Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Greenwashing
Mains level: Not Much
Reserve Bank Deputy Governor called for a taxonomy on green finance to avoid the risk of “greenwashing”.
What is âGreenwashingâ?Â
- Greenwashing refers to misleading the general public into believing that companies, sovereigns or civic administrators are doing more for the environment than they actually are.
- This may involve making a product or policy seem more environmentally friendly or less damaging than it is in reality.
- The term was coined by environmentalist Jay Westerveld in 1986.
- The phenomenon came into practice as consumers and regulators increasingly sought to explore planet-friendly, recyclable and sustainable âgreenâ products.
- By 2015, 66% of consumers were willing to shell out more for a product that was environmentally sustainable.
How is it done?Â
- There is the indiscriminate use of the terms ânet-zeroâ, ânet-zero alignedâ, âeco-friendlyâ, âgreenâ and âecologicalâ.
- Since there is no compliance mechanism, such practices are rampant.
Why does greenwashing happen?Â
- Greenwashing is done primarily for a company to either present itself as an âenvironment-friendlyâ entity or for profit maximisation.
- It is achieved by introducing a product, catering to the inherent demand for environment-friendly products.
- In certain instances, it is done using the larger idea as a premise to cut down on certain operational logistics and providing consumer essentials.
What does it have to do with the financial sector?Â
- Ethical investing: Sustainable investing has become increasingly popular among millennials and impact investors concerned with âethical investingâ.
- Role of ESG credentials: Financial services providers expect increased scrutiny of a companyâs Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials from regulators, shareholders, customers as well as other stakeholders.
- Transition funding: Financial institutions are expected to fund the transition towards renewable energy and discourage investments in further harnessing of conventional energy sources as coal, oil and gas.
Policy moves in India
- If the financial sector is to respond effectively to the demand for products that endeavour to introduce positive changes into the economy, it is imperative that âgreenwashingâ is averted.
- In May this year, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) constituted an advisory committee to look into all ESG-related matters.
Key recommendations
- The expert committee recommends that financial institutions immediately discontinue all lending, underwriting and investments in companies wanting to strengthen or expand their coal-related infrastructure.
- As for oil and gas, it recommends the discontinuation of all investments that would involve exploration of new oil and gas fields, expansion of existing reserves and further production.
- Instead, companies should facilitate increased investment in renewable energy and institutions that are aligned to facilitate net zero emissions by 2050.
Way forward
- Companies must work towards reducing emissions across their entire value chain and not limit the endeavor to only one part of the chain.
- They must not invest, through any means, in harnessing fossil fuels or engage in deforestation and other environmentally destructive activities.
- In addition to this, companies cannot compensate for this investment by means of cheap credits, that âoften lack integrityâ.
- Further, all state and non-state actors must ensure a âjust transitionâ such that livelihoods are not affected.
- The committee also recommends a transition from voluntary disclosures (pertaining to net emissions) to regulatory norms.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Eco-sensitive buffer Zones (ESZs)
Mains level: Read the attached story
The Kerala government has published a forest department map that better reflects the block and plot-wise details of localities that could potentially fall under the Supreme Court-suggested one-km ecologically sensitive buffer zone (ESZ) around forests if imposed.
What are the Eco-sensitive Zones (ESZs)?
- Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) or Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs) are areas notified by the MoEFCC around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
- The purpose of declaring ESZs is to create some kind of âshock absorbersâ to the protected areas by regulating and managing the activities around such areas.
- They also act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.
How are they demarcated?
- The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 does NOT mention the word âEco-Sensitive Zonesâ.
- However, Section 3(2)(v) of the Act, says that Central Government can restrict areas in which any industries, operations or processes or class of industries, operations or processes shall be carried out or shall not, subject to certain safeguards.
- Besides Rule 5(1) of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 states that central government can prohibit or restrict the location of industries and carrying on certain operations or processes on the basis of certain considerations.
- The same criteria have been used by the government to declare No Development Zones (NDZs).
Defining its boundaries
- An ESZ could go up to 10 kilometres around a protected area as provided in the Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2002.
- Moreover, in the case where sensitive corridors, connectivity and ecologically important patches, crucial for landscape linkage, are beyond 10 km width, these should be included in the ESZs.
- Further, even in the context of a particular Protected Area, the distribution of an area of ESZ and the extent of regulation may not be uniform all around and it could be of variable width and extent.
Activities Permitted and Prohibited
- Permitted: Ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting, organic farming, use of renewable energy sources, and adoption of green technology for all activities.
- Prohibited: Commercial mining, saw mills, industries causing pollution (air, water, soil, noise etc), the establishment of major hydroelectric projects (HEP), commercial use of wood, Tourism activities like hot-air balloons over the National Park, discharge of effluents or any solid waste or production of hazardous substances.
- Under regulation: Felling of trees, the establishment of hotels and resorts, commercial use of natural water, erection of electrical cables, drastic change of agriculture system, e.g. adoption of heavy technology, pesticides etc, widening of roads.
What is the recent SC judgment that has caused an uproar in Kerala?
- On June 3, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court heard a PIL that sought to protect forest lands in the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu, but was later expanded to cover the entire country.
- In its judgment, the court while referring to the 2011 guidelines as âreasonableâ, directed all states to have a mandatory 1-km ESZ from the demarcated boundaries of every protected area.
- It also stated that no new permanent structure or mining will be permitted within the ESZ.
- If the existing ESZ goes beyond 1-km buffer zone or if any statutory instrument prescribes a higher limit, then such extended boundary shall prevail, the court, as per the Live Law report.
Why are people protesting against it?
- There is a high density of human population near the notified protected areas.
- Farmerâs groups and political parties have been demanding that all human settlements be exempt from the ESZ ruling.
- The total extent of the wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala is eight lakh acres.
- If one-km of ESZ is demarcated from their boundaries, around 4 lakh acres of human settlements, including farmlands, would come within that purview.
Â
Try this PYQ
With reference to âEco-Sensitive Zonesâ, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Eco-Sensitive Zones are the areas that are declared under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
- The purpose of the declaration of Eco-Sensitive Zones is to prohibit all kinds of human activities, in those zones except agriculture.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Post your answers here.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: India-China trade imbalance
Amid demands for snapping trade ties with China for its transgressions on the border, former NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman has opined that cutting trade ties with Beijing would amount to sacrificing India’s potential economic growth.
What is the news?
- Panagariya said both countries can play the trade sanctions game.
- The ability of a $17 trillion economy (China) to inflict injury on a $3 trillion economy (India) is far greater than the reverse.
Why in news?
- The trade deficit, the difference between imports and exports, between India and China touched $51.5 billion during April-October this fiscal.
- The deficit during 2021-22 had jumped to $73.31 billion as compared to $44.03 billion in 2020-21.
A quick backgrounder
- Trade ties began to boom since the early 2000s.
- This was driven largely by Indiaâs imports of Chinese machinery and other equipment.
- It rose up from $3 billion in the year 2000 to $42 billion in 2008, the year China became Indiaâs largest trading partner.
The Hindi-Chini buy buy
- A third of machinery and almost two-fifths of organic chemicals that India purchases from the world come from China.
- Automotive parts and fertilizers are other items where Chinaâs share in Indiaâs import is more than 25 per cent.
- Several of these products are used by Indian manufacturers in the production of finished goods, thus thoroughly integrating China in Indiaâs manufacturing supply chain.
- For instance India sources close to 90 per cent of certain mobile phone parts from China.
Indiaâs export to China
- Even as an export market, China is a major partner for India.
- China is the third-largest destination for Indian shipments.
- At the same time, India only accounts for a little over two percent of Chinaâs total exports, according to the Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO).
Should we worry about this?
- Trade deficits/surpluses are just accounting exercises and having a trade deficit against a country doesnât make the domestic economy weaker or worse off.
- In this light, Indiaâs trade imbalance with China should not be viewed in isolation.
- For instance, pharmaceuticals that India exports to the world require ingredients that are imported from China.
- Chinese imports of Indian seafood are one area that has recently shown robust growth and carries scope to grow in future.
So, having a trade deficit is good?
- Of course NOT. Running persistent trade deficits across all countries raises two main issues.
- Availability of foreign exchange reserves to âbuyâ the imports.
- Lack of domestic capacity to produce most efficiently.
Can we ban trade with China?
Ans. Certainly NOT!
- It will hurt the Indian poor the most: This is because the poor are more price-sensitive. For instance, if Chinese TVs were replaced by either costlier Indian TVs or less efficient ones, unlike poor, richer Indians may buy the costlier option.
- It will punish Indian producers and exporters: Several businesses in India import intermediate goods and raw materials, which, in turn, are used to create final goods â both for the domestic Indian market as well as the global market (as Indian exports).
- Pharma sector could be worst hit: For instance, of the nearly $3.6 billion worth of ingredients that Indian drug-makers import to manufacture several essential medicines, China catered to around 68 percent.
- Ban will barely hurt China: According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data for 2018, 15.3% of Indiaâs imports are from China, and 5.1% of Indiaâs exports go to China.
- Chinese money funds Indian unicorns: India and China have also become increasingly integrated in recent years. Chinese money, for instance, has penetrated Indiaâs technology sector, with companies like Alibaba and Tencent strategically pumping in billions of dollars into Indian startups such as Zomato, Paytm, Big Basket and Ola.
- India will lose policy credibility: It has also been suggested that India should renege on existing contracts with China. This can be detrimental to Indiaâs effort to attract foreign investment.
China is our Frenemy. Here is why.
- The first thing to understand is that turning a border dispute into a trade war is unlikely to solve the border dispute.
- Worse, given India and Chinaâs position in both global trades as well as relative to each other, this trade war will hurt India far more than China.
- Again, these measures will be most poorly timed since the Indian economy is already at its weakest point ever â facing a sharp GDP contraction.
Way forward
- Panagariya suggested to expand trade faster with other trading partners rather than cutting it with Beijing through a blunt instrument such as trade sanctions.
- We should take advantage of India’s excellent growth prospects for the next decade and concentrate on growing the economy bigger as fast as possible.
- Once we are the third largest economy, our sanctions threats are likely to carry greater credibility.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: MSP, Cotton
Mains level: Not Much
While cotton farmers in several States have demanded an increase in the minimum support price (MSP) of the crop, the Centre has said that it is watching the cotton production scenario and decide accordingly.
What is MSP?
- The MSP assures the farmers of a fixed price for their crops, well above their production costs.
- MSP, by contrast, is devoid of any legal backing. Access to it, unlike subsidized grains through the PDS, isnât an entitlement for farmers.
- They cannot demand it as a matter of right. It is only a government policy that is part of administrative decision-making.
- The Centre currently fixes MSPs for 23 farm commodities based on the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) recommendations.
Fixing of MSPs
- The CACP considered various factors while recommending the MSP for a commodity, including the cost of cultivation.
- It also takes into account the supply and demand situation for the commodity; market price trends (domestic and global) and parity vis-Ă -vis other crops; and implications for consumers (inflation), environment (soil and water use) and terms of trade between agriculture and non-agriculture sectors.
What changed with the 2018 budget?
- The Budget for 2018-19 announced that MSPs would henceforth be fixed at 1.5 times of the production costs for crops as a âpre-determined principleâ.
- Simply put, the CACPâs job now was only to estimate production costs for a season and recommend the MSPs by applying the 1.5-times formula.
How was this production cost arrived at?
- The CACP projects three kinds of production cost for every crop, both at the state and all-India average levels.
- âA2â covers all paid-out costs directly incurred by the farmer â in cash and kind â on seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, hired labor, leased-in land, fuel, irrigation, etc.
- âA2+FLâ includes A2 plus an imputed value of unpaid family labor.
- âC2â is a more comprehensive cost that factors in rentals and interest forgone on owned land and fixed capital assets, on top of A2+FL.
How much produce can the government procure at MSP?
- The MSP value of the total production of the 23 crops worked out to around Rs 10.78 lakh crore in 2019-20.
- Not all this produce, however, is marketed. Farmers retain part of it for self-consumption, the seed for the next seasonâs sowing, and also for feeding their animals.
- The marketed surplus ratio for different crops is estimated to range differently for various crops.
- It ranges from below 50% for ragi and 65-70% for bajra (pearl millet) and jawar (sorghum) to 75% for wheat, 80% for paddy, 85% for sugarcane, 90% for most pulses, and 95%-plus for cotton, soybean, etc.
- Taking an average of 75% would yield a number of just over Rs 8 lakh crore.
- This is the MSP value of production that is the marketable surplus â which farmers actually sell.
Nature of MSP
- There is currently no statutory backing for these prices, nor any law mandating their enforcement.
Farmers demand legalization
- Legal entitlement: There is a demand that MSP based on a C2+50% formula should be made a legal entitlement for all agricultural produce.
- Private tradersâ responsibility: Some say that most of the cost should be borne by private traders, noting that both middlemen and corporate giants are buying commodities at low rates from farmers.
- Mandatory purchase at MSP: A left-affiliated farm union has suggested a law that simply stipulates that no one â neither the Government nor private players â will be allowed to buy at a rate lower than MSP.
- Surplus payment by the govt.: Other unions have said that if private buyers fail to purchase their crops, the Government must be prepared to buy out the entire surplus at MSP rates.
- Expansion of C2: Farm unions are demanding that C2 must also include capital assets and the rentals and interest forgone on owned land as recommended by the National Commission for Farmers.
Governmentâs position
- The PM has announced the formation of a committee to make MSP more transparent, as well as to change crop patterns â often determined by MSP and procurement.
- The panel will have representatives from farm groups as well as from the State and Central Governments, along with agricultural scientists and economists.
Back2Basics: Cotton Cultivation in India
- Cotton, a semi-xerophyte, is grown in tropical & sub-tropical conditions.
- A minimum temperature of 15C is required for better germination at field conditions.
- The optimum temperature for vegetative growth is 21-27C & it can tolerate temperature to the extent of 43C but temperature below 21C is detrimental to the crop.
- Cotton is grown on a variety of soils ranging from well-drained deep alluvial soils in the north to black clayey soils of varying depth in central region and in black and mixed black and red soils in south zone.
- It is semi-tolerant to salinity and sensitive to water logging and thus prefers well-drained soils.
Sowing season
- The sowing season of cotton varies considerably from tract to tract and is generally early (April-May) in northern India.
- Sowing is delayed as its proceeds down south (monsoon based in southern zone).
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Uncontrolled re-entry, Liability Convention, 1972
Mains level: Not Much
Many dignitaries have signed an open letter published by the Outer Space Institute (OSI) calling for both national and multilateral efforts to restrict uncontrolled re-entries of Satellites back to earth.
About Open Space Institute (OSI)
- OSI is a conservation organization that seeks to preserve scenic, natural and historic landscapes for public enjoyment, conserve habitats while sustaining community character, and help protect the environment.
- It uses policy initiatives and ground-level activism to help accomplish its goals.
What are the stages of a rocket launch?
- Rockets have multiple stages.
- Once a stage has increased the rocketâs altitude and velocity by a certain amount, the rocket sheds it.
- Some rockets jettison all their larger stages before reaching the destination orbit; a smaller engine then moves the payload to its final orbit.
- Others carry the payload to the orbit, then perform a deorbit manoeuvre to begin their descent.
- In both cases, rocket stages come back down â in controlled or uncontrolled ways.
What is an uncontrolled re-entry?
- It is the phenomenon of rocket parts falling back to earth in unguided fashion once their missions are complete.
- In an uncontrolled re-entry, the rocket stage simply falls.
- Its path down is determined by its shape, angle of descent, air currents and other characteristics.
- It will also disintegrate as it falls.
How many satellites are there in space?
- The Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite in 1957.
- Today, there are more than 6,000 satellites in orbit, most of them in low-earth (100-2,000 km) and geostationary (35,786 km) orbits, placed there in more than 5,000 launches.
- The number of rocket launches have been surging with the advent of reusable rocket stages.
Why is this hazardous?
- As the smaller pieces fan out, the potential radius of impact will increase on the ground.
- Some pieces burn up entirely while others donât.
- But because of the speed at which theyâre travelling, debris can be deadly.
- If re-entering stages still hold fuel, atmospheric and terrestrial chemical contamination is another risk.
Why are we discussing this?
- The OSI letter cited examples of parts of a Russian rocket in 2018 and Chinaâs Long March 5B rockets in 2020 and 2022 striking parts of Indonesia, Peru, India and Ivory Coast, among others.
- Many news reports have focused on Chinese transgressions of late, but historically, the US has been the worst offender.
- Parts of a SpaceX Falcon 9 that fell down in Indonesia in 2016 included two ârefrigerator-sized fuel tanksâ.
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Damage control mechanism for uncontrolled re-entry
- There is no international binding agreement to ensure rocket stages always perform controlled re-entries nor on the technologies with which to do so.
- The Liability Convention, 1972 requires countries to pay for damages, not prevent them.
- These technologies include wing-like attachments, de-orbiting brakes, and extra fuel on the re-entering body, and design changes that minimise debris formation.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Vainu Bappu Observatory
Mains level: Not Much
The several stellar discoveries of the 40-inch telescope at the Vainu Bappu Observatory in Kavalur, Tamil Nadu, were highlighted at the celebration of its 50 years of its operation.
Vainu Bappu Observatory
- The Vainu Bappu Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
- It is located at Kavalur in the Javadi Hills, near Vaniyambadi in Tirupathur district in Tamil Nadu.
- The 40-inch telescope was installed in 1972 and started producing important astronomical discoveries soon after.
- More than a generation of astronomers were trained at this telescope as well.
Significant feats achieved by VBO
The telescope set up by Professor Vainu Bappu has played a significant role in astronomy with major discoveries like-
- Presence of rings around the planet Uranus,
- New satellite of Uranus,
- Presence of an atmosphere around Ganymede which is a satellite of Jupiter
- Discovery and study of many ‘Be stars’, Lithium depletion in giant stars, optical variability in Blazars, the dynamics of the famous supernova SN 1987A and so on.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Emmployment issues
Context
- Mass prosperity for massive populations is hard. Indiaâs large remittances from a small population overseas and IT sectors employability reinforce that our mass prosperity strategy should be human capital and formal jobs.
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Why human capital formation is effective tool for mass prosperity?
- Disproportionate contribution of IT employees: A strong case for human capital-driven productivity is our software employment â 0.8 per cent of workers generate 8 per cent of GDP.
- Remittance by NRIs: This case is reinforced by remittances from our overseas population of less than 2 per cent of our resident population crossing $100 billion last year.
- Shift towards formal employment: A World Bank report suggests that the qualitative shift during the previous five years from low-skilled, informal employment in Gulf countries (dropped from 54 per cent to 28 per cent) to high-skilled formal jobs in high-income countries (increased from 26 per cent to 36 per cent) is significant.
- Remittances are higher than FDI: Our rich forex remittance harvest roughly 25 per cent higher than FDI and 25 per cent less than software exports is fruit from the tree of human capital and formal jobs.
- Credit availability is bigger issue: Monetary policy is, at best, a placebo, painkiller, or steroid especially since credit availability is a bigger problem in India than credit cost.
- Source of finance is important than expenditure: Global experience suggests where governments spend money (pensions, interest, salaries, education, healthcare, roads, etc) and how this spending is financed (taxes or debt) matters more than how much is spent (about Rs 80 lakh crore in India this year).
- Fiscal policy tends to overshoot: Covid made enormous fiscal and monetary policy demands, but the bigger the binge, the bigger the hangover. Western central banks are struggling to shrink their balance sheets because they used what Harvardâs Paul Tucker calls âunelected powerâ to chase goals outside their mandate, administer medicine with poorly understood side effects, and speed down highways with no known return paths.
- India avoided the fiscal and monetary trap: Rich-country borrowing rates have risen by 300 per cent plus and inflation hurts the poor the most. India avoided these fiscal and monetary policy excesses. This prudence now combines with previous structural reforms (GST, IBC, MPC, UPI, DBT, NEP, etc) and a reform âtone from the topâ to create a fertile habitat for productive citizens and firms.
What should be the strategy in next fiscal year for employment generation?
- Targeting the job creation: The Finance Bill must target productivity and continuity by legislating human capital and formal job reforms previously proposed.
- NEP should be implemented in 5 years: It should reduce the implementation glide path for the powerful National Education Policy 2020 from 15 years to five years.
- Abolishing the licensing: It should abolish separate licensing requirements for online degrees and freely allow all our 1,000-plus accredited universities to launch online learning.
- Accelerating apprentices: It should accelerate growing our 0.5 million apprentices to 10 million by allowing all universities to launch degree apprentice courses under tripartite contracts with employers under the Apprentices Act.
What are the other steps that can be taken through next budget?
- Notify labour code: It should notify the four labour codes for all central-list industries while appointing a tripartite committee to converge them into one labour code by the next budget.
- Universal enterprise number: It should continue EODB reforms by designating every enterpriseâs PAN number as its Universal Enterprise Number.
- Remove the factory act: It should explore manufacturing employment by abolishing the Factories Act this painful Act accounts for 8,000 of the 26,000 plus criminal provisions in employer compliance and require all employers to comply under each stateâs Shops and Establishment Act (like Infosys, TCS, and IBM India do).
- Ensuring better compliances by employer: It should create a non-profit corporation (like NPCI in payments) that will operate an API-driven National Employer Compliance Grid and enable central ministries and state governments to rationalise, digitise and decriminalise their employer compliances.
- Making EPFO contribution optional: Making employeesâ provident fund contributions optional but raising employer PF contributions from the current 12 per cent to 13 per cent. It should notify a previous budget announcement to create employee choice in their contributions to health insurance (ESIC or insurance companies) and pensions (EPFO or NPS).
- Subsidy to high wage employer: Most importantly, it should link all employer subsidies and tax incentives to high-wage employment creation (a difficult-to-fudge and easy-to-measure effectiveness metric for this public spending is employer provident fund payment).
Conclusion
- Experience and evidence now firmly suggest the odds of mass prosperity in the planetâs most populous nation rise from possible to probable by anchoring our strategy in human capital and formal jobs rather than fiscal or monetary policy.
Mains Question
What are the limitations of Fiscal and monetary policy in mass welfare of people? What are the possible strategies for creation of mass prosperity in India?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Transgenic technology and its applications
Mains level: Advantages and disadvantages of Genetically modified Crops and Transgenic Technology
Context
- The Supreme Courtâs Technical Expert Committee and two unanimous reports of multi-party parliamentary standing committees have recommended that genetically modified (GM) Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crops should be banned in India.
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Why transgenic technology is worrisome?
- Uncontrollable and irreversible: Transgenic technology, unlike other technologies, is uncontrollable and irreversible after environmental release.
- Self-propagation and proliferation: Living Modified Organisms (LMOs), as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety refers to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), propagate themselves and proliferate.
- Long term assessment is necessary: This process cannot be reversed. Therefore, any deliberate environmental release has to be only after thorough, independent, peer-reviewed assessment of long-term implications.
- Precaution is necessary: The precautionary principle is a cornerstone because of the unpredictability and time lag of serious outcomes manifesting in highly complex living systems, and their irreversibility. To draw a parallel, not a single one of 330 invasive species (for example, lantana, parthenium) in India has yet been eliminated, despite estimated damage of Rs 8.3 trillion by just 10 of them!
Reality check on GM crops
- Less countries adopted GM technology: More than 25 years after their introduction, GM crops are still globally grown in just 29 out of 172 countries. Moreover, 91 per cent of GM crop area continues to be in just five countries (USA, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, India).
- BT cotton demand is declining: Most countries of Europe and Japan, Israel, Russia, Malaysia etc., do not grow GM crops. In China, a first adopter, Bt cotton area has been declining and non-GM hybrid technology is used for rapeseed/mustard.
- Heavy focus on two traits only: Only two traits are present in over 85 per cent of GM crops grown herbicide tolerance (HT, where crop plants are modified to withstand large amounts of toxic weed-killing chemicals), and/or insect resistance (pesticidal toxin, usually Bt, is produced inside the plant).
Negative impact of HT crops
- Damage to ecology: HT crops result in not only ecological damage, but human health impacts for consumers. Like tobacco, once declared safe, the effects take long to manifest.
- Honey production will be affected: Beekeepers say that HT mustard will affect honey production and contaminated honey will damage exports.
- Human health will be affected: As regards human health, probable carcinogenicity, neuro-toxicity, reproductive health problems, organ damage etc. have been documented by independent research on GM crops and associated herbicides, once claimed by developers and regulators to be âsafeâ.
- Campaign against release of GM crops: Like thousands of doctors in other countries, over 100 eminent Indian doctors have conveyed their concerns asked that no HT food crops be released and the planted GM mustard be uprooted before flowering.
- Proponent says Mustard is not a HT crop: It is claimed that DMH-11 is not an HT crop as the use of the Bar gene which confers an herbicide tolerance trait is essentially for the pollination control technology in creating hybrids, and glufosinate herbicide will only be used during seed production.
- Opponent says itâs a HT crop: The reality is that by virtue of the Bar gene being present in both parental lines, and thereby also in all their hybrid offspring, this GM mustard can withstand application of a toxic weedkiller, glufosinate, including in farmersâ fields. It should therefore have been assessed as an HT crop.
- Government failed to prevent illegal use of HT cotton: If governments, for over 10 years, have been aware of the illegal planting of herbicide tolerant cotton and rampant illegal use of glyphosate on such HT cotton, and have been unable or unwilling to stop this, what âregulatory processâ will now prevent farmers in search of low-cost weeding options from spraying glufosinate on herbicide tolerant mustard?
What are the observations of SC and parliamentary Committee?
- Absence of regulatory protocol: The ongoing litigations in the Supreme Court are about serious shortcomings in our regulatory regime. Minutes of meetings of the regulatory body GEAC and the âguidelines and protocolsâ on the regulatorâs website reflect an absence of regulatory protocols for HT crops.
- Inadequate bio testing: And yet a crop with an HT trait is being released in the environment! The technical expert committee (TEC) appointed by the SC and the unanimous multi-party reports of two parliamentary standing committees have exposed serious lapses and inadequacies in bio-safety testing.
- Against the release of GM crops: They all advised that herbicide tolerant crops, which GM Mustard is, should not be released in Indian conditions.
- Government panel recommended the ban: Even the government-nominated experts in the TEC asked for a ban on HT crops. The government, surely, cannot call them unscientific.
- No independent participant in testing: Testing on GM mustard has been done with test protocols evolved by the crop developer, and most tests were done by the applicant. No independent health expert participated in the committees that looked at GM mustard safety.
- No biosafety data: To this day, biosafety data of GM mustard has not been posted on the regulatorâs website for independent scrutiny.
Conclusion
- GM crop transgenic technology comes with mixed baggage. Government must strike the balance between biodiversity concern and welfare of farmers. Outright ban or permission without credible data and scrutiny must be avoided.
Mains Question
Q. What are the worrisome aspects of transgenic technology? What are the observations of Supreme court and parliamentary committee regarding GM crops?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: World Ayurveda Congress (WAC), 2022
Mains level: World Ayurveda Congress, Traditional medicines and modern medicines integrated approach.
Context
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the recent growth of traditional medicine (TM), and Ayurveda in particular, while addressing the World Ayurveda Congress 2022 (WAC) earlier this month. Noting the lag in evidence despite considerable research, he gave a clarion call âto bring together medical data, research, and journals and verify claims (benefit) using modern science parametersâ.
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All you need to know about World Ayurveda Congress (WAC)
- Platform by World Ayurveda foundation: The World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) is a platform established by World Ayurveda Foundation to propagate Ayurveda globally in its true sense.
- Platform to connect various stakeholders in medicine: World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) is a platform to connect Ayurveda practitioners, medicine manufacturers, enthusiasts and academicians.
- What is the mandate: World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) & Arogya Expo monitors progress and initiate missions and collect feedbacks.
World Ayurveda Congress (WAC), 2022
- 9th edition of WAC held at Panjim, Goa: The 9th edition of World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) & Arogya Expo was organized at PANJIM, GOA.
- Organised by Ministry of AYSUSH on the principle of whole government approach (WGA): The WAC organised by the Ministry of AYUSH on the âWhole Government Approachâ (WGA) to foster and strengthen the research ecosystem for AYUSH systems.
- What is Whole System Approach (WSA): The concept of WGA is in consonance with the âWhole System Approachâ (WSA). WSA encompasses integrated and network participation of several stakeholders (including patients and the community) for better solutions (treatment outcomes) in a challenging and complex situation. IM is an important component of WSA in the current context.
- Active Participation: The event witnessed the active participation of more than 40 countries and all states of India.
- PMâs vision: To transform the healthcare system of the country and to develop a healthy society, there is a need to think holistically and integrate the Traditional medicine (TM) and modern medicine system (MM).
World Ayurveda Foundation (WAF)
- Aim of WAF: WAF is an initiative by Vijnana Bharati aimed at global propagation of Ayurveda, founded in 2011.
- Objective and core principle: The objectives of WAF reflect global scope, propagation and encouragement of all activities scientific and Ayurveda related are the core principles.
- Focus Areas: Support to research, health-care programmes through camps, clinics and sanatoriums, documentation, organization of study groups, seminars, exhibitions and knowledge initiatives to popularize Ayurveda in the far corners of the world are the broad latitudes of focus at WAF.
What is Traditional Medicine?
- According to WHO: The WHO describes traditional medicine as the total sum of the âknowledge, skills and practices indigenous and different cultures have used over time to maintain health and prevent, diagnose and treat physical and mental illnessâ.
- Culmination of multiple ancient practices: Its reach encompasses ancient practices such as acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine and herbal mixtures as well as modern medicines.
- Percentage of people use traditional medicine: of According to WHO estimates, 80% of the worldâs population uses traditional medicine.
Traditional medicine in India
- It is often defined as including practices and therapies such as Yoga, Ayurveda, Siddha that have been part of Indian tradition historically, as well as others such as homeopathy that became part of Indian tradition over the years.
- Ayurveda and yoga are practised widely across the country.
- The Siddha system is followed predominantly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
- The Sowa-Rigpa System is practised mainly in Leh-Ladakh and Himalayan regions such as Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Lahaul & Spiti.
How TM modalities (such as Ayurveda or homoeopathy) can scientifically align with MM for a better outcome?
- Remarkable success in treating neurological diseases: A recently established Department of IM in NIMHANS continued to show remarkable success in treating difficult neurological diseases with a team of Ayurvedic and MM physicians and carefully planned and monitored IM strategy.
- CRD projects: Modern rheumatology practice in the Centre for Rheumatic Diseases (CRD) model includes critical elements of TM and Ayurveda, which have shown unequivocal evidence in CRD research projects
- Evaluation based on other protocols: Several controlled protocols-based evaluations of standardised Ayurvedic drugs and other TM modalities (such as diet, exercise, yoga, and counselling), often in conjunction with MM, in arthritis patients, were completed.
- Sustained clinical improvement in patients suffering from active Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): RA is a severely painful crippling lifelong autoimmune condition, mostly seen in women, and universally acknowledged as difficult to treat. Supervised and monitored IM intervention (including Ayurvedic drugs) over several years showed a consistently superior and sustained clinical improvement in patients suffering from active RA.
- AYUSH systems include Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha, and other TM.
- AYUSH systems and MM differ radically in several ways or so it seems.
- Modern scientific research in Ayurveda is often at variance with classical Ayurveda.
- Unlike MM, TM has at its core a personalised approach. MM is dominantly reductionist.
- The ambitious futuristic programme of TM and IM by AYUSH is well-intended and in the right direction.
Conclusion
- TM and Ayurveda need to respond to the new world order, which has changed substantially recently. It is reasonably certain that MM and TM in the current format will continue to treat several medical disorders and altered health states. But evidence-based medicine will become the new mantra. Also, informed and empowered patients and people will continue to make the right choices.
Mains question
Q. What is World Ayurveda congress? What is tradition medicines? How Traditional medicines can align with modern medicines to treat several serious medical disorders.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Millets
Mains level: Read the attached story
To raise awareness on millets and prepare for 2023, PM Modi, along with fellow parliamentarians across party lines, enjoyed a sumptuous lunch where millets were front and centre.
Why in news?
- 2023 has been declared as the âInternational Year of Milletsâ by the United Nations, after a proposal from India in 2019.
What are Millets?
- Millet are small-grained cereals like sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), foxtail millet (kangni), little millet (kutki), kodo millet, finger millet (ragi/ mandua), proso millet (cheena/ common millet), barnyard millet (sawa/ sanwa/ jhangora), and brown top millet (korale).
- They were among the first crops to be domesticated.
- There is evidence for consumption of millets in the Indus-Sarasvati civilisation (3,300 to 1300 BCE).
- Several varieties that are now grown around the world were first cultivated in India.
- West Africa, China, and Japan are also home to indigenous varieties of the crop.
Cultivation of millets
- Millets are now grown in more than 130 countries, and are the traditional food for more than half a billion people in Asia and Africa.
- Globally, sorghum (jowar) is the biggest millet crop.
- The major producers of jowar are the US, China, Australia, India, Argentina, Nigeria, and Sudan.
- Bajra is another major millet crop; India and some African countries are major producers.
Millets in India
- In India, millets are mainly a kharif crop.
- During 2018-19, three millet crops â bajra (3.67%), jowar (2.13%), and ragi (0.48%) â accounted for about 7 per cent of the gross cropped area in the country, Agriculture Ministry data show.
(1) Jowar
- Jowar is mainly grown in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh.
- In 2020-21, the area under jowar stood at 4.24 million hectares, while production was 4.78 million tonnes.
- Maharashtra accounted for the largest area (1.94 mn ha) and production (1.76 million tonnes) of jowar during 2020-21.
(2) Bajra
- Bajra is mainly grown in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
- Of the total 7.75 mn ha under bajra in 2020-21, the highest (4.32 mn ha) was in Rajasthan.
- The state also produced the most bajra in the country (4.53 million tonnes of the total 10.86 million tonnes) in 2020-21.
- The consumption of millets was reported mainly from these states: Gujarat (jowar and bajra), Karnataka (jowar and ragi), Maharashtra (jowar and bajra), Rajasthan (bajra), and Uttarakhand (ragi).
Benefits of Millets
- Millets are eco-friendly crops: They require much less water than rice and wheat, and can be grown in rainfed areas without additional irrigation.
- Lesser water footprints: Wheat and rice have the lowest green water footprints but the highest blue water footprints, while millets were exactly opposite. Green water footprint refers to water from precipitation whereas blue water refers to water from land sources.
- Highly nutritious: Agriculture Ministry declared certain varieties of millets as âNutri Cerealsâ for the purposes of production, consumption, and trade.
- Nutrition security: Millets contain 7-12% protein, 2-5% fat, 65-75% carbohydrates and 15-20% dietary fibre. Small millets are more nutritious compared to fine cereals. They contain higher protein, fat and fibre content.
Back2Basics: 2023- the Year of Millets
- On March 3, 2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
- The proposal, moved by India, was supported by 72 countries.
- Several events and activities, including conferences and field activities, and the issuing of stamps and coins, are expected as part of the celebrations.
- These are aimed at spreading awareness about millets, inspiring stakeholders to improve production and quality, and attracting investments.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Anti-dumping duty
Mains level: Not Much
The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended the levy of anti-dumping duty (ADD) on viscose staple fibre imported from Indonesia.
What is Dumping?
- Dumping is a process wherein a company exports a product at a price that is significantly lower than the price it normally charges in its home (or its domestic) market.
- This is an unfair trade practice which can have a distortive effect on international trade.
- Anti-dumping is a measure to rectify the situation arising out of the dumping of goods and its trade distortive effect.
What is Anti-Dumping Duty?
- An anti-dumping duty is a protectionist tariff that a domestic government imposes on foreign imports that it believes are priced below fair market value.
- In order to protect their respective economy, many countries impose duties on products they believe are being dumped in their national market.
- In fact, anti-dumping is an instrument for ensuring fair trade and is not a measure of protection per se for the domestic industry.
- Such âdumpedâ products have the potential to undercut local businesses and the local economy.
- Anti-dumping duties provide relief to the domestic industry against the injury caused by dumping.
Mechanism in India
- The Department of Commerce recommends the anti-dumping duty, provisional or final.
- The Department of Revenue in Finance Ministry acts upon the recommendation within three months and imposes such duties.
WTO and Anti-Dumping Duties
- The WTO operates a set of international trade rules, including the international regulation of anti-dumping measures.
- It does NOT intervene in the activities of companies engaged in dumping.
- Instead, it focuses on how governments canâor cannotâreact to the practice of dumping.
- In general, the WTO agreement permits governments to act against dumping if it causes or threatens material injury to an established domestic industry.
Issues with such duties
- Anti-dumping duties have the potential to distort the market.
- In a free market, governments cannot normally determine what constitutes a fair market price for any good or service.
Back2Basics: Viscose Fibre
- Viscose is a type of rayon. Originally known as artificial silk, in the late 19th century, the term ârayonâ came into effect in 1924.
- The name âviscoseâ derived from the way this fibre is manufactured; a viscous organic liquid used to make both rayon and cellophane.
- It is the generalised term for a regenerated manufactured fibre, made from cellulose, obtained by the viscose process.
- As a manufactured regenerated cellulose fibre, it is neither truly natural (like cotton, wool or silk) nor truly synthetic (like nylon or polyester) â it falls somewhere in between.
- Chemically, viscose resembles cotton, but it can also take on many different qualities depending on how it is manufactured.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Great Lakes
Mains level: Not Much
Scientists are building a sensor network to detect the trends in the water chemistry of Lake Huron, one of the five Great Lakes of North America.
What is the Acidification of water bodies?
- Acidification of oceans or freshwater bodies takes place when excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere gets rapidly absorbed into them.
- Scientists initially believed this might be a good thing, as it leaves less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
- But in the past decade or so, it has been established that absorption of carbon dioxide leads to a lowering of the pH, which makes the water bodies more acidic.
What are Great Lakes?
- The Great Lakes are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River.
- There are five lakes, which are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario and are in general on or near the CanadaâUS border.
- Hydrologically, lakes Michigan and Huron are a single body joined at the Straits of Mackinac.
- By itself, Lake Huron is the worldâs third largest freshwater lake, after Lake Superior and Lake Victoria.
- The Great Lakes Waterway enables modern travel and shipping by water among the lakes.
Why are they significant?
- The Great Lakes contain a fifth of the worldâs total freshwater, and is a crucial source of irrigation and transportation.
- They also serve as the habitat for more than 3,500 species of plants and animals.
Acidification of Great Lakes
- Scientists are developing a system that would be capable of measuring the carbon dioxide and pH levels of the Great Lakes over several years.
- It is known that the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide has caused the worldâs oceans to turn more acidic.
- Recently, it has been observed that by 2100, even the Great Lakes â Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario â might approach acidity at around the same rate as the oceans.
- Researchers hope the data from the Lake Huron project would add to scientific information on the subject.
Consequences of acidification
- The Great Lakes are believed to have been born some 20,000 years ago, when the Earth started to warm and water from melting glaciers filled the basins on its surface.
- However, this rich ecosphere is under threat as the five lakes would witness a pH decline of 0.29-0.49 pH units â meaning they would become more acidic â by 2100.
- This may lead to a decrease in native biodiversity, create physiological challenges for organisms, and permanently alter the structure of the ecosystem, scientists say.
- It would also severely impact the hundreds of wooden shipwrecks that are believed to be resting at the bottom of these lakes.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Dhokra Art
Mains level: Not Much
This newscard is an excerpt from the articles published in TH.
Do you know?
The dancing girl from Mohenjo-Daro (c. 2300 – 1750 BCE) is not just the most famous piece of art from the Harappan Civilisation, it is also one of the finest examples of metal art from that period.
But did you know that this world-famous figurine is also the oldest example of a unique metal casting tradition called Dhokra that survives to this day in parts of India?
Dhokra Art
- Named after a nomadic tribe called âDhokra Damarâ, the art of Dhokra was originally found in the region from Bankura to Dariapur in Bengal, and across the metal-rich regions of Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.
- Today, it is practiced in the tribal belt across present-day Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.
- The Dhokra artistes first make a clay model out of wax, which is then replaced with molten metal, either brass or bronze, through a lost-wax metal cast.
What is Dhokra?
- Dhokra is a metal casted art that uses the ancient lost-wax casting technique.
- This art is said to be the first of its kind to use a non-ferrous metal like copper and its alloys â brass (a mix of zinc and copper) or bronze (tin and copper) which do not contain iron.
- It uses the process of annealing, where a metal is heated to very high temperatures and allowed to cool slowly.
- The casting is done using two kinds of processes â the traditional, hollow-casting method and solid casting. Solid casting is predominant in Telangana, whereas hollow casting is used in Central and Eastern India.
Symbolism of Dhokra
- With its roots in ancient civilisations, Dhokra represents a primitive lifestyle and the beliefs of people, going back to the age of hunting.
- This is why figures of elephants, owls, horses and tortoises are commonly seen in Dhokra art.
- The elephant symbolises wisdom and masculinity; the horse motion; owl prosperity and death; and the tortoise femininity.
- In Hindu mythology, these iconic symbols also have stories behind them.
- The world is imagined to rest on four elephants, standing on the shell of a tortoise.
- The tortoise, considered as an avatar of Lord Vishnu, carries the world on his back, holding up the earth and the sea.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Rule 267 of Rajya Sabha
Mains level: Significance of Rajya Sabha
Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook, which allows for suspension of dayâs business to debate the issue suggested by a Member, has become a bone of contention in the Upper House.
What is Rule 267 of Rajya Sabha?
- The Rule gives special power to a Rajya Sabha member to suspend the pre-decided agenda of the House, with the approval of the Chairman.
- The Rajya Sabha Rule Book says, âAny member, may, with the consent of the Chairman, move that any rule may be suspended in its application to a motion related to the business listed before the Council of that day.
- If the motion is carried, the rule in question shall be suspended for the time being: provided further that this rule shall not apply where specific provision already exists for suspension of a rule under a particular chapter of the Rulesâ.
Why this rule has become important?
- In the Upper House, the Opposition members have been consistent in demanding a debate on the India-China border situation.
- There have been hundreds of notices by Members to invoke Rule 267 in the past eight years.
- After the latest clash between the two sides in Arunachal Pradeshâs Tawang, the Opposition members have become more vocal with their demand.
- Every day, Opposition leaders are demanding that the Chair suspends all other business and allow a discussion on the latest situation in India-China border by applying Rule 267.
Is Rule 267 the only way to raise important issues in the House?
In Parliament, a member has a number of ways to flag issues and seek the governmentâs reply.
- Question Hour: An MP can ask questions related to any issue during the Question Hour in which the concerned minister has to provide oral or written answers.
- Zero Hour: An MP can raise the issue during Zero Hour. Every day, 15 MPs are allowed to raise issues of their choice in the Zero Hour.
- Special Mention: An MP can even raise it during Special Mention. A Chairman can allow up to 7 Special Mentions daily.
- Debate over presidentâs address: An MP can try to bring the issue to the governmentâs notice during other discussions such as the debate on the Presidentâs speech.
- Budget speech: Opposition leaders have also used the Budget debate to attack the government politically.
Why the Opposition is insisting on Rule 267?
- Any discussion under Rule 267 assumes great significance in Parliament simply because all other business would be put on hold to discuss the issue of national importance.
- No other form of discussion entails suspension of other business.
- If an issue is admitted under Rule 267, it signifies itâs the most important national issue of the day.
- Also, the government will have to respond to the matter by replying during the discussions under Rule 267.
What is the current controversy over Rule 267?
- Opposition members have alleged that the Rajya Sabha chairman has consistently refused to allow any discussion under Rule 267 for a long time.
- While Dhankhar has not allowed any matter under Rule 267, his predecessor M Venkaiah Naidu too didnât allow any admission under Rule 267 during his entire five years.
Has the Rule been ever used?
- The rule has been used several times.
- The Chair had agreed to suspend the business to discuss urgent national issues in the past.
- The last time it was used was in November 2016, when the Upper House invoked Rule 267 to discuss demonetization.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: World Heritage Cites
Mains level: Not Much
Gujaratâs Vadnagar town, the iconic Sun Temple at Modhera, and the rock cut sculptures of Unakoti in Tripura have been added to the tentative list of UNCESO World Heritage Sites.
What is UNESCO tentative list?
- The UNESCO tentative list is an inventory of those properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination.
- With these 3 sites, India now has 52 sites on UNESCO Tentative List.
About the sites
(1) Sun Temple, Modhera
- The Sun Temple at Modhera is located on the left bank of the river Pushpavati, a tributary of river Rupan in Becharaji taluka of Mehsana district.
- The temple description states that it is built in Maru-gurjara architectural style, consists of the main temple shrine (garbhagriha), a hall (gadhamandapa), an outer hall or assembly hall (Sabhamandapa or rangamandapa) and a sacred pool (Kunda), which is now called Ramakunda.
- This east-facing temple is built with bright yellow sandstone.
- It is the earliest of such temples which set trends in architectural and decorative details, representing the Solanki style at its best.
(2) Vadnagar
- Vadnagar is a historic town, which had continuous habitation for more than 2,700 years.
- A multi-layered historic town, the history of Vadnagar stretches back to nearly 8th century BCE.
- The town still retains a large number of historic buildings that are primarily religious and residential in nature.
- It has evolved with time and has an early historic fortified settlement, hinterland port, centre for industries of shells and beads, late medieval town, religious centre/temple town, a significant junction on trade routes and mercantile town.
- Rampart datable to second century BCE, fortification along the lake from third-fourth century CE, findings of Indo-Pacific glass beads and marine shells, palaeo-seismic evidence evidently point towards historical authenticity of the town.
(3) Unakoti
- Located in the northeastern region of Tripura, Unakoti is known as an ancient holy place associated with Shaiva worship.
- It is famously known as the âAngkor Wat of the North-Eastâ
- The structures of the rock-cut sculptures are gigantic and have distinct mongoloid features and display almost the same mystical charm as the spellbinding figures in the Angkor Wat temple of Cambodia.
Back2Basics: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area, selected by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for having cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance, which is legally protected by international treaties.
- The sites are judged to be important for the collective and preservative interests of humanity.
- To be selected, a WHS must be an already-classified landmark, unique in some respect as a geographically and historically identifiable place having special cultural or physical significance (such as an ancient ruin or historical structure, building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, mountain, or wilderness area).
- It may signify a remarkable accomplishment of humanity, and serve as evidence of our intellectual history on the planet.
- The sites are intended for practical conservation for posterity, which otherwise would be subject to risk from human or animal trespassing, unmonitored/uncontrolled/unrestricted access, or threat from local administrative negligence.
- The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Program administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 âstates partiesâ that are elected by their General Assembly.
UNESCO World Heritage Committee
- The World Heritage Committee selects the sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger.
- It monitors the state of conservation of the World Heritage properties, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.
- It is composed of 21 states parties that are elected by the General Assembly of States Parties for a four-year term.
- India is NOT a member of this Committee.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Solstice
Mains level: Not Much
Today, December 21, is Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, conversely, it was Summer Solstice, the yearâs longest day.
What is Winter Solstice?
- The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth’s poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun.
- This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere.
What are Solstices?
- Solstices occur because Earthâs axis of rotation is tilted about 23.4 degrees relative to Earth’s orbit around the sun.
- This tilt drives our planet’s seasons, as the Northern and Southern Hemispheres get unequal amounts of sunlight over the course of a year.
- From March to September, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted more toward the sun, driving its spring and summer.
- From September to March, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away, so it feels like autumn and winter.
- The Southern Hemisphere’s seasons are reversed.
- On two moments each yearâwhat are called solsticesâEarth’s axis is tilted most closely toward the sun.
Impact on day-time
- The hemisphere tilted most toward our home star sees its longest day, while the hemisphere tilted away from the sun sees its longest night.
- During the Northern Hemisphereâs summer solsticeâwhich always falls around June 21âthe Southern Hemisphere gets its winter solstice.
- Likewise, during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solsticeâwhich always falls around December 22âthe Southern Hemisphere gets its summer solstice.
Impact of the tilted axis
- The Northern Hemisphere spends half the year tilted in the direction of the Sun, getting direct sunlight during long summer days.
- During the other half of the year, it tilts away from the Sun, and the days are shorter.
- Winter Solstice, December 21, is the day when the North Pole is most tilted away from the Sun.
- The tilt is also responsible for the different seasons that we see on Earth.
- The side facing the Sun experiences day, which changes to night as Earth continues to spin on its axis.
Un-impacted regions
- On the Equator, day and night are equal. The closer one moves towards the poles, the more extreme the variation.
- During summer in either hemisphere, that pole is tilted towards the Sun and the polar region receives 24 hours of daylight for months.
- Likewise, during winter, the region is in total darkness for months.
Celebrations associated with the Winter Solstice
- For centuries, this day has had a special place in several communities due to its astronomical significance and is celebrated in many ways across the world.
- Jewish people call the Winter Solstice âTekufat Tevetâ, which marks the start of winter.
- Ancient Egyptians celebrated the birth of Horus, the son of Isis (divine mother goddess) for 12 days during mid-winter.
- In China, the day is celebrated by families coming together for a special meal.
- In the Persian region, it is celebrated as Yalda or Shab-e-Yalda. The festival marks the last day of the Persian month of Azar and is seen as the victory of light over darkness.
- Families celebrate Yalda late into the night with special foods such as ajeel nuts, pomegranates and watermelon, and recite works of the 14th-century Sufi poet Hafiz Shirazi.
In Vedic tradition
- In Vedic tradition, the northern movement of the Earth on the celestial sphere is implicitly acknowledged in the Surya Siddhanta.
- It outlines the Uttarayana (the period between Makar Sankranti and Karka Sankranti). Hence, Winter Solstice is the first day of Uttarayana.
Try this MCQ:
Q. On 21st June, the Sun
(a) Does not set below the horizon at the Arctic Circle
(b) Does not set below the horizon at Antarctic Circle
(c) Shines vertically overhead at noon on the Equator
(d) Shines vertically overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Credit Rating Agency
Mains level: Not Much
Fitch Ratings on December 20, 2022, retained its rating for India at âBBBâ-with a stable outlook.
What does BBB mean?
- A âBBBâ rating indicates that expectations of default risk are currently low.
- The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
What is a Rating Agency?
- Rating agencies assess the creditworthiness or potential of an equity, debt or country.
- Their reports are read by investors to make an informed decision on whether or not to invest in a particular country or companies in that geography.
- They assess if a country, equity or debt is financially stable and whether it at a low/high default risk.
- In simpler terms, these reports help investors gauge if they would get a return on their investment.
What do they do?
- The agencies periodically re-evaluate previously assigned ratings after new developments geopolitical events or a significant economic announcement by the concerned entity.
- Their reports are sold and published in financial and daily newspapers.
What grading pattern do they follow?
- The three prominent ratings agencies, viz., Standard & Poorâs, Moodyâs and Fitch subscribe to largely similar grading patterns.
- Standard & Poorâs accord their highest grade, that is, AAA, to countries, equity or debt with the exceedingly high capacity to meet their financial commitments.
- Its grading slab includes letters A, B and C with an addition a single or double letter denoting a higher grade.
- Moodyâs separates ratings into short and long-term definitions. Its longer-term grading ranges from Aaa to C, with Aaa being the highest.
- Fitch, too, rates from AAA to D, with D being the lowest. It follows the same succession scheme as Moodyâs and Fitch.
Criticism of rating agencies
- Popular ratings agencies publicly reveal their methodology, which is based on macroeconomic data publicly made available by a country, to lend credibility to their inferences.
- However, credit rating agencies were subjected to severe criticism for allegedly spurring the financial crisis in the United States, which began in 2017.
- The agencies underestimated the credit risk associated with structured credit products and failed to adjust their ratings quickly enough to deteriorating market conditions.
- They were charged for methodological errors and conflict of interest on multiple counts.
Do countries pay attention to ratings agencies?
- Lowered rating of a country can potentially cause panic selling or offloading of investment by a foreign investor.
- In 2013, the European Union opted for regulating the agencies.
- Over reliance on credit ratings may reduce incentives for investor to develop their own capacity for credit risk assessment.
- Ratings Agencies in the EU are now permitted to issue ratings for a country only thrice a year, and after close of trade in the entire Union.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ASAT, space debris and related facts
Mains level: Space weaponization why ASAT test band is important
Context
- There is growing momentum behind a global moratorium on destructive kinetic anti-satellite (ASAT) tests. A few days ago, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution calling for a ban on kinetic ASAT tests.
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What the resolution is all about?
- Sponsored by United states: The resolution was sponsored by the United States along with a number of other countries that have been concerned about the consequences of ASAT tests on the safety and sustainability of outer space.
- Majority voted in support: As many as 155 countries voted in support of the resolution, nine voted against it, and nine others abstained.
- Those who voted against the resolution: Belarus, Bolivia, Central African Republic, China, Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua, Russia, and Syria.
- Countries with abstention: The nine abstentions were India, Laos, Madagascar, Pakistan, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Togo, and Zimbabwe.
Provisions of the resolution over the ban of ASAT
- No binding effect but urges to prevent arms race in outer space: The ASAT test-ban resolution has no binding effect on states and simply calls on states to put a stop to ASAT tests and to develop further practical steps and contribute to legally binding instruments on the prevention of an arms race in outer space.
- Other space related resolutions also passed: Along with the ASAT test-ban resolution that was passed on December 7, there were several more space- and nuclear-related resolutions, including No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space (NFP).
- Support to minimize risks in space: Indeed, the resolution continues to support the broader efforts at developing âfurther practical stepsâ to minimize risks in space.
What is ASAT?
- ASATs (Anti-Satellite Weapons): According to a document of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), ASATs (Anti-Satellite Weapons) are aimed at destroying or disabling space assets, whether military or civilian, offensive or defensive.
- They are generally of two types: kinetic and non-kinetic.
- Kinetic ASATs: They must physically strike an object in order to destroy it. Examples of kinetic ASATs include ballistic missiles, drones or any item launched to coincide with the passage of a target satellite. This means any space asset, even a communications satellite, could become an ASAT if it is used to physically destroy another space object.
- Non-kinetic ASATs: A variety of nonphysical means can be used to disable or destroy a space object. These include frequency jamming, blinding lasers or cyberattacks. These methods can also render an object useless without causing the target to break up and fragment absent additional forces intervening.
- Threat to peaceful utilization of outer space: ASAT tests represent a direct threat to peaceful utilization of outer space on which everyone in the global community depends.
- Threat to safety of satellites: In recent years, there has been a spurt in activities that threaten the safety and functioning of satellites. The November 15, 2021, ASAT test by Russia, which destroyed the Cosmos 1408 satellite, is a case in point.
- Space debris a potential hazard to Space station: The test created about 1,800 tracked pieces of space debris and possibly many more pieces that are difficult to track, and a hazard for astronauts aboard the International Space Station
- Rare, high-tech, and risky to test: ASAT is an anti-satellite weapon that can target enemy satellites, blinding them or disrupting communications besides providing a technology base for intercepting ballistic missiles.
Way ahead
- There are other initiatives underway in the U.N., such as the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on reducing space threats through norms, rules, and principles of responsible behaviours.
- Like the ASAT test ban, these are needed to make progress on the broader space security agenda.
- Whether a legal measure or a norm, states have to take small preventative steps before space becomes completely a warfighting domain.
Conclusion
- Given the worsening space security conditions, with more countries pursuing development of ASATs and other counterspace capabilities, it is time that more countries join the current initiative to stop further ASAT tests. Unless countries can make a conscious decision to come together and work on ways to halt the current trends with regard to space weaponization, continued access to outer space is not a given.
Mains question
Q. What are ASATs? There is growing momentum behind a global moratorium on destructive kinetic anti-satellite (ASAT) tests. In light of this discuss Why ASAT must be banned?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Climate change and associated migration
Context
- Climate-induced displacements have increased both in numbers and magnitude worldwide. According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centreâs (IDMC) report, 23.7 million people experienced displacements in 2021 as a result of cyclones and floods.
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Estimates about Migration
- IOM estimates: The International Organisation on Migration (IOM) estimates that on a global scale, between 25 million and 1 billion people would be compelled to migrate from their homes because of climate change and environmental degradation by 2050.
- Situation in south Asia: South Asia is no exception to it. Disasters cause most of the internal displacements occurring in South Asia every year, and in the year 2021, nearly 5.3 million disaster displacements were reported.
- CANSA Report: The Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) reports that approximately 45 million people in India alone, shall be compelled to migrate by 2050 due to climate disasters, with a threefold increase in current figures.
How women and children are most vulnerable?
- UN report: The United Nations asserts that around 80 percent of climate change displaces include women.
- Global International Migrant Stock: The present share of women migrants in the Global International Migrant Stock oscillates between 48 percent and 52 percent, as they frequently experience âtriple discriminationâ given their positions as women, unprotected workers and migrants.
- Developing countries are most vulnerable: The situation becomes even more precarious in developing countries like India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and several small island nations in the Pacific Ocean.
- Violence is likely: Women uprooted due to climate change become more vulnerable to violence, human trafficking, and armed conflicts. For instance, a study by the Sierra Club (2018) revealed how women impacted by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar witnessed increased occurrences of sexual and domestic abuse, forced prostitution, and sex and labour trafficking.
What is the New York Declaration on international Migration?
- Global compact for migration (GCM): It mandated the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) in 2018 and for the first time, a comprehensive framework recognising the concept of climate change-induced migration within the broader concept of international migration was developed.
- Global compact on refugee: The Declaration also paved the way for an adoption of a Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) in the same year, but an extension of refugee law to cater to the needs of those displaced by the forces of climate change does not really resolve this humanitarian concern.
- More investment in research: It also highlights the need for pumping in more investments towards research to tackle the challenges of environmental migration and rests on important climate change mitigation instruments like the Paris Climate Agreement, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
- Share responsibility on states: The Zero Draft of the GCM itself highlights how it sets out shared responsibilities of the states in commitment to the causes of migrationâ showing how the GCM relies on the countries having a sense of moral responsibility for the fulfilment of its goals and objectives.
Discussion in COP27 about climate migration
- Global goal on adaptation: The 2022 Conference of the Partiesâ (or COP27) summit was seen as a platform that would lend visibility to the concept of climate migration, especially in light of how a work programme for defining a Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) towards identifying collective needs and solutions in light of the ongoing climate crisis that has already affected so many countries around the world, was established in the 2021 COP26 summit.
- Lack of progress on migration: While COP27 established a framework towards the attainment of the GGA (likely to be adopted in 2023 at COP28), its progress towards protecting and assisting climate migrants remains in a state of limbo.
- Task force on displacement: As highlighted in a study by the ECDM, the key problem lies in how the Task Force on Displacement has projected climate-induced mobility as a âloss and damageâ concern, in turn putting forth the idea that this kind of human mobility stands as a failed adoption strategy.
- No clear reference to climate migration: Paragraph 40 of the G20 Bali Leadersâ Declaration talks about preventing irregular migration flows, the trafficking of migrants and holding such talks in the future G20 summits to come, but the term âclimate migrationâ fails to make an appearance.
- Leverage G20 for climate migration consensus: India seeks to play a significant role in the international efforts for climate action, and its commitment can be reflected in it being party to the UNFCCC and its instrumentsâthe Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Its presidency could provide a platform for the G20 countries to work together in addressing the growing concerns of human mobility in forms of both migration and displacements.
- Intergovernmental dialogue: Also, knowledge gaps pertaining to human mobility because of climate change and environmental degradation can be addressed through intergovernmental dialogues to be held at the G20 platform under Indiaâs Presidency.
Conclusion
- Policymakers meet to discuss the several concerns of climate change at various platforms, progress concerning any support for the climate migrants remain insufficient till date, resting on goodwill gestures instead. World must pay attention and money to firmly address the climate migration issue.
Mains Question
Q. What is climate induced migration? How women and children are most vulnerable to climate migration? What role India can play to address the issue?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Methane, MARS system, OGMP
Mains level: Methane, MARS system, framework, OGMP and India
Context
- The Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) initiative was launched by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on November 11, 2022. Is it right to say that India not joining the Oil & Gas Methane Partnership is a missed opportunity?
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Methane a Toxic greenhouse gas
- A major greenhouse gas: Methane is the second-most common of the six major greenhouse gases, but is far more dangerous than carbon dioxide in its potential to cause global warming.
- One of major contributor of GHG emissions: Contribution Accounting for about 17 per cent of the current global greenhouse gas emissions.
- One of the key reasons behind Temperature rise: Methane is blamed for having caused at least 25 to 30 per cent of temperature rise since the pre-industrial times.
- Methane largely a Sectoral gas: Unlike carbon dioxide, methane is largely a sectoral gas, and there are only a few sources of emission.
- Few sources large emissions of methane: The global warming potential of methane is about 80 times that of carbon dioxide. It accounts for a small portion of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions compared to carbon dioxide.
Did you know? Global Methane pledge
- The global methane pledge was adopted during COP26.
- Under it, countries agreed to reduce global methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.
- This will help to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
- into the right hands for emissions mitigation.
What is Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP)?
- A methodology to help companies reduce methane emissions: The Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) methodology was created by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition in 2014 as a voluntary initiative to help companies reduce methane emissions in the oil and gas sector.
- The Oil & Gas Methane Partnership 2.0: OGMP 2.0 is a multi-stakeholder initiative launched by UNEP and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. The OGMP 2.0 is the only comprehensive, measurement-based reporting framework for the oil and gas industry that improves the accuracy and transparency of methane emissions reporting in the oil and gas sector.
- Companies joined the partnership: Over 80 companies with assets on five continents, representing a significant share of of the worldâs oil and gas production, have joined the Partnership. OGMP 2.0 members also include operators of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines, gas storage capacity and LNG terminals. The members constitute around 35 per cent of the total global oil and gas production and two-thirds of the total liquefied natural gas flows around the world
- MARS is a part of global efforts to slow climate change by tracking the global warming gas.
- The system will be the first publicly available global system to connect methane detection to notification processes transparently.
- The data-to-action platform was set up as part of the UN Environment Programmeâs (UNEP) International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) strategy to get policy-relevant data
How many countries and companies are engaged with the MARS initiative and is India involved?
- The system was requested by the United States and the European Union but it is in the service of the entire world.
- There are no Indian companies that have joined the OGMP.
Conclusion
- MARS is a satellite-based system to help industries and governments detect and reduce methane emissions. This will help UNEP confirm methane emissions reported by companies and analyze changes over time. India should consider this as an opportunity to cooperate in reducing methane emissions
Mains question
Q. Methane is 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and currently contributes about a quarter of global warming. In light of this, what does it mean to engage with the OGMP and MARS system?
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