DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

According to Berkeley Earth’s Annual Temperature Report 2025, 2025 became the warmest La Niña year on record and the 3rd warmest year overall.

This was significant because La Niña conditions usually cool global temperatures, yet 2025 remained exceptionally warm.

• ENSO: Has three phases — El Niño, La Niña, and Neutral.
• La Niña: Generally cools global average temperature, but climate change can override this cooling effect.
• El Niño: Linked with warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific.
• Berkeley Earth: Publishes global temperature datasets and annual temperature assessments.

On 27th January 2026, the United States officially exited the Paris Agreement, marking the second withdrawal under President Donald Trump.

The withdrawal came a year after President Trump signed the executive order announcing the decision, calling the agreement “unfair and one-sided”.

• Paris Agreement: Adopted at COP21 in Paris in 2015.
• UNFCCC: The agreement operates under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• NDCs: Countries submit climate action plans called Nationally Determined Contributions.
• Core Aim: Strengthen the global response through mitigation, adaptation, and climate finance.

As of 2025, seven of the nine planetary boundaries are now considered breached.

Only Atmospheric Aerosol Loading and Stratospheric Ozone Depletion remain within limit.

• Planetary Boundaries: Identify safe operating limits for human activity on Earth.
• Johan Rockström: Associated with the development of the planetary boundaries concept.
• Novel Entities: Include plastics, synthetic chemicals, and other human-made pollutants.
• Ozone Recovery: Linked with global action under the Montreal Protocol.

The High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, from May 29–31, 2025.

It acted as the flagship event for the UN’s International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation.

• Glaciers: Act as natural freshwater reserves and regulate downstream river flows.
• Glacier Retreat: Can increase risks of glacial lake outburst floods.
• Dushanbe: It is the capital of Tajikistan.
• Climate Indicator: Mountain and polar glaciers are key indicators of climate change.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) launched the Bharat Forecast System (BFS) on May 26, 2025.

It is the world’s first indigenously developed weather model offering an ultra-high resolution of 6 km × 6 km, surpassing global standards of 9–14 km.

• MoES: Stands for Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• IITM Pune: An institute under MoES focused on tropical meteorology and climate science.
• NCMRWF: Stands for National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting.
• High-Resolution Models: Help improve local-level forecasts and disaster preparedness.

On 18th January 2026, India launched the country’s first open-sea marine fish farming project in the Andaman Sea.

The project integrates advanced marine technology with livelihood generation through open-sea cultivation of marine finfish and seaweed under natural ocean conditions.

• NIOT: Works under the Ministry of Earth Sciences and focuses on ocean technology development.
• Open-Sea Fish Farming: A form of mariculture carried out in natural marine waters.
• Blue Economy: Marine finfish farming and seaweed cultivation can support coastal livelihoods and blue economy goals.
• Andaman Sea: Strategically important for marine biodiversity and ocean-based economic activities.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has, for the first time, evaluated the Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) as a separate entity from the broader grey wolf species.

This move paves the way for its recognition as a distinct species within the Canis genus.

• IUCN Red List: Assesses the extinction risk of species globally.
• Canis: Genus that includes wolves, dogs, coyotes, and jackals.
• Habitat: Indian wolf is mainly associated with dry grassland and scrubland ecosystems.
• Conservation Impact: Distinct species recognition can improve conservation prioritisation and habitat protection.

Similipal in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha has been accorded ‘National Park’ status by the Odisha government.

It has become the 107th national park in India and the second in Odisha, after Bhitarkanika.

• Similipal: Also a Tiger Reserve and Biosphere Reserve.
• Bhitarkanika: Odisha’s first national park.
• Legal Basis: National parks are notified under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Similipal: Known for rich biodiversity, forests, waterfalls, and tiger habitat.

On 6th January 2025, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research–National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBAGR) officially recognised ‘Gaddi’, a native Himalayan dog breed.

The recognition was granted alongside nine other livestock breeds, strengthening documentation and conservation of India’s indigenous animal genetic resources.

• ICAR-NBAGR: Located in Karnal, Haryana.
• NBAGR: Works on identification, registration, and conservation of indigenous animal genetic resources.
• Gaddi Dogs: Adapted to high-altitude Himalayan conditions.
• Livestock Guardian Dogs: Can reduce human-wildlife conflict by protecting herds from predators.

On 27th September 2025, India’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in Himachal Pradesh was included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

With this inclusion, India now has 13 biosphere reserves listed in the UNESCO global network, highlighting the country’s commitment to biodiversity conservation and community-led sustainable development.

• UNESCO Network: Promotes conservation, sustainable development, and research.
• Cold Desert Ecosystems: Characterised by low rainfall, extreme temperatures, and fragile biodiversity.
• Trans-Himalayan Region: The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve includes high-altitude trans-Himalayan landscapes.
• Zonation: Biosphere reserves follow a core, buffer, and transition area structure.

On 17th February 2026, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) announced a first-of-its-kind initiative to develop pollinator or “Bee Corridors” along national highways.

The initiative aims to support pollinators by creating continuous stretches of bee-friendly vegetation along highway networks.

• NHAI: Functions under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• Pollinators: Support food security through crop and wild plant reproduction.
• Bee Corridors: Can reduce habitat fragmentation along linear infrastructure.
• Native Flowering Plants: Important for sustaining local pollinator diversity.

The Union Budget 2026–27 proposed “Turtle Trails” to develop regulated ecotourism infrastructure along key Olive Ridley turtle nesting sites.

The proposed trails will cover important coastal nesting areas in Odisha, Karnataka, and Kerala.

• Arribada: Olive Ridley turtles are known for mass nesting events called arribada.
• Gahirmatha: One of the world’s major Olive Ridley nesting sites.
• Legal Protection: Olive Ridley turtles are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Threats: Coastal lighting, noise, tourism, and fishing nets can disturb turtle nesting and hatchling movement.

The first-ever BIMSTEC Youth Summit 2025 was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 7–11 February 2025.

The summit was organised under the framework of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

• Regional Link: BIMSTEC connects South Asia and Southeast Asia around the Bay of Bengal region.
• Members: BIMSTEC has 7 member countries.
• Secretariat: BIMSTEC Secretariat is located in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• Foundation: BIMSTEC was established through the Bangkok Declaration.

The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was awarded to Nicaragua’s century-old newspaper La Prensa.

The award recognised its fearless reporting despite escalating repression, including arrests, exile and asset confiscation under the Ortega-Murillo regime.

• Named After: Colombian journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza.
• Purpose: Given by UNESCO for defending press freedom.
• Headquarters: UNESCO headquarters is in Paris, France.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award 2025 was awarded to Educate Girls, officially known as the Foundation to Educate Girls Globally.

It became the first Indian organisation to win the Ramon Magsaysay Award, one of Asia’s most prestigious honours.

• Asia’s Nobel Prize: The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often called Asia’s Nobel Prize.
• Named After: Former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay.
• Indian First: Educate Girls became the first Indian organisation to win the award.