Context

A study highlights the effect of  Climate Change in aggravating the  existing mental health conditions of the people.

Effects of Climate Change on Mental Health, the Study

A study was conducted to analyze the effect of the extreme heat event in the Canadian province of British Columbia in 2021 on people with 26 medical conditions, including heart disease, schizophrenia, chronic kidney disease, dementia, depression, Parkinson’s disease, and osteoporosis. The region recorded around 740 excess deaths during this 8 day extreme heat event.

• Published In: In the journal GeoHealth in 2023.
• Finding: 
  • People with mental health conditions are at a greater risk of succumbing to heat-related deaths with greater stakes for people diagnosed with schizophrenia, anxiety or bipolar disorder.
  • Of the 280 heat related deaths, 37 people had schizophrenia.
• Reason:
  • Malfunctioning Hypothalamus: Certain antipsychotic medications prescribed to people with schizophrenia do interfere with the hypothalamus’s workings with one of the side-effects is to raise the body’s temperature, which when coupled with anomalously high ambient temperatures can rapidly prove fatal
  • Other Risk Factors:  Marginalisation, lower economic status, and a propensity for loneliness are risk factors for people with schizophrenia, which can heighten the vulnerability to  heat-related illnesses
  • Aggravate existing condition: Schizophrenic patients often have psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganised thinking, and memory loss and anosognosia (a condition in which they’re unable to sense that they’re ill)
• Measures Taken:
  • Regular counselling: Schizophrenic patients can face  social isolation, which can be tackled with interventions like counselling and checking in on them regularly.
  • Role of Families  and caregivers: They  need to be more aware of the increased risk, identify potential risk factors and take prompt action to help their loved one during a heat wave.
  • Recognize heat symptoms: To educate  ourselves to recognise symptoms of heat-related illness and take emergency cooling measures will help ensure everyone’s safety during heat waves

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Context

Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers launched the MEDITECH STACKATHON 2024 in collaboration with CII in New Delhi.

Meditech Stackathon

It is an initiative designed to catalyze transformative change within India’s burgeoning MedTech sector by undertaking a comprehensive value chain analysis of select medical devices. 

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• Objective: To address critical challenges, foster domestic manufacturing, and reduce import dependence through close consultation with industry leaders, policymakers, and experts.
• Focus areas: It would deliberate in eight focused groups:
  • Cancer Therapy
  • Imaging
  • Critical Care
  • Assistive Medical Devices
  • Body Implants
  • Surgical instruments and Hospital Equipment
  • Consumables & Disposables
  • IVD Instruments and reagents

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Context

Social media influencers and celebrities are under scrutiny by the Supreme Court, which declared that they will bear equal responsibility for endorsing products or services in misleading advertisements.

• IMA’s Petition Against Patanjali’s Advertisements: The court heard a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against Patanjali’s advertisements attacking allopathy and making claims about curing certain diseases.

Ruling by the Supreme Court On Misleading Ads in India

• Responsibility of Advertisers and Endorsers: The advertisers or the advertising agencies or endorsers are equally responsible for issuing false and misleading advertisements. 
• Significance of Public Figures, Influencers, and Celebrities: It emphasized the significance of public figures, influencers, and celebrities endorsing products responsibly during advertisements. 
• Guidelines for Transparency: It highlighted the guidelines of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which stresses the importance of transparency regarding paid endorsements by influencers.
  • Guideline 8: about ads targeting or involving children) 
  • Guideline 12: responsibilities of manufacturers, service providers, and advertising agencies). 
    • This ensures that consumers’ trust is not compromised or taken advantage of due to their lack of knowledge.
  • Guideline 13: requires due responsibility to be taken for advertisements and requires a person who endorses a product to have adequate information or experience with the specific food product to be endorsed, and it must be ensured that it is not deceptive.
• Responsibility of Broadcasters: The court said broadcasters need to file the self-declaration on the Broadcast Seva portal run by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

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• • It further ordered the Central government to establish a new portal for filing such self-declaration forms for advertisements on print media. 
• Criticism of Directive to Omit Rule 170: The decision follows the Supreme Court’s criticism of the government’s directive regarding the handling of ads associated with Ayurvedic and Ayush products under Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, 1945.
  • The Ministry of Ayush directed all State/ UT Licensing Authorities and Drug Controllers of AYUSH regarding omission of Rule 170 (and related provisions) of the 1945 Rules. 
  • Rule 170 prohibits advertisements of Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs without licensing authorities’ approval. 

Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)

Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) is a regulatory body set up under Section 10(1) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, to handle matters affecting rights of consumers.

• • CCPA targets individuals or entities that follow improper trade practices or display inappropriate or wrong advertisements affecting public interest. 
• Composition: Chief Commissioner as head, and only two other commissioners as members, one of whom will deal with matters relating to goods while the other will look into cases relating to services.
• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

Key Provisions of Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Ads and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements 2022

• Prohibit Surrogate Advertisements: No surrogate advertisement (like Alcohol brands advertising for sodas/music) shall be made for goods or services whose advertising is prohibited or restricted.
• Prohibit Targeting Children: Advertisements that take advantage of children’s inexperience have been prohibited.
• Penalties: Violations may lead to penalties under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 and other relevant provisions of the law.
  • CCPA can impose a penalty of up to Rs 10 lakh on manufacturers, advertisers, and endorsers. For subsequent offences, a penalty can go up to Rs 50 lakh.

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Context

Recently, To revive the population of tigers, the Maharashtra forest department is planning to translocate tigers from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR)  to Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) by considering the importance of the Sahyadri-Konkan wildlife corridor.

Concerns Regarding the Population of Tigers in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve(STR)

The tiger population in the region has been historically low due to poaching, poor prey base, and changing habitat. 

• Even after the STR was notified, the number of tigers did not increase as breeding tigers did not colonize the reserve.
• However within the Boundaries of STR, Photo evidence & few and pugmark evidence has shown the presence of seven to eight tigers from time to time.

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Pipeline Process to Translocate of Tigers to  Sahyadri Tiger Reserve(STR)

Translocation is part of a long-term plan to revive the population of the big cats in the northern Western Ghats forests.

• The Translocation of tigers from TATR will be followed by their translocation from the Pench Tiger Reserve landscape, which is spread over Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. 
  • In all, the plan involves translocation of eight tigers : three males and five females.
• The translocation is part of the phase-II of the tiger recovery project; 
  • phase-I involves preparing the habitat for the big cats’ reintroduction, augmentation of prey, improving forest protection and building of a temporary enclosure for their soft release.
• The population can increase through the inflow of tigers from the forests, located towards the south of STR, in Goa and Karnataka, especially with the strengthening of the wildlife corridor. 

What are Wildlife Corridors?

Wildlife corridors are strips of habitats that connect larger landscapes or ecosystems which may be fragmented by human settlements, infrastructure and other forms of disturbances. These corridors allow for the movement of wildlife across ecosystems, to enable foraging for food, connecting different populations for mating and other motives for migration.

Two main categories Wildlife Corridors, Natural corridors and Man Made Corridors

Naturally established corridors have been created by natural circumstances and may have specific geographical features such as mountains and dense forests, entire expanses of land like plains or prairies; specific forest ecosystems such as tropical forests; or even a flowing water habitat which includes a river and its banks.

Man Made Corridors 

• Man-made corridors have been established by humans for supporting and maintaining biodiversity across many different environments.  
• The most common man-made corridors are the over and underpasses that were invented to avoid animal and human collisions via roads.
  • They also include smaller versions such as hedgerows on the edge of rural farmland. 

Currently, India recognises tiger and elephant corridors. As tigers and elephants are umbrella species, their protection benefits a host of other wildlife and flora that inhabit the same landscape.

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What is the Importance of the Sahyadri-Konkan Wildlife Corridor?

Sahyadri-Konkan Wildlife Corridor is a linear corridor spread north to south across the northern Western Ghats. It connects Sahyadri Tiger Reserve and Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary in Maharashtra with Kali Tiger Reserve and Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka as well as four protected areas in Goa, viz. Mollem National Park and Mhadei, Netravali, and Cotigao wildlife sanctuaries. 

The Purposes of Wildlife Corridors 

Wildlife corridors have three main purposes/effects in order to stabilize populations of species within local environments: 

• Colonization: species are able to move and occupy new areas in search of resources such as food, water and shelter. 
• Migration: species that relocate seasonally can do so safely, effectively and without humans impeding their pathway (or vice versa). 
• Genetic diversity: species have more mating options, which strengthens the overall population and reduces inter-breeding.

Benefits of Wildlife Corridors 

• Biodiversity Conservation :  Ecological connectivity fosters biodiversity conservation by maintaining ecological function across landscapes, providing essential corridors for plant and wildlife movement to sustain healthy populations. 
• Facilitate for Adaptation to Climate Change : Connected habitats enable species to move and adjust in response to changing climate conditions, enhancing species’ and ecosystem resilience to climate change. 
• Provision of Ecosystem Services : Wildlife corridors contribute to the provision of ecosystem services vital for both humans and wildlife, such as water purification, oxygen production, erosion control, and insect pollination of important food crops. 
• Some Additional Benefits of Wildlife Corridors Depending on their location, wildlife corridors can benefit urban, suburban, rural, and wild environments. 
  • Protect urban and suburban open space 
  • Protect our natural heritage and conserve biodiversity 
  • Improve environmental quality and quality of life 
  • Provide recreation opportunities 
  • Provide an opportunity for people to interact with nature, including educational opportunities that stimulate the senses and imagination 
  • Enhance property values (possibly)

Potential Negative Impacts of Wildlife Corridors

• Social Impact of Human-Wildlife Conflict : Connecting landscapes may lead to increased wildlife-human conflicts, especially near human settlements and recreational areas, potentially affecting public perception of large carnivores repopulating these areas. 
• Introduction of Harmful Species :  Corridors facilitate the movement of not only native species but also invasive, exotic, and harmful species, potentially disrupting local ecosystems and increasing the spread of pathogens, diseases, and harmful insects. 
• Altering of Aquatic Systems : Connecting aquatic systems can lead to the spread of disease, invasive fish and animals, and changes in habitat quality, such as increased water temperature, which may adversely affect aquatic biodiversity.

Wildlife Corridors Essentials for Tiger Conservation 

They are crucial for the long-term survival of the tiger population as they help guard against localized extinctions and ensure the exchange of gene flow, which helps in population diversity. 

• Tigers have large home ranges and often travel long distances in search of mates and food. 
  • In doing so, they make use of these wildlife corridors and cross several human-dominated landscapes. 
• Policy Decisions plays an important role 
  • Mitigation measures such as underpasses, and wildlife crossings are now routinely ordered to safeguard tigers and other wildlife in projects where linear infrastructure projects fragment habitats.
  • Earlier Successful Instances : The construction of an overpass on the National Highway- 7 to protect the migratory route of tigers underneath between the Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves is one instance of embedding mitigation measures to protect corridors.
    • Tigers routinely use the space beneath the elevated stretch of the highway to cross the forests.

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Context

Recently, The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has instructed all its schools to make use of educational material which will focus on learning in one’s mother tongue and encourage multilingual education.

CBSE emphasizing on promoting Regional language in learning

In the Recent Circular of the CBSE in line with the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework 2022, which emphasize teaching and learning in the child’s mother tongue, or regional and local language.

• National Council for Educational Research and Training and the Indian Institute of Languages have collaborated to produce a series of 52 entry-level primers tailored to various mother tongues and local languages spoken across India.
• The CBSE has said that these primers should be used to aid students in acquiring and mastering language skills early on, particularly if their mother tongue or local language is not the medium of instruction in schools. 

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52 Primers initiative

The 52 primers or short textbooks in Indian languages is going to be a transformational step for young learners, especially for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), providing them access to education in their mother tongue/local language. 

• Developed by: the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) in pursuance to National Education Policy, 2020.
• Features : 
  • It forms a basal reader for the local language,
  • It introduce numerals to the kids of Balvatikas and Anganwadis,
  • It gives impetus to adult literacy programmes.
  • It helps in pronunciation and comprehension of the letters of the alphabet and symbols of a language. 
  • It helps Children to become familiar with the meaning of one or more sets of letters made through their combinations in initial, medial and final positions in a word..
• Utility & Importance :
  • It will initiate an inspirational journey for young minds, paving the way for deeper understanding, lifelong learning, more familiarity and rootedness in indigenous culture and greater success in academics and beyond.
  • Due to challenges of multilingual teaching like availability of skilled teachers for teaching in local languages. 
    • These primers will help in teaching children from three to eight years of age in their local language at the foundational stage.
  • Bhutia, Bodo, Garo, Khandeshi, Kinnauri, Kuki, Manipuri, Nepali, Sherpa and Tulu are some of the languages the primers are available in.

Importance of Regional Language

Regional languages encapsulate traditions, folklore, and centuries-old wisdom, fostering a connection to cultural heritage. 

• To Nurture Young Minds through Linguistic Diversity : 
  • Impact on Cognitive Development :  Multilingualism enhances cognitive development, challenging the brain and stimulating problem-solving skills and creativity.
  • Holistic Intellectual Toolkit :  Language learning provides a holistic intellectual toolkit, extending beyond language proficiency to encompass cognitive flexibility. 
• To Foster a Sense of Belonging : Language fosters belonging by creating a shared space where students feel acknowledged and valued. 
• To Embrace Cultural Diversity in Education :  Emphasizing regional languages in education connects students with diverse cultures and preserves traditions. 
• Impact of New Education Policy 2020 :  The implementation of the New Education Policy 2020 in India promotes education in regional languages to preserve cultural heritage and enhance cognitive understanding.

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Context

CRISPR-Cas9 (a human gene editing tool) was used to treat  people with a rare form of inherited or congenital blindness. 

Crispr-Cas9 and Inherited Blindness

• Published In:  The New England Journal of Medicine
• The Study:
• The Clinical trial was named BRILLIANCE with 14 participants (12 adults and two children).
  •  They suffered from a rare form of inherited blindness, known as Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) and is the first to use gene therapy to treat children who had been born with a form of blindness.

• Test: The study tested how well participants could see colored lights, navigate a small maze in varying amounts of light, and read from a chart after receiving the treatment.
• Treatment: Participants in the study received a single dose of a CRISPR gene therapy called EDIT-101.
  • The treatment cuts out the mutation in CEP290 and inserts a healthy strand of DNA back into the gene which restores normal function of the protein CEP290, allowing the retina to detect light.
• Findings: 11 out of 14 participants experienced improved vision overall with 6 participants having major improvements and could identify objects and letters on a chart.
  • EDIT-101 caused no serious adverse side effects in participants. Some patients reported mild adverse effects which resolved quickly.

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Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR-Cas9)

• It is a Gene Editing tool and is a precise way of altering DNA. It cuts out specific strands of DNA, and replaces them with new strands.
• CRISPR: It is the DNA-targeting part of the system which consists of an RNA molecule, or ‘guide’, designed to bind to specific DNA bases through complementary base-pairing.
• Cas9: It stands for CRISPR-associated protein 9, & is the nuclease part that cuts the DNA.
• The CRISPR-Cas9 system: The technology was adapted from a naturally occurring genome editing system used by bacteria as an immune defense. 
  • It helps the organisms recognise and fight off similar viruses in the future by acting  like an immune system. 
• Recognition:  In 2020, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for discovering CRISPR-Cas9.
• Application: Researchers use CRISPR to edit DNA precisely and can be used for various purposes
  • Treating genetic diseases 
  • Creating drought-resistant plants 
  • Modifying food crops
  • De-extinction projects. 
• Future Scope: 
  • As of now, only one CRISPR treatment has been approved for clinical use ie. Casgevy (a treatment for sickle-cell disease) available in the US, the UK, and the EU since December 2023.
• Ongoing clinical trials: Other CRISPR therapies  are being tested for HIV/AIDS, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and antibiotic resistance with more  than 200 people been treated with experimental CRISPR technologies.

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Context

The Global Plastics Treaty, recently finished its fourth round of negotiations with the goal of ending plastic use.

About The Global Plastics Treaty

Global Plastics Treaty is an international treaty Legally binding agreement for plastics. The resolution for this treaty was passed during the resumed fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) in March 2022.

• Objective: This agreement aims to eliminate the use of plastics
  • It  addresses the entire life cycle of plastics, including design, production, and disposal.
• Members: It involves over 175 United Nations countries.

Challenges in Reaching Agreement on Global Level

• Economic Impact on Oil Producers: Countries like Saudi Arabia, the US, and Russia, heavily reliant on the oil industry, fear strict limitations on plastic production could cripple their economies.
• Lack of Specific Reduction Target: The proposed year of 2040 for plastic reduction is a point of contention. 
  • Some nations advocate for a faster timeline, while others push for a more gradual approach.
• Voting vs. Consensus: There’s debate on the voting process for resolving treaty disputes
  • It involves debate on whether contentious issues should be decided by majority vote or require agreement from all countries (effectively giving each a veto).

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• Developing Country Needs: India, representing many developing nations, demands financial assistance, technology transfer, and capacity building to implement alternatives to plastics. 
  • This echoes the “common but differentiated responsibility” principle used in climate talks.
• Unequal Plastic Pollution Burden: There are issues in plastic pollution reduction as  not all countries contribute equally to plastic pollution. 
  • Therefore, there is a need to address the varying capabilities of different nations.

India’s Efforts and Challenges in Combating Plastic Pollution

• Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules (2021): In 2022, India took a significant step by implementing the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules (2021) to address plastic pollution.
• Challenges:
  • Limited Scope of the Ban: The rules banned 19 categories of single-use plastics; however, plastic bottles, even those less than 200 ml, and multi-layered packaging boxes, such as milk cartons, were not included.
  • Inconsistent Enforcement: Despite the ban, enforcement remains inconsistent across the nation, with many outlets continuing to sell single-use plastic items.
  • Need for Affordable Alternatives: Widespread adoption of plastic alternatives requires greater investment to make them affordable for consumers and businesses.

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Context

The Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) adopted a work plan focused on assessing country landscapes, drafting policy frameworks, and conducting biofuel workshops.

Biofuels and Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA)

• Immediate Goals Set at Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) Meeting: These were adopted as immediate goals during a recent meeting of the body held on the sidelines of the G20 deliberations in Brazil. The GBA has scheduled a review of these goals for July.
• India’s Proposals for Biofuel Advancement: India has suggested three potential workstreams to support biofuel trade, increase awareness in biofuels, and identify support mechanisms for enhanced adoption of biofuels.
• Uncertainty Surrounding GBA Secretariat and Governance Structure: The launch date or location of the GBA’s new secretariat could not be clarified.
  • Moreover, discussions on establishing a governance structure and charter would also take time.

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Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA)

Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) is a multi-stake holder alliance of Governments, International Organizations and Industries launched on the sidelines of the 2023 G20 summit. It acknowledged “the importance of sustainable biofuels in our zero and low-emission development strategies” and “the establishment of a Global Biofuels Alliance.”

• Members Countries: It is an initiative by India launched with nine initiating members–India, US, Brazil, Argentina, Bangladesh, Italy, Mauritius, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates–while Canada and Singapore are observer countries. 
  • Currently, 24 members have signed up for GBA.
  • GBA Members constitute major producers and consumers of biofuels. 
  • For Example: USA (52 per cent), Brazil (30 percent) and India (3 percent), contribute about 85 per cent share in production and about 81 per cent in consumption of ethanol.
• Aim: To accelerate the worldwide adoption of biofuels by:
  • Promoting technological advancements
  • Increasing the use of sustainable biofuels
  • Establishing robust standards and certification processes through the active involvement of a wide range of stakeholders.
• Commitment to Second-Generation (2G) Ethanol Production: GBA is committed to producing second-generation (2G) ethanol, derived from agricultural waste, used cooking oil, and processed animal byproducts like fats.

Significance of Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) for India

• Catalysing Biofuel Programs: Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) will help accelerate India’s existing biofuel programs such as PM-JIVAN Yojna, SATAT, and GOBARdhan scheme.
• Increased Collaboration for Indian Industries: The alliance will focus on collaboration and will provide additional opportunities to Indian industries in the form of exporting technology and equipment. 
• Global Leadership in Climate and Sustainability: The GBA will elevate India’s status as a leader in climate and sustainability, while also strengthening its role as the representative of the Global South. 
  • India will assist in enabling lower and middle-income countries to initiate their own biofuels programs.
• Achieving Energy Transition: It is aimed at helping India’s transition to alternative fuels as the country seeks to achieve its net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2070.
  • The current daily production of biogas and compressed bio gas in India is 1151 MT. With a concerted effort in the sector, estimates suggest that this could increase to 1750 MT per day by 2025.
• Increasing Share in Global Biofuel Procurement: According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global procurement of biofuels was around 171.2 billion liters in 2022, with India’s contribution standing at just 2.7%, equivalent to 4.6 billion liters. 
  • However, India is the third-largest ethanol producer globally, following the United States and Brazil. Aligning with Brazil and the US within GBA will help India to address this gap.
• Economic Growth: It will contribute to increased farmers’ income, creating jobs and overall development of the Indian ecosystem.

About Biofuels

The International Energy Agency (IEA) defines biofuels as “liquid fuels derived from biomass and used as an alternative to fossil fuel based liquid transportation fuels such as gasoline, diesel and aviation fuels.” Biofuels are usually liquid fuels created using organic materials, such as biomass and natural waste. Typical materials used to make biofuels are sugar cane, corn and soybeans.

Common Types of Biofuels:

• Bioethanol: It is made from fermenting sugar and starch crops such as corn, sugarcane or wheat & is used primarily as a gasoline substitute in the transportation sector.
• Biodiesel: It is made from vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled restaurant grease. This biofuel is commonly blended with diesel fuel for use in diesel engines.
• Biogas: It is produced by anaerobic digestion of organic matter like agricultural waste or sewage. It can be burnt to generate electricity or used as a fuel for vehicles.
  • Anaerobic digestion is the process of breaking down plant or animal matter by microbial action in the absence of air, to produce a gas with a high methane content) 
• Electrofuels:  Also known as e-fuels, a class of bio-synthetic fuels (E-fuels, like e-methane, e-kerosene and e-methanol), are all fuels in gas or liquid form that are produced from renewables like, from solar or wind power or decarbonised electricity. 
  • Such fuels have the potential to reduce emissions significantly, while being suitable for combustion engine applications.

Status of Biofuel Sector in India:

• Primary source: Sugar cane is the primary source of ethanol production, supplemented by food grains like maize and excess rice inventories assessed by the Food Corporation of India.
• Pricing Mechanism: India has also introduced separate pricing for maize-based ethanol and expanded to include ethanol from various sources like cotton stalks, wheat straw, rice straw, bagasse, and bamboo.
• Ethanol Blending: Ethanol blending in gasoline production and consumption in India has nearly quadrupled from 2018 to 2023, reaching almost 12 percent (equivalent to seven percent on an energy basis).
• Promotion of CBG: India has been actively promoting compressed bio-gas (CBG) as a clean fuel derived from waste. 
  • The Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) Programme has played a crucial role in establishing 46 CBG plants and the sale of around 16,164 tonnes of CBG as of March 2023.
  • India successfully conducted its first commercial passenger flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend produced domestically to address decarbonisation in the aviation sector. 
  • The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has established the Bio-Aviation Turbine Fuel Programme Committee to further advance the programme in the country.

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Advantages of Biofuels

• Reducing Import Dependency and Enhancing Energy Security: Biofuels, if produced with the right feedstock, can lower the dependence on fossil fuels, especially for countries such as India that rely on fossil fuel imports to meet their energy needs. 
  • India imports 85% of its oil and 50% of its natural gas requirements. Replacing some of this with biofuels can help enhance energy security and lower import bills. 
  • India has increased its ethanol blending target from 10% to 20% by 2025 instead of 2030. With this move, India is expected to save Rs. 450 billion in oil imports and 63 million tonnes of oil annually. 
• Decarbonisation of Transport Sector: Biofuels have lower emissions intensity than fossil fuels and therefore can play a crucial role in decarbonizing transport – particularly in hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation.
• Advantages Over Electric Vehicles: Compared with switching to electric vehicles(EV), biofuels can often be used in existing vehicle engines, with no or very few changes needed.
  • Biofuels can also be blended with traditional vehicle fuels such as gasoline and diesel to reduce emissions from these fuels.
• Utilization of Organic Waste: Many biofuels can be produced from waste and used in place of fossil fuels. 
  • For instance, biogas can be generated from press mud, animal waste, crop residue, and municipal waste with 45-75% methane content by volume, which can be used in cooking, heating, and power generation. 
• Solution for Stubble Burning:  Biogas can also offer a solution to stubble generation and its subsequent burning, a significant cause of air pollution. 
  • Punjab and Haryana produce a total of 25.5 million tonnes of crop stubble on average every year. This can yield 116 million cubic metres (m3) of biogas, as 10 kg of agriculture residue can produce 2.2 standard cubic metre of biogas. 
  • Producing one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity requires only 0.75 m3 of biogas, while 0.24 m3 of biogas is sufficient per person per day of cooking.

Challenges with Biofuels

• Unsustainable Method of Biofuel Production: In India, biofuel is synonymous with first-generation (1G) ethanol which is primarily sourced from food crops. 
  • The policy target in India of achieving 20% ethanol blending with petrol (E20) by 2025-26 is expected to be met almost entirely by 1G ethanol made from sugar cane and foodgrains. 
  • Second-generation (2G) ethanol, which is made from crop wastes and residues, is unlikely to contribute much to achieving this target due to several challenges related to feedstock supply chain and scaling up.
• Environmental Impacts: Building the necessary infrastructure for biofuel production requires substantial investment and may lead to deforestation, as fertile land is converted for crop cultivation. 
  • Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC): It can also lead to the conversion of land, such as forests and wetlands, into agricultural land – a process known as indirect land use change (ILUC). 
    • This could result in increased levels of GHG in the atmosphere by reducing the presence of natural “carbon sinks” – plants and soil that can store carbon.
  • GHG Emissions from Agriculture: The agriculture sector poses significant challenges in terms of reducing direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 
    • Thus, elevating GHG emissions from this sector to produce motor fuel to decrease GHG emissions from the transport sector creates an balancing loop that would yield minimal net benefit.
• Dependency on Surplus Crop Production Unsustainable: Global warming is expected to reduce crop yields, which means that the same area under cultivation (arable land) will produce less with time but will need to suffice for a growing population. 
  • As per the European Environment Agency, using more organic material to produce biofuels can reduce the availability of crops for food production.
• Impact on Agricultural Productivity: The increased use of water resources for growing sugarcane leads to groundwater depletion impacting agricultural productivity.

Way Forward

• Utilising Leftover/Used Cooking Oil:  The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that biodiesel made from leftover cooking oil alone could replace up to five percent of diesel use in India. 

• • Utilising around 1.5 million tonnes of potential spent cooking oil in India could cover five percent of its diesel consumption by 2027.
• Sustainable Feedstock:  There needs to be a clear focus on using sustainable feedstock for producing biofuels and on technological advancements to enable the use of advanced materials as feedstock. 
  • Sustainable’ biofuels are produced from crop residues and other wastes, with low water and GHG footprint. 
  • Ex- Exploring alternative ingredients for biofuels such as algae.
• Promoting Economies of Scale: Balancing economies of scale with the energy needs (and costs) of biomass collection and transport across large distances is a major challenge. 
  • 2G ethanol could serve as a viable sustainable fuel if production is decentralized, eliminating the need for long-distance transportation of crop residues to centralized manufacturing facilities. 
• Prioritizing Biomass Utilization: The Energy Transitions Commission, in its report titled ‘Bioresources within a Net-Zero Emissions Economy,’ suggests prioritizing biomass utilization in sectors facing a scarcity of low-carbon alternatives. 
  • Specifically, long-haul aviation and road freight industries, where full electrification may be more challenging to achieve promptly could benefit from this approach. 
  • Conversely, sectors like petrol vehicles, currently targeted for ethanol blending, may not align as closely with this recommendation.
• Role of Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA):
  • Comprehensive Guidelines for Biofuel Value Chains: It should set the guidelines for upstream (feedstock, land issues), midstream (chemical pathways for conversion) and downstream (blending and retailing) value chains.
    • This will ensure that there is no added environmental damage from biofuels. There needs to be a complete life cycle assessment of biofuels, beyond reducing end-use emissions.
  • Dynamic Goals for Forum Advancement: Forum should not be limited to being a stagnant platform. Rather, it should have specific goals to be achieved in the short and medium terms. In the context of India, immediate objectives could involve:
    • Strengthening the biomass supply chains
    • Transferring technology for the efficient production of second-generation ethanol from agricultural residue
    • Showcasing pilot-scale production facilities for SAF
    • Promoting sustainable financial support for bioenergy initiatives.
  • Leveraging Existing Consortiums: GBA must build on the work done by similar consortiums, such as the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) and the Clean Energy Ministerial Biofuture Platform. 

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• • • The Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) could use GBEP’s set of 24 science-based sustainability indicators for bioenergy to enable informed decision-making. 
  • Promoting Economies of Scale: The Global Biofuel Alliance could help drive innovation and technology development in establishing an efficient biomass supply chain and smaller-scale decentralised biofuel production units.

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