UPSC IAS Prelims 2021: Questions on Environment and Ecology

 1. With reference to ‘Water Credit’, consider the following statements:

1. It puts microfinance tools to work in the water and sanitation sector.
2. It is a global initiative launched under the aegis of the World Health Organization and the World Bank.
3. It aims to enable the poor people to meet their water needs without depending on subsidies.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

2. ‘’R2 Code of Practices’’ constitute a tool available for promoting the adoption of

a) Environmentally responsible practices in the electronics recycling industry
b) Ecological management of ‘’Wetlands of International Importance” under the Ramsar Convention
c) Sustainable practices in the cultivation of agricultural crops in degraded lands
d) ‘’Environmental Impact Assessment’’ in the exploitation of natural resources

3. Why is there a concern about copper smelting plants?

1. They may release lethal quantities of carbon monoxide into the environment
2. The copper slag can cause the leaching pf some heavy metals into the environment
3. They may release sulphur dioxide as a pollutant

Select the correct answer using the code given below

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

4. With reference to furnace oil, consider the following statements:

1. It is a product of oil refineries
2. Some industries use it to generate power
3. Its use causes sulphur emissions into the environment

Which of the statements given above are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

5. What is blue carbon?

a) Carbon captured by oceans and coastal ecosystems
b) Carbon sequestered in forest biomass and agricultural soils
c) Carbon contained in petroleum and natural gas
d) Carbon present in the atmosphere

6. Consider the following kinds of organisms:

1. Copepods
2. Cyanobacteria
3. Diatoms
4. Foraminifera

Which of the above are primary producers in the food chains of oceans?

a) 1 and 2
b) 2 and 3
c) 3 and 4
d) 1 and 4

7. With reference to the ‘’New York Declaration on Forests’’, which of the following statements are correct?

1. It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014
2. It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of forests
3. It is a legally binding international declaration
4. It is endorsed by governments, big companies and indigenous communities.
5. India was one of the signatories at its inception

Select the correct answer using the code given below

a) 1, 2 and 4
b) 1, 3 and 5
c) 3 and 4
d) 2 and 5

8. Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following?

1. Brakes of motor vehicles
2. Engines of motor vehicles
3. Microwave stoves within homes
4. Power plants
5. Telephone lines

Select the correct answer using the code given below

a) 1, 2, 3 and 5only
b) 1, 2 and 4 only
c) 3, 4 and 5 only
d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

9. In the case of which of the following biogeochemical cycles, the weathering of rocks is the main source of release of nutrients to enter the cycle?

a) Carbon cycle
b) Nitrogen cycle
c) Phosphorus cycle
d) Sulphur cycle

10. Which of the following are detrivores?

1. Earthworms
2. Jellyfish
3. Seahorse
4. Woodlice

Select the correct answer using the code given below

a) 1, 2 and 4 only
b) 2, 3, 4 and 4 only
c) 1, 3 and 5 only
d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

11. The ‘’Common Carbon Metric’’ supported by UNEP, has been developed for

a) Assessing the carbon footprint of building operations around the world
b) Enabling commercial farming entities around the world to enter carbon emission trading
c) Enabling governments to assess the overall carbon footprint caused by their countries
d) Assessing the overall carbon foot-print caused by the use of fossil fuels by the world in a unit time

12. Which of the following have species that can establish a symbiotic relationship with other organisms?

1. Cnidarians
2. Fungi
3. Protozoa

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

13. Consider the following statements:

Statement 1:
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Arbor Day Foundation have recently recognized Hyderabad as 2020 Tree City of the World
Statement 2:
Hyderabad was selected for the recognition for a year following its commitment to grow and maintain the Urban forests.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1
(b) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct but Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1.
(C) Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is not correct.
(d) Statement 1 is not correct but Statement 2 is correct.

14. Consider the following statements:

1. ‘Right to the City’ is an agreed human right and the UN-Habitat monitors the commitments made by each country in this regard.
2. ‘Right to the City’ gives every occupant of the city the right to reclaim public spaces and public participation in the city.
3. ‘Right to the City’ means that the State cannot deny any public service or facility to the unauthorised colonies in the city.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 2
(d) 2 and 3

15. The vegetation of savannah consists of grassland with scattered small trees. The forest development in such areas is generally kept in check by one or more or a combination of some conditions.
Which of the following are such conditions?

1. Burrowing animals and termites.
2. Fire
3. Grazing herbivores
4. Seasonal rainfall
5. Soil properties

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 2
(b) 4 and 5
(c) 2, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 3 and 5

16. With reference to the water on the planet Earth, consider the following statements:

1. The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is more than the amount of groundwater.
2. The amount of water in polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

17. How is permaculture farming different from conventional chemical farming?

1. Permaculture farming discourages monocultural practices but in conventional chemical farming, monoculture practices are predominant.
2. Conventional chemical farming can cause increase in soil salinity but the occurrence of such phenomenon is not observed in permaculture farming.
3. Conventional chemical farming is easily possible in such regions.
4. Practice of mulching is very important in permaculture farming but not necessarily so in conventional chemical farming.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 3
(b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 4 only
(d) 2 and 3

18. With references to India, Didwana, Kuchaman, Sargol and khatu are the names of

(a) Glaciers
(b) Mangrove areas
(c) Ramsar sites
(d) Saline lakes

19. Consider the following statements:

1. The Global Ocean Commission grants licenses for seabed exploration and mining in international waters.
2. India has received licenses for seabed mineral exploration in international waters.
3. ‘Rare earth minerals’ are present on the seafloor in international waters.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

20. In the context of India’s preparation for Climate-smart Agriculture, consider the following statements:

1. The ‘Climate-Smart village’ approach in India is a part of a project led by climate change, Agriculture and food security (CCAFS), an international research programme.
2. The project of CCAFS is carried out under Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) headquartered in France.
3. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India is one of the CGIAR’S research centers.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1,2 and 3

21. “Leaf litter decomposes faster than in any other biome and as a result the soil surface is often almost bare. Apart from trees, the vegetation is largely composed of plant forms that reach up into the canopy vicariously, by climbing the trees or growing as epiphytes, rooted on the upper branches of trees.” This is the most likely descriptions of

(a) Coniferous forest
(b) Dry deciduous forest
(c) Mangrove forest
(d) Tropical rain forest

22. With reference to street-lighting, how do sodium lamps differ from LED lamps?

1. Sodium lamps produce light in 360 degrees but it is not so in the case of LED lamps.
2. As street-lights, sodium lamps have longer life span than LED lamps.
3.The spectrum of visible light from sodium lamps is almost monochromatic while LED lamps offer significant colour advantages in street-lighting.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

23. Bisphenol A (BPA), a cause of concern, is a structural/key component in the manufacture of which of the following kinds of plastics?

(a) Low-density polyethylene
(b) Polycarbonate
(c) Polyethylene terephthalate
(d) Polyvinyl Chloride.

Answers 

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
C	A	D	D	A	B	A	D	C	C
11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
A	D	D	C	C	B	B	D	B	D
21	22	23
D	A	B

India State of Forest Report 2021 Released

On 13^th January 2022, the Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav released the ‘India State of Forest Report 2021’ prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI)

The ISFR-2021 provides information on forest cover, tree cover, mangrove cover, growing stock, carbon stock in India’s forests, forest fire monitoring, forest cover in tiger reserve areas, above ground estimates of biomass using SAR data & climate change hotspots in Indian forests.

Salient Findings of the Report:

• The total forest and tree cover of the country is 80.9 million ha which is 24.62% of the geographical area of the country. As compared to the assessment of 2019, there is an increase of 2,261 sq km in the total forest and tree cover of the country. Out of this, the increase in the forest cover has been observed as 1,540 sq km and that in tree cover is 721 sq km.
• Increase in forest cover has been observed in open forest followed by very dense forest. Top three states showing increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km) followed by Telangana (632 sq km) and Odisha (537 sq km).
• Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra. In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top five States are Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76.00%), Manipur (74.34%) and Nagaland (73.90%).
• 17 states/UT’s have above 33% of the geographical area under forest cover. Out of these states and UT’s, five states/UTs namely Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have more than 75% forest cover while 12 states/UTs namely Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Goa, Kerala, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Assam, Odisha, have forest cover between 33% to 75%.
• Total mangrove cover in the country is 4,992 sq km. An increase of 17 sq Km in mangrove cover has been observed as compared to the previous assessment of 2019. Top three states showing mangrove cover increase are Odisha (8 sq km) followed by Maharashtra (4 sq km) and Karnataka (3 sq km).
• Total carbon stock in country’s forest is estimated to be 7,204 million tonnes and there an increase of 79.4 million tonnes in the carbon stock of country as compared to the last assessment of 2019. The annual increase in the carbon stock is 39.7 million tonnes.

Other significant features of 2021 IFSR

• In the 2021 ISFR, FSI has included a new chapter related to the assessment of forest cover in the Tiger Reserves, Corridors and Lion conservation area of India. In this context, the decadal assessment of change in forest cover within Tiger Reserves, Corridors and Lion conservation area helps in assessing the impact of conservation measures and management interventions that have been implemented over the years. 

Of 52 tiger reserves, 20 have recorded an increase in forest cover since 2011. While the tiger reserves have decreased by 22.6 sq km (0.04 per cent), the tiger corridors have noted an increase by 37.15 sq km. The Kawal, Bhadra and the Sundarbans reserves have shown the maximum loss. 

• A new initiative of FSI has also been documented in the form of a chapter, where the ‘Above Ground Biomass’ (AGB) has been estimated. FSI, in collaboration with Space Application Centre (SAC), ISRO, Ahmedabad, initiated a special study for estimation of Above Ground Biomass (AGB) at pan-India level, using L- band of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. The results for the States of Assam and Odisha (as well as AGB maps), were presented earlier in ISFR 2019.   The interim results for AGB estimates (and AGB maps) for the entire country are being presented as a new chapter in ISFR 2021. 
• FSI in collaboration with Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) Pilani, Goa Campus has performed a study ‘Mapping of Climate Change Hotspots in Indian Forests’. The collaborative study was carried out with the objective to map the climatic hotspots over the forest cover in India, using computer model-based projection of temperature and rainfall data, for the three future time periods i.e. year 2030, 2050 and 2085.

The IFSR estimates that by 2030, the Indian forests will be adversely affected by climate change and rise in temperature and forests in states except for Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland will be climate hot spots. Ladakh will also be negatively affected. 

• The report also contains information on various parameters State/UT wise. Special thematic information on forest cover such as hill, tribal districts, and north eastern region has also been given separately in the report.

COP 26 Outcomes

The UNFCCC COP 26 Climate Conference was held in Glasgow, UK, in November 2021. Many world leaders including President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at the Conference.

According to UNFCCC, the main outcomes of the Conference were:

Mitigation: 

• Over 90% of world GDP is now covered by net zero commitments.
• 153 countries put forward new 2030 emissions targets (NDCs). 
• Countries agreed to come back next year with new strengthened commitments and a new UN climate programme on mitigation ambition
• Countries finalised the Paris Rulebook, agreeing the ‘enhanced transparency framework’ (common reporting of emissions and support), a new mechanism and standards for international carbon markets, and common timeframes for emissions reductions targets.
• There were commitments to move away from coal power, halt and reverse deforestation, reduce methane emissions and speed up the switch to electric vehicles.

Adaptation & Loss and Damage: 

• 80 countries are now covered by either Adaptation Communications or National Adaptation Plans to increase preparedness to climate risks.
• The Glasgow - Sharm el-Sheikh Work Programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation was agreed. 
• Record amounts of adaptation finance have been pledged, including committing to doubling 2019 levels of adaptation finance by 2025. This is the first time an adaptation specific financing goal has ever been agreed globally. 
• Nations have announced new partnerships to improve access to finance, including for Indigenous Peoples. 
• A new Glasgow Dialogue on Loss and Damage funding arrangements was created. 
• The Santiago Network on Loss and Damage was brought to life through clear functions and funding.

Finance: 

• Developed countries have made progress towards delivering the $100
• billion climate finance goal and will reach it by 2023 at the latest. 
• 34 countries and five public finance institutions will stop international
• support for the unabated fossil fuel energy sector next year. 
• Private financial institutions and central banks are moving to realign trillions towards global net zero. 
• Developed countries committed significantly increased funding to vital funds such as the Least Developed Countries Fund.

Collaboration: 

• The Glasgow outcomes will accelerate collaboration between governments, businesses, and civil society to deliver on climate goals faster, whilst collaborative councils and dialogues in energy, electric vehicles, shipping and commodities will help deliver on commitments.

Amendments proposed to the Forest Conservation Act

 What are the amendments proposed to the Forest Conservation Act and their implications?

On October 2, 2021, MoEFCC released a proposal to amend several aspects of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (FCA). 

In the Godavarman v Union of India case, the Supreme Court had in 1996 expanded the definition and scope of forest land to include all areas recorded as forest in any government record, irrespective of ownership, recognition and classification. Previously, the Act had applied largely to reserve forests and national parks. The court also expanded the definition of forests to encompass the “dictionary meaning of forests”, meaning that a forested patch would automatically become a “deemed forest” even if it is not notified as protected. The order was also to plantations in non-forest land.

The proposed amendments seem to change the Court’s definition of forest. The general thrust of the changes is to deregulate forest resources so that they can be exploited even more than now for the sake of ‘development’. The proposed key amendments are:

• All land acquired by the Railways and Roads Ministries prior to 1980 will be exempted from the Act. These Ministries will no longer need clearance for their projects, nor pay compensatory levies to build there.
• For individuals whose lands fall in the category of forest as defined by the Act and the Court Order, the amendment will allow “construction of structures for bona fide purposes’’ including residential units up to 250 sq m as a one-time relaxation.
• Defence projects near international borders will be exempted from forest clearance.
• Oil and natural gas extraction from forested lands will be permitted, but only if technologies such as Extended Reach Drilling are used.
• Levies for non-forestry purposes during the renewal of a lease will be scrapped, the argument being that the double levy at the time of awarding of the lease and the renewal is “not rational”.
• Strip plantations alongside roads that would fall under the Act will be exempted.

Environmentalists and activists have these concerns:

• The creation of exceptions to the requirement of forest clearances goes directly against the legal requirement that forest rights be recognized and the consent of the gram sabha be obtained before the conversion of a forest.
• The relaxation of forest rules will facilitate corporate ownership and the disappearance of large tracts of forests.
• With the exemption of forests on private land, many forests will disappear. For instance, 4% land in Uttarakhand falls under private forests.

Speech by PM Narendra Modi at UNFCCC COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow

Speech by PM  Narendra Modi at UNFCCC COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on November 2, 2021

Friends,

Today I am representing amid you, the land which gave this mantra thousands of years ago-

सम्-गच्छ-ध्वम्,
सम्-व-दद्वम् ,
सम् वो मानसि जानताम्।

Today in the 21st century, this mantra has become more important, has become more relevant.

सम्-गच्छ-ध्वम् – That is, let’s move together सम्-व-दद्वम् – That is, let’s all interact togetherand सम् वो मनानसि जानताम् – That is, everyone’s minds should also be one.

When I first came to Paris for the Climate Summit, it was not my intention to add one promise to the many promises being made in the world. I came with a concern, for the whole of humanity. I came as a representative of a culture that gave the message of ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah’ means that everyone should be happy.

And so, for me the event in Paris was not a summit, it was a sentiment, a commitment. And India was not making those promises to the world, but 125 crore Indians were making those promises to themselves.

And I am happy that a developing country like India, which is working to lift crores of people out of poverty, which is working day and night on the Ease of Living for crores of people, despite having 17% of the world’s population today, whose responsibility in emissions has been only 5%, still India has left no stone unturned to show that it has fulfilled its obligation.

Today the whole world believes that India is the only big economy, which has delivered in letter and spirit on the Paris Commitment. We are making every effort with determination, working hard, and showing results.

Today, when I have come among you, I have also brought India’s track record. My words are not just words, they are cheers of bright future for the future generations. Today India is at number four in the world in installed renewable energy capacity. India’s non-fossil fuel energy has increased by more than 25% in the last 7 years. And now it has reached 40% of our energy mix.

Passengers numbering more than the entire population of the world travel by Indian Railways every year. This huge railway system has set itself a target of making itself ‘Net Zero’ by 2030. This initiative alone will lead to a reduction of 60 million tonnes of emissions annually. Similarly, our massive LED bulb campaign is reducing emissions by 40 million tonnes annually. Today, India is working fast on many such initiatives with a strong will.

Along with this, India has also given institutional solutions to cooperate with the world at the international level. As a revolutionary step in solar power, we initiated the International Solar Alliance. We have created a coalition for disaster resilient infrastructure for climate adaptation. This is a sensitive and vital initiative to save crores of lives.

I would like to draw your attention to one more important topic. Today the world is recognizing that lifestyle has a big role in climate change. I propose to you today a One-Word Movement. This One-Word, in the context of climate, can become the basic foundation of One World. This word is  LIFE, that is, Lifestyle For Environment Today. There is a need for all of us to come together with collective participation to take Lifestyle For Environment (LIFE) forward as a campaign. This can become a mass movement of Environmentally Conscious Lifestyle. 

What is needed today is mindful and deliberate utilization, instead of mindless and destructive consumption. These movements together can set goals that can revolutionize many sectors such and diverse areas such as fishing, agriculture, wellness, dietary choices, packaging, housing, hospitality, tourism, clothing, fashion, water management, and energy.

These are topics where each of us has to make conscious choices every day. These daily choices of billions of people around the world will take the fight against climate change, billions of steps forward every day. And I consider it as a movement on every ground whether on economic grounds, on scientific grounds, on the basis of the experiences of the past century, it meets every criterion. This is the path of self-realization. This is the only way to benefit.

In the midst of this global brainstorming on climate change, on behalf of India, I would like to present five nectar elements, Panchamrit, to deal with this challenge:

1. India will reach its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030.
2. India will meet 50% of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030.
3. India will reduce the total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now onwards till 2030.
4. By 2030, India will reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by less than 45%.
5. By the year 2070, India will achieve the target of Net Zero. 

These Panchamrits will be an unprecedented contribution of India to climate action.

We all know this truth that the promises made till date regarding climate finance have proved to be hollow. While we all are raising our ambitions on climate action, the world ambitions on climate finance cannot remain the same as they were at the time of the Paris Agreement. Today, when India has resolved to move forward with a new commitment and a new energy, the transfer of climate finance and low cost climate technologies becomes more important. India expects developed countries to provide climate finance of US$1 trillion at the earliest. Today it is necessary that, as we track the progress made in climate mitigation, we should also track climate finance. The proper justice would be that the countries which do not live up to their promises made on climate finance, must be pressured too.

Today India is moving forward on the subject of climate with great courage and great ambition. India also understands the suffering of all other developing countries, shares them, and will continue to express their expectations.

For many developing countries, climate change is looming large over their existence. We have to take big steps today to save the world. This is the need of the hour and this will also prove the relevance of this forum. I am confident that the decisions taken in Glasgow will save the future of our future generations, giving them the gift of a secure and prosperous life.

Speaker Sir, I took more time, I apologize to you, but I consider it as my duty to raise the voice of developing countries. That’s why I have emphasized on that too. I once again thank you very much.

2021 WMO Provisional State of the Global Climate 2021 Report

On October 31, 2021, the day of the opening of the COP 26 Climate Conference in Glasgow, UK, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released ‘The Provisional State of the Global Climate 2021 report.’

The key messages of the report on 2021 climate were:

Greenhouse Gases: 

• Atmospheric concentrations of the major greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, continued to increase in 2020 and 2021. The growth rate of all three greenhouse gases in 2020 was above the average for the last decade despite a 5.6% drop in fossil fuel CO2 emissions in 2020 due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Global warming: 

• Global mean temperature in 2021 (January to September) is around 1.08 ±0.13 °C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average and the year is likely to be between the 5th and 7th warmest year on record. 2021 is cooler than recent years owing to La Niña conditions early in the year. 

Sea level and Ocean: 

• The rate of global sea level rise has increased since satellite altimeter measurements began in 1993, reaching 4.4 mm/yr between 2013 and 2021. Global mean sea level reached a new record high in 2021. 
• Ocean heat content reached new record highs in 2019 and then 2020, the latest year for which a comprehensive analysis is available. Ocean warming rates show a particularly strong increase in the past two decades. 

Global Cryosphere:

• Changes in the global cryosphere in 2021 were consistent with recent multi-decadal trends, with below-normal Northern Hemisphere spring snow cover and end-of-summer Arctic sea ice area, negative mass balances on mountain glaciers and the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets, and near-normal Antarctic sea ice cover. 
• The summer heat wave in western North America took a toll on the region's mountain glaciers, with exceptional mass losses in the Cascade, southern Coast, and Rocky Mountains. Mass loss at some glaciers in southwestern British Columbia was the greatest in the instrumental record (1965-2021). 
• Greenland experienced an exceptional mid-August melt event which included temperatures above 0°C and rainfall at Summit Station, the highest point on the ice sheet. This is the first time that rain has been observed at Summit, and marks the third time in the last nine years that the Summit has experienced melting conditions. Ice core records indicate that only one such melt event occurred in the 20th century. 

Extreme Weather Events:

• Exceptional heatwaves affected western North America on several occasions during June and July. Lytton, in south-central British Columbia, reached 49.6 °C on 29 June, breaking the previous Canadian national record by 4.6 °C. 569 heat-related deaths were reported in British Columbia alone between 20 June and 29 July. 
• Death Valley, California reached 54.4 °C on 9 July, equalling a similar 2020 value as the highest recorded in the world since at least the 1930s. 
• Extreme heat affected the broader Mediterranean region on several occasions during the second half of the Northern Hemisphere summer. The most exceptional heat was in the second week of August. On 11 August, an agrometeorological station near Syracuse in Sicily reached 48.8 °C, a provisional European record. 
• The most significant hurricane of the North Atlantic season was Ida. Ida made landfall in Louisiana on 29 August with sustained 1-minute winds of 240 km/h, the equal-strongest landfall on record for the state, with major wind damage and storm surge inundation. The system continued on a northeast track over land with significant flooding, especially in the New York City area. In total, 72 direct and 43 indirect deaths were attributed to Ida in the US and Venezuela, with economic losses in the United States estimated at US$63.8 billion. 
• Extreme rainfall hit Henan Province of China from 17 to 21 July. On 20 July, the city of Zhengzhou received 201.9 mm of rainfall in one hour (a Chinese national record), 382 mm in 6 hours, and 720 mm for the event as a whole, more than its annual average. The city experienced extreme flash flooding with many buildings, roads and subways inundated. 302 deaths were attributed to the flooding, and economic losses of US$17.7 billion were reported. 
• Western Europe experienced some of its most severe flooding on record in mid-July. The worst-affected area was western Germany and eastern Belgium, where 100 to 150 mm fell over a wide area on 14-15 July over wet ground. The highest daily rainfall was 162.4 mm at Wipperfürth-Gardenau (Germany). Numerous rivers experienced extreme flooding, with several towns inundated, and there were also several landslides. 179 deaths were reported in Germany and 36 in Belgium, with economic losses in Germany exceeding US$20 billion.

India:

• The progress and withdrawal of the Indian Monsoon was delayed but overall Indian monsoon rainfall was close to average, with above-average falls in the west offset by below-average values in the northeast. During the course of the season, 529 deaths in India and 198 in Pakistan (as of 30 September) were attributed to flooding with further deaths in Bangladesh and Nepal6.
• The most severe cyclone of the North Indian Ocean season was Tauktae, which tracked north off the west coast of India, with a peak 3-minute sustained wind speed76 of 50-53 m/s, before making landfall in Gujarat on 17 May at slightly below peak intensity, the equal strongest known landfall in Gujarat. At least 144 deaths were reported in India and 4 in Pakistan77. 
• Later in the season, Cyclone Gulab crossed the eastern coast of India from the Bay of Bengal in late September; the remnant system crossed India before emerging and re-intensifying in the Arabian Sea, where it was renamed Shaheen. 
• Shaheen made landfall on 3 October on the northern Oman coast northwest of Muscat, the first cyclone since 1890 to make landfall in this area. Al Suwaiq recorded 294 mm rain in 24 hours, about three times the region’s annual average. 39 deaths were reported across India, Pakistan, Oman and Iran, mostly from flooding.