UPSC Articles
Peru declares ‘environmental emergency’
Part of: Prelims and GS-III Environment
Context: Recently, the Peruvian government declared a 90-day “environmental emergency” in damaged coastal territories, after an oil spill that saw 6,000 barrels of crude oil pour into the sea.
What is an environmental emergency?
- It is defined as a “sudden-onset disaster or accident resulting from natural, technological or human-induced factors, or a combination of these, that causes or threatens to cause severe environmental damage as well as loss of human lives and property”.
- According to UNEP, Countries facing an environmental emergency often require technical support and specialized expertise to respond effectively, minimize adverse impacts, and recover rapidly.
What is oil spill?
- An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution.
- The term is usually given to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters, but spills may also occur on land.
About Peru
- Peru is a country in western South America.
- It is a megadiverse country with habitats ranging from the arid plains of the Pacific coastal region in the west to the peaks of the Andes mountains extending from the north to the southeast of the country to the tropical Amazon Basin rainforest in the east with the Amazon river.
- It is essentially a tropical country.
- The cold Peru Current (or Humboldt Current), flows along its Pacific shoreline.
News Source: IE
