EDITORIALS & ARTICLES

5GB1C & Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI) - PPP 100 - PRELIMS 2024 - 10

1. Methylotuvimicrobium buryatense 5GB1C

  • The bacterial strain Methylotuvimicrobium buryatense 5GB1C consumes methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
  • Methane is over 85 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) in terms of its global warming potential on a 20-year timescale.
  • It is responsible for nearly 30% of total global warming.

Reduction of Atmospheric Methane

  • Large-scale harnessing of this bacteria can prevent 240 million tonnes of methane from reaching the atmosphere by 2050.
  • The study suggests that the global average temperature rise can be reduced by 0.21-0.22 degrees Celsius through methane removal.

Methanotroph Selection

  • Methane-eating bacteria (methanotrophs) are effective, but they grow optimally at methane concentrations around 5,000-10,000 ppm.
  • Researchers screened methanotrophs to find strains that effectively consume low methane levels, around 500 ppm.
  • Methylotuvimicrobium buryatense 5GB1C demonstrated the best performance at 500 ppm and even grew well at 200 ppm.

Methanogens and methanotrophs are microbes that interact with methane, but in different ways. Methanogens are microorganisms that produce methane as a byproduct of their metabolism in anaerobic environments, while methanotrophs are microbes capable of consuming methane as their energy source in aerobic or oxygen-rich environments.

The CO2 cycle and the methane cycle are different processes within the global carbon cycle. The CO2 cycle primarily involves the exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2) between living organisms, the atmosphere, and the oceans through processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and carbonate reactions. On the other hand, the methane cycle involves the production and consumption of methane (CH4) by various biological and geological processes, including methanogenesis, methanotrophy, and methane oxidation, among others.

Methanogens vs Methanotrophs

Methanogens are microorganisms that are capable of generating methane from organic sources.

Methanotrophs or Methanophiles are microorganisms which are capable of utilizing methane as a source of carbon and energy.

Methanogens are obligatory anaerobic (Methanogenesis takes place under anaerobic conditions).

Methanotrophs are aerobic (Methane digestion takes place under aerobic conditions).

Precursors of methanogenesis are hydrogen, carbon dioxide and C-1 compounds.

Methane is the precursor of methanotroph reactions.

Methane is the end product of methanogenesis.

Carbon dioxide and energy are produced during the methane utilization.

Methanogens are used in waste water purification plants in anaerobic digesters and sludge treatment systems, and in bio gas production plants.

Methanotrophs are used in degrading methane based products and methane emissions in industrial reactions.

Biomass Production and Utilization

  • The bacteria produce biomass after consuming methane, which can be used as feed in aquaculture.
  • For every tonne of methane consumed, the bacteria can generate 0.78 tonne biomass dry-weight methane, valued at $1,600 per tonne.

Implementation Strategies

  • Proposed strategies include designing biofilters containing nutrients for microorganism growth.
  • Genetic modifications can induce desired characteristics in the bacterial strain.

Impact and Feasibility

  • Preventing 240 million tonnes of methane emissions could significantly impact global warming.
  • Challenges include controlling temperature, as bacterial growth requires specific temperature ranges.
  • Economic feasibility and energy balance are crucial considerations when scaling the technology.

Future Directions

  • Field studies are needed to test the technology''s feasibility.
  • Analyzing the environmental life cycle and techno-economics is necessary to ensure economic viability and environmental benefits.

What is Methane?.

  • Methane (CH4) is the simplest hydrocarbon, consisting of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. 
  • It is a colorless, odorless, and highly flammable gas, and the main component in natural gas.
  • It is an important greenhouse gas because it is such apotent heat absorber. The concentration of methane in the atmosphere has risen by about 150% since 1750, apparently largely due to anthropogenic activities
  • Methane is the second most abundant anthropogenic GHG after carbon dioxide (CO2), accounting for about 20 percent of global emissions. 

Methane release in ruminants

  • Agriculture is the largest single source of global anthropogenic methane (CH4)emissions, with ruminants the dominant contributor.
  • Unlike other animals, ruminants have specialized digestive systems consistingof stomachs that have four compartments instead of one.
  • Plant material is initially taken to rumen, the largest compartment in the stomach that is inhabited by microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, protozoa and archaea.
  • These microorganisms break down the otherwise indigestible cellulose-rich plants to release protein and energy for their host animal in exchange for nutrition and shelter.
  • But during this process, which scientists call enteric fermentation, one particular microbe, the archaea, combines CO2 and hydrogen made by the cellulose-digesting microbes to create methane. 

Other Sources of Methane

  • Agricultural methane doesn’t only come from animals. Paddy rice cultivation– in which flooded fields prevent oxygen from penetrating the soil, creating ideal conditions for methane-emitting bacteria – accounts for another 8 percent of human-linked emissions.
  • Methane is also emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Other agricultural practices, land use and the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills also contribute to methane emissions.

Sources-of-Methane

cATTLE METHANE

 

PERMA FROST METHANEEmission by India

  • India is currently the world’s fourth largest methane emitter after China, the United States and Russia.
  • India has the world’s largest cattle population and is the second largest rice producer, the agriculture sector emits five times as much methane as the energy sector. 
  • Agriculture accounts for 61% of total methane emissions, while India’s energy sector accounts for 16.4% and waste 19.8%, as per the Global Methane Tracker 2022.

How does  Methane Emissions affect the Environment?

  • Methane is the primary contributor to the formation of ground-level ozone, a hazardous air pollutant and greenhouse gas, exposure to which causes 1 million premature deaths every year. 
  • Over a 20-year period, methane is 80 times more potent at warming than carbon dioxide.
  • Methane has accounted for roughly 30 percent of global warming since pre-industrial times and is proliferating faster than at any other time since record keeping began in the 1980s.

How much methane can we really cut?

  • CO2 stays in the atmosphere for centuries, methane breaks down quickly and most is gone after a decade, meaning action can rapidly reduce the rate of global warming in the near-term. 
  • Human-caused methane emissions could be reduced by as much as 45 percent within the decade. This would avert nearly 0.3°C of global warming by 2045, helping to limit global temperature rise to 1.5?C and putting the planet on track to achieve the Paris Agreement targets. 
  • Every year, the subsequent reduction in ground-level ozone would also prevent 260,000 premature deaths, 775,000 asthma-related hospital visits, 73 billion hours of lost labour from extreme heat and 25 million tonnes of crop losses.

        UNEP is at the front in support of the Paris Agreement goal of keeping the global temperature rise well below 2°C and aiming - to be safe - for 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels. To do this, UNEP has developed a Six-Sector Solution roadmap to reducing emissions across sectors in line with the Paris Agreement commitments and in pursuit of climate stability. The six sectors are Energy; Industry; Agriculture and Food; Forests and Land Use; Transport, and Buildings and Cities. 

Global Methane Pledge

  • The Global Methane Pledge was established during the UN COP26 climate meeting in Glasgow. Over 90 countries have signed the pledge, which is led by the United States and the European Union.
  • The goal of this project is to reduce worldwide methane emissions.
  • The Pledge seeks to catalyse global action and improve support for current international methane emission reduction programmes in order to develop technical and policy work that will serve as the foundation for Participants'' domestic measures.
  • Participants who sign the Pledge promise to take voluntary activities to contribute to a collaborative effort to cut global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030, potentially avoiding more than 0.2 degrees Celsius of warming by 2050.
  • This is a worldwide aim, not a national one.
  • How would the project be beneficial - If adopted globally, it would reduce global warming by 0.2 degrees Celsius by the 2040s as compared to expected temperature increases.
  • The Earth is currently 1.2 degrees Celsius hotter than it was before the Industrial Revolution.
  • India, the third-largest producer of methane emissions, is currently not a signatory.

 Significance

  • The Global Methane Pledge aim has the potential to have a massive influence on climate change, akin to the whole global transportation industry adopting net zero emission technology.
  • Action will be especially critical in the period leading up to 2030 since dramatic reductions in methane emissions can provide a net cooling impact in a very short period of time.
  • This might keep the door open to a 1.5 °C stability in global average temperatures as the world pursues long-term CO2 reductions.
  • The Global Methane Pledge has brought together several key international parties, including large consumers such as the European Union, Japan, and Korea, as well as big producers like Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
  • For other nations, the Global Methane Pledge is the first substantial policy commitment on methane, either domestically or internationally.
  • The Pledge also recognises and appreciates the critical contributions that the corporate sector, development banks, financial institutions, and philanthropy play in supporting the Pledge''s implementation.

Why is dealing with methane crucial for climate change?

  • Methane is the second-most prevalent greenhouse gas in the atmosphere after carbon dioxide, therefore efforts to reduce its emissions are crucial.
  • According to the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change study, methane is responsible for over half of the 1.0 degree Celsius net rise in global average temperature from the pre-industrial period.
  • Rapidly lowering methane emissions is supplementary to action on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and is seen as the single most effective option for reducing global warming in the short term and keeping the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach.
  • According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), while methane has a significantly shorter atmospheric lifespan (12 years versus millennia for CO2), it is a lot more effective greenhouse gas simply because it absorbs more energy when in the atmosphere.
  • The UN emphasises in its methane fact sheet that methane is a formidable pollutant with a global warming potential 80 times that of carbon dioxide, around 20 years after it is released into the atmosphere.
  • Significantly, the average methane leak rate of 2.3% "erodes much of the climate advantage gas has over coal."
  • According to the IEA, more than 75% of methane emissions may be reduced with current technology, and up to 40% of this can be accomplished at no additional cost.

India Refused to Sign The Methane Pledge

  • India refused to sign the ''Global Methane Pledge,'' a proposal by the United States and the European Union to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels.
  • The administration recently explained in detail to Parliament why it declined to sign the methane promise.

In India, methane emissions are survival emissions

  • Methane emissions are fundamentally survival emissions, not ''luxury'' emissions, as in the case of the West.
  • In India, the two main sources of methane emissions are:
    • Enteric fermentation (methane from animal intestines)
    • rice agriculture (from standing water).
  • These emissions are the product of agricultural operations carried out by small, marginal, and medium farmers across India, whose livelihoods are jeopardised by the aforementioned pledge.
  • This can have an influence on agricultural productivity, particularly paddy yield, in addition to farmers'' revenue. India is one of the world''s major rice producers and exporters.
  • In contrast, industrial agriculture dominates agriculture in wealthy countries.
  • As a result, this pledge. has the potential to have an impact on India''s trade and economic prospects.

Agriculture is not included in India''s emission intensity target

  • According to India''s pre-2020 voluntary pledges, agriculture is not included in the emission intensity objective.

Indian cattle contribute little to global methane emissions

  • Furthermore, India boasts the world''s biggest cow population, which provides a living for a substantial portion of the people.
  • Because Indian livestock consume huge amounts of agricultural byproducts and unusual feed material, their contribution to the world pool of enteric methane is quite modest.

Methane Pledge Outside of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement

  • While India is a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, the government claims that the Methane Pledge falls beyond the scope of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement.

Indian Efforts to Reduce Methane Emissions

  • The Indian Council for Agricultural Research''s (ICAR) National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) initiative has created numerous technologies with the potential to reduce methane emissions.
  • System for Rice Intensification: It has the ability to increase rice output by 36-49 percent while using about 22-35 percent less water than traditional transplanted rice.
  • Direct seeded rice: It minimises methane emissions since it eliminates the need for nurseries, puddling, and transplanting. Unlike transplanted paddy farming, this approach does not retain standing water.
  • Crop Diversification Programme: Methane emissions are reduced by shifting rice to other crops such as pulses, oilseeds, maize, cotton and agroforestry.
  • Seaweed-Based Animal Feed: The Central Salt & Marine Chemical Research Institute (CSMCRI) created a seaweed-based animal feed additive formulation that seeks to minimise methane emissions from cattle.
  • Harit Dhara: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) developed an anti-methanogenic feed additive called ''Harit Dhara'' (HD), which can reduce cow methane emissions by 17-20%.

2. Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI)

  • The International Day of the World''s Indigenous Peoples is observed on 9 August each year to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world''s indigenous population.
  • This event recognizes the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection.

Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI)

  • It aims to support indigenous peoples and local communities in their continuing efforts to safeguard Earth’s natural ecosystems, recognizing their historical roles in nature conservation.
  • It works inclusively with IPs and LCs, their regional and local organizations, governments, NGOs, civil society and others to strengthen the conservation of globally significant biodiversity and ecosystems.

Key highlights of the report:

  • There are evidences on the potential of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in improving conservation, in total, donors have directed less than 1% of climate change mitigation and adaptation funding to IPs and LCs.
  • The world seeks to realise the rights and priorities of IPs and LCs, significant scaling is needed.
  • Indigenous Peoples own or manage an estimated 25% of the world’s land surface, including 40% of terrestrial protected areas and 37% of ecologically intact landscapes.
  • Only 7% of $1.7 billion in pledged funding is going directly to Indigenous groups.
  • IPs and LCs are severely impacted by climate change and environmental degradation.
  • They have advocated for loss and damage funding but have had few opportunities to engage with decision-makers.
  • Local efforts are the central source of conservation funding, in Latin America, for example, although national and local non-governmental organisations (NGO) implement 26% of disbursements, 41% of all funding are ascribed to Indigenous Peoples’ organisations.

Suggestions:

  • The leadership of Indigenous communities is required to reach global goals on marine and landscape protection.
  • The ICI should encourage other funders and governments to adopt more inclusive approaches.
  • Global Biological Framework Fund (GBFF) will be launched in the upcoming 7th Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly in Vancouver, Canada.

Subsidiary Bodies 58 (SB 58) conference:

  • It was held in Bonn, Germany.
  • Indigenous Peoples’ groups from around the world, including India, called for representation on the Transitional Committee (TC) for the establishment of a Loss and Damage Fund (LDF).
  • The committee is composed of 24 members.
    • 10 members are from developed countries and 14 are from developing countries.
  • They want representation so that their views on losses and damages can be taken into account by the TC in the recommendations for the full operationalisation of LDF. 

Indigenous-led Initiatives

  • Inclusive Conservation Initiatives (ICIs) represent a critical advancement for Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Local Communities (LCs), aiming to preserve and enhance their stewardship over approximately 7.6 million hectares of landscapes and seascapes. These areas are rich in biodiversity and host irreplaceable ecosystems.
  • ICIs are operational in nine geographical areas within 12 countries, working in conjunction with partners to oversee high-biodiversity lands traditionally governed by IPs and LCs. These lands may or may not have formal legal recognition.
  • The territories governed by ICIs are diverse, encompassing large tracts of tropical forests, mountainous areas, temperate and boreal forests, drylands and grasslands, and marine and coastal ecosystems.
  • ICIs acknowledge and continue the historical role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in protecting natural ecosystems.
  • To bolster these efforts, ICIs are providing direct financial aid to 10 Indigenous and locally led initiatives in Africa, Central and South America, and Asia and the Pacific.

Why Inclusive Conservation Matters?

  • Indigenous peoples are custodians of approximately 25% of the Earth’s land surface, which encompasses 40% of terrestrial protected areas and 37% of ecologically intact landscapes.
  • Indigenous peoples and local communities currently oversee more than one-third of the world’s remaining irrecoverable carbon. This highlights their crucial role in managing this valuable resource.
  • Research suggests a strong correlation between linguistic and biological diversity in biodiversity hotspots and high biodiversity wilderness areas.
  • Lands and waters overseen by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities help preserve biodiversity and aid in carbon sequestration.
  • This stewardship also supports local livelihoods, sustains cultures, and protects valuable traditional knowledge. This knowledge is key for maintaining local ecosystems and contributing to global environmental benefits.
  • A study was conducted in 14 countries rich in forests. The study found that areas inhabited by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities have less deforestation and subsequently, lower carbon emissions.
  • These areas have been recognized and protected by their governments. This protection plays a vital role in reducing deforestation and limiting the impacts of climate change.
  • Research shows that Indigenous people’s ways of managing land often reduce deforestation as much as, or more than, protected areas managed by the state.
  • The Global Assessment by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) points out that Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Local Communities (LCs) often have better local knowledge about biodiversity and environmental changes than scientists.
  • This assessment also recognized the important contributions of men and women in IPs and LCs to biodiversity conservation at different levels.
  • The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) underlines that including groups like women and IPs and LCs improves decision-making about climate.
  • Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Local Communities (LCs) have knowledge and skills valuable for managing natural resources.
  • IPs and LCs are facing increasing harassment and violence while trying to protect their lands and environments.
    Decision-making processes at national, regional, and global levels often fail to incorporate the full participation of IPs and LCs. This exclusion leads to decisions and programs that do not consider IPs and LCs’ perspectives or priorities, undermining their conservation capabilities.
  • Funding to IPs and LCs is insufficient. Most project executions are done by globally accredited institutions, while projects led significantly by Indigenous peoples are a minority.
  • The Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI) aims to inspire other funders and governments by demonstrating that traditional approaches can be modified to include IP and LC leadership, innovation, and governance.
  • ICI offers both practical and global experience, supporting IPs and LCs in crafting and demonstrating an inclusive conservation model. This helps the world envision conservation in a new way.

Global Environment Facility (GEF)

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is an international organization that was created in 1992, right before the Rio Earth Summit. Its purpose is to act as an environmental catalyst, making strategic investments with partners to address the most pressing environmental issues worldwide.

The GEF stands out due to its unique partnership model encompassing 18 agencies. These consist of United Nations agencies, multilateral development banks, national entities, and international NGOs, working collectively with 183 countries.

It has established a broad network with civil society organizations and maintains a close working relationship with the global private sector. In addition, it benefits from the ongoing insights of an independent evaluation office and a top-tier scientific panel.

The GEF serves as a financial conduit for five key international environmental conventions: the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).







POSTED ON 13-03-2024 BY ADMIN
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