Current Affairs 17 October 2024

CONTENTS

1. Climate Change Threatens Methane Cycle in the Amazon Rainforest
2. 2024 Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Nihon Hidankyo
3. New Guidelines to Combat Greenwashing
4. PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan
5. Integrated of UMANG app with DigiLocker
6. Ossification test

Climate Change Threatens Methane Cycle in the Amazon Rainforest

Context:

Recent research highlights a growing concern that climate change may significantly disrupt the methane cycle within the Amazon rainforest. This cycle involves the production, consumption, and release of methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas, into the environment.

Relevance:

GS III: Environment and Ecology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Key Highlights of the Research on Methane
2. Understanding the Methane Cycle
3. How Can Global Warming Affect the Methane Cycle?
4. How Does Methane Cycle Disruption Affect Global Climate?

Key Highlights of the Research on Methane

• Amazon Floodplains: Floodplains in the Amazon are significant contributors, accounting for up to 29% of global wetland methane emissions. Climate change heightens the activity of methane-producing microbes in these areas.
• Upland Forests as Sinks: Upland forests in the Amazon act as methane sinks, although their capacity to absorb methane has decreased by 70% under warmer and drier conditions, indicating a reduced ability to mitigate methane emissions.
• Methanotrophic Microorganisms: The study emphasizes the role of methanotrophic microorganisms that consume methane. These organisms help regulate methane levels in the environment.
• Isotope Analysis: Analysis of isotopes revealed that both aerobic and anaerobic methane-consuming microbes are active in the Amazon’s floodplains, showcasing the intricate methane cycling processes occurring in this region.

Understanding the Methane Cycle

• Sources and Sinks: Methane is released into the atmosphere from natural sources like wetlands and from human activities such as landfills, livestock farming, and fossil fuel exploitation. It is then either consumed by methanotrophs in the soil or broken down in the atmosphere.
• Cycle Dynamics:
  • Creation: Methane generation begins in the soil, produced by microbes known as methanogens.
  • Consumption: Methanotrophs, which require oxygen and reside in the upper layers of soil, consume methane as their primary food source, releasing some back into the atmosphere.
• Atmospheric Cleaning by Hydroxyl Radicals:
  • Methane Oxidation: Methane in the atmosphere is primarily removed by oxidation, a process facilitated by hydroxyl radicals (OH). These radicals, often referred to as the “cleanser of the atmosphere,” break down methane into smaller molecules, ultimately converting it to CO2 through various chemical reactions.
  • Further Processing: Methane that moves from the troposphere to the stratosphere continues to be processed and removed, ensuring a natural cleansing of this potent greenhouse gas from the air.

How Can Global Warming Affect the Methane Cycle?

• In an ideal world, sources of methane would equal sinks like in the case of CO2, but human activities increase global atmospheric concentrations of methane, which are rising.
• Scientists worry as the earth heats up, but more methane will be released from soils or other sources and magnify the problem of global warming.
• Ice crystals of methane form in cold, oxygen-poor marine sediments. Clathrate is also entrapped in permafrost, the permanently frozen soil in arctic and subarctic latitudes. .
• Clathrate ice-also called methane hydrate-is white, solid, like water ice. But this ice contains water molecules which freeze around molecules of methane. Clathrate deposits were once sinks where the methane was sequestered.
• But with global warming, some of the deep, frozen sediments melt, emitting methane, which then evaporates into the atmosphere.
• Since CH4 is a green gas, it means that more heat is trapped in the atmosphere, thus warming the Earth more.

How Does Methane Cycle Disruption Affect Global Climate?

• Methane is the next biggest cause of climate change after carbon dioxide (CO₂).
• It has a global warming potential 28 times that of carbon dioxide per 100 years.
• Even small quanta of methane add up to a great deal because of the high global warming potential; already, carbon dioxide emissions have slowed down during the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020 as indicated by the data from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but atmospheric methane shot up.
• Methane is the primary precursor gas to a toxic atmospheric pollutant: tropospheric ozone.
• Tropospheric ozone is calculated to cause around 1 million premature respiratory deaths annually worldwide
• Globally, additional methane emissions account for half of the growth in tropospheric ozone that has been quantified over the last few decades.
• Higher levels of methane emissions decrease the amount of hydroxyl radicals (OH) in the atmosphere, which are natural purifiers for atmospheric pollutants. With fewer hydroxyl radicals, other atmospheric pollutants are likely to survive longer and contribute to further lowering air quality.
• Methane causes losses to staple crops of an average 10% to 15% yearly by adding to the increase in atmospheric temperatures that on average results in the formation of tropospheric ozone.
• Methane’s contribution to climate change and public health also led to annual losses of about 400 million work hours worldwide due to extreme heat.
• Methane-induced climatic change also causes ecosystem disruption, species distributions changed, biodiversity lost, and ecological interactions destabilized, affecting plant and animal health.

-Source: Down To Earth

2024 Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Nihon Hidankyo

Context:

The Nobel Peace Prize of 2024 goes to the Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo, continuously working towards making the world free of nuclear arms. The organization consists of survivors of the atomic bombings that occurred in 1945 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and is called Hibakusha, or “bomb-affected people.” These survivors are crucial to having led a global movement which worked towards the elimination of nuclear arms.

Relevance:

Facts for Prelims

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is Nihon Hidankyo?
2. Advocacy for Nuclear Disarmament by Hibakusha
3. Nobel Peace Prizes and Disarmament
4. Conclusion

What is Nihon Hidankyo?

• Scientists had long theorised that the forces that held together the nucleus of an atom could make up a very destructive bomb. With World War II, research on the subject picked up, not only in the US, which eventually built the first nuclear bomb, but also in the UK, Germany, USSR, and Japan.
• But by the time the US developed the bomb, in July 1945, Germany had already been defeated, and the Japanese Empire had been pushed all the way back to its home islands. The US leadership, now under Harry Truman, however, wanted to avoid a protracted ground war with Japan. It was also wary of the Soviets entering the conflict in the East.
• The atom bomb could kill two birds with one stone. On August 6, the US dropped a bomb named “Little Boy” on Hiroshima. The destruction was unimaginable. More than 70,000 people died instantly, with the death toll going beyond 100,000 later.
• Then, on August 9, before the scale of the destruction could even be comprehended, the US dropped “Fat Man” on Nagasaki, killing at least 40,000 people instantly, and tens of thousands more in the days and weeks to come.
• Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced his country’s surrender on August 15. In his speech, he referenced “a new and most cruel bomb”. He said: “Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilisation.”

Advocacy for Nuclear Disarmament by Hibakusha

The Role of Hibakusha in Nuclear Disarmament

Hibakusha, the survivors of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, have played a pivotal role in advocating for nuclear disarmament globally. Their experiences and testimonies have been crucial in shaping public and political discourse around the consequences of nuclear warfare.

• Organizational Efforts: Nihon Hidankyo, established in 1956, is the principal organization representing the Hibakusha. It focuses on the welfare of bomb survivors, the elimination of nuclear weapons, and securing compensation for the victims.
• Global Advocacy: The Hibakusha have actively participated in international forums, including the United Nations, to share their harrowing experiences and push for global nuclear disarmament. Their stories have been instrumental in fostering a worldwide nuclear taboo that has significantly influenced international nuclear policies.

The Nuclear Taboo and Recent Pressures

The notion of a ‘nuclear taboo’—the moral aversion against the use of nuclear weapons—has been a significant outcome of disarmament advocacy. However, this taboo is increasingly under pressure due to:

• New Nuclear States and Developments: Several countries are either developing or enhancing their nuclear arsenals, reflecting a shift in global strategic balances and the persistent threat of nuclear conflict.
• Economic Investments: Significant investments, such as the projected $1 trillion by the US for nuclear capabilities enhancement, indicate a renewed focus on nuclear deterrence strategies.

Nobel Peace Prizes and Disarmament

The Nobel Peace Prize has recognized several individuals and organizations for their efforts in promoting disarmament:

• Historical Awards: The prize has been awarded multiple times for disarmament efforts, reflecting the Nobel Committee’s long-standing commitment to this cause. For instance, former Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato received the prize in 1974 for maintaining Japan’s non-nuclear stance.
• Recent Recognition: In 2017, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its work in highlighting the catastrophic impacts of nuclear weapons and for advancing a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons. ICAN’s collaboration with Nihon Hidanyo underscores the ongoing relevance of Hibakusha experiences in contemporary disarmament efforts.

Conclusion

As the Hibakusha advocacy reminds us, nuclear warfare is a form of influence that has played an extremely critical role in the lives of human societies, and so it continues to do even after seventy years have passed. Their persistent efforts give testimony to the crucial need for a global commitment toward disarmament and the preservation of the nuclear taboo in preventing other such atrocities. The Hibakusha narrative not only tells us of all the horrors that have befallen us but also becomes a powerful call for us to act against the future proliferation of nuclear arms.

-Source: Indian Express

New Guidelines to Combat Greenwashing

Context:

The Centre has introduced new guidelines to prevent companies from making false or misleading claims about their products’ environmental benefits.  These rules, issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), require companies to provide scientific evidence to support their claims.  The guidelines are part of a broader effort to crack down on misleading advertisements. These norms would complement the existing Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsement for Misleading Advertisements 2022, which deal with false or exaggerated claims in advertisements in general.

Relevance:

GS III: Environment and Ecology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Overview of Advertising Guidelines for Preventing Greenwashing
2. What Is Greenwashing?

Overview of Advertising Guidelines for Preventing Greenwashing

The new advertising guidelines aimed at preventing greenwashing involve comprehensive measures to ensure transparency and accuracy in the promotion of environmental claims. Here are the key highlights:

Definition of Greenwashing

• Greenwashing is identified as any deceptive or misleading practice where essential information is obscured or exaggerated concerning the environmental benefits of a product or service. This includes using misleading imagery or terms that suggest positive environmental impacts while hiding negative ones.

Permissible Advertising Practices

• Advertisements may use “obvious hyperboles” or “puffery”, provided they do not mislead the consumer. For example, broad claims about growth based on “sustainable principles” are acceptable as long as they are not deceptive.
• More specific claims, such as assertions that all products are manufactured sustainably, require clear substantiation.

Use of Environmental Terms

• Terms like “clean,” “green,” “eco-friendly,” and “sustainable” are permitted only if the advertiser can provide solid evidence to support these claims. Advertisements must include accurate qualifiers and disclosures to prevent these terms from being vague or misleading.

Clarification of Technical Terms

• When employing technical terminology, such as “environment impact assessment” or “greenhouse gas emissions,” companies must ensure that their meanings and implications are presented in a manner easily understood by the general public. The guidelines stress the importance of clarity and public accessibility of information.

Substantiation of Specific Environmental Claims

• Claims that are particularly specific, such as “compostable,” “non-toxic,” or “plastic-free,” must be backed by reliable scientific evidence, certifications, or third-party verification. This requirement ensures that companies can credibly support their environmental assertions.

Scope of Application

• These guidelines apply universally to all environmental claims made by manufacturers, service providers, or advertisers. They also encompass advertising agencies and endorsers involved in marketing such products or services. The guidelines aim to hold all parties accountable and prevent the dissemination of misleading environmental information.

What Is Greenwashing?

• Greenwashing is the process of conveying a false impression or misleading information about how a company’s products are environmentally sound.
• Greenwashing involves making an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly or have a greater positive environmental impact than is true.
• In addition, greenwashing may occur when a company attempts to emphasize sustainable aspects of a product to overshadow the company’s involvement in environmentally damaging practices.
• Performed through the use of environmental imagery, misleading labels, and hiding tradeoffs, greenwashing is a play on the term “whitewashing,” which means using false information to intentionally hide wrongdoing, error, or an unpleasant situation in an attempt to make it seem less bad than it is.

Examples of Greenwashing

• A classic example of greenwashing is when Volkswagen admitted to cheating emissions tests by fitting various vehicles with a “defect” device, with software that could detect when it was undergoing an emissions test and altering the performance to reduce the emissions level.
• A plastic package containing a new shower curtain is labeled “recyclable.” It is not clear whether the package or the shower curtain is recyclable. In either case, the label is deceptive if any part of the package or its contents, other than minor components, cannot be recycled.
• A trash bag is labeled “recyclable.” Trash bags are not ordinarily separated from other trash at the landfill or incinerator, so they are highly unlikely to be used again for any purpose. The claim is deceptive because it asserts an environmental benefit where no meaningful benefit exists.

Effects of greenwashing

• There is a growing body of evidence that shows consumer sentiment is slanted toward being green and environmentally sustainable.
  • When a company, product or service is caught or discovered to be greenwashing, there is a general sense of distrust that occurs. Consumers will no longer trust the brand or product in question, and might also begin to question other claims.
• Companies engaged in greenwashing – consumers will likely choose other organizations that are more ethical.
  • Greenwashing can degrade customer satisfaction, erode brand loyalty and potentially affect repeat purchases.
• On Planet – Ultimately, the biggest effect of greenwashing is existential.
  • Each act that an organization or individual doesn’t take with real green initiatives has a potential negative effect on the planet.
  • With the effects of climate change continuing to manifest on humanity, there is no time to waste in taking steps to help improve sustainability such that humanity and Earth itself will continue to survive.

-Source: Financial Express

PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan

Context:

Recently the Prime Minister praised the successful completion of 3 years of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, calling it a transformative step in India’s infrastructure growth. 

Relevance:

GS II: Government Policies and Interventions

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About PM Gati Shakti:
2. PM GatiShakti National Master Plan: Achievements and Challenges
3. Conclusion

About PM Gati Shakti:

• It will incorporate the infrastructure schemes of various Ministries and State Governments like Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry/land ports, UDAN etc.
• Economic Zones like textile clusters, pharmaceutical clusters, defence corridors, electronic parks, industrial corridors, fishing clusters, agri zones will be covered to improve connectivity & make Indian businesses more competitive.
• It will also leverage technology extensively including spatial planning tools with ISRO imagery
• developed by BiSAG-N (Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics).    
• The multi-modal connectivity will provide integrated and seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services from one mode of transport to another.
• It will facilitate the last mile connectivity of infrastructure and also reduce travel time for people.
• PM GatiShakti will provide the public and business community information regarding the upcoming connectivity projects, other business hubs, industrial areas and surrounding environment.
• This will enable the investors to plan their businesses at suitable locations leading to enhanced synergies.
• It will create multiple employment opportunities and give a boost to the economy.
• It will improve the global competitiveness of local products by cutting down the logistics costs and improving the supply chains, and also ensure proper linkages for local industry & consumers.

PM GatiShakti is based on six pillars:

• Comprehensiveness: It will include all the existing and planned initiatives of various Ministries and Departments with one centralized portal. Each and every Department will now have visibility of each other’s activities providing critical data while planning & execution of projects in a comprehensive manner.
• Prioritization: Through this, different Departments will be able to prioritize their projects through cross–sectoral interactions.
• Optimization: The National Master Plan will assist different ministries in planning for projects after identification of critical gaps. For the transportation of the goods from one place to another, the plan will help in selecting the most optimum route in terms of time and cost.
• Synchronization: Individual Ministries and Departments often work in silos. There is lack of coordination in planning and implementation of the project resulting in delays. PM GatiShakti will help in synchronizing the activities of each department, as well as of different layers of governance, in a holistic manner by ensuring coordination of work between them.
• Analytical: The plan will provide the entire data at one place with GIS based spatial planning and analytical tools having 200+ layers, enabling better visibility to the executing agency.
• Dynamic: All Ministries and Departments will now be able to visualize, review and monitor the progress of cross-sectoral projects, through the GIS platform, as the satellite imagery will give on-ground progress periodically and progress of the projects will be updated on a regular basis on the portal. It will help in identifying the vital interventions for enhancing and updating the master plan.

PM GatiShakti National Master Plan: Achievements and Challenges

Achievements

• Expansion and Reach: PM GatiShakti has expanded its platform to 27 aspirational districts and aims to encompass 750 districts in the near future.
• Technological Integration: Utilization of geospatial tools and dynamic data layers has greatly enhanced real-time infrastructure planning and decision-making capabilities.
• Global Showcasing: The tool has been presented in various international forums, including 30 countries across Central and Southeast Asia, and notable conferences like the UNESCAP conference in Hong Kong and the Asia Pacific Business Forum.
• Sector-Specific Applications:
  • Health: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has effectively used the platform for mapping new healthcare facilities.
  • Agriculture: Districts such as Dahod in Gujarat are employing satellite imagery for planning cost-effective drip irrigation systems.
  • Tourism: Arunachal Pradesh has used data visualization to enhance tourist potential around Bichom Dam.
  • Urban Development: Cities like Kanpur, Bengaluru, and Srinagar have developed logistics plans to improve connectivity.
  • Skill Development: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has identified locations for training institutes near industrial zones.

Challenges

• Data Integration: Integrating real-time data from multiple ministries is problematic, with some of the data being outdated or incomplete, affecting the efficiency of planning.
• Digital Divide: While 13 states have digitized their land records, others are lagging, which slows down project execution.
• Ministerial Silos: There is a frequent lack of coordination among ministries, leading to delays and conflicts in large-scale infrastructure projects like roads and railways.
• Project Approvals: There are significant delays in obtaining necessary approvals, especially concerning environmental and land clearances.
• Geographical Constraints: Projects in hilly regions often encounter delays due to environmental issues, displacement, and local protests.
• Funding Issues: Acquiring sufficient funding for large projects, particularly at the local level, remains a challenge.
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): There’s a limited implementation of PPPs, forcing the government to shoulder much of the financial burden, delaying project completions.
• Technology Utilization: Not all states are equally equipped or skilled in using the GatiShakti platform effectively, with states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat being notable exceptions.
• Project Tracking: Although the platform supports real-time tracking, not all projects are regularly updated, leading to delays in completion.

Conclusion

The PM GatiShakti National Master Plan showed excellent success in integrating and harnessing the more modern technologies of infrastructure development across India. However, it will have enormous challenges that arise more or less from inefficiencies in administration and technological disparities among the states. Overcoming these challenges will be critical to realizing the full impact of the initiative and fulfilling its high-profile development objectives.

-Source: Indian Express, PIB

Integrated of UMANG app with DigiLocker

Context:

Recently, the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) has integrated the UMANG app with DigiLocker, India’s Digital Wallet.

Relevance:

GS II: Government Policies and Interventions

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About UMANG App
2. DigiLocker

About UMANG App

• It is a unified, secure, multi-channel, multi-platform, multi-lingual, multi-service mobile app.
• It is a Digital India initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched in 2017.
• It provides access to high impact services of various organizations of Centre and States. Presently it has 2000+ services.
• The aim of UMANG is to fast-track mobile governance in India.
• UMANG enables ‘Ease of Living’ for Citizens by providing easy access to a plethora of Indian government services ranging from – Healthcare, Finance, Education, Housing, Energy, Agriculture, Transport to even Utility and Employment and Skills.
• The key partners of UMANG are Employee Provident Fund Organization, Direct Benefit Transfer scheme departments, Employee State Insurance Corporation, Ministries of Health, Education, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
• UMANG attained ‘Best m-Government service’ award at the 6th World Government Summit held at Dubai, UAE in February 2018.

About features of UMANG App

• It provides seamless integration with popular customer centric services like Aadhaar and Digilocker.
• It provides a unified approach where one can install one application to avail multiple government services.
• It can be accessed on multiple channels like mobile application, web, and SMS which can be accessed through smartphones, tablets and desktops.
• It has a rich multimedia interface with a focus on maximizing usability and enriching user experience.
• The Services provided by the app are as follows
• It is a unified application that can be used to avail a number of pan India e-government services such as
  • Filing income tax, 
  • Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) services,
  • Aadhar,
  • Pension,
  • e- Patashala,
  • e- Land Records,
  • Crop Insurance etc.

DigiLocker:

• DigiLocker is a digitisation service of the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, which comes under the initiative called Digital India.
• Provides an access route to digital versions of many kinds of documents such as driver’s licenses, vehicle registration certificates and academic mark sheets.

-Source: Indian Express

Ossification test

Context:

Recently, Mumbai court ordered for an ossification test to determine whether one of the persons accused in the murder case of a political leader is a minor or not.

Relevance:

Facts for Prelims

About Ossification test: 

• This is a medical test that examines bones to find the age. This testing involves taking the x-rays of certain bones in the body. The bones are relating to the clavicle, sternum, and pelvis whereby their degree of growth can be ascertained about our bone.
• Because at particular ages in the development stage of a human, some bones join or become hard and fused with others, it can be considered as marking age.
• Such bones are selected due to the tendency that they tend to change dramatically in their form with age.
  • Example: The clavicle is one long bone. It connects the shoulder blade to the sternum. It gets ossified progressively by fusing growing plates as a person ages.
• Ossification in children and adolescents: This may be used to demonstrate how bones achieve hardness at selected ages.

Application of Ossification test

• It is widely utilized in forensic science and in legal fields to ascribe age to a person when that becomes necessary.
• It is also applied to some medical fields, such as monitoring the maturity of the skeleton in children with growth disorders.

-Source: Hindustan Times