GLOBAL WARMING

“Global warming is a gradual increase in the earth’s temperature generally due to

the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and
other pollutants”.

Global warming is the phenomenon of a gradual increase in the temperature

near the earth’s surface. This phenomenon has been observed over the past one
or two centuries. This change has disturbed the climatic pattern of the earth.
However, the concept of global warming is quite controversial but the scientists
have provided relevant data in support of the fact that the temperature of the
earth is rising constantly. There are several causes of global warming, which
have a negative effect on humans, plants and animals. These causes may be
natural or might be the outcome of human activities. In order to curb the
issues, it is very important to understand the negative impacts of global warming.
Over the last 100 years, the average temperature of the air near the Earth´s surface
has risen a little less than 1° Celsius (0.74 ± 0.18°C, or 1.3 ± 0.32° Fahrenheit).
It is responsible for the conspicuous increase in storms, floods and raging forest
fires we have seen in the last ten years, though, say scientists.

Causes of Global Warming:

1) Man-made Causes of Global Warming
Deforestation
Use of Vehicles
Chlorofluorocarbons
Industrial Development
Agriculture
Overpopulation

2) Natural causes of global warming

Volcanoes
Water Vapour
Melting Permafrost
Forest Blazes
Man-made Causes of Global Warming
1) Deforestation
• Plants are the main source of oxygen.
• They take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen thereby maintaining
environmental balance. Forests are being depleted for many domestic and
commercial purposes.
• This has led to an environmental imbalance, thereby giving rise to global
warming.
2) Use of Vehicles
• The use of vehicles, even for a very short distance results in various
gaseous emissions.
Vehicles emit a large amount of carbon dioxide and other toxins into the
atmosphere resulting in a temperature increase.
3) Chlorofluorocarbon
• With the excessive use of air conditioners and refrigerators, humans have
been adding CFCs into the environment which affects the atmospheric
ozone layer.
• The ozone layer protects the earth surface from the harmful ultraviolet rays
emitted by the sun.
• The CFCs have led to ozone layer depletion making way for the ultraviolet
rays, thereby increasing the temperature of the earth.
4) Industrial Development
• With the advent of industrialization, the temperature of the earth has been
increasing rapidly.
• The harmful emissions from the factories add to the increasing temperature
of the earth.
• In 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change reported that the
increase in the global temperature between 1880 and 2021 has been 0.9
degrees Celsius.
• The increase is 1.1 degrees Celsius when compared to the pre-industrial
mean temperature.
5) Agriculture
• Various farming activities produce carbon dioxide and methane gas.
• These add to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and increase the
temperature of the earth.
6) Overpopulation
• An increase in population means more people breathing.
 • This leads to an increase in the level of carbon dioxide, the primary gas
causing global warming, in the atmosphere.

NATURAL CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING

1) Volcanoes
• Volcanoes are one of the largest natural contributors to global warming.
• The ash and smoke emitted during volcanic eruptions goes out into the
atmosphere and affects the climate.
2) Water Vapour
• Water vapour is a kind of greenhouse gas.
• Due to the increase in the earth’s temperature, more water gets evaporated
from the water bodies and stays in the atmosphere adding to global
warming.
3) Melting Permafrost
• Permafrost is frozen soil that has environmental gases trapped in it for
several years and is present below Earth’s surface.
• It is present in glaciers. As the permafrost melts, it releases the gases back
into the atmosphere, increasing Earth’s temperature.
4) Forest Blazes
• Forest blazes or forest fires emit a large amount of carbon-containing
smoke.
• These gases are released into the atmosphere and increase the earth’s
temperature resulting in global warming.

EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

• Rise in Temperature
• Threats to the Ecosystem
• Climate Change
• High Mortality Rates
• Spread of Diseases
• Loss of Natural Habitat

Rise in Temperature
• Global warming has led to an incredible increase in earth’s temperature.
Since 1880, the earth’s temperature has increased by ~1 degrees.
• This has resulted in an increase in the melting of glaciers, which have led
to an increase in the sea level.
 • This could have devastating effects on coastal regions.
Threats to the Ecosystem
• Global warming has affected the coral reefs that can lead to the loss of plant
and animal lives.
• Increase in global temperatures has made the fragility of coral reefs even
worse.
Climate Change
• Global warming has led to a change in climatic conditions.
• There are droughts at some places and floods at some.
• This climatic imbalance is the result of global warming
Spread of Diseases
• Global warming leads to a change in the patterns of heat and humidity.
• This has led to the movement of mosquitoes that carry and spread diseases.
High Mortality Rates
• Due to an increase in floods, tsunamis and other natural calamities, the
average death toll usually increases.
• Also, such events can bring about the spread of diseases that can hamper
human life.
Loss of Natural Habitat
• A global shift in the climate leads to the loss of habitats of several plants
and animals.
• In this case, the animals need to migrate from their natural habitat and
many of them even become extinct.
• This is yet another major impact of global warming on biodiversity.

GLOBAL WARMING INDICATORS

1. Ocean heat content is increasing.
2. Air temperature over ocean is increasing.
3. Sea surface temperature is increasing.
4. Global sea level is rising.
5. Humidity is increasing.
6. Temperature of the lower atmosphere is increasing.
7. Air temperature over land is increasing.
8. Higher temperatures.
9. More droughts.
10. Wilder weather.
11. Changing rain and snow patterns.
12. Less snowpack.
13. Melting glaciers.
14. Shrinking sea ice.
15. Thawing permafrost.

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE INDICATORS

1) Air temperatures over land are increasing.
2) Air temperatures over oceans are increasing
3) Arctic sea ice is decreasing.
4) Glaciers are melting.
5) Sea levels are rising.
6) Ocean heat content is increasing.
7) Sea surface temperature is increasing.
8) Snow is decreasing.
9) Earth's lower atmosphere temperature is increasing.

1) Air temperatures over land are increasing.

• It’s clear that weather stations on land show average air temperature are
rising, and as a result, the frequency and severity of droughts and heat
waves are increasing.
• Intense droughts can lead to destructive wildfires, failed crops, and low
water supplies, many of which are deeply affecting all parts of the world.
2) Air temperatures over oceans are increasing
• Roughly 70 percent of the world is covered by oceans, so you can
understand how hotter air over them could make a vast difference in the
climate system.
• Oceans evaporate more water as the air right near the surface gets warmer.
More floods, more hurricanes, and more extreme precipitation events.
3) Arctic sea ice is decreasing
• Satellite images from space show that the area covered by sea ice in the
Arctic is shrinking and it’s continued a downward trend for the past 30
years.
• The Arctic ice cap grows each winter when there’s less sunlight, and
shrinks each summer when days are longer, reaching its lowest point of the
year in September.
 • Some research suggests that the Arctic could lose almost all of its ice cover
by 2100, but others believe that it could melt completely much sooner than
that – in just a few decades.
4) Glaciers are melting
• The disappearance of glaciers is one of the clearest signs of climate change.
• People who rely on melting glacier water are facing shortages, and in many
regions, the situation is only getting worse.
• In a world unaffected by climate change, glacier mass stays balanced,
meaning the ice that evaporates in the summer is fully replaced by snowfall
in the winter.
• However, when more ice melts than is replaced, the glacier loses mass.
• And the people who depend on melting ice for water to support their
farming and living needs are deeply affected.
5) Sea levels are rising
• Sea levels have been rising for the past century.
• And the pace is only increasing in recent years as glaciers melt faster and
water temperatures increase, causing oceans to expand.
• Let’s not forget that 8 of the 10 largest cities in the world are near a coast.
• Millions of people are at risk as sea levels rise, storms intensify, and more
extreme flooding occurs.
• Additionally, marine life is threatened as salt water intrudes into fresh
water aquifers, many of which support human communities and natural
ecosystems.
6) Humidity is increasing
• More humidity means more water vapor is in the air, making it feel stickier
in hot weather.
• Water vapor itself is an important part of the water cycle, and it contributes
to the earth’s natural greenhouse effect.
• Air conditioners have to work much harder to make us feel cool as the
amount of water vapor in the air increases which means more energy use,
which can in turn contribute to more climate change.
7) Ocean heat content is increasing
• The ocean stores and releases heat over long periods of time.
• This is a natural and important part of stabilizing the climate system.
• Natural climate patterns (think, El Niño) occur regularly because of
warmer ocean waters and influence areas like regional climates and marine
life.
 • But it’s when short-term, natural climate patterns like El Niño occur at the
same time as oceans are becoming warmer and warmer that we know that
larger changes are happening.
• The increased heat content leads to higher sea levels, melting glaciers, and
stress to marine ecosystems.
8) Sea surface temperature is increasing
• Measuring instruments show that water temperatures at the ocean’s surface
are going up.
• To some extent, this is a normal pattern: the ocean surface warms as it
absorbs sunlight.
• The ocean then releases some of its heat into the atmosphere, creating wind
and rain clouds.
• However, as the ocean’s surface temperature continues to increase over
time, more and more heat is released into the atmosphere.
• This additional heat can lead to stronger and more frequent storms like
tropical cyclones and hurricanes.
9) Snow is decreasing
• Satellites show areas covered by snow in the Northern Hemisphere are
becoming smaller.
• Snow is important as it helps control how much of the sun’s energy Earth
absorbs.
• Light-colored snow and ice reflect this energy back into space, helping
keep the planet cool.
• However, as the snow and ice melts, it’s replaced by dark land and
ocean, both of which absorb energy.
• The amount of snow and ice loss in the last 30 years is higher than many
scientists predicted, which means the Earth is absorbing more solar energy
than had been projected.
10) Earth’s lower atmosphere temperature is increasing.
• The lowest layer of the atmosphere, called the troposphere, is the layer
we’re most familiar with – it’s where we live and where our weather
occurs.
• Satellite measurements show that this lowest layer of the atmosphere is
warming as greenhouse gases build up and trap heat that radiates from the
Earth’s surface.
• Scientists tell us that human activity, particularly the burning of fossil
fuels, caused this increase in atmospheric temperatures.
 • In fact, carbon dioxide levels have increased about 40 percent since the
Industrial Revolution began in 1750. And unless we put a stop to this trend
as soon as possible, these levels – and temperatures – likely will increase
even more.

HEALTH IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

• Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity, and
health professionals worldwide are already responding to the health harms
caused by this unfolding crisis.
• Climate change is already impacting health in a myriad of ways, including
by leading to death and illness from increasingly frequent extreme
weather events, such as heat waves, storms and floods, the disruption of
food systems, increases in zoo noses and food-, water borne diseases, and
mental health issues.
 • Furthermore, climate change is undermining many of the social
determinants for good health, such as livelihoods, equality and access to
health care and social support structures.
• These climate-sensitive health risks are disproportionately felt by the most
vulnerable and disadvantaged, including women, children, ethnic
minorities, poor communities, migrants or displaced persons, older
populations, and those with underlying health conditions.
• Although it is unequivocal that climate change affects human health, it
remains challenging to accurately estimate the scale and impact of many
climate-sensitive health risks.However, scientific advances progressively
allow us to attribute an increase in morbidity and mortality to human-
induced warming, and more accurately determine the risks and scale of
these health threats.
• In the short- to medium-term, the health impacts of climate change will
be determined mainly by the vulnerability of populations, their resilience
to the current rate of climate change and the extent and pace of adaptation.
• In the longer-term, the effects will increasingly depend on the extent to
which transformational action is taken now to reduce emissions and avoid
the breaching of dangerous temperature thresholds and potential
irreversible tipping points

GLOBAL WARMING EFFECTS ON BIODIVERSITY

• Only a small change in pattern of climate has severe impact
on the biodiversity, altering the habitats of the species and
presenting a threat for their survival, making them vulnerable
to extinction. Millennium Ecosystem.
• Assessment (MEA) predicts climate change to be the principal threat to the
biological diversity (Anonymous, 2007).
• Due to increase in temperature several plant species like Berberisa
siatica, Taraxacum officinale, Jasminum officinale etc.have shifted
towards higher altitude in Nainital.
• Teak dominated forests are predicted to replace the Sal trees in central
India and also the conifers may be replaced by the deciduous types.
• According to Gates (1990), 3°C increase in temperature may leads to the
forest movement of 2.50 km/ year which is ten times the rate of natural
forest movement.
• Changes in climate affects the normal life cycle of plant. The invasive
species (Lantana, Parthenium and Ageratum conyzoides) are a threat to
native species being more tolerant to climatic variations.
• Variation in temperature and precipitation patterns can result in more
frequent droughts and floods making indigenous plants more vulnerable
to pests and diseases.
• Slight change in climatic condition leads to the extinction of animal
species. For example climate change has resulted in extinction of animals
like golden toad and Monteverde.
• Polar bears are in danger due to reduction in Arctic ice cover; North
Atlantic whale may become extinct, as planktons which are its main
food have shown declination due to climate change.
• Studies show that endemic mammals like the Nilgiri tahr face an
increased risk of extinction.
• Further, there are indicative reports of certain species e.g., Black-and
rufous flycatcher (Mikania micrantha) shifting their lower limits of
distribution to higher reaches, and sporadic dying of patches of Shola
forests with the rise in ambient surface temperatures.
• The sex ratio of sea turtle disturb because as a result of high temperature
more female turtles are produced. Some threatened species (frogs, toads,
amphibians, tigers and elephants) are vulnerable to the impacts of climate
change like sea level changes and longer drier spells.
• Changes in ocean temperature and acidification may lead to loss of 95%
of the living corals.
• Climate change also alters the disease behavior in animals. The
devastating amphibian disease chytrid fungus, likely exacerbated by
warmer temperatures, has left many amphibian populations dwindling or
extinct.
 GLOBAL EFFORTS IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

 Updated targets to protect natural habitats worldwide.

 International cooperation.
 Promotion of protection, sustainable use, and benefit-sharing of biodiversity.
 Techniques such as invasive species removal, monetary evaluation,
maintenance of genetic diversity, and dealing with habitat fragmentation.

The modern human culture, where materialistic economic development lies

at the core of progress, somehow fails to fact-check that more than half of the
world's GDP comes directly from nature. Consumption, comfort, and a flawed
understanding of development and growth have led humans to juxtapose
themselves against nature. Reckless development activities, the need for
agricultural land to feed and shelter the ever-growing human population, coupled
with the proliferation of invasive species, impact the delicate web of life:
biodiversity. Habitat loss and fragmentation (due to deforestation and
developmental activities), overexploitation for food, poaching, pollution of
habitats, competition from invasive species, and human-induced climate change
are the factors behind the loss of biodiversity. While many species have gone
extinct (such as the amphibian species of golden toad and frogs in Central
America; Bramble Cay melomys of Australia became the first species to go
extinct due to climate change), over a million face the threat of extinction in the
coming times.
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life and ecosystems that inhabit Earth at
multiple levels: from the genetic pool to species biodiversity and the ecosystems
that support life.

Importance of Biodiversity

Ecological Contribution: The higher the biodiversity, the more resilient the
ecosystem is to climate change, diseases, or disasters. The reduction in genetic
diversity of agricultural plants, owing to the popular adoption of monoculture,
has repeatedly threatened output volumes. An exemplary case is that of the
banana, which is threatened by Panama disease, a fungal outbreak.
Different species play a cardinal role in maintaining ecosystems. Foundation
species like corals create and maintain a healthy ecosystem. Keystone species like
sea stars keep the populations of all other species balanced. In the Yellowstone
Park ecosystem, the US government's organized removal of grey wolves, a
keystone species (due to interference with human populations), catalyzed the
degradation of the entire ecosystem. Soon after, the species was reintroduced in
the area. Similarly, umbrella species support the existence of several other
species, and then there are ecosystem engineers like trees and beavers that are
crucial to their habitat as they physically modify it. The implication is that
eradication or imbalance in the populations of any single species influences life
on Earth.
Economic Value: The World Economic Forum's Global Risk Report (2022) lists
biodiversity loss as a top economic threat. Nearly 1.6 billion people depend on
forests for their livelihoods. Fishing is yet another primary sector activity that
engages a significant proportion of the world's population. Healthy ecosystems
are the base of the ecotourism industry. Coral reefs (presently under high
corrosion due to increasing ocean acidification and temperatures due to climate
change) and the beautiful diverse life they support generate huge economic
outputs from tourism.

Ecosystem Services: Richer biodiversity influences the quality of ecosystem

services, which include, but are not limited to:
Reduction in air pollution through natural carbon sequestration.
Water filtration: Wetlands filter chemicals, sediments, and excess ions from
water. Microorganisms and algae remove excessive nitrogen due to fertilizer use
and prevent the formation of aquatic dead zones.
Disaster protection: Mangroves protect the landscape from cyclone and tsunami-
related destruction. Soil biodiversity protects the landscape from floods.
Food security: A healthy variety of pollinator species like birds and bees support
agriculture and sources of food. Healthy aquatic ecosystems (like coral reefs) and
clean waters support a variety of seafood.
Human health: The natural appeal of diverse ecosystems boosts mental health.
They also provide a better environmental ambience for exercise. In addition to
leisure time, they hold spiritual value for humanity.

Climate Change and Biodiversity

Climate change threatens biodiversity to a great extent. The rising global
temperature influences the variety of genetic diversity of the ecosystem. Research
suggests that high temperatures are resulting in higher number of female eggs in
American alligators and turtles as the sex of offspring is dependent on
temperature. Rising ocean temperatures have resulted in ocean acidification
which resulted in a decline in keystone aragonite shell forming species, loss of
coral reefs and associated life forms. The displacement of cold water species like
salmon and trout and the decline in the population of alpine and snow-dependent
species are increasingly worrying with time due to rising global temperatures.
Rising sea levels are also a threat to habitat of several species.

Global efforts to tackle biodiversity loss

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Facilitates
coordinated efforts by nations, NGOs, scientists and government agencies. It has
brought about World Commission on Protected Areas for preserving biodiversity
through national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, forest reserves, zoological parks and
botanical gardens. It also founded Species Survival Commission and Commission
on Ecosystem Management to prevent species and ecosystem level biodiversity
loss. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora was also signed under IUCN to prevent illegal trading.
United Nations Environment Program engages in assessment and monitoring
biodiversity crisis on global level. It brought about establishment of Convention
on Biological Diversity. It also established Word Conservation Monitoring
Centre (WCMC) for biodiversity assessment and assisting meaningful policy
formulation.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which has been effective since 1993
also holds Conference of Parties regularly to assess issues related to different
biomes, conservation and sustainable usage of biodersity. Cartagena protocol on
bio safety protects biodiversity from threat of genetically modified organisms.
UNESCO introduced Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural
and Natural Heritage where biodiversity is implicit in the latter in 1972 and
UNESCO Global Geoparks for holistic sustainable development, protection and
education. It also launched Man And Biosphere (MAB) program under which
opening of biosphere reserves was initiated to conserve biodiversity at all three
levels and enable research and monitoring along with sustainable development of
communities around.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is an NGO rigorously engaged in
biodiversity conservation which is one of its primary objectives.
Global Environmental Facility: Established in 1991 provides financial aid for
biodiversity and environmental projects.
Ramsar convention (1971) was signed to conserve wetlands and allow their
sustainable use.
Bonn convention (1979) looks after conservation of migratory wild animals. The
Japan-Australia bilateral agreement also works to protect migratory birds.

Conservation Strategies and Best Practices:

Conservation Strategies vary by where the species are protected. As per the
requirements of species and the condition of their original habitat, conservation
authority may go for in-situ and ex-situ conservation. In-situ conservation refers
to the strategy adopted when the species are protected in their existing natural
habitat while ex-situ refers to a case where species are moved from their natural
habitat to some other protected area that is better suited for their conservation.
Consequently, there are fundamental differences in how conservation is carried
out. While in-situ conservation involves "designation, management and
monitoring" in a "genetic reserve or on-farm".In India, in-situ conservation is
carried out by declaring certain areas as protected areas that includes national
parks wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves; examples: Corbett national
park, Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary and Nanda Devi biosphere reserve to name
a few. Ex-situ includes " sampling, transfer and storage" in which
"seed/embryo/semen/ovule/DNA storage, in vitro storage" is carried out in "field
gene bank/ livestock parks, botanical and zoological gardens". Emerging
technologies of cryo preservation, gene banking and tissue culture banking exist
additionally to long standing captive breeding botanical gardens animal
translocation zoological gardens. An example of ex-situ conservation in India is
Aacharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Indian Botanical Garden (Howrah) where
approximately 1400 species have been conserved.

Conservation success stories: Return of humpback whale to a pre-hunting level

after a stay on commercial whaling, trade ban on whale products and introduction
of subsistence whaling. Collaboration between scientists of Israel and Arab
countries to protect Red Sea coral reefs (over and above their religious and
geopolitical conflicts). Mountain Gorilla conservation in Virunga Massif (East
Africa) needs a special mention. Bald Eagle becoming a rare sight in the US,
resulted in sustained conservation efforts including banning of DDT chemical
that heavily influenced their diet eventually leading to regeneration of
populations of the US national emblem. Tiger conservation in India is yet another
outstanding example as the tiger population has increased by 33% since 2015. Do
you know the backstory of Panda on WWF logo? The panda symbol of WWF is
not just a symbol of wildlife simply but how governments and NGOs can come
together to conserve it using latest technologies. WWF devoted funds and
research (applying remote sensing) to search suitable habitats for Panda.
Indigenous and local community-based conservation: In India, Sacred Grooves
and the responsibility to preserve them is a widespread approach among several
tribal groups. Likewise, across globe community-based conservation has worked
substantially in supporting biodiversity (examples: communities for Oriental
Storks in China, for coral reef in Malaysia and Fiji, coastal susutainable
develpment communities in Kenya). Australia spearheads the indigenous
community based Protected Area management, where nearly 50% of total
protected areas are managed as such. And now Canada is designation similar
areas.

Techniques used for protecting biodiversity:

Invasive exotic species removal by taxonomic identification through Digital
Automated Identification System.

Monetary evaluation of biodiversity includes biodiversity banking.

Maintenance of genetic diversity through gene banks. One of these banks, the
Bank of International Crops Research Institute, is active in Patancheru, India.
Shift to organic fertilizers and pesticides to maintain soil biodiversity and that of
pollinators. It also prevents harmful chemicals from entering the food chain.
Dealing with habitat fragmentation by making wildlife corridors. In India, the
corridor exists between Jim Corbett and Rajaji National Park to allow better
movement and a larger habitat for tigers, elephants, and other wildlife. Habitat
fragmentation is a huge problem for dammed rivers as fishes and other aquatic
fauna travel upstream to lay eggs and are lost while encountering turbines.
In 2022, the UN Biodiversity Conference of all countries in the world (except the
USA and the Holy See) signed an agreement to protect 30% of land and ocean by
2030, among other targets. The last decade was dedicated to biodiversity
conservation by the UN. This decade (2020-2030) has been declared as the UN
Decade for Ecosystem Restoration. The program's focus is on holistic restoration
of ecosystems, which also nurtures species and genetic biodiversity. Selected
dedicated efforts from all over the world have been recognized and provided
funding as flagship UN programs (to name a few: Central American dry patch
restoration, River Ganga, golden steppes restoration in Kazakhstan, Mangrove
restoration in Indonesia).

Technological Innovations and Biodiversity Conservation:

Remote sensing and GIS have been widely used to map, monitor, and plan species
populations, habitat quality, site suitability for conservation, and network
modeling for dealing with habitat fragmentation.

DNA barcoding: for species identification using small genome fragments, which
may further be used for identifying threatened species (that may have a critical
role in the ecosystem as well as for human use) from a number of similar
confusing species and dedicating sustained efforts to protect threatened species.
Emerging technologies: Latest tech spreading fast across the globe may well be
applied for constructive purposes. Blockchain may be used for tracking illegal
trade of wild animals, especially threatened species, and products that originate
from sources under the threat of extinction. Decentralized cryptocurrency-based
payment systems for the environment are also being explored. The excessive
energy demand of the technology remains a challenge for its usability in
achieving sustainable ends. WWF has introduced a traceability tool based on
blockchain (in conjunction with ConsenSys and Sea Quest) to monitor the Pacific
tuna industry in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Artificial Intelligence may be
used for conservation prioritization and possibly animal counting and tracking
(examples: smart buoys for detecting dolphin and whale calls; Nature Guardian
project by Tech4Nature; robotic jellyfish to clean oceans developed at the Max
Planck Institute in Germany). Citizen science or public participation in scientific
research may help in the conservation of biodiversity. It may facilitate bridging
much-needed data gaps in remote areas or regions where there is a shortage of
conservation staff and a threat of biodiversity loss.

Conclusion:
Despite several conventions, protocols, and COPs, the majority of nations fall
short of achieving their biodiversity targets. It indicates a lack of political will
and ignorance for science-based policy formation. At the base of this negligence
lies an overconfidence in human ability that launches expensive and ambitious
programs to search for life on other planets and to colonize them, not realizing
that the culture of misuse and abuse anywhere will lead to a similar scenario
anywhere, even if humans had a remote possibility of relocation and sustained
life there. The ever-advancing technology needs to be rigorously channeled by
laws for strictly constructive purposes, such as R&D critical for environmental
conservation and innovation in conservation efforts in biodiversity hotspots as
well as remote locations.

The 22nd of May, International Day for Biological Diversity, serves as a reminder
of the critical role that biodiversity plays in nurturing life on Earth and combating
climate change. It is now more important than ever to take into account the
significance of biodiversity. The time to act is now. It's now or never!
 Question Bank

1) Define Global Warming. Discuss the effects.

2) How does global climate change affect biodiversity?

3) Explain the causes of Global warming.