Facts for Prelims (FFP)
| Report | Description |
| Survival International Report
|
Survival International accuses UNESCO of complicity in illegal eviction and abuse of Indigenous people in a report on World Heritage Day 2024 (18th April). The six sites are: |
| Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania): A UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its stunning landscape and wildlife, including the Ngorongoro Crater, where diverse species thrive within an ancient volcanic caldera. | |
| Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo): Home to the endangered eastern lowland gorillas, this park faces conservation challenges amid conflict and human encroachment. | |
| Odzala-Kokoua National Park (Republic of Congo): A biodiverse wilderness area with dense forests, savannas, and rivers, providing habitat for numerous species, including forest elephants and gorillas. | |
| Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (Thailand): One of the largest protected areas in Thailand, known for its rich biodiversity, including rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. | |
| Kaziranga National Park (India): Famous for its population of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses, this park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a significant conservation area for various wildlife species. | |
| Chitwan National Park (Nepal): A renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal, recognized for its diverse ecosystems and conservation efforts, including the protection of Bengal tigers and one-horned rhinoceroses | |
| Survival International is a human rights organisation formed in 1969, a London-based charity that campaigns for the rights of Indigenous and/or tribal peoples and uncontacted peoples. | |
| State of World Population 2024 report
|
Released by the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA)
|
| The report, titled “Interwoven Lives, Threads of Hope: Ending Inequalities in Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Rights,” highlights women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), encompassing freedom from torture, right to health, privacy, education, life, and discrimination prohibition. | |
| Key findings include:
India’s leading global population of 1.44 billion, is projected to double in 77 years, with 68% aged 15-64 and 26% aged 10-24.
India’s Total Fertility Rate is 2.0, with life expectancy at birth estimated at 71 and 74 years for men and women, respectively.
Child marriage rates averaged 23% from 2006-2023.
Women with disabilities face up to 10 times more gender-based violence.
|
|
| UNFPA, headquartered in New York, USA, was established in 1969 as the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Its mandate, established by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), includes supporting access to various sexual and reproductive health services, such as voluntary family planning, maternal health care, and comprehensive sexuality education. | |
| Arctic’s Plastic Crisis Report
|
Released by Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) and the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) (a global network aiming to build a global movement for a toxics-free future) |
| Key findings: Petrochemical industries are polluting the Arctic with environmental violations like oil spills and hazardous substance releases. Plastic and toxic chemicals from around the world are also accumulating in the Arctic. These substances, transported by atmospheric and oceanic currents, endanger indigenous communities like Aleut, Yupik, and Inuit, affecting their food security due to rapid Arctic warming. | |
| Global Forest Watch (GFW) Report
|
Key Findings:
India has lost 2.33 million hectares (Mha) of tree cover since 2000, marking a 6% decrease during 2001-2023.
Notably, five states—Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur—contributed to 60% of all tree cover loss between 2001-2023.
Deforestation and climate change, leading to extreme heat and wildfires, are major drivers of tree cover loss, with Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh experiencing the highest tree cover loss due to fires according to GFW.
|
| The World Resources Institute (WRI) established Global Forest Watch (GFW) in 1997 as an online platform offering data and tools to monitor forests. GFW provides access to near real-time information on global forest changes, enabling users to track and analyze forest dynamics worldwide. |
