Ecology 2025

 Ecology 2025

=>QUAD at sea ship observer mission: The coast guards of the QUAD nations—India, Japan, the United States, and Australia—initiated the QUAD at Sea Ship Observer Mission. The QUAD at Sea Ship Observer Mission is the first of its kind among the coast guards of the QUAD nations. It involves two officers from each participating country, including women officers, who are currently aboard the US Coast Guard Cutter Stratton. This vessel is en route to Guam. The mission reflects a collective commitment to maritime security and operational coordination.

=>India in global solar Ranking 2025: In 2025, India is ranked 3rd globally in solar power capacity, having surpassed Germany to become the third-largest generator of wind and solar power, Specifically, India's solar power capacity reached 100.33 GW by January 31, 2025, with significant growth over the past decade,  This growth is part of a larger renewable energy push, with India also ranking 4th globally in renewable energy installed capacity. The country is actively pursuing its goal of 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030, with solar playing a crucial role. 

The sixth edition of global energy think tank Ember's Global Electricity Review said wind and solar together generated 15% of global electricity last year. India's share stood at 10%. The report said low-carbon sources, including renewables and nuclear power, together provided 40.9% of the world's electricity in 2024. This is the first time the 40% mark has been crossed since the 1940s.

=>India in SDG performance Index 2025: India ranked 99th and placed itself among the top 100 nations out of 167 countries for its progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). India secured the 99th rank on the SDG Index 2025, with a score of 67 points on the SDG Index. It is for the 1st time India is among the top 100 nations.

=>India's 1st Butterfly Sanctuary: On June 18 2025, the Kerala State Wildlife Board renamed the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kannur as the Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary. With this, it became India's first protected forest dedicated entirely to butterflies.

=>Indian state of forest report 2023: The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), shows a positive trend in India's forest and tree cover. Forest and tree cover now stands at 25.17% of the country's geographical area, a marginal increase from the previous assessment. This includes a 21.76% forest cover and a 3.41% tree cover. 

• Context (IE): The 18th biennial India State of Forest Report (ISFR-2023) was released by the Environment Minister.
• The India State of Forest Report is released biennially (every two years) by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) and involves forest cover mapping of the country using satellite data.

Forest Survey of India is an organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC). It was established in 1981 and headquartered in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Key Findings of India State of Forest Report 2023

Particulars	ISFR 2023	ISFR 2021
Total Forest and Tree cover	25.17% (8,27,357 sq km)	24.62%
Net Forest Cover	21.76% (7,15,343 sq km)	21.71%
Net Tree Cover	3.41% (1,12,014 sq km)	2.91%
The total mangrove cover	4,992 sq km	4999 sq km

=> The number of Indian sites in Ramsar list rose, including two more sites, now the tally is 91 as of May 2025.

=>16th Asiatic Lion Census: 2025 Lion census shows 32% population rise,

From under 200 in the 1960s, the population of Asiatic lions has grown to nearly 900 in 2025. The latest population estimation exercise in Gujarat has recorded 891 lions, a 32% jump in population since 2020. In these five years, lions have also expanded their range by 17% — from 30,000 to 35,000 sq km — and now cover 58 talukas (up from 53 in 2020) in 11 districts.

=>India's 1st riverine Dolphine Census: India's first population estimation of riverine dolphins has revealed 6,327 dolphins in the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus River systems. The census was part of 'Project Dolphin', covering over 8,000 km across eight states from 2021 to 2023.

=>BioBanks in India: India has 19 registered biobanks, including the National Heart Failure Biobank and a diabetes biobank in Chennai, serving as repositories for biological samples and data to advance research in various fields, including heart failure, diabetes, and wildlife conservation. 

=>India gets the 58th Tiger Reserve: 

Madhya Pradesh is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, vibrant festivals, historic forts, delectable cuisine, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, national parks, and tiger reserves. Recently, Madhav National Park has been declared the 58th Tiger Reserve of India and the 9th Tiger Reserve for Madhya Pradesh.

=>4 new Indian wetlands declared 'Ramsar Sites': India has added four new Ramsar sites, bringing the total to  89.

The four new Ramsar sites in India are Khecheopalri Lake, Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary, Sakkarakottai Bird Sanctuary, and Therthangal Bird Sanctuary