Recent Current Affairs related to MoEFCC

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav has launched the implementation guidelines for the ‘National Coastal Mission’ (NCM 2.0), a Central Sector Scheme to enhance the conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems of India. The mission has been approved with a total budget of ₹767 crore and will be implemented until FY31.

The mission will cover 9 coastal states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal) and 4 Union Territories including Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep.

The mission framework is organized into 5 thematic categories: climate resilient blue economic growth, coastal vulnerability and risk reduction, climate change adaptation with mitigation co-benefits, capacity building and outreach, and committed liabilities and project management.

National Forest Martyrs Day (Shaheed Van Diwas)

Day - September 11

Observed since - 2013

Commemorating - The ‘Khejarli Massacre of 1730’, which occurred in Khejarli, Rajasthan

World Elephant Day

Day - August 12

Observed since - 2012

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has conferred the “Gaj Gaurav Awards 2026” during the national celebrations of World Elephant Day in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

7 Mahouts and Elephant Handlers from Jaldapara National Park in West Bengal were honoured with the award. They were recognised for their exceptional bravery during severe flash floods.

According to the data released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Asiatic lion population in India has grown by over 70% in the last decade. The population of the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) has increased from 523 in 2015 to 891 in 2025.

It is to be noted that India is the exclusive habitat for the wild Asiatic lion, which is localized within the Gir National Park and its surrounding landscape across 11 districts of Gujarat. Project Lion, launched in 2020 to ensure the long-term conservation of the species, has led to an expansion of the lion range from 30,000 sq km in 2020 to nearly 35,000 sq km.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav has inaugurated the Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Human-Wildlife Conflict at the Wildlife Institute of India-Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (WII-SACON) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

During the event, he launched the National Human-Wildlife Conflict Portal to address issues related to the conflict. He also released the inaugural report titled 'Current Status of Human-Wildlife Conflict in India: An Overview', which maps critical trends and identifies emerging challenge zones. Additionally, he presided over the 28th meeting of the reconstituted Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Society.

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), has reconstituted the Expert Committee on Agrobiodiversity for a tenure of 1 year.

Dr PL Gautam has been appointed as the Chair of the committee, and Dr Trilochan Mohapatra has been appointed as the Co-Chair.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) have launched a 5 year initiative titled “Strengthening Institutional Capacities for Securing Biodiversity Conservation Commitments”.

The project is a joint collaboration between the Government of India (GoI), Global Environment Facility (GEF), and UN Development Programme (UNDP). The initiative is supported by a $4.88 million grant for the 2025–2030 period and targets two landscapes: the Sathyamangalam landscape in Tamil Nadu and the Garo Hills in Meghalaya.

The Sathyamangalam landscape, situated at the confluence of the Western and Eastern Ghats, includes the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. In Meghalaya, the project covers the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve, Balpakram National Park, and Siju Wildlife Sanctuary within the Garo Hills.