDA, in its statement, has tried to clarify on
behalf of the government that "fish naturally contains a certain amount of formalin" and the seized fish had permissible quantity
of the chemical. But its answers appear to raise more questions, thanks to its flip-flop."Whatever the spin, formaldehyde is a
proven carcinogen. No question... you need not be a rocket scientist to udnerstand why cancer cases are galloping in our country,
sloshed as we are with chemicals
More than a billion people are at risk from a lack of air conditioning and refrigeration to keep them cool and to preserve food and
medicines as global warming brings more high temperatures, a study showed on Monday.More electricity demand for fridges,
fans and other appliances will add to man-made climate change unless power generators shift from fossil fuels to cleaner
energies, according to the report by the non-profit Sustainable Energy for All group.About 1.1 billion people in Asia, Africa and
Latin America - 470 million in rural areas and 630 million slum dwellers in cities - were at risk among the world’s 7.6 billion
people, it said.“Cooling becomes more and more important” with climate change, Rachel Kyte, head of the group and special
representative for the U.N. Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, told Reuters.In a survey of 52 countries, those most
at risk included India, China, Mozambique, Sudan, Nigeria, Brazil, Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh, it said.“We have to
provide cooling in a super-efficient way,” Kyte said. Companies could find big markets, for instance by developing low-cost,
high-efficiency air conditioners to sell to growing middle classes in tropical countries.And simpler solutions, such as painting
roofs white to reflect sunlight or redesigning buildings to allow heat to escape, would also help.The U.N.’s health agency says
that heat stress linked to climate change is likely to cause 38,000 extra deaths a year worldwide between 2030 and 2050. In a
heat-wave in May, more than 60 people died in Karachi, Pakistan, when heat rose above 40 degrees Celsius (104°F).In remote
areas in tropical countries, many people lack electricity and clinics are often unable to store vaccines or medicines that need to be
chilled, the study said. And in city slums, electricity supplies are often intermittent.Many farmers or fishermen, meanwhile, lack
access to a “cold chain” to preserve and transport products to markets. Fresh fish goes off within hours if stored at 30 degrees
Celsius (86°F) but stays fresh for days when chilled.Last week, a study by the University of Birmingham in Britain projected that
the number of cooling appliances could quadruple by 2050 to 14 billion worldwide, driving a surge in energy consumption.
India is among the nine most populous countries where people are at risk from lack of access to cooling as global warming
continues to threaten health and climate, according to a study of a UN-led initiative.The report also said that policy makers
should immediately measure gaps in access to cooling in their respective countries, as an evidence base for more proactive and
integrated policy-making.Besides, businesses, governments and finance actors should collaborate to assess and act on the
enormous commercial and economic opportunities, including productivity, employment and growth gains from providing
sustainable cooling solutions for all, stated the report released by the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) here yesterday.The
study, 'Chilling Prospects: Providing Sustainable Cooling for All', is the first ever report to quantify the growing risks and assess
the opportunities of the global cooling challenge.The report said there are over 1.1 billion people globally who face immediate
risks from lack of access to cooling."Cooling underpins the ability of millions to escape poverty, to keep our children healthy,
vaccines stable, food nutritious, and our economies productive. Access to cooling is now a fundamental issue of equity, and as
temperatures hit record levels, this could also mean the difference between life or death for some," it said.The report is based on
an analysis of 52 vulnerable countries in hot climates. Among the 1.1 billion people face cooling access risks are 470 million
people in poor rural areas without access to safe food and medicines and 630 million people in hotter, poor urban slums with little
or no cooling to protect them against extreme heatwaves.Nine countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America, which have the
biggest population, are facing significant cooling risks, the study said. The countries are India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Pakistan,
Nigeria, Indonesia, China, Mozambique and Sudan."In a world facing continuously rising temperatures, access to cooling is not a
luxury - it's essential for everyday life. It guarantees safe cold supply chains for fresh produce, safe storage of life-saving
vaccines, and safe work and housing conditions," said Rachel Kyte, CEO and Special Representative to the UN Secretary-
General for Sustainable Energy for All.About 2.3 billion people represent a different kind of cooling risk - a growing middle
class, where limited purchasing options mean they may only be able to afford to buy less expensive and less efficient cooling
devices, which could spike global energy demand with profound climate impacts, the study said.The report also added that this
challenge offers business and entrepreneurs the opportunity of major new consumer markets which want super-efficient,
affordable technologies to meet their cooling needs.Kyte said the report is a wake-up call and nations must meet these needs in an
energy efficient way, and without using ozone damaging substances."If not, the risks to life, health and the planet are significant.
But there are equally important business opportunities for those that face up to the challenge and act early," she said.It is also
estimated that cooling is now responsible for about 10% of global warming and growing rapidly. Future choices about
refrigerants, the efficiency of cooling technologies, and how cooling is powered will have a significant impact on achieving the
Paris Climate Agreement, it said.Speaking at the SEforALL side event here yesterday, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina
Mohammed remarked that access to cleaner energy benefits health, especially those of women and girls, by reducing risks from
indoor and outdoor air pollution, and by enabling access to clean water and refrigeration.She said while rapid progress is being
seen in the power sector in renewable energy, progress is lagging in transportation, industry and heating.
"Energy access is a similar story. Globally, some 1 billion people still lack access to electricity. The numbers on access to clean
cooking are even more sobering," she said, adding that in sub-Saharan Africa alone, 860 million people lack access to clean
cooking fuels and technologies."That's 275 million more people than in 2010. The consequences are devastating," she said.
The UN official further said that some four million people die every year because of indoor air pollution."And it bears repeating
that the hardest hit are women and girls in rural areas living without modern energy services," she said.SEforALL, launched in
2011, aims at achieving universal energy access, improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy.The report,
produced in partnership with the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP), was launched during this week's United Nations
High-Level Political Forum, which is reviewing the progress of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including access
to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
In the waters of the Arabian Sea, a vast "dead zone" the size of Scotland is expanding and scientists say climate change may be to
blame.In his lab in Abu Dhabi, Zouhair Lachkar is labouring over a colourful computer model of the Gulf of Oman, showing
changing temperatures, sea levels and oxygen concentrations.His models and new research unveiled earlier this year show a
worrying trend.Dead zones are areas of the sea where the lack of oxygen makes it difficult for fish to survive and the one in the
Arabian Sea is "is the most intense in the world," says Lachkar, a senior scientist at NYU Abu Dhabi in the capital of the United
Arab Emirates."It starts at about 100 metres and goes down to 1,500 metres, so almost the whole water column is completely
depleted of oxygen," he told AFP.Dead zones are naturally occurring phenomena around the world, but this one appears to have
mushroomed since it was last surveyed in the 1990s.Lachkar and other researchers are worried that global warming is causing the
zone to expand, raising concerns for local ecosystems and industries including fishing and tourism.The discovery was made
possible by the use of robotic divers, or "sea gliders", deployed in areas researchers could not access — an undertaking by
Britain's University of East Anglia in collaboration with Oman's Sultan Qaboos University.The findings of the 2015 to 2016
study were released in April and showed the Arabian Sea dead zone had worsened in size and scope.And unlike in the 1996
measurements, when the lowest levels were limited to the heart of the dead zone — midway between Yemen and India — now
the dead zone extends across the sea."Now everywhere is the minimum, and it can't go much lower," the lead researcher Bastien
Queste told AFP.At NYU Abu Dhabi, Lachkar explains the Arabian Sea dead zone appears to be stuck in a cycle where warming
seas are depleting the oxygen supply which in turn is reinforcing the warming.This, he says, "can be very scary for climate".Ports
from Mumbai to Muscat look out onto the Arabian Sea, making it a critical body of water.These coastal hubs and the populations
beyond them will be affected by further expansion of the dead zone.Fish, a key source of sustenance in the region, may find their
habitats compressed from deep underwater to just beneath the surface, putting them at risk of overfishing and extreme
competition."When oxygen concentration drops below certain levels, fish cannot survive and you have massive death," says
Lachkar.To carry out his data-heavy modelling, Lachkar relies on a sprawling supercomputer centre which cost several million
dollars to set up — a testament to local priorities to research climate change.The UAE in 2016 renamed its ministry of
environment and water as the ministry of climate change and environment, further evidence of the regional desire to meet this
global challenge head-on."I think it is an important topic for different reasons, not only scientific reasons, but also economic,"
says Lachkar from his Centre for Prototype and Climate Modelling."Fishing is an important source of revenue and it's directly
impacted by the oxygen," he said.Even coral reefs and, by extension, tourism could be affected.Down the hall from his research
facility is the complementary Centre for Global Sea Level Change, where researchers like Diana Francis study the worldwide
impact of the problem.The issue was at the top of the global agenda in 2015, when the world hammered out a deal in Paris to cut
carbon emissions.But the landmark agreement received a blow last year, when President Donald Trump announced he would be
pulling the United States out of the accord."It is very disappointing, because a major country is not putting effort in the same
direction as the others," says Francis of the decision."But our role is to stick to science, be pragmatic and try to advance our
understanding of the climate
Australia announced plans on Friday to explore concepts such as firing salt into clouds and covering swathes of water with a thin
layer of film in a bid to save the embattled Great Barrier Reef.The UNESCO World Heritage-listed reef, about the size of Japan
or Italy, is reeling from two straight years of bleaching as sea temperatures rise because of climate change.Experts have warned
that the 2,300-kilometre long area could have suffered irreparable damage.While the government has pledged to tackle climate
change - the greatest threat to the world's largest living structure - there has also been a push to explore shorter-term measures to
buy the reef some time.Canberra in January offered Aus$2.0 million (US$1.5 million) to attract innovative ideas to protect the
site, which is also under pressure from farming runoff, development and the predatory crown-of-thorns starfish.Six schemes
selected out of a total of 69 submissions will be tested to see if they are feasible.One selected concept is cloud brightening where
salt crystals harvested from seawater are fired into clouds, making them more reflective and therefore deflecting solar rays back
into space.David Mead, a researcher at the Australian Institute of Marine Science, said the idea might seem wacky but the
proposal has real potential."The team have been looking at using a very fine nozzle to pump small droplets of salt water at the
rate of several billion per second," he told national broadcaster ABC."The water vaporises and you're left with a salt particle
which will float around, and if you can introduce those into the system you can increase the amount of sunlight reflected back."
Another idea was a biodegradable "sun shield", where an ultra-thin film containing light-reflecting particles covers some reef
waters to protect corals from heat stress."The great thing about the film is it is only a molecule thick so you can swim straight
through it and it'll just keep self-forming," Andrew Negri from the Australian Institute of Marine Science told the ABC.Other
short-listed projects include mass producing coral larvae with the aid of 3D-printed surfaces to support new growth, and large-
scale harvesting and relocation of larvae.
The experimental commissions came as Canberra said Friday it was updating its Aus$2.0 billion "Reef 2050" plan - first unveiled
in 2015 - to protect the reef, with further measures to improve water quality
Ocean acidification is likely to hit the levels not seen in the past 14 million years, under a 'business-as-usual' scenario of carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to a study.Ocean acidification occurs when CO2 from the atmosphere is absorbed by
seawater, resulting in more acidic water with a lower pH, said researchers from the Cardiff University in the UK.The rapid influx
of CO2 in to the oceans is severely threatening marine life, with the shells of some animals already dissolving in the more acidic
seawater."Our new geological record of ocean acidification shows us that on our current 'business as usual' emission trajectory,
oceanic conditions will be unlike marine ecosystems have experienced for the last 14 million years," said Sindia Sosdian from
Cardiff University.Around a third of the CO2 released by burning coal, oil and gas gets dissolved into the oceans.Since the
beginning of the industrial era, the ocean has absorbed around 525 billion tonnes of CO2, equivalent to around 22 million tonnes
per day, researchers said.In the study, published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, the researchers set out to
reconstruct levels of ocean acidity and atmospheric CO2 levels over the past 22 million years.They did so by studying the fossils
of tiny marine creatures that once lived near the ocean surface, specifically using the chemistry of their shells to monitor the
acidity of the seawater in which the creatures lived.Based on this information, the researchers were able to put their new records
of pH (a scale of acidity) and CO2 levels in context of the range of future carbon emission scenarios that are recognised by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).Under a 'business-as-usual' future scenario where we continue to emit CO2
at the same rate as we do today, atmospheric CO2 would be near 930 parts per million in the year 2100, compared to around 400
parts per million today, researchers said.Similarly, the pH of the oceans would be less than 7.8 in 2100 compared to a pH of
around 8.1 today. This is very significant as the pH scale is logarithmic, meaning a drop of just 0.1 pH units represents a 25 per
cent increase in acidity, they said.These levels of atmospheric CO2 and ocean acidity have not been since the Middle Miocene
Climatic Optimum period around 14 million years ago, when global temperatures were around 3 degrees Celsius warmer than
today as a result of the Earth's natural geological cycle."The current pH is already probably lower than any time in the last 2
million years. Understanding exactly what this means for marine ecosystems requires long-term laboratory and field studies as
well as additional observations from the fossil recordAllowing culling of saltwater crocodiles may set a “dangerous” precedent,
an animal protection body said on Thursday amid reports that the Andaman & Nicobar islands administration has sought
temporary removal of the ‘salties’ from the list of endangered species, which could lead to its culling.Due to growing number of
crocodile attacks at the Andaman & Nicobar islands, the administration has petitioned the Prime Minister’s Office to temporarily
de-notify saltwater crocodiles from endangered list of species.“World Animal Protection would like to emphasise that culling is
not a solution and the government should look into regulating and monitoring tourist behavior
Union minister Harsh Vardhan today said the government has set a target of doubling the tiger population in the country.
Speaking at an event here in the run-up to the 'International Tiger Day' on July 29, Vardhan said if tigers are conserved, the
country will then also be able to protect environment and deal with environmental threats that exist in the world."To conserve
tiger, it is necessary to increase their population. We have a target of doubling the tiger population," the minister of Environment
Forest and Climate Change said.He said that India has 70 per cent of the world's tiger population.The preliminary census data of
the ongoing tiger census is showing rise in the population of the big cats in the country, which is a "big thing", he said.Vardhan
said children should play a vital role in protecting tiger and environment.Earlier this week, the government had, while quoting
preliminary census data, said that the population of tigers is on the rise.Vardhan had also informed the Rajya Sabha that advanced
strategies are being adopted to tackle the human-animal conflict and detailed advisories were being issued to the state
governments.
A proposal to rid Andaman of polluting diesel by switching to clean-burning natural gas for generating power, fuelling
automobiles and kitchens has remained stuck in red tape for more than two years over allotment of land and awarding the project
to companies under the government's umbrella. Andaman currently burns tonnes of diesel to generate costly power and public
transport but the rising demand due to increased economic activity on the back of growth in tourism still leaves the habitations
grappling with electricity shortage, forcing commercial establishment to depend on backup generators. Government sources said
in early 2016 Petronet LNG proposed setting up a small floating LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal, power plant and
CNG/PNG (compressed natural gas/piped natural gas) networks to wean the tourist hotspot off all highly-polluting liquid fuels.
Petronet pitched it as a global showcase to project India's climate commitment. Government sources said encouraged by
Petronet's presentation, the administration asked for a proposal outlining the project contours. After several rounds of discussion,
Petronet suggested Hope Town among three locations the administration identified for allotting about 8 hectares of land for the
power plant.Just when the project appeared to be moving forward, the administration said the project and land could not be given
to Petronet on without bidding since it was a 'private' company. The administration also said it would need the home ministry's
nod.In January this year, power minister R K Singh called a meeting of all stakeholders, including the Andaman L-G, heads of
Central Electricity Authority, Petronet and state-run generation utility NTPC, to break the logjam. It was pointed out that Petronet
may be registered as a private company but it is promoted by government oil majors and has the petroleum secretary as the ex-
officio chairman. This is why the company was given land for LNG projects at Dahej and Kochi on nomination.After other
proposals such as long-term lease were shot down by the administration, the power ministry suggested roping in NTPC, which
could then be given land for the power plant. It was agreed that the ministry and the CEA could approve this as a way out once
the administration referred the matter to them. But then the home ministry also supported bidding route and the matter didn't
move much.The issue resurfaced over the last fortnight during a series of top-level meetings on Cochin Shipyard Ltd
manufacturing vessels under the 'Make in India' initiative for Petronet ferrying gas for the Andaman project. The home ministry
has now suggested splitting the proposal to separate the power plant and the LNG terminal for consideration.
The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) will soon be under complete drone camera surveillance, DTR field director Ramesh Pandey
told PTI here, today.Work for the surveillance programme, which is being called e-bird project, has already begun. A pilot
operation was conducted on International Tiger Day, July 29, where drone cameras were used to monitor rhinos in the
rehabilitation area."Within just 30 minutes, we were able to locate and monitor nine rhinos in the rehabilitation area. We
managed to keep a close watch on them without being noticed," Pandey said.The e-bird project is a joint initiative of DTR and
Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. WII, Dehradun, will provide required number of drone cameras to DTR and also give
training to the forest staff, Pandey said."Drone cameras will assist the patrolling teams to keep a watch on the movement of
tigers, leopards, rhinos, Dudhwa jumbos and other wild species. They will further help in habitat management, countering man-
animal conflicts and checking criminal activities," said."To ascertain the number of drones required, WII will take up surveys in
all parts of DTR - Dudhwa National Park (680 sq km), Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary (204 sq km), Katarniaghat Wildlife
Sanctuary (478 sq km) and Dudhwa buffer zone also known as north Kheri forest division (1,107 sq km)," he said.Monitoring
wildlife in the tiger reserve has been a major challenge for field staffers over the years. The rough terrain is interspersed by
Mohana, Sharda rivers and numerous small canals and water bodies. Moreover presence of carnivorous animals, and waterlogged
routes during the rainy season pose a great challenge to the patrolling teams
A global body has added Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve to the UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves, making it
11th such entry from India in the list of 686 biosphere reserves from 122 countries.The listing acts as a unique tool for
international co-operation through sharing knowledge, exchanging experiences, building capacity and promoting best practices
for conserving the biosphere reserves which are areas comprising territorial, marine and coastal ecosystems.The decision to
include Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve, located in Sikkim, in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves was taken in the
International Coordination Council meeting of the UNESCO in Indonesia late last month. “Gratified to note that the UNESCO
has included the Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR),” tweeted
Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday.The other Indian biosphere reserves in the list include Nilgiri, Gulf of
Mannar, Sunderban, Nanda Devi, Nokrek, Pachmarhi, Simlipal, Achanakmar-Amarkantak, Great Nicobar and Agasthyamala.The
Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve is one of the highest ecosystems in the world. It falls within the Himalaya global biodiversity
hotspot. The core zone alone has over 150 glaciers and 73 glacial lakes with the prominent one being the famous 26 km long
Zemu glacier. “It is home for many of the globally threatened fauna including musk deer, snow leopard, red panda and
Himalayan Tahr. It is also home for many ethnic communities including Lepcha, Nepalese, and Bhutia,” said the UNESCO in a
statement, announcing the inclusion of the Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve in the WNBR.The entry into the WNBR happened
two years after the UNESCO had designated the Kanchenjunga National Park as a World Heritage Site. At present, there are 37
Indian sites in this global heritage list.The Kanchenjunga National Park within the Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve supports
130 endemic species of eastern Himalayas and over 212 bird species of conservation concerns including seven globally
threatened species.“Because of its location, which includes the third highest peak in the world, Mount Kanchenjunga, it offers
unique opportunities for joint collaboration and conservation of biodiversity with neighboring countries
The IIT Kharagpur will set up a Re-Water Research Center, seed-funded by two alumni members to replenish and rejuvenate
water resources, a statement issued by the institute said today.The move is to tackle the challenge of resolving two burning issues
faced by urban India sewage disposal and access to clean potable water, it said on the 68th Foundation Day of the premier
institution.The scarcity of water for drinking and domestic use is becoming acute and will only worsen in the coming years. On
the other hand, urban areas are witnessing massive sewage problems. The idea of linking these two crises and coming up with
one viable solution is challenging," one of the alumni members Aneesh Reddy said.The 'Aditya Choubey Center for Re-Water
Research' would be networking with government bodies to take up this technology and the process and meet the water challenge
in various cities, Reddy said.The institute is setting up an on-campus plant which will convert 1.35 million litre of sewage water
from the hostels to 1.2 million litre of potable water, on a daily basis.The pilot plant is expected to be ready by March 2019."We
will conduct quality assurance tests demonstrating the suitability of the technology for treatment of sewage and the suitability of
the treated water for consumption and infuse confidence among all agencies and the public at large related to water supply,
treatment," faculty at the Department of Civil Engineering Prof M M Ghangrekar, who will be heading this project, said.The
researchers would also be developing an operationally viable technology so that the plant can be profitably commercialised."The
project is being developed to attract potential entrepreneurs and government agencies to take up sewage treatment at a large scale
and with a business model for banks to gain confidence in funding such businesses," said another alumni Anant
Choubey.Director, IIT KGP, Prof P P Chakrabarti said that similar models of water sustainability have been adopted in foreign
countries."We are looking forward to participatory models in villages to implement this technology. We would also engage
international water experts and professionals from the industry as researchers and advisors in this center.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Marine mammals such as dolphins, manatees, seals and whales, which evolved to make water their primary habitat, lost the
ability to make a gene that defends humans and other land-dwelling mammals from the neurotoxic effects of a popular human-
made pesticide, a new study has revealed. The researchers found that the marine mammals lost the gene Paraoxonase 1 (PON1)
that effectively defends humans and other terrestrial mammals from organophosphates — a group of man-made insecticides.
PON1 potentially reduces cellular damage caused by unstable oxygen atoms and also protects us from organophosphates that
kills by disrupting neurological systems. Whales and dolphins lost the gene PON1 soon after they split from their common
ancestor with hippopotamuses 53 million years ago; manatees lost it after their split from their common ancestor with elephants
64 million years ago. But some seals likely lost PON1 function more recently, at most 21 million years ago and possibly in very
recent times.
“The big question is, why did they lose function at PON1 in the first place? It’s hard to tell whether it was no longer necessary or
whether it was preventing them from adapting to a marine environment,” said lead author Wynn K Meyer, postdoctoral associate
at the University of Pittsburgh in the US. “We know that ancient marine environments didn’t have organophosphate pesticides, so
we think the loss might instead be related to PON1’s role in responding to the extreme oxidative stress generated by long periods
of diving and rapid resurfacing,” Meyer added. For the study, appearing in the journal Science, the team analysed DNA
sequences from five species of marine mammals and 53 species of terrestrial mammals and reacted their blood samples with an
organophosphate by-product.

The emergence of baby crocs from the nests marks the culmination of the annual breeding season of the reptilesAltogether
36 estuarine crocodile babies have emerged from the artificially hatched eggs at the Bhitarkanika National Park, marking
the culmination of this year’s nesting season for the reptile, a senior forest official said.The hatchlings will be released in a
“captive pond” in the park and reared till they grow up to one metre, he said.“Of the 40 eggs collected from the wild for
artificial nesting, 36 have hatched. The sight of baby crocodiles breaking out of the eggshells and crawling aimlessly
around the breeding centre was a visual treat,” Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Division, Bimal
Prasanna Acharya, said.Earlier this month, naturally bred crocodile fledglings had broken out of their eggshells to make
their way to waterbodies in and around the park, he said.“The emergence of baby crocs from the nests, both in captivity
and in the wild, marks the culmination of the annual breeding season of these reptiles,” Acharya stated.Usually, it takes
three years for a baby to grow up to one metre, the DFO said.“The baby crocodiles are not immediately released in the wild
as there is possibility of predators devouring them.The mortality rate of croc hatchlings is exceedingly high. Out of 500
baby crocodiles, only one reaches adulthood,” he claimed.The forest officials had kept the national park closed from May 1
to July 31, owing to the nesting period of the reptiles.Funded by the United National Development Programme and Food
and Agriculture Organisation, the rear and release programme of crocodiles has been going on here since 1975, Acharya
said.The number of crocodiles at Bhitarkanika has increased from 96 in 1974 to 1,698 this year, he said.“Adequate
conservation measures by the state forest department have led to a systematic rise in the number of these reptiles over the
years,” the DFO added.Bhitarkanika is also home to a 23-foot-long salt-water crocodile, which figured in the Guinness
Book of World Records in 2006 as the largest crocodile in the world.PTIThe number of crocodiles at Bhitarkanika has
increased from 96 in 1974 to 1,698 this year

The study will help identify the cause of death of the scavengers of the forests scientificallyIn a scientific approach to
protecting critically endangered vulture population, the Forest Department has decided to conduct toxicological analysis in
the event of any vulture death reported in its habitats spread across the Nilgiris and parts of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
(STR) in Erode.The toxicological analysis of the carcass will be done at Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural
History at Anaikatti in Coimbatore, said S. Ramasubramanian, Conservator of Forest (Working Plan),
Coimbatore.“Toxicological study will help various stakeholders involved in vulture conservation identify the cause of
death of the scavengers of the forests scientifically. This is highly essential as more than 90 % decline has been reported in
their population in the last two decades,” said Mr. Ramasubramanian.Of the nine vulture species found in the Indian
subcontinent, four namely, Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), Red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps scalvus), White-
backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and Long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus) are in the Nilgiris and in a small portion of the
STR.“Jagulikadavu and Siriyur in Segur range, which was recently annexed to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), has one
of the biggest colonies of White-backed vulture and Long-billed vulture in South India. As many as 68 nestings of the two
species were recorded at these places in 2011 and the colony luckily remains protected without significant decline in
population,” said Mr. Ramasubramanian who, along with B. Ramakrishnan, assistant professor of Wildlife Biology at
Government Arts College Udhagamandalam, has been studying and monitoring the nesting for the last seven years. Moyar
valley is another prime habitat in the Nilgiris which has resident population of all the four species. As vultures stick to site
fidelity, they build nest at the same location.According to Mr. Ramakrishnan, use of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drug diclofenac on livestock was not a major threat to the vulture population due to healthy population of carnivore
animals like tiger and leopard in MTR and STR.“Vultures get adequate amount of animal kills to scavenge in MTR as it
has one of the largest population of tiger in the country. But deliberate poisoning of remains of the livestock killed by
carnivores in forest peripheries, as a retaliation by the livestock owners, is a threat to the vulture population,” said Mr.
Ramakrishnan.Poisoning of a single carcass could kill several vultures at a stroke.“A request has been sent to the State
Government to set up a Vulture Monitoring and Research Centre in the Nilgiris based on resolutions passed at the
workshop ‘Securing Vulture Populations in India’ held at Udhagamandalam in January this year,” Mr. Ramasubramanian
said.A request has been sent to the State Government to set up a Vulture Monitoring and Research Centre in the Nilgiris

A juvenile vulture was rescued as it veered off from its habitat“Sheer exhaustion had the poor bird dropping off the
tamarind tree like a fruit. It was quite evident that the vulture could no longer withstand the drenching and cold, nor the
hunger,” recalled vulture tracker K. Lachaiah, of that eventful evening on August 20. Accompanied by fellow tracker S.
Subba Rao, he crossed two overflowing streams on foot to reach Merebogada hamlet to rescue the wet and shocked eight-
month old vulture and bring it to Penchikalpet Forest Range Office in Kagaznagar Forest Division of Kumram Bheem
Asifabad district, a distance of 5 km.Rain-struckThe juvenile Long billed vulture or Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) was
clearly a victim of the torrential rainfall of August 18 to 20. It had actually flown about six km from the famous vulture
habitat on Pala Rapu cliff five days back and had made the huge tamarind tree in the courtyard of Madepally Bakkubai’s
house its refuge.“Bakkubai noticed it getting drenched for two days before it fell off the tree. It was completely soaked and
visibly sick when we brought it to our office,” recalled Penchikalpet Forest Beat Officer Jagan Mohan, who helped the
hapless scavenger bird.The 3.5-kg young scavenger bird with a wingspan of 220 cm took some time before it got back to
being ‘active’. “On the advise of veterinarian B. Rakesh, our staff exposed it to some heat by lighting a small fire until all
wetness got removed from its wings and subsequently fed it some chicken,” the forest officer said.Nestled and nursedThe
vulture had gobbled up the proferred chicken and the next morning too under the watch of field biologist M. Ravikanth,
showed signs of recovery.After taking its morphometric measurements — measurements like body length, wing span,
length of beak, neck, tail, and weight — the forest staff took it to some distance in the forest and released it. But
surprisingly, the bird would not fly.“We just wondered what went wrong. Have our efforts gone waste is what I asked
myself,” remembered Mr. Ravikanth as he narrated the incident to The Hindu .Broken tailThe staff took the vulture and
checked for injuries only to find that almost all its tail feathers were broken, a fact which had gone unnoticed earlier.“It
must have happened when the bird fell off the tree,” the field biologist said.It was handed over to the Nehru Zoological
Park, Hyderabad, on Wednesday to look after it until the tail feathers regrow. “It is the best possible option under the
circumstances,” concurred former Bejjur Forest Range Officer M. Ram Mohan who is credited with discovering the vulture
habitat in
2013.______________________________________________________________________________________________

The first container ship to tackle an Arctic route along Russia’s north coast has left the Russian port of Vladivostok as it trials a
journey made easier by global warming.The Venta Maersk, which is carrying 3,600 containers, is making a trial passage through
the Northern Sea route, departing from Eastern Russia and making port in St Petersburg by late September, the BBC and The
Independent reported.It will collect data as part of an effort to test the economic viability of the route. The journey could be up to
14 days faster than the more established southern route through the Indian Ocean and the Suez canal.The 42,000-tonne Venta
Maersk, carrying a shipment of frozen fish and other goods, is a new “ice class” vessel. It is designed to sail in colder seas and
has a stronger hull and protected rudders.“The trial passage will enable us to explore the operational feasibility of container
shipping through the Northern Sea Route and to collect data,” Maersk said, underlining that “this is a oneoff trial designed to
explore an unknown route for container shipping and to collect scientific data.” The route was once impossible due to ice but
higher Arctic temparatures, combined with advances in shipping, have made it more viable.In January, Arctic sea ice hit a record
low and in March an “extreme event” was declared. The sea ice in the Bering strait reached its lowest levels in recorded history
as temperatures 30C above average were recorded. According to figures from the National Snow and Ice Data Centre in
Colorado, sea ice cover this winter was less than a third of what it was five years ago. The route has seen growing marine traffic
this summer

Once-a-century rains that have pounded Kerala and displaced 1.3 million people are in line with the predictions of climate
scientists, who warn that worse is to come if global warming continues unabated. The monsoon rains upon which farmers in the
southwestern state depend for their food and livelihoods dumped two-and-a-half times the normal amount of water across the
state last week, according to meteorologists.It is difficult to attribute any single extreme weather event - such as the Kerala
flooding - to climate change, said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in
Pashan, near MumbaiAt the same time, "our recent research shows a three-fold increase in widespread extreme rains during
1950-2017, leading to large-scale flooding," he told AFP.Across the country, flooding caused by heavy monsoons rainfall
claimed 69,000 lives and left 17 million people without homes over the same period, according to a study he co-authored,
published last year in Nature CommunicationsIn Kerala, all 35 of the state's major reservoirs were brimming with rain water by
August 10, forcing local authorities to open the sluice gates on the Idukki Dam for the first time in 26 years."These floods that we
are seeing in Kerala right now are basically in line with climate projections," said Kira Vinke, a scientist at the Potsdam Institute
for Climate Impact Research in Germany."If we continue with current levels of emissions - which is not unlikely - we will have
unmanageable risks," she told AFP.The weather patterns behind these destructive downpours are well understood, even if the
fingerprint of global warming is still hard to distinguish from what scientists call "natural variability".Rapid warming in the
Arabian Sea and nearby landmass causes monsoon winds to fluctuate and intensify for short spans of three-to-four days, Koll
explained.During those periods, moisture from the Arabian Sea is dumped inland."Over the last decade, due to climate change,
the overheating of landmass leads to the intensification of monsoon rainfalls in central and southern India," said monsoon expert
Elena Surovyatkina, a professor at the Russian Academy of Sciences, and a senior scientist at PIK.The changes observed so far
have occurred after an increase in Earth's average surface temperature of only one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) above
pre-industrial levels. On current trends, India's average annual temperatures are set to rise 1.5 degree Celsius to 3 degree Celsius
compared to that benchmark by mid-century, according to a World Bank report entitled "South Asia's Hotspots"."If no corrective
measures are taken, changing rainfall patterns and rising temperatures will cost India 2.8 per cent of its GDP and will drag down
living standards of half its population by 2050," the World Bank said in a statement.The 196-nation Paris climate treaty calls for
capping global warming at "well below" 2 degree Celsius (3.6 F), and 1.5 degree Celsius if possible.But voluntary national
pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, even if respected, would still see temperatures rise at least 3 degree
Celsius.Flooding is not the only problem India's burgeoning population will face as a consequence of global warming."What we
will see with climate change in India is that the wet season is going to be wetter and the dry season drier," said Vinki."Already
we are observing that the monsoon is becoming harder to predict with traditional methods."If man-made carbon emissions
continue unabated, some regions in northeast India could literally become unlivable by the end of the century due to a deadly
combination of heat and humidity during heatwaves, recent research has projected.Indeed, large swathes of south Asia, including
the Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin, could approach the threshold for survivability outdoors.Coastal cities, meanwhile, are especially
vulnerable to sea level rise, driven by melting ice sheets and expanding ocean water, on the one hand, and subsidence due to
over-development and the depletion of water tables, on the other.

Apart from increasing the risk of respiratory problems and other life-threatening conditions, a recent study has found that
air pollution may also be a threat to your kidneys.A University of Michigan study has highlighted the lesser-known connection.
"Similar to smoking, air pollution contains harmful toxins that can directly affect the kidneys," said Jennifer Bragg-Gresham, the
study's lead author."Kidneys have a large volume of blood flowing through them, and if anything harms the circulatory system,
the kidneys will be the first to sense those effects."People with diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure or heart disease are at
increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease(CKD). Which is why high-risk patients who live in heavily populated or
polluted areas should recognise the danger and take precautions, Bragg-Gresham said.The study's co-author, Rajiv Saran, a
Michigan Medicine nephrologist, said, "If you look at areas that are heavily polluted versus areas that are less polluted, you will
find more chronic kidney disease."People with CKD have an eightfold increased risk of cardiovascular mortality."What this
means for the countries with a higher particulate matter, or PM2.5, is significantly higher odds of CKD," said Bragg-Gresham."In
heavily polluted areas, consider wearing masks that cover your nose and mouth, limit hours outside and limit long hours
commuting to work in high traffic as well," Saran said, adding that the risk should be taken seriously."Many people don't see the
seriousness of air pollution because it isn't something visible, but that doesn't mean it's any less important for your health.
Kolkata has the least overall emission levels and energy used from urban commute among the six megacities in the country
though it generates the third highest number of trips by vehicles due to its large population, according to a CSE report released
here on Saturday.Its position on the two counts is better than the other five megacities - Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad
and Mumbai as well as the metropolitan cities like Pune and Ahmedabad, the report 'The Urban Commute and How it contributes
to Pollution and Energy Consumption' said on Saturday.Delhi fared the worst in terms of overall toxic emissions, heat-trapping
emission and energy consumption despite having better parametres than most other megacities due to highest vehicle stock
among the six megacities, large population and long trip distances.This negates per trip emissions improvement derived from its
CNG programme amd limited public transport strategy.The Centre for Science and Environment report said Bhopal has edge
over all the 14 cities in the country, including the megacities, in terms of overall emission and energy use .It has an advantage in
terms of lower population, lesser number of vehicles and vehicle miles travelled compared to the megacities. Even though its
personal transport use is higher, its average trip length of different modes is second lowest among all the cities, the report
released by CSE, a leading research organisation promoting environmentally sound and equitable development strategies,
said.CSE Executive Director Anumita RoyChowdhury said on the sidelines of the programme, said "Even though Kolkata
generates the third highest volume of trips due to its large population, it still has the lowest average trip length for a vehicle
because of its compact urban form."Also Kolkata has the lowest vehicle stock among the six megacities and second highest share
of public transport, which is in sharp contrast to cities like Delhi where there is higher automobile dependency.RoyChowdhury
said, "Our research has found about 60 per cent of all travel trips in Kolkata are within three-to four km radius and this is exactly
the model the Japanese cities and Hong Kong have followed.
"It helps in reducing overall emission and guzzling of fuel," she said.Referring to the high dependence on public transport system
in the city, she said Kolkata has the most diverse public transport system for urban commuting - buses, some of which have been
upgraded to electric buses, metro, trams, suburban rails, autorickshaws along certain routes and waterways, she said.Kolkata and
Mumbai's per-trip emissions are the lowest among all cities. "This indicates a high modal share of public transport and non-
motorised transport with low trip lengths which is helping these cities to mitigate their overall emission," she said.Bengaluru,
Hyderabad and Chennai score poor. They have lower share of public transport compared to Delhi and yet have scored better only
because their total travel volumes are comparatively lower given their population levels, the report said.Among the 14 cities,
Vijaywada, Chandigarh, Kochi, Lucknow and Jaipur have performed better than the six megacities because of their smaller
population and lower number of vehicles, it added.Asked about the reason behind public release of the report, RoyChowdhury
said, "The purpose is to engage all stakeholders, including members of public, for constructive solution to certain issues."IIT
Kharagpur professor in civil engineering department, Bhargab Maitra said despite problems public transport system is changing
in a high-density city like Kolkata with real time tracking of government bus routes through mobile app and the coming up of
new metro routes.
More than four years and three draft notifications since March 2014 when the Centre recognised the need to prevent further
degradation of the fragile ecology of Western Ghats, it has failed to bring six states on board for urgent action. As a result, 56,825
sq km of 'ecologically sensitive' area could not be earmarked as 'no go' zone for polluting activities and deforestation — a
prerequisite to save the region from constant environmental degradation.Earmarking Kerala's 9,993 sq km as Eco-Sensitive Area
(ESA) four years ago may not have saved the state from excessive rainfall but the delay is certainly making the state, along with
five others in the Western Ghats, more vulnerable. Since the demarcated areas remain on paper despite the draft being notified
thrice in the past four years, continued deforestation in the fragile zone has left the entire stretch of 1,500 km running through the
six states prone to landslides and floods even in a situation of 'above normal' rainfall during a short period of time."High rainfall
needs vegetated hills to break the rain's energy and clear drainage lines (stream and rivers) to safely take the silt and water to the
seas. Over time, denudation of hills, raising of dams, diversion of drainage lines and occupation of floodplains created a recipe
for what has been witnessed," environmentalist Manoj Misra said."Unless 'business as usual' is reversed, Kerala 2018 is not the
last that the nation has seen," Misra, convener of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, said while noting that destruction of 'ecologically
sensitive' area in Kerala was one of the reasons for the devastation it witnessed this month. Every time the environment ministry
notified the ESA draft, as recommended by a high level working group (HLWG) headed by space scientist K Kasturirangan, it
asked the Western Ghats states — Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala — to submit their views or
objections. The process, however, has already seen a four-year delay. It has got entangled in states' objections — mainly from
Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu."As a result, large-scale deforestation, mining and construction are continuing
unabated, hurting the ecology of Western Ghats. Such harmful practices will increase the intensity of disaster. This flood (in
Kerala) would have happened in any case. The destruction of Western Ghats made its impact worse," said Chandra Bhushan,
climate change expert at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).The HLWG had submitted its recommendations on
earmarking ESA in April 2013 after examining details of an earlier report by ecologist Madhav Gadgil. Both reports had flagged
need to earmark ESA to prevent deforestation in Western Ghats.The ministry wants the states to speed up the process. It told
Parliament last month that "finalisation of draft notification is subject to the final views of state governments".
Light pollution affects bats during their seasonal migration.In a latest study, scientists tested the response of European bats
to red and white light sources during their seasonal migration. Bats species, Soprano pipistrelles and Nathusius' pipistrelles,
were recorded more frequently near red LED light, indicating that the animals might be attracted to red light during their
migration. In contrast, the scientists did not observe such behaviour near-white LED lights.The wavelength of the
experimental red LED lights was similar to that of red safety lights used for indicating the presence of wind turbines or tall
buildings to aircraft pilots.Warning lights such as these lure migrating bats precisely towards the danger which the lights
help people to avoid, leading to bat collisions and casualties. Scientists suggest that deploying on-demand lighting, which
only turns on if an airplane approaches, would most likely reduce the problem.Each year, light pollution increases by
around six per cent worldwide. In particular, energy efficient and cheap LEDs are used more and more. Many animals use
light as a cue for orientation. Light also influences their diurnal rhythms and behaviour. It has been well-established that
bats are sensitive to light while hunting at night.During late summer, thousands of bats migrate along the coastline of the
Baltic Sea in Latvia, through Pape Nature Reserve. Nights are star-lit and largely devoid of light pollution as there are only
a few human settlements in the area. Here, the scientists installed an eight-meter-high pole near the shoreline. A plastic
board fixed to the pole was lit-up in 10-minute intervals alternating with darkness.Bats frequent red lightsThe LED lights
illuminating the board switched between red or white LED light. By using ultrasonic microphones the scientists recorded
the echolocation calls of bats coming close in order to identify both the species and the number of bats passing by the unlit
or lit experimental site.Soprano pipistrelles and Nathusius' pipistrelles were recorded more frequently at the experimental
site during the red light phase than during darkness.Oliver Lindecke, co-author of the study explained, "Bats are at a higher
collision risk at wind power stations during their autumn migration. Our study indicates that the use of red light signals
could have fatal consequences for them as this appears to attract them to operating wind turbines"Oliver also suggested that
existing light signals could easily be replaced by bat-friendly alternatives or context-dependent illumination could be
deployed which is only activated if planes or helicopters are approaching a wind power plant.Exactly why bats are attracted
to red light sources is unclear. Some red light sources might potentially blind and disorient them. ANI Many animals use
light as a cue for orientation. Light also influences their diurnal rhythms and behaviour. It has been well-established that
bats are sensitive to light while hunting at night.

Scientists have discovered a giant deep-sea coral reef system off the coast of the U.S. state of South Carolina.Little is
known about the natural resources of the deep ocean off the U.S.’ Southeast coast from Virginia to Georgia. Deep Search
2018 was created to learn more by exploring the deep sea ecosystems, CNN reported on Tuesday.The project, consisting of
scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the
U.S. Geological Survey, is nearing the end of its 15-day voyage aboard the research vessel Atlantis.A pair of dives in a
submersible called Alvin confirmed the existence of the coral reef and based on observations, researchers estimate the reef
is at least 85 miles long.“This is a huge feature,” expedition chief scientist Erik Cordes told the media on Monday.“It’s
incredible that it stayed hidden off the US East Coast for so long.”Cordes said the ecosystem is unlike anything he has
seen, with “mountains” of corals.Sandra Brooke, a coral ecologist among the research team members who dived near the
site, described seeing thriving white Lophelia coral covering the sea floor in every direction and said it was a surprise to
find so much live deep-sea coral far from the coast.Drilling danger Coral reefs form more easily near the surface of the
water, where the sun can feed the algae.The discovery of this reef comes as President Donald Trump’s administration is
proposing to roll back a ban on offshore drilling, which would reinstate drilling leases in Pacific and Atlantic
waters.Cordes said this coral habitat must be protected from oil and gas development since the reef itself still holds many
mysteries.

Leaders of some of the world’s biggest cities vowed last week to make all buildings carbon neutral by 2050.From London
to Tokyo, 19 mayors said they would put in place regulations requiring all new buildings to be carbon neutral by 2030 and
all existing ones to reach the same goal by 2050.“Climate change poses an existential threat to New York City, and making
our buildings more sustainable and efficient is a key part of the solution,” said Mayor of New York Bill de Blasio in a
statement.Houses, offices and other buildings account for more than half of all planet-warming gasses emitted by urban
areas, according to C40 Cities, a network of cities pushing climate action that shepherded the latest commitment.In
London, Los Angeles and Paris, the share is as high as 70 percent of all greenhouse emissions, it said.“Paris is home to
some of the world’s most beautiful and iconic buildings ... we recognise our responsibility to ensure every building,
whether historic or brand new, helps deliver a sustainable future,” said Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo.Experts said the target
was feasible, but that more cities would have to follow suit if the world was to achieve the Paris climate goals

Sizzling weather this summer will put pressure on almost 200 governments to reach a deal in Poland in December on the details
of a global plan to limit climate change, the incoming president of the UN talks said.Environment ministers will meet in
Katowice, the heart of Poland's coal-producing region, Silesia, to agree rules for the 2015 Paris climate accord. That accord set a
sweeping goal of ending the fossil fuel era this century, but the text was vague on details."Paris is empty without Katowice,"
Michal Kurtyka, a former deputy energy minister of Poland who will preside at the December 3-14 talks, told Reuters.
Poland, which generates most of its electricity from coal, is hosting the annual UN climate talks for the third time."The Paris
agreement includes certain principles. However, the way they will be implemented will be described in the Katowice package. So
the more detailed and concrete it is, the better," Kurtyka said.Hot weather this summer that set off wildfires from California to
Greece has made officials more determined to reach a detailed deal in Katowice, he said."For sure this is something that affected
millions of people all over the world.(...) Societies in particular countries will act on politicians. I think that this will increase
political determination for the solutions to be as concrete and as detailed as possible," Kurtyka said.Many issues remain to be
discussed at an extra session in Bangkok next month, he said, where "a vision of the whole should be built".Some of the sticking
points include the way the countries report on their emission reductions, adapting to climate change and financing tools, he
said.Environmentalists have complained about foot-dragging by the countries involved. French environment minister Nicolas
Hulot resigned on Tuesday in frustration over sluggish progress on climate goals.Writing the "rule book" - formally known as
"implementation guidelines" - is the biggest test of the international commitment to the Paris Agreement since US president
Donald Trump said in June 2017 that he would pull out."If some countries, such as for example the US, conclude that they are
not ready to follow the Paris agreement direction, then I'd assume that all other countries will seek to keep their presence so that
they are part of the agreement," Kurtyka said."I will strive for all parties to become signatories, whereas the question I will ask at
the end will be: Do I hear a voice of objection? I hope not".The choice of Poland for the climate talks is itself a point of
contention, because of its dependence on coal. In February, the European Union's top court said the country had failed to uphold
air-quality standards, one of several environmental conflicts between Poles and the EU."The opinions that Poland is not a reliable
climate talks host due to the significant share of coal in power production, are formulated from the EU perspective. The world is
more diverse than that," Kurtyka said.Kurtyka was appointed the climate talks president in April. He replaced the former
environment minister Jan Szyszo, who had been initially named to preside at the conference in Katowice.Szyszko had approved
the increased logging in the ancient Bialowieza Forest back in 2016, another of Poland's conflicts with the European Union.
The Madhya Pradesh forest department has written to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to revive the
plan to reintroduce cheetahs in the state's Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary.The ambitious project, conceived in 2009, had hit a
roadblock for want of funds.The country's last spotted feline died in Chhattisgarh in 1947. Later, the cheetah – which is the
fastest land animal – was declared extinct in India in 1952."We have written a letter to the NTCA seeking revival of the
cheetah reintroduction project in Nauradehi sanctuary located in MP's Sagar district. We have sought its stand on the
project," MP's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Shahbaz Ahmad told PTI.The MP forest department
would need finances from the Centre for the project, he said, adding that the NTCA, a statutory body under the Union
environment ministry, had committed Rs 50 crore to the state for it in 2011.The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) at
Dehradun had prepared a Rs 260 crore cheetah re-introduction project around six years ago, wildlife activist Ajay Dubey
said.Nauradehi was found to be the most suitable area for the cheetahs as its forests are not very dense to restrict the fast
movement of the spotted cat

A good number of India’s most polluted cities are not too keen to clean up their act, according to a list maintained by the
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Of the 102 cities singled out by the Centre for their alarming pollution levels,
only 73 have submitted a plan of remedial action to the CPCB. Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Nagpur and Jaipur are among the
prominent cities that are yet to submit their plans.These so called ‘non-attainment cities’ were among those marked out by
the CPCB and asked – as part of the National Clean Air Campaign (NCAP) – to implement 42 measures aimed at
mitigating air pollution. These included steps such as implementing control and mitigation measures related to vehicular
emissions, re-suspension of road dust and other fugitive emissions, bio-mass, municipal solid waste burning, industrial
pollution, and construction and demolition activities.The directives to take remedial measures were initially issued to Delhi
NCR, and subsequently to the State pollution control boards for implementation in other ‘non-attainment’ cities. The non-
attainment cities are those that have fallen short of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for over five
years. Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan had said in April that the aim of pollution mitigation measures was to
cut overall pollution in these cities by 35% in the next three years.Among other plans, the NCAP also envisions setting up
1,000 manual air-quality-monitoring stations (a 45% increase from the present number) and 268 automatic stations (triple
the current 84). “Some cities submitted plans but didn’t fill out particulars, such as timelines, and so they had to be
returned,” said Prashant Gargava, Member Secretary, CPCB, adding, “Only 30 of these cities are ready to roll out their
plans on the ground.”Deadly particulatesIn May, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that Delhi and Varanasi were
among 14 Indian cities that figured in a global list of the 20 most polluted cities in terms of PM2.5 levels. Other Indian
cities with very high levels of PM2.5 particulates were Kanpur, Faridabad, Gaya, Patna, Lucknow, Agra, Muzaffarpur,
Srinagar, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Patiala and Jodhpur, followed by Ali Subah Al-Salem in Kuwait and some cities in China and
Mongolia.

Six years after tracking down the Higgs boson, the subatomic particle that confers mass on matter, physicists said on
Tuesday they have “at long last” witnessed it decaying into tiny bits called “bottom quarks”.The predicted decay was
observed at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) famous for the Nobel-capped discovery of the Higgs particle in 2012,
Europe’s CERN physics lab announced.“During the early preparations of the LHC, there were doubts on whether this
observation could be achieved,” the ATLAS scientific collaboration said of the “elusive interaction” now documented at
the massive particle accelerator.Because Higgs bosons themselves are hard to find, and other particles also break up into
bottom quarks, it has been difficult to track down those attributed specifically to Higgs decay.Standard modelResearchers
say the long-awaited observation serves as further verification of the Standard Model of physics — the mainstream theory
of the fundamental particles that make up the Universe and the forces that govern them.Under the model, developed in the
early 1970s, quarks and leptons are the most basic building blocks of matter.

Researchers have found that Escherichia coli (E. coli) – the most prevalent bacterium in the human and animal gut – plays
a critical role in promoting health by boosting iron absorption, challenging the previous held notion that it causes food
poisoning or steals nutrients from its host.The study shed new light on the mechanism by which E. coli benefits its host and
could ultimately lead to more effective therapies for iron deficiency anaemia, which impacts more than 1 billion people
worldwide.Scientists have long known that E.coli produces a compound called enterobactin to scavenge iron for its own
survival and propagation.But they presumed that in doing so, it stole iron from its host in what is often referred to as an
"iron tug of war."This new study challenged that paradigm, suggesting that enterobactin also binds to a protein called ATP
synthase inside the host's mitochondria, drawing iron into the host's cells too, the researchers explained."In recent years, we
have begun to realise that many microorganisms populating the human gastrointestinal tract are good for us, but we are
only beginning to discover exactly what benefits they offer and how," said Min Han, Professor at the University of
Colorado (CU) - Boulder in the US."This new finding identifies one key role of E.coli and that is to help cells absorb iron,"
he added.In the study, the team started with a series of experiments using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) -- a
roundworm naturally rich in E. coli.When the young worms genetically altered to lack the ability to produce a compound
called enterobactin were fed E. coli, they grew slowly and their iron levels were low.When enterobactin was re-introduced
into the worms, natural growth resumed and iron levels rose.Subsequent experiments in human cells showed that
supplementing the diet with enterobactin, even without the addition of iron, prominently boosted iron levels in cells

How does E.coli help? Scientists have long known that E.coli produces a compound called enterobactin to scavenge iron
for its own survival and propagation. But they presumed that in doing so, it stole iron from its host in what is often
referred to as an "iron tug of war." This new study challenged that paradigm, suggesting that enterobactin also binds to a
protein called ATP synthase inside the host's mitochondria, drawing iron into the host's cells too

NASA’s asteroid sampling spacecraft has caught its first glimpse of its target Bennu last week and begun the final
approach towards it after an almost two-year journey.The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification,
Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) obtained the image of the asteroid from a distance of 2.1 million kilometre on
August 17 using its PolyCam camera .OSIRIS-REx is NASA’s first mission to visit a near-Earth asteroid, survey the
surface, collect a sample and deliver it safely back to Earth.The spacecraft has travelled approximately 1.8 billion kilometre
since its 2016 launch.“Now that OSIRIS-REx is close enough to observe Bennu, the mission team will spend the next few
months learning as much as possible about Bennu’s size, shape, surface features, and surroundings before the spacecraft
arrives at the asteroid,” said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona in the US.As
OSIRIS-REx approaches the asteroid, the spacecraft will use its science instruments to gather information about Bennu and
prepare for arrival.During the mission’s approach phase, OSIRIS-REx will regularly observe the area around the asteroid to
search for dust plumes and natural satellites, and study Bennu’s light and spectral properties.The spacecraft will
extensively survey the asteroid before the mission team identifies two possible sample sites.After sample collection, the
spacecraft will head back toward Earth before ejecting the Sample Return Capsule for landing in the Utah desert in
September 2023

Nasa is set to launch the most advanced laser instrument of its kind in to the space next month, to measure the changes in the
heights of Earth's polar ice in unprecedented detail.The Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) will measure the
average annual elevation change of land ice covering Greenland and Antarctica to within the width of a pencil, capturing 60,000
measurements every second."The new observational technologies of ICESat-2 - a top recommendation of the scientific
community in Nasa's first Earth science decadal survey - will advance our knowledge of how the ice sheets of Greenland and
Antarctica contribute to sea level rise," said Michael Freilich, from Nasa's Science Mission Directorate in the US.ICESat-2 -
which is scheduled to be launched on September 12 - represents a major technological leap in our ability to measure changes in
ice height.Its Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) measures height by timing how long it takes individual
light photons to travel from the spacecraft to Earth and back."ATLAS required us to develop new technologies to get the
measurements needed by scientists to advance the research," said Doug McLennan, ICESat-2 project manager at Nasa's Goddard
Space Flight Center."That meant we had to engineer a satellite instrument that not only will collect incredibly precise data, but
also will collect more than 250 times as many height measurements as its predecessor," McLennan said.ATLAS will fire 10,000
times each second, sending hundreds of trillions of photons to the ground in six beams of green light.The roundtrip of individual
laser photons from ICESat-2 to Earth's surface and back is timed to the billionth of a second to precisely measure elevation.As it
circles Earth from pole to pole, ICESat-2 will measure ice heights along the same path in the polar regions four times a year,
providing seasonal and annual monitoring of ice elevation changes.Beyond the poles, ICESat-2 will measure the height of ocean
and land surfaces, including forests.ATLAS is designed to measure both the tops of trees and the ground below, which -
combined with existing datasets on forest extent -- will help researchers estimate the amount of carbon stored in the world's
forests.Researchers also will investigate the height data collected on ocean waves, reservoir levels, and urban areas."Because
ICESat-2 will provide measurements of unprecedented precision with global coverage, it will yield not only new insight into the
polar regions, but also unanticipated findings across the globe," said Thorsten Markus, an ICESat-2 project scientist at Goddard.

In a heartening development for conservationists, a recent census has revealed that the population of the Nilgiri tahr (an
endangered mountain goat) at the Mukurthi National Park has grown by an impressive 18% in the last two years, from 480
to 568.Tamil Nadu Forest Department officials said that a count conducted in 2016 had put the population in the national
park at around 480, but a revised count in 2017 pegged it at 438. “Getting an exact figure each year is difficult, so there is
always a small discrepancy in numbers. This year, however, there is a definite increase in the number of animals in the
only pristine habitat left in the Nilgiris for the tahr,” said a Forest Department official.The population estimation exercise,
completed in May, was conducted jointly by the Forest Department and the Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology,
Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam.B. Ramakrishnan, assistant professor in the department, said that apart from
the increase in numbers, the sex ratio, too, was encouraging. “From what we have recorded, there are two adult females for
every male. This indicates a viable breeding population, and hints at further population growth,” he said.Several threatsIf
that is the good news, the bad news is that the population also faces several threats. Researchers point to the continuing
spread of invasive species of flora, such as wattle and pine, and exotic weeds like scotch broom ( Cystisus scoparius ) and
gorse, which end up diminishing grazing land.“We don’t know how the consumption of exotic weeds will affect the
animals. So we need a large-scale project to remove exotic plants,” said Mr. Ramakrishnan.The rise in the animals’
population has led to a few herds migrating out of the national park, into the erstwhile Nilgiris South Forest Division.S.
Senbagapriya, Deputy Director, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Mukurthi National Park, said that the Forest Department
was stepping up efforts to remove exotics, with wattle eliminated in over 125 hectares of Shola grasslands. “We also have
four anti-poaching camps there

Two Assam-bound barges carrying fly ash sailed from Bihar for one of the longest hauls in India’s inland waterways via
Bangladesh.The two 1,000-tonne barges carrying 1,233 tonnes of bagged fly ash was flagged off at Kahalgaon in Bihar on
Thursday. They are expected to reach Guwahati’s Pandu port in 20 days covering 2,085 km.The fly ash is a by-product
from the National Thermal Power Corporation’s Kahalgaon power plant.Kahalgaon is on the banks of the Ganga, which is
National Waterway 1. Pandu is on the Brahmaputra, the National Waterway 2.According to the Inland Waterways
Authority of India (IWAI), the journey of the two barges marks the commencement of a critical integrated movement
through three waterways – NW1, NW2 and Indo-Bangladesh Protocol.The Ganga and the Brahmaputra meet in
Bangladesh after flowing into that country as the Padma and the Jamuna.“The movement will evince confidence and
interest in the inland waterways industry and vessel operators as more than 10 such pilot movements have been
successfully completed lately on various stretches of National Waterways,” IWAI chairman Pravir Pandey said.In July,
IWAI had launched a dedicated portal called FOCAL to connect cargo owners and shippers with real time data on
availability of vessels.“More such movements of fly ash and pond ash from the super thermal power plants of NTPC are
being planned on NW1,” Mr. Pandey said.Fly ash is in demand as raw material in cement and brick industry and is also
used for the purpose of land filling.