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🌍 Greenland’s Ice Loss: A Climate Warning

πŸ“ Key Findings
βœ… Over 1,000 gigatons of ice (20% of Greenland’s edges) lost in the past 40 years.
βœ… Global Warming Impact: Greenland glaciers are highly sensitive to warming, with significant retreat since 1985.
βœ… Sea Level Rise: Melting ice contributed 20%+ to global sea level rise since 2002.

πŸ“Œ About Greenland
βœ… Largest Island: Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, bordered by Canada, Iceland, and Norway.
βœ… Capital: Nuuk
βœ… Highest Point: Gunnbjorn’s Fjeld
βœ… Physical Features:
Vast tundra and immense glaciers like Peterman Glacier.
Greenland Ice Sheet
: Covers over 80% of the land, second-largest after Antarctica.
βœ… Unique Geography:
Sun doesn’t set from May 25 to July 25.
Greenland Sea: Borders Arctic Ocean and Norwegian Sea.
βœ… National Park: Northeast Greenland National Park is the world’s largest.

🌑 Climate Relevance
βœ… Greenland’s ice loss highlights the intensifying impact of global warming on sea levels and global ecosystems.

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πŸ”† Scarborough Shoal: A Key Flashpoint in the South China Sea

πŸ“ What is it?
A coral atoll in the South China Sea, disputed between China & the Philippines. Also known as Scarborough Reef (Huangyan Dao).

πŸ“ Why is it Important?
βœ… Strategic Location – Near key shipping lanes, close to Philippines, Vietnam, and China
βœ… Rich Marine Life – A crucial fishing ground
βœ… Military Significance – Ideal for military outposts

πŸ“ The Dispute
βœ… China’s Claim – Part of its Nine-Dash Line, covering most of the South China Sea
βœ… Philippines’ Claim – Took the dispute to international arbitration
βœ… China’s Control – Since 2012, with a constant coast guard presence

πŸ“ International Response
βœ… 2016 Tribunal Ruling – Rejected China’s claim
βœ… Philippines’ Demand – Calls for international scrutiny of the shoal.

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Teesta River:
βœ…Origin: The Teesta River originates from Tso Lhamo Lake in the Himalayas, near the Pahurni and Khangse glaciers in Sikkim.
βœ…States it pass through: Sikkim and West Bengal.
Tributaries:
βœ…Left-bank Tributaries: Lachung Chhu, Chakung Chhu, Dik Chhu, Rani Khola, Rangpo Chhu.
βœ…Right-bank Tributaries: Zemu Chhu, Rangyong Chhu, Rangit River.
βœ…End Point: The river merges with the Brahmaputra (Jamuna) in Bangladesh.
βœ…Unique Features
Vital for Agriculture & Hydropower: Teesta’s waters are crucial for irrigation and hydroelectric projects in India and Bangladesh.
βœ…Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Risks: The river is vulnerable to flash floods from glacial lakes, as seen in the 2023 Sikkim disaster.
βœ…Disputed Water Sharing: India and Bangladesh have long debated the Teesta water-sharing treaty, affecting bilateral relations

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πŸ”† Places in News: Toshka Lakes, Egypt πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡¬πŸŒŠ

πŸ“ Formation & Fluctuations
βœ… Formed in 1998 due to Ethiopian flash floods, later dried up by 2018.
βœ… Refilled (2020-22) after heavy rains in Sudan & South Sudan.
βœ… Expansion ongoing, with new lakes emerging in the region.

πŸ“ Flooding Impact
βœ… Disrupts agriculture & livestock, affecting local communities.
βœ… Causes displacement and increases overflow from Lake Nasser.

πŸ“ Toshka Lakes Project
βœ… Designed for irrigation, regional settlement, and to protect the Aswan High Dam.



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πŸ”† Blood Minerals: Conflict and Exploitation

πŸ“ Context
βœ… The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has raised concerns against Apple Inc. for using blood minerals extracted from conflict zones in the eastern region of the country.

πŸ“ About Blood Minerals
βœ… Definition: Mined in conflict zones, proceeds from these minerals often fund armed conflicts.
βœ… Human Rights Issues: Linked to forced labor, child soldiers, and violence against civilians.
βœ… Minerals in DRC: Includes 3TGβ€”Tantalum, Tin, Tungsten, and Gold.

πŸ“ Conflict in DRC
βœ… Origins: The conflict dates back to the 1990s, worsened by the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
βœ… Rebel Groups: Key groups include Tutsi-led M23, CODECO, and Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

πŸ“ About DRC
βœ… Geography: Second-largest country in Africa by area.
Home to the second-largest rainforest after the Amazon.
βœ… Independence: Gained from Belgium.

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Kara Sea:
βœ…It is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located to the north of Siberia, Russia.
βœ…It covers an area of 880,000 sq.km.
It has been named after the Kara River.
βœ…It is situated between the Franz Josef Land, the Novaya Zemlya islands, and the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago.
βœ…The Kara Strait and the Novaya Zemlya archipelago separate the Kara Sea from the Barents Sea in the west.
βœ…In the east, the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago separates the Kara Sea from the Laptev Sea.
βœ…In the north, the Kara Sea is also connected with the Arctic Basin.
βœ…It is regarded as one of the world’s coldest seas and remains covered with ice from September to May.
βœ…Different rivers, including the Kara, Ob, Pyasina and Yenisei drain into the Kara Sea.
βœ…The significant islands that are found here include Bely, Dikson, Kamennyye, Oleni and Taymyr.
βœ…The Nordenskiold Archipelago, which is composed of more than 90 islands and five large island subgroups, is the largest island group in the Kara Sea.

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 Bhil Tribe:

βœ…Bhils are considered as one of the oldest tribes in India.
βœ…They are the most widely distributed tribal groups in India.
βœ…The name 'Bhil' is derived from the word villu or billu, which according to the Dravidian language is known as Bow.
βœ…They could be identified as one of the Dravidian racial tribes of Western India and belong to the Australoid group of tribes.
Distribution:
βœ…They are mainly divided into two main groups: the Central and Eastern or Rajput Bhils.
βœ…The Central Bhils are found in the mountain regions in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
βœ…Bhils are also found in the north eastern parts of Tripura.
βœ…Occupation: Nearly all of the Bhil engage in agriculture, some using the slash-and-burn (jhum) method but most employing the ploughs.
βœ…Language: They speak Bhili, which is an Indo Aryan language.


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πŸ”†Tidal Flooding

βœ…Tidal flooding, also known as β€œnuisance flooding” or β€œsunny day flooding,” happens when high tides cause water levels to rise and flood low-lying coastal areas. 
βœ…Causes: Changes in prevailing winds, shifts in ocean currents, and strong tidal forces (which occur during full or new moon) can all cause high tide flooding.
βœ…High tide flooding falls into three levels of severity: minor, moderate, and major. 

πŸ“Concerns:
βœ…Tidal flooding disrupts daily life by flooding roads and services, damages infrastructure, and causes economic losses for businesses. 
βœ…It accelerates coastal erosion, harms habitats, and contaminates freshwater supplies with saltwater. 
βœ…Repeated flooding forces communities to relocate. 
βœ…Over time, rising sea levels due to climate change will make tidal flooding more frequent and severe.


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πŸ”† Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)

πŸ“ Context
βœ… A Positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) or Indian Nino is set to re-emerge for the second consecutive year in the latter half of 2024, marking the first time this event has occurred back-to-back since 1960.

πŸ“ About Indian Ocean Dipole
βœ… IOD is a climate phenomenon in the Indian Ocean, similar to El NiΓ±o and La NiΓ±a in the Pacific Ocean.
βœ… It refers to the difference in sea surface temperatures (SST) between the western (near Somalia) and eastern (near Indonesia and Malaysia) parts of the Indian Ocean.
Positive IOD: Cooler SST in the east and warmer SST in the west.
Negative IOD: Warmer SST in the east and cooler SST in the west.
βœ… Positive IOD often coincides with El NiΓ±o, while Negative IOD is sometimes linked to La NiΓ±a.

πŸ“ Mechanism
βœ… Normal Year: Warm waters from the western Pacific move into the Indian Ocean, slightly warming it, promoting rising air and enhanced air circulation.
βœ… Negative IOD: Intensified circulation pushes warm water from the African coast towards Indonesia, warming the eastern Indian Ocean.
βœ… Positive IOD: Warmer waters in the west and cooler waters in the east shift winds, bringing more rainfall to Eastern Africa and the Indian subcontinent, while Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and Australia receive less rainfall.

πŸ“ Impact on Global Weather Patterns
βœ… Positive IOD: Increases rainfall in Eastern Africa and the Indian subcontinent, but suppresses rainfall in Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
βœ… Negative IOD: Reverses the effects, reducing rainfall in India and increasing precipitation in Southeast Asia and Australia.

πŸ“ IOD Discovery
βœ… Identified as a distinct climate phenomenon in 1999.

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πŸ”† Little Prespa Lake Drying Up

πŸ“ Context
βœ… Little Prespa Lake, on the Albanian-Greek border, is slowly drying up, turning into swamps or dried land.

πŸ“ Causes of Drying
βœ… Climate Change: Rising temperatures, reduced snowfall, and decreased precipitation.
βœ… Water Diversion: Devoll River was diverted for irrigation in the 1970s, leading to significant water loss.

πŸ“ About Lake Prespa
βœ… One of the oldest tectonic lakes in Europe.
βœ… Highest tectonic lake in the Balkan Peninsula (Altitude: 853m).
βœ… Composed of two lakes:
Great Prespa Lake: Borders Albania, Greece, and North Macedonia.
Small Prespa Lake: Located in Greece.

πŸ“ Surrounding National Parks
βœ… Prespa National Park: Located in Greece & Albania.
βœ… Galicica National Park: Located in North Macedonia.
βœ… Galicica Mountains separate Lake Prespa from Lake Ohrid, one of the oldest & deepest lakes in Europe.

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πŸ”† Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) TFCA Summit

βœ…Context : Delegates gathered in Livingstone, Zambia for the first-ever KAZA Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA) summit.

πŸ“ About KAZA TFCA
βœ… 🌍 Location: Wetland region spanning five southern African nations.
πŸ‡¦πŸ‡΄ Angola
πŸ‡§πŸ‡Ό Botswana
πŸ‡³πŸ‡¦ Namibia
πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡² Zambia
πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡Ό Zimbabwe

βœ… 🌊 Key River Basins:
Okavango River Basin
Zambezi River Basin

πŸ›‘ Conservation Effort:
Focus on transnational environmental protection & sustainable tourism.
Protects biodiversity, wetlands, and ecosystems.

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πŸ”†China has approved the construction of the first South China Sea deepwater β€˜space station’.
About 
βœ…The facility will be a cold seep ecosystem research facility, located 2,000 meters below the surface.
βœ…It will be one of the deepest and most technologically complex underwater installations.
βœ…It is expected to be operational by around 2030.

πŸ“ the South China Sea
βœ…It is one of the most strategically and economically important waterways in the world, extending from the Strait of Malacca in the southwest, to the Strait of Taiwan in the northeast.
βœ…It is a crucial maritime gateway and junction for shipping between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
βœ…It is surrounded by several nations, including China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
βœ…Importance:  The region is rich in natural resources, including oil, gas, and fisheries, and serves as a crucial trade route for various economies.
βœ…Dispute:  The South China Sea dispute involves China’s broad claims over the region, contested by ASEAN nations like the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei over islands, reefs, and resources. 
βœ…These disputes affect freedom of navigation and air traffic.
βœ…India’s Position:  India’s position on the South China Sea has evolved in recent years, shifting from neutrality to more active support for claimant states like the Philippines and Vietnam.
βœ…India also seeks to secure its energy resources and enhance economic ties through its Look East Policy.


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PIB Upsc short Notes for prelims & Mains

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🚩 Chushul-Moldo Border

πŸ“Œ Context
βœ… Indian and Chinese armies exchanged Diwali greetings at the Chushul-Moldo border in Ladakh, near Pangong Lake.

πŸ“Œ About Chushul-Moldo Border
βœ… It is a key border meeting point between India and China.
βœ… Located in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
βœ… Strategically significant due to its proximity to Pangong Lake.
βœ… Plays a crucial role in India-China diplomatic and military engagements.


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Sagar Island

βœ…The West Bengal government has announced comprehensive preparations for the Gangasagar Mela 2025.
About
βœ…Sagar Island is situated at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal about 120 km from the State capital Kolkata.
βœ… It is the largest island in the Sundarbans archipelago.
βœ…Lakhs of pilgrims visit the island every year to participate in the religious fair and take a dip at the confluence of the Ganga and the sea on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. 
βœ…The site is considered sacred and is home to the Kapil Muni temple.


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China’s Mega-Dam Project

βœ…Capacity: 60 GW (14th Five-Year Plan, for 2021–2025); Three times the capacity of China’s current Three Gorges Dam;
βœ… China aims to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
πŸ”Έ Cost: About $137 Bn.
πŸ”Έ Location: At the Great Bend, where the Brahmaputra river takes a U-turn, in the Medog county of the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
βœ… China has previously constructed significant dams like the Three Gorges Dam (Yangtze) and Zangmu Dam (Yarlung Zangbo).

πŸ“Yarlung Tsangpo (Zangbo) River
βœ… It originates in Tibet, and enters Arunachal Pradesh, where it is known as the Siang
βœ… In Assam, it is joined by tributaries such as Dibang and Lohit, and is called the Brahmaputra
βœ… The river then enters Bangladesh, and makes its way to the Bay of Bengal.
πŸ”Έ The main river does not flow through Bhutan, but 96% of the country’s area is within the basin.

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2025/07/12 15:34:54
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