Prelim Bits 03-10-2018

First Assembly of ISA

• The Ministry of  New and Renewable Energy is organising the First Assembly of International Solar Alliance (ISA) in New Delhi.
• It will be inaugurated in the presence of Secretary General of United Nations.
• Ministers from countries which ratified ISA treaty framework will attend the assembly as members.
• Countries that have signed but are yet to ratify the ISA Treaty Framework will attend the Assembly as Observers.
• The assembly is the supreme decision making body of ISA.
• Initially, ISA envisaged 121 countries situated between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn as its members.
• In the assembly, India will propose to make all United Nations members eligible for ISA membership.
• It will help induction of countries - Germany, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Nepal and Afghanistan, which have shown interest in becoming ISA members.

International Solar Alliance (ISA)

• ISA, an Indian initiative, was launched jointly by India and France on the sidelines of COP21 of UNFCCC held in Paris.
• It opened ISA Framework Agreement for signature in Marrakech, Morocco in 2016, on the side-lines of COP-22.
• After ratification by 15 countries, ISA became the first full-fledged treaty based international intergovernmental organization headquartered in India.
• Delhi Solar Agenda was adopted in the founding conference of ISA held in 2018.
• In the agenda, ISA member States have agreed to pursue an increased share of solar energy in the final energy consumption in respective national energy mix.
• The first assembly will lay the foundation of Delhi Solar Agenda.
• Till date, out of 121 prospective member countries that lie either fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, 68 countries have signed the Framework Agreement of the ISA.

IORA - Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting

• The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) was set up with the objective of strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean Region.
• The association comprises 21 Member States and 7 Dialogue Partners.
• India, Australia, Iran, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Singapore, Mauritius, Madagascar, UAE, Yemen, Seychelles, Somalia, Comoros and Oman are members of IORA.
• Neither Pakistan nor Myanmar are member of IORA.
• The Coordinating Secretariat of IORA is located at Ebene, Mauritius.
• The apex body is the Council of (Foreign) Ministers (COM).
• The first Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE in the year 2014.
• India is going to host 2nd IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial meet in October, 2018.
• Ministers and delegates from all 21 member-countries are expected to participate.

IBSAMAR

• It is a joint Multi – National Maritime Exercise between the Indian, Brazilian and South African Navies.
• The 6th edition of IBSAMAR is being held at  Simons Town, South Africa.
• The last edition was conducted off Goa in the year 2016.
• Its aim is to undertake collective training for participating navies, building interoperability and mutual understanding as well as sharing of best practices.

Global Geoparks

• Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are present.
• It is a designation given by UNESCO.
• In 2004, 17 European and 8 Chinese geoparks came together at UNESCO headquarters in Paris to form the Global Geoparks Network (GGN).
• In 2015, the 195 Member States of UNESCO ratified the creation of a new label, the UNESCO Global Geoparks.
• The Geopark tag is akin to that of a ‘World Heritage Site’ for historical monuments that can bring famed geological features to the global stage.
• Global Geopark uses its geological heritage, in connection with all other aspects of the area’s natural and cultural heritage, to enhance awareness and understanding of key issues facing society.
• At present, there are 140 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 38 countries. There is no site from India in the list.

Geological Sites in India

• Geological Survey of India has nominated two sites in India for the first time for Global Geoparks status.
• The sites are Lonar Lake in Maharashtra and St. Mary’s Island and Malpe beach in coastal Karnataka.
• Lonar Lake is an ancient circular lake created by a meteorite strike.
• It is the only known meteorite crater in basaltic rock and is world famous.
• It became a geo-heritage site in 1979.
• A meteorite estimated to weigh two-million-tonnes slammed into the Earth, creating a 1.83-km diameter crater where the lake formed.
• St. Mary’s island is a unique phenomenon where a hexagonal mosaic of basaltic rocks are present.
• It was declared as a national geo-heritage site in 1975.
• It is estimated to be an 88-million-year-old formation that goes back to a time when Greater India broke away from Madagascar.

Hexagonal Columnar Basaltic Lava in St. Mary's Island

Source: PIB, The Hindu