theIASHub | 14 Apr, 2025 | 5
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1.World's First-Ever Global Carbon Tax: India and 62 other countries voted for the world’s first-ever global carbon tax on the shipping industry.
o Effect: Burning these fuels releases CO₂ and methane, causing global warming.
o Incentive: Carbon tax makes fossil fuel use costlier, pushing firms to be energy-efficient.
o Consumer Impact: Raises gasoline and electricity costs, encouraging shift to clean energy.
o Implementation: From 2028, ships must shift to low-emission fuels or pay for pollution.
o Usage: All revenue to be ring-fenced for decarbonising maritime sector, not for broader climate finance.
o Impact: Carbon pricing to reduce emissions by only 10% by 2030, short of IMO’s 20% target.
o Supporters: Deal supported by 63 countries, including India, China, Brazil.
o Membership: Has 175 member states, 3 associate members; headquartered in London.
o India: Joined in 1959.
o Mandate: Sets regulatory framework and deals with liability and maritime traffic facilitation.
Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP)-ISRO: A study examined spatial rainfall trends across India and found changes in daily rainfall amounts and timing of peak rainfall across different regions in the 2011–2020 decade compared to 2001–2010. The study used GSMaP-ISRO data to analyse rainfall patterns.
o Algorithm Technology: The GSMaP algorithm, designed by JAXA, uses microwave radiometers and cloud motion data from Geostationary Infrared (IR) technology.
o Rainfall Increase: West-central India experienced a slight increase in rainfall (~2 mm/day) during 2011–2020.
üThough Indo-Gangetic Plain and southernmost parts had increased rainfall, it was less than west-central India.
o Vegetation and Soil Moisture Linkage: The increase in rainfall over west-central India is linked to increased vegetation cover.
üTranspiration Role, increased vegetation causes more transpiration, releasing water vapour and influencing summer monsoon rainfall via evapotranspiration.
o Sea vs Land Timing: Peak rainfall time is in the morning over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, and in the afternoon over inland areas.
o Aerosol Influence on Rainfall Timing: Aerosol loading influences rainfall peak timing.
o Indo-Gangetic Plain: Higher aerosol loading likely caused early peak rainfall in Indo-Gangetic Plain, while lower aerosol levels led to late peak rainfall in west-central India during 2011–2020.
3.Kerala - First State to achieve total digital literacy: Kerala has become the first State in India to achieve total digital literacy.
o Digital Literacy Achievement: Over 21 lakh digitally illiterate people were trained under the ‘Digi Kerala’ initiative.
o Training Content: Beneficiaries were taught to make voice/video calls, access government services, use Internet banking, and operate social media platforms.
o Inspiring Examples: C. Sarasu (67), MGNREGS worker from Pullampara, now makes video calls and watches YouTube & Krishnakumar (75) from Muvattupuzha uses WhatsApp for community mobilisation.
o Inclusivity: Programme went beyond National Digital Literacy Mission guidelines by including people of all ages, not just those under 60.
o Digital Skills Imparted: Training included use of calls, WhatsApp, social media, banking, and government services.
o About: The Digi Kerala idea began as a pilot initiative of the Pullampara grama panchayat in the capital in 2022 to impart digital literacy to all residents.
4.At a time when extreme weather events threaten food production, India is sidelining traditional seed varieties — the very crops that can withstand droughts, floods, and replenish depleted soils.
o Loss of Diversity: Traditional seeds are disappearing while farmers grow limited crops like wheat, rice, and a few vegetables.
o Hybrid Trade-Offs: New hybrid seeds bring high yields but increase dependence on chemical fertilisers, water usage, vulnerability to climate shocks, and reduce food quality.
o Market Demand Issue: Consumers, supermarkets, and government programmes prefer high-yield rice and wheat, leading to reduced demand for climate-resilient grains like millets, pulses, and indigenous rice.
o Policy Bias: Agricultural policies historically promoted high-yielding varieties to boost food production, leading to loss of biodiversity and nutritional quality.
o Government Initiatives: While efforts like the Odisha Millet Mission exist, subsidies and procurement systems remain slow to support traditional crops.
o Research Priorities: R&D has prioritised productivity over conserving genetic diversity and enhancing climate resilience.
o Recent Consultation: MSSRF’s Tribal Agrobiodiversity Centre, Jeypore, Odisha, held a national consultation to foster a road map for climate-resilient seed systems.
5.The inaugural edition of the large-scale multilateral exercise Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME) began on April 13, 2025, at Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
o Host Nations: India and Tanzania (co-hosts).
o Established in: The first edition is taking place in April 2025 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
o Nations Participating: Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, India, Tanzania.
o Aims of AIKEYME: To strengthen maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) → To improve coordination in tackling piracy, illegal trafficking, and unregulated fishing → To enhance information sharing and surveillance between navies.
o Borders: Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo.
o Maritime Borders: Comoros, Seychelles.
6.Mk-II (A) Laser- Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) system: Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) announced the successful trial of the Mk-II(A) Laser-Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) system.
o Real-Time Analysis: It is capable of detecting and analysing bat calls in real-time, offering major efficiency over traditional manual methods.
o Efficiency: Deshpande noted that what took 11 months to process manually could now be achieved in a few hours using BatEchoMon.
o Device Components: It includes a recording device, storage, processing, and real-time analysis units.
o Microprocessor: Powered by a Raspberry Pi microprocessor, which processes data captured by Audiomoth, used as an ultrasonic microphone.
o Detection Process: The system isolates bat calls from other ultrasounds, then analyses peak frequency and structure using pre-trained models to identify species.
o Technology: Uses a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based algorithm for species identification.
o Identification Capacity: Currently identifies 6–7 common Indian bat species.
o Collaborative Boost: Initiatives like the ‘State of India’s Bats’ workshop are helping improve collaboration and expand bat call databases in India.
8.Ramgarh Lake: Work has started for revival of the historic Ramgarh Lake near Jaipur, once a lifeline for water supply to Rajasthan’s capital.
o Type: A man-made water body formed by creating an embankment on forested hills.
o Built By: Constructed in 1876 by Sawai Ram Singh II, the erstwhile ruler of Jaipur.
oServed as the main source of water supply for Jaipur.
o Water Sources: Fed by Roda, Banganga, Tala, and Madhoveni rivers, which are now dry due to deforestation and mining in the catchment.
oJamwa Mata Temple is located downstream of the lake.
o The Ramgarh Polo Ground, surrounded by Aravalli Hills, is considered among the best in India.
o Wildlife: Thick forests around the lake house Nilgai, Chital, and lions.
o Sanctuary Status: Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1982 by the Government of India.
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