World Wetlands Day 2026

2 February 2026National

Observed on 2 February with the theme 'Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage', marking the 1971 signing of the Ramsar Convention.

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UNEP 'Limiting Overshoot' Report Says Breaching 1.5°C Warming Is Now Unavoidable

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released 'Limiting Overshoot: Navigating exceedance of 1.5°C and pathways towards return', concluding that the world will most likely temporarily breach the 1.5°C warming threshold above pre-industrial levels within the next few years. Even under an optimistic scenario, global surface temperature is projected to peak at about 1.8°C; under current policies it reaches 2.6°C by 2100. The report warns that several impacts of a temporary overshoot will be irreversible even if temperatures later decline, and that every additional five years of sustained high emissions adds roughly 0.1°C to peak warming. It follows UNEP's annual Emissions Gap tradition of tracking the 1.5°C goal.

GK ByteUNEP was established in 1972 following the Stockholm Conference and is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya — the only UN body headquartered in Africa | The 1.5°C and 'well below 2°C' targets come from the 2015 Paris Agreement adopted at COP21 | UNEP also publishes the Emissions Gap Report and the Adaptation Gap Report

📅 6 Sept 2026InternationalRead complete →

Jitendra Singh Launches 5th Edition of 'Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026'

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Earth Sciences, launched the 5th edition of Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026 (SSSS v5.0) in New Delhi — a week-long ocean conservation campaign running 12–19 September 2026 and culminating on International Coastal Cleanup Day (17 September). He unveiled the campaign website, an ocean conservation pledge platform, campaign videos and the SAGAR PRAHARI mobile application, and launched the first-ever National Ocean Olympiad. Begun in 2022 as a 75-day clean-up across 75 beaches to mark Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the campaign has grown into a Jan Bhagidari movement of beach drives, human chains, cycling rallies and marathons.

GK ByteThe Ministry of Earth Sciences was established in 2006; its MoS (IC) is Dr. Jitendra Singh | International Coastal Cleanup Day is observed on 17 September; World Oceans Day on 8 June | The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, is an autonomous MoES institute

📅 3 Sept 2026InternationalRead complete →

India and Germany Sign Joint Declaration on Wetland Conservation at 4th IGEF

India and Germany signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on the Conservation and Wise Use of Wetlands of International Importance at the 4th Indo-German Environment Forum (IGEF) in New Delhi, held on the theme *'Together for More Resilience'*. It was signed by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav (MoEFCC) and German Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (BMUKN). The forum was co-organised by MoEFCC and BMUKN with the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and FICCI, covering low-carbon industry, biodiversity in wetlands, mountains and forests, resource efficiency, circular economy, sustainable finance, green skills and investment mobilisation. Established in 2008, IGEF is the highest-level India–Germany bilateral forum on environmental policy.

GK ByteThe Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was signed on 2 February 1971 at Ramsar, Iran; World Wetlands Day is 2 February | India has the largest number of Ramsar sites in Asia; MoEFCC is the nodal ministry | Germany: capital Berlin, currency Euro, a federal parliamentary republic headed by a Chancellor

📅 3 Sept 2026InternationalRead complete →

IBCA, ADB and NTCA Hold International Workshop on Tiger Landscapes in New Delhi

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated an International Workshop on Tiger Landscapes in New Delhi on 2–3 September 2026, themed *'Tiger Landscapes: Conservation, Bioeconomy and Ecotourism as Pillars for Livelihood and Income Generation'*. It was organised by the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under MoEFCC. Representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal and Vietnam joined Indian officials and researchers to discuss landscape-level conservation, regional cooperation, ecosystem services, climate resilience and nature-based solutions. Its key outcome was an IBCA–ADB MoU on landscape conservation, capacity building, knowledge exchange and nature-positive financing.

GK ByteThe International Big Cat Alliance was launched by India in 2023 and is headquartered in India | NTCA is a statutory body constituted in 2006 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; Project Tiger was launched in 1973 | The Asian Development Bank was established in 1966 and is headquartered in Manila, Philippines

📅 3 Sept 2026InternationalRead complete →

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