Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA)

Recently Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) was announced at G20 event to develop an alliance of Governments, International organizations and Industry

• GBA is an India-led Initiative to develop an alliance of Governments, International organizations and Industry to facilitate adoption of biofuels.
• India, Brazil and the US are the founding members of the alliance.
• The initiative aims to position biofuels as a key to energy transition and contribute to jobs and economic growth.
• GBA will support worldwide development and deployment of sustainable biofuels by offering capacity-building exercises across:
  • The value chain,
  • Technical support for national programs and
  • Promoting policy lessons-sharing.
• It will facilitate mobilizing a virtual marketplace for key stakeholders in mapping demand and supply, as well as connecting technology providers to end users to assist:
  • Industries,
  • Countries and
  • Ecosystem players.
• It will facilitate development, adoption and implementation of internationally recognized standards, codes, sustainability principles and regulations to incentivize biofuels adoption.
• It will help accelerate India’s existing biofuels programs such as PM-JIVANYojna, SATAT and GOBARdhan scheme which will result in:
  • Contributing to increased farmers’ income,
  • Creating jobs and
  • Overall development of the Indian ecosystem.
• 19 countries and 12 international organisations have already agreed to join.
• GBA Members constitute major producers and consumers of biofuels.

Vagus Nerve

In recent times Researchers are increasingly looking at ways to stimulate vagal nerves thereby triggering the parasympathetic nervous system, which can potentially help with various health conditions

• Vagus nerve is also called X cranial nerve or 10th cranial nerve are the longest and most complex of the cranial nerves.
• ‘Vagus’ in Latin means ‘wandering’ are a pair of nerves, one on each side, that run from brainstem, through the neck, to chest and stomach.
• They form a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system which contain 75% of the parasympathetic nervous system’s nerve fibre.
•  Parasympathetic nervous system is a division of the nervous system that primarily modulates visceral organs such as glands that is responsible for:
  • Relaxing and resting of the body after a bout of activity,
  • Number of vital functions including your heart rate, blood pressure and digestion and
  • An important role in the immune system.
• The vagal nerves are the longest cranial nerves.
• They work bi-directionally, allowing the brain and body to communicate with each other.
• An implantable vagus nerve stimulator is used to treat epilepsy and depression and vagus nerve also regulates inflammation.
• Implanted vagus nerve stimulation does not work for everybody.
• The recent study indicates that vagus nerve dysfunction could have a role in the pathophysiology of post-covid-19 condition (PCC) or long COVID.

Delhi Declaration

The New Delhi Leaders' Summit Declaration was adopted with a 100% consensus on the opening day of the G20 Summit

• The declaration was adopted with 100% consensus on all developmental and geo-political issues.
• “We are One Earth, One Family and we share One Future” is one of the preamble of Delhi Declaration.
• The declaration aids to support the work of the WHO-led Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH).
• It also reaffirmed that the G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation and recognizing that while the G20 is not the platform to resolve geopolitical and security issues.
• It intends to design a circular economy world.
• The declaration includes G20 Generic Framework for Mapping Global Value Chains (GVC).

G21

Recently the African Union, which represents 55 countries, was admitted as a new member of the G20, making it G21

• The G21 forum includes G2o and African union.
• The idea was floated in June 2023, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to G20 leaders to propose that the African Union be given full membership at the upcoming Delhi Summit of G20.
• It was in the spirit of 'sabka saath'(Everyone's support) that India proposed permanent membership for the African Union in the G20.
• So far, only one country from the African Union which is South Africa was part of the G20.

African Union

• It is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent.
• It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity.
• Agenda 2063 calls for greater collaboration for African led initiatives for the achievement of the aspirations of African people.

Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII)

On the side lines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to create India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor which will be funded by PGII

• The Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) is a joint initiative of G7  to fund infrastructure projects across the world.
• PGII is a developmental initiative aimed at narrowing the infrastructure gap in developing countries as well as help towards accelerating progress on SDGs globally.
• It has announced several projects in Indonesia, among other countries, on clean energy, telecommunications, etc.
• Its recent project is India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor.

India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)

• The IMEC is being envisioned as a network of transport corridors, including railway lines and sea lanes that is expected to aid economic growth through integration between Asia, the Arabian Gulf and Europe.
• The IMEC comprises of an Eastern Corridor connecting India to the Gulf region and a Northern Corridor connecting the Gulf region to Europe.
• It is seen as a counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).