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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

Monthly DNA

18 Apr, 2023

14 Min Read

Heatwave

GS-I : Physical Geography Heat waves

Heatwave

  • In Mumbai, heatstroke recently claimed the lives of eleven people.
  • The incident re-emphasizes the dangers associated with heat waves, whose frequency and intensity are predicted to increase due to climate change.
  • The European Space Agency observed land surface temperatures in May 2022 that were close to 55 °C in various areas of northwest India and even reached 60 °C in certain places. The last ten years have seen five of India's five warmest years on record.
  • In addition, high temperatures, little rain, and humidity have increased discomfort levels, making life even more difficult for individuals without access to cooling facilities. Heat stress shouldn't be a surprise any longer. It necessitates a thorough reaction.

About Heatwave

  • A heatwave is a period of unusually high temperatures. They often occur in India from May through June, and in a few rare instances, they can even last into July.
  • The India Meteorological Department (IMD) divides the country into different temperature zones to categorise heat waves.According to IMD, there were 413 heatwave days in India between 1981 and 1990, whereas there were 600 days between 2011 and 2020.
  • The rising effects of climate change are to blame for this substantial increase in the number of heatwave days.

About Heat stroke

  • The overheating of the body as a result of exposure to high temperatures and humidity, or as a result of sustained physical exertion at high temperatures, causes a heat stroke or sunstroke.
  • A heat stroke is regarded as a medical emergency that needs to be treated right away.

How?

  • The body's core temperature rises when the body is unable to sweat (particularly owing to high humidity) and cannot expel heat through evaporation.
  • The body's core temperature can rise to 106 degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of minutes if it is unable to cool down.
  • Serious health consequences, including death, may result from this.
  • Heat exhaustion symptoms include tiredness, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, low blood pressure, and tachycardia (rapid heartbeat).

What Standards Are Used to Declare a Heatwave?

  • The term "Heatwave" is used when a station's maximum temperature reaches at least 40°C for plains regions and at least 30°C for hilly regions.

  • An rise of 5 to 6°C above the normal temperature is regarded as a heat wave condition if the maximum normal temperature of a station is less than or equal to 40°C.

  • Furthermore, a severe heat wave condition is defined as an increase in temperature of at least 7°C above average.

Impact of heat wave

  • The frequent occurrence of heat waves also has a negative impact on various economic sectors.

  • The loss of working days, for instance, has a severe effect on the livelihood of poor and marginal farmers.

  • The economy is impacted by heatwaves because they have a negative effect on daily wage workers' output.

  • Effects on the Agriculture Sector When temperatures rise above the optimal range, crop yields are harmed.

  • Wheat crop losses were reported by farmers in Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh during the most recent rabi season. Due to heat waves, wheat production in India may decline by 6–7%.

  • Heatwaves can also harm livestock.

  • Heat waves unavoidably affect the amount of electricity used.

  • In North India, the daily average peak demand in April was 13% greater than in 2021, and in May it was 30% higher.

  • Human Mortality: The causes of heat wave-related deaths include increasing temperatures, a lack of public awareness campaigns, and insufficient long-term mitigating efforts.

  • A 2019 analysis from the University of Chicago and Tata Centre for Development predicts that by 2100, it's possible that more than 1.5 million people per year will pass away from heat-related causes owing to climate change.

  • Diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, as well as issues with mental health, will all become more prevalent as a result of the increased heat.

Causes

  • Global warming as well as local variables are to blame for the incidence of severe temperatures worldwide.
  • Scientists have demonstrated how greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worsen ocean temperatures, causing global temperatures to surge.
  • GHG emissions from human activity are to blame for the current situation with extreme weather.
  • Additionally, without human-caused climate change, heatwaves and wildfires are "unimaginable."

The possibility for severe heatwaves

  • The end of the strong La Nina phase in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which has a general cooling influence on the earth's atmosphere, is expected to result in an abnormally hot summer this year.
  • El Nino's potential occurrence: Recent predictions indicate that El Nino, which has the opposite effects of La Nina, is likely to start earlier than expected in the May–July timeframe.
  • El Nino also frequently suppresses the monsoon season's rainfall across India.
  • Despite the India Meteorological Department's forecast for a typical monsoon, a shortfall in precipitation is already anticipated, which might compound the consequences of a scorching summer.

recent government initiatives

  • Monitoring and management: Over the past few years, heatwave monitoring and management have significantly improved, which has led to a significant decrease in the number of fatalities attributable to heatwaves.
  • Nearly all at-risk states already have heat action plans in place, which primarily include early warning, the provision of water and ORS in public areas, and flexible working hours in workplaces and educational institutions.
  • Early Warning Systems and Public Awareness: In order to reduce the number of fatalities caused by heat waves, it is important to raise public awareness through print, electronic, and social media, provide heat-proof shelters in summer in places that are prone to them, make public drinking water easier to get, and implement afforestation programmes in both urban and rural areas.

Way ahead

  • A heat wave action plan is needed because of the detrimental effects of heat waves, which show that stronger disaster management policies and effective disaster adaption techniques are needed in heatwave zones to decrease the effects of heatwaves.

  • Since heat-related deaths are avoidable, the government must give top priority to creating a long-term action plan to protect people, livestock, and wildlife.
  • Due to climate change, population exposure to heat is rising and will keep rising.
  • Globally, it has been noted that the frequency, length, and intensity of extreme temperature occurrences, such as heat waves, are rising.

Source: Indian Express

G7's Commitment Towards Carbon-free Electricity Production

GS-II : International treaties and conventions Climate Change

G7's Commitment Towards Carbon-free Electricity Production

  • G7 nations met for two days in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo to discuss climate, energy, and environmental policies.

  • Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the need for energy security and renewable fuel sources has grown more urgent.

  • The climate and energy ministers and envoys of the Group of Seven (G7) nations have committed to accelerating the phase-out of coal and securing carbon-free electricity production by 2035. Prior to the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, in May 2023, the agreement was made in Sapporo, Japan.

  • In light of its G20 chairmanship, India was also invited to the summit as a "guest".

Key highlight

  • The accord asks for expediting the transition to renewable energy so that net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are achieved by 2050, taking into account the current global energy crisis and economic disruptions.
  • The G7 countries emphasised the pressing need to cut GHG emissions by roughly 43% by 2030 and 60% by 2035.
  • The participants agreed to speed up investments in solar and wind energy to produce 1,000 gigawatts of solar power and 150 gigawatts of wind power from offshore platforms by 2030, in accordance with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s AR6 Report, which reiterates the need to prevent global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.

Other Important Information About Carbon Emissions

  • The increase in temperature since the pre-industrial era is already 1.1C.
  • The G-7 countries are responsible for 25% of the world's carbon emissions and 40% of the world's economic activity.
  • Today, developing nations and emerging markets are responsible for more than two thirds of the world's carbon emissions.
  • With more than 40% of the world's enrichment capacity, Russia is one of the biggest exporters of enriched uranium for civilian nuclear programmes.
  • In contrast to some developed nations, such as the United States, Japan, Canada, and Europe, which are dependent on gas reserves, India and China are heavily dependent on coal for their electrical needs.

Important Issues that Saw No Concrete Action Include:

  • expanding initiatives to support other nations as they step up their energy transition and energy efficiency.
  • The wealthy nations' financial contributions continue to fall short of the UNFCCC COP27 commitment of $100 billion annually.
  • Proposal from the UK and Canada to phase out coal by 2030.

Issues with India's to phase-out of coal

  • High energy dependence: Coal accounts for 57% of India's total energy consumption, and coal demand is not anticipated to peak until the early 2030s.
  • Extremely large financial costs are associated with phaseouts; for instance, the German coal phaseout requires expenditure of more than 50 billion euros.
  • Richness in resources: According to the Geological Survey of India, India has cumulative coal reserves totaling 319.02 billion tonnes (bt). The economy of states like Jharkhand and Orissa rely on coal mining.
  • Impact on tax: In FY20, the Centre alone brought in almost Rs 29,200 crore from coal-related GST compensation cess.
  • One research noted that 7,44,984 direct coal employment, excluding contract workers, had been lost.

About G7

  • The seven largest advanced economies that make up the Group of Seven (G7) are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
  • The G7, formerly the G8 (before Russia was denied entry), was established in 1975 as a loose-knit gathering of world leaders from the most developed economies.

Objectives:

  • The main goal of the G7 is to promote stability and economic progress among its member nations.
  • It acts as a venue for leaders to talk on matters of shared interest, such as trade, economic policy, and global security.
  • The G7 also seeks to encourage coordination and cooperation on topics including global health, poverty alleviation, and climate change.
  • Every year, the leaders of the G7 gather for a summit to debate and resolve matters of shared concern.
  • Each member nation takes turns hosting the summit as it rotates among them.

Significance:

  • Economies in the lead The G7 nations have some of the biggest and strongest economies in the world, accounting for 40% of global economic activity.
  • They rank among the top trading nations in the world and have a considerable impact on rules and regulations governing international trade.???????
  • International organisations like the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation are significantly influenced by the G7, a key player in global governance.
  • The economic and political stability of the world may be significantly impacted by its policies and decisions.

India efforts

  • The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana assisted 88 million families in switching to LPG connections from coal-based cooking fuels.
  • The mission of hydrogen energy is to concentrate on producing hydrogen using renewable energy sources.
  • E-vehicle: With the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME Scheme), India is quickening its transition to e-mobility.
  • The phase-out of old and unfit automobiles through a vehicle scrapping strategy complements the programmes already in place.
  • Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT) is a market-based method to expedite and reward energy efficiency in the major energy-intensive industries.
  • GEC: Green Energy Corridor synchronising India's national transmission network with grid-connected renewable energy.

Source: The Hindu

Rohingya Crisis

GS-II : International Relations Refugee crisis in World

Rohingya Crisis

  • The Gambia's request for a 10-month extension to respond to allegations that Myanmar violated the International Genocide Convention was denied by the International Court of Justice at The Hague.
  • The case refers to the Myanmar military's "clearing" operations in Rakhine state in 2017, which resulted in numerous deaths of Rohingya.

What are the Rohingya?

  • They are an ethnic group that predominately resides in the Rakhine province of western Myanmar and is primarily made up of Muslims.
  • Rather of the widely spoken Burmese language, they speak a Bengali variant.
  • Despite the fact that they have lived in the country of South East Asia for many generations, Myanmar views them as people who migrated there during the time of colonial control.
  • They are referred to as "resident foreigners" in Myanmar.

Atrocities associated with crises

  • In Myanmar, they have endured decades of oppression, violence, and discrimination.
  • Following numerous rounds of violence that started in 2012, a huge number of them were compelled to flee Myanmar. In 2017, the Myanmar army resumed its attacks, and thousands fled to Bangladesh for safety.
  • To get to safety in Bangladesh, many people endured perilous sea voyages and days-long treks across forests.

Implications

  • It not only puts a strain on the nation's limited resources, but it also makes the security threats the nation faces worse.
  • Additionally, it stated that most countries are concerned about the recent rise in terrorism and that illegal immigrants are more likely to be recruited by terrorist organisations.
Indian Policy Towards Refugees
  • India has not ratified either the 1967 Protocol or the 1951 UN Convention related to the Status of Refugees.
  • The Foreigners Act of 1946, The Registration of Foreigners Act of 1939, The Passport (Entry into India) Act of 1920, and The Citizenship Act of 1955 all govern all foreign nationals who are not in possession of legal documentation.
  • Foreign nationals who enter the country without appropriate travel documents are classified as illegal immigrants, according to the MHA.
Genocide Convention
  • The Genocide Convention (sometimes known as the "Genocide Convention") is an international legal document that first established the crime of genocide.
  • After the atrocities committed during World War II, the world community pledged to "never again" with the adoption of the first human rights treaty by the UN General Assembly in 1948.
  • With its adoption, international criminal law and human rights as we know them today took a significant stride forward.

Source: The Hindu

Mangrove Pitta Bird

GS-III : Biodiversity & Environment Wildlife & Fauna

Mangrove Pitta Bird

  • In recent months, Kendrapara and Jagatsingpur, two coastal districts of Odisha, undertook the first mangrove pitta bird census.

What is the Mangrove Pitta?

  • About: The Mangrove Pitta bird (Pitta megarhyncha) is a species of bird found in a few isolated areas of eastern India, such as the Bhitarkanika in Odisha and the Sundarbans in West Bengal.
  • The Mangrove Pitta bird, a ground forager and tree sitter that lives predominantly in India's coastal mangrove forests, explores widely for food.
  • IUCN Status: The species is classified and rated as "Near Threatened" by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).
  • India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia make up the distribution.
  • Being a bio-indicator of the health of mangrove forests, which are essential to preserving ecological balance in coastal areas, this species is significant.

What Was the First Mangrove Pitta Bird Census?

  • The point count method was utilised for this census, in which the number of birds was determined by direct observations and chirping noises.
  • A total of 179 distinct birds were counted during the mangrove pitta bird census.
  • In the Bhitarkanika National Park, the mangroves close to the mouth of the Mahipura river were where these birds were most numerous.

Source: The Hindu

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