Coral Triangle

A report recently released at the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity highlights the fossil fuel threats and impacts on biodiversity and communities at Coral Triangle.

• The Coral Triangle is often referred to as the ‘Amazon of the seas’, is a huge marine area spanning over 10 million square kilometres.
• It is a vital marine region spanning 6 countries that include:
  1. Indonesia
  2. Malaysia
  3. the Philippines
  4. Papua New Guinea
  5. Solomon Islands
  6. Timor-Leste
• Significance – This region is home to 76% of the world’s coral species and supports more than 120 million people who rely on its resources for their livelihoods.
• The Coral Triangle is the most diverse and biologically complex marine ecosystem on the planet.
• Issues – More than 100 offshore oil and gas blocks are currently in operation in the Coral Triangle, covering over 120,000 square kilometres, which is about 1% of the Triangle.
• There is growing liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure in Southeast Asia.
• Fossil fuel expansion threatens the region’s biodiversity in several ways that include:
• Noise pollution from shipping and exploration activities harms marine life, especially species like whales and dolphins that rely on sound for communication, navigation, and finding food.
• The impact of oil spills and fossil fuel infrastructure goes beyond environmental damage by possessing serious threats to local communities.
• Countries that rely on fossil fuels often end up in long-term debt, as many have seen rising government debt due to borrowing money for resource exploitation.

International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)

• The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) is a global partnership between Nations and organizations which strives to preserve coral reefs and related ecosystems around the world.
• It is an informal group whose decisions are not binding on its members.
• Members – ICRI Members include a mix of governments, non-governmental organisations and international organisations.
• The Initiative was founded in 1994 by 8 governments.
• Founding Members include:
  1. Australia
  2. France
  3. Japan
  4. Jamaica
  5. the Philippines
  6. Sweden
  7. The United Kingdom
  8. The United States of America
• At present, ICRI has over 102 members, including 45 countries custodians of 75% of the world’s coral reefs.
• India is one of the members of the ICRI but not a founding member of it. (Statement 3 is incorrect)

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS)

National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) recently successfully organized a workshop on “Building Quality Infrastructure for Tribal Education” Akashvani Bhawan, New Delhi.

• National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) aims to establish, endow, maintain, control and manage the Eklavya Model Residential Schools for the betterment of Tribal Students.
• It alson manages the Eklavya Model Day Boarding Schools (EMDBS) and Centre of Excellence for Sports for the betterment of Tribal Students.
• NESTS is an autonomous organization has been set up under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Objectives of NESTS include:
• To provide quality modern education including a strong component of inculcation of values, awareness of the environment, adventure activities.
• To provide quality modern physical education to the talented tribal children predominantly from the rural areas without regard to their family's socio-economic condition.
• To provide facilities, at a suitable stage, for instruction through a common medium all over the country.
• Offer a common core-curriculum of ensuring comparability in standards and to facilitate and understanding of the common and composite heritage of tribal people.
• To progressively bring students from one part of the country to another in each school to promote national integration and enrich the social content.
• To serve as a focal point for improvement in quality of school education through training of teachers in live situations and sharing of experience and facilities.
• To provide opportunities to students for extra-curricular activities moving towards Centre of Excellence in sports etc.
• To facilitate students developing pride in national culture, preserving and cherishing tribal heritage, tribal culture, music, dance and other arts.
• To help students acquire skills particularly those oriented to employment including self-employment.
• To strive to achieve best academic standards, excellence in sports and extra-curricular activities.

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

• The ocean’s water is constantly circulated by currents.
• Tidal currents occur close to shore and are influenced by the sun and moon.
• Surface currents are influenced by the wind.
• Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) - Is a system of ocean currents that circulates water within the Atlantic Ocean, bringing warm water north and cold water south.
• The circulation process begin as warm water near the surface moves towards the poles (such as the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic), where it cools and forms sea ice.
• As this sea ice forms, salt is left behind in the ocean water.
• Due to the large amount of salt in the water, it becomes denser, sinks down and is carried southwards in the depths below.
• Eventually this water gets pulled back up towards the surface and warms up in a process called upwelling, completing the cycle.
• The collapse of the AMOC could be responsible for moving heat around the planet.
• A collapse of the ocean-current system would increase cooling of the Northern Hemisphere, raise Atlantic sea levels, drop precipitation over Europe and North America and shift monsoons in South America and Africa.

Hypsibius Henanensis

• Hypsibius henanensis a newly discovered species of tardigrades that can withstand high levels of radiation.
• Tardigrades – Are near-microscopic animals that can survive freezing temperatures, crushing pressures and even the vacuum of space.
• Tardigrades, often called water bears or moss piglets, are tiny aquatic animals.
• Habitat – They live in water, from oceans to drops of water on plants.
• They can live high in the mountains and deep in the ocean.
• Diet – Tardigrades mostly eat plants and algae.
• Some species eat other, smaller creatures, like microscopic worms and tiny, wheel-shaped animals called rotifers.
• Features – They curl up into dried-up balls that can survive boiling water, freezing cold and outer space.
• This is called a tun state.
• They may survive up to a century in their tun state.
• Outside their tun state, they live between 3 months and 2.5 years.