DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has discovered that the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) plays a pivotal role in shaping the sea conditions across the Indian Ocean.

• SAM – It refers to the north-south movement of Southern Westerly Winds over timescales of 10s to 100s of years.
• They blow almost continuously in the mid- to high-latitudes of the southern hemisphere and so called as Antarctic oscillations.
• It is usually defined as the difference in the zonal mean sea level pressure at 40°S (mid-latitudes) and 65°S (Antarctica).
• Importance – It shapes the wave patterns over extended time frames and a climate driver by influencing rainfall and temperature.

Swell waves are the regular, longer period waves which are self-sustaining and generated by energy beneath the ocean’s surface, no longer needing local wind. The 2 crucial swell generation regions in the Indian Ocean are the extratropical southern Indian Ocean (ETSI) and the tropical southern Indian Ocean (TSIO).

A new study has revealed that two species of mosquitofish (Gambusia) have invaded various ecosystems across India.

• Gambusia fish – An insectivorous fish that is found mostly in fresh and brackish, and occasionally marine waters and has a high breeding capacity.
• When released into freshwater system, they feed on mosquito larvae and thus act as biocontrol agent to control mosquitoes.
• Commonly used Gambusia species includes
  • Gambusia affinis
  • Gambusia holbrooki (eastern mosquito fish)

Guppy fish (Poecilia reticulate) is also deployed as a mosquito predator.

• Native to – U.S.A
• Reasons for its spread - High breeding capacity, robust adaptability and high tolerance for fluctuating environmental conditions.
• Impact – They displace and prey on native fauna, leading to the extinction of native fish, amphibians, and various freshwater communities.
• In India – Gambusia was 1^st introduced during British rule in 1928 for mosquito control and now inhabits all around India.
• Actions taken – Multiple countries, including India have listed Gambusia as invasive species.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stopped recommending Gambusia as a mosquito control agent in 1982.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared Gambusia as one of the 100 worst invasive alien species in the world.

Recently, the 4^th edition of the Production Gap Report was issued (1^st in 2019).

• Prepared by – Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Climate Analytics, E3G, and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
• It is externally peer-reviewed, with additional guidance from UNEP and review by the UNFCCC’s government focal points.
• Objective – To assess?the production gap (discrepancy between governments’ planned/projected fossil fuel production and global production levels consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C or 2°C)
• 2023 report – It provides newly expanded country profiles for 20 major fossil-fuel-producing countries, including India.
• It provided for new mitigation scenarios database and changes in government plans and projections since August 2021.
• Tagline for 2023 – ‘Phasing down or phasing up? Top fossil fuel producers plan even more extraction despite climate promises’.

Soon after the release of the 2021 Production Gap Report, governments agreed to accelerate efforts towards “the phasedown of unabated coal power” at the 26th COPto the UNFCCC in Glasgow.

Findings of the report

• Almost 90% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from fossil fuels, rising to record high in 2021–2022.
• There will be increased global coal production until 2030, and increased global oil and gas production until at least 2050.
• The global production gap has remained largely unchanged since 2019.
• While 17 of the 20 countries profiled have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions, none have committed to reduce coal, oil, and gas production in line with limiting warming to 1.5°C.

The UN report has revealed that the world was set to become warmer by at least 3 degree Celsius by the end of the century with the current climate policies of the countries.

What are the key takeaways of the report?

• Limited probability- There is only a 14% chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°Celsius over pre-industrial levels.
• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)- Even if the existing NDCS are delivered by 2030, the world will warm by 2.5°C, breaching the 2°C target set by the Paris Agreement.
• Lack of commitment- Only 9 countries have updated their NDC since the COP27of UNFCCC in 2022.
• Emissions- Approximately two-thirds come from fossil fuel-based CO2 emissions.
• G20 nations are responsible for three-quarters of the current warming.
• The three largest emitters are China, United States and India.

• Climate change- There is increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and temperature anomalies.
• As emission gap is widening urgent and ambitious action is needed to close the emission gap.
• Lack of credibility- The net zerocommitments made by 97 parties, covering 82% of global emissions varies widely and are insufficient.
• Temperature rise-The world is on track to warm by at least 3°Celsius by 2100, and that 86 days in 2023 have already exceeded the 1.5 degree Celsius limit set by the Paris Agreement.

What are the suggestions made by the report?

• Climate finance- There is an urgent need for affordable finance in lower-middle-income countries for clean energy investments.
• Net zero pledges- Enhance the feasibility and credibility of net-zero pledges, by specifying the role of carbon dioxide removal and aligning near-term emission trajectories with long-term targets.
• Policy framework- Strengthen the policy support and innovation system for carbon dioxide removal, by developing clear governance frameworks, creating niche markets and incentives.
• Collaborative action- Increase the ambition and action of all actors, including national and subnational governments, businesses, investors, civil society and individuals, and foster collaboration and synergies across sectors and scales.
• Foster transparency- Enhance accountability of emission reduction efforts, by improving the quality and comparability of GHG inventories, NDCs and long-term strategies.
• C02 removal strategies- CO2 removal strategies is the direct removal of CO2 from the atmosphere and its durable storage in geological, terrestrial, or ocean reservoirs or in products. It involves
  • Carbon capture and storage and
  • Carbon capture and utilisation
• Urgent action- The world needs to reduce emissions by 8.7% every year from 2024 to achieve the 1.5°Celsius target.

Patients in India rely on the advice of unqualified medical shop sellers instead of doctors when buying medicines.

What is the difference between generic and branded medicines?

What are the challenges associated with generic medicines?

• Deciding authority- The doctors don’t have the freedom to choose the brand of generic medicine for the patient, only salesperson decides the brand.
• Unethical practices- There is a corrupt link between pharmaceutical companies and doctors who can be influenced to give in to unethical marketing and promotional offers or kick-backs.
• Counterfeit marketing - Big pharma companies focus on profit rather than quality and promote their costly propaganda against generic medicines.

Hathi Committee in 1975 recommended for the gradual elimination of brand names.

• Lack of accountability- There is no clarity about who will ensure the compliance to the quality standards of drugs.
• NMC directive- National Medical Commission’s (NMC) notification asking registered medical practitioners to prescribe only generic medicines but was later suspended due to protests.
• Poor quality- Unauthentic and sub-standard medicines stands at 4.5% and 3.4%, which will directly impact patients’ health.
• Lack of essential medicine- Non essential medicines like vitamin tonics, cough syrup etc., are available in pharmacy but the rate of essential medicine is low.

What lies ahead?

• Quality assurance- Government must ensure the quality of medicines produced, procured, and supplied through its Universal Health Coverage system as well as the private health-care network.
• Periodic testing- The medicines that fail periodic quality test must be banned, with punitive action taken against manufactures.
• Rules for generic drugs- Government should assure that the medicines in the markets are of standard quality, this would ensure confidence in doctors.
• Proper monitoring- To ensure affordable medicines for all under Universal Health Care, free medicines and diagnostics are acceptable, but implementation needs to be monitored.
• Promoting generic drugs nationally builds on the rich experience across states especially Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu who are pioneers in introducing generic drugs in public health system.

In India, annually, about 32 million people get pushed below poverty line because of expenditure on medical care.

Continuous warm temperatures for prolonged periods have led to the serious armyworm infestation in Assam damaging around 28,000 hectares of paddy crop.

Scientific name – Mythimna separata

• Also known as the northern armyworm, ear head cutting caterpillar and rice ear-cutting caterpillar.

1^st report – Reported as a sporadic pest from Tamil Nadu during 1937 and Kerala and Odisha in 1957.

Key features – It is a cyclical pest that comes intermittently and was known to strike once every 10-12 years.

• They are polyphagous (feed on a range of host crop plants like paddy and wheat mainly and also on maize, millets, sunflower, sugarcane and groundnut)
• Growing conditions – Pest population increases rapidly during high temperatures and a humid atmosphere.
• During an outbreak, they multiply largely and move in swarms from field to field, like an army, to attack the crops.

Fall armyworm

• Scientific name – Spodoptera frugiperda
• Native to- Tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas.
• Key features – It is a polyphagous insect that feeds mainly on maize and more than 80 other crops.
• It is a transboundary pest (fly over 100 km in a single night).

• SATHEE is an open learning platform to help students prepare for competitive exams at no cost.
• It has been launched by the Ministry of Education and IIT-Kanpur.

The preparation material will be available in English, Hindi and other regional languages

• Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai (1826–1889), also known as Mayavaram Vedanayagam Pillai, was an Indian civil servant, Tamil poet, novelist and social worker.
• He is remembered for the authorship of Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram, recognized as the "1^st modern Tamil novel".
• He is also a great connoisseur of Carnatic music.
• His religious works are Kochakappa, Mata Patikankal, Tayabarakanni, Deva Thothiramalai, Tiruvarul Malai, Deva Mata Antati, and Tiruvarul Antati.

His musical works include Sarva Samaya Samarasa Kirtanai, Satya Veta Kirtanai, Periyanayaki Amma Patikam, and Pen Mati Malai.

• WHO and the Ministry of AYUSH signed the Traditional and Complementary Medicine 'Project Collaboration Agreement' recently.

It aims to standardize Traditional and Complementary Medical Systems, integrate their quality and safety aspects into the National Health System, and disseminate them at the international level.

• The Yuva Tourism Club is a program launched by the Ministry of Tourism as part of the India@75 campaign.
• The program's goal is to develop young ambassadors for Indian tourism.

The program is "of the youth, by the youth, for the youth".

• India’s 1^st urban ropeway project in Shimla will begin in September 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2029.

It is the world’s second longest, after La Paz in Bolivia.

• Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom Day is observed every year on 24 November. He is the 9^th of ten gurus.
• He was born in Amristar, Punjab in 1621. He is also called Hind ki Chadar, or Shield of India.

He composed 115 songs that are included in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the central book of Sikhism.

• Saint Meera Bai is one of the famous Hindu mystic poetess of 16^th century and a great devotee of lord Krishna.
• Meera Bai was born into a royal family in Kudki, now Pali district of Rajasthan in 1498 CE. Her childhood name was Yashodha.

Bhaktmal, a poetry collection that describes the biography of Meera Bai, is written by Guru Nabha Dass ji in 1585 CE in Braja language.