India to Reach Carbon Neutrality by 2070

Why in News

Recently, India announced that it will reach carbon neutrality by 2070 as part of a five-point action plan that included reducing emissions to 50% by 2030.

• India made this pledge at the Conference of the Parties (COP) 26 climate summit in Glasgow, where it also urged developed countries to deliver on their promise of climate financing.
• However, India hasn’t submitted an updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) with these commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) yet.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • Net Zero is a state in which a country’s total emissions are offset by absorptions of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, like that done by trees and forests, and physical removal of carbon dioxide through futuristic technologies.
  • More than 70 countries have promised to become Net Zero by the middle of the century, and this is being considered vital for meeting the Paris Agreement goal of keeping global temperatures within 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial times.
  • India’s Net Zero target of 2070 silences its critics but it is along expected lines.
    
    • The big thing here is not the target itself but the fact that India finally relented and decided to take up a target, something it had been holding back on for quite some time.
    • In its climate action plan submitted under the Paris Agreement, India had promised to reduce its emissions intensity, or emissions per unit of Gross Domestic Product, by 33 to 35% by the year 2030 compared to 2005 levels.
• Reducing India’s Emissions:
  
  • India has the lowest per capita emissions of the world’s major economies -- emitting 5% of the total, despite accounting for 17% of the world’s population.
  • According to the World Resources Institute, India’s total greenhouse gas emissions were about 3.3 billion tonnes in 2018.
    
    • It’s projected to rise above 4 billion tonnes per year by 2030.
  • That would mean between now and 2030, India could be emitting anywhere between 35 to 40 billion tonnes at the current rates of growth.
  • Cutting 1 billion tonnes would, therefore, represent a reduction of 2.5 to 3% in its absolute emissions in the business-as-usual scenario in the next nine years.
• India’s New Renewables Target:
  
  • In 2019 India announced that it would take up its installed capacity of renewable energy to 450 GW by 2030.
    
    • At that time, India’s publicly stated target was 175 GW by the year 2022.
  • The installed renewable capacity has been growing rapidly in the last few years, and the enhancement as per it’s pledge from 450 GW to 500 GW is not likely to be very challenging.
  • The increase in the proportion of non-fossil fuel energy in the energy mix, to 50% is a natural corollary of this.
  • Most of the new capacity additions in the energy sector are being done in the renewable and non-fossil fuel space.
    
    • In fact, India has already said it does not plan to start any new coal power plants after 2022.
    • As of now, India was already targeting 40% electricity production through non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
• Climate Finance:
  
  • India's efforts though will have to be supported by the availability of climate finance from developed countries. Without foreign capital, on concessional terms, this transition will prove to be difficult.
  • India demands USD 1 trillion of climate finance as soon as possible and will monitor not just climate action, but deliver climate finance.
  • Most importantly, India has called, once again, for a change in lifestyles.
• Steps Needed to Achieve Net Zero:
  
  • According to the Council on Energy, Environment and Waters implications of a Net-zero Target for India's Sectoral Energy Transitions and Climate Policy' study, India's total installed solar power capacity would need to increase to over 5,600 gigawatts to achieve net-zero by 2070.
  • The usage of coal, especially for power generation, would need to drop by 99% by 2060, for India to achieve net-zero by 2070.
  • Consumption of crude oil, across sectors, would need to peak by 2050 and fall substantially by 90% between 2050 and 2070.
    
    • Green hydrogen could contribute 19% of the total energy needs of the industrial sector.

Source: IE

G20 Summit & Climate Change

Why in News

In the recently concluded G20 summit, the leaders made a commitment to reach carbon neutrality by or around mid-century.

• They have adopted the Rome Declaration (the current presidency of G20 countries is being held by Italy).
• Earlier, the G20 Climate Risk Atlas was released which provides climate scenarios, information, data and future changes in climate across the G20 countries.

Key Points

• Highlights of the Declaration:
  
  • Roadmap for COP 26: It urged leaders of the world’s biggest economies to put their action plans to tackle the global climate change crisis.
    
    • This is a significant step in the context of the upcoming UN climate conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, Scotland.
  • Restricting Aid to Coal Based Plants: It included a pledge to halt financing of overseas coal-fired power generation by the end of this year (2021).
  • PPP Model of Finance Mobilisation: Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) are the only way to achieve the trillions of dollars in annual investment needed to transition to clean, sustainable energy sources that will mitigate the warming of global temperatures.
• Declaration by India:
  
  • Addressing Vaccine Inequality: Underlining the need to address vaccine inequity across the world, India is ready to produce over 5 billion vaccine doses by the end of next year (2022).
    
    • India also emphasised on vaccine research, manufacturing and innovation.
  • One Earth One Health: The vision of “One Earth One Health”, or the need for a collaborative approach in the international domain in the fight against the pandemic.
  • Resilient Global Supply Chains: India highlighted the need for resilient global supply chains and invited G-20 countries to make India their partner in economic recovery and supply chain diversification.
  • Support for Global Minimum Tax: India also lauded the G-20’s decision to come up with a 15-percent minimum corporate tax to make the global financial architecture “more just and fair”.
  • Welcoming Indo-Pacific Strategy: India welcomed the European Union’s Indo-Pacific strategy and French leadership in it.
• Associated Concerns:
  
  • Half-Hearted Steps: The statement contained few concrete actions and made no reference to a specific 2050 date to achieve net-zero carbon emission.
    
    • Moreover, the statement removed references in a previous draft to the target to “reduce emissions significantly”.
  • No target for Phasing Out Coal: It set no target for phasing out coal domestically, a clear nod to top carbon polluters China and India.
    
    • For example, China has not set an end date for building domestic coal plants at home.
    • Coal is still China’s main source of power generation, and both China and India have resisted attempts for a G-20 declaration on phasing out domestic coal consumption.
  • No resolution on Vaccine Patent Waiver: It did not touch upon the dispute over vaccine patent waivers.
  • Pressing India’s developmental Imperative: Climate negotiators from the US, EU and UK had made a number of visits to India over the past few months, pressing for India to update its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to include its target of 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030.

Source: IE

18th India-ASEAN Summit

Why in News

Recently, India participated in the 18^th India-ASEAN Summit at the invitation of Brunei, the current Chair of ASEAN.

• The Year 2022 has been highlighted as India-ASEAN Friendship by the leaders.
• India-ASEAN Summit is held every year and provides an opportunity for India and Asean to engage at the highest level.

Key Points

• ASEAN in Act East Policy:
  
  • The centrality of ASEAN in India's Act East Policy and in India's Vision for the wider Indo-Pacific Vision has been underlined.
  • Welcomed the adoption of the India-ASEAN Joint Statement on cooperation for peace, stability and prosperity in the region, building upon the synergies between the ASEAN Outlook for the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
    
    • Recently, India also addressed the 16^th East Asia Summit, where it reaffirmed India's focus on a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and the principle of Asean Centrality in the region.
• India-ASEAN Connectivity:
  
  • Exchanged views on enhancing India-ASEAN connectivity in broadest terms including physical, digital and people to people.
  • India announced its support for establishing the ASEAN Cultural Heritage List to further strengthen India-ASEAN cultural connectivity.
• Trade and Investment:
  
  • The importance of diversification and resilience of supply chains for post-Covid economic recovery and in this regard, the need to revamp the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has been underlined.
• Rule-Based Order:
  
  • Regional and international issues of common interest and concern, including South China Sea and terrorism.
  • The importance of promoting a rules-based order in the region including through upholding adherence to international law, especially the UNCLOS.
• Covid-19:
  
  • Highlighted India’s efforts in the fight against the pandemic in the region and also reiterated support for ASEAN’s initiatives in this regard.
    
    • India has contributed medical supplies worth USD 200,000 to ASEAN’s humanitarian initiative for Myanmar and USD 1 million for ASEAN’s Covid-19 Response Fund.

India-ASEAN and China

• Traditionally the basis of India-ASEAN ties has been trade and people-to-people ties due to shared historical and cultural roots, a more recent and urgent area of convergence has been balancing China’s rise.
  
  • Both India and ASEAN aim to establish a rules-based security architecture for peaceful development in the region, in contrast to China’s aggressive policies.
• Like India, several ASEAN members such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei have territorial disputes with China, the China factor does form an important component of the relationship.
  
  • India in 2014 reinvigorated the Look East policy into Act East, with a more strategic outlook than its previous incarnation, focusing on engagement not just with Southeast Asian countries but also those in the Pacific.

Source: PIB

Italy-India Strategic Partnership in Energy Transition

Why in News

Recently, at a bilateral meet, India and Italy released the Joint Statement on Italy-India Strategic Partnership in Energy Transition.

• The two nations acknowledged significant progress in bilateral relations since the adoption of the Action Plan for an enhanced Partnership between India and Italy (2020 –2024) in November 2020.

Key Points

• Joint Working Group:
  
  • Tasked the Joint Working Group to explore cooperation in areas such as:
    
    • Smart Cities, mobility; smart-grids, electricity distribution and storage solutions.
    • Gas transportation and promoting natural gas as a bridge fuel.
    • Integrated waste management ("waste-to-wealth”).
    • Green energies (green hydrogen, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) & Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), bio-methane, bio-refinery, second-generation bio-ethanol, castor oil, bio-oil –waste to fuel).
  • The Joint Working Group was established by the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Energy, signed in Delhi in October 2017.
• Green Corridor Project:
  
  • Consider working together to support a large size green corridor project in India to capitalize on India’s target to produce and integrate 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030.
    
    • The Green Energy Corridor Projects aim at synchronizing electricity produced from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, with conventional power stations in the grid.
• Investments:
  
  • Encourage joint investments of Indian and Italian companies in energy transition-related fields.
• Sharing Information:
  
  • Share useful information and experiences especially in the field of policy and regulatory framework.
  • Including possible means to facilitate the transition to cleaner and commercially viable fuels/technologies, long-term grid planning, incentivizing schemes for renewables and efficiency measures, as well as with regard to financial instruments for accelerating clean energy transition.

Significance of Italy for India

• 2021 is the year of the 73^rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Italy.
• India has recently been identified by Italy as one of the top five priority countries for internationalization of business.
• Italy acknowledges both geopolitical and economic importance of India and is actively trying to step up its relations to a new high, based on good diplomatic relations and economic exchanges.
• The economic importance of relations can be understood from the fact that Italy is the eighth largest economy in the world and the third largest in the Eurozone.
  
  • It is also the world’s sixth largest manufacturing nation, dominated by small and medium enterprises clustered in many industrial districts.
  • India, on the other hand, is the sixth-largest economy and a large market for over 600 Italian companies operating in India.
• Italy has supported India's membership to export control regimes like the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group.
• Italy hosts the third largest Indian community in the European Union, with an estimated 1,80,000 people, after the UK and the Netherlands. Indian labor is particularly active in the agriculture and dairy industry.
• Italy, being a part of the European Union, can prove to be an important partner for India in the post-Brexit Europe and can prove to be a favorable base for India companies to operate in Europe.
• The Indo-Pacific, at one end, is becoming the leading route for international maritime trade, and the Mediterranean Sea, on the other, is the natural point of arrival for ship cargo arriving from Asia.
  
  • Acting jointly in both areas would mean promoting values such as democracy, free trade, security, and rule of law, that denote India and Italy’s international behaviour, with consequences in terms of planning and policymaking.
• 2021 and 2023 will see Italy and India respectively preside over the G20 during what is expected to be a critical phase in the recovery of global economy and inter-state relations after the Covid-19 pandemic.
  
  • Recently, Italy has joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

Source: PIB

Supreme Court on SC/ST Act

Why in News

Recently, in a judgement, the Supreme Court has observed that the apex court and high courts have the power to quash criminal cases filed under various ‘special statutes’ including the SC/ST Act.

• The Supreme Court has inherent powers under Article 142 of the Constitution or that of the High Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to quash proceedings under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), 1989 (SC/ST Act).

Key Points

• Situations on Quashing Cases under ‘Special Statutes’:
  
  • When the court is satisfied that the offence in question, although covered under the SC/ST Act, is primarily private or civil in nature or when this offence has not been committed on account of the victim’s caste or where the continuation of legal proceedings would constitute an abuse of process of law.
  • When considering a prayer for quashing on the basis of a compromise/settlement between the two parties, the court is satisfied that the underlying objective of the SC/ST Act would not be contravened if the crime goes unpunished.
• Article 142:
  
  • About: It provides discretionary power to the Supreme Court as it states that the Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.
  • Constructive Application: In the early years of the evolution of Article 142, the general public and the lawyers both lauded the Supreme Court for its efforts to bring complete justice to various deprived sections of society or to protect the environment.
    
    • In the Union Carbide case, relating to the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, the Supreme Court placed itself above the laws made by the Parliament or the legislatures of the States by saying that, to do complete justice, it could even override the laws made by Parliament.
    • However, in the Supreme Court Bar Association v. Union of India, the Supreme Court stated that Article 142 could not be used to supplant the existing law, but only to supplement the law.
  • Cases of Judicial Overreach: In recent years, there have been several judgments of the Supreme Court wherein it has been foraying into areas which had long been forbidden to the judiciary by reason of the doctrine of ‘separation of powers’, which is part of the basic structure of the Constitution. One such example is:
    
    • The ban on the sale of alcohol along national and state highways: While the notification by the central government prohibited liquor stores along National Highways only, the Supreme Court put in place a ban on a distance of 500 metres by invoking Article 142.
• Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure:
  
  • The section allows the High Court to pass any order so as to ensure justice. It also gives the court power to quash the proceedings of lower court or to quash FIRs.
• SC/ST Act:
  
  • SC ST Act 1989 is an Act of Parliament enacted to prohibit discrimination against SC & ST communities members and prevent atrocities against them.
  • The Act is also a recognition of the depressing reality that despite undertaking several measures, the Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes continue to be subjected to various atrocities at the hands of upper-castes.
  • The Act has been enacted keeping in view the express constitutional safeguards enumerated in Articles 15 (Prohibition of Discrimination), 17 (Abolition of Untouchability) and 21 (Protection of Life and Personal Liberty) of the Constitution, with a twin-fold objective of protecting the members of these vulnerable communities as well as to provide relief and rehabilitation to the victims of caste-based atrocities.
  • In the amended SC/ST Act (2018), preliminary inquiry is not a must and no prior approval is also required for appointing authorities for senior police officers to file FIRs in cases of atrocities on SC and ST.

Source: IE

Ganga Utsav 2021-The River Festival

Why in News

Recently, the 5^th edition of Ganga Utsav-The River Festival 2021 has begun which celebrates the glory of the National river Ganga.

• Ganga was declared as the National River of India on 4^th November 2008.
• The event will also comprise, launch of the Ganga Tarang Portal, curtain raiser on Ganga Knowledge Portal and many more.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) celebrates the festival every year to strengthen the Public – River Connection.
    
    • NMCG is the implementation wing of National Ganga Council, set up in 2016, which replaced the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NRGBA).
    • The NMCG has been registered in the Guinness Book of World Records on the first day of Ganga Utsav 2021 for the highest number of photos of handwritten notes that were uploaded on Facebook in an hour.
  • The Utsav celebrates the mystical and cultural river Ganga through storytelling, folklore, dialogues with eminent personalities, quizzes, displaying traditional artforms, dance and music performances by renowned artists, photo galleries and exhibitions and much more.
  • It highlights the significance of Jan Bhagidari (People's Participation) in the revival of Ganga, with a focus on encouraging stakeholder engagement and public participation towards the rejuvenation of river Ganga.
• Programmes Held During the Festival:
  
  • Continuous Learning and Activity Portal:
    
    • Continuous Learning and Activity Portal (CLAP) is a learning portal that will be buzzing with activities, quizzes, crosswords, discussion forums to keep children engaged throughout the year.
    • The objective of all the activities will be to sensitize and motivate the children and youth for action to protect and restore our rivers.
  • Ganga Mashal:
    • It is an expedition led by the Ganga Task Force (GTF) that will travel the route including 23 stations along the river Ganga which will help sensitization of the local people and bodies like Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan) and Voluntary groups such as Ganga Mitras, Ganga Praharis, Ganga Doots.
      
      • Ganga Mitras, Ganga Praharis, Ganga Doots are dedicated voluntary groups formed at the grassroot level, whose resources are channelized for engagement of the community and public at large.
      • GTF is a unit of battalion of ex-servicemen deployed in the services of the Ganga with the approval of the Ministry of Defence for the period of four years till December 2020.
  • Ganga Quest:
    
    • It is a national online quiz on Ganga, rivers, and environment that was first conceptualized in 2019 as an educational program to sensitize children and youth towards River Ganga to strengthen the Namami Gange program.
• Government Initiatives on River Ganga:
  
  • Ganga Action Plan: It was the first river action plan to improve the water quality by the interception, diversion and treatment of domestic sewage.
    
    • The National River Conservation Plan is an extension to this plan, which aims at cleaning the Ganga river under Ganga Action Plan phase-2.
  • National River Ganga Basin Authority: It was formed in the year 2009 under Section-3 of the Environment Protection Act 1986.
  • Clean Ganga Fund: In 2014, it was formed for cleaning up of the Ganga, setting up of waste treatment plants and conservation of biotic diversity of the river.
  • Bhuvan-Ganga Web App: It ensures the involvement of the public in the monitoring of pollution entering into the river Ganga.
  • Ban on Waste Disposal: In 2017, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned the disposal of any waste in the Ganga.

Source: PIB

Bhasha Sangam Initiative: Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat

Why in News

Recently, the Ministry of Education launched various initiatives under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) to commemorate Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.

• The Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat was announced by the Prime Minister in 2015 on the occasion of the 140^th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Shri Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Key Points

• About the Initiatives:
  
  • Bhasha Sangam:
    
    • It is an initiative of the Ministry of Education under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, to teach basic sentences of everyday usage in 22 Indian languages (Eighth Schedule languages).
    • It is developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
    • The idea is that people should acquire basic conversational skills in an Indian language other than their mother tongue.
      
      • It is available on DIKSHA, ePathshala and through 22 booklets.
  • Other initiatives launched include Bhasha Sangam Mobile App and the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) Quiz App.
• Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat:
  
  • It was launched in 2015 to promote engagement amongst the people of different States/UTs so as to enhance mutual understanding and bonding between people of diverse cultures, thereby securing stronger unity and integrity of India.
  • It is an initiative of the Ministry of Education.
  • Every State and UT in the country would be paired with another State/UT for a time period, during which they would carry out a structured engagement with one another in the spheres of language, literature, cuisine, festivals, cultural events, tourism etc.

Source: PIB

World Bank Loan for Strengthening Health System: Meghalaya

Why in News

Recently, India and the World Bank signed a USD 40 million for Meghalaya Health Systems Strengthening Project.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • Infection Prevention: The project will invest in infection prevention and control for a more resilient response to future outbreaks, pandemics, and health emergencies.
  • Bio-medical Waste Management: The project will invest in improving the overall ecosystem for bio-medical waste management (both solid and liquid waste).
    
    • It will include segregation, disinfection, and collection while safeguarding the environment and improving the quality of health service and patient safety.
  • Performance-based Financing System: The project will move towards a performance-based financing system where Internal Performance Agreements (IPAs) between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and its subsidiaries would foster more accountability at all levels.
    
    • Performance Agreements define accountability for specific personal and organizational goals. It establishes and agrees results-oriented goals that are aligned with the overall objective, and it concludes with the formal, signed commitment to the agreement.
  • Promoting Synergy: It will also focus on promoting synergy between various schemes and augment the capacity of the state insurance agency.
• Significance:
  
  • Enhances Governance Capabilities:
    
    • It will enhance the management and governance capabilities of the state and its health facilities; expand the design and coverage of the state’s health insurance program; improve the quality of health services through certification and better human resource systems; and enable efficient access to medicines and diagnostics.
  • Strengthen Health Insurance Programme:
    
    • It will help strengthen the effectiveness of Meghalaya’s health insurance program known as the Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) – which currently covers 56% of the households.
  • Women Empowerment:
    
    • It will enable women to better utilize healthcare services at the community level.

Source: PIB