theIASHub | 08 Jul, 2025 | 39
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North Eastern Region (NER) District SDG Index : Recently, NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER) and with technical support from UNDP, released the 2nd edition of the North Eastern Region (NER) District SDG Index 2023-24.
o The report assesses district-wise progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across all eight northeastern states of India.
o Scores range from 58.71 (Longding, Arunachal Pradesh) to 81.43 (Hnahthial, Mizoram).
o Top Performing Districts: Hnahthial (Mizoram) emerged as the best-performing district.
- Three districts from Nagaland broke into the Top 10 performers.
o Front Runner States: All districts of Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura achieved Front Runner status (score 65–99).
o No districts in the NER fell into the Aspirant (<50) or Achiever (=100) categories.
o Good Health & Well-being (SDG 3): Improved scores in 93 districts.
o Assam saw district-wide improvement in Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Quality Education (SDG 4), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), and Decent Work & Economic Growth (SDG 8).
o Evaluates district-level performance on selected SDG indicators.
o Modeled after the national SDG India Index methodology developed by NITI Aayog.
o Enables evidence-based policymaking, decentralized planning, and targeted development interventions. Aims to promote inclusive and sustainable development by identifying progress, gaps, and priority areas at the local level.
Plant Treaty : Recently, concerns have intensified across India over proposed changes to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), known as Plant Treaty. Farmer groups, seed custodians, and biodiversity advocates fear the move could weaken protections for traditional seed systems and open access to multinational corporations.
o Critics say this gives corporations flexibility to avoid fair compensation.
o Raises concern over loss of control over India’s digital genetic resources.
o Experts argue reforms could erode farmers’ ability to save, breed, and share seeds.
o Could violate India’s Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights (PPV&FR) Act,, Biodiversity Act, and Article 9 of the Plant Treaty on farmers’ rights.
o Signed in Madrid in 2001 and entered into force in 2004.
o It is the first legally-binding international treaty to formally recognize the vital role of indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers as traditional custodians of global food crop diversity.
o Objectives : Acknowledge the significant contribution of farmers to the genetic diversity of food crops.
- Establish a global system to facilitate access to plant genetic materials for farmers, plant breeders, and scientists.
- Ensure equitable benefit-sharing with countries of origin when these genetic materials are used.
Plasma Loops : Recently, a team of Indian and international astronomers detected tiny, short-lived plasma loops in the lower layers of the Sun’s atmosphere. This discovery could offer crucial insights into one of solar science’s longstanding mysteries — how the Sun stores and explosively releases magnetic energy.
o The loops last only a few minutes, making them difficult to observe.
o Despite their size, they provide important insights into solar magnetic energy storage and release.
o First Clear Detection in H-alpha Line: Loops were observed as bright arcs in the redder part of the H-alpha spectral line (used to study the chromosphere). Seen clearly for the first time in this part of the spectrum.
o Observations were made using: Goode Solar Telescope (BBSO), NASA’s IRIS (Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph) and NASA’s SDO (Solar Dynamics Observatory)
- These tools helped capture loop behavior in visible, UV, and extreme-UV wavelengths.
National Green Tribunal (NGT): Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) submitted a sealed report by the High-Powered Committee (HPC) to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), marking a significant development in the controversial Great Nicobar Island mega infrastructure project.
o Development of an international container transshipment terminal to enhance maritime trade.
o Construction of a dual-use airport serving both civilian and military purposes.
o Establishment of a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant to meet energy needs.
o Creation of a township with housing and amenities for residents and project workers.
o Over one million trees are expected to be cut down raising major ecological concerns.
o Potential damage to fragile coral ecosystems in the project area.
o The project’s location within critical and biodiverse habitats raised red flags.
o The original environmental assessments lacked sufficient baseline data.
o Purpose: Fast-track resolution of cases related to environmental protection, forest conservation, and natural resource management.
o Procedure: Not bound by the Civil Procedure Code, 1908; guided by principles of natural justice.
o Composition: Chairperson: Retired Supreme Court judge ; Judicial Members: Retired High Court judges. Expert Members: Professionals with a minimum of 15 years of experience in environmental or forest-related fields.
Vera C. Rubin Observatory : Recently, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, perched high in the Chilean Andes, released its first test images—marking a major milestone in astronomy.
o This achievement paves the way for groundbreaking discoveries about the universe, including the evolution of the Milky Way, the possible existence of Planet Nine, the nature of dark energy, and the detection of potentially hazardous asteroids near Earth..
o Goal: To build a detailed, multi-color, time-based catalogue of the southern night sky.
o Why is it powerful : LSSTCam: Equipped with the world’s most powerful digital camera (3.2 gigapixels).
o Wide Field of View: Captures an area equivalent to 40 full Moons in a single image.
o Rapid Scanning: Can image the entire southern sky every few nights.
o High Sensitivity: Detects faint and fast-changing celestial objects with unmatched precision.
o Utilizes a three-mirror system for maximum sky coverage and clarity: Primary mirror: 8.4 metres, Secondary mirror: 3.5 metres and Tertiary mirror: 5 metres (integrated into the primary).
o Thought to exert a gravitational influence that shapes the orbits of these distant, icy bodies.
“3 by 35” Initiative : Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the “3 by 35” initiative to curb harmful consumption and enhance global public health outcomes.
o Targets the generation of US $1 trillion in additional revenue over the next decade.
o Purpose: Promote health taxes as an effective tool to discourage unhealthy consumption, save lives, and raise critical public funds.
- Help countries mobilize domestic resources while advancing public health goals.
o Supporting Country-Led Policies: Provide direct technical assistance to develop tailored, evidence-based health tax strategies. Share tools, guidance, and best practices through a knowledge platform.
o Building Commitment and Partnerships: Foster inclusive dialogue, cross-sector collaboration, and strong civil society engagement. Aim to reshape public and political perceptions around health taxation and sustainable health financing.
Impacts of Climate Change on Global Agriculture Accounting for Adaptation : Recently, a new study published in the journal Nature, titled “Impacts of Climate Change on Global Agriculture Accounting for Adaptation”, has warned of severe consequences for global food systems if greenhouse gas emissions remain unchecked.
o Each 1°C rise in global temperature could reduce average food availability by 120 calories per person per day (~4.4% of current daily intake).
o Average yield losses by 2100: 41% in high-income regions and 28% in low-income regions.
o Six staple crops analyzed: Rice, wheat, maize, soybean, sorghum, cassava — together account for two-thirds of global cropped calorie production.
o Wheat shows 40–100% yield loss in northern and central India under high emissions.
o Losses also projected in: 30–40% in China, Russia, USA, and Canada.
- 15–25% in Eastern/Western Europe, Africa, and South America.
o Rice may see yield increases due to its tolerance to high minimum temperatures.
o Adaptation benefits for rice are high: 79% under high emissions, 86% under moderate emissions.
o Regions with moderate current temperatures will suffer the greatest yield losses.
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