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1. Geothermal energy is derived from the Earth’s internal heat and provides a low-carbon, weather-independent source of energy.

2. It can generate round-the-clock electricity and can also be used directly for heating, cooling, agriculture, aquaculture and district-heating applications.

1. India’s energy policy must balance three objectives: environmental sustainability, energy security and affordability. This is often described as the energy trilemma.

2. Environmental sustainability requires a transition towards clean, low-carbon and net-zero energy sources to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and climate risks.

1. India’s agriculture and allied sectors recorded a decadal growth rate of 4.45 percent during Financial Year 2015–16 to Financial Year 2024–25, the highest among recent decades.

2. Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming approach that seeks to actively restore soil health, enhance biodiversity, improve carbon storage and strengthen resilience against droughts, heatwaves, floods and other climate stresses.

1. Ocean acidification is the long-term decrease in the pH of seawater caused primarily by the absorption of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere.

2. The world’s oceans absorb nearly 30% of human-generated carbon dioxide emissions, making them one of the Earth’s largest carbon sinks.

1. India is home to nearly 70% of the world’s wild tiger population, making it the global leader in tiger conservation.

2. International Tiger Day is observed annually on 29 July to promote tiger conservation and global awareness.

1. Soil is a strategic national resource that supports agricultural productivity, food security, ecosystem health, and the livelihoods of more than 46% of India’s workforce engaged in agriculture and allied activities.

2. According to Land Use Statistics 2022–23, India’s total reported geographical area is 306.65 million hectares, of which nearly 59% is under agriculture.

1. Climate finance refers to local, national, and international financial flows from public, private, and alternative sources that support climate change mitigation and adaptation activities.

2. Climate mitigation finance aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through projects such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and low-carbon technologies.

1. The Planetary Boundaries framework was proposed in 2009 by Johan Rockström and a team of 28 scientists at the Stockholm Resilience Centre to define a safe operating space for humanity.

2. The framework identifies nine critical Earth-system processes that regulate the stability and resilience of the planet.

1. Nearly 70 percent of India’s surface water is contaminated, and the country ranks 120th out of 122 nations on the global Water Quality Index, highlighting the severity of its water pollution crisis.

2. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India has 296 polluted river stretches spread across 271 rivers.

1. The Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) is India’s national framework for reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions through carbon pricing and the creation of the Indian Carbon Market (ICM).

2. CCTS was introduced under the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022 and shifts the focus from energy-efficiency targets to direct reduction of carbon emissions.