March 2018 Environment

• World Water Forum begins in Brazil after UN warning
  World Water Forum, the world's biggest water-related event organized by the World Water Council, opened in the Brazilian capital city of Brasilia on 19th March.
  
  The event was attended by Brazil President Michel Temer who advocated increased access to water and said his administration is preparing a new law to modernize the country's regulation of sanitation.
  
  Human rights and United Nations officials have criticized Brazil for not addressing poor sanitation and a lack of clean water access for slum residents that exacerbated the Zika crisis.
  
  The mosquito-borne Zika virus was linked to more than 2,500 birth defects and caused an 18-month public health emergency in South America's largest country.
  
  More than one-third of Brazil's 206 million people lack access to a continuous water supply, leaving residents with few options other than filling containers for household use. Left uncovered, these water containers can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and the diseases they carry.
  
  Across the country, more than 35 million Brazilians lack adequate facilities for the safe disposal of human waste.
  
  The forum runs through till March 23 and its mission is “to promote awareness, build political commitment and trigger action on critical water issues at all levels, to facilitate the efficient conservation, protection, development, planning, management and use of water in all its dimensions on an environmentally sustainable basis for the benefit of all life”.
  
  
• 2017 costliest year ever for weather, climate disasters: World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) report
  Weather and climate disasters cost countries about 320 billion dollars last year making 2017 the most expensive year on record.
  
  This was stated in the State of Climate 2017 report of World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). It said, major monsoon floods in the Indian subcontinent and severe droughts across East Africa also contributed to 2017 being the costliest year on record for severe weather and climate events.
  
  The WMO said, the North Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest ever for the US and eradicated decades of development gains in small islands in the Caribbean, such as Dominica. The study also elaborated that the monsoon season in South Asia brought the worst flooding in the region for years.
  
  
• Govt launches biodegradable sanitary napkin Suvidha
  The Government on 8th March launched 'Biodegradable Sanitary Napkins' under the 'Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana', on the occasion of International Women's Day.
  
  After launching the 'Biodegradable Sanitary Napkins' which is named 'Suvidha', Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Ananth Kumar said that keeping the health and hygiene issues faced by women the government has come up with the initiative.
  
  A pack of 4 napkins will be available in the market at a price of Rs 10 which is much lesser that the price of similar products in the market.

Published date : 23 Apr 2018 12:25PM