Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Issues related to population control;
Why in the News?
For many years, International NGOs (INGOs) have promoted donor-driven agendas that have frequently caused harm to local communities.
Case Study: Africa and Bolivia
- Tanzania and Kenya (Africa): In these regions, INGO-led conservation efforts, often backed by Western donors, displaced indigenous Maasai communities from their ancestral lands. These interventions were justified as conservation projects but disregarded local rights and livelihoods, leading to social and economic harm for the Maasai.
- Bolivia (Cochabamba): Water privatization, supported by INGOs and international donors, restricted access to basic water resources, sparking widespread public outcry.
- The privatization, part of broader neoliberal reforms, was later reversed due to local resistance, revealing the negative effects of donor-driven agendas on essential public services.
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What are the Historical roots of Gender Imbalance?
- Colonial Policies: British colonial land reforms in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially among land-owning castes, exacerbated female infanticide due to several socio-economic factors linked to inheritance, property rights, and the structure of agrarian society.
- Post-Independence Malthusian Fears: Following independence, fears of overpopulation dominated Western perceptions of India, and INGOs, influenced by these Malthusian concerns, promoted population control measures.
| Note: Malthusian concerns originate from the ideas of Thomas Malthus, an 18th-century British scholar. In his 1798 work, An Essay on the Principle of Population, Malthus argued that population growth would outpace food production, leading to widespread famine, disease, and societal collapse. |
Role of INGOs in Worsening Gender Imbalance in India
- Population Control Focus: INGOs such as the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and Population Council were instrumental in introducing sex-determination technologies, particularly between the 1950s and 1980s, by directing significant funds towards these efforts while sidelining other public health needs.
- Influence in Institutions: INGOs embedded themselves in key Indian institutions such as AIIMS and the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), shaping the direction of research and policy towards population management.
- For example, Sheldon Segal of the Population Council worked closely with the Indian Health Ministry to prioritize family planning over other pressing health concerns like tuberculosis and malaria.
- Promotion of Sex Selection: Doctors, influenced by the donor-driven agendas of INGOs, began promoting sex-determination technologies like amniocentesis under the pretext of reducing “unnecessary fecundity.”
Impact of Sex Determination Technology
- Introduction and Spread: Sex determination technologies, such as amniocentesis and ultrasound, Initially intended for detecting fetal abnormalities, they were quickly co-opted for sex selection, leading to a significant increase in female foeticide.
- Census data reveals a steady decrease from 943 girls per 1,000 boys in 1951 to 927 girls per 1,000 boys by 1991. The sharpest fall occurred between 1971 and 1991, coinciding with the spread of these technologies.
- Regional Variations: States with easier access to sex-determination tests, such as Punjab and Haryana, experienced the steepest declines in their child sex ratios.
- By 2001, Punjab’s ratio had dropped to 876 girls per 1,000 boys, while Haryana’s fell to 861.
- Missing Girls: A 2006 study published in The Lancet estimated that sex-determination technologies contributed to the loss of 10 million female births in India between 1980 and 2010, with approximately 500,000 female foetuses aborted annually during this period.
Way forward:
- Strengthen Legal Enforcement and Awareness: Enforce stricter penalties for illegal sex determination practices and raise public awareness to shift societal norms that value male children over female children, promoting gender equality at all levels.
- Focus on Holistic Public Health and Gender Policies: Redirect INGO and government efforts toward comprehensive health programs, prioritizing women’s health, education, and economic empowerment, rather than solely focusing on population control.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Issues in the Workplace;
Why in the News?
Data indicates that Central Europe and the wealthiest nations in Asia are approaching the cancer rates from workplace exposure to carcinogens seen in Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Carcinogens are associated with Occupational Cancer:
- Asbestos: A major contributor to lung cancer and mesothelioma, responsible for the highest number of deaths is related to occupational exposure.
- Benzene: Associated with leukemia and bladder cancer; prevalent in chemical industries.
- Silica: Linked to lung cancer; significant exposure occurs in construction and mining.
- Diesel Engine Exhaust: Contributes to lung cancer and other respiratory issues.
- Secondhand Smoke: Increases risk of lung cancer among workers in smoke-exposed environments.
- Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium: Various cancers are associated with these substances, including kidney and lung cancers.
Data Trends on Cancer from Workplace Exposure:
- Western Europe and Australasia historically had the highest rates of death from cancers attributed to workplace carcinogens. These regions have maintained the highest mortality rates for over three decades.
- Southeast Asia countries like Singapore, Japan, Brunei, and South Korea have seen their cancer death rates from occupational exposure triple since 1990. This increase correlates with their growing manufacturing sectors.
- In Central Europe and East Asia, death rates have doubled in Central Europe and increased by 2.5 times in East Asia since 1990. The rise is attributed to a large manufacturing economy that often lacks stringent safety regulations.
International guidelines:
- World Health Organization (WHO): The WHO emphasizes the need for primary prevention by avoiding exposure to carcinogens. They recommend specific interventions, such as banning asbestos and introducing benzene-free alternatives. WHO also advocates for comprehensive national cancer control programs that include occupational health standards.
- International Labour Organization (ILO): The ILO has established conventions and recommendations aimed at preventing occupational hazards caused by carcinogenic substances. These include:
- Replacement of carcinogenic substances with less dangerous alternatives.
- Establishing lists of prohibited or controlled carcinogens.
- Implementing medical surveillance and exposure monitoring
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Way forward:
- Strengthen Regulations and Enforcement: Implement and enforce stricter occupational health and safety regulations, including banning or limiting the use of known carcinogens, such as asbestos and benzene, and promoting safer alternatives in industries.
- Enhance Awareness and Training: Develop comprehensive training programs for workers and employers on the risks of carcinogens, safe handling practices, and the importance of regular health monitoring to prevent occupational cancers.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Impact of global warming;
Why in the News?
A new study reveals that plant cover on the Antarctic Peninsula, a mountainous region extending towards South America, has increased more than tenfold in recent decades due to rising temperatures.
What has the study found?
- Vegetation in the Antarctic Peninsula increased 14-fold between 1986 and 2021, expanding from less than 1 sq km to nearly 12 sq km.
- Mosses and lichens dominate this vegetation, with greening accelerating by 30% between 2016 and 2021.
- The changes are linked to anthropogenic climate change and observed through satellite data.
How quickly is Antarctica warming?
- Antarctica is warming twice as fast as the global average, at 0.22-0.32°C per decade (compared to 0.14-0.18°C globally).
- The Antarctic Peninsula is warming five times faster than the global average and is now almost 3°C warmer than in 1950.
- Record-breaking heatwaves have occurred, with temperatures rising up to 28°C above normal in July 2023 and 39°C above normal in March 2022.
Why should we worry about increased vegetation in Antarctica?
- Invasive Species: Warming temperatures and increased vegetation disrupt the ecological balance, allowing non-native species to outcompete native flora like mosses and lichens, leading to reduced biodiversity and altered habitats.
- Albedo Effect: Increased plant cover lowers the albedo effect, resulting in greater solar energy absorption and further warming, creating a feedback loop that promotes additional vegetation growth.
- Soil Formation: Plant life accelerates soil development by adding organic matter, enhancing nutrient cycling, and creating a more hospitable environment for non-native species, thereby increasing the risk of invasives.
- Ice Loss and Sea-Level Rise: Higher temperatures from warming and the albedo effect lead to increased ice melt, contributing to global sea-level rise, which threatens coastal ecosystems and human settlements with flooding and erosion.
Way forward:
- Strengthen climate action: Accelerate global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, focusing on renewable energy and sustainable practices to mitigate further warming in Antarctica.
- Monitor ecosystems: Establish stricter biosecurity measures and enhanced monitoring to prevent invasive species from spreading and disrupting Antarctica’s fragile ecosystem.
- Promote global cooperation: Increase international collaboration on Antarctic research, focusing on climate change impacts, ecosystem protection, and adaptation strategies to minimize global sea-level rise and biodiversity loss.
Mains PYQ:
Q Major cities of India are becoming vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss. (UPSC IAS/2016)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Nobel Prize of Literature
Why in the News?
The 2024 Nobel Prize has been awarded to South Korean writer Han Kang for her “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.”
Who is Han Kang?
- Han Kang is a South Korean writer born in 1970 in Gwangju, South Korea.
- She is known for her poetic and experimental writing style that confronts themes of historical trauma, violence, grief, and the fragility of human life.
- After starting her literary career with poetry, she became widely recognized for her novels that address complex human emotions and the consequences of social and political structures.
Her Literary Works:
- The Vegetarian (2007): This novel, which won the Man Booker International Prize in 2016, revolves around a woman who decides to stop eating meat and faces extreme reactions from her family. The story explores themes of control, independence, and violence. It was her breakthrough novel, translated into English in 2015.
- Human Acts (2016): Set against the backdrop of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, this novel tells the story of the massacre of protesting students by the South Korean military. Han Kang gives voice to the victims of history with a style that is both experimental and visionary.
- The White Book (2017): An elegy dedicated to a sibling who passed away shortly after birth. The novel is a meditation on grief, narrated through white objects, symbolizing loss and memory.
- Greek Lessons (2023): This novel, first published in Korean in 2011, tells the story of a woman who loses her ability to speak and her teacher, who is losing his sight. The novel explores loss, intimacy, and the connection between language and identity.
- We Do Not Part (2025, forthcoming): This upcoming novel focuses on two women confronting a hidden massacre in Korean history from the 1940s. It explores how trauma can be transformed into art.
Citation for Nobel Prize 2024
- The Swedish Academy’s official bio-bibliography highlights her ability to create universal narratives using a poetic and radical imagination.
- Han Kang is praised for addressing patriarchy, violence, and historical injustices, while also examining the connections between body and soul and the living and the dead.
- The academy notes that she has become an innovator in contemporary prose, showing how literature can speak the truth through her powerful and experimental style.
Recent Nobel Prizes in Literature:
- 2023: Jon Fosse (Norway) for his innovative minimalistic plays and prose, focusing on the human condition.
- 2022: Annie Ernaux (France) for her courageous exploration of personal and collective memory.
- 2021: Abdulrazak Gurnah (Tanzania) for his compassionate depictions of colonialism and migration.
- 2020: Louise Gluck (USA) for her deeply personal poetry that resonates universally.
| Rabindranath Tagore: Won the Nobel Prize in 1913 for “Gitanjali,” becoming the first non-European laureate in Literature, recognized for his sensitive and spiritual poetry. |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: South Caucasus Region (Transcaucasia); Important places mentioned
Why in the News?
- The 29th COP to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will begin on November 11, 2024, in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.
- As global leaders gather near the Caspian Sea, the surrounding region of the South Caucasus faces significant climate challenges.
Key Areas at Risk:
(1) Regional/transboundary areas:
- Northern Armenia and southern Georgia
- North-west Azerbaijan and north-east Georgia (Alazani/Ganykh river basin)
(2) Within countries:
- Yerevan and Ararat Valley (Armenia)
- Lake Sevan (Armenia)
- Kura-Ara(k)s lowlands (Azerbaijan)
- Baku and Absheron peninsula (Azerbaijan)
- Adjara and the Black Sea coast (Georgia)
- Tbilisi, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, and Kakheti regions (Georgia)
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About South Caucasus Region (Transcaucasia):
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Details |
| Location |
South of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, bordered by Russia (north), Turkey and Iran (south), between the Black Sea (west) and Caspian Sea (east). |
| Countries |
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia; includes disputed territories like Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), Abkhazia, and South Ossetia. |
| Mountains |
Lesser Caucasus Mountains (up to 3,000m); includes the Zangezur Range, Meskheti Range, and Armenian Highlands. |
| Seas |
Between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea; Absheron Peninsula (Azerbaijan) extends into Caspian Sea, rich in oil. |
| Rivers and Lakes |
Major rivers: Kura River (Georgia & Azerbaijan) and Aras River (Armenia & Azerbaijan). Key lake: Lake Sevan (Armenia). |
| Climate |
- Continental climate: hot summers and cold winters;
- Subtropical climate along Georgia’s Black Sea coast;
- Semi-arid to desert climate near Caspian Sea, especially Azerbaijan.
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| Natural Resources |
Rich in oil and natural gas, particularly in Azerbaijan; critical hub for energy pipelines like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. |
| Geopolitical Importance |
Strategic transit route for energy resources to Europe; region of geopolitical tensions due to conflicts (Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, Abkhazia). |
PYQ:
[2014] Turkey is located between:
(a) Black Sea and Caspian Sea
(b) Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea
(c) Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean Sea
(d) Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Hurricane Milton
Why in the News?
Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, USA which caused heavy rain, flooding and strong winds resulting in significant damage and loss of lives.
Hurricane Milton: Origin and Causes
- Hurricane Milton was a powerful storm that made landfall in Florida near Siesta Key, causing widespread damage.
- It was a Category 5 hurricane with wind speeds of 285 km/h, making it one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean.
- It originated in the Gulf of Mexico, an area connected to the Atlantic Ocean.
Why it was an unusual storm?
- Milton went from a Category 1 storm to a Category 5 storm in just 12 hours.
- Usually, hurricanes intensify at a slower pace, but Milton’s wind speeds increased by 145 km/h in one day, which is very rare.
- Sea-surface temperatures of 31°C were much higher than the 26°C needed for hurricane formation.
- This excess heat allowed Milton to intensify quickly.
- Most hurricanes follow a westward path, but Milton moved eastward and made landfall on the western coast of Florida.
- According to scientists, very few hurricanes have taken this path before.
- Wind shear is a change in wind speed and direction that can weaken hurricanes.
- In Milton’s case, there was almost no wind shear, allowing the storm to grow stronger without interference.
PYQ:
[2020] Consider the following statements:
1. Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10ºC lesser than that of the surroundings.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3 only |
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