In News:

Two Indian peacekeepers—Brigadier General Amitabh Jha (UNDOF) and Havildar Sanjay Singh (MONUSCO)—are being posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal by the United Nations. Their sacrifice will be honoured at the U.N. Headquarters during the International Day of U.N. Peacekeepers on May 29, 2025.

Overview:

• Instituted: 1997
• Purpose: Posthumous honour to U.N. peacekeepers who die in service under U.N. authority.
• Awarded on: Peacekeepers' Day (May 29) annually.
• Named after: Dag Hammarskjöld, the 2nd U.N. Secretary-General, who died in a 1961 plane crash during a peace mission in Congo.
• First award (1998): Dag Hammarskjöld and Commandant René de Labarrière (first peacekeeper to die in a U.N. mission, 1948).

Other UN Peacekeeping Awards

• Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage: Recognizes U.N. personnel displaying exceptional bravery.
• UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award: Recognizes peacekeepers promoting gender equality under UNSC Resolution 1325.
  • 2023 recipient: Major Radhika Sen (India, MONUSCO).
  • 2024 recipients: Sqn. Ldr. Sharon Syme (Ghana) and Superintendent Zainab Gbla (Sierra Leone), both serving in UNISFA.

India’s Contribution to UN Peacekeeping

• Total personnel deployed (2025): Over 5,300 Indian troops in missions in: Abyei, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Lebanon, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.
• Historical role:
  • Since 1950s, India has contributed over 290,000 personnel to 50+ peacekeeping missions.
  • India is among the top four contributors of uniformed personnel.
  • Engagement includes training, capacity building, and technology support for U.N. missions.

UN Peacekeeping: Global Overview

• Established: 1948 (First mission: United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East).
• Cumulative personnel served: Over 2 million in 71 operations.
• Current strength (2025): Around 68,000 personnel from 119 countries in 11 missions across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
• Peacekeepers who have died since 1948: Over 4,400.

Theme 2025: ‘The Future of Peacekeeping’

• Linked to: Pact for the Future adopted in 2024 by global leaders.
• Aim: To reform peacekeeping for modern challenges.
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for a peacekeeping force ready to face "increasingly complex" global situations.

In News:

600-million-year-old stromatolites in the Himalayas tell the story of an ocean lost and Earth’s first breath.

What are Stromatolites?

Stromatolites are organo-sedimentary structures formed by the entrapment of calcium carbonate precipitates by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in shallow marine environments. These layered, dome-shaped mounds represent some of the earliest evidence of life on Earth, with their formation driven by photosynthetic microbial mats.

• Composition: Typically found in limestone, shale, and sandstone.
• Structure: Characterized by laminated layers that may appear flat, dome-shaped, or columnar.
• Habitat (Ancient & Modern): Mostly marine; some ancient forms inhabited freshwater and intertidal zones. Today, living stromatolites survive in limited saline lagoons and bays.

Latest Discovery: Chambaghat, Himachal Pradesh

A major stromatolite outcrop, dating back 600 million years, was recently found in Chambaghat, Solan district, Himachal Pradesh. These structures lie within the Krol Group of sedimentary rocks — a part of the ancient Tethys Sea that existed before the Indian plate collided with Eurasia.

• Elevation: Found at 5,000–6,000 ft above sea level, showcasing tectonic uplift.
• Age Significance: Though not the oldest globally or in India, these are among the younger but well-preserved stromatolites, possibly from the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary (~543–548 million years ago).

Scientific Importance

• Geological Record: Stromatolites document Earth's atmospheric shift from a greenhouse gas-rich to an oxygen-rich environment — a transformation driven by photosynthetic cyanobacteria.
• The Great Oxidation Event (GOE): Occurred ~2.4 billion years ago, when oxygen produced by cyanobacteria began accumulating in the atmosphere, enabling the evolution of multicellular life.
• Tectonic History: Their presence in the Himalayas illustrates the story of the Gondwana supercontinent, India’s northward drift, and the closure of the Tethys Sea.

Global and Indian Context

• Oldest Stromatolites (Global): ~3.6 billion years old from Western Australia.
• Oldest in India: ~2.5 billion years old in the Dharwar Supergroup, Karnataka.

Prominent Stromatolite Sites in India:

Region                                                      Geological Feature

Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh                    Columnar stromatolites in Vindhyan limestones

Morni Hills, Haryana                            Preserved stromatolites in dolomite

Mussoorie & Nainital, Uttarakhand    Precambrian marine stromatolites in Krol Belt

Jaisalmer Fossil Park, Rajasthan         Protected Mesozoic marine fossil site

Dharwar Supergroup, Karnataka        Neoarchean stromatolites (~2.6 billion years old)

Bhima Basin, Karnataka                      Precambrian stromatolites in shallow marine limestones

Preservation and Geoheritage

Geologists and experts advocate for declaring Chambaghat as a Geoheritage Park, involving local communities and schools to foster awareness. The goal is to integrate science with tourism, conservation, and education.

• Challenge: Many stromatolitic sites across India face neglect or risk from mining and construction, despite their scientific and educational potential.
• Appeal: Proposal for UNESCO Geoheritage status to protect and promote this prehistoric legacy.

In News:

Researchers from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), have discovered a new plant species — Pedicularis rajeshiana — in the high-altitude regions of Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh.

Key Facts:

Taxonomy and Classification

• Scientific Name: Pedicularis rajeshiana
• Family: Orobanchaceae
• Common Group: Louseworts (Hemiparasitic plants – partially dependent on host plants for nutrients, but also photosynthetic)
• Named by: Botanist Dr. Arti Garg, formerly of BSI Prayagraj, now with BSI Dehradun
• Publication: Officially recorded in the international journal Phytotaxa (Mongolia)

Habitat and Discovery

• Location: Rohtang Pass, Pir Panjal range, Western Himalayas
• Altitude: ~4,390 metres (14,400 feet)
• Habitat: Shaded rocky slopes in scattered patches
• Discovery Project: "Flora of India" initiative by MoEF&CC and BSI

Unique Botanical Characteristics

• Size: Smaller than related species like P. porrecta and P. heydei
• Floral Features:
  • Deeply cut lower labium (lip)
  • Stamens positioned at three distinct levels inside the flower
  • Rare pollen morphology with croton-like surface texture
  • Two flowers observed with twin galea (hood-like structures) — a first in the genus, possibly an evolutionary trait to enhance pollination

Ecological Significance

• Endemicity: Many Pedicularis species are habitat-specific and endemic to certain Himalayan regions
• India's Diversity: Home to 83 known species of Pedicularis, with 36 in the western Himalayas
• Conservation Value: The specificity of habitat and rarity suggest potential threat status; conservation is crucial.

In News:

Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-Kashmir) has successfully developed India’s first gene-edited sheep, marking a significant breakthrough in the field of animal biotechnology.

Key Highlights:

• Institution Involved: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Srinagar.
• Technology Used:
  • CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing — a precision genome editing tool that won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
  • Gene editing was conducted without insertion of foreign DNA, thus the sheep is non-transgenic and differs from traditional GMOs.
• Gene Targeted: The myostatin gene, which regulates muscle growth, was edited to enhance muscle mass.
• Result: Muscle mass increased by 30%, a trait absent in Indian sheep breeds but seen in select European breeds like the Texel.
• Significance:
  • Improved meat yield and quality in sheep.
  • Potential for disease-resistant and higher-reproduction-rate livestock in the future.
  • Supports India’s evolving biotech policy by promoting non-transgenic, gene-edited organisms that are more likely to receive regulatory acceptance.
  • Aligns with goals of sustainability and food security by enhancing productivity per animal.
• Regulatory & Safety Aspects:
  • Research adhered to international biosafety protocols.
  • Sponsored by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• Legacy & Research Background:
  • Developed after 4 years of dedicated research.
  • Led by Prof. Riaz Ahmad Shah, also known for creating India’s first cloned Pashmina goat, Noori, in 2012, and contributing to the world’s first cloned buffalo at NDRI, Karnal.

Implications for the Future:

• Opens doors for precision breeding in livestock to boost India’s animal husbandry sector.
• Strengthens India’s position in advanced genomic research and supports the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in biotechnology.
• Awaits comprehensive regulatory framework for gene-edited animals, currently under government consideration.

In News:

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released its latest decadal climate forecast (2025–2029), warning of a continued trend of record-breaking global temperatures. This projection raises serious concerns about climate risks, sustainable development, and international climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Key Projections:

• Annual Global Temperature Rise: Each year from 2025–2029 is projected to be 1.2°C to 1.9°C above pre-industrial levels (1850–1900).
• Record Heat Likelihood:
  • 80% chance that at least one year will surpass 2024, currently the warmest year on record.
  • 86% probability that one year will exceed the 1.5°C threshold.
• Five-Year Mean Warming: 70% chance that the 2025–2029 average will be above 1.5°C, a sharp rise from 47% (2024–2028) and 32% (2023–2027).

Note: The Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit refers to long-term (20-year) averages, but short-term overshoots are now increasingly probable.

Regional and Thematic Insights:

1. Arctic Amplification: Arctic winters (Nov–Mar) are projected to be 2.4°C warmer than the 1991–2020 average—3.5× faster than the global rate.

2. Sea Ice Decline: Continued sea ice reduction is expected in the Barents Sea, Bering Sea, and Sea of Okhotsk, impacting marine biodiversity and indigenous livelihoods.

3. Precipitation Variability:

• Wetter-than-average conditions likely in:
  • Sahel region
  • Northern Europe
  • Alaska and Northern Siberia
• Drier conditions expected over:
  • Amazon Basin
  • Parts of South Asia

South Asia may witness generally wet years, though seasonal variability will persist.

Impact and Implications:

• Extreme Weather Events: Increased warming will fuel more intense heatwaves, extreme rainfall, droughts, and floods, stressing both urban systems and agriculture.
• Cryosphere and Ocean Changes:
  • Accelerated glacier and sea ice melt will raise sea levels.
  • Ocean heating contributes to acidification and marine biodiversity loss.
• Threat to Sustainable Development: Progress on SDGs, particularly food security, water availability, and health, is at risk in vulnerable regions.

Way Forward:

• Revise NDCs at COP30: Strengthen and align Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with the 1.5°C goal.
• Accelerate Clean Energy Transition: Promote renewables, energy efficiency, and net-zero strategies to reduce GHG emissions.
• Adaptation and Resilience: Invest in climate-resilient infrastructure and early warning systems.
• Climate Monitoring & Forecasting: Enhance WMO-led regional forecasts and risk assessment tools.
• Preserve Natural Carbon Sinks: Protect forests, wetlands, and oceans to mitigate atmospheric CO?.