In News:

Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India achieved a 100-Day Target of 100 Nagar Vans under Nagar Van Yojana (NVY) with the objective to Enhance Urban Greenery.

Key Details:

• Launch: Initiated in 2020 to enhance urban greenery, improve quality of life, and foster social cohesion.
• Financial Support: Offers ?4 lakh per hectare for creation and maintenance of urban forests.
• Area Specification: Nagar Van areas range from 10 to 50 hectares.
• Coverage: Applicable to all cities with Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

Achievements

• 100-Day Target: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change achieved a target of 100 Nagar Vans, surpassing it with the approval of 111 Nagar Vans in just 100 days.
• Geographic Spread: These 111 Nagar Vans are distributed across six states and one Union Territory.

Features of Nagar Vans

• Biodiversity Focus: Emphasis on planting fruit-bearing, medicinal, and native species to attract wildlife and maintain ecological balance.
• Community Involvement: Engages citizens, students, and stakeholders through tree planting, educational programs, and sustainable management.
• Design Elements: Each Nagar Van includes two-thirds tree cover and features components like Biodiversity Parks, Smriti Vans, Butterfly Conservatories, Herbal Gardens, and Matri Vans.

Future Goals

• Expansion Plans: Target to develop 1,000 Nagar Vans by 2027, supported by the National Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority (National CAMPA).
• Environmental Impact: Aims to protect forest land from degradation and address urban environmental issues such as air pollution and habitat loss.

Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam Campaign

• Launch Date: Introduced on June 5, 2024, during World Environment Day.
• Purpose: Encourages tree planting as a tribute to mothers, fostering a culture of environmental stewardship.
• Tree Planting Goals: Aims to plant 80 crore trees by September 2024 and 140 crore by March 2025.
• Tracking Efforts: Participants can document their planting through the MeriLiFE portal, where over 75 crore saplings have been recorded.

Recent Initiatives

• Tree Plantation Drive: A recent drive on September 17, 2024, aimed at creating Matri Vans in newly approved Nagar Vans, highlighting community and governmental collaboration for sustainable urban development.

In News:

India is set to launch its first mission to Venus in March 2028, following the recent approval from the Union Cabinet. This mission, led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), marks India’s second interplanetary endeavor after the successful Mars Orbiter Mission in 2013.

Importance of Studying Venus

• Earth's Twin: Venus is often referred to as Earth’s twin due to its similar mass, density, and size. Understanding Venus can provide insights into Earth’s own evolution.
• Extreme Conditions: The planet has a surface temperature around 462°C and an atmospheric pressure similar to that found deep under Earth’s oceans. Its atmosphere consists primarily of 96.5% carbon dioxide and features clouds of sulfuric acid.
• Historical Water Presence: Venus may have had water in the past, leading scientists to explore how it transitioned to its current hostile environment, likely due to a runaway greenhouse effect.

Mission Overview

• Launch Timeline: The mission will utilize a strategic launch window when Earth and Venus are closest, occurring every 19 months. It was initially planned for 2023 but is now set for 2028.
• Payload: The mission will carry around 100 kg of scientific instruments, including 17 Indian and 7 international experiments.
• Journey to Venus: After exiting Earth's orbit, the spacecraft will take about 140 days to reach Venus.

Aero-Braking Technique

• First-time Use: This mission will employ aero-braking, a technique to adjust the spacecraft’s orbit by skimming through Venus's atmosphere, creating drag that reduces altitude.
• Target Orbit: The satellite will initially be in a highly elliptical orbit of 500 km x 60,000 km and will be gradually lowered to an orbit of either 300 x 300 km or 200 x 600 km over about six months.

Scientific Payloads

• Synthetic Aperture Radar: For imaging the surface of Venus.
• Thermal Camera: To study temperature variations.
• Interplanetary Dust Analysis: Investigating dust particle flow.
• High-Energy Particle Studies: Examining particles entering the atmosphere and their ionization effects.
• Atmospheric Composition Study: Assessing the structure, variability, and thermal state of Venus’s atmosphere.

Which countries are trying to study Venus?

• There have been several missions to Venus in the past by the United States, the erstwhile USSR, Japan, and a collaborative mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) with Japan.
• The US has planned at least two more missions to Venus in the future — DaVinci in 2029 and Veritas in 2031 — and the ESA has planned the EnVision mission for 2030.

In News:

Recently, the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal joined a virtual meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) alongside representatives from 13 other partner countries. This meeting marked the third gathering focused on the framework's key pillars: Supply Chain Resilience, Clean Economy, and Fair Economy.

Key Agreements and Future Steps

1. Entry into Force of Agreements:
   • The IPEF partners celebrated the upcoming implementation of the Clean Economy Agreement and the Fair Economy Agreement on October 11 and October 12, 2024, respectively. These agreements aim to enhance economic cooperation and deliver tangible benefits to member nations.
2. Supply Chain Resilience:
   • The ministers discussed the progress in operationalizing the Supply Chain Agreement, emphasizing collaborative efforts to create more competitive and resilient supply chains. Key actions include:
     • The formation of action plan teams for critical sectors like semiconductors, critical minerals, and chemicals, addressing vulnerabilities revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
     • India's election as Vice Chair of the Supply Chain Council, which aims to streamline communication and cooperation among member countries.
3. Clean Economy Initiatives:
   • The Clean Economy Agreement focuses on energy security, climate resilience, and reducing fossil fuel dependence. Ministers acknowledged the advancement of eight Cooperative Work Programs (CWPs) addressing topics such as hydrogen and carbon markets.
   • The first IPEF Investor Forum, held in Singapore, facilitated discussions on investment opportunities in climate-friendly technologies.
4. Fair Economy Measures:
   • The Fair Economy Agreement aims to bolster anti-corruption measures and improve tax administration efficiency. Upcoming workshops will address foreign bribery laws and public procurement oversight.
   • India highlighted its own anti-corruption measures and commitment to transparency under Prime Minister Modi's leadership.

About IPEF

Launched on May 23, 2022, in Tokyo, IPEF includes 14 countries: Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the USA. The framework seeks to enhance economic engagement, stability, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific region through its four key pillars: Trade, Supply Chain Resilience, Clean Economy, and Fair Economy.

In the News

The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has authorized the SPICED scheme (Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative, and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development), which will run until 2025-26.

Overview

This initiative aims to expand the cultivation area and enhance the productivity of both small and large cardamom. It will also focus on improving the quality of spices for export through advancements in post-harvest processes and promoting value-added spice exports.

Key Objectives:

• Increase cardamom production and boost export potential.
• Improve post-harvest quality to meet export standards and ensure compliance with safety and quality regulations.

India holds the position of the largest producer, consumer, and exporter of spices globally.

Cardamom

Cardamom is sourced from the seeds of the Elettaria cardamomum plant (commonly known as green or true cardamom) and is a member of the ginger family. It is known for its unique, robust flavor that combines both spicy and sweet notes. There are two primary varieties: Small Cardamom and Large Cardamom.

Small Cardamom:

• Origin: Native to the evergreen forests of South India's Western Ghats.
• Major Producers: Primarily grown in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
• Growing Conditions: Thrives in loamy soil with thick shade, requires temperatures between 10°C and 35°C, and needs 1500 to 4000 mm of annual rainfall.

Large Cardamom:

• Distribution: Mainly cultivated in the Sub-Himalayan regions of Northeast India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
• Major Producers: Key production areas include Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Darjeeling district of West Bengal.
• Growing Conditions: Prefers high altitudes (600 to 2000 meters), with average rainfall of 3000-3500 mm, and temperatures ranging from 6°C to 30°C. Well-drained, loamy soils rich in organic matter are ideal.

About the Spices Board of India

Established in 1987 under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Spices Board of India serves as the apex organization for the promotion and export of a diverse array of spices, including black pepper, both small and large cardamom, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and fenugreek. The Board was formed by merging the Cardamom Board (1968) and the Spices Export Promotion Council (1960). Its headquarters is located in Kochi, Kerala.

In News:

The Ideas4LiFE portal was launched by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, at IIT Delhi.

• Purpose: Designed to invite innovative ideas related to products and services that promote environmentally friendly lifestyles.
• Development Partner: Created in collaboration with UNICEF YuWaah.

Key Features of the Ideas4LiFE Portal

• Themes: Aligned with Mission LiFE, focusing on:
  • Water Conservation
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Waste Reduction
  • E-Waste Management
  • Minimizing Single-Use Plastics
  • Embracing Sustainable Food Practices
  • Fostering Healthy Lifestyles
• Recognition: Winning ideas will be awarded attractive prizes for both individuals and institutions.

Engagement and Outreach

• Submissions: As of now, the portal has received approximately 3,300 registrations and over 1,000 ideas.
• Social Media Impact: The initiative has garnered 46.5 million impressions and a reach of 13.5 million through social media under the hashtag #Ideas4LiFE.

Collaboration with Educational Institutions

• Partnerships: Collaborations with the University Grants Commission (UGC), All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and various educational institutions to promote the Ideathon among students and researchers.
• Objective: Encourage the academic community to contribute innovative, citizen-focused ideas that support sustainable living.

Future Plans

• Evaluation Process: Submitted ideas will be evaluated by a jury, leading to the announcement of shortlisted and winning ideas.
• Implementation: Winning ideas will be included in a national repository, allowing stakeholders, including government bodies and private entities, to nurture and scale these innovations.

Mission LiFE Context

• Definition: Mission LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment) is a campaign initiated at UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in 2021.
• Goals:
  • Mobilize at least one billion people for environmental protection.
  • Make 80% of villages and urban local bodies environment-friendly by 2028.
  • Promote small, everyday actions to combat climate change.
• Philosophy: Emphasizes the P3 model—Pro Planet People—uniting individuals in the commitment to environmental stewardship.