Current Affairs April 2020 - Environment

1 - Indonesian Anak Krakatau volcano witnessed longest eruption since its explosive collapse in 2018

Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano spewed a column of ash 500 meters into the sky in the longest eruption since its explosive collapse in 2018. Anak Krakatau, which means child of Kratakau, is the offspring of the famous Krakatau volcano, whose monumental eruption in 1883 triggered a period of global cooling.

Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, Indonesia experienced a major caldera collapse around 535 CE; it formed a 7-km-wide caldera ringed by three islands. Remnants of this volcano joined to create the pre-1883 Krakatau Island which collapsed during the major 1883 eruption.

2 - Air pollution in India drops during COVID-19 lockdown

According to satellite data published by US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Air pollution over northern India has plummeted to a 20-year-low for this time of the year. NASA retrieved the data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on its Terra satellite.

According to a report by the European Space Agency (ESA), Mumbai and Delhi have witnessed a significant reduction of around 40 to 50% of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) compared to the same period last year.

3 - New species of pit viper discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

A new species of reddish brown pit viper - a venomous snake, has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng district by a team of herpetologists led by Ashok Captain. The snake has a unique heat-sensing system. India had four brown pit vipers - Malabar, Horseshoe, Hump-nosed and Himalayan - before the Arunachal Pradesh discovery.

The viper, called Trimeresurus Salazar, has a unique orange to reddish stripe, present on the head and body in males. It has been named after Salazar Slytherin, a characted in JK Rowling's Harry Potter novels.

4 - Thailand's turtles have built the most nests in 20 years

Thailand has found the largest number of nests of rare leatherback sea turtles in two decades on beaches bereft of tourists because of the coronavirus pandemic. Authorities have found 11 nests since November.

Leatherbacks are the world’s largest sea turtles. They are considered endangered in Thailand, and listed as a vulnerable species globally by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They lay their eggs in dark and quiet areas, scarce when tourists thronged the beaches.

5 - 11^th session of Petersberg Climate Dialogue conducted via video conference

The 11^th session of Petersberg Climate Dialogue took place through a video conference. 30 countries including India took part in the conference. The dialogue was conducted to discuss the ways of tackling the societies and economies after COVID-19.

The 11^th session of Petersberg Climate Dialogue was hosted by Germany, and it was co-hosted by the United Kingdom (UK). India suggested to have a Climate Technology that is open to everyone at affordable cost. India also suggested to create 1 trillion USD grant to the developing world immediately.

6 - Largest hole in the Ozone Layer heals by itself and closed

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), confirmed that the largest hole in the Ozone layer above the Arctic had closed. The ozone hole was the largest one ever recorded in the Arctic region spanning an area of over 620,000 square miles.

The ozone layer is a protective layer of gas in the stratosphere. It shields the planet from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.