In News:

• Chile and the United Kingdom have prepared a proposal to recognize fungi as an independent kingdom, termed "Funga", alongside flora (plants) and fauna (animals).
• This will be presented at the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to be held in Cali, Colombia in October 2024.
• Why Funga?
• Fungi (e.g., mushrooms, moulds, yeast, lichen) play crucial ecological roles, but have historically been overlooked in conservation strategies.
• Fungi contribute significantly to decomposition, forest regeneration, carbon sequestration, and the global nutrient cycle.
• The recognition aims to strengthen fungal conservation by integrating fungi into global legislation and policies.
• Ecological Importance of Fungi:
• Decomposition: Fungi break down organic matter, facilitating nutrient recycling in ecosystems.
• Symbiotic Relationships: Many fungi form crucial symbiotic relationships with plants (e.g., mycorrhizal associations) and animals.
• Climate Mitigation: Boreal forest fungi absorb large amounts of carbon through symbiosis with plants, playing a role in mitigating climate change.
• Pollution Remediation: Fungi can help clean polluted soils by breaking down toxins.
• Food Production: Fungi are essential for producing common foods like bread, cheese, wine, beer, and chocolate.
• Health: Fungi produce antibiotics (e.g., penicillin) and aid in mammalian digestion.
• Scientific Recognition:
• In August 2021, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognized fungi as one of the three kingdoms of life, alongside plants and animals.
• The 3F initiative (Flora, Fauna, and Funga), led by Giuliana Furci, aims to promote the international recognition and protection of fungi.
• Diversity and Research Gaps:
• Only 8% of the estimated 2.2 to 3.8 million fungal species have been formally described.
• Approximately 2,000 new fungal species are discovered annually, indicating the vast underexplored diversity of fungi.
• Threats to Fungi:
• Fungi face significant threats from deforestation, climate change, pollution, overharvesting, and fungicide use.
• These threats disrupt the symbiotic relationships fungi share with plants and animals, leading to ecosystem instability.
• Nitrogen enrichment in soils and habitat loss further exacerbate these risks.

Key Facts About Fungi

• Biological Characteristics:
• Fungi are eukaryotic organisms with rigid cell walls made of chitin (distinct from the cellulose found in plant cell walls).
• They are heterotrophic, meaning they absorb nutrients from their environment through external digestion (secreting enzymes to break down organic material before absorption).
• Reproductive Strategies:
• Fungi reproduce both asexually (via spores) and sexually, ensuring their proliferation across ecosystems.
• Growth Form:
• Fungi grow primarily as mycelium, a network of hyphae (filamentous structures) that helps in nutrient absorption and environmental interaction.
• Symbiotic Relationships:
• Fungi form mycorrhizal relationships with plants, enhancing nutrient exchange, and lichen associations with algae, providing mutual benefits in extreme environments.

Why is it in the News?

The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), a small wild cat native to South, Southeast and East Asia, was recently spotted in Maharashtra’s Pench, in what is being billed as Central India’s first sighting of the species.

About Leopard Cat:

• The Leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is a small wild cat native to continental South, Southeast, and East Asia.
• With its distinctive leopard-like colouring, this small wildcat is known for its remarkable adaptability and extensive distribution across Asia.

Habitat and Distribution:

• Leopard cats can be found in a variety of environments, ranging from the Amur region in Russia to the Korean Peninsula, China, Indochina, the Indian Subcontinent, northern Pakistan, and as far south as the Philippines and the Sunda Islands of Indonesia.
• Although they can inhabit agriculturally used areas, leopard cats prefer forested habitats, including tropical evergreen rainforests, subtropical deciduous and coniferous forests, and plantations at various altitudes.

Physical Characteristics:

• Size and appearance vary considerably across their range, with a length of 45 to 75 cm (18 to 30 inches), excluding their 23-35 cm (9-13.8 inches) tail.
• Their colouration ranges from pale tawny to yellow, red, or grey, with white underparts and distinctive spots.
• Most leopard cats have four black stripes running from their forehead to the nape, breaking into short bands and elongated spots on their shoulders.

Behaviour and Diet:

• As solitary and nocturnal carnivores, leopard cats primarily feed on rodents, tree shrews, and hares, playing a crucial role in maintaining the balance of their ecosystems.

Conservation Status:

• Listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List, leopard cats face threats from habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. Continued monitoring and conservation efforts are essential to protect this species and its vital role in Asia's diverse ecosystems.

Facts about Pench Tiger Reserve:

• Location: Situated in the southern reaches of the Satpura hills, the Pench Tiger Reserve spans Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh and extends into Nagpur district in Maharashtra as a separate Sanctuary.
  • It derives its name from the Pench River, which flows from north to south through the Reserve.
• The reserve encompasses the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Pench Mowgli Sanctuary, and a buffer zone.
• The area served as the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's renowned work, "The Jungle Book."
• Vegetation: The undulating topography supports a diverse range of vegetation, from moist, sheltered valleys to open, dry deciduous forests.
• Flora: Pench Tiger Reserve boasts a rich variety of flora, including teak, saag, mahua, and various grasses and shrubs.
• Fauna: Renowned for its wildlife diversity, the reserve is home to large herds of Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaur (Indian Bison), and wild boar.
  • Key predators include the tiger, leopard, wild dogs, and wolf. Additionally, the reserve supports over 325 species of resident and migratory birds, including the Malabar Pied Hornbill, Indian Pitta, Osprey, Grey Headed Fishing Eagle, and White Eyed Buzzard.

Why is it in the News?

In a study published recently, researchers analyzed more than 500 future emissions scenarios the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessed in its latest reports.

About the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):

• The IPCC was created in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• It is the leading international body for the assessment of climate change.
• It is a key source of scientific information and technical guidance to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.
• The IPCC provides governments with scientific information for use in developing climate policies.
• The IPCC currently has 195 members.
• The IPCC does not undertake new research. Instead, it synthesizes published and peer-reviewed literature to develop a comprehensive assessment of scientific understanding.
  • These assessments are published in IPCC reports.
  • They are subject to multiple drafting and review processes to promote an objective, comprehensive, and transparent assessment of current knowledge.
• The IPCC’s work is guided by principles and procedures that govern all main activities of the organization.
• IPCC member governments and observer organizations nominate experts and the IPCC's scientific governing body, the IPCC Bureau, selects authors and editors with expertise in a range of scientific, technical, and socio-economic fields.

What are IPCC Assessment Reports?

• Typically, IPCC reports comprise three Working Group reports:
  • One on physical science
  • One on climate adaptation, and
  • One on mitigation action.
• One synthesis report consolidates findings from the three Working Group reports.
• Then there are thematic special reports.
• Each report assesses climate-related scientific literature to capture the state of scientific, technical, and socio-economic knowledge on climate change.
• The IPCC is currently in its Seventh Assessment cycle (AR7).

How Does it Assess Future Scenarios?

• The IPCC uses ‘modelled pathways’ to estimate what it will take to limit the warming of the earth’s surface.
• These pathways are drawn using Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) that describe human and earth systems.
• IAMs are complex models that examine possible futures of the energy and climate systems and economies.
• Its macroeconomic models can point to future growth levels in terms of GDP;
  • Its energy models can project future consumption
  • Vegetation models can examine land-use changes; and
  • Earth-system models use the laws of physics to understand how climate evolves.
• With such integration across disciplines, IAMs are meant to provide policy-relevant guidelines on climate action.
• However, these models also have shortcomings. They prioritize least-cost assessments — for example, the absolute cost of setting up a solar plant or undertaking afforestation in India is lower than in the U.S.
• However, experts have said they could exercise the option of enabling countries to equitably share the burden of action, where the richest undertake more drastic mitigation action more immediately.

About the Latest Study:

• Conducted by a team of specialists from Bengaluru and Chennai, the study scrutinized 556 scenarios outlined in the IPCC's AR6 report.
• Their findings indicate that by 2050, per-capita GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, West Asia, and other parts of Asia will remain below the global average.
• Collectively, these regions account for 60% of the global population.
• Additionally, the study highlighted disparities in the consumption of goods and services, as well as energy and fossil fuel consumption, between the Global North and the Global South.

Why Does Equity Matter?

• Equity is crucial in climate action as per the UNFCCC, which mandates developed nations to lead in combating climate change.
• However, current modeling approaches often overlook equity, burdening poorer nations disproportionately.
• Researchers highlight the need for modeling techniques that prioritize climate justice and equitable distribution of responsibilities.
• They argue that mitigation pathways should ensure developed regions accelerate towards net negative emissions and allocate carbon budgets to less developed regions.
• Addressing this gap requires a paradigm shift in scenario building, emphasizing both equity and environmental sustainability.
• This approach is vital for fostering global cooperation and achieving meaningful climate action.

Why is it in the News?

Malta became the 119th country to join the International Solar Alliance recently.

About the International Solar Alliance (ISA):

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of more than 120 signatory countries that aims to reduce the dependence on non-renewable sources of energy like fossil fuels.
• Currently, 118 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement.
• The ISA is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies as a means for bringing energy access, ensuring energy security, and driving energy transition in its member countries.
  • The platform strives to develop and deploy cost-effective and transformational energy solutions powered by the sun to help member countries develop low-carbon growth trajectories, with a particular focus on delivering impact in countries categorised as Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
• The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilise efforts against climate change through the deployment of solar energy solutions.
• It was conceptualised on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015.

Role of India:

• As a founding member, India holds a pivotal position within the alliance, serving both as a host nation and a major contributor to achieving its objectives.
• The ISA marks a historic milestone as the first international organisation to establish its secretariat in India.
• With a target of generating 100 GW of solar energy by 2022, India's commitment represents a significant portion of the ISA's overall goal.

Recent Developments:

• The ISA was granted Observer Status by the UN General Assembly, fostering closer collaboration between the alliance and the United Nations to advance global energy growth and development.
• The approval of the 'Solar Facility' by the ISA introduces a payment guarantee mechanism aimed at incentivizing investments in solar projects, further driving progress towards sustainable energy initiatives.