TOPIC: GS 3 Environment and Ecology
Code red
What is the news?
- The IPCC has issued arguably its strongest warning yet on threating catastrophe from unmitigated global warming
- Global warming caused by human activity, lending scientific credence to the argument that rising wildfires, heatwaves, extreme rainfall and floods witnessed in recent times are all strongly influenced by a changing climate.
Report
- In a stark report on the physical science basis of climate change contributed for a broader Assessment Report of the UN
- The IPCC’s Working Group I has called for deep cuts to carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases and a move to net zero emissions
- World would otherwise exceed 1.5°C and 2°C of warming during the 21st century with permanent consequences.
- Climate change is described by many as a far greater threat to humanity than COVID19, because of its irreversible impacts.
- The latest report is bound to strengthen the criticism that leaders in many countries have stonewalled and avoided moving away from coal and other fossil fuels.
Causes of Global Warming
- It resulted in the frequency and intensity of hot extremes, marine heatwaves, heavy precipitation, agricultural and ecological droughts, proportion of intense tropical cyclones, reductions in Arctic Sea ice, snow cover and permafrost.
- A phenomenon such as heavy rainfall over land, for instance, could be 10.5% wetter in a world warmer by 1.5°C, and occur 1.5 times more often, compared to the 18501900 period.
Intiatives to make way
- The Paris Agreement was concluded, there is no consensus on raising ambition to reduce emissions, making access to low carbon technologies easier, and adequately funding mitigation and adaptation.
Briefing of report
- The IPCC’s analysis presents scenarios of largescale collapse of climate systems that future leaders would find virtually impossible to manage.
- Heatwaves and heavy rainfall events experienced with increasing frequency and intensity are just two of these, while disruptions to the global water cycle pose a more unpredictable threat.
- If emissions continue to rise, oceans and land, two important sinks and the latter a key part of India’s climate action plan, would be greatly weakened in their ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Way Forward
- The new report sets the stage for the CoP26 conference in November.
- The only one course to adopt there is for developed countries with legacy emissions to effect deep cuts, transfer technology without strings to emerging economies and heavily fund mitigation and adaptation.
- Developing nations should then have no hesitation in committing themselves to steeper emissions cuts.
Mains Question
Explain how IPCC’s warning on climate points to a small window of opportunity that still exists ?
PRELIMS PUNCHERS
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
It is an apex regulatory body for overall regulation and licensing of regional rural banks and apex cooperative banks in India. It is under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Finance , Government of India. The bank has been entrusted with “matters concerning policy, planning, and operations in the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas in India“. NABARD is active in developing & implementing Financial Inclusion . It was established on the recommendations of B.Sivaramman Committee
NABARD supervises State Cooperative Banks , District Cooperative Central Banks , and Regional Rural Banks and conducts statutory inspections of these banks. It refinance fund from World Bank and Asian Development Bank to state co-operative agriculture and rural development banks , state co-operative banks , regional rural banks , commercial banks and other financial institutions approved by RBI. While the ultimate beneficiaries of investment credit can be individuals, partnership concerns, companies, State-owned corporations or co-operative societies, production credit is generally given to individuals
- Peace clause
The Agreement in Agriculture contains a “due restraint” or “peace clause” which regulates the application of other WTO agreements to subsidies in respect of agricultural products (Article 13). The provisions provide that Green Box domestic support measures cannot be the subject of countervailing duty action or other subsidy action under the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, nor can they be subject to actions based on non-violation nullification or impairment of tariff concessions under the GATT.
Other domestic support measures which are in conformity with the provisions of the Agreement on Agriculture may be the subject of countervailing duty actions, but due restraint is to be exercised by Members in initiating such investigations. Further, in so far as the support provided to individual products does not exceed that decided in the 1992 marketing year, these measures are exempt from other subsidy action or nullification or impairment action. Export subsidies conforming to the Agreement on Agriculture are, to the extent relevant, covered by corresponding provisions. The peace clause remains in effect for a period of nine years.
Sources : https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/agric_e/ag_intro05_other_e.htm
- Mazar-i-Sharif
It is also called Mazar-e Sharif, or just Mazar, is the fourth-largest city of Afghanistan. It is the capital of Balkh province and is linked by highways with Kunduz in the east, Kabul in the southeast, Herat in the southwest and Termez in Uzbekistan in the north. The city also serves as one of the many tourist attractions because of its famous shrines as well as the Islamic and Hellenistic archeological sites. The ancient city of Balkh is also nearby
The name Mazar-i-Sharif means “Tomb of the Prince”, a reference to the large, blue-tiled sanctuary and mosque in the center of the city known as the Shrine of Ali or the Blue Mosque.
It serves as the major trading center in northern Afghanistan. The local economy is dominated by trade, agriculture and Karakul sheep farming. Small-scale oil and gas exploitation have also boosted the city’s prospects. It is also the location of consulates of India and Pakistan for trading and political links.
- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
It aims to safeguard the health of women & children by providing them with a clean cooking fuel LPG, so that they don’t have to compromise their health in smoky kitchens or wander in unsafe areas collecting firewood. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. Under this scheme, 5 Cr LPG connections will be provided to BPL families with a support of Rs.1600 per connection in the next 3 years. Ensuring women’s empowerment, especially in rural India, the connections will be issued in the name of women of the households. Rs. 8000 Cr. has been allocated towards the implementation of the scheme. Identification of the BPL families will be done through Socio Economic Caste Census Data.
Recently launched Ujjwala 2.0 (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana) and distributing LPG connections at a programme at Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region
PRELIMS QUESTIONS
- Consider the following statement with regard to National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
- It was established on the recommendations of Narasimham Committee
- It refinance fund from World Bank and Asian Development Bank to state co-operative agriculture and rural development banks
Select the correct statement using code given below.
(a). 1only (b) 2 only
(c).Both (d). None of above
Answer : B
It is an apex regulatory body for overall regulation and licensing of regional rural banks and apex cooperative banks in India. It is under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Finance , Government of India. The bank has been entrusted with “matters concerning policy, planning, and operations in the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas in India“. NABARD is active in developing & implementing Financial Inclusion. It was established on the recommendations of B.Sivaramman Committee
NABARD supervises State Cooperative Banks , District Cooperative Central Banks , and Regional Rural Banks and conducts statutory inspections of these banks. It refinance fund from World Bank and Asian Development Bank to state co-operative agriculture and rural development banks , state co-operative banks , regional rural banks , commercial banks and other financial institutions approved by RBI. While the ultimate beneficiaries of investment credit can be individuals, partnership concerns, companies, State-owned corporations or co-operative societies, production credit is generally given to individuals
Qn 2 Mazar-i-Sharif is located in
1.Iran
- Iraq
- Saudi Arabia
- Afghanistan
Answer : D
It is also called Mazar-e Sharif, or just Mazar, is the fourth-largest city of Afghanistan. It is the capital of Balkh province and is linked by highways with Kunduz in the east, Kabul in the southeast, Herat in the southwest and Termez in Uzbekistan in the north. The city also serves as one of the many tourist attractions because of its famous shrines as well as the Islamic and Hellenistic archeological sites. The ancient city of Balkh is also nearby
The name Mazar-i-Sharif means “Tomb of the Prince”, a reference to the large, blue-tiled sanctuary and mosque in the center of the city known as the Shrine of Ali or the Blue Mosque.
It serves as the major trading center in northern Afghanistan. The local economy is dominated by trade, agriculture and Karakul sheep farming. Small-scale oil and gas exploitation have also boosted the city’s prospects. It is also the location of consulates of India and Pakistan for trading and political links.