Forest Conservation Act, 1980
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Current affairsIndia Hosts International Tiger Landscapes Workshop; IBCA Signs MoU with ADB for Nature-Positive Conservation FinancingThe International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) signed a landmark MoU with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on the sidelines of the International Tiger Landscapes Workshop (September 2–3, 2026) in New Delhi — unlocking nature-positive blended finance for landscape-scale tiger conservation across six Asian tiger-range nations. Current affairsUNCCD COP17 Ulaanbaatar 2026: "Restoring Land. Restoring Hope." — India, Land Degradation Neutrality, and the Global Desertification CrisisThe 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) concluded in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (17–28 August 2026) under the theme "Restoring Land. Restoring Hope." The conference focused on converting land pledges into finance and action, amid warnings that 77% of Mongolia's land is already degraded and global dryland degradation threatens 2 billion people. Current affairsState of India's Environment 2026 Report: Seven Planetary Boundaries Breached, Extreme Weather on 99% of India's DaysThe Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth released the State of India's Environment (SOE) 2026 report at the Anil Agarwal Dialogue on 25 February 2026, warning that seven of nine planetary boundaries have been breached and that India experienced extreme weather events on 99% of days in 2025 — with ocean acidification newly crossing its threshold for the first time. Current affairsNine Anchor Species Could Help India Meet Its 30×30 Biodiversity and Climate Targets, Says Study in Conservation LettersA new study in Conservation Letters (Lamba et al., 2026, DOI: 10.1111/con4.70059) identifies nine wildlife species — including the tiger, sambar deer, and dhole — whose habitat protection could simultaneously conserve over 700 vertebrates and 1.1 gigatonnes of above-ground carbon per species, offering India a species-centred pathway to meet the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's 30×30 target while only 5% of Indian land is currently protected. Current affairsMines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026: Centre Curtails State Mineral Taxes, Unlocks Critical Mineral PotentialThe Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha by Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy, proposes to restrict state governments from levying taxes, cess, or other charges on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands, remove the 50% cap on captive mine sales, allow multiple minerals in a single lease, and expand the National Mineral Exploration Trust's scope — aimed at bringing certainty and uniformity to India's critical minerals sector. Current affairsWorld Lion Day 2026: India's Asiatic Lion Population Rises to 891 — A Conservation Success StoryWorld Lion Day is observed on 10 August each year to raise awareness about lion conservation globally. On World Lion Day 2026, India highlighted the results of the 16th Asiatic Lion Census (May 2025): the population has risen to 891 from 674 in 2020 — a 32.2% increase in five years — all found exclusively in and around Gir in Gujarat.