International Big Cat Alliance (GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- The Cabinet recently cleared the way for establishing the International Big Cat Alliance, in a bid to develop a joint coalition to conserve seven species of animals.
Details:
- The alliance will focus on the conservation of seven big cats, which include Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar, and Cheetah. Out of these, five are found in India.
- It will be a multi-country, multi-agency coalition of 96 big cat range countries, and non-range countries interested in big cat conservation, which work together to establish networks and develop synergies in a focused manner to bring to a common platform a centralised repository of successful practices.
- The headquarters of the alliance will be in India and the Cabinet has approved Rs 150 crore for a period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
Background:
- The idea of the alliance was first given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech on the occasion of Global Tiger Day in 2019.
- He called for developing an alliance of global leaders to curb poaching in Asia.
- The alliance was formally announced on April 9, 2023, as India commemorated the completion of 50 years of Project Tiger.
Role:
- The alliance aims to generate cooperation among countries to develop a multipronged approach in several areas and help in knowledge sharing, capacity building, networking, advocacy, finance and resources support, research and technical support, education, and awareness about the big cat family.
- The alliance will develop synergy through a dedicated platform to share conservation practices and provide access to a central common repository of technical know-how and a corpus of funds.
Way Forward:
- The Alliance ensures sustainable use of natural resources and mitigates challenges emanating from climate change.
- By safeguarding big cats and their habitats, the IBCA contributes to natural climate adaptation, water and food security, and the well-being of thousands of communities reliant on these ecosystems.
Johan Rockstrom wins 2024 Tyler Prize for environmental achievement
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- The 2024 Tyler Prize for environmental achievement will be awarded to Johan Rockstrom for his groundbreaking contributions and pioneering work to the development of the Planetary Boundaries framework, the science for defining the safe operating space for humanity on Earth.
About Rockstrom:
- Rockstrom is director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and co-chair of the Earth Commission.
- The framework provides boundaries for world development and a basis for human justice.
What is Planetary Boundaries?
- The Planetary Boundaries is an international collaboration across multiple Earth system science disciplines.
- The theory establishes defined boundaries for nine Earth systems, emphasising the critical importance of their stability and resilience in preserving life as we understand it.
- The framework, published in 2009, defines these systems as: Climate change; rate of biodiversity loss (terrestrial and marine); interference with the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles; stratospheric ozone depletion; ocean acidification; global freshwater use; change in land use; chemical pollution; and atmospheric aerosol loading.
- The framework has also contributed to shaping public responses to climate change and sustainable development, including the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The SDGs explicitly include four of the nine Planetary Boundaries: Freshwater (SDG 6), climate (SDG 13), oceans (SDG 14) and biodiversity (SDG 15).
Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement:
- The prestigious $250,000 prize Tyler Prize is often described as Nobel Prize for environment.
- Established in 1973, the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement recognises global leaders in environment and sustainability.
- Since 1973, the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement has recognised global leaders in environment and sustainability. Past winners include Jane Goodall, Michael Mann, Daniel Pauly, and Gretchen Daily, among others.
