Environment Quiz: Green Credit Program

Carbon Credits and Mangroves

• The Green Credit Program is a market-based, voluntary program for selling and purchasing carbon credits, administered by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education.
• The program has three types of certificates or recognition: Carbon Reduction, Carbon Removal, and Carbon Avoidance.
• The MISHTI program focuses on mangrove conservation and plantations, initially covering 9 states, now expanded to 11 states and 2 Union Territories.

Mangrove Characteristics

• Mangroves have pneumatophores, buttress roots, viviparity, thick leaves, and sankin stomata as adaptation features.
• There are two key species of mangroves: Avicennia (black mangroves) and Rhizophora (red mangroves).
• International Mangroves Day is celebrated on July 26th.

KELP and Biodiversity

• KELP is a macroalgae system found in cold and coastal ecosystems, also known as seaweeds, and is an important part of the food chain.
• The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund aims to mobilize investment, managed by the Global Environmental Facility and hosted by India.
• The Global Gibbon Network focuses on the hoolock gibbon.

Gibbon Characteristics and Conservation

• The gibbon is the smallest and fastest ape, diurnal, monogamous, and omnivorous.
• Two species of hoolock gibbon were historically found in India.
• The Western hoolock gibbon is endangered, and the Eastern hoolock gibbon is vulnerable.

Climate Change and COP Meetings

• The Belem Declaration focuses on Reducing Emissions from Forests, Reduce Degradation of Forest, Sustainable Management, Forest Carbon Stock, and Enhancement Carbon Stock.
• COP 25 was held in Madrid, and COP 26 was held in Glasgow.
• COP 27 will be held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.
• The Loss & Damage Fund was created during COP 26.

International Treaties and Organizations

• The UN High Seas Treaty aims to achieve conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
• The BBNJ treaty was adopted in June 2023.
• ITLOS stands for the International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas.
• The International Seabed Authority is located in Kingston, Jamaica.
• The High Seas Treaty aims to regulate exploration and commercial utilization of the seabed under UNCLOS.

Coral Reefs and Hydrogen

• The International Coral Reef Initiative aims to preserve coral ecosystems around the world through a partnership between nations and organizations.
• The Coral Reef Breakthrough project aims to secure funding of US$12 billion by 2030 and collaborate with UN climate, high-level champions, and ICRI.

Project Cheetah and Forest Rights

• Project Cheetah in India aims to conserve the Asiatic cheetah, a sub-species presently only found in Iran.
• The NTCA under MOE is responsible for implementing Project Cheetah.
• Under the Forest Rights Act 2006, individual and communities have the right to protect forests and make decisions by Gram sabha.

Hydrogen Production and Applications

• The National Hydrogen Mission aims to have 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030.
• Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water and splitting hydrogen and oxygen from a renewable source.
• Grey hydrogen is produced from natural gas (CH4).
• Blue hydrogen is produced by carbon capture storage (CCS) underground.
• Pink hydrogen is produced by electrolysis using electricity from nuclear energy.
• Yellow hydrogen is produced by using solar energy.
• Turquoise hydrogen is produced by the pyrosis of methane (char, tar, hydrogen).
• White hydrogen is naturally occurring hydrogen trapped in rock.

Carbon Emissions and Leakage

• Carbon leakage refers to GHG emissions from places where rules are not strict.
• The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is by the EU from 2026, and it was opposed by the BASIC group (Brazil, India, South Africa, China).