- The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests in 2012 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests.
- The organizers are the United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with Governments, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and other relevant organizations in the field.
- The theme for this year’s International Forest Day, “Forests and Health”, highlights the ecosystem services provided by forests like purification of water and air, carbon capture to fight climate change, and supply of life-saving medicines.
2023
Current Affairs
3 States chip in to stop illegal sand mining in Chambal sanctuary Conservation
Context: Three States have commenced joint action to stop illegal sand mining in National Chambal Sanctaury.
About National Chambal Sanctuary
- National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary.
- It is located on the Chambal River near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
- It was first declared in Madhya Pradesh in 1978, and now constitutes a long narrow eco-reserve co-administered by the three states.
- It is listed as an important bird area (IBA) and is a proposed Ramsar site.
- Fauna: It is a protected area for the protection of the Critically Endangered gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle and the Endangered Ganges river dolphin. Other large threatened inhabitants of the sanctuary include mugger crocodile, smooth-coated otter, striped hyena and Indian wolf. Chambal supports 8 of the 26 rare turtle species found in India, including Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle, three-striped roof turtle and crowned river turtle.
- Flora: Common plants in the sanctuary include khair, palash, Indian elm tree, Indian plum etc. It is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion.
About Chambal River
- It rises in the Vindhya Range just south of Mhow, western Madhya Pradesh state.
- It is a second biggest tributary of the Yamuna River in Central and Northern India, and thus forms part of the drainage system of the Ganges.
- The river flows through Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. It also forms part of the Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh boundary.
- The main tributaries of Chambal include the Banas and Mej rivers on the left and the Parbati, Kali Sindh and Shipra rivers on the right.
- The Chambal’s lower course is lined by belt of badland gullies resulting from accelerated soil erosion.
The High Seas Treaty
Context: Two weeks ago, negotiators from almost every country in the world finalised a new global treaty meant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources in the high seas.
Once the treaty becomes international law after ratification by member countries, it will regulate all human activities in the high seas with the objective of ensuring that ocean resources, including biodiversity, are utilised in a sustainable manner, and their benefits are shared equitably among countries.
About High Seas
- High seas are open ocean areas that are outside the jurisdiction of any country — the reason why the treaty is commonly known as the agreement on “biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions(BBNJ)”.
- According to the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI), a network of global experts on oceans, high seas comprise 64 per cent of the ocean surface, and about 43 per cent of the Earth.
Other legal framework to govern the activities in the oceans
- United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) a 1982 agreement defined the rights and duties of countries in the oceans, the extent of ocean areas over which countries could claim sovereignty, and the legal status of marine resources.
- It also specified a set of general rules for a range of activities in the oceans including navigation, scientific research, and deep-sea mining.
About High Seas Treaty
- It will work as an implementation agreement under the UNCLOS, much like the Paris Agreement works under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- The treaty established exclusive economic zones (EEZ), ocean areas up to 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the coastline, where a country would have exclusive rights overall economic resources such as fish, oil, minerals, and gas.
- The high seas are the areas beyond the EEZ of any country.
The High Seas Treaty has four main objectives
- Demarcation of marine protected areas (MPAs), rather like there are protected forests or wildlife areas
- Sustainable use of marine genetic resources and equitable sharing of benefits arising from them
- Initiation of the practice of environmental impact assessments for all major activities in the oceans
- Capacity building and technology transfer
Marine Protected Areas(MPAs): Activities in these areas will be highly regulated, and conservation efforts similar to what happens in forest or wildlife zones, will be undertaken.
About Marine Protected Areas(MPAs)
MPAs are where ocean systems, including biodiversity, are under stress, either due to human activities or climate change. These can be called the national parks or wildlife reserves of the oceans. Only about 1.44 per cent of high seas are currently protected, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Marine Genetic Resources: Oceans host very diverse life forms, many of which can be useful for human beings in areas like drug development. Genetic information from these organisms is already being extracted, and their benefits are being investigated. The treaty seeks to ensure that any benefits arising out of such efforts, including monetary gains, are free from strong intellectual property rights controls, and are equitably shared amongst all. The knowledge generated from such expeditions are also supposed to remain openly accessible to all.
Environment Impact Assessments: Under the provisions of the new treaty, commercial or other activities that can have significant impact on the marine ecosystem, or can cause large-scale pollution in the oceans, would require an environmental impact assessment to be done, and the results of this exercise have to be shared with the international community.
Capacity Building and Technology Transfer: The treaty lays a lot of emphasis on this, mainly because a large number of countries, especially small island states and landlocked nations, do not have the resources or the expertise to meaningfully participate in the conservation efforts, or to take benefits from the useful exploitation of marine resources. At the same time, the obligations put on them by the Treaty, to carry out environmental impact assessments for example, can be an additional burden.
How will the High Seas Treaty protect marine life?
- The key measure is put the world's international waters into protected areas (MPAs) - which will help achieve the global goal of protecting 30% of the world's oceans by 2030, which was agreed at the 2022 UN biodiversity conference.
- Activity can occur in these areas but only "provided it is consistent with the conservation objectives" - meaning it doesn't damage marine life. This could mean limiting fishing activities, shipping routes and exploration activities like deep-sea mining.
Draw backs of the Treaty
- The treaty falls short of addressing some key threats that affect ocean biodiversity, notably fishing and industrial expansion, such as deep-seabed mining.
- Access- and benefit-sharing has always been a highly negotiated principle within any treaty, and this treaty requires fair and equitable sharing of genetic resources. However, it stops short of discussing the sharing of any other type of resource.
- The treaty failed to address is to identify a suitable international enforcement agency that could monitor and enforce the regulations laid out by the treaty. Such an enforcement body would also require a financial commitment – another issue that has not been negotiated or included.
- The process of ratification is not expected to be easy. It took UNCLOS 12 years to become international law because the necessary number of ratifications was not reached. The Kyoto Protocol, the precursor to the Paris Agreement, also took eight years to come into effect.
Clearly, the new ‘High Seas Treaty’ is just the beginning of a long and tedious process of regulating various aspects of human use in international oceans. Despite these challenges, there is growing momentum behind the treaty.
When will the treaty take effect?
- Countries will need to meet again to formally adopt the agreement and then have plenty of work to do before the treaty can be implemented.
- It will only enter” into force" once 60 countries have signed up and legally passed the legislation in their own countries.
Getting it right: a historian’s effort to document the life of Bhagat Singh
Context: The 23rd of March is commemorated as Martyrs Day in honour of Bhagat Singh and his comrades Rajguru and Sukhdev. The day is also known as Shaheed diwas.
Early life of Bhagat Singh
- Born on September 27, 1907, in the Lyallpur area of the Punjab, now in Pakistan.
- Bhagat Singh's uncle Ajit Singh was prominent in politics. Ajit Singh led the establishment of the radical Anjuman-i-Mohisban-i-Watan in Lahore and oversaw the publication of its newspaper, Bharat Mata.
- Ajit Singh also participated in the protests against the Canal Colonization Bill in 1907 and the Ghadar Movement in 1914–1915. His uncle Ajit Singh had an impact on Bhagat Singh.
Participation in the Indian Independence Struggle
- He enrolled in the Lahore National College in 1923, which Lala Lajpat Rai established in reaction to Mahatma Gandhi's non-cooperation movement.
- He also contributed to pamphlets issued by the Naujawan Bharat Sabha and wrote for publications in Punjabi and Urdu. He also contributed to Kirti, the publication of the Kirti Kisan Party.
- Affiliation with Hindustan Republican Association Army or HRA/ Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA):
- The organisation operated throughout the Bihar, Punjab, and United Provinces region.
- It was founded in October 1924 in Kanpur.
- Founded by: Ramprasad Bismil, Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee, and Sachin Sanyal.
- Objective: Plan an armed uprising to depose the colonial administration and install a federal government based on the basis of adult franchise in India.
- During a meeting held in Delhi's Ferozshah Kotla ruins in September 1928, the younger revolutionaries reorganised the group under the new name Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), with socialism as its stated objective.
- Reorganised by: Chandra Shekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Bhagwaticharan Vohra, Bejoy Kumar Sinha, Shiv Verma, and Jaidev Kapur.
- The killing of Saunders (Lahore, December 1928)
- Cause: The death of Sher-i-Punjab Lala Lajpat Rai as a result of blows from a lathi charge during a procession against the Simon Commission.
- Saunders, the police officer in command of the lathi charge in Lahore, was shot dead by Bhagat Singh, Azad, and Rajguru.
- Defended the murder by stating that it was "an dishonour to the country" that a leader who was revered by millions of people was killed by an unqualified police officer.
- Bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly (April 1929)
- On April 8, 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly to protest against the adoption of the Public Safety Bill and the Trade Disputes Bill.
- Objective: To get arrested using the trial court as a platform for propaganda.
- The Lahore Conspiracy Trial, which took place in 1929, saw the trial of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru.
- Gandhi-Irwin Pact: On February 14, 1931, Viceroy Irwin and Gandhi agreed to a pact in Delhi. Gandhi's requests for a public investigation into police abuses and a life sentence instead of the death penalty for Bhagat Singh and his companions were both rejected by the viceroy.
- The Congress's Karachi session: Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru were executed six days prior to the session on March 23 (the session actually took place on March 29).
- The Punjab Naujawan Bharat Sabha demonstrated with black flag protests throughout Gandhi’s trip to Karachi in retaliation for his failure to achieve the commuted death sentence for Bhagat and his companions.
Rethinking in Bhagat Singh's ideologies
- Bhagat Singh transitioned his belief from violence and individual heroic action to Marxism and a popular broad-based movement.
- This is why Bhagat Singh helped found the Punjab Naujawan Bharat Sabha (1926) as an open wing of revolutionaries to conduct political work among the youth, peasants, and workers.
- For students to engage in open, legal work, Bhagat and Sukhdev jointly established the Lahore Students' Union.
- He also understood that organising a mass movement of the exploited was necessary for a revolution to be successful.
- The aim of the revolution was not just to end imperialism but also to stop "exploitation of man by man," and to establish a new socialist system.
- He was a secular. The members of Punjab Naujawan Bharat Sabha were not allowed to be associated with sectarian organisations and were to promote tolerance in society.
- Books by Bhagat Singh: Why I am an Atheist and Ideas of a Nation.
India joins AIM for Climate (AIM4C) Initiative
Context: India has joined AIM for Climate Initiative.
About AIM for Climate
- AIM for Climate stands for Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate launched at COP 26 of UNFCCC at Glasgow.
- It is a joint initiative of USA and UAE to address climate change and global hunger by uniting participants to significantly increase investment in and providing other support for climate smart agriculture and food systems innovation over five years (2021-2025).
Objectives of AIM for Climate
- Demonstrate collective commitment to significantly increase investment in agricultural innovation for climate smart agriculture and food systems over five years (2021-25).
- Support frameworks and structures to enable technical discussions and promotion of expertise, knowledge and priorities across international and national levels of innovation to amplify the impact of participants' investments.
- Establish appropriate structures for exchanges between Ministers and chief scientists as key focal points and champions for cooperation on climate related agricultural innovation.
Innovation Sprints
- An innovation sprint is an increase in aggregate self-financed investment from NGOs partners to achieve an outcome/output in agriculture innovation and for climate smart agriculture and food systems to be completed in an expedited timeframe.
- Focus areas of AIM for Climate Innovation sprints are: (i) Smallholder Farmers in Low & Middle Income Countries (ii) Methane Reduction (iii) Emerging Technologies (iv) Agroecological Research.
Members of AIM for Climate
There are three avenues for participation in AIM for Climate coalition.
- Government partner: Governments who announce an increase in aggregate public investment in agricultural innovation for climate smart agriculture and food systems over the next 5 years. 45 countries have joined as Government partners. India is also a government partner in this initiative.
- Innovation sprint partner: Non-government participants who announce an increase in aggregate self-financed investment in agricultural innovation for climate-smart agriculture and food systems over the next five years (2021-2025) to enable investment for bold ideas to foster innovation in an expedited timeframe.
- Knowledge partner: They are non-government participants who intend to participate in activities of AIM for Climate and announce to amplify agricultural innovation through: insight sharing, innovation collaboration, coordination, demonstration and deployment etc.
WHO Global report on sodium intake
Context: WHO has released a report on Sodium intake.
Functions of Sodium
- Essential nutrient involved in the maintenance of normal cellular homeostasis and in the regulation of fluid and electrolyte balance.
- Crucial for maintaining extra-cellular fluid volume because of its osmotic action.
- Essential for muscle and nerve cell function.
- Essential for transport of nutrients through plasma membrane.
- In many high-income countries, and increasingly in low- and middle-income countries, a significant proportion of sodium intake can be attributed to processed food.
Guidelines for Sodium Intake
Sodium intake is extremely unlikely in healthy individuals. The minimum intake level required for physiological needs is not well established although it is estimated to be <500 mg/day. Hence, most populations are consuming much more sodium than sodium than is physiologically necessary.
However, there adverse effects with a diet high in sodium:
- Raised blood pressure.
- Gastric cancer
- Obesity
- Meniere's disease
- Osteoporosis
WHO Guidelines on Sodium Intake recommends
- A reduction in sodium intake to reduce blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and coronary heart disease in adults. WHO recommends a maximum intake of <2000 mg/day sodium (<5g/day salt) in adults.
- A reduction in sodium intake to control blood pressure in children. Recommended maximum intake of <2000 mg/day sodium and (<5 g/day salt) in adults should be adjusted downward based on the energy requirements of children relative to those of adults.
- Lowering sodium content in food products
- Implementing front of pack labelling to help consumers select food products with lower sodium content.
- Conducting mass-media campaigns to alter consumer behaviour around sodium.
- Implementing public food procurement and service policies to reduce sodium content in food served or sold.
- All 194 Member States of WHO have committed to reducing population sodium intake by 30% by 2025 in 2013. However, as no country in the world is on track to attain this target. WHO has proposed 30% reduction target for 2030.
- WHO has documented progress to date on policies through Sodium Country Score Card. It assesses country implementation of sodium reduction policies and other measures, allocating a score from 1 (for lowest level of implementation) to 4 (for highest level of implementation).
Suggestions for reducing Sodium Intake
- Maximum sodium content limits in foods: Setting of global sodium benchmarks is critical to facilitate reformulation of food products, which contributes to driving progress in sodium reduction.
- Healthy public food procurement & service policies: Government should lead by example through the implementation of mandatory policies of sodium reduction that cover food and beverages purchased, subsidised, prepared, served in public agencies.
- Nutrition Labelling: This tool empowers informs consumers about ingredients; nutrition content of food and influences consumers to make healthier choices and induce food manufactures to develop healthier food products. Mandatory labelling policies should also include nutrient declarations, including sodium, on the package and clear and simple interpretive front of pack labelling schemes.
- Marketing restrictions: Implementing mandatory marketing restrictions is needed to limit exposure to unhealthy foods and beverages, to decrease demand for these products and to provide industry incentive to reformulate and market healthier products.
- Fiscal policies: Fiscal policies to reduce population sodium intake include taxes on unhealthy foods and beverages or removing tax benefits for development and marketing of foods high in sodium. They can be strengthened by earmarking revenue for subsidies for fresh fruits and vegetables, or for implementation of other sodium reduction strategies.
- Prioritisation: Action is required to increase the demand for change, drive societal shift, catalyse response and influence policy and decision makers to prioritise mandatory legislation.
- Data: Regular reporting of data on sodium content in foods, and global access to such data, are needed to develop, monitor and evaluate sodium reduction policies and other measures.
Right to Health
Context:
- The recently concluded Budget session of the Rajasthan Assembly revived the debate around the Right to Health Bill. The legislation, if passed, will provide mandatory free and affordable medical services in hospitals, clinics and laboratories — both public and privately owned. Rajasthan would be the first State government to establish and protect the legal rights of patients to access equitable healthcare services. The Bill also provides for strengthening the public healthcare system.
- Fault lines have emerged around the legislation’s passage. Private hospital doctors object to the Bill citing it is hastily drafted, ignores ground realities and may tighten norms in an already over-regulated field. Civil society groups and activists, however, note that while the Bill needs clarity and could be sharpened to avoid implementation loopholes, it is an important starting point in framing healthcare as a tangible “right” for citizens.
If we look at the syllabus of GS Paper II:
Questions in Mains:
- 2020. In order to enhance the prospects of social development, sound and adequate health care policies are needed particularly in the fields of geriatric and maternal health care. Discuss.
In Questions like these Rajasthan Bill can be used as a case study.
So we will:
- Importance of Health in Indian Context
- There are several important health statistics in India, some of which include:
- Does the Constitution guarantee a right to health?
- What does the Bill say?
Importance of Health in Indian Context:
- Health is essential for economic development as a healthy population is more productive and can contribute to the growth of the economy. Poor health can result in increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and higher healthcare costs, which can negatively impact the economy.
- Poor health can contribute to poverty, and poverty can, in turn, lead to poor health outcomes. Access to healthcare services, clean water, and sanitation can help reduce poverty and improve health outcomes.
- Health is essential for social development as it is linked to education, gender equity, and social justice. Improved health can lead to better educational outcomes, increased gender equity, and reduced social inequalities.
- Health is essential for national security as it can affect the readiness of the armed forces and the ability of the country to respond to public health emergencies.
- Health is a key component of sustainable development as it is linked to environmental sustainability, economic development, and social equity.
The current state of health in India is complex and multifaceted. On the one hand, there have been significant improvements in health indicators over the past few decades, such as increased life expectancy, reductions in maternal and child mortality, and improved access to healthcare services.
However, there are still several challenges that need to be addressed, including high rates of malnutrition, a high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, inadequate healthcare infrastructure in rural areas, and a shortage of healthcare workers.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted the need for increased investments in public health infrastructure, strengthening of healthcare systems, and preparedness for future health emergencies. While progress has been made in addressing some of these challenges, more needs to be done to ensure better health outcomes for all citizens in India.
There are several important health statistics in India, some of which include:
Life expectancy: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average life expectancy in India is around 69 years.
Infant mortality rate (IMR): As per the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16), the infant mortality rate in India is 32 per 1000 live births.
Maternal mortality rate (MMR): The maternal mortality rate in India, as per the latest estimates from the WHO, is 174 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Malnutrition: India has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world, with 38.4% of children under the age of five being stunted, 21% being wasted, and 35.8% being underweight, as per the Global Nutrition Report 2020.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs): NCDs are responsible for 61% of deaths in India, with cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes being the leading causes, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.
Health expenditure: According to the National Health Accounts Estimates for India 2017-18, the total health expenditure in India was 3.6% of GDP, with the government contributing 32.3% of the total expenditure.
Doctor-patient ratio: India has a doctor-patient ratio of 1:1456, as per the National Health Profile 2021.
Health insurance coverage: As per the National Health Accounts Estimates for India 2017-18, only 27% of the total health expenditure was covered by health insurance, with out-of-pocket expenditure accounting for the rest.
Does the Constitution guarantee a right to health?
- The Indian Constitution does not explicitly talk about a right to health.
- A “right to health”, in theory, is derived from the right to life and liberty as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
- Previously, courts have highlighted the State’s obligation to protect and promote the health of citizens, pointing to Constitutional provisions such as Article 38 (promoting the welfare of people) and Article 47 (which directs the government to meet the nutrition and health requirements of the population).
- In Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity v. State of West Bengal (1996), the Supreme Court averred that it is the government’s responsibility to provide medical aid in the interest of bolstering public health.
In this regard, The current legislation tabled in Rajasthan is a welcome step.
What does the Bill say?
- The Bill provides rights to patients and healthcare providers, places the obligation on the government to protect these legal rights and mandates the setting up of grievance redressal mechanisms.
- The legislation will be a “progressive reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure in seeking, accessing or receiving health care” for patients, the preamble states.
- Rajasthan residents will be entitled to free check-ups, drugs, diagnostics, emergency transport and care at all public health institutes, along with affordable surgeries. The Bill frames medical services as a public service rather than a vehicle for making money. If enacted, the Act will have a recurring annual expenditure of Rs. 14.5 crores.
- Clause 3 of the Bill lays down 20 rights a State resident will be entitled to — including the right to informed consent, to seek information (in the form of medical records and documents) regarding diagnosis and treatment, to keep this data confidential and private and to receive treatment without discrimination based on caste, class, age, gender, among other markers.
- Clause 4 of the Bill shifts the burden of responsibility in providing adequate medical services to the government.
- The government is “obligated” to provide funds, set up institutions and constitute grievance redressal systems.
- They must take the initiative to set up a State Health Authority and district health authorities. Beyond resolving complaints, the authorities would be tasked with planning healthcare services, monitoring services and conducting routine clinical, social and economic audits.
- Moreover, the Bill also talks about the safety of healthcare providers and improving public health infrastructure.
- Clause 4 mandates that the government develop a Human Resource Policy for Health ensuring the availability and equitable distribution of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers at all levels of the system across regions.
Hence, recognizing and protecting the right to health is certainly a good step in India, as it has the potential to improve the health outcomes of millions of people in the country.
India faces several health challenges, including high rates of infectious and non-communicable diseases, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and unequal access to healthcare services.
Recognizing the right to health can help address these issues by promoting equitable access to healthcare services, ensuring that healthcare facilities and services are of high quality and available to all, and addressing the social determinants of health such as poverty, education, and access to clean water and sanitation.
Moreover, recognizing the right to health can help strengthen India's healthcare system by making it more responsive to the needs of its citizens.
It can also help hold the government accountable for ensuring that the health needs of its citizens are met, and provide a framework for addressing health disparities and promoting health equity.
Overall, recognizing the right to health is a positive step in India, and can help improve the health outcomes of its citizens and strengthen its healthcare system.
Multilateralism
What is multilateralism?
Multilateralism refers to the coming together of three or more states, in formal or informal institutional settings, to discuss issues of mutual interest and coordinate their policies.
An example of multilateral institution is United Nations (UN) since it has universal membership. All countries, irrespective of their size and power, enjoy equal status in the form of one-country, one vote.
If such a grouping is small in size, it is best referred to as a mini-lateral or plurilateral forum.
One example of a plurilateral forum is BRICS, of which India is a member along with Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. Another example is G20, a grouping of top 20 economies of the world based on their GDPs (at PPP). Both these are cross-regional forums. Examples of regional multilateral forums are South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), etc
Difference from Multi-alignment
Multi-alignment, on the other hand, refers to the policy of formation of several alliances, not necessarily military, to fulfil national interests ranging from the more tangible security and development related ones to the more intangible ideational ones.
Multi-alignment conveys a sense of engagement and participation and a strong pragmatic outlook aimed not only at a better India but also a better world.
But multilateralism cannot be completely isolated from power politics. The Bretton Woods institutions, for instance, with their contribution-based quotas and weighted voting are standing edifices of realpolitik. Normatively, multilateralism is a counter to unilateralism.
Challenges to Multilateralism
- Dominance of West: The postcolonial backlash against the predominance of the West and the rising tide of populism have been profoundly eroding the liberal values underpinning the multilateral system
- Crisis in UN: The UN and its manifold agencies have been losing their lustre, criticised for their lack of efficiency, institutional sclerosis and ideological infighting.
- Trade Talks: The WTO has failed to conclude the negotiations of the Doha Agenda started in 2001, as bilateralism and protectionism are resurging worldwide, and its dispute settlement system has stalled
- Climate: Multilateral efforts to address climate change have made symbolic progress at best.
- Digital Space: The governance of the internet is forfeiting its initial aspiration of a borderless knowledge society as a few private companies are hoarding data exponentially and authoritarian states are misusing it as a tool of surveillance and repression.
- Rise of Nationalistic politics: Seen in global as well emerging powers. Example: BREXIT or withdrawal of UK from the EU marks a dent to the spirit of multilateralism. The powerful nations are challenging the multilateral world order.
- Changing Geopolitics: Rise of China, concretization of Russia China axis, SCO etc. has made West conscious of preserving its hegemony. West sees China as a challenger to US led world order and does not seem to cooperate with China and Russia. At the same time, China and Russia try to counter the west. This competition has led to erosion of spirit of cooperation and collaboration, hurting multilateralism.
Why is it difficult to Reform
- Multilateralism is deeply entrenched in global power politics. As a result, any action in reforming multilateral institutions and frameworks automatically transforms into a move that seeks changes in the current distribution of power.
- The status quo powers see multilateral reforms as a zero-sum game. For instance, in the context of the Bretton Woods system, the U.S. and Europe believed reform would reduce their influence and dominance. This makes decisions about reform in these institutions, by consensus or voting, hard.
- Multilateralism appears at odds with the realities of the emerging multiplex global order. The emerging order seems more multipolar and multi-centred. Such a situation facilitates the formation of new clubs, concerts and coalitions of the like-minded, which makes the reform of older institutions and frameworks more challenging.
What G20 and India can do
- G-20 should first focus on setting proper narratives of multilateral reform. G-20 may constitute an engagement group dedicated to bring the narrative to the forefront of global discourse. India should also urge the upcoming chairs of the grouping, Brazil and South Africa, to place multilateral reforms as their presidential priorities
- It should be acknowledged that limitations of multilateral cooperation. Competing interests and the dominance of powerful states are there to stay in multilateral platforms. Therefore, while supporting multilateral cooperation, G-20 should continue encouraging mini lateral groupings as a new form of multilateralism and try to transform them into multi-stakeholder partnerships
- Creating networks of issue-based mini laterals, particularly in areas related to the governance of the global commons will be helpful in preventing competitive coalitions where other actors play the same game to their advantage, leading to a more fragmented world order.
- The group needs to be more inclusive without sacrificing efficiency. For example, including the African Union as a permanent member and the UN Secretary-General and General Assembly President as permanent invitees would be helpful to enhance its legitimacy.
- G-20 should put all its efforts into solving one or two pressing global issues and showcase it as the model of new multilateralism. Food, fuel and fertilizer security can be one such issue. On the one hand, it falls under the ‘low politics’ of world politics, so cooperation is more achievable.
INDIA’s STRATEGY OF REFORMING MULTILATERALISM
India’s strategy for reformed multilateralism rests on 5S pillars which includes
1. Samman (Respect)
2. Samvad (Dialogue)
3. Sahyog (Cooperation)
4. Shanti (Peace)
5. Samriddhi (Prosperity)
- Moreover, India has to engage with regional groupings in stronger ways though China has a pre-eminent position in the architecture of these organisations. Interdependence in the economy cannot be overlooked, especially for an emerging state like India.
- India must continue to pursue institutionalisation of multilateral frameworks irrespective of regional conflicts. On such occasions, one has to look at the possibility of strengthening neighbourhood multilateral frameworks (such as SARRC
- India needs to build multilateral trade blocs/economic groupings involving its South Asian neighbours along with Indian Ocean neighbours, while rejuvenating organisations such as BIMSTEC and IOR-ARC.
Thus India should not allow a “recession for multilateralism” in its diplomatic vision as it can be concluded that the multilateral system is merely undergoing a profound mutation and one that might even end up making it more effective and better adapted to the realities of the 21st century.
Chandrayaan 3 likely to be launched in mid 2023: ISRO
Context: As per Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the launch of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission, and the first solar mission Aditya L1 will possibly happen by the middle of 2023.
Chandrayaan-3
- Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
- It consists of Lander and Rover configuration. It will be launched by Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM 3) launch vehicle from SDSC, Sriharikota.
- The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration till the 100 km lunar orbit.
Objectives
- To demonstrate a Safe and Soft Landing on a specified lunar site
- To demonstrate Rover roving on the moon which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility
- To conduct in-situ scientific experiments
Several advanced technologies in Chandrayaan
- Propulsion module has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.
- Lander payloads:
- Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure the thermal conductivity and temperature
- Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) for measuring the seismicity around the landing site
- Langmuir Probe (LP) to estimate the plasma density and its variations.
- Laser Retroreflector Array from NASA to understand the dynamics of Moon system.
- Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA)
- Rover payloads:
- Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) for deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site.
Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2
| CHANDRAYAAN 1 | CHANDRAYAAN 2 |
|---|---|
| 1st Lunar mission of India | Floow-up mission, 1st interplanetary mission |
| No landing of the surface of the moon | A lander will make a soft landing |
| the net weight of the spacecraft -1380kgs. | the spacecraft weights approx 3850 |
| Launched by PSLV | Launched by GSLV Mk III |
| Carried a range of scientific equipment, both Indian and Internation; Mini-Synthetic Aperture Radar (Mini-SAR) found water-ice deposits in craters on the far side of the moon. It carried five ISRO payloads and six payloads from other space agencies including NASA, ESA, and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency. | It has three modules namely orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan). The main aim is to study the moon's mineral and chemical composition, topology and seismology. It carried 14 payloads; 13 Indian and 1 from NASA. |
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)
CONTEXT: An Inter-Ministerial delegation from India led by Department of Commerce participated in the second Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) negotiating round in Bali, Indonesia
Key Developments Summit
During the Bali Round, discussions covered all the four pillars of the IPEF i.e. Trade, Supply Chain resilience, Clean Energy and decarbonisation and Fair Economy (Taxation & Anticorruption)
However India participated in the discussions related to Supply Chain resilience and Fair Economy (Taxation & Anticorruption)
The pillar which deals primarily with trade was not joined by India because the contours of the framework - particularly on commitments required on environment, labour, digital trade and public procurement — are still emerging.
- India reiterated its belief that IPEF will deepen the economic engagement and promote inclusive development through enhancement in trade and investment in the region.
- On the side-lines of the negotiating round, the Chief Negotiator and the Pillar Leads also held bilateral meetings with IPEF countries and other concerned stakeholders.
- Further a representative from National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) also gave a detailed presentation at the Business Forum on Unified Payment Interface (UPI), a successful example of Digital Public infrastructure in India.
ABOUT IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity)
In the backdrop of US withdrawal from the Trans- Pacific Partnership under Donald Trump, there has been concern over the absence of a credible US economic and trade strategy to counter China’s economic influence in the region.
The US President first talked about it at the at the October 2021 East Asia Summit. It has been launched at present Quad summit 2022.
Objective
To “advance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness” in these economies.
Members and Membership
Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Together, these countries account for 40% of global GDP.
Countries are free to join (or not join) initiatives under any of the stipulated pillars but are expected to adhere to all commitments once they enrol.
Leadership
- U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) will be spearheading the trade pillar,
- Supply chain resilience, clean energy and decarbonisation, and taxes and anti-corruption measures will fall under the purview of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Areas of cooperation
1. Trade Pillar: To establish “high- standard, inclusive, free, and fair-trade commitments” to fuel economic activity and investments benefitting both workers and consumers.
2. Digital Trade Pillar: Incorporates not just the purchase and sale of goods online but also data flows that enable the operation of global value chains and services, like smart manufacturing, platforms and applications
3. Supply chain resilience Pillar: The framework aspires to secure access to key raw and processed materials, semiconductors, critical minerals and clean energy, tech, particularly for crisis response measures and ensuring business continuity
4. Clean energy, decarbonisation and infrastructure Pillar: In line with the Paris Agreement, provide technical assistance and help mobilize finance, including concessional finance, to improve competitiveness and enhance connectivity by supporting countries in the development of sustainable and durable infrastructure for adopting renewable energy.
5. Tax and anti-corruption Pillar: Aimed at promoting fair competition by enforcing robust tax, anti-money laundering and anti-bribery regimes in line with existing multilateral obligations, standards and agreements to curb tax evasion and corruption in the region.
Benefits
- A new US vehicle for economic re- engagement with East Asia and Southeast Asia.
- It would help in countering China dominated Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and other regional trade initiatives like Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economic Partnership (DEPA) (A new type of trade agreement to facilitate digital trade and creating a framework for the digital economy, was born out of the common interest of Chile, New Zealand and Singapore) of which US and India are not a party.
- Would help U.S. companies that are looking to move away from manufacturing in China.
- It is significant that 7 of 10 ASEAN countries and 11 out of 15 of countries that form RCEP took part in the launch.
- Signifies first multilateral attempt to boost supply chain resilience to ease global inflationary pressures and mitigate effects of future disruptions, particularly key raw materials, critical minerals, and semiconductors.
Challenges
- IPEF is not a traditional trade agreement.
- It would include different modules covering “fair and resilient trade, supply chain resilience, infrastructure and decarbonization, and tax and anticorruption.”
- Countries would have to sign up to all the components within a module, but do not have to participate in all modules.
- The “fair and resilient trade” module will be led by the US Trade Representative and include digital, labour, and environment issues, with some binding commitments.
- IPEF will not include market access commitments such as lowering tariff barriers, as the agreement is “more of an administrative arrangement,” and Congressional approval, which is a must for trade agreements, is not mandatory for this.
- Critics suggest it would be security, and not economics, which will drive U.S. trade engagement in the region.
- Exclusion of U.S. ally Taiwan from the arrangement, despite its willingness to join, exhibits USA’s geopolitical caution to call out China and despite Taiwan being eligible on economic merit.
Concerns for India
- US’ preference to allow free and open data flows under digital economy pillar will constrict India’s ability to regulate data for domestic purposes.
- India might be reluctant to sync its tax policies with the push for a global tax standard amongst US partners to mitigate tax avoidance and evasion.
- Labour Standards and non-Tariff barriers will remain a bone of contention for India.
What is the IPCC synthesis report and what does it say?
Context: Climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and planetary health and there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in a report.
The current report synthesises findings from three working groups. It also integrates evidence from three special reports during the sixth assessment cycle.
Key observations
- Human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above 1850–1900 in 2011–2020.
- Global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase.
- Adaptation planning and implementation has progressed across all sectors and regions, with documented benefits and varying effectiveness. Despite progress, adaptation gaps exist, and will continue to grow at current rates of implementation
- Global GHG emissions in 2030 implied by nationally determined contributions (NDCs) announced by October 2021 make it likely that warming will exceed 1.5°C during the 21st century and make it harder to limit warming below 2°C.
- Climatic and non-climatic risks will increasingly interact, creating compound and cascading risks that are more complex and difficult to manage.
- The report, brings in to sharp focus the losses and damages we are already experiencing and will continue into the future, hitting the most vulnerable people and ecosystems especially hard.
Implications for India
- India’s priority should be to minimise loss and damage in terms of lives, livelihood and biodiversity, and accelerate equitable action and adaptation.
- It proposes an approach emphasising ‘climate resilient development’.
- As a developing country, India can lower its per capita emissions through energy efficiency policies already being implemented in almost every sector.
- It can also decarbonise the energy sector by using cleaner options like solar and renewable energy, she added.
About the IPCC
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.
- It was established by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide political leaders with periodic scientific assessments about climate change.
- The IPCC has 195 member states that are members of the UN or WMO.
- The IPCC has three working groups:
- Working Group I, which addresses with the physical science of climate change;
- Working Group II, which focuses on the impact, adaptation and vulnerability associated with climate change; and
- Working Group III, which deals with the mitigation of climate change.
- It also has a Task Force on Greenhouse Gas Inventories that develops methodologies for measuring emissions and removals.
- IPCC assessments provide governments, at all levels, with scientific information they can use to develop climate policies.
- The UN panel does not itself undertake scientific assessments but only evaluates the state of scientific evidence on various aspects of climate change.
About the Sixth Assessment Cycle
The IPCC publishes comprehensive scientific assessments every six to seven years. The previous one, the Fifth Assessment Report, was completed in 2014 and provided the main scientific input to The Paris Agreement.
At its 41nd Session in February 2015, the IPCC decided to produce a Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).
High-speed internet: How will India develop a 6G network?
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a vision document for rollout of 6G communications technology in India by 2030.
More on news: For regular users, 6G could be a huge opportunity. At present, the total annual purchase of smartphones is greater than 16 crore smartphones for about 30 crore Indian households, as per the vision document. This means that every household today is buying smartphones at an average of one phone every 2 years. A similar amount is being spent annually on two-wheelers, suggesting that an average Indian finds a personal smartphone as valuable, and necessary, as a personal vehicle.
Introduction to 6G
6G is the next generation of wireless technology that is currently in the research phase and is expected to be commercialized by 2030.
- It is expected to offer faster speeds, higher capacity, and lower latency than the current 5G technology.
- It is expected to use higher frequency bands than 5G, including terahertz frequencies, to achieve higher data rates.
- 6G is also expected to be more energy-efficient than 5G, which will help to reduce the carbon footprint of wireless networks.
- 6G is expected to enable a wide range of new applications, including augmented reality, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things.
| Parameter | 4G | 5G | 6G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Below 6 GHz | Below 6 GHz and up to 52 GHz | Up to 1 THz |
| Speed | Up to 1 Gbps | Up to 10 Gbps | Up to 1 Tbps |
| Latency | 10-30 ms | 1-5 ms | < 1 ms |
| Spectrum Efficiency | 2-3 bits/Hz | 3-4 bits/Hz | 30-40 bits/Hz |
| Network Coverage | Wide-area coverage | Wide-area and local coverage | Wide-area and local coverage |
| Use Cases | Mobile broadband, video streaming, online gaming | Augmented reality, virtual reality, autonomous driving, smart cities | Advanced augmented reality, virtual reality, holographic communications, brain-computer interfaces |
| Energy Efficiency | Moderate | Better than 4G | Significantly better than 5G |
| Standardization | LTE, WiMax | 5G NR | Not yet defined |
Energy efficiency of 4G, 5G AND 6G
Energy efficiency refers to the amount of energy required to transmit data wirelessly, and it is an important consideration for mobile network operators due to the increasing demand for mobile data services and the need to reduce carbon footprint.
Here's a comparison of the energy efficiency of 4G, 5G, and 6G:
- 4G: 4G technology is not very energy efficient. It consumes a relatively high amount of energy due to the use of multiple antennas and high-power transmitters. As a result, 4G networks have a high carbon footprint and are not sustainable in the long term.
- 5G: 5G technology is more energy efficient than 4G due to the use of advanced antenna systems and improved signal processing techniques. 5G networks can also dynamically adjust their power consumption based on the number of connected devices and the data traffic. This leads to a reduction in energy consumption and a lower carbon footprint.
- 6G: 6G technology is expected to be even more energy efficient than 5G. It will use advanced signal processing algorithms and will be able to dynamically adjust the frequency and power levels based on the specific requirements of each device. In addition, 6G will use high-frequency bands, such as terahertz frequencies, which require less energy to transmit data. As a result, 6G networks are expected to have a significantly lower carbon footprint than 4G and 5G networks.
Overall, the energy efficiency of wireless networks is improving with each new generation of technology, and 6G is expected to be the most energy-efficient wireless technology to date.
Use cases of 6G
- Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality: 6G can enable more advanced and immersive AR and VR experiences, including real-time holographic communication and 3D mapping.
- Internet of Things (IoT): 6G can support a massive number of connected devices, with ultra-low latency and high reliability, enabling a wide range of IoT applications such as smart cities, smart homes, and smart factories.
- Autonomous Vehicles: 6G can enable highly reliable and low-latency communication between vehicles and the infrastructure, making it possible to achieve a fully autonomous transportation system.
- Telemedicine: 6G can enable remote medical procedures, such as remote surgery, with ultra-low latency and high reliability, making it possible to provide medical services to patients in remote areas.
- Environmental Monitoring: 6G can enable real-time monitoring of the environment, including air quality, water quality, and climate change, with a high level of accuracy and precision.
- Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs): 6G can enable the development of advanced BCIs, which can connect the human brain directly to the internet, enabling new forms of communication and control.
- Quantum Computing: 6G can enable the development of quantum communication and computing, which can revolutionize the way we store and process data.
Overall, 6G has the potential to enable a wide range of applications that were previously impossible or impractical with existing wireless technologies, and it is expected to be a key enabler of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Concerns related to 6G
- High carbon footprint: while 6G promises growth, it will simultaneously have to be balanced with sustainability since most 6G supporting communication devices will be battery-powered and can have a significant carbon footprint, the document said.
- Shared use of spectrum: The government will have to explore shared use of spectrum, particularly in the higher frequency bands for 6G.
- Captive networks: A reassessment and rationalisation of congested spectrum bands, and adoption of captive networks for Industry 4.0 and enterprise use cases will also have to be done.
What is India’s 6G roadmap?
- Support to explorative ideas, risky pathways and proof-of-concept tests. Ideas and concepts that show promise and potential for acceptance by the global peer community will be adequately supported to develop them to completion, establish their use cases and benefits, and create implementational IPs and testbeds leading to commercialisation as part of phase two.
- The 6G project will be implemented in two phases, and the government has also appointed an apex council to oversee the project and focus on issues such as standardisation, identification of the spectrum for 6G usage, create an ecosystem for devices and systems, and figure out finances for research and development, among other things.
- Exploring opening up a few bands to generate demand (for example 450-470 MHz, 526-612 MHz, 31-31.3 GHz, etc.). This requires initiating a new inter-ministerial process of repurposing several bands like that has been done earlier.
- To fund research and innovation on 6G, the vision document on 6G has recommended the creation of a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore to facilitate various funding instruments such as grants, loans, VC fund, fund of funds, etc. for the next 10 years.
- To decide on standardisation around 6G and related technologies, the document called for India to take on a greater role in various international bodies such as 3GPP, ITU, IEC, and IEEE.
What is India’s immediate action plan?
- The government has set up a Bharat 6G project and appointed an apex council to oversee the project and focus on issues such as standardisation, identification of the spectrum for 6G usage, create an ecosystem for devices and systems, and figure out finances for research and development, among other things.
- The apex council will facilitate and finance research and development, design and development of 6G technologies by Indian start-ups, companies, research bodies and universities. It will aim to enable India to become a leading global supplier of intellectual property, products and solutions of affordable 6G telecom solutions and identify priority areas for 6G research based on India’s competitive advantages.
- A key focus of the council will be on new technologies such as Terahertz communication, radio interfaces, tactile internet, artificial intelligence for connected intelligence, new encoding methods and waveforms chipsets for 6G devices.