DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st April 2025

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Context: While global temperatures have been rising rapidly, not every region has been warming at the same rate. Europe, for example, has warmed about twice as much as the world as a whole, as highlighted by the 2024 European State of the Climate Report.

Decoding the context: The European State of Climate Report — an annual publication of Copernicus Climate Change Service, which is part of the European Commission — captures climate trends in Europe, and is published in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organisation.

Learning Corner:

• The new edition of the report has said that the year 2024, which was the warmest ever for the planet, was the warmest for Europe as well, though there was a distinct East-West contrast within the continent. Eastern Europe was sunny and warm, while the western part was cloudier and wetter.
• The planet as a whole has seen its annual average temperature rise by about 1.3 degree Celsius from the pre-industrial baseline (the average of 1850-1900), though the year 2024 breached the 1.5 degree Celsius warming for the first time.
• Europe, however, has seen its average annual temperature rise by about 2.4 degree Celsius compared with pre-industrial times.

Factors Contributing to Greater Warming in Europe

• Arctic effect: A substantial part of Europe lies in the Arctic region. In fact, Europe has the largest inhabited landmass in the polar region. And the warming around the poles, particularly the North Pole, is much more pronounced.
• The reason for greater warming in the Arctic is the albedo effect. Melting Arctic ice exposes darker surfaces (land/water), which absorb more solar radiation than reflective ice. The melting of ice sheets is a little less in Antarctica, because of which warming in Antarctica is less pronounced than that in the Arctic.
• Warming is not uniform over the entire planet. Land areas have warmed more than the oceans, and higher-latitude areas have warmed more than tropical areas.
• Reduction in aerosols: Another factor contributing to higher warming rate in Europe is the reduction in aerosols emissions, the State of Climate report said. This is ironic since reduction in aerosols points to reduced air pollution and cleaner air to breathe.
• Aerosols are able to scatter sunlight back so that there is less absorption of solar radiation by the Earth’s surface. Aerosols also help in cloud formation and clouds, in turn, have an impact on how much sunlight is reflected or absorbed.
• Europe having relatively cleaner air and less emission of aerosols contributes to a faster warming.

Source : Indian Express

Category: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Context: The Axiom Mission 4 will see India, Poland, and Hungary’s first government-sponsored human spaceflight in more than 40 years next month.

Decoding the context: Among the studies set to be carried out in the mission is ISRO’s Voyager Tardigrades project, which will investigate the revival, survival, and reproduction of tardigrades – creatures that have long fascinated scientists.

Learning Corner:

Water Bears Or Tardigrades

• Tardigrades are microscopic, eight-legged animals measuring 0.1 to 0.5 millimetres, found across terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments worldwide, and are renowned for surviving extreme conditions—from arid deserts to the heights of the Himalayas.
• They can also go without food or water for up to years, although their average lifespan is not more than a decade.
• Remarkable resilience has enabled tardigrades to survive on Earth for approximately 600 million years and makes them likely to endure significant climatic changes in the foreseeable future.
• Survival Mechanism – Cryptobiosis:
  • Enter a hibernation-like state by curling into a ball called a tun.
  • They retract legs and head into their cuticle (exoskeleton) and shut down almost all body processes.
  • Resume normal activity when favorable conditions return.

Why is ISRO taking Tardigrades to space?

• Tardigrades are the only known animals capable of surviving even in the cold vacuum of Space. 
• In 2007, a crewless Russian capsule on a European Space Agency (ESA) mission exposed some 3,000 tardigrades to the vacuum of space for 10 days, and they were left out there in low-Earth orbit. Over two-thirds of the animals survived the mission and even gave birth to offspring upon returning to Earth.
• The ISRO project will examine the revival of dormant tardigrades, count the number of eggs laid and hatched during a mission, and compare the gene expression patterns of spaceflown vs. ground control populations. 
• The research seeks to identify molecular mechanisms of resilience, potentially furthering understanding about the limits of life in extreme environments.

Source : Indian Express

Category: INTERNATIONAL

Context: India has called out attempts to introduce new parameters such as religion and faith as the basis for representation in a reformed UN Security Council, asserting that this runs completely counter to the accepted basis of regional representation.

Decoding the context: India asserted that a consolidated model that does not cover expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, would not achieve the purpose of reform.

Learning Corner:

Establishment and Legal Basis:

• Created under the UN Charter (1945), Chapter V (Articles 23-32) outlines the UNSC’s composition, powers, and procedures.
• Article 23: Establishes the UNSC with 15 members—5 permanent (P5: USA, Russia, China, UK, France) and 10 non-permanent, elected for 2-year terms.
• Article 24: Confers primary responsibility for peace and security, with decisions binding on all UN members.
• Article 27: Grants veto power to P5 on substantive issues, requiring 9/15 votes for decisions.

Composition and Functions:

• Permanent Members (P5): China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Hold veto power, reflecting post-WWII geopolitical realities.
• Non-Permanent Members: 10 (elected by the UN General Assembly for a two-year term based on regional representation, not eligible for immediate re-election).
• Functions:
  • Authorize peacekeeping missions, sanctions, and military actions.
  • Address threats to peace.
  • Approve the admission of new UN members (on recommendation from the General Assembly).
  • Recommend appointment of the UN Secretary-General.

India’s Engagement:

• Non-Permanent Member: Served 8 terms (most recently 2021-2022), advocating for reforms and counter-terrorism measures.
• G4 Advocacy: India, with Brazil, Germany, and Japan, seeks permanent membership to reflect contemporary global realities (1.4 billion population, 5th largest economy).

Positions of various groups

• The G4 nations reiterated that any reform not accompanied by expansion of both permanent and non-permanent categories is incomplete in the view of the broad membership.
• The Uniting for Consensus (UfC) Group comprising Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Malta, Mexico, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, San Marino, Spain, Turkiye and Italy, maintains its position of increasing the number of Security Council seats exclusively in the non-permanent category.
• UfC proposes a 27-member Security Council, without any increase in the number of permanent members, which currently stands at five.

Source : The Hindu

Category: GEOGRAPHY

Context: China is now stepping up its game in the Yellow Sea by constructing a massive steel rig, following similar aggressive posturing in the South China Sea.

Decoding the context: This development has become a fresh source of conflict between China and South Korea.

Learning Corner:

• The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean.
• Location: Lies between mainland China (west/north) and the Korean Peninsula (east), north of the East China Sea, bounded by the Yangtze River mouth to Jeju Island.
• It derives its name from the yellowish color of its waters, caused by sand particles from the Yellow River (Huang He) in China.
• Key Features: Includes Bohai Sea (northwest), Socotra Rock (Ieodo), and numerous islands (e.g., Jeju).
• Important Ports:
  • China: Tianjin, Qingdao, Dalian
  • South Korea: Incheon
  • North Korea: Nampo

Strategic Importance:

• Economic Value: Supports fishing (10% of China’s fish catch), potential oil/gas reserves, and major shipping lanes (e.g., Qingdao port).
• Military Significance: Hosts Chinese naval bases (e.g., Qingdao, PLAN North Sea Fleet) and South Korean assets (e.g., Incheon).
• Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ): Established in 2001 by China and South Korea to manage overlapping Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), allowing joint fishing but prohibiting unilateral structures.

Disputes and Issues:

• EEZ Overlap: China and South Korea’s 200-nautical-mile EEZs overlap due to the sea’s narrow width (~400 miles), with no finalized maritime boundary despite negotiations since 2015.
• Socotra Rock (Ieodo): Submerged reef claimed by both (80 miles from South Korea’s Marado, 155 miles from China’s Sheshan). South Korea’s research station (2003) and China’s buoys (2014) fuel tensions.

Source : Economic Times

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Context: Every year on April 22, people around the world come together to celebrate Earth Day to raise awareness about environmental issues and encourage action to protect it. 

Decoding the context: Earth Day 2025’s theme is “Our power, our planet,” an idea centered on taking action through education, advocacy and community support.

Learning Corner:

• Born in 1970 amid growing public concern over pollution, deforestation, and industrial waste, the inaugural Earth Day was the brainchild of U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson and led by activist Denis Hayes.
• Global Reach: Coordinated by EARTHDAY.ORG (formerly Earth Day Network), now celebrated in 190+ countries, with 1 billion participants annually.
• Objectives:
  • Raise awareness about environmental issues: climate change, pollution, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.
  • Promote sustainable practices: renewable energy, waste reduction, and conservation.
  • Mobilize governments, businesses, and citizens for policy changes and grassroots action.

Source : NDTV

Q1.Which of the following statements about the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is/are correct?

1. The UNSC has 15 members, including 10 permanent and 5 non-permanent members.
2. India is a founding member of the UNSC.
3. Substantive decisions require at least 9 votes, including concurrence of all five permanent members.

Select the correct answer using the codes below:
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 3 only
D) 1 and 3 only

Q2.The Yellow Sea is bordered by which of the following countries?

1. China
2. Japan
3. South Korea
4. North Korea

Select the correct answer using the codes below:
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 1, 3 and 4 only
C) 1, 2, 3 and 4
D) 2 and 4 only

Q3.Consider the following statements regarding Earth Day:

1. Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 to promote awareness about environmental protection.
2. The first Earth Day was celebrated by the United Nations in 1970.
3. The Earth Day 2025 theme is “Planet vs. Plastics”.

Which of the statements is/are correct?
A) 1 only
B) 1 and 2 only
C) 2 and 3 only
D) All of the above

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) – b

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – b