About International Energy Agency (IEA):

• It is an autonomous intergovernmental organisation within the OECD framework.
• It works with governments and industry to shape a secure and sustainable energy future for all.
• The IEA was established in 1974, in the wake of the 1973-1974 oil crisis, to help its members respond to major oil supply disruptions, a role it continues to fulfill today.
• IEA’s mandate has expanded over time to include tracking and analyzing global key energy trends, promoting sound energy policy, and fostering multinational energy technology cooperation.
• The IEA has four main areas of focus: energy security, economic development, environmental awareness, and engagement worldwide.
• It consists of 31 member countries and eleven association countries.
• A candidate country to the IEA must be a member country of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
• Criteria for membership:
  • Crude oil and/or product reserves are equivalent to 90 daysof the previous year’s net imports, to which the government has immediate access (even if it does not own them directly) and could be used to address disruptions to global oil supply.
  • A demand restraint programmeto reduce national oil consumption by up to 10%.
  • Legislation and organisation to operate the Co-ordinated Emergency Response Measures (CERM) on a national basis.
  • Legislation and measures to ensure that all oil companies under its jurisdiction report information upon request.
  • Measures are in place to ensure the capability of contributing its share of an IEA collective action.
• India joined this organization in 2017 as an Associate member.
• The IEA periodically conducts extensive analysis of member countries’ energy policies. 
• Reports published by IEA: World Energy Outlook, World Energy Balances, Energy Technology Perspectives, World Energy Statistics and Net Zero by 2050.

Q1: What is OECD?

It is an international organisation of 38 countries committed to democracy and the market economy. OECD members are typically democratic countries that support free-market economies. The OECD was established on Dec. 14, 1960, by 18 European nations, plus the United States and Canada. The stated goal of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity and well-being for all.
Source: At major IEA conference, decision-makers from tech, energy and government underscore AI’s implications for energy security and transitions

About Laysan albatross:

• The Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) is a large seabird that ranges across the North Pacific.
• The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are home to 99.7% of the population. 
• It spends most of its time on the open sea, spanning these tropical waters.
• It nests on open, sandy, or grassy expanses of islands, with 94% of breeding pairs on Laysan Island and Midway Atoll, as well as on other small Hawaiian Islands, the bigger islands of Oahu and Kauai, and a few sites off Japan and Mexico.
• It is an expert soarer and can travel hundreds of miles in a day with scarcely a wingbeat. 
• Laysan albatrosses have blackish-brown backs and upper wings. The primary feathers have a flash of white. 
• The underwing is also white, with black margins. There is a dark tail band that is visible during flight.
• Laysan albatrosses are a monogamous species, and they mate for life.
• IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

Q1: What is an atoll?

An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or series of islets. An atoll surrounds a body of water called a lagoon. Sometimes, atolls and lagoons protect a central island.

Source: World's oldest-known wild bird lays egg in Hawaii at age 74

About Indira Gandhi Peace Price:

• The Indira Gandhi Peace Price, also known as the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development, was instituted in the memory of the former prime minister by a trust in her name in 1986.
• It consists of a monetary award of 25 lakh rupees along with a citation.
• The award is given to individuals or organisations who work towards ensuring international peace and development, ensuring that scientific discoveries are used to further the scope of freedom and better humanity, and creating a new international economic order.
• Past recipients of this award include:
  • Mikhail Gorbachev, former leader of the Soviet Union (1987);
  • UNICEF (1989)
  • Jimmy Carter, former president of the US (1997)
  • UN and its secretary-general Kofi Annan (2003)
  • Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany (2013)
  • Indian Space Research Organisation (2014)
  • Former Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh (2017)
  • Sir David Attenborough (2019)
  • Pratham NGO (2021)
  • Indian Medical Association and the Trained Nurses Association of India (2022)
  • Daniel Barenboim and Ali Abu Awwad (2023)

Q1: What is the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust?

The Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust was established in early 1985 to honour the life and propagate the legacy of India's martyred Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. The Trust manages the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum and a website, I Am Courage, with the URL indiragandhi.in, which provides an interactive platform about the life and times of Indira Gandhi. It also manages the annual Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development, instituted in 1985, that has been awarded to 30 international personalities and institutions for outstanding work and achievements. 

Source: Indira Gandhi Peace Prize presented to COVID-19 warriors

About Anamalai Tiger Reserve:

• It is a protected area located at an altitude of 1400 m in the Anamalai Hills of Pollachi and Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu.
• It lies south of the Palakkad gap in the Southern Western Ghats. 
• It is surrounded by the Parambikulum Tiger Reserve on the east, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, and Eravikulum National Park on the southwestern side.
• The reserve is also surrounded by the Nenmara, Vazhachal, Malayattur, and Marayur reserved forests of Kerala.
• It was declared a tiger reserve in the year 2007.
• Habitat:
  • It supports diverse habitat types, viz. Wet evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, dry thorn, and shola forests.
  • Other unique habitats like montane grasslands, savannah and marshy grasslands are also present.
• Flora:
  • Around 2500 species of angiosperms are found in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, with several species of Balsam, Crotalaria, Orchids, and Kurinchi.
  • The reserve is rich in wild relatives of cultivated species like mango, jackfruit, wild plantain, ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric, pepper (Piper longum), cardamom, etc.
• Fauna: The important wild animals of the reserve include: Tiger, Asiatic elephant, Sambar, Spotted deer, Barking deer, Jackal, Leopard, Jungle cat, etc.

Q1: What is a Tiger Reserve?

Tiger Reserve is a legally declared protected area dedicated to the conservation of striped big cats. A tiger reserve, on the other hand, could be a national park or wildlife sanctuary. The Sariska Tiger Reserve, for example, is also a national park.

Source: Community, individual rights accorded to tribal settlements in Anamalai Tiger Reserve

About Kawasaki Disease:

• It is also known as Kawasaki syndrome or mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome.
• It is a rare disease that causes fever and inflammation of the blood vessels, mainly in children under 5 years of age.
• The disease was first described in Japan by Tomisaku Kawasaki in 1967, and the first cases outside of Japan were reported in Hawaii in 1976.
• The cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown, although more cases happen in late winter and early spring. 
• It is one of the most common forms of acquired heart disease in children.
• The condition causes the immune system to attack blood vessels, which become inflamed and swollen.
• It tends to affect the coronary arteries, which carry blood to the heart muscle. It can also cause problems with lymph nodes, skin, and the lining of a child's mouth, nose, and throat.
• Symptoms: Symptoms of Kawasaki disease can appear in two phases and may last several weeks. Common symptoms include:
  • A high fever lasting more than five days.
  • Red eyes without discharge.
  • A rash on the body, often in the chest and groin area.
  • Swollen hands and feet, sometimes with redness.
  • Red, cracked lips and a swollen, red tongue.
  • Swollen lymph nodes, especially on one side of the neck.
• Treatment:
  • Kawasaki disease is usually treated in the hospital with an intravenous (IV) dose of immunoglobulin (IVIG) antibodies. 
  • The goals of treatment are to lower fever, reduce swelling, and prevent heart damage.

Q1: What are lymph nodes?

Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped organs that are part of the body's immune system and help the body fight infection and disease.

Source: What is Kawasaki, the rare disease Munawar Faruqui's son diagnosed with?

About Jhelum River:

• It is a river of northwestern India and northern and eastern Pakistan. 
• It is a tributary of the Indus River.
• The Jhelum (Vyeth in Kashmiri, Vetesta in Sanskrit, and Hydaspes in Greek) is the main waterway of the Kashmir valley.
• It is the largest and most western of the five rivers of Punjab and passes through the Jhelum District in the North of Punjab province, Pakistan.
• Course:
  • Origin: It originates at the Verinag Spring at Anantnag, at the foot of the Pir Panjal range in the Kashmir Valley.
  • The river meanders northwestward from the northern slope of the Pir Panjal Range through the Vale of Kashmir to Wular Lake at Srinagar, which controls its flow.
  • The river makes a deep, narrow gorge on its way to Pakistan.
  • It joins the Chenab River near Trimmu, Pakistan.
• Length: It has a total length of about 725 km (450 mi).
• Major Tributaries:
  • The largest tributary of the Jhelum is the Kishenganga (Neelum) River, which joins near Muzaffarabad and enters the Punjab province, Pakistan.
  • The Kunhar River is the second largest tributary of the river, which connects Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan on the Kohala Bridge of the Kanghan valley.
  • Other tributaries include the Sandran River, Bringi River, Arapath River, Watlara River, Lidder River, and Veshaw River.

Q1: Which are the main tributaries of the Indus River?

The Indus receives its most-notable tributaries from the eastern Punjab Plain. These five rivers—the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—give the name Punjab (“Five Rivers”) to the region divided between Pakistan and India.
Source: Kashmir Girl Thrown Off Bridge By Aunt, Succumbs 3 Days Later In Srinagar Hospital

About Nicobarese:

• "Nicobarese" is a general term used by outsiders to refer to an indigenous community that inhabits much of the Nicobar Islands.
• The Nicobar Islands are part of the larger Andaman and Nicobar archipelago located some 1,200 km off the east coast of India in the Bay of Bengal.
• The Nicobar Island constitute a land mass of 1,841 sq.km, which is about a fourth of the total area of the entire Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. Of the twenty-four islands in the Nicobars, twelve are inhabited.
• The Nicobarese belong to the Southeast Asian cultural complex and speak an Austro-Asiatic language.
• However, they are far from being a homogenous group. The internal diversity among them takes the form of four distinct cultural groups. These are the islands of:
  • Car Nicobar;
  • Chowra (Chaura), Bompoka (Bompooka) and Teressa;
  • Katchal (Katchall), Nancowry, Kamorta (Camorta) and Trinket;
  • Little Nicobar, Kondul, Pulo Milo (Pilomillow), and Great Nicobar.
• According to the 2011 census the indigenous Nicobarese number 23,681. The population is unevenly distributed, with nearly half the population living on Car Nicobar. 
• Largely self-sufficient, the Nicobarese practice a mix of hunting-and-gathering, fishing and raising pigs. 

Q1: Who are Shompens?

They are one of the most isolated tribes on Earth. They are one of the least studied Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India. They reside in dense tropical rain forests of the Great Nicobar Island of Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands. Around 95% of the island is covered in rainforest. The Shompen habitat is also an important biological hotspot, and there are two National Parks and one Biosphere Reserve, namely Campbell Bay National Park, Galathea National Park, and Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve.

Source: New genetic research points to Austro-Asiatic connection of Nicobarese

About Khorlochhu Hydropower Project:

• Situated on the Kholongchhu River in Eastern Bhutan’s Trashiyangtse district, the project seeks to meet Bhutan’s rising electricity demands and aid India’s renewable energy transition.
• It is the first-ever energy project to be developed through a joint venture (JV) partnership between India and Bhutan.
• It will be constructed by Khorlochhu Hydro Power Limited (KHPL), a strategic partnership between Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) and India’s Tata Power.
• The 600 MW project the project is expected to be commissioned in September 2029.
• The project will feature a 95m-high concrete gravity dam measuring 165m in length and 6m in width. The dam will create a 1.4 km long reservoir with 2.9 million cubic metres (MCM) of gross storage capacity.
• The electricity generated from the Kholongchhu hydroelectric project will be transmitted to the NEWNE grids of Bhutan and India via 400 kV transmission lines.
• The project is estimated to cost £488.14 m (INR 46.32bn), which is being financed under a debt-equity ratio of 70:30. The Government of India is providing DGPC’s share of equity.

Q1: What is a gravity dam?

A gravity dam is a type of dam structure that is primarily designed to resist the force of gravity and hold back water or other materials. It relies on its own weight and mass to counteract the horizontal pressure exerted by the water or other materials it is retaining. Gravity dams are among the oldest and most common types of dams used for various purposes, including water supply, irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric power generation.

Source: Tata Power Embarks on Bhutans's Ambitious Hydropower Journey

About Markhor:

• It is a large wild goat of the family Bovidae (order Artiodactyla).
• It is known for its thick fur,flowing beard, and corkscrew horns.
• It is a diurnal animal and is mainly active in the early morning and late afternoon. 
• Distribution:
  • It is found in the moist to semi-arid mountain tracts of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.
  • In J&K, Markhor’s population is found in Shopian, the Banihal pass and the Shamsbari area of the Kazinag Uri and Pir Panjal range in Poonch.
• The markhor is the national animal of Pakistan, where it is also known as the screw-horn or screw-horned goat.
• Conservation status:
  • IUCN: ‘Near Threatened’
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
  • CITES: Appendix I 

Q1: What is CITES?

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. It aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species. Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties – in other words, they have to implement the Convention – it does not take the place of national laws.
Source: In Rare Appearance, Markhor Spotted In North Kashmir’s Baramulla

What Are Sacred Groves?

Sacred Groves are small patches of forests or natural vegetation that are protected by local communities due to their religious and cultural significance. These areas are often dedicated to local deities and serve as both ecological sanctuaries and sites of spiritual reverence.

• They act as repositories of biodiversity, sheltering rare plant and animal species.
• Hunting and deforestation are usually prohibited, while sustainable activities such as honey collection or gathering deadwood are permitted.

Sacred Groves in India

Sacred groves are scattered across India but are particularly found in regions like:

• The Western Ghats
• The Himalayas
• The northeastern hill tracts
• Central India

Regional Names for Sacred Groves:

• Sarna in Bihar
• Dev Van in Himachal Pradesh
• Devarakadu in Karnataka
• Kavu or Sarpa Kavu in Kerala
• Devrai or Deorai in Maharashtra
• Law Kyntang or Asong Khosi in Meghalaya
• Oran in Rajasthan

Examples of Success:

• Piplantri Village, Rajasthan: Known for planting 111 trees for every girl child born. This initiative has enhanced local income, reduced female foeticide, and empowered women’s self-help groups.

Q1.What is an ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants, animals, and microbes) interacting with each other and their physical environment (weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, and atmosphere). It is a functional unit of interrelated components, where the living and non-living elements interact and exchange materials.

News: Formulate policy to manage sacred groves, Supreme Court tells Centre - The Hindu