Environment – GK Questions

The Centre approved the 'Aastha Van Sanrakshan Yojana' with a ₹3,000 crore corpus (running from 2026–27 to 2030–31) to conserve and restore nearly 15,000 sacred groves, also known as 'Aastha Vans'.

According to the government advisory, the DSR method saves 20% water compared to traditional transplanting which requires 2,500 to 3,000 litres of water to produce one kilogram of rice. DSR also reduces cultivation costs by approximately ₹5,000 per acre and allows the crop to mature 12-15 days earlier.

The Chhattisgarh government issued an advisory on July 3, 2026, emphasizing DSR method against the backdrop of uncertainty of rainfall due to El Niño, a climate phenomenon that tends to weaken the South Asian monsoon. This is relevant for understanding climate impacts on agriculture policy.

The press release confirms that MAHA on Water is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti and ANRF launched to promote cutting-edge research in priority areas such as water resources management.

The press release explicitly states that the Ministry of Jal Shakti will organize the National Workshop on R&D in Water on 1 June 2026 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

China is the world's largest producer of solar energy. India is among the top 5 globally and aims to achieve 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

Ahmedabad developed India's first Heat Action Plan in 2013 after the deadly 2010 heat wave. It has served as a model for other Indian cities and globally.

India's mangrove cover is approximately 4,992 sq km as per the State of Forest Report 2023. The Sundarbans (West Bengal) has the largest mangrove cover in India.

India aims to increase nuclear power capacity from ~7 GW to 22 GW by 2031-32 as part of its clean energy mix, with new reactors at Gorakhpur, Jaitapur, and Kovvada.

Cheetahs had become extinct in India by 1952. They were reintroduced on September 17, 2022 at Kuno NP, Madhya Pradesh — 8 from Namibia initially.

India reintroduced cheetahs in September 2022 at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh — initially 8 cheetahs from Namibia, followed by 12 from South Africa in 2023.

India has 85 Ramsar sites (3rd highest globally), but the UK and Bolivia have more. The UK leads globally in number of Ramsar sites.

India has 85 Ramsar sites as of 2025, the highest in Asia and third highest globally, covering significant wetland ecosystems.

According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, India's total forest and tree cover is about 21.76% of its total geographical area.

India's 2022 tiger census recorded approximately 3,167 tigers — the highest in the world — a success of Project Tiger launched in 1973.

India's total renewable energy capacity surpassed 200 GW in 2025, on track towards its target of 500 GW by 2030.

COP29 was held in Baku, Azerbaijan in November 2024. A key outcome was the New Collective Quantified Goal of $300 billion/year for climate finance.

Reports indicated a below-normal monsoon season rainfall for India in May 2026. Monsoon predictions significantly impact agricultural output, inflation forecasts, and GDP growth estimates. The India Meteorological Department typically classifies monsoon as normal when it is 96-104% of the Long Period Average.