UPSC Daily Current Affairs | Prelim Bits 12-10-2020
iasparliament
October 12, 2020
Human Emissions of Nitrous Oxide
According to recent findings Human emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) increased by 30 per cent between 1980 and 2016.
Its global concentration levels increased from 270 parts per billion (ppb) in 1750 to 331 ppb in 2018, a jump of 20 per cent.
The growth has been the quickest in the past five decades because of human emissions.
It has also found that a major proportion of the N2O emissions in the last four decades came from the agricultural sector, mainly because of the use nitrogen-based fertilisers.
Most N2O emissions have come from emerging countries like India, China and Brazil.
The increase in its emissions means that the climatic burden on the atmosphere is increasing from non-carbon sources as well, while the major focus of global climate change negotiations is currently centred on carbon its emissions and mitigation.
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
Nitrous oxide is a dangerous gas for the sustainable existence of humans on Earth.
It has the third-highest concentration (Co2 and Methane are other two gases) in our atmosphere among greenhouse gases responsible for global warming.
N2O can live in the atmosphere for up to 125 years.
N2O is also the only remaining threat to the ozone layer, for it accumulates in the atmosphere over a long period of time, just like CO2.
Nagorno-Karabakh Region
Recently Armenia and Azerbaijan held their first high-level talks after nearly two weeks of fierce clashes over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Armenia and Azerbaijan are part of Transcaucasia or South Caucasia.
Caucasia is a geographical region in the vicinity of the southern Caucasus Mountains on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia consisting of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
Nagorno-Karabakh region has 95% of the population as ethnically Armenian and is controlled by them but it is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan.
Armenia is Christian majority, while Azerbaijan is Muslim majority country.
Blue flag beaches
The Blue Flag Programme for beaches and marinas is run by the international, non-governmental, non-profit organisation FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education).
FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education) was established in France in 1985.
Blue Flag beaches are considered the cleanest beaches of the world.
In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.
Union environment minister announced 8 beaches of India have been awarded the “BLUE FLAG”.
The eight beaches are:
Shivrajpur in Gujarat,
Ghoghla in Daman & Diu,
Kasarkod and Padubidri beach in Karnataka,
Kappad in Kerala,
Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh,
Golden beach of Odisha and
Radhanagar beach in Andaman and Nicobar.
India is also the first country in “Asia-Pacific” region which has achieved this feat in just about 2 years’ time.
Japan, South Korea and UAE are the only other Asian nations who have been conferred with a couple of Blue Flag beaches, however, in a time frame of about 5 to 6 years.
India is now in the league of 50 "BLUE FLAG” countries.
BEAMS
On the lines of Blue Flag certification, Recently India has also launched its own eco-label BEAMS.
BEAMS (Beach Environment & Aesthetics Management Services) is launched under ICZM (Integrated Coastal Zone Management) project.
This is launched by the Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
The objectives of BEAMS program are as follows:
Abate pollution in coastal waters,
Promote sustainable development of beach facilities,
Strive and maintain high standards of cleanliness,
Hygiene & safety for beachgoers in accordance with coastal environment & regulations.
RBI Monetary Policy 2020
The Monetary Policy Report is published by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of RBI.
The MPC is a statutory and institutionalized framework under the RBI Act, 1934, for maintaining price stability, while keeping in mind the objective of growth.
The MPC determines the policy interest rate (repo rate) required to achieve the inflation target (4%).
The Governor of RBI is ex-officio Chairman of the MPC.
Recently Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of RBI kept the repo rate unchanged at four per cent.
It decided to maintain its accommodative monetary policy stance to support growth amid the pandemic.
Reasons quoted by RBI are as follows:
India’s GDP would contract by 9.5 per cent in the current fiscal due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
On inflation, the RBI expects a steady decline.
CPI inflation is projected at 6.8 per cent for Q2:2020-21, at 5.4-4.5 per cent for H2:2020-21 and 4.3 per cent for Q1:2021-22.
Repo Rate
It is the rate at which the central bank of a country (Reserve Bank of India in case of India) lends money to commercial banks in the event of any shortfall of funds.
It is used by monetary authorities to control inflation.
In the event of inflation, central banks increase repo rate as this acts as a disincentive for banks to borrow from the central bank.
This ultimately reduces the money supply in the economy and thus helps in arresting inflation.
The central bank takes the contrary position in the event of a fall in inflationary pressures.
Ideally, a low repo rate should translate into low-cost loans for the general masses.
When the RBI slashes its repo rate, it expects the banks to lower their interest rates charged on loans.
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), is an emergency plan to combat air pollution.
Approved by the Supreme Court in 2016, GRAP was notified in 2017 by the Centre and draws its authority from this notification.
The action plan has been in effect for three years in Delhi and NCR.
As such, the plan does not include action by various state governments to be taken throughout the year to tackle industrial, vehicular and combustion emissions.
The plan is incremental in nature therefore, when the air quality moves from ‘Poor’ to ‘Very Poor’, the measures listed under both sections have to be followed.
If air quality reaches the ‘Severe+’ stage, the response under GRAP includes extreme measures such as shutting down schools and implementing the odd-even road-space rationing scheme.
Recently Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) directed a slew of measures under GRAP to governments in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
This decision comes after air quality in the national capital remained ‘poor’ for the second day October 8, 2020.
EPCA
EPCA, a Supreme Court-mandated body, has also asked large construction projects, including highways and the Delhi Metro to provide an undertaking to the state pollution control boards / committees.
The undertaking will state that these project operators will assure adherence to prescribed norms / guidelines for dust management
FELUDA Covid-19 test
FELUDA, an acronym for the FNCAS9 Editor-Limited Uniform Detection Assay.
Feluda paper strip test for SRS-CoV-2 diagnosis has been developed by CSIR-IGIB.
It has been approved by the Drug Controller General of India for a commercial launch.
Similar to a pregnancy strip test, Feluda changes colour if the virus is detected and doesn’t need expensive machines for detection.
Feluda test is priced at ₹500 and can deliver a result in 45 minutes.
It is able to differentiate SARS-CoV-2 from other coronaviruses even if genetic variations between them are minute.
The trials of this test at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) showed 96% sensitivity and 98% specificity.
Sensitivity is defined as the ability of a test to correctly identify individuals with the disease, while specificity is the ability of the assay to accurately identify those without the disease.
According to CSIR, the test matches accuracy levels of RT-PCR tests, considered the gold standard in the diagnosis of Covid-19, has a quicker turnaround time and requires less expensive equipment.
Recently Union Health Ministry announced the roll out of the Feluda Covid-19 will happen in near future.
CRISPR
CRISPR is a gene editing technology and is used in correcting genetic defects and treating and preventing the spread of diseases.
The technology can detect specific sequences of DNA within a gene, and uses an enzyme functioning as molecular scissors to snip it.
