Blue Economy: India’s G20 Presidency Offers An Opportunity
Blue Economy: India’s G20 Presidency Offers An Opportunity
Central Idea
- The potential of the oceans for the sustainable development of the blue economy is immense and the initiatives taken by the Government of India towards achieving it demonstrate India’s commitment to building a sustainable future for its marine resources and the global community. India’s G20 presidency provides an opportunity to promote collective action for the transition.
What is Blue Economy?
- Blue Economy is defined by the World Bank as the Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ecosystem.
- Gunter Pauli’s book, “The Blue Economy: 10 years, 100 innovations, 100 million jobs” (2010) brought the Blue Economy concept into prominence.
- The UN first introduced “blue economy” at a conference in 2012 and underlined sustainable management, based on the argument that marine ecosystems are more productive when they are healthy. In fact, the UN notes that the Blue Economy is exactly what is needed to implement SDG 14, Life Below Water.
- The term ‘blue economy’ includes not only ocean-dependent economic development but also inclusive social development and environmental and ecological security.
The Potential of the Oceans
- The oceans offer vast opportunities for the prosperity of our planet, with 45% of the world’s coastlines and over 21% of the exclusive economic zones located in G20 countries.
- They are reservoirs of global biodiversity, critical regulators of the global weather and climate, and support the economic well-being of billions of people in coastal areas.
Facts for prelims: Government Initiatives
- The Government of India has launched several initiatives to promote the development of a blue economy, such as
Initiative | Description |
Sagarmala initiative | A program launched in 2015 to promote port-led development and boost the country’s maritime sector. It aims to modernize ports, improve connectivity and logistics, and promote coastal community development. |
Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy | A policy introduced in 2016 to provide financial assistance to Indian shipyards for the construction of ships. It aims to boost domestic shipbuilding and make Indian shipyards globally competitive. |
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana | A scheme launched in 2020 to boost the fisheries sector in India. It aims to increase fish production, modernize fishing infrastructure, and create employment opportunities in the sector. |
Sagar Manthan dashboard | An online dashboard launched in 2018 to track the progress of the Sagarmala initiative. It provides real-time information on project implementation, fund utilization, and other related metrics. |
Deep Ocean Mission | A program launched in 2021 to explore the deep sea and harness its resources for national benefit. It aims to explore the deep sea, map its resources, develop technologies for deep-sea mining, and promote ocean conservation. |
Coastal Regulation Zone notification | A regulation introduced in 2019 to manage development activities along India’s coastline. It aims to balance the economic development of coastal areas with the conservation of coastal ecosystems and livelihoods of coastal communities. |
- The government has also taken steps to eliminate single-use plastic and combat plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
India’s G20 Presidency and the Blue Economy
- Key priority: India’s G20 presidency has prioritized the blue economy as a key area under the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group.
- Promote sustainable and equitable development: The aim is to promote the adoption of high-level principles for sustainable and equitable economic development through the ocean and its resources while addressing climate change and other environmental challenges.
- A guide for future G20 presidencies: India’s commitment to prioritizing oceans and the blue economy under its presidency would ensure continued discussions on this crucial subject and pave the way for future G20 presidencies.
- Communication and collaboration: Effective and efficient ocean and blue economy governance presents a significant challenge, and India’s G20 presidency can build an effective communication with all stakeholders to share best practices, foster collaborations for advancements in science and technology, promote public-private partnerships, and create novel blue finance mechanisms.
Challenges and Responsibility
- Ambitious efforts by countries to expand their blue economies are threatened by intensifying extreme weather events, ocean acidification, and sea-level rise.
- Marine pollution, over-extraction of resources, and unplanned urbanization also pose significant threats to the ocean, coastal and marine ecosystems, and biodiversity.
- The inherent inter-connectedness of oceans implies that activities occurring in one part of the world could have ripple effects across the globe.
- Therefore, the responsibility of their protection, conservation, and sustainable utilization lies with all nations.
Conclusion
- India’s G20 presidency offers an opportunity to promote individual and collective actions towards a sustainable blue economy. The stewardship of oceans is an investment that will sustain future generations, and the global community must unite for the well-being of our ocean commons.
Aravali Green Wall Project
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change inaugurated the Aravali Green Wall Project on the occasion of International day of Forests and unveiled the National Action Plan to Combat Desertification and Land Degradation Through Forestry Interventions.
What is Aravali Green Wall Project?
- About:
- It is an ambitious plan to create a 1,400km long and 5km wide green belt buffer around the Aravali Mountain range covering states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi.
- In the initial phase, 75 water bodies will be rejuvenated, starting with five waterbodies each in every district of Aravalli landscape.
- It will cover degraded land in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Bhiwani, Mahendergarh and in Rewari districts of Haryana.
- The plan is inspired by Africa’s ‘Great Green Wall’ project, running from Senegal (West) to Djibouti (East), which came into effect in 2007.
- Objectives:
- The overarching objective of India’s Green Wall will be to address the rising rates of land degradation and the eastward expansion of the Thar desert.
- The green belt being planned from Porbandar to Panipat will help in restoring degraded land through afforestation along the Aravali hill range. It will also act as a barrier for dust coming from the deserts in western India and Pakistan.
- It aims to enhance the biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Aravalli range by planting native trees, which will help in carbon sequestration, provide habitat for wildlife, and improve water quality and quantity.
- The involvement of local communities in afforestation, agro-forestry, and water conservation activities can promote sustainable development.
- Further, it will help generate income and employment opportunities, improve food security, and provide social benefits.
- Background:
- According to Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), some 97.85 million hectares (29.7%) of India’s total geographical area (TGA) of 328.72 mha underwent land degradation during 2018-19.
- The Aravali has been identified as one of the key degraded zones to be taken up for greening under India’s target to restore 26 million hectares (mha) of its land.
- A 2016 report from the ISRO had also indicated that Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan had already degraded over 50% of their land.
What is Aravali Mountain Range?
- About:
- The Aravallis, is the oldest fold mountains on Earth.
- It spans over 800km from Gujarat to Delhi (through Rajasthan and Haryana).
- The highest peak in the Aravalli Range is Guru Peak on Mount Abu.
- Impact on Climate:
- The Aravallis have an impact upon the climate of northwest India and beyond.
- During monsoons, the mountain range gently guides the monsoon clouds eastwards towards Shimla and Nainital, thus helping nurture the sub-Himalayan rivers and feeding the north Indian plains.
- In the winter months, it protects the fertile alluvial river valleys (the para-Indus and Gangetic) from the assault of cold westerly winds from Central Asia.
What is Great Green Wall of Africa (GGW)?
- About:
- GGW is a project launched by African union to restore the continent’s degraded landscapes and transform millions of lives in the Sahel.
- The project plans 8km wide band of trees stretching 8,000km across Africa.
- Objectives:
- It aims to restore 100 million hectares of currently degraded land.
- Also, the project envisages to sequester 250 million tons of carbon and create 10 million green jobs by 2030.
- Participating countries:
- Eleven countries in the Sahel-Sahara region—Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Senegal have joined to combat land degradation and restore native plant life to the landscape.
Export of Biofuels from SEZs and EOU
Why in News?
The Indian government stated that the export of biofuels from special economic zones (SEZs) and export oriented units (EOUs) will be permitted without any restrictions, if the biofuel is produced by using imported feed stock.
- In 2018, the Indian government had imposed restrictions on the export of biofuels soon after imposing similar conditions on its imports.
What are Biofuels?
- About:
- Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter (living or once living material) in a short period of time is considered a biofuel.
- Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.
- Solid: Wood, dried plant material, and manure
- Liquid: Bioethanol and Biodiesel
- Gaseous: Biogas
- Categories of Biofuels:
- First Generation Biofuels:
- These are made from food sources such as sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using conventional technology.
- Examples include Bioalcohols, Vegetable oil, Bioethers, Biogas.
- Second Generation Biofuels:
- These are produced from non-food crops or portions of food crops that are not edible and considered as wastes, e.g., stems, husks, wood chips, and fruit skins and peeling.
- Examples include cellulose ethanol, biodiesel.
- Third Generation Biofuels:
- These are produced from micro-organisms like algae.
- Example- Butanol
- Fourth Generation Biofuels:
- Fourth-generation biofuels are advanced biofuels that are produced using genetically modified (GM) algae biomass, and advanced conversion technologies (use of pyrolysis, gasification etc).
- First Generation Biofuels:
- Significance:
- Energy Security: Biofuels can reduce dependence on fossil fuels, which are often imported from other countries.
- By producing biofuels locally, countries can increase their energy security and reduce their vulnerability to supply disruptions.
- Environmental Benefits: Biofuels are considered to be more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels because they produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions when burned.
- Also, the production of biofuels can contribute to reducing waste and pollution.
- Agricultural Development: Biofuel production requires a significant amount of feedstock, which can provide a new source of income for farmers.
- This can also help to promote rural development and increase agricultural productivity.
- Energy Security: Biofuels can reduce dependence on fossil fuels, which are often imported from other countries.
- Challenges:
- Efficiency: Fossil Fuels produce more energy than some of the biofuels. E.g., 1 gallon of ethanol produces less energy as compared to 1 gallon of gasoline (a fossil fuel).
- Food Shortages: There is concern that using valuable cropland to grow fuel crops could have an impact on the cost of food and could possibly lead to food shortages.
- Water Use: Massive quantities of water are required for proper irrigation of biofuel crops as well as to manufacture the fuel, which could strain local and regional water resources.
What are the Recent Initiatives Regarding Biofuels?
- Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, 2019
- GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) DHAN scheme, 2018
- National Policy on Biofuels, 2018
Atmospheric Rivers
California has experienced an exceptionally wet winter with 11 atmospheric rivers battering the state since late December 2022.
What are Atmospheric Rivers?
- About:
- Atmospheric rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere – like rivers in the sky – that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics.
- One well-known atmospheric river called the “Pineapple Express” picks up warm, moist air near Hawaii.
- When the Pineapple Express hits land in the Western United States and Canada, it can cause heavy rain and snow. In California, it can cause up to 5 inches of rain in a day.
- Atmospheric rivers typically occur in the extratropical North Pacific/Atlantic, southeastern Pacific, and South Atlantic oceans often making landfall on the west coasts of North and South America. Other regions that experience atmospheric river landfalls include Greenland, Antarctica, and the south-central United States.
- Atmospheric rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere – like rivers in the sky – that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics.
- Formation:
- Atmospheric rivers usually begin over tropical regions. Warm temperatures cause ocean water to evaporate and rise into the atmosphere. Strong winds help to carry the water vapor through the atmosphere.
- As atmospheric rivers move over land, the water vapor rises up farther into the atmosphere. It then cools into water droplets, which fall as precipitation.
- Impacts:
- Heavy rainfall associated with ARs can cause flooding, landslides, and mudslides.
- They can also lead to water supply disruption, and develop drought-like conditions.
- Heavy rainfall associated with ARs can cause flooding, landslides, and mudslides.
- Significance:
- Not all atmospheric rivers cause damage; most are weak systems that often provide beneficial rain or snow that is crucial to the water supply.
- Climate Change:
- Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of ARs in some regions of the world, particularly in the mid-latitudes.
- This could have significant implications for water resources management, flood control, and other areas of public policy.
- Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of ARs in some regions of the world, particularly in the mid-latitudes.