WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY - 5 JUNE 2018 - Environment - ETEN Enlightens-Daily Current Capsules (Prelims Prep. Prominence) 05th June 2018 - Eten IAS

ETEN Enlightens-Daily Current
Capsules (Prelims Prep. Prominence)
05th June 2018

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY – 5 JUNE
2018

#Beat Plastic Pollution

Environment

World Environment Day – 5 June 2018

   India is the global host of 2018 World Environment Day which will take
    place on June 5, 2018.
   With “Beat Plastic Pollution” as the theme for this year’s edition, the
     world is coming together to combat single-use plastic pollution.
   The Government of India has committed to organizing and promoting the
     World Environment Day celebrations through a series of engaging
     activities and events generating strong public interest and participation.

   From pan-Indian plastic clean-up drives in public areas, national reserves
     and forests to simultaneous beach clean-up activities – India will lead the
     initiative by setting an example.

   India is emerging as a leader, given it has one of the highest recycling
     rates in the world.

   It can be instrumental in combating plastic pollution. By hosting World
     Environment Day 2018, the Indian government is accelerating its
     leadership on an issue of tremendous magnitude.

 World Environment Day is a UN Environment-led global event, the
     single largest celebration of our environment each year, which takes place
      on June 5 and is celebrated by thousands of communities worldwide.

    Since it began in 1972, it has grown to become a global platform for
      public outreach that is widely celebrated across the globe.

Campaign for Blue Flag Certification

Organising agency
    Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) under the Ministry
     of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
    Under the World Bank-assisted Integrated Coastal Zone Management
     Project (ICZMP).

Implementing Ministry/under the aegis of
    Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Enlighten about the procedure/working of SICOM
    SICOM conceived an integrated coastal management scheme named
     BEAMS (Beach Management Services).
    The main objective of BEAMS programme is to reduce pollutants,
     promote sustainable development and strive for high standards in the
     areas of (i) environmental management (ii) environmental education (iii)
     bathing water quality (iv) safety & security services scientifically.
    A “Clean” beach is the primary indicator of coastal environmental
     quality, management and economic health of beach tourism. However,
     coastal regions in India are highly susceptible to litter and other
     pollution.
    A team of SICOM carried out extensive field research work to
     assess gaps with regard to Blue Flag requirements in the 13 nominated
     pilot beaches.
    These 13 beaches include - Shivrajpur (Dwarka) Gujarat, Ghoghla (Diu)
     Daman & Diu, Bhogve (Sindhudurg) Maharashtra, Miramar (Panjim)
     Goa, Padubidri (Udupi) Karnataka, Kappad (Kozhikode) Kerala, Emerald

(Karaikal) Puducherry, Mahabalipuram Tamil Nadu, Rushikonda
      (Vishakhapatnam), Andhra Pradesh, Chandrabhaga (Puri) Odissa, Tajpur
      (Purbi Midnapur)West Bengal, Radhanagar (Havlock) Andaman Nicobar
      and Bangaram, Lakshdweep.

I AM SAVING MY BEACH

    “I AM SAVING MY BEACH” (Intensive Beach Cleaning &
     Environment Education) campaign, MoEFCC has kickstarted the journey
     towards certifying these beaches for Eco-label at par with Blue Flag
     beaches in the world.
    This campaign was undertaken by team of SICOM-MoEFCC at these
     beaches concurrently for an extensive cleaning & environment
     education drive, coinciding with the World Environment Day
     celebrations.
    I#AM#SAVING#MY#BEACH is a national level campaign that will be
     undertaken periodically in these nominated pilot beaches for “Blue Flag”
     certification journey.

Environment
Chandrabhaga beach

Odisha beach is Asia’s first to get ‘Blue Flag’ tag

 The Chandrabhaga beach on the Konark coast of Odisha will be the first
     in Asia to get the Blue Flag certification — the tag given to environment-
     friendly and clean beaches, equipped with amenities of international
     standards for tourists.
    It will be awarded the honour on World Environment Day on June 5,
     Environment Ministry sources say.
    Twelve more beaches in the country are being developed by the Society
     for Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM), an Environment Ministry’s
     body working for the management of coastal areas, in accordance with
     the Blue Flag standards.
    Among them are the Chiwla and Bhogave beaches in Maharashtra and
     one beach each from Puducherry, Goa, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep
     and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Enlighten about blue flag
    To achieve the Blue Flag standards, a beach must be plastic-free and
     equipped with a waste management system.
    Clean water should be available for tourists, apart from international
     amenities.
    The beach should have facilities for studying the environmental impact
     around the area, he said.
    To achieve the Blue Flag standards, a beach had to strictly comply with
     33 environment and tourism-related conditions.
    The standards were established by the Copenhagen-based Foundation for
     Environmental Education (FEE) in 1985.
    The Environment Ministry embarked on the Blue Flag project in
     December 2017.

Women Empowerment
JANAUSHADHI SUVIDHA – Oxo-biodegradable Sanitary Napkin

Launched by the government under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya
Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP)

Implementing Ministry
    Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers

What it is

    Affordable sanitary napkins at Rs. 2.50 per pad now available at over
     3600 Janaushadhi Kendras

    JANAUSHADHI SUVIDHA, the Oxo-biodegradable Sanitary Napkin,
     under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) has
     been launched by the Government

    The affordable sanitary napkins will now become available at over 3600
     Janaushadhi Kendras functional in 33 States/UTs across India

Enlighten about Jan Aushadhi Suvidha
    Jan Aushadhi Suvidha comes with a special additive, which makes it
     biodegradable when it comes in contact with oxygen after being
     discarded.
    This would ensure ‘Swachhta, Swasthya and Suvidha’ for the
     underprivileged Women of India

Report/Study
ASSOCHAM-NEC study

A report on E-waste generation in India

What’s in Report

   India recycles only 5% of its e-waste and the country is one of the biggest
    contributors of e-waste in the world.

What is E-waste

   It refers to the electronic equipment being thrown away.

   It includes discarded computer monitors, motherboards, Cathode Ray
    Tubes (CRT), Printed Circuit Board (PCB), mobile phones and chargers,
    compact discs, headphones, white goods such as Liquid Crystal Displays
    (LCD)/ Plasma televisions, air conditioners, refrigerators and so on.

Enlighten about the ASSOCHAM-NEC study

   India generates around 2 million tonnes per annum (TPA) of E-waste of
    which 12% constituted of telecom equipment alone.
   The top e-waste generator countries are China, US, Japan and Germany.
   With respect to states largest quantity of E-waste is generated by
    Maharashtra (19.8% ), followed by Tamil Nadu (13%), Uttar Pradesh
    (10.1%), Karnataka (8.9%), Gujarat (8.8%) and Madhya Pradesh (7.6%).
   Out of the 2 million TPA e-waste generated, only 4.38 Lakh TPA is
    recycled in India.

Enlighten about ASSOCHAM
   ASSOCHAM is a not for profit organization, facilitating reach of India to
    all businesses around the globe, for wanting to do business with India.

 The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India
    (ASSOCHAM) is one of the apex trade associations of India.
   The organisation represents the interests of trade and commerce in India,
    and acts as an interface be issues and initiatives.
   The goal of this organisation is to promote both domestic and
    international trade, and reduce trade barriers while fostering conducive
    environment for the growth of trade and industry of India.
   ASSOCHAM initiated its endeavor of value creation for Indian Industry
    in 1920.
   It is also referred to as the "Chamber of Chambers" having in its fold
    more than 400 Industry Chambers, Trade Associations and serving more
    than 4,50,000 Corporate Members from all over.
   It has contributed significantly by playing a catalytic role in shaping up
    the Trade, Commerce and Industrial environment of the country.

Bilateral Relations
Cheapest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Russian supplier Gazprom

   India has received the first shipment of cheapest Liquefied Natural Gas
    (LNG) from Russian supplier Gazprom.

 Delivered Price of LNG - USD 7 per million British Thermal Unit
    (mmBtu).

   This price is around 1.5 USD cheaper from the LNG imported from Qatar

     Qatar is India’s oldest and largest supplier of LNG.

   Also it is cheaper than Gorgon LNG from Australia and Henry-hub
    linked US LNG, supplies of which started only a few weeks back.

Enlighten about some LNG facts

   India’s total natural gas production in 2017-18 was 32.64 billion cubic
    meter of which 22.01 BCM is offshore production while 10.63% is
    onshore production.
   The natural gas production in India has fallen in recent years

   The recent shipment from Russia has come under a 20 year deal between
    GAIL India Ltd and Russian supplier Gazprom.

   India had also imported its first ever LNG cargo from US under a long-
    term import deal.

   The government policy is to expand the LNG import basket to meet any
    contingency due to geopolitical or economic reasons.

   India, is pushing towards a gas-based economy by raising the share of
    environment friendly fuel in the energy basket to 15 per cent from current
    6.2 per cent.

      Sources – PIB, MoEFCC, UNEP, The Hindu