UN Sustainable Development Report According to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network‘s 10th Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025, India ranks 99th in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index, marking its first time in the top 100 out of 167 countries with a score of 67. Key Findings of the 10th Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025 SDG India Index Key Highlights of the SDG India Index for 2023-24…
Invasive Plant Species Species Native Region Habitat / Spread Major Impacts Special UPSC Notes Acacia (Wattles) Africa, Australasia Dry regions; deep roots Suppresses native flora; destroys grasslands Conversion of shola–grassland ecosystems in Western Ghats → Nilgiri Tahr habitat loss Billygoat Weed Tropical America (Brazil) Rice fields, disturbed land Crop weed; competes with crops Medicinal +…
Fish Species IUCN Endemism (India) Key Habitat Distribution (Core Areas) Special / Unique Tags Legal Protection Deolali Minnow CR Yes (Western Ghats) Hill streams with rocky gradients Darna River, Nashik (MH); Nandur Madhameshwar Ramsar Site First Ramsar site of Maharashtra; freshwater minnow — Ganges Shark CR Yes (India–Bangladesh) Rivers & estuaries (turbid water) Ganga–Brahmaputra–Padma systems;…
Birds – Critically Endangered (CR) Species IUCN Endemism (India) Key Habitat Distribution (Core Areas) Special / Unique Tags Legal Protection Baer’s Pochard CR No Freshwater wetlands NE India, WB, Odisha, Terai Freshwater diving duck WPA: Sch I; CMS: Appx I Bengal Florican CR No Grasslands with scrub Assam, Arunachal, UP; Nepal Terai Bustard species; courtship…
Mammals – Critically Endangered (CR) Species IUCN Status Endemism (India) Key Habitat Distribution (Core Area) Special / Unique Tags Legal Protection Andaman White-toothed Shrew CR Yes (Andaman Islands) Tropical moist deciduous & evergreen forests Narcondam Island Island endemic; insectivorous, nocturnal mammal — Himalayan Brown Bear (sub-species) CR No (sub-species level) High-altitude forests & alpine meadows…
At the global level, climate action today is no longer limited to clean energy production; it equally emphasises how we consume energy. The cover decision of COP-27, titled the Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan, highlights the transition to sustainable lifestyles and sustainable patterns of consumption and production as a core requirement for addressing climate change.👉 This…
India’s renewable energy transition is not only a technological challenge, but equally a financial and institutional challenge. Therefore, the government has created specialised institutions and innovative financial instruments to mobilise long-term capital for green energy. Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) What is IREDA? Core Role IREDA is the financial backbone of India’s renewable energy…
Background Let us begin with a simple idea:Renewable energy is clean and sustainable, but it is not always reliable in the way conventional power is. Low Plant Load Factor (PLF) Intermittency Problem Mismatch example: 👉 Neither solar nor wind can independently meet peak demand. Transmission and Cost Issues Financial Weakness of DISCOMs Smart Grid: A…
Here is the puzzle that makes hydrogen fascinating. It is the most abundant element in the universe — and yet, on Earth, you cannot mine it or drill for it. It is always locked up inside something else: inside water (H₂O), inside methane (CH₄). To get pure hydrogen, you must spend energy to free it….
Definition: Biofuels are fuels derived from biological sources — plants, algae, animal waste — through biological and chemical processes such as fermentation, transesterification, and anaerobic digestion. The central promise of a biofuel: the CO₂ released when we burn it is partly offset by the CO₂ the plant absorbed while growing. This near-closed carbon loop is…
