23-24.01.22

The Supreme Court asked the Centre whether it was planning a dedicated Indian Environment Service in Indias bureaucratic set-up.

In 2014, a committee headed by former Cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian had recommended to set up Indian Environment Service.

Petition was filed by a lawyer Samar Vijay Singh, for the creation of an independent Indian Environment Services at all-India level.

However, prima facie it is doubtful if a can be issued. Though, an enquiry can be made on whether the government proposes to follow the recommendation of TSR Subramanian committee.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) released its “Climate of India during 2021″ report.

Highlights:

According to reports, the year 2021 was the fifth warmest in India since national records began in 1901.

In 2021, India posted a loss of 1,750 lives due to extreme weather events. With 350 deaths, Maharashtra was the worst-affected state.

Among extreme weather events, lightning and thunderstorms claimed the most lives (787), followed by floods, heavy rains, and landslides, which killed 759 people.

In 2021, 172 people died as a result of in various states.

According to the report, 11 of the 15 hottest years in India occurred during the last fifteen years, from 2007 to 2021.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) published the bi-annual Electricity Market Report in early 2022.

Highlights:

According to the report, countries are increasingly turning to fossil fuels to meet rising electricity demand as Covid-19 lockdown restrictions ease.

In 2021, global electricity demand is expected to rise by 6% year on year. It was the IEA’s steepest year-on-year increase since the 2008 financial crash.

Year on year, global energy intensity fell by 1.9 percent. This drop was only half of what was needed to lay the groundwork for net-zero energy by 2050.

Renewable electricity generation will increase by 6% year on year in 2021. Coal-fired power generation has increased by 9%.