Environment

6 published UPSC current-affairs articles

Environment

EnvironmentGS-3

Glaw Lake (Glow Lake)

Context: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, announced the designation of Glaw Lake (also known as Glow Lake) in Arunachal Pradesh as India ’s 101st Ramsar Site. This landmark recognition marks Arunachal Pradesh’s very first Ramsar Site, raising India ’s national tally of internationally protected wetlands past the 100 mark. Glaw Lake is a high altitude, pristine, natural freshwater lake located in the Eastern Himalayas.

10 Aug 2026Read analysis →

Environment

EnvironmentGS-3

Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana: Promoting Floating Solar Photovoltaic Projects with Energy Storage Systems

On 31 July 2026, the Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM SSY) with a total outlay of ₹5,070 crore. The scheme is designed to promote Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) projects integrated with Energy Storage Systems (ESS). It aims to target 5,000 MW of floating solar capacity spanning from fiscal year 2026 27 to 2030 31, with financial support extending up to FY 2032 33.

10 Aug 2026Read analysis →

Environment

EnvironmentGS-3

Environmental Performance Index 2026: India's Ranking and Analysis

The release of the 2026 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) placed India at 176th out of 177 countries, positioning the nation as the second lowest ranked globally. This dismal outcome has reignited domestic and international scrutiny regarding severe air pollution, environmental health deficits, and biodiversity loss. Concurrently, environmental experts have voiced significant criticisms regarding the underlying methodologies and indicator weightings used in the index, arguing that composite rankings may obscure nuanced local realities and policy efforts.

10 Aug 2026Read analysis →

Environment

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Environment & Ecology / Biodiversity

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has completed a 12 year effort to document India ’s Lepidoptera diversity. The resulting Catalogue of Lepidoptera of India records 13,703 species of butterflies and moths, highlighting India ’s rich insect biodiversity. Lepidoptera is an order of insects comprising butterflies and moths.

10 Aug 2026Read analysis →

Environment

EnvironmentGS-3

Supreme Court Extends Mining Approval Mandate Around Asan Wetland Nationwide to All Conservation Reserves

The Supreme Court of India has clarified that its judicial directive requiring prior approval for any mining activities within a 10 kilometer radius of the Asan Wetland Conservation Reserve will now apply nationwide to all wetland conservation reserves across the country. This significant ruling transforms a site specific environmental directive into a universal requirement across India, establishing uniform judicial safeguards to protect vulnerable wetland ecosystems from degradation caused by unchecked mining and industrial activity. By broadening the geographical scope of the buffer requirement, the apex court aims to reinforce environmental jurisprudence and prevent ecological damage near officially designated conservation reserves.

8 Aug 2026Read analysis →

Environment

EnvironmentGS-3

SC Extends 10 km Mining Buffer Rule to Wetland Reserves Across India

SC Extends 10 km Mining Buffer Rule to Wetland Reserves Across India Recently, the Supreme Court orally clarified that its earlier directions regulating mining near the Asan Wetland Conservation Reserve could, for the sake of parity, apply to other wetland and community conservation reserves across India . Asan Mining Restriction: Under its interim order in February 2024, the Court has directed that no mining should take place within a 10 km radius of the Asan reserve without prior permission from the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife and/or the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

5 Aug 2026Read analysis →

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