World’s five hotspots of biodiversity
Here are five of the world’s highest biodiversity ecologies still over 70 percent intact, as identified by the Conservation International. Hotspots require two main criteria: At least 1,500 vascular plant species with over half endemic to the region, or found only there.

Amazon Rain Forest: The Amazon wilderness, which spans nine countries, is home to 40,000 plant species, of which the majority are not found anywhere else. It is also home to more primate species anywhere in the world, possibly more insects as well. The Brazilian government said in December 2011 that deforestation rates in the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, had fallen to the lowest levels since 1988.

Congo Basin: Second only to the Amazon in terms of area, the Congo Basin is home to biologically important species from large mammals – antelopes, elephants, and most famously, gorillas – as well as human communities and old growth forests. With a reach across seven African nations, it is only 11 percent protected—largely through national parks.

New Guinea: Islands often have exceptionally rich biodiversity as does New Guinea—it is the world’s highest and second largest behind Greenland, located in the Southwest Pacific. A total of 1,000 species have been discovered since 1998—from birds, butterflies, coral, dolphins, fish, orchids, reptiles, and sharks.

North American deserts: The Mojave, Colorado, Chihuahua, Sonoran, and Baja California deserts that stretch from the south-western US to Mexico are some of the most biologically diverse in the world, with 6,000 vascular plant species, as well as other special types of animals who have adapted to the climate, from bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, kangaroo rats, jackrabbits, roadrunners, and wild horses.

Southern Africa: The Miombo-Mopane woodlands and savannahs stretch across 10 countries in central southern Africa from Angola to Mozambique. They are home to animal species including the endangered black rhinoceros and almost 80 percent of all African elephants. This wilderness area is threatened by climate change, drought, development and the need to balance the survival needs of the people who live there with conservation efforts.

Dead Sea  is located between the borders of Israel and Jordan is actually a lake. Sitting in a valley almost 400m below sea level it’s positioned at not only the lowest point on Earth but also happens to be the second saltiest lake in the world (1st saltiest being lake Assal in Djibouti, Africa).

In fact it’s so salty (almost 8 times saltier than regular sea water) that nothing except small plants and salt loving bacteria survive, explaining why it’s called the Dead Sea i.e. nothing in it survives.

World environment day is being observed today across the globe to raise awareness among people about the importance of clean environment in the human life.The theme for the Day is Green Economy.Several functions are being organised across the country to mark the day.

Surface Area : 510,100,500 Sq.Kms.
Polar radius : 6,357 Kms.
Land Surface : 148,950,800 Sq.Kms. (29.08%)
Polar Diameter : 12,714 Kms.
Mean distance from the Sun : 14,95,97,900 Kms.
Water Surface : 361,149,700 Sq.Kms.(70.92%)
Period of revolution : 365 days 5 hours 48 mts.
Equatorial circumference : 40,075 Kms. 45.51 Sec.
Polar circumference : 40,008 Kms
Period of rotation : 23 hrs. 56 mts. 4.091 Sec.
Equatorial radius : 6,377 Kms.
Escape Velocity from the earth : 11 Km per Sec. (minimum)
Equatorial Diameter : 1,22,756 Kms.

Fascination of Plants Day

Fascination of Plants Day is being launched under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO).

The goal of this activity is to get as many people as possible around the world fascinated by plants and enthused about the importance of plant science for agriculture, in sustainably producing food, as well as for horticulture, forestry, and all of the non-food products such as paper, timber, chemicals, energy, and pharmaceuticals. The role of plants in environmental conservation will also be a key message.

Researchers have discovered the world’s first hybrid sharks in Australian waters, indicating that animals are adapting to climate change for survival.

Leading researchers in marine biology have come across 57 animals along a 2,000-km stretch from Queensland to New South Wales which they believe are the result of cross-breeding between the common blacktip shark and Australian blacktip shark, two related but genetically distinct species.

The inter-breeding between the two species shows that the animals are adapting to climate change and the hybridisation can make the fishes stronger, the scientists said.

“Hybridisation can enable sharks to adapt to ecological change as the smaller Australian blacktip currently favours tropical waters in the north while the larger common blacktip is more abundant in sub-tropical and temperate waters along the south-eastern Australian coastline,” Jennifer Ovenden of Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun.

“Wild hybrids are usually hard to find, so detecting them and their offspring is extraordinary. To find 57 hybrids along 2000-km of coastline is unprecedented,” she said.

Another researcher at the University of Queensland researcher, Jess Morgan, said it was unusual for sharks to breed in such a way.

She said as sharks physically mate, it makes sure they do not hybridise with the wrong species.

The find was made during cataloguing work off Australia’s east coast when genetic testing showed certain sharks to be one species when physically they looked to be another.

Colin Simpfendorfer of James Cook University’s Fishing and Fisheries Research Centre, said the results of this research show that we still have a lot to learn about these important ocean predators.

The island nation of Kirabati has become the first to declare that its territory has become uninhabitable due to global warming. They have asked for help to evacuate the population.

NASA’s Launch Schedule features the planned dates and details for missions by NASA and the partner nations in the International Space Station Program, including Russia, European Space Agency and Japan. To learn more about how the schedule is arranged and what it includes, check out Launch Schedule 101.

2011 Launches

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Date: Oct. 25
Mission: NPP
Launch Vehicle: Delta II
Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 2W
Launch Window: 2:48:01 a.m. – 2:57:11 a.m. PDT / 5:48:01 a.m. – 5:57:11 a.m. EDT
Description: The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) mission for NASA and NOAA is to measure Earth’s atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, humidity sounding, land and ocean biological activity and cloud and aerosol properties.

Date: Oct. 30
Assembly Flight: 45P
Mission: ISS Progress 45
Launch Vehicle: Russian Soyuz Rocket
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: International Space Station resupply.

Date: Nov. 14
Assembly Flight: 28S
Mission: Expedition 29/30
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-22
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-22 will carry three Expedition 29/30 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: Nov. 25 *
Mission: Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity Rover
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41
Launch Time: 10:21 a.m. EST
Description: The Mars Science Laboratory is a rover that will assess whether Mars ever was, or is still today, an environment able to support microbial life and to determine the planet’s habitability.

Date: Nov. 30 *
Mission: SpaceX
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9/Dragon
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 40
Description: NASA is working with SpaceX to combine its last two demonstration flights. If approved, the Falcon 9 rocket would launch the Dragon capsule to the International Space Station for a docking.

Date: Dec. 26 +
Assembly Flight: 29S
Mission: Expedition 30/31
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-03M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-03M will carry three Expedition 30/31 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: December +
Mission: Orbital Sciences Corporation
Launch Vehicle: Taurus II
Launch Site: Wallops Flight Facility
Launch Pad: 0A
Description: The Taurus II is scheduled for a test flight under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services agreement with the company.

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2012 Launches

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Date: February +
Mission: Orbital Sciences Corporation
Launch Vehicle: Cygnus/Taurus II
Launch Site: Wallops Flight Facility
Launch Pad: 0A
Description: The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled for a demonstration flight on an Orbital Taurus II launch vehicle under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services agreement with the company.

Date: Feb. 3
Mission: NuSTAR
Launch Vehicle: Pegasus XL
Launch Site: Kwajalein Atoll
Description: The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is an Explorer mission that will allow astronomers to study the universe in high energy X-rays.

Date: March +
Assembly Flight: 30S
Mission: Expedition 31/32
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-04M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-04M will carry three Expedition 31/32 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: May +
Assembly Flight: 3R
Mission: Multipurpose Laboratory Module with European Robotic Arm (ERA)
Launch Vehicle: Russian Proton
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: A Russian Proton rocket will deliver the Multipurpose Laboratory Module with European Robotic Arm (ERA) to the International Space Station.

Date: May +
Assembly Flight: 31S
Mission: Expedition 32/33
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-05M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-05M will carry three Expedition 32/33 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: June
Mission: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-K (TDRS-K)
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41
Description: The TDRS-K spacecraft is part of the next-generation series in the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, a constellation of space-based communication satellites providing tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data return services.

Date: Aug. 23 *
Mission: RBSP
Launch Vehicle: Atlas V-401
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41
Description: The Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission will help us understand the Sun’s influence on Earth and Near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time.

Date: October +
Assembly Flight: 32S
Mission: Expedition 33/34
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-06M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-06M will carry three Expedition 33/34 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: November +
Assembly Flight: 33S
Mission: Expedition 34/35
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-07M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-07M will carry three Expedition 34/35 crew members to the International Space Station.

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2013 Launches

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Date: March +
Assembly Flight: 34S
Mission: Expedition 35/36
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-08M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-08M will carry three Expedition 35/36 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: May +
Assembly Flight: 35S
Mission: Expedition 36/37
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-09M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description:Soyuz TMA-09M will carry three Expedition 36/37 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: September +
Assembly Flight: 36S
Mission: Expedition 37/38
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-10M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-10M will carry three Expedition 37/38 crew members to the International Space Station.

Date: November +
Assembly Flight: 37S
Mission: Expedition 38/39
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-11M
Launch Site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Description: Soyuz TMA-11M will carry three Expedition 38/39 crew members to the International Space Station.

National Green Tribunal (NGT) is a judicial body constituted to try all matters related to environmental issues. The Tribunal is headed by Justice L.S. Panta. The first sitting of NGT was held on July 4, 2011.

Every year September 16^th is celebrated as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. Since 1995, this date has been designated by the United Nations General Assembly to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. This commemoration around the world offers an opportunity to focus attention and action at the global, regional and national levels on the protection of the ozone layer. The theme for this year’s celebrations is “HCFC phase out- a unique opportunity.”

What is Ozone Layer?

The Ozone Layer describes the protective layer of naturally occurring gas, comprised of three atoms of oxygen found about 10-50 km above the earth’s surface that protects us from the harmful ultraviolet radiation or UV-B rays of sun. Scientist in the 1970’s discovered that the layer was thinning as a result of the release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), consequently, the Ozone Hole developed. In 1985, nations around the world convened at Vienna in an attempt to develop a framework for co-operative activities to protect the Ozone layer. This signed agreement became known as the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.

The UNEP is monitoring compliance with the programmes of the international treaties aimed at eliminating the projection and use of ozone-depleting substances, including (CFCs), used as industrial refrigerants and in aerosols, and the pesticide methyl bromide.

Specifically, developing countries need to focus on eliminating the use of methyl bromide as an agricultural pesticide and they must halt illegal trade in CFCs.More than 130,000 new cases of melanoma are reported around the world and some 66,000 people die from skin cancer every year.

June 17 – World Day to Combat Desertification

Approximately one third of the Earth is arid or semi-arid. With the modern problem of global warming, it is predicted that in the next century the areas of desert climates will increase and every year more and more arid land will become unproductive.

On the 17 June 1994, the United Nations proclaimed World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. There was acknowledgment that desertification and drought affect all regions of the world and that international co-operation should be enlisted to combat the problem which is especially evident in Africa. The purpose of this day is to promote awareness of the implications of desertification and land degradation as well as the problem of drought and the need for international cooperation to contend with these problems.

The Global theme of this year’s is ‘Forests: Nature at Your Service’ .India is beeing the global host of World Environment Day 2011

Name of Continents   Area (Sq. Km.)
Asia    41667920
Africa    29800540
North America    24320000
South America    17599050
Antarctica    14245000
Europe    9699550
Australia    7687120

A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by water but connected to mainland via an isthmus.

Here are the major Peninsulas name and the size of the World:
Peninsulas     Area (Sq. Km.)
Arabia     32,50,000
Southern India     20,72,000
Alaska     15,00,000
Labrador     13,00,000
Scandinavia     8,00,000
Iberian     584,000

Green jobs are either:
A. Jobs in businesses that produce goods or provide services that benefit the
environment or conserve natural resources.

B. Jobs in which workers’ duties involve making their establishment’s production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources.
A. Jobs in businesses that produce goods and provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources. These goods and services are sold to customers, and include research and development, installation, and maintenance services. This definition will be used in the BLS survey of establishments in industries that produce green goods and services.

Green goods and services fall into one or more of five groups:
1. Energy from renewable sources. Electricity, heat, or fuel generated from renewable sources. These energy sources include wind, biomass, geothermal, solar, ocean, hydropower, landfill gas, and municipal solid waste.
2. Energy efficiency. Products and services that improve energy efficiency. Included in this group are energy-efficient equipment, appliances, buildings, and vehicles, as well as products and services that improve the energy efficiency of buildings and the efficiency of energy storage and
distribution, such as Smart Grid technologies.
3. Pollution reduction and removal, greenhouse gas reduction, and recycling and reuse.

These are products and services that:
•  Reduce or eliminate the creation or release of pollutants or toxic compounds, or remove pollutants or hazardous waste from the environment.
•  Reduce greenhouse gas emissions through methods other than renewable energy generation and energy efficiency, such as electricity generated from nuclear sources.
•  Reduce or eliminate the creation of waste materials; collect, reuse, remanufacture, recycle, or compost waste materials or wastewater.
4. Natural resources conservation. Products and services that conserve natural resources. Included in this group are products and services related to organic agriculture and sustainable forestry; land management; soil, water, or wildlife conservation; and stormwater management.

5. Environmental compliance, education and training, and public awareness.

These are products and services that:
•  Enforce environmental regulations.
•  Provide education and training related to green technologies and practices.
•  Increase public awareness of environmental issues.

B. Jobs in which workers’ duties involve making their establishment’s production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources.

These workers research, develop, maintain, or use technologies and practices to lessen the environmental impact of their establishment, or train the establishment’s workers or contractors in these technologies and practices. This definition will across all industries to identify jobs related to green technologies and practices used within the establishment.

These technologies and practices fall into one or more of four groups:

1. Energy from renewable sources. Generating electricity, heat, or fuel from renewable sources primarily for use within the establishment. These energy sources include wind, biomass, geothermal, solar, ocean, hydropower, landfill gas, and municipal solid waste.

2. Energy efficiency. Using technologies and practices to improve energy efficiency within the establishment. Included in this group is cogeneration (combined heat and power).
3. Pollution reduction and removal, greenhouse gas reduction, and recycling and reuse. Using technologies and practices within the establishment to:
•  Reduce or eliminate the creation or release of pollutants or toxic compounds, or remove pollutants or hazardous waste from the environment.
•  Reduce greenhouse gas emissions through methods other than renewable energy generation and energy efficiency.
•  Reduce or eliminate the creation of waste materials; collect, reuse, remanufacture, recycle, or compost waste materials or wastewater.

4. Natural resources conservation. Using technologies and practices within the establishment to conserve natural resources. Included in this group are technologies andpractices related to  organic agriculture and sustainable forestry; land management; soil, water, or wildlife conservation; and stormwater management

Information Courtesy: http://www.bls.gov

SarkarJobs.com and Government Jobs

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JobsKut.com and Private Sector Jobs

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Jobs in Multi National Companies

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National Green Tribunal (NGT) Act 2010

The Union Government is to set up a National Green Tribunal for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection, conservation of forests and other natural resources including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief and compensation for damages.

The 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Cancún, Mexico, from 29 November to 10 December 2010. The conference is officially referred to as the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 6th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties (CMP 6) to the Kyoto Protocol.

18th September 2010 – today celebrates as World Bamboo Day

World Bamboo Day is a day of celebration to increase the awareness of bamboo globally. Where bamboo grows naturally, bamboo has been a daily element, but its utilization has not always been sustainable due to exploitation.

The World Bamboo Organization aims to bring the potential of bamboo to a more elevated exposure – to protect natural resources and the environment, to ensure sustainable utilization, to promote new cultivation of bamboo for new industries in regions around the world, as well as promote traditional uses locally for community economic development.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This  Bureau operates a network of ozone monitoring stations, where the total amount of ozone above the station (the total column ozone) is monitored each day. The total column ozone is measured with an instrument called a Dobson spectrophotometer, compares the amount of sunlight at two ultraviolet wavelengths. One wavelength is affected strongly by ozone, the other is not. The difference between the two is directly related to the total column ozone.

What is a Dobson unit?

Ozone is measured in Dobson Units (DU). 100 DU is equivalent to a 1 millimetre thick layer of pure ozone at sea level temperature and pressure.

What is the ozone hole?

The commonly accepted definition of the ozone hole, is the region above Antarctica where the ozone level is below 220 DU.

When did the ozone hole first appear?

The British Antarctic Survey first revealed the obvious decreases in ozone in the late 1970s to early 1980s. The Japanese station at Syowa also reported decreases in ozone.

When does the ozone hole occur?

The ozone hole starts to appear in September and breaks up in December.

Ozone is the major absorber of UVB (Ultraviolet radiation in the wavelength range 280-320 nanometres) in sunlight, absorbing approximately 90% of it. Many experimental studies of plants and animals, and clinical studies of humans have shown the harmful effect of excessive exposure to UVB radiation.

About 90% of ozone is concentrated between 15 and 30 kilometres above the earth’s surface (stratospheric ozone). It is also found at ground level in lower concentrations where it is a key component of smog over major cities (tropospheric ozone).