Rapid Fire Current Affairs | 23 Sep 2023
Joint Call to Action for Forests Towards 2030
The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), consisting of 16 global organisations chaired by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has introduced the Joint Call to Action for Forests towards 2030.
- Their objective is to emphasise the urgent need for increased action and political commitment in implementing forest solutions to align with the UN mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- The initiative encompasses four key areas: Implementation and action; data, science, and innovation; finance for forests; and communication and awareness-raising.
Read more: Sustainable Development Goals
Agumbe's Rainfall Dominance Wanes as New Rain Gauges Emerge
Agumbe Rainforest Complex (ARC), in Karnataka long renowned for its exceptional rainfall and often referred to as the 'Cherrapunji of the South,' is losing its historical status due to the installation of new rain gauges in the region.
- While Agumbe has been a rain gauge site for over a century, recent installations in areas like Nadpal and Mudradi have revealed higher rainfall levels, pushing Agumbe down the ranking.
- A rain gauge is a meteorological instrument used to measure the amount of precipitation, typically rainfall, that falls over a specific period of time in a particular location
- These new gauges, operational since 2022, show that Agumbe received 6,251.5 mm of rain in 2022-2023, making it the third-highest in Karnataka.
- Despite these changes, Agumbe's rainfall data remains valuable for researchers studying biodiversity, hydrology, and the unique habitat of the King Cobra.
Juno
Juno is a solar-powered NASA spacecraft that makes long, looping orbits around giant planet Jupiter.
- Juno was launched on 5th August, 2011.The spacecraft traveled roughly 3 billion kilometers before arriving at Jupiter in 2016.
- Juno conducted its 53rd close flyby of Jupiter, capturing a remarkable image of Jupiter and its volcanic moon Io, on 31st July 31, 2023.
- Io is known for its intense volcanic activity, with hundreds of erupting volcanoes spewing molten lava and sulfurous gasses.
- It is slightly larger than Earth's Moon, and is tidally locked to Jupiter and completes both its rotation on its axis and orbit around Jupiter in approximately 1.8 Earth days.