Environmental Conservation and Biodiversity Protection

Environmental Conservation and Biodiversity Protection

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) declared 408.7 sq. km around Uttar Pradesh’s Barasingha Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).
• ESZ Coverage: 307 villages across 5 districts: Muzaffarnagar (138.71 sq. km), Meerut (50.04 sq. km), Hapur (18.35 sq. km), Bijnor (155.02 sq. km), Amroha (46.35 sq. km).
• Biodiversity Highlights:
  • Fauna includes 41 mammal species, 373 bird species, 36 reptiles, 10 amphibians, 79 fish species.
  • Flora comprises over 280 plant species, including 81 medicinal plants.
• Significance: The ESZ aims to protect biodiversity and support indigenous communities around Barasingha WLS.

• Goldman Environmental Prize 2026 honored six women environmental activists from six global regions, marking the first time all recipients were female, recognized for their climate and biodiversity work.
• Recipients include activists from Nigeria, South Korea, the UK, Papua New Guinea, the USA, and Colombia.
• The award is known as the ‘Green Nobel’, initiated in 1989 to recognize grassroots environmental leadership worldwide.