Context: In the last two financial years – 2021-22 and 2022-23 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA)  over 10 lakh fake mgnrega job cards have been deleted.

Mgnrega Job Cards Deletions: 2021-22 and 2022-23

• In 2021-22, 3.06 lakh job cards were deleted in the NREGS due to reasons categorized as ‘fake mgnrega job cards.’
• In the subsequent year, 7.43 lakh job cards were deleted during 2022-23.
• State-wise Deletions: Fake Job Cards
  • Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of deleted fake job cards, with 67,937 in 2021-22 and a substantial increase to 2.96 lakh in 2022-23.
  • Madhya Pradesh followed closely, with 50,817 fake mgnrega job cards deleted in 2021-22 and 1.14 lakh in 2022-23.
  • West Bengal reported significantly lower figures, with only 388 fake mgnrega job cards deleted in 2021-22 and an increase to 5,263 in 2022-23.
  • Reasons for Deletion: Though the deletion and issuance of new job cards are routine practices, the primary reason behind these deletions is implementing the Aadhaar-based Payment System (ABPS),  according to the Economic and Political Weekly.
  • In January 2023, MoRD mandated using ABPS to process all wage payments in MGNREGA, starting from February 1, 2023.

News Source: The Indian Express

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Context:  A state-wise study on beaches facing coastal erosion has been conducted by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM).

Third of India’s Coastline Vulnerable to Erosion

• Overall status of coastline: 33.6 percent of the Indian coastline is vulnerable to erosion, 26.9 percent is under accretion (growing) and 39.6 percent is in a stable state.
  • As per a study by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), over one-third of India’s coastline is susceptible to erosion.
  • Human activity and natural processes are responsible for the shoreline changes. 
• Goa: Of the 50 beaches surveyed, 22 are suffering erosion and 28 are experiencing accretion.Andhra Pradesh: Of the 116 beaches surveyed, 35 are vulnerable to erosion while the remaining beaches are experiencing accretion.
• Other states: Up to 21 beaches out of the 31 in Maharashtra, 13 out of 22 in Kerala, nine out of 21 in Tamil Nadu, and 13 out of 18 in Karnataka face erosion.
• Impact: The retreating coastline would have a negative impact on fishing communities’ livelihoods.
• Framing CZMP: Chief secretaries of all the coastal states and Union Territories have been requested to finalize the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).
  • CZMP also includes mapping of erosion prone areas and preparation of a shoreline management plan for identified eroding stretches.

Also Read: Global Coastal Adaptation Efforts: Gaps

What is Coastal erosion?

• It refers to the rise of local sea level rise. Sands, sediments, and/or rocks along the shore are either carried away or eroded by strong wave action and coastal flooding. 
• Coastal erosion gives rise to various distinctive geoforms and landforms  such as cliffs, beaches, sea caves.
• Factors causing Coastal Erosion:
  • Waves: As waves approach the shoreline, they carry kinetic energy that is transferred to the coastal landforms and cause erosion.
  • Ocean Currents: Longshore currents move parallel to the shoreline and can transport sediments in a lateral direction, contributing to erosion and sediment deposition in certain areas 
  • Tides: Tidal forces exerted by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun can influence coastal erosion

What measures can be taken to prevent coastal erosion?

• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification, 2019: It aims to conserve and protect coastal stretches and marine areas, and to ensure livelihood security to fisherfolk and other local communities.
  • No Development Zones (NDZ): It provides for NDZ along various categories of coastal areas to protect India’s coastline from encroachment and erosion.
• Hazard Mapping: MoEF&CC has delineated the hazard line for the Indian coastline.
• Mitigation measures: They have been taken up at Puducherry and Chellanam in Kerala, which helped in restoration and protection of coastal areas lost at Puducherry.
• Technical support: It has been extended to the coastal states in creating shoreline management plans and designing coastal protection measures at vulnerable zones.

News Source: Indian Express

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Context: According to the publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary “rizz,”   is the word of the year for 2023.

What Does Rizz Mean?

• According to Oxford University Press (OUP), which publishes the Oxford English Dictionary, Rizz is a colloquial noun defined as style, charm, attractiveness, and the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner.
  • Many believe the term is a shortened version of the word “charisma”.
• Other Words in Competition to Rizz’s are Situationship, Prompt, De-influencing, and Swiftie.
• Previous words chosen by OUP have included Vax (2021), Climate Emergency (2019), and, by public vote for the first time, Goblin Mode (2022).

How is the Word of The Year chosen and why did Rizz win it?

• Typically, the Word of the Year chosen by Oxford relies on evidence of usage derived from its regularly updated corpus, which comprises over 22 billion words. These words are sourced from news outlets spanning the English-speaking world.
• Oxford language experts selected Rizz from a pool of eight words, weighing their cultural and linguistic heft with more than 32,000 votes from the public on social media and the Oxford Languages website.

Source: Indian Express

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Context: India announced a $250 million line of credit to Kenya for modernizing its agricultural sector.

Line of Credit to Kenya

• A Presidential visit from Kenya is taking place after a period of over 6 years and is expected to strengthen and invigorate the bilateral relations between the two countries.Both Countries issued a vision document for maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean. 
• The five agreements signed by the two sides includes memorandum of understanding (MoU) 
  • On sharing successful solutions for digital transformation, 
  • between Indira Gandhi National Open University and the Open University of Kenya, 
  • on agreement on culture exchanges for the period 2023-27, 
  • on the Bureau of Indian Standards and Kenya Bureau of Standards, and 
  • on cooperation in sports.
• Kenya has decided to join the Global Biofuels Alliance and the International Solar Alliance.

India-Kenya Relations: Bilateral Trade, and Economic Cooperation

• About: India and Kenya are maritime neighbors. The contemporary ties between India and Kenya have evolved into a robust and multi-faceted partnership, marked by regular high-level visits, increasing trade and investment and extensive people-to-people contacts. 
• Bilateral Trade: An India-Kenya Trade Agreement was signed in 1981, under which both countries accorded Most Favoured Nation status to each other.
  • India was Kenya’s largest trading partner in 2014-15 with bilateral trade of US$ 4.235 billion.
• Investment: According to the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest), India is the second largest investor in Kenya. Over 60 major Indian companies have invested in various sectors including manufacturing, real estate, pharmaceuticals, telecom, IT & ITES, banking and agro-based industries.
• Development Cooperation: India offers development assistance to Kenya through loans and credit.  A LOC agreement of US$ 100 million for the Agricultural Mechanization Project was also  signed in January 2017.
• Indian Community and Diaspora in Kenya: Indians were trading with the Swahili coast since early A vibrant community of persons of Indian origin presently numbered around 80,000 including an estimated 20,000 Indian citizens. 
  • Several Kenyans of Indian origin have distinguished themselves as lawyers, judges, doctors and academics.
• Vaccine Maitri: Kenya was given 1.12 million doses of AstraZeneca (1.02 million under COVAX alliance and 100,000 as gift from India).  

Must read: Africa To Solve World’s Critical Mineral Challenge

Source: India Express

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Context:  India’s forex reserves increased from $2.538 billion to $597.935 billion for the week ending November 24, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

India’s Forex Reserves Surge by $597.9 bn

• On 20 October, India’s Forex Reserves hit a recent low of $583.5 billion before rising again slightly to $597.9 billion on 24 November.
• The return on the 10-year US government bond fell in November and now stands at around 4.2%. The fall in returns has encouraged FIIs to bring money back into India.
• So, with FII dollars coming into the country again, the RBI hasn’t needed to draw on its dollar reserves to defend the rupee. This is why forex reserves have risen to close to $598 billion.

What is a Forex Reserve?

• Forex reserves are foreign currency assets held by countries’ central banks.
• Composition: These may include foreign currencies, bonds, treasury bills, and other government securities.
• Purpose: To make international payments and hedge against exchange rate risks.
• Reserves are denominated and expressed in the US dollar.
• India’s Forex Reserve comprises:
• • Foreign currency assets (FCAs)
  • Monetary gold
  • Special drawing rights (SDRs), 
  • Reserve positions in the IMF. 

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Context: At the COP28 climate meeting 22 nations, including the US have pledged to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, In a bid to attain a net-zero emissions status. 

22 Nations Pledge to Triple Nuclear Energy Capacity by 2050

• Tripling nuclear energy capacity from 2020 to 2050, recognizing the key role that nuclear energy can play in keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial times, and in ensuring net-zero transitions.
• At the COP28 event, the IAEA director general also announced that the Nuclear Energy Summit would be held in Brussels in March 2024.
• India, in keeping with its position not to join alliances outside the COP process, is not a part of the nuclear energy commitment in line with its earlier stand not participating in tripling renewable energy.

Must read COP28 Climate Summit In Dubai

About Nuclear Energy: 

• Nuclear energy is a form of energy released from the nucleus, the core of atoms, made up of protons and neutrons. 
• This energy source can be produced in two ways:
  • Nuclear Fission: when nuclei of atoms split into several parts
  • Nuclear Fusion – when nuclei fuse together.
• The nuclear energy harnessed worldwide today to produce electricity is through nuclear fission, while the technology to generate electricity from fusion is in the R&D phase. 

What is the current global status of nuclear energy?

• According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about 370 GW of operational nuclear power capacity is installed in 31 countries, providing about 10 percent of the world’s total electricity.
• A tripling would see this go up to at least 1,000 GW.

What is the Status of Nuclear power capacity in India?

• The present installed nuclear power capacity in India is 7480 MW comprising 23 nuclear power reactors (July 2023).
• The share of nuclear power in the total electricity generation in the country was about 2.8% in the year 2022-23.

• The installed nuclear power capacity is set to increase from 7480 MW to 22480 MW by 2031 on progressive completion of projects under construction and accorded sanction. 

Nuclear Power and Climate Change

• Nuclear power is a low-carbon source of energy because unlike coal, oil or gas power plants, nuclear power plants practically do not produce CO2 during their operation.

Source: Indian Express

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Context: Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal researchers have recently conducted the first genome sequencing of the jamun tree (Syzygium Cumini).

About Jamun (Syzygium cumini):

• Jamun: Syzygium cumini, also known as jamun, jambolan, or black plum, is a tropical tree belonging to the Myrtaceae plant family. 
• Habitat: It is native to the Indian subcontinent and South-East Asia, and is known for its wide range of medicinal properties and purple-black berries. 
• Botanical Profile: It is an evergreen tree with 30 meters of height, 3.6 meters of girth, and up to 15 meters of bole, and can live more than 100 years. 
• Economic and Medical Importance: This species is widely cultivated in tropical countries for its edible fruit (“Jamun”), which has significant economic and medicinal importance. 
  • Fruit seed extracts of jamun have well-known anti-diabetic properties and is highly recommended in Ayurveda to treat a variety of health ailments.
  • Multiple clinical studies have shown the health benefits of jamun as an excellent source of antioxidants, iron, and vitamin C.

What is Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)?

• Genome Sequencing: All organisms (bacteria, vegetable, mammal) have a unique genetic code, or genome, that is composed of nucleotide bases (A, T, C, and G). Determining the order of bases is called sequencing. 
• WHG: It is a laboratory procedure that determines the order of bases in the genome of an organism in one process.
• Working of WGS: Scientists conduct WGS by following these four main steps:
  • DNA Shearing: Scientists begin by using molecular scissors to cut the DNA into smaller pieces.
  • DNA Barcoding: Scientists add small pieces of DNA tags, or bar codes, to identify which piece of sheared DNA belongs to which bacteria. 
  • DNA Sequencing: The bar-coded DNA from multiple bacteria is combined and put in a DNA sequencer which identifies the bases that make up each bacterial sequence. 
  • Data Analysis: Scientists use computer analysis tools to compare sequences from multiple bacteria and identify differences.

What are the benefits of whole genome sequencing?

• Genomic information has been instrumental in identifying inherited disorders, characterizing the mutations that drive cancer progression, and tracking disease outbreaks.

Learn more about Genome Sequencing here. 

News Source: IE

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Context: Recently, the Delhi High Court sought the Cente’s stand in a plea challenging the order of the Civil Aviation Ministry, prohibiting the carrying of receive-only GPS devices on aircraft.

Delhi High Court Notice to Centre Unlawful Seizure of GPS device 

• Allegations of Unlawful Seizure: A division bench issued notice to the Centre on the plea moved by an environmental scientist seeking suitable damages for the “unlawful seizure” of his GPS device at Delhi Airport on June 2, 2022. 

About Global Positioning System (GPS):

• It is a satellite-based radio-navigation system used for monitoring and control.
• Origin: The U.S. Department of Defence started the GPS program in 1973 and launched the first satellite in 1978. 
• GPS is a U.S.-owned utility that provides users with positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services. 
• This system consists of three segments: 
  • Space (Satellites): The satellites circling the Earth, transmitting signals to users on geographical position and time of day.
  • Ground control: The Control Segment comprises Earth-based monitor stations, master control stations and ground antenna. Control activities include tracking and operating the satellites in space and monitoring transmissions.
  • User equipment: GPS receivers and transmitters including items like watches, smartphones and telematic devices.
• GPS Satellite Constellation: The modern GPS consists of 24 satellites moving around the earth in six orbits. 
• Standard Positioning Service (SPS): The services provided by the GPS system are designed to meet the SPS performance standard, the latest edition of which was published in April 2020. 
  • In essence, the SPS standard tells application developers and users anywhere in the world what they can expect from the GPS system

How does GPS work?

• GPS Satellite Broadcasting: Each GPS satellite continuously broadcasts a radio signal containing information about its location in orbit, operational status, and the time at which the signal is emitted. 
• Encoding Technique: The signals are encoded with code-division multiple access. This allows multiple signals to be transmitted in the same channel and for a receiver to be able to disentangle them. 
  • Encoding Types: the coarse/acquisition mode, which civilians can use to access coarse GPS data, and the precise mode, which is encrypted and is for military use.

• On a smartphone, a GPS receiver picks a signal and uses it to calculate its precise distance from the satellite. 

What are the applications of GPS?

• Aviation: Modern aircraft are fitted with multiple GPS receivers which provide pilots (and sometimes passengers) with a real-time aircraft position and map of each flight’s progress.
• Marine: GPS is also used to position and map dredging operations in rivers, wharves and sandbars, so other boats know precisely where it is deep enough for them to operate. 
• Farming:  High-accuracy GPS maps soil sample locations, allowing farmers to see where the soil is most fertile across individual fields or entire farms.
• Surveying: Surveyors use GPS to accurately map and accurately measure the earth’s surface and underwater features. 
• Sports and Fitness Tracking: GPS-enabled sports watches and fitness trackers provide real-time data on distance, speed, elevation, and heart rate, allowing users to set goals, track their workouts, and analyze their performance over time.
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, rely heavily on GPS technology for navigation, stabilization, and geofencing.

What are the limitations of GPS?

• Time-Keeping: Good timekeeping is essential to ensure the GPS system works as well as possible. 
  • For example, not adjusting for the 38-microsecond offset between the satellites’ clocks and the ground could lead to an error of 10 km within a single day.
• Indoor Limitations of GPS: GPS is generally useless indoors as radio waves will be blocked by physical barriers, such as walls, and other objects.
• Accuracy Constraints: Regular GPS cannot pinpoint locations to greater than 3-m accuracy. 
  • Due to these limitations, GPS cannot be used to, for instance, track the movement patterns of retail customers in a store and analyze their shopping habits. 

Also Read: NavIC

News Source: The Hindu

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Context: The death anniversary of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is recognized as Mahaparinirvan Diwas every year on 6 December.

What does Parinirvana mean? 

• Parinirvana represents a fundamental concept in Buddhism, signifying the attainment of nirvana or liberation during one’s lifetime and even after death. 
• In Sanskrit, achieving nirvana posthumously or releasing the soul from the body after death is called Parinirvana.

About  Dr. BR Ambedkar:

• Birth: April 14, 1891, in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh

• Father of the Indian Constitution: He was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee and is remembered as the Father of the Indian Constitution.
• Literary Contributions: Annihilation of Caste, The Problem of the Rupee: Its Origin and Its Solution”, “Thoughts on the Linguistic States”, “The Buddha and His Dhamma” 
  • In 1916, he wrote his thesis ‘National Dividend for India — A Historic and Analytical Study’ and received his Ph.D. Degree.
• Economic Contributions: The Central Bank was formed on the concept presented by Babasaheb to the Hilton Young Commission.
• Associated Organizations:
  • Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (Outcastes Welfare Association) (1923).
  • Independent Labor Party (1936)
  • Scheduled Castes Federation (1942)
• Social: He worked towards putting in place political safeguards for untouchables, the first of which was his presentation to the Southborough Committee that was preparing the Government of India Act 1919.
  •  He argued fervently for separate electorates for the ‘backward classes’,
  • In 1927, a Depressed Classes Conference was organized at Mahad, located in Raigad district. 
  • He attempted to pass the Hindu Code Bill, to reform Hindu personal laws that dictated matters like marriage, divorce, succession and adoption.
• Constituent Assembly Membership: In 1942, he was appointed to the Executive Council of the Governor General of India as a Labour member, in 1946, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Bengal.
• Parliamentary Life: Ambedkar was also a nominated member of the Bombay Legislative Council from 1926-34.
  • BR Ambedkar was appointed as the first Law Minister of independent India in 1947. 
  • In 1951, he resigned from his ministership, expressing his differences on the Kashmir issue, India’s Foreign Policy and Nehru’s Policy towards the Hindu Code Bill.
• He participated in all three Round Table Conferences.
• Honors: Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was conferred with the title of “Bodhisattva” by the Buddhist monks at the “Jagatik Buddhism Council” in 1954 in Kathmandu, Nepal.
  • Under the V.P. Singh Government, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was honored with ‘Bharat Ratna’, the highest civilian award in 1990. 

News Source: India Today

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Context: Recently, ‘the Global Climate 2011-2020: A Decade of Acceleration’report  was released by the World Meteorological Organisation.

What are the key findings of the report?

• Decade of Contrasts: 2011-2020: The decade from 2011-2020 was the warmest ever in history.
  • While there has been a rise in economic losses from extreme weather and climate losses, this was the decade with the lowest number of deaths from extreme events.
• Decline in Casualties: The number of casualties from extreme weather and climate events has gone down substantially over time. 
  • Reason: A major contributor to this decrease has been improved early warning systems, driven by improved forecasting and disaster management.
• Recovery of Ozone Hole: This was the first decade that the depleted ozone hole visibly showed recovery.
• Global Glacier Thinning: Glaciers that were measured worldwide thinned by approximately 1 meter per year on average between 2011 and 2020. 
  • Greenland and Antarctica lost 38% more ice between 2011 and 2020 than during the 2001-2010 period.
• Human Casualties and Extreme Heat: The report underlined that human-caused climate change significantly increases the risks from extreme heat events.
  •  Heatwaves were responsible for the highest number of human casualties, while tropical cyclones caused the most economic damage.
• Financial Trends in Climate Action: Public and private climate finance almost doubled between 2011 and 2020. 
  • However, it needs to increase at least seven times by the end of this decade to keep global temperature from rising by more than 1.5 degrees centigrade by the end of the century.

News Source: The Hindu

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Context: This article is based on the news “What’s the status of the UN treaty to end plastic pollution?” which was published in the Indian Express. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC)-3 (under UNEP) met to negotiate a global plastic pollution treaty in November 2023. 

Negotiation On Zero Draft for a Global Plastic Pollution Treaty

• Negotiation on Zero Draft: Countries negotiated the ‘zero draft’ text for core obligations and control measures developed by the Committee’s Secretariat.
• Expected outcome of INC-3: To assess the zero draft, select favorable options from the draft, and proceed with developing a first draft for the global plastic pollution treaty.
• Measures To Reduce Plastic Pollution: It included compelling proposals for a globally enforceable agreement to stop plastic pollution. However, member states were able to weaken their commitments concerning some core issues;
  • Manufacturing of primary polymers
  • Chemicals of concern
  • Problematic and short-lived plastics, trade, and financial mechanisms, etc
  • Objective and scope of UNEA Resolution 5/14.

Also Read: COP28 Climate Summit In Dubai

What are the key highlights of the Zero Draft of INC-3?

• Primary Goal: The majority of nations reached a consensus on cessation of plastic pollution and safeguarding human health and the environment as the primary goal of the global plastic pollution treaty.
• Clause For Safeguarding Economic Interests: A coalition of countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Iran, and certain members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, advocated for the inclusion of the clause “while contributing to the achievement of sustainable development.” 
  • This addition was aimed at safeguarding their economic interests and investments.
  • As per the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the global plastic trade is about one trillion US dollars annually, or about 5 percent of the total merchandise trade.
• Debate Over Primary Polymer Production Reduction: The clause calling for a decrease in the production of primary polymers raised controversy due to its probable implications for the industry.
  • There was a  36% increase in lobbyists for the chemicals and fossil fuels sector compared to INC-2. 
• Disagreement Over The Starting Point Of Plastic Life Cycle: While there is consensus that effective management of plastic pollution necessitates robust measures at every stage of the plastic lifecycle, divergent opinions persist regarding the starting point.
  • Many assert that it commences at the ‘birth’ stage, corresponding to the extraction of raw materials for manufacturing.
  • However, a like-minded bloc of countries contend that the life cycle begins at the product design phase. This perspective aims to exclude the production stage from the treaty’s scope.
• Opposition to a Binding Agreement To End Pollution:  Few countries expressed opposition to incorporating provisions related to the elimination of problematic and avoidable plastics, as well as compounds and polymers of concern.
  • Despite widespread support from other nations advocating for a binding agreement, they advocated for a ‘null option.’
• Provision For Plastic-Pollution Fee:  The zero draft proposed a plastic-pollution fee, to be paid by plastic polymer producers and another fee for reducing the financial flow into projects with a high carbon footprint. 
  • A few countries demanded that these provisions be deleted altogether from the draft.
  • However, removing subsidies for fossil fuels and investments in ecologically unfavorable technologies would have been a major win for human health and the environment.
• Limits on Plastic Trade: The same bloc of countries argued against limiting the trade in polymers, chemicals, plastic products, and waste. 
  • It contended that any restrictions on trade is considered to be impinging on the freedom and sovereignty of nations.
  • Around 9 million people are employed in polymer production and plastic processing industries.

What are the issues associated with the Rules of Procedure in INC?

• Voting Procedure: The rules of procedure encompass  a two-thirds vote majority instead of  consensus-based decision-making.
• No Concrete Resolution: The rules of procedure remained without any conclusive resolution during INC-3 and the responsibility to address them was deferred to INC-4. 

What are the key takeaway from INC-3?

• The Zero Draft faced challenges in reaching a consensus, marking a significant setback. 
  • Many countries had anticipated progress in refining details such as definitions, targets, and timelines during this period before INC-4.
• Due to the deadlock, INC-3 could not adopt the mandate to proceed with developing the first draft. 

What is India’s role in the drafting of the resolution?

• India proposed a resolution titled ‘Framework for addressing plastic product pollution including single-use plastic product pollution.’

What are the key elements in the proposed resolution?

• Encourages multi-stakeholder action
• Need to adopt principles of waste hierarchy of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
• International Collaboration for devising a mechanism for financing and technology
• Extended Producer’s Responsibility
• National Action Plans & Policies for promoting recycling of plastic waste
• Voluntary Data Disclosure & Monitoring of plastic waste generated and plastic waste processed in an environmentally safe manner to UNEP.

What is Plastic Pollution? 

• It refers to the accumulation of synthetic plastic products in the environment, creating problems for wildlife, their habitats, and human populations.

What is the current status of plastic pollution in the world?

• Plastic waste generation: According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the world produces about 430 million metric tonnes of plastic annually.
  • Over 90% of the plastic waste is made up of single-use plastics (SUP), such as plastic cutlery, and microplastics, such as those added to cosmetic products.
  • Of this, about 67 percent is municipal solid waste consisting of short-lived plastics; the automobile and textile sector contributes 11 percent each; and the remaining 11 percent is from the building, construction, electrical/electronic and other sectors.
• Status in India:  As per the report titled ‘Plastics, The Potential and Possibilities,’ India generates around 3.4 million tonnes (MT) of plastic waste annually.
• Recycling of Plastic Waste: Less than 10 percent of the plastic waste is recycled, about 15 percent is incinerated, while the remaining is dumped either in landfills, on land, or in rivers, lakes and oceans.
  • According to CSE’s report, The Plastic Life Cycle, India recycles 12.3 per cent of its plastic waste and incinerates 20 percent. 

What are the impacts of plastic pollution?

• GHG Emissions: A report by the UNEP states that under a business-as-usual scenario, plastics will contribute about 19% of the greenhouse-gas emissions (GHG) emissions by 2040.
  • The burning of plastic and other wastes in the open, results in the emission of highly toxic gases. 
• Impact on Humans and Wildlife:  It is hazardous for humans, species, and the environment. 
  • A study estimated that between 400,000 to one million people die every year due to plastic pollution. 
  • As per the experts, around one lakh marine mammals, such as whales, dolphins, seals, and turtles die yearly due to marine plastic pollution. 
  • Every year, about one million sea birds die due to ingestion of microplastics or getting entangled in plastic debris. 
• Impact On Environment: Plastic is non-degradable in nature and can take several centuries to decompose; thus, it emits harmful pollutants that degrade the environment. 
  • Traces of microplastics have been found in breast milk, tap water, and human bloodstreams.  
• Water Contamination: As per a study conducted in 2017,  83% of tap water samples from around the world contain plastic pollutants. 
  • The US, Lebanon and India reported the highest incidence of tap water contamination due to plastic pollution. 
• Marine litter: Plastic accounts for 85% of marine litter and aggravates marine pollution and marine biodiversity. 
• Social cost: According to a 2023 UNEP report on ‘Turning off the tap, the annual social and environmental costs of plastic pollution are estimated between $300 and $600 billion per year.

What global measures have been taken to address and end plastic pollution?

• London Convention, 1972: Also known as Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, it aims to promote the effective control of all sources of marine pollution and to take steps to prevent pollution of the sea by dumping of wastes and other matter. 
• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL): It is the main international convention covering the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships.
  • India is a signatory of the convention.
• Clean Seas’ Program: It aims to fight marine plastic litter with the help of governments, civil society and citizens.
  • India joined the programme in 2018.
• Global Tourism Plastics Initiative: It unites the tourism sector behind a common vision to address the root causes of plastic pollution.
• World’s first circular plastics economy: the EU aims to create the world’s first “circular” plastics economy with a ban on single-use plastics, creating a comprehensive reuse system, and establishing a market for recycled plastics. 

What initiatives has India taken to curb plastic pollution?

• Project REPLAN: Combines processed plastic waste with cotton fiber to make carry bags (20:80 ratio).
• Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022: Specifies responsibilities of manufacturers, importers, retailers, and consumers to manage plastic waste and prevent environmental pollution.
• Solid Waste Management Rules 2016: Emphasize waste segregation, manufacturer responsibility for sanitary and packaging waste, and user fees for collection.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): EPR is implemented in India holding producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, including their disposal.
• Ban on Single-Use Plastics: India banned the manufacture, distribution, stocking, sale and use of selected 19 single-use plastic items with effect from July 1, 2022.

Way Forward:

• Addressing Technical and Financial Challenges: Eliminating plastic leakage by 2040 is vital. 
  • This includes developing advances in recycling and expanding active global markets for secondary plastic and garbage.
  • Landfill and incineration taxes must be levied in India to encourage recycling rather than dumping. 
  • Authorise a ‘pay-as-you-throw’ system, which requires citizens to pay a variable rate per kilogram for a bag of mixed garbage.
• 5R Reversed Triangle Concept:  It entails following Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recovery and Disposal to tackle plastic pollution.
  • As per the OECD report,  these measures could lead to an 80% reduction in plastic pollution and a net increase of 7 lakh jobs by 2040.
  • It could lead to savings of $1.3 trillion in direct public and private costs between 2021 and 2040.
  • It will avoid $3.3 trillion of environmental and social costs due to plastic pollution, and reduce annual GHG emissions by 0.5 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

• Measures for Circular Economy: These should include:
  • Increasing taxes on plastics and plastic packaging
  • Giving incentives to reuse and repair plastic items
  • Mandating targets for recycled content in new plastic products
  • Giving incentives for sustainable plastic alternatives
  • Providing extended producer responsibility schemes
  • Improving waste management infrastructure
  • Hiking litter collection rates 
• Opting For Bioplastics: Bioplastics can be made from plants like hemp and bamboo and have a lower environmental impact because they are made from renewable resources and can be composted. 
  • The fibers and cellulose obtained from these trees can be processed to create bioplastic materials that can be used as an alternative to traditional plastic in various applications.
  • Specific incentives to the bioplastics industry are needed. Ex-income tax exemptions, infrastructure development support.
• Holistic Address of Plastic Pollution: India’s draft resolution must call for resolution on plastic as a whole with interventions on production (upstream), product design( midstream) and waste management (downstream).
  • Currently, it singularly focuses on single-use plastics, limiting the scope to address the plastic pollution problem comprehensively.
  • India needs to demand a globally binding plastic pollution treaty that addresses pollution from marine, terrestrial, and freshwater environments, given the transboundary nature of the issue.

Conclusion:

The enactment of a legally binding global plastic pollution treaty proposed for next year by the United Nations will help tackle the global plastic crisis and realize the goal of a zero-waste world. 

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Context: This article is based on the news “COP28: Relying on carbon capture and storage to reach Net Zero would be economically damaging, shows Oxford report” which was published in the DTE. According to a report by Oxford University, excessive dependence on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to reach net zero goals would be economically damaging.

Global Status On CO2 Capture and Utilisation 

• State of CO2 Capture: In 2022, the amount of CO2 being captured worldwide stood at just 49 MtCO2 per year.
• Pathways to CCS: According to the low-CCS pathway envisaged by the researchers, 4.4 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (GtCO2) on average in 2050 would be mitigated compared to an average of 19.2 GtCO2 in the high-CCS pathway. 
  • From 2021 to 2050, taking a low-CCS pathway to Net Zero emissions will save approximately $1 trillion per year.
  • A high-CCS pathway to decarbonisation to potentially mitigate half of today’s emissions in the oil and gas industry will cost an additional $30 trillion by 2050. 
• CCS Projects: In 2023, 41 CCS projects are operational worldwide. Further, 351 CCS projects are in the pipeline.
• According to McKinsey analysis, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage uptake needs to grow 120 times by 2050 for countries to achieve their net-zero commitments, reaching at least 4.2 gigatons per annum (GTPA) of CO₂ captured which could lead to Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage decarbonizing 45 percent of remaining emissions in the industry sector. 
• Major Contributors of CO2: Industries that use fossil fuels such as power, iron and steel, cement, and transportation, are major contributors to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
• Dependence on Thermal Power: Several large economies still depend on thermal power and this dependency is likely to continue until 2040. Additionally, CO2 is already in abundance in the atmosphere with a concentration level of about 415 parts per million (ppm) in 2020. 
  • In this context, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage becomes unavoidable to reach the goal of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C. 

Also Read: COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai

What is Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage?

• Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage: It involves the capture of CO2, if not being used on-site, the captured CO2 is compressed and transported to be used in a range of applications, or injected into deep geological formations such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs or saline aquifers.
• Carbon Capture:  CO2 is generally captured from large point sources like power generation or industrial facilities that use either fossil fuels or biomass as fuel. 
  • There are three main types of technological carbon capture which include: 
    • Industrial-Point-Source Capture: It is a technology that captures CO2 emissions from large emission sources, such as industrial facilities.
    • Direct Air capture (DAC): It directly captures dilute CO2 (415 ppm) from the air and may also emerge as a form of carbon capture that has wide applicability as it is independent of the source and concentration of the emission stream. However, DAC is still in its early stages and the economics and scale of operations are yet to be established.
    • Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS): It is a process that captures and stores carbon dioxide (CO2) from biomass. 
• Carbon Utilization: These technologies can provide a wide variety of opportunities to convert the captured CO2 to value-added products with a ready market in India, thus contributing to the circular economy. The most promising utilization pathways are;
  • Green urea: The total urea consumption in India is over 30 mtpa, and thus green urea provides a significant opportunity for CO2 utilization at scale.
  • Food & Beverage Applications: CO2 is utilized in carbonated drinks, dry ice, modified atmosphere packing, etc. 
  • Building Materials: The large market for aggregates and concrete in India provides a pathway for utilizing CO2 for producing building materials. 
  • Chemicals: Conversion of CO2 to methanol and ethanol from CO2 is proven at a commercial scale which has important fuel substitution applications. 
  • Polymers (including bio-plastics): These polymers have multiple applications, such as laptop packaging, cell phone casings, furniture, etc. 
• Carbon Storage: For effective Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage adoption at scale, apart from the conversion of CO2 to useful value-added products, there needs to be a clear strategy and pathway for the disposition of the captured CO2 through permanent geological storage. 
  • At present, the only commercial large-scale CO2 disposition option is geological sequestration. The options for the geological storage of CO2 include EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery), ECBMR (Enhanced Coal Bed Methane Recovery), and permanent storage options like saline aquifers and basalt storage. Significance of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage.

What is the significance of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage?

• Significant Role in Meeting Paris Agreement Target: Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage is vitally important for the world to have any chance of meeting the Paris Climate Accord objectives. 
  • For instance, almost all decarbonisation scenarios consistent with the 1.5°C target in the Paris Agreement contain some level of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage.
• Decarbonising Critical Sectors: Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage offers the technology for decarbonizing the hard-to-electrify and CO2-intensive sectors such as steel, cement, oil & gas, petrochemicals & chemicals, and fertilizers. 

• • These sectors are critical to the continued growth of the Indian economy and for ensuring energy, materials, and food security for the country. 
  • Nearly two-thirds of India’s crude steel capacity and 210 GW of coal-based power capacity have an age of less than 15 years which cannot be stranded and need to be made sustainable by retrofitting with CO2 capture and disposition infrastructure. 
• Enabling the Sunrise Sectors: Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage is an enabler of least-cost low-carbon hydrogen production and is expected to play a major role in enabling the hydrogen economy in India, through the production of blue hydrogen (i.e. coal gasification-based hydrogen production coupled with Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage ) based on the utilization of India’s coal. 
• Global Energy Mix: Oil, gas, and coal still made up around 81.5% of the global energy mix in 2022, down just 3% from 2015. Given the slow pace of the energy transition, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage has the potential to become an important technology for achieving net zero. 
  • For instance, proper utilization of captured carbon can support the decarbonisation of other parts of the energy system, such as industry, trucks, and ships.

What are the challenges associated with Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage?

• Lack of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage  Scaling: Several challenges must be overcome before industrial point source Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage can reach scale, especially around policy and regulatory support, cost, and public acceptance. Based on the current Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage project pipeline, around 110 million tons per annum (MTPA) of CO₂ are expected to be captured annually by 2030. 
  • To achieve the net-zero commitments, approximately 715 MTPA are required by 2030 and 4,200 MTPA by 2050.
• Lack of Geological Data for Storage: The geological data on the pore space availability in India for the storage of CO2 is limited, especially for saline aquifers and basaltic storage. 
  • In the case of EOR and ECBMR, the data availability is better given the prior exploration activities for facilitating hydrocarbon extraction.
• Negative Externalities: Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage could also further pose risks to human rights, and put into jeopardy biodiversity and ecosystem services, deteriorating the resilience of our ecosystems and leading to problems of environmental injustice.
  • Further, underground storage poses additional risks, such as potential leakage, contamination of drinking water, and stimulation of seismic activity.
• Lack of Technological Advances: Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage is recognized as a necessary and relatively low-risk approach to decarbonization, but the technology is not moving fast enough to achieve a 1.5° or even 2.0° pathway. 
  • For instance, over the last four decades, costs of solar, wind, and battery storage have fallen but the costs of fossil power with CCS have not declined, indicating a lack of technological advances. 
  • Further, CCS may be seen as offering oil and gas companies a free pass to keep extracting and burning fossil fuels. 
• Economic Constraints. CCS technology is expensive to install and needs subsidies and financial incentives to encourage the industry to make the short-term capital investment needed.  

Way Forward: 

• Prioritizing Important Sectors for Utilization: Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage  technology is likely to be a scarce resource and governments should target Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage in sectors where it’s most likely to be needed. 
  • For instance, India may fund Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage demonstration projects in sectors such as coal-based power, steel, cement, refining & petrochemicals based on commercially proven technologies.
• Developing Alternatives: Governments should abandon claims that blanket CCS rollout is a sensible way to deliver net zero and the Paris Agreement goals. 
  • Reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), do not show policymakers a single optimum or preferable pathway to 1.5°C, leaving room for alternative interpretations based on different priorities. 
  • For example, renewable energy, efficiency, and clean electrification are available alternatives with much greater feasibility, lower sustainability risks, and lower cost. 
• Converting Captured CO2 to Value-Added Products: The opportunity to profitably decrease CO2 emissions using carbon utilization technologies can provide a wide variety of opportunities to convert the captured CO2 to value-added products with a ready market in India, thus contributing to the circular economy. 
  • For example, utilizing captured CO2 into green urea, carbonated drinks, building materials, chemicals like methanol and ethanol, etc.
• Technology Transfer: Technologies for carbon capture, CO2 sequestration, and EOR have been demonstrated at a commercial scale for almost 50 years in many parts of the world and particularly the US. 
  • While the development of indigenous technologies is certainly desirable, the immediate focus should be on the transfer, assimilation, and adoption of proven technologies in the Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage domain. 
  • Engagement with technology suppliers is also important to ensure the transfer and indigenization of technology and Intellectual Property (IP). 
• Promoting Research & Development (R&D) in Novel CO2 Utilization Technologies: India should promote an ecosystem to foster R&D and innovation in CO2 utilization technologies and new products & applications based on CO2 utilization. CO2 utilization technologies are relatively less developed, compared to capture technologies. 
  • Technologies that have great potential for India, such as CO2 to methanol and CO2 to aggregates, are at different levels of development. 
  • Other technologies such as CO2 to synthetic fuels, polymers and novel materials like carbon nanotubes are even further behind on the development curve. 
• Data Collection for Carbon Storage: To make the geological storage of CO2 a reality, further work is needed especially in the areas of source-sink mapping, pore space mapping, and geological characterization of the most promising CO2 storage regions & basins. 
  • Further developing the CO2 storage infrastructure through characterization, validation, and development of commercial-scale CO2 injection programmes in the selected sites.
• Private Sector Participation: It is essential to promote the transfer and commercialization of existing Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage technologies and also push for the development of new and emerging technologies. 
  • Public funding and favourable policies are required to incentivize & de-risk Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage projects, promote private sector participation and enable viable Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage business models and value chains to emerge. 

Conclusion:

Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) holds significant promise in decarbonizing critical sectors and meeting global climate targets, the technology faces formidable challenges such as scaling issues, lack of geological data, and potential negative externalities.

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