DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th November 2024

Syllabus:

• Mains – GS 3

Context: Climate action and plans of action by various countries is drawing significant attention as United Nations’ annual meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COPs) progresses in Baku.

Background: –

• A few COPs ago, India committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. Since then, it has implemented several policies while others are in the works to support this transition. It is widely acknowledged that this journey will not be without challenges.

Why net-zero at all?

• The scientific consensus is that to avoid devastating and irreversible consequences, the world must keep the global average annual surface temperature rise to within 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. The current increase is at least 1.1 °C over that in 1880.
• The Sixth Assessment Report of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that from 2020, the remaining (cumulative) global carbon budget for limiting temperature rise to 1.5 °C is 400-500 billion tonnes (Gt) of CO2. Currently, annual global emissions are around 40 GtCO₂. This means net global emissions must drop drastically to stay within the carbon budget.

Is net-zero equitable?

• The developed world, having caused the problem of climate change in the first place, is expected to reach net-zero emissions well before 2050, allowing more time for developing countries to balance their development goals with climate action. These expectations aren’t being met, however.
• Developed countries are also expected to help finance climate action, but this hasn’t materialised at the required scale. Developing countries, especially those that are small islands, are bearing more than their fair share of the brunt of climate change.
• So overall, neither climate change nor climate action is currently equitable.

A new consumption corridor

• India’s lifestyle aspirations could easily become unsustainable in the long run, jeopardising our access to basic needs.
• In a scenario where consumption rises unchecked and India electrifies all end-use applications, the power demand could increase nine- to tenfold by 2070. Meeting it entirely via renewable energy will require more than 5,500 GW of solar and 1,500 GW of wind.
• This target is achievable if India’s only priority is to expand renewable energy generation capacity. But if India is to maintain food and nutritional security, increase forest cover, and preserve biodiversity as well, these energy targets will become challenging. Going beyond 3,500 GW solar and 900 GW wind will demand considerable land trade-offs.
• India has a tough balancing act to pull off: availing good quality of life to a large share of its population (which has significant material and energy implications) while working towards its climate adaptation and mitigation goals.
• To this end, it is important to recognise the pitfalls of economic models. For example, the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesises that beyond a threshold, economic growth can be decoupled from carbon emissions. In reality, even the richest countries haven’t achieved this decoupling.
• India need to envisage a long-term strategy incorporating ‘sufficiency consumption corridors’, with a floor well suited to meeting our developmental goals and a ceiling of excess that will help avoid unsustainable growth. Equally important are demand-side measures to help maintain this corridor of consumption that will keep us on a sustainable pathway.

Demand and supply measures

• Some of the demand-side measures include the use of better construction materials and passive design elements to provide thermal comfort that doesn’t require air-conditioning, energy-efficient appliances, public and/or non-motorised transport, local products to reduce the demand for long-haul freight, mindful dietary choices, and alternative fuels in industries.
• On the supply side as well, India needs to further decentralise energy production (including by the use of rooftop solar cells and of solar pumps for agriculture). Finally, it should continue to expand its nuclear power generation capacity.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus:

• Mains – GS 2 & GS 4

Context: National Press Day is celebrated annually on 16 November. The expansion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the rapid spread of information highlights the growing significance of media literacy in ensuring responsible journalism and countering misinformation. 

Background: –

• It is time to pause and understand our information needs, digital rights, and the algorithms shaping how information is presented and disseminated, and finally explore how to navigate the turbulent sea of information.

Building resilience against misinformation 

• Information is increasingly weaponised to breed mistrust, division and intolerance, and its unhindered proliferation jeopardises the larger goal of the well-being of an open and plural society. 
• In today’s media-saturated culture, truth has become the first casualty. It sets the seal on what Jonathan Swift, the outstanding Anglo-Irish satirist, asserted centuries ago, “Falsehood flies, and the truth comes limping after it”.

Develop a way with media literacy

• In an era where truth often takes a backseat, facts get smothered by emotional responses, primarily fuelled by social media. Information seekers ought to understand who creates the message, what purposes it serves, and what creative techniques are used to make lies indistinguishable from the truth. 
• Developing a distinct ability to analyse how political, religious, commercial, and ethnic allegiances affect human sensitivity is essential. This urgently needed skill can only be acquired if one understands and develops a way with media literacy – a widely used but least understood term. 
• Media literacy equips individuals to critically evaluate what is presented by the media as objective truth. It empowers us to find meaning between the lines, not on them. 
• Media literacy emphasises cultivating critical thinking, enabling individuals to resist being swayed by rhetorical flourishes or polemics (biased arguments). It exposes how both print media and digital platforms have the potential for manipulative persuasion and are often used to further vested interests. 
• To make us sensitive to religious, social, cultural and racial prejudices, media literacy harps on critical thinking so that one can realise that all beliefs and ideologies – whether rooted in religion, nationalism or other belief systems – often carry inherent biases.  

Four dimensions of media literacy 

• Renowned media scholar W. James Potter aptly asserted that all media messages include four dimensions:
  • 1. Cognitive: What sort of information is being transmitted?
  • 2. Emotional: The underlying feelings that are being conjured.
  • 3. Aesthetic: The artistic beauty and creativity of the design of the message.
  • 4. Moral: The values being conveyed through the message.
• These dimensions highlight that the intent of the message goes well beyond what meets the eye. For instance, the sale of adulterated sweets and savoury snack food was made the topic of talk shows on several channels during the recent festive season. However, few can comprehend the subtle nuances of discussions disguised in the idiom of public good. 
• At first sight, these discussions appear to show concerns for public health, informing viewers of the harmful effects of consuming adulterated sweets and snacks. However, during commercial breaks, a leading actor endorses a chocolate product, and a prominent actress promotes a snack brand.  It implies that people should shift from traditional festive treats like laddoos and samosa to products manufactured by multinationals. 
• Media literacy is of critical significance here as it empowers viewers to look beyond the surface. By understanding these nuances, viewers can make informed choices and resist being swayed by celebrity endorsements. 

Reshaping education with media literacy 

• The biggest threats to our collective well-being – misinformation, hate speech, conspiracy theories and othering of the marginalised sections – can only be countered through media literacy.
• Media literacy initiatives help us recognise how media frame issues, emphasising the significance of sourcing, authenticity, credibility and biases in mediated messages. 
• By fostering critical thinking, online and digital rights and social and emotional sensitivity, media literacy helps create an inclusive, participatory and open society that empowers people. 
• Media literacy enables one to uncover the obscured truths, question racial, religious and ethnic stereotypes and foster connectedness across diverse communities. 

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: At the Mitigation Work Programme (MWP), India said that developed countries have historically contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions.

Background:

• India said developed countries had “continuously shifted goals, delayed climate action, and consumed a highly disproportionate share of the global carbon budget.”

Key takeaways

• The Mitigation Work Programme (MWP) is an initiative established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to help countries scale up their mitigation ambition and implementation to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.
• The MWP was created two years ago at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Objectives:

• Scale Up Mitigation: The primary goal is to scale up mitigation efforts to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, with an aspirational target of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• Support National Contributions: Assist countries in implementing and enhancing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Foster Innovation: Generate discussions that are facilitative, constructive, innovative, and catalytic.
• Inclusive Participation: Ensure diverse participation from policymakers, stakeholders, and non-Party stakeholders.

Key Features:

• Global Dialogues: Conduct annual global dialogues and investment-focused events from 2023-2026 to discuss mitigation opportunities and challenges.
• Thematic Workshops: Host thematic workshops to share best practices, lessons learned, and overcome barriers to scaling up mitigation action.
• Sectoral Approaches: Consider sectoral approaches to identify cost-effective and scalable mitigation opportunities.
• Regional Focus: Address regional approaches to equity, sustainable development, and synergies with adaptation.

Source: Economic Times

Syllabus:

• Prelims – GEOGRAPHY

Context: Researchers have discovered meter-high chimneys on the floor of the Dead Sea. These are formed by the spontaneous crystallization of minerals from groundwater with an extremely high salt content flowing up out of the lake floor, the report in journal Science of the Total Environment.

Background: –

• Discovered for the first time, these vents are an important early warning indicator for sinkholes. These subsidence craters form in the area surrounding the Dead Sea and pose a significant hazard to the population.

Key takeaways

• The Dead Sea is a landlocked salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west.
• It is located in the Jordan Rift Valley, part of the Great Rift System.
• Salinity:
  • The Dead Sea is one of the saltiest water bodies on Earth, with a salinity of about 34%.
  • The high salinity prevents most aquatic life, hence the name “Dead Sea.”
• Lowest Point: It is the lowest point on Earth’s surface on land, sitting at approximately 430 meters below sea level and still dropping.
• Unique Properties:
  • The lake is rich in minerals, especially magnesium, bromide, and potassium, making it a hub for therapeutic and cosmetic products.
  • The high density of water allows people to float effortlessly.
• Formation:
  • Formed due to tectonic activity in the Jordan Rift Valley.
  • Fed mainly by the Jordan River, but with no outlets, leading to high evaporation rates.
• Environmental Concerns:
  • The Dead Sea is shrinking rapidly, with water levels dropping by over 1 meter annually due to diversion of the Jordan River and mineral extraction.
  • Sinkholes are increasingly forming in the region as a result of the declining water levels.
• Cultural and Historical Significance:
  • Mentioned in several historical and religious texts, including the Bible.
  • Nearby are significant archaeological sites, such as the Masada Fortress and Qumran Caves (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered).

Source: Science Daily

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – ENVIRONMENT

Context: India’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from burning fossil fuels are expected to increase by 4.6% in 2024, the highest among major economies, according to a new report by Global Carbon Project.

Background: –

• CO2 is one of the most important GHGs in the atmosphere and is the primary driver of anthropogenic climate change.

Key takeaways

• GHGs are those gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat. The Sun emits shortwave radiation or sunlight that passes through the atmosphere and is absorbed by the planet’s surface. Some of this sunlight is reflected back by the surface as infrared radiation (heat) which has a longer wavelength.
• GHGs such as CO2 and methane (CH4), which cannot absorb shortwave radiation, trap infrared radiation. 
• Studies have shown that CO2 has contributed more than any driver to climate change. In fact, CO2 is responsible for about 70% of global warming.
• In 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) compared the “radiative forcing” (RF) or heating effect of three different climate drivers: GHGs, aerosols, and land use change. It was found that between 1750 and 2011, CO2 had the highest positive RF, meaning it had the greatest warming effect on the planet.
• The analysis also showed that other GHGs such as CH4 or Hydrofluorocarbons (an entirely human-made GHG) which are much more potent — while CH4 is around 80 times more powerful than CO2, HFCs can be thousands of times more powerful — had less heating effect than CO2.
• There are two reasons for this. One, CO2 is much more abundant in the atmosphere compared to CH4 and HFCs. Since the onset of industrial times in the 18th century, human activities have raised atmospheric CO2 by 50%, which means the amount of CO2 is now 150% of its value in 1750.
• Two, CO2 remains in the atmosphere longer than the other major GHGs emitted due to human activities. It takes about a decade for CH4 emissions to leave the atmosphere (it converts into CO2) and about a century for nitrous oxide (N2O).
• Notably, water vapour is the most abundant GHG in the atmosphere. However, it has a short cycle (10 days on average) and does not build up in the atmosphere in the same way as CO2 does.

Source: Indian Express

Q1.) National Press Day is celebrated annually on

(a) November 16th

(b) November 1st

(c) November 21st

(d) November 18th

Q2.) With reference to the Mitigation Work Programme (MWP), consider the following statements:

1. The MWP was established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) during COP27.
2. The primary objective of the MWP is to address the loss and damage caused by climate change in vulnerable regions.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Q3.) Consider the following statements about the Dead Sea:

1. It is the lowest point on Earth’s surface on land.
2. The Dead Sea is primarily fed by the Euphrates River.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  Today’s – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) – d

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – a