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General Studies 3% exam weight

Current Geography Issues

Part of the KPSC KAS study roadmap. General Studies topic geogra-010 of General Studies.

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Current Geography Issues

🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)

Rapid summary for last-minute revision.

Current Geography Issues — Key Facts for KPSC KAS • Climate Change: India is among the top 5 greenhouse gas emitters globally; target to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 (PM Narendra Modi at COP26, 2021). India’s INDC: 45% reduction in emission intensity by 2030 (from 2005 levels). • Water Crisis: India exploits 90%+ of its available freshwater; 21 major cities may face groundwater exhaustion by 2030; Cauvery basin, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore facing acute water stress. NITI Aayog’s 2018 report classified India as “highly water-stressed country”. • Air Pollution: 22 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities are in India (IQAir, 2023); Delhi is the most polluted capital globally; PM2.5 levels in Delhi winter regularly exceed WHO limits by 20x. • Karnataka: Bangalore water crisis, Narrow River pollution in Bangalore, tiger-human conflict in Kodagu (2018 floods), sand mining in river beds across Karnataka. • Disaster Management: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) — guidelines for earthquake, flood, cyclone management; India’s position on Himalayan disaster risk due to tectonic instability. • Biodiversity Loss: India loses 40+ species annually to extinction; Western Ghats species extinction rate is alarming; One-Horned Rhino, Tiger conservation successes; Vulture population decline (diclofenac poisoning from cattle drug).

⚡ Exam tip: KPSC KAS frequently asks about climate change commitments, water crisis, and pollution. Karnataka-specific questions on Bangalore’s water crisis, sand mining, and Narrow River pollution are common.

🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)

Standard content.

Current Geography Issues — KPSC KAS Study Guide

Contemporary Environmental Challenges

Climate Change and India’s Response

Global Context:

  • CO2 concentration: 420 parts per million (ppm) — highest in 3 million years (pre-human history)
  • Global temperature rise: 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels
  • Extreme weather events: Increasing in frequency and intensity

India’s Climate Commitments:

  • Paris Agreement (2015): India submitted INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions)
  • Target: Reduce emission intensity of GDP by 33-35% by 2030 (from 2005 levels)
  • Net Zero by 2070: Announced at COP26 (2021, Glasgow) — 20 years later than developed nations
  • Renewable energy target: 500 GW by 2030; currently at 180+ GW installed capacity
  • Non-fossil fuel energy: Aim to reach 50% electricity from non-fossil sources by 2030

Climate Change Impacts on India:

  • Himalayan glaciers: 87 glaciers in Uttarakhand showing retreat; Gangotri Glacier receding; river flows will decline by 2060s after initial increase
  • Sea level rise: Indian coast sinking at 2.5 cm per century; Sundarbans particularly vulnerable; coastal erosion in Odisha, West Bengal, Gujarat
  • Monsoon variability: Increasing year-to-year variation; extreme rainfall events more frequent; drought years also more extreme
  • Cyclone intensification: Warmer seas cause more intense cyclones (2019 Cyclone Amphan — super cyclonic storm; 2020 Cyclone Nivar)
  • Agricultural impacts: Wheat yield decline in Punjab-Haryana by 5-6% per degree temperature rise; rice yields affected in coastal Odisha

Water Crisis in India

India’s Water Stress:

  • NITI Aayog Composite Water Management Index (2018): 21 major cities may face groundwater exhaustion by 2030
  • Central Ground Water Board (CGWB): 63% of wells show declining water levels
  • Per capita water availability: 1,544 cubic metres per year (2023); expected to fall to 1,340 by 2050 (below water stress threshold of 1,700)

Regional Water Crises:

Delhi:

  • Yamuna pollution: 80% of Delhi’s sewage enters the Yamuna untreated
  • Groundwater depletion: 10-20 metres decline in some areas
  • Per capita water availability: 50 litres per day (below WHO minimum of 100 litres)

Chennai:

  • 2019 crisis: Poondi reservoir at 1% capacity; water brought by train from Jolarpet
  • Groundwater depletion in Chennai’s suburban areas
  • Solution: Desalination plant at Nemmeli (capacity 100 MLD); Krishna Water Supply Project (interstate transfer)

Bengaluru:

  • Cauvery River: 97% of Bangalore’s drinking water comes from Cauvery (via Torekadanahalli treatment plant)
  • Cauvery inflow decline: Reduced due to reduced rainfall in catchment areas (Kodagu, Karnataka)
  • Water table collapse: 1-2 metres decline annually in Bangalore’s borewells
  • Solutions: Water conservation, rainwater harvesting mandatory in new buildings, lake rejuvenation

Karnataka’s Water Issues:

  • Tungabhadra River pollution: Industrial effluents from textile units in Karnataka
  • Upper Krishna Project: Controversy over water allocation (Karnataka vs Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh)
  • Kabini River: Reduced flow affecting Mysore water supply
  • Sand mining: River bed sand mining in Karnataka’s rivers — Kali River (Uttara Kannada), Tungabhadra — causing environmental degradation

Air Pollution

Sources of Air Pollution:

  • Vehicular emissions: 30% of PM2.5 in urban areas
  • Industrial emissions: 27%
  • Crop burning: 20% (Punjab, Haryana, Delhi NCR region — post-harvest paddy burning)
  • Construction dust: 15%
  • Thermal power plants: SO2, NOx emissions

Major Polluted Regions:

  • Delhi-NCR: Most severe; winter smog (October-November) due to temperature inversion trapping pollutants; stubble burning in Punjab adds significantly
  • Indo-Gangetic Plain: PM2.5 levels consistently above WHO limits
  • Mumbai, Kolkata: Moderate to high pollution

Government Responses:

  • Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): Different pollution control measures based on AQI levels
  • BS-VI Emission Norms (2020): Fuel quality upgraded to reduce vehicular pollution
  • National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): 2019; 131 non-attainment cities targeted for PM reduction
  • Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM): National body to coordinate air pollution control

🔴 Extended — Deep Study (3mo+)

Comprehensive coverage.

Current Geography Issues — Comprehensive KPSC KAS Notes

Environmental Policy, Disasters, and Conservation

Environmental Laws and Policy Framework

Constitutional Provisions:

  • Article 48A (Directive Principles): Protection and improvement of environment
  • Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duties): Duty of every citizen to protect and improve natural environment

Major Environmental Laws:

LawYearPurpose
Environment Protection Act1986Umbrella legislation for environment protection
Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act1981Air quality standards; pollution control boards
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act1974Water quality standards; CPCB/SPCBs
Forest Conservation Act1980Prior approval for forest land diversion
Wildlife Protection Act1972 (amended 2002)Protected areas, endangered species
Biological Diversity Act2002Conservation of biodiversity; access and benefit sharing

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA):

  • EIA Notification (1994, amended 2006): Construction projects, industrial projects require environmental clearance
  • Public hearing is mandatory before clearance
  • Criticism: Process is flawed; many projects granted clearance without proper assessment; post-hoc environmental clearances sometimes granted

Climate Policy: Net Zero and Energy Transition

India’s Energy Mix (2023):

  • Coal: 50%+ of electricity generation
  • Renewable energy: 180+ GW installed (solar: 70 GW, wind: 45 GW)
  • Nuclear: 7+ GW; Hydro: 46+ GW
  • Natural gas: 15% of electricity

Renewable Energy Targets:

  • 175 GW target by 2022: Achieved ahead of schedule (179 GW by 2022)
  • 500 GW by 2030: Current trajectory suggests achievable
  • Green Hydrogen Mission: 2021; production of green hydrogen for industrial use and exports
  • Solar manufacturing: PLI scheme for solar PV cells and modules; reduce import dependence from China

Net Zero by 2070:

  • Criticism: 2070 is 20 years later than USA (2050) and EU (2050); critics argue India needs earlier target
  • Justification: India’s development stage requires carbon space; historical emissions negligible (India’s cumulative emissions < 5% of global total)
  • Developed nation responsibility: India leverages “common but differentiated responsibilities” principle

Carbon Credit and Carbon Trading:

  • Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS): Launched 2023; industries can trade carbon credits
  • Carbon market: India’s carbon market expected to be among largest globally

Natural Disasters and Disaster Management

India’s Disaster Profile:

DisasterFrequencyMost Affected Regions
FloodsAnnualGanga basin, Brahmaputra, Odisha
Cyclones2-3 per yearEastern coast (Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal)
EarthquakesSeveral per yearHimalayas, Gujarat, Northeast
DroughtsCyclical (every 3-5 years)Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh
LandslidesMonsoon seasonHimalayas, Western Ghats (nilgiri district)

Major Recent Disasters:

  • 2013 Uttarakhand Flash Floods: Cloudburst over Kedarnath; 6,000+ deaths; glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF)
  • 2015 Chennai Floods: December 2015; 400+ deaths; unmanaged urban runoff
  • 2018 Kerala Floods: August 2018; 400+ deaths; excessive rainfall + dam mismanagement
  • 2018 Karnataka Floods (Kodagu): Monsoon landslides and flash floods in Kodagu, Chickmagalur; 400+ deaths
  • 2022 Maharashtra Floods: July 2022; 200+ deaths; dam releases and extreme rainfall

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):

  • Constituted 2006 under Disaster Management Act
  • Guidelines for each disaster type
  • Training and capacity building
  • National Disaster Response Force (NDRF): 12 battalions; specialized rescue capability

NDMA Guidelines:

  • Earthquake: Seismic retrofitting of critical structures; land-use planning
  • Floods: Reservoir operations; flood plain zoning; early warning systems
  • Cyclones: Cyclone shelters; coastal regulation zone enforcement

Karnataka-Specific Issues

Bangalore’s Water Crisis (2024-2025 context):

  • 97% of Bangalore’s water supply from Cauvery River
  • Cauvery inflow decline: 20-30% reduction in recent years
  • Groundwater depletion: 1-2 metres per year decline in outer Bangalore
  • Solutions being implemented: Cauvery 5th Stage (expansion of existing project), rainwater harvesting enforcement, lake revival, treated water recycling

Narrow River (Arkavathi tributary) Pollution:

  • 80% of Bangalore’s sewage flows into Narrow River
  • Major污染源: Industrial effluents from peenya industrial area; untreated domestic sewage
  • River restoration: National Green Tribunal orders; river rejuvenation project ongoing

Sand Mining in Karnataka:

  • Illegal river bed sand mining (maggu) widespread
  • Environmental impacts: River bed degradation, groundwater table decline, bank erosion
  • Legal framework: Karnataka’s Sthreatreeya minerals (sand) Act; e-Auction of mining leases
  • Green Tribunal orders: National Green Tribunal repeatedly directed Karnataka to stop illegal sand mining

Tiger-Human Conflict:

  • Bandipur, Nagarhole, Bhadra: Tiger reserves in Karnataka
  • Human-tiger conflict: 10-15 human deaths annually; cattle loss
  • Reasons: Habitat encroachment, prey base decline pushing tigers to human settlements
  • Solutions: Compensation for cattle loss, habitat corridors, early warning systems

Coastal Erosion in Karnataka:

  • Uttara Kannada coast: Coastal erosion affecting fishing villages
  • Mangalore-Udupi coastal stretch: 30% of coastline showing erosion

Biodiversity Conservation

India’s Conservation Status:

  • Biodiversity hotspots: Western Ghats, Himalayas, Indo-Burma — all partially within India
  • Tiger population: 3,682 tigers (2023 count); up from 1,411 (2006)
  • One-Horned Rhino: 3,000+ (primarily in Kaziranga, Pobitora, Orang; some in Dudhwa)
  • Vulture crisis: Population crash of 97-99% in some species due to diclofenac poisoning (veterinary drug given to cattle kills vultures feeding on carcasses)

Conservation Programs:

  • Project Tiger: 196 covered; 53 tiger reserves
  • Project Elephant: 30 elephant reserves; human-elephant conflict mitigation
  • Species Recovery Program: For critically endangered species (Hangul, Snow Leopard, Bengal Florican)

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