PRELIMS BOOSTER 2018
White-bellied Heron and Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM)
White-bellied Heron
- Critically Endangered – IUCN
- extremely rare bird
- Habitat
- recorded from small or large rivers, usually with sand or gravel bars and marshes/lakes near wet grasslands
- range — eastern Himalayan foothills in Bhutan and north-east India to the hills of Bangladesh, north Myanmar and
- India – Assam and Arunachal Pradesh
- Threats
- Loss and degradation of lowland forests and wetlands through direct exploitation and disturbance by humans
- Natural forest fires have destroyed nests
- Poaching
- Protected areas
- Namdapha Tiger Reserve
- Kaziranga National Parks
- Dibru-Saikhowa National Parks
- Manas National Parks
- Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary
Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM)
- Asian–European political dialogue forum to enhance relations and various forms of cooperation between its partners
- ASEM represents around 62.3% of the world’s population, 57.2% of the global GDP and almost 60% of the world’s trade.
- established — 1996 at the first summit in Bangkok, Thailand
- The main components of the ASEM process rest on 3 pillars
- Political Pillar
- Economic Pillar
- Social, Cultural & Educational Pillar
- Members — 53 partners – India is also a member
- 51 countries
- 2 regional organisations
- ASEM Summit
- biennial meeting of Heads of State and Government alternately in Europe and Asia
- 11th summit — Ulanbaatar declaration — reaffirmed ASEM’s commitment for greater partnership through informal political dialogue and initiatives in economic and socio-cultural fields
- ASEM also involves biennial meetings of Foreign Ministers as well as political, economic, and socio-cultural meetings and events at various levels
