Assam Current Affairs – May 2022

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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – May 2022

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the month of May 2022)

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – May 2022

 

Arunachal Pradesh Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan pact signed with WWF India
  • To develop the State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (SBSAP) a pact has been inked by Arunachal Pradesh with WWF India. The SBSAP will be aligning with the Pakke Declaration and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
  • This pact will be showcasing Arunachal Pradesh’s participatory conservation initiatives and will be looking to develop an action plan that will be inclusive in nature and will be looking to secure nature’s contribution to people.
  • The plan will also be reflecting the people as well as the state’s aspirations toward sustainable development.
FACTFILE – Pakke Declaration
  • In 2021, the “Pakke Tiger Reserve 2047 Declaration on Climate Change Resilient and Responsive Arunachal Pradesh” was adopted by the state government and aims to promote development that is climate-resilient in the state.
  • This declaration also focuses on multi-sectoral approaches for climate-resilient development and low emission which are based on five themes which are Health and Well-being for all; Environment, Forest, and Climate Change; Livelihoods, and opportunities; Sustainable and Adaptive living; and Evidence generation, and collaborative action.
ADB Loan to Nagaland for Urban Infrastructure Projects
  • The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India have signed a USD 2 million Project Readiness Financing (PRF) Loan for strengthening the institutional capacity, designing urban infrastructures that are climate-resilient, and improving the mobilization of municipal resources in Nagaland’s 16 district headquarter towns (DHTs).
  • The loan has been signed by Additional Secretary Rajat Kumar Mishra of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, Takeo Konishi.
  • The PRF loan will help in the facilitation of various key preparatory activities to ensure projects that are aimed to improve urban infrastructure and other services to boost the economic potential of Nagaland.
  • The loan will ensure the state’s project readiness by undertaking feasibility studies, preparing the implementation of detailed engineering designs for selected subprojects and an urban sector strategy, and capacity building of various state-level agencies for the purpose of project implementation, anchoring reforms, and resource mobilization.
  • The cities and towns of Nagaland are facing challenges related to climate change, poor connectivity, and lack of basic amenities.
  • The state’s major transport routes are also affected due to landslides during the monsoon season. The urban roads of the state are in poor condition as they do not have a proper stormwater drainage system.
  • A lot of the cities of the state also face acute water shortages and have inadequate sewerage management systems.
  • The loan will help in designing sanitation, water supply, urban roads, and solid waste management infrastructures having climate-resilient features and improved access to the state’s vulnerable and poor.

 OIL commissioned Jorhat Green Hydrogen Pilot Plant 
  • Oil India Limited (OIL) has commissioned India’s first commercial-grade green hydrogen production plant at Jorhat, Assam.
  • To produce hydrogen, this plant will be using renewable energy from Oil India’s 500kW solar plant pump station. The produced hydrogen will be blended with natural gas to run hydrogen buses in the state of Assam.
  • This newly commissioned pilot project has a daily production capacity of 10kg, which will be increased to 30kg per day.
  • Green Hydrogen is being produced in the plant from the electricity that is generated by the existing 500kW Solar plant utilizing a 100 kW Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) Electrolyser array. This is the first time AEM technology is being used in India.
 NIXI-CSC and Tripura signed MOU to set up International Standard Data Centre 
  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been inked between the government of Tripura and the NIXI-CSC Data Services Centre to establish an international standard Data Centre in the state.
  • To set up this proposed data centre, CSE e-governance services Ltd and the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) have floated a joint venture.
  • Rs 150 crore will be invested by the joint venture company while the state government will only be providing the space for setting up the Data Centre.
  • In the next one or two months, the NIXI-CSC Data Services Centre will kick start the Data Centre while it will take a year to raise the Data Centre’s standards to a world-class level.
  • This collaboration will enable the state government to host all of its data in the proposed Data Centre, while the state will also be provided with data free of cost. The company will be charging for data exchange to other private players and governments other than Tripura.
 Meghalaya Enterprise Architecture (MeghEA) Project won UN Award

The government of Meghalaya’s Planning Department’s initiative of the “e-Proposal System”, has won the UN Award – World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum Prizes 2022. The “e-Proposal System” is a part of Meghalaya Enterprise Architecture (MeghEA), which eliminates 75 per cent physical work of files in all government departments in the state.

FACTFILE – MeghEA Project
  • The Meghalaya Enterprise Architecture Project (MeghEA) was launched in 2021 with the aim of improving governance and service delivery for the people of the state using the power of various digital technologies.
  • Enterprise Architecture (EA) is the process by which various organisations standardise and organise their Information Technology related infrastructure to achieve various business objectives.
  • The MeghEA initiative is spread across 6 pillars i.e.  Governance, Human Resources, Entrepreneurship, Primary Sector, Infrastructure and Environment, and envision to make Meghalaya a high income state by 2030.
  • The project aims to improve service delivery and governance for the people using power of Digital technologies.

MeghEA is supporting the digital government goals that are:

  • A planned transformation initiative of the state government which demands efficient coordination among policies, strategies, services, processes, and organizational capacity.
  • All information and communications technology (ICT) initiatives will be coordinated under one umbrella to provide a better holistic perspective.
  • Implementation of ICT enabled state government process with the aim of providing multi-channel service delivery.
  • Ensuring that the systems and applications of the state government provide users with all relevant information.
  • Crafting an ecosystem to boost the digital economy by leveraging ICT for growth and employment.

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – May 2022

 Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – North East Festival
  • The week-long Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – North East Festival began on 28th April 2022 till 4th May 2022 and it will be showcasing the potential of the Northeast region.
  • This week-long festival will be held across the 8 states of the northeast region in their own significant and special manner.
  • This festival is being leveraged to discuss the various fundamental aspects of the development of India’s Northeast region.
  • This festival will be celebrating aspiration, hope, and vision for a prosperous and developed North East Region.
  • Cultural programs will also be held that will celebrate the uniqueness of this region and will also be highlighting its potential.
  • The valedictory session of this festival would be celebrated on 4th May at Guwahati.
Themes of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – North East Festival
  • Shillong: Investment Potential and future energy needs of North East (29th April)
  • Itanagar: Welfare of Tribals and Border Management (30th April)
  • Gangtok: The Smart City Revolution in the North East (30th April)
  • Agartala: Role of women in the development of North East (1st May)
  • Aizawl: Eco-Tourism in North East (2nd May)
  • Dimapur: Agri Horti and organic products potential of North East (2nd May)
  • Sports Potential of the North East region will be celebrated as a parallel to Sports week.
  • Imphal: The culmination would be celebrated (3rd May)
 Open Neobank become India’s 100th Unicorn Start-up
  • Open, a Bengaluru-based neobank platform has become the 100th unicorn start-up in India.
  • The start-up has raised fresh funds that increased its valuation to USD 1 billion. The new investment round to raise funds was led by IIFL, a Mumbai-based investment firm along with the existing investors, Temasek, Tiger Global, and 3one4 Capital. USD 50 million was raised in the latest round.
  • Temasek, Google, SoftBank, and Visa have invested USD 100 million in this neobank start-up Open.
FACTFILE – Open Neobank
  • The start-up was founded in the year 2017 by Anish Achuthan, his wife Mabel Chacko, and his brother Ajeesh Achuthan. Deena Jacob is the fourth founding member of this organization. In the month of May 2018, USD 2 million was raised by this start-up.
  • CEO- Anish Achutan, Chief Operating Officer- Mabel Chacko, Chief Technology Officer- Ajeesh Achutan and Chief Financial Officer- Deena Jacob
FACTFILE – Neobanks

Neobanks are digital banks having zero branches. Instead, such organizations have their presence online. Neobank organizations target the tech-savvy customers. Neobanks basically are fintech firms providing mobile-first and digital services like debit cards, payments, lending, money transfers, etc. The services of the neobanks can be accessed via an app.

FACTFILE – Unicorns

A Unicorn is a start-up company that is privately held and has been valued at more than USD 1 billion. This term was made popular by venture capitalist Aileen Lee who is the founder of Cowboy Ventures.

 Rajasthan became the first state to surpass 10 GW solar capacity
  • Rajasthan became the first state in the country to surpass 10 GW of cumulative large-scale solar installations, as per the Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker.
  • Rajasthan has a total of 32.5 GW of installed power capacity.
  • Renewable energy contributes to 55% of Rajasthan’s total installed power capacity. Whereas thermal energy contributes 43%, and nuclear energy contributes the remaining 2%.
  • Solar is the predominant source in Rajasthan, which accounts for around 36% of the power capacity mix and 64% of renewables.
  • Rajasthan has over 16 GW of solar projects under development.

Some of the favorable conditions for the generation of solar power in Rajasthan are:

  • Rajasthan enjoys the highest solar irradiation levels in India.
  • Availability of land to commission solar projects.
  • Minimal power curtailment issues.
FACTFILE – Rajasthan’s Solar Energy Policy 2019
  • Rajasthan’s Solar Energy Policy 2019, which aims to achieve a target of 30 GW of solar power by the FY 2024-25.
  • Of this, utility or grid-scale solar parks have a major share, which will account for 24 GW.
Installed solar capacity of India

As of December 2021, the cumulative solar installed capacity of India is 55GW. Within the 55GW, grid-connected utility-scale projects contribute 77%.

 

 Cynthia Rosenzweig awarded 2022 World Food Prize
  • Cynthia Rosenzweig, NASA’s head of the Climate Impacts Group and a senior research scientist at Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) received the 2022 World Food Prize from the World Food Prize Foundation. She received USD 250,000 along with a commemorative sculpture and a diploma.
  • She received the award for her research that helped understand the relationship between food systems and climate and the forecast of how both will be changing in the future.
FACTFILE – World Food Prize
  • The World Food Prize is an award that is given with the aim of recognizing the achievements of individuals from across the world who have helped in advancing the development of humans by improving the quantity, quality, or availability of food across the world.
  • The award was conceived by Norman Borlaug, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
  • This prize was established in 1986 and the first prize was given in the year 1987 to S. Swaminathan.
  • This prize has been awarded annually since to recognize contributions in all those fields that involve world food supply like:
    • Aquaculture
    • animal science
    • water conservation
    • soil science
    • health
    • nutrition
    • seed science
    • plant science
    • crop protection
    • plant pathology
    • food safety
    • food technology
    • research
    • policy
    • emergency relief
    • infrastructure
    • hunger
    • poverty alleviation
 India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System Train set handed to NCRTC
  • The first trainset of India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) was recently handed over to National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). These trains are 100% indigenous. This is in line with the government’s Make in India program and Aatmanirbhar Bharat’s ambition.
  • The trainset was designed at Alstom’s Hyderabad engineering center and manufactured in Alstom’s factory in Savli (Gujarat). The propulsion systems and electricals are manufactured in Maneja (Gujarat).
FACTFILE – Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)
  • It is an 82.15 km long semi-high speed rail corridor connecting Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut. The corridor is under construction.
  • It is one of the three rapid rail corridors planned under Phase I of the Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) project of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).
  • The Delhi-Meerut RRTS will be the first in India to adopt the European Train Control System (ETCS) hybrid Level 2 signaling system.
  • The RRTS corridors will operate the fastest trains in India with a design speed of 180 kmph.
FACTFILE – National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC)
  • National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) is a joint venture company of the Government of India and the States of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh (UP).
  • It is mandated for implementing the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project across the National Capital Region (NCR) of India.

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – May 2022

 World Bank Report on World Governance Indicators (WGI)

The Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) project reports governance indicators for over 200 countries for the following six dimensions of governance:

  1. Voice and Accountability
  2. Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism
  3. Government Effectiveness
  4. Regulatory Quality
  5. Rule of Law
  6. Control of Corruption

These aggregate indicators are based on over 30 individual data sources produced by a variety of survey institutes, think tanks, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations, and private sector firms such as Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project and Freedom House, etc.

Concern of the Indian government
  • According to the government, World Governance Indicators (WGI) is based on impressions from the Western press or small surveys of NGOs and a handful of academics, many of them do not even have an India expert.
  • Due to the negative commentary on India by these institutes there will be a drop in WGI scores.
  • This could downgrade India’s Sovereign Ratings.

The government reached out to sovereign rating agencies. On October 5, 2021, Moody’s Investors Service raised the outlook on India’s sovereign rating to ‘stable’ from ‘negative’.

  B.V. Doshi conferred with the Royal Gold Medal 2022
  • Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi has been conferred with the prestigious Royal Gold Medal 2022, which is one of the world’s highest honours in the field of architecture.
  • Simon Allford who is the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) presented this award to B.V. Doshi at his residence in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
  • This award is presented to recognize a lifetime’s work of an individual that had a significant impact on advancing the field of architecture. Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom personally approves this prestigious medal.
BIOGRAPHY – B.V. Doshi

·         B.V. Doshi became the first Indian to be conferred with the Pritzker Architecture Prize when he was awarded it in 2018.

·         After receiving the Royal Gold Medal, he became the first Indian and very few from across the globe to have received both prizes.

·         He was conferred the Padma Bhushan by the Indian central government in the year 2020. It is the country’s third-highest civilian award.

·         B.V. Doshi has worked on 100 projects that include educational facilities, cultural buildings, housing developments, etc. Some of his important projects include:

  • Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
  • Ahmedabad School of Architecture
  • Aranya Low-Cost Housing
  • Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur
  • Tagore Hall and Memorial Theatre, Ahmedabad
  • NIFT Delhi
 National Technology Day celebrated on May 11
  • Every year, May 11th is celebrated in India as National Technology Day, to mark the anniversary of the Pokhran nuclear tests (Pokhran-II) conducted in May 1998.
  • Pokhran-II nuclear tests were a series of five nuclear tests conducted under the administration of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan’s Thar desert from 11th to 13th May 1998.
  • Pokhran-II nuclear tests was code named Operation Shakti.
  • The first nuclear tests were conducted by India in 1974. It was code-named, Smiling Buddha.
  • Theme for this year’s National Technology Day is Integrated Approach in Science & Technology for Sustainable Future.
  Tomato Flu Outbreak in Kerala
  • Kerala has been struck by another viral disease known as the Tomato Flu. It is a rare viral disease due to which blisters shaped like tomatoes are formed. As of 11th May 2022, around 80 children of the state who are under the age of five have already been affected.
  • All the 80 cases in Kerala have been detected from the Kollam district. Due to this outbreak, the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have increased their border surveillance.
  • This disease has no specific treatment for Tomato Flu. This disease is also highly contagious.
FACTFILE – Tomato Flu
  • This is a flu that causes red blisters and rashes on the body of the infected child. They are mostly generally red in colour and hence it is known as Tomato Fever or Tomato Flu. The main symptoms of this disease include:
  • Large blisters that are red in colour and are tomato sized
  • Body ache
  • High fever
  • Swelling of joints.
  • Nausea
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Fatigue
  • Vomiting
  • Discolouration of knees, hands, and buttocks.
 Rajiv Kumar elected New Chief Election Commissioner of India
  • From May 15th, 2022, Rajiv Kumar, the current Election Commissioner (EC), will take over as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). This announcement was made by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.
  • Since September 1st, 2020 Rajiv Kumar is serving as the Election Commissioner (EC).
  • Sushil Chandra is the incumbent Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) who will demit his office on May 14th, 2022.
FACTFILE – Election Commission of India (ECI)
  • According to Article 324 (2) of the constitution, the Election Commission of India (ECI) shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners, if any, as the President may from time to time fix. 
  • Currently, ECI consists of the CEC and two Election Commissioners (ECs).
  • The salary of the CEC is the same as the salary of a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.
  • Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) can be removed from office only in a manner and on grounds similar to a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.
 Czech Republic to replace Russia on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) 
  • The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in a secret ballot voting elected the Czech Republic to replace Russia on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
  • 157 countries voted in favor of the Czech Republic in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and there were 23 abstentions. 
  • The Czech Republic retains the UNHRC seat till 31 December 2023.
  • Russia was suspended from UNHRC by a vote in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for its human rights violations in Ukraine. Still Russia can participate in the UNHRC sessions as it has observer status.
FACTFILE – United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
  • The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a UN organization that aims to protect human rights.
  • It was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2006.
  • It replaced the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR).
  • The headquarters of UNHRC is in Geneva in Switzerland.
  • The UNHRC has 47 members elected for three-year terms and the seats are divided on a regional group basis.
  • No member can occupy the UNHRC seat for more than two consecutive terms.
  • The UNHRC seats are divided into the following regional groups: 13 for Africa, 13 for Asia, 6 for Eastern Europe, 8 for Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC), and 7 for the Western European and Others Group (WEOG).
 Niti Aayog launced National Data & Analytics Platform
  • NITI Aayog launched the National Data & Analytics Platform (NDAP) for open public use. In August 2021, a beta version of the platform was released, which provided access to only a few users for testing and feedback.
  • National Data & Analytics Platform (NDAP) aims to make public government data accessible, interoperable, and available on a user-friendly platform. The platform contains data from different government agencies. It provides tools for analytics and visualization of the data.
  • It has 203 datasets from 46 central government ministries and agencies which were selected based on use cases and expert advice. These datasets are interoperable with each other. The datasets will be regularly updated to ensure that it remains relevant.
  • The datasets will be available in multiple languages. Users can follow any particular dataset they’re interested in. When there is an update in the dataset followed by the users, they will notification. The platform can be easily accessed by visually-impaired users as it will have audio and video tutorials in Hindi and English.
  • The NDAP makes the datasets interoperable with each other, which will enable easy cross-sectoral analysis. It will also democratize the use of public government data, by ensuring its availability till the last mile. It will promote data-driven policy-making and evidence-based decision-making.
 Manik Saha became Tripura’s New Chief Minister
  • Manik Saha has taken oath as the new Chief Minister of Tripura on 15th May 2022. He was elected as the new Chief Minister of the state after former CM Biplab Kumar Deb resigned.
  • The Governor of the state Satyadeo Narain Arya had administered the oath of secrecy to Manik Saha at a ceremony that was held at Raj Bhawan.
  • Manik Saha is the BJP State unit president of Tripura as well as the only Rajya Sabha MP from the state.
 India wins Thomas Cup for the first time
  • India created history by winning the Thomas Cup title for the first time. Thomas cup 2022 was held in Bangkok, Thailand.India defeated defending champions Indonesia in the Thomas cup finals by 3-0. 
  • India’s Lakshya Sen won the first match against Anthony Sinsuka Ginting. In the second match, Satwik and Chirag defeated the Indonesian pair of Ahsan and Sukamuljo. In the third match, K. Srikanth defeated Jonathan Christie in straight. In this tournament, Srikanth played won all the six matches played by him.
  • Badminton Association of India (BAI) President announced prize money of Rs 1 crore for the Thomas Cup-winning team. Prize money of Rs 20 lakh will be given to the support staff.
FACTFILE – Thomas Cup
  • It is an international badminton competition among men’s teams of various countries of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
  • Since 1982, Thomas cup championships are held every two years. Before that, they were conducted once every three years. The first Thomas cup tournament was conducted in 1948–1949.
  • Indonesia is the most successful team, as it won the Thomas cup 14 times. China comes second with 10 titles. Malaysia is ranked third with 5 titles.
  • Only six countries have won the Thomas cup title. India is the sixth country to win the Thomas Cup.
 Bangladesh offered India the use of the Chittagong Port
  • Bangladesh Prime Minister offered India the use of the Chittagong Port. Access to Bangladesh’s Chittagong Port will benefit India’s northeastern states like Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
  • Chittagong Port, Bangladesh’s principal seaport is built on the Karnafuli River. It is the busiest port along the coastline of the Bay of Bengal. It is also used for transshipment by India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
  • In March 2021, the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh inaugurated the Maitri Setu Bridge. It was built over the Feni River and reduced the distance between Tripura and the Chittagong port in Bangladesh.
  • Road infrastructure in Meghalaya’s Dawki, Assam’s Sutarkandi, and Tripura’s Akhaura linking Bangladesh is also being improved.
  • Mizoram is planning to build bridges across the Khawthlangtuipui river for faster access to the Chittagong port.

Historical Prospective

  • Before India’s independence, the northeastern part of India had access to Chittagong Port via the Brahmaputra and Barak River systems. After partition in 1947, India’s Northeast lost access to the sea. The Chittagong Port had gone to East Pakistan and India lost a major trade route. However, India continued to use the ports of East Pakistan until the 1965 war with Pakistan. After that, the northeast had to depend on a narrow strip in West Bengal for goods and passenger transportation.The revival of pre-Partition trade routes would improve the trade for the Northeast region and generate revenue for Bangladesh.

 Novak Djokovic and Iga Świątek won Italian Open 2022 singles
  • Novak Djokovic and Iga Świątek won Italian Open 2022 Men’s singles and Women’s singles respectively. The 2022 Italian Open was concluded recently on 15th May 2022.
  • Men’s doubles winners are Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić (Croatia) and Women’s doubles: Veronika Kudermetova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia).
  • The Prize money in Italian Open 2022 is €6,008,725 for men and USD 2,527,250 for women.
FACTFILE – Italian Open 2022
  • The Italian Open is a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts. It is held in Rome, Italy.
  • Italian Open 2022 was the 79th edition of the Italian Open. It was classified as an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour Masters 1000 event on the 2022 ATP Tour and a non-mandatory event on the 2022 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour. It was held from 2 May 2022 – 15 May 2022.
  • Rafael Nadal (Spain) won the Italian Open men’s singles title a record 10 times.
 First Incredible India International Cruise Conference (IIICC) organised
  • Recently, the first Incredible India International Cruise Conference (IIICC), a two-day event jointly organized by the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
  • Strategies for developing India as a cruise hub, port infrastructure, and the potential of river cruise tourism in India were some of the issues focused on at the conference.
 Some of the MoUs signed are
  1. Mumbai Port signed MoUs with Angriya Sea Eagle Ltd and Waterways Leisure Tourism P. Ltd for homeporting their cruise ships in Mumbai and Chennai respectively for the upcoming cruising season.
  2. Mumbai Port and Training Ship Rahaman signed MoU for being an existing service provider in the field of Maritime Training for Cruise Vessels.
  3. Mumbai Port and The Apollo Group USA signed MoU for being an existing service providers to cruise operators in the country.
  4. Chennai Port and Waterways Leisure Tourism P. Ltd. Signed MoU for home porting their cruise ship in Chennai for the upcoming cruising season.
  5. A MoU was signed between the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Adventure Resorts and Cruises for the Development of Long Cruise on Backwaters of Kerala.
  6. Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed MoUs with JM Baxi River Cruise and Antara Luxury River Cruises for River Cruise between Varanasi and Bogibeel via Kolkata under the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – May 2022

 Mayiladumparai is India’s earliest Iron Age site
  • Mayiladumparai is the oldest Iron Age site currently found in India. Radiocarbon dating Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (C14-carbon dating) method of excavations from the Mayiladumparai site confirmed that it is the oldest Iron Age site currently found in India.
  • After excavations at the Mayiladumparai site, it is now confirmed that iron was used in Tamil Nadu state as early as 2172 BCE or 4,200 years ago.
  • Mayiladumparai site is located in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu. It is habitation-cum-burial site.
  • The Mayiladumparai site was first excavated in 2003 by K Rajan of the Thanjavur-based Tamil University. In 2021, excavations were resumed by Tamil Nadu’s Department of Archaeology.
  • Iron Age in Tamil Nadu has been identified as early as 2172 BCE or 4,200 years ago. The late Neolithic phase (the last part of the Stone Age) is identified before 2200 BCE.
 World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) Report
  • According to the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report that was released by the United Nations, the global economy this year is expected to grow by only 3.1 per cent. The earlier prediction in January was 4.0 per cent but the rate was slashed mainly due to the war in Ukraine. This report has been published by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the UN.
  • The forecast has revealed that the Ukraine conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic have increased commodity and food prices, thus increasing the inflationary pressures. Global inflation this year is set to reach 6.7 per cent. The high inflation rate in the developing and least developed countries is reducing the real income of the households.
  • Higher food and energy prices are mostly affecting the developing economies that import a lot of commodities, especially the African countries.
  • The growth prospects downgrade is affecting all countries across the world including major economies like the United States, the European Union, China, etc as well as other major economies.
  • Due to this war between Russia and Ukraine, energy prices have increased drastically. The European Union faced a blunt of this effect as around a quarter of Europe’s energy consumption is in the form of natural gas and oil imports from Russia.
  • This report has highlighted that India is still the world’s fastest-growing major economy across the globe. In 2022, India has been projected to grow by 6.4 per cent. This is slower than 2021’s 8.8 per cent.
 ‘India International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage’ to be setup in Lumbini, Nepal 
  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba recently laid the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, Nepal.
  • The construction of the center is undertaken by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) on a plot allocated by the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT), under an agreement between the IBC and the LDT signed in March 2022. Ministry of Culture, Government of India is providing financial support to the center.
  • The center will be a world-class facility and pilgrims from all over the world can have the essence of the spiritual aspects of Buddhism at this center. The center will also be Nepal’s first ‘Net Zero Emission’ building.
  • International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) was formed in 2013 and has its headquarters in New Delhi, India. IBC serves as a common platform for Buddhists all over the world. IBC aims to preserve and promote Buddhist values and teachings.
FACTFILE – Lumbini
  • Lumbini is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha).
  • This Buddhist pilgrimage site is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.
  • The Indian emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini and erected a commemorative pillar.
 Sweden and Finland request to join NATO

Finland and Sweden submitted their application to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Although Finland and Sweden have a non-alignment policy, they were always close to NATO. The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine prompted them to join NATO and seek its safety net.

FACTFILE – North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
  • NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance consisting of 30 ember states belonging to Europe and North America (28 European states, USA, and Canada). NATO takes all decisions by consensus. The last country to join NATO was North Macedonia in 2020. 
  • NATO headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium.
  • NATO aims to guarantee the security of its members through political and military means.
  • According to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, an armed attack against any NATO member in Europe or North America will be considered an attack against all NATO members. Article 5 is invoked only once, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the USA.
 India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program
  • India President Ram Nath Kovind highlighted India’s assistance to Jamaica in capacity building and skill development through various courses under the India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme.
  • India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme is India’s bilateral assistance program that focuses on addressing the needs of developing countries.
  • Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) administers ITEC.
  • Around USD 2 billion has been spent by the Indian government under the program till now.
  • Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) played a crucial role in facilitating ITEC assistance.
  • Earlier, India was the world’s largest recipient of aid, but since the 2000s India emerged as a net donor of foreign aid.
  • Along with the Special Commonwealth Assistance for Africa Programme, ITEC covers around 158 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Caribbean nations. 70% of the grants under ITEC go to South Asian countries. African countries are the major beneficiaries of Lines of credit (LoC).
 Nanjarayan Tank declared 17th Bird Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu
  • The Nanjarayan Tank, a bio-diversity hotspot, has just been announced as the 17th bird sanctuary of Tamil Nadu. 
  • The Nanjarayan Tank also known as Sarkar Periyapalayam Reservoir, is located on the outskirts of Tirupur city near Koolipalayam, about 60 kilometres from Coimbatore.
  • It was built by King Nanjarayan as a source for irrigation.
  • The undisturbed mudflats in the middle of the lake ensure a thriving ecosystem and also attract many birds. Pelicans, painted storks, coots, etc can be found here.  It is also a haven for migratory birds. In 2010, four bar-headed geese, one of the world’s highest-flying birds from Europe were spotted in the tank. A flock of 14 ruddy shelducks that breed in parts of Europe and Central Asia was spotted in 2020.
 State of Inequality in India Report
  • Bibek Debroy, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) recently released the “State of Inequality in India” Report, which was written by the Institute for Competitiveness.
  • The report puts forward a comprehensive analysis of inequality in the country. It collates data on inequities across various sectors such as health, education, and the labor market, which makes people more vulnerable to poverty and leads to multidimensional poverty.
  • The report is an attempt to stock-take measures introduced by the government. It also contributes to the policy debates, formulation of strategies, and preparing a roadmap for social progress.
Highlights of the report
  • Using income data from PLFS 2019-20, the report showed that a salary of Rs 25,000 per month is amongst the top 10% of total incomes earned in India.
  • There is a significant improvement in the infrastructural capacity of the health sector. However, nutritional deprivation remains a big concern.
  • High out-of-pocket expenditure also directly affects inequality.
  • Cognitive development from the foundational years of a child is a long-term corrective measure for inequality.
  • The government’s focus on providing access to sanitation and safe drinking water ensured dignified life for many. According to NFHS-5 (2019-21), 96% of households have access to safe drinking water.

 Cotton Council of India set up
  • Cotton Council of India has been recently set up by the Union government. The objective of the council is to resolve the issues related to cotton & yarn pricing and bring substantial improvements in the sector.
  • Suresh Bhai Kotak is appointed as the chairman of the Cotton Council of India.
  • In 2021-22, the Cotton textile exports, including raw cotton were USD15.29 billion. The cotton prices increased by more than 100% during the last one and half years.
  • More than 60% of cotton and cotton yarn are exported to countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam, which are competitors for India in the textiles sector.
 BioRRAP: National Portal for Biotech Researchers and Start-ups
  • Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) Ministry of Science and Technology, has launched a “Single National Portal for Biotech researchers and start-ups”, named Biological Research Regulatory Approval Portal (BioRRAP) will be catering to the needs of all those seeking regulatory approval for biological development and research in India.
  • The portal will help to strengthen the interdepartmental synergies and will also bring transparency, accountability, and efficacy to the functioning of various agencies that are regulating the various aspects of biological research and also issuing permissions.
  • This portal is in line with the government’s “ease of start-ups” and “ease of doing science and scientific research.”
  • This portal is only for research-related activities and cannot be used for the purpose of product development.

FACTFILE –  Indian biotechnology industry

  • Over 2,700 biotech start-ups and more than 2,500 biotech companies are currently working in India. By the year 2025, India will become a Global Bio-manufacturing Hub and will also be featured among the top five countries across the globe in this field.
  • The Indian biotechnology industry, which stood at US$ 63 billion in 2019, is expected to reach US$ 150 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 16.4%.
  • By 2025, the contribution of the Indian biotechnology industry to the global biotechnology market is expected to grow to 19%
 International Day for Biological Diversity observed on 22nd May
  • On the 22nd of May, the International Day for Biological Diversity is observed annually across the globe. This day is observed to generate awareness about the biodiversity issues that are overwhelming the world.
  • Biodiversity is the foundation of the planet’s ecosystem services and this is tied to the well-being of humans as well as other species. The world is filled with a variety of plants, animals, fungi, as well as microbes such as bacteria, hence, each of these species works in tandem to preserve the balance of the ecosystem and support life. 
  • In the year 2000, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated 22nd May as the International Day for Biological Diversity.
  • After the United Nations conducted the “Earth Conference” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the year 1992, special emphasis was given to conserving and protecting the environment. Following that conference, on 29th December, Biodiversity Day was observed till the year 2000.

 

 Centre of Excellence for Hyperloop Technology setup in IIT Madras
  • The Ministry of Railways will collaborate with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras to develop an indigenous Hyperloop system. The ministry will also help to set up a Centre of Excellence for Hyperloop Technologies at IIT Madras.
  • The Centre will be built by IIT Madras through its existing Centre of Railway Research (CRR). This project is a significant step towards the ‘Make in India’ and the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives.
  • For this project, IIT Madras will receive Rs 8.34 crore in funding from the Indian Railways. Along with the financial support, the Indian Railways will also help in the manufacturing, and formulation of safety standards. Also, access to electrical testing facilities of the railways will be provided.
  • IIT Madras will be responsible to deliver design documentation for pod, tube, and track for the hyperloop system.
FACTFILE – Hyperloop
  • Hyperloop is a new type of transport technology that uses magnetic levitation in low-pressure tubes or tunnels to transport people and goods. In 2020, the US-based company “Virgin Hyperloop” tested the Hyperloop system with passengers for the first time.
  • There are two major differences between hyperloop and standard rail. One is passengers sit in pods that travel via tubes or tunnels in which most of the air is removed to reduce friction. The second difference is that instead of using wheels, the pods will float on air skis or use magnetic levitation.
  • Hyperloop is faster and less expensive to construct than regular high-speed rail. The energy requirement is also less.
 Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)
  • Joe Biden, the President of the United States unveiled a discussion on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). This discussion has been held with a dozen initial partner countries that also include India. The countries represent 40 percent of the world’s GDP.
  • The IPEF framework discussion was launched with the vision of an open, free, resilient, and secure Indo-Pacific region where economic growth is inclusive and sustainable.
  • The IPEF is also looking to strengthen economic partnerships among the countries with the aim of boosting resilience, sustainability, economic growth, inclusiveness, competitiveness, and fairness in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • On 23rd May 2022, India and the United States signed an Investment Incentive Agreement (IIA). This agreement was signed to make a path for strengthening and promoting Development Finance Corporation’s (DFC) investments in India in various key sectors.
 India’s FDI Inflow in Fiscal year 2021-22
  • India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow in the Financial Year 2021-22 reached an all-time high of USD 83.57 billion, despite the Russia-Ukraine war and Covid-19 pandemic.
  • India’s foreign investment inflows increased 20-fold since the financial year 2003-04 when it was mere USD 4.3 billion. Post Covid-19 pandemic, FDI inflow increased by 23%. In the financial year 2020-21, the FDI inflow stood at USD 1.60 billion.
  • In FY 2021-22, the “computer software and hardware” sector with a share of 25% remained the top sector, followed by the services sector and automobile sector. FDI inflow in the manufacturing sectors increased by 76% in 2021-211 as compared to 2020-21.
  • In FY 2021-22, Singapore with a share of 27% is the top investor country of FDI equity inflow. Singapore is followed by the U.S. (18%) and Mauritius (16%).
  • Karnataka is the top recipient state with a 38% share of the total FDI Equity inflow, followed by Maharashtra (26%) and Delhi (14%).
 World Economic Forum 2022- Key Facts 
  • The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland scheduled from May 22nd to 26th The theme for WEF annual Meeting 2022 is ‘working Together, restoring Trust’. This year’s WEF meeting will be the first global in-person leadership event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Around 2,500 world leaders from business, politics, and civil society took part in the meeting. The meeting provides the leaders from all over the world an opportunity to take stock of the world’s situation and shape policies for the future.
  • From India Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas will attend the event on Energy Outlook: Overcoming the Crisis. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, CM of Andhra Pradesh, will attend the event on Future-proofing Health Systems. Aaditya Thackeray, Tourism Minister of Maharashtra will attend Forum Initiative Briefing – Global Plastic Action Partnership event, and Embracing Climate Adaptation Action event. KT Rama Rao, Information Technology Minister of Telangana will attend the event on AI on the Street: Managing Trust in the Public Square.
The focus areas of the WEF meeting are
  • Pandemic recovery
  • Tackling climate change
  • Building a better future for work
  • Accelerating stakeholder capitalism
  • Harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
 India Bangladesh Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) Exercise
  • The fourth edition of the two-day India-Bangladesh Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) exercises began on 22ndst May in the Bay of Bengal. The exercise aims to strengthen mutual understanding and enhance the interoperability between the navies of India and Bangladesh in countering maritime threats.
  • For the exercise, the Indian Navy deputed two indigenous warships (INS Kora and INS Sumedha). INS Kora is a guided-missile corvette and INS Sumedha is an offshore patrol vessel (OPV).  Bangladesh Navy deputed BNS Ali Haider and BNS Abu Ubaidah.
  • Maritime patrol aircraft of navies of both countries will also undertake joint patrols along the international maritime boundary line (IMBL).
 India ranked 54th in WEF Travel and Tourism Development Index
  • In the WEF Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021, India has been ranked at 54th In 2019, India had ranked at 46th position. India topped within the South Asia region.
  • In the 2021 index, the top place has been grabbed by Japan, followed by the United States, Spain, France, and Germany respectively.
Top 10 countries are
  1. Japan (5.2)
  2. United States (5.2)
  3. Spain (5.2)
  4. France (5.1)
  5. Germany (5.1)
  6. Switzerland (5.0)
  7. Australia (5.0)
  8. United Kingdom (5.0)
  9. Singapore (5.0)
  10. Italy (4.9)

FACTFILE – Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021

Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021 of the World Economic Forum comprises 117 countries. This index has shown that despite various positive trends, the tourism and travel industry is still facing hurdles and are yet to recover properly. 117 countries have been assessed by this index and it has identified certain key factors for enabling resilient and sustainable growth of tourism and travel economies.

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – May 2022

 India and US signed Investment Incentive Agreement 
  • On 23rd May 2022, India and the USA signed the Investment Incentive Agreement (IIA) in Tokyo. The agreement was signed by India’s foreign secretary and CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The investment Incentive Agreement (IIA) is a legal requirement for DFC to continue providing investment support to India.
  • The agreement will help in increasing the investment support from USA’s development finance institutions in various sectors. The investment support is given in the form of debt, equity investment, investment guaranty, reinsurance, grants, etc.
FACTFILE – US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)
  • US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is the successor agency of the erstwhile Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), established after the enactment of the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development (BUILD) Act of 2018.
  • DFC provided investment support worth USD 5.8 billion since 1974.
  • DFC provided investment support in various sectors such as healthcare, renewable energy, financial inclusion, etc.
  • DFC is also involved in funding the vaccine manufacturing capabilities under the vaccine partnership of Quad.
 Bongosagar: India-Bangladesh Bilateral Naval Exercise
  • The third edition of the Bongosagar Naval exercise commenced at Port Mongla, Bangladesh on the 24th of May 2022 between the navies of India and Bangladesh.
  • The harbour phase of this naval exercise was held from 24th to 25th May 2022. This will be followed by the sea phase which is scheduled to be held in the Northern Bay of Bengal from 26th to 27th May 2022.
  • This exercise is aimed to develop a high level of interoperability as well as joint operational skills through conducting various maritime operations and exercises between both navies.
  • During the exercise, the Navies from both countries will be discussing various operational procedures, conducting joint drills, and exchanging best practices. Apart from this, there will be discussions on tactical level planning regarding the conduct of the exercises at sea.
  • The sea phase of this Naval exercise will facilitate the participation of the ships from both the navies in intensive weapon firing drills, surface warfare drills, coordinated air operations in a tactical scenario, and seamanship evolutions.
 India joins First Movers Coalition
  • India joined a global public-private partnership initiative called the First Movers Coalition. The First Movers Coalition initiative was launched by President of the USA Joe Biden and the World Economic Forum (WEF) at COP26. It was joined by 50 new corporate members with a collective market capitalization of USD 8.5 trillion.
  • The First Movers Coalition aims to decarbonize the most carbon-intensive sectors such as the heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors, which are responsible for 30% of global emissions.
  • It is expected that emissions from these sectors will increase to around 50% by mid-century unless urgent actions are taken on clean technology innovation. The targeted sectors of the First Movers Coalition include aluminum, aviation, chemicals, concrete, shipping, steel, and trucking.
  • Apart from India, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, and the UK joined the First Movers Coalition as government partners. India, Japan, and Sweden also joined the steering board of the First Movers Coalition.

FACTFILE – First Movers Coalition

  • The First Movers Coalition is a global initiative harnessing the purchasing power of companies to decarbonize seven “hard to abate” industrial sectors that currently account for 30% of global emissions: Aluminum, Aviation, Chemicals, Concrete, Shipping, Steel, and Trucking; along with innovative Carbon Removal technologies.
  • The First Movers Coalition’s unique approach assembles ambitious corporate purchasing pledges across the heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors responsible for a third of global emissions. For these sectors to decarbonize at the speed needed to keep the planet on a 1.5-degree pathway, they require low-carbon technologies that are not yet competitive with current carbon-intensive solutions but must reach commercial scale by 2030 to achieve net-zero emissions globally by 2050.
  • The 50+ companies who make up the Coalition seek to send a powerful market signal to commercialize zero-carbon technologies.
 Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022
  • The biggest drone festival Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 is being celebrated at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on 27th and 28th May 2022. The Prime Minister will also be interacting with Kisan drone pilots and with start-ups in the drone exhibition centre and will be witnessing the open-air drone demonstrations.
  • Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), i.e. an aircraft without any human pilot, passenger or crew on board. These UAVs are making the lives of security, farmers, and defence personnel easier.
  • More than 1,600 delegates comprising foreign diplomats, government officials, central armed police forces, armed forces, private companies, PSUs, drone start-ups etc. will be participating.
 Captain Abhilasha Barak appointed Army’s First Woman Combat Pilot
  • Captain Abhilasha Barak of Haryana has become the Indian Army’s first woman combat aviator. On 25th May 2022, she successfully completed her Combat Army Aviation Course which was of six months to join the Army Aviation Corps as a helicopter pilot. Captain Barak has been designated to the 2072 Army Aviation Squadron’s second flight which operates the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).
  • Till now, women were only given the posts of ground duty and traffic control in the Aviation Department, but Captain Barak will be taking over the responsibility of being the first woman pilot.
FACTFILE – Army Aviation Corps
  • The Army Aviation Corps was established on 1st November 1986 and it is the component of the Indian Army. The corps was inducted immediately into ‘Operation Pawan’ (operation of the Indian Peace Keeping Force to take control of Jaffna from the LTTE) and this played a crucial role in testing the newly formed corps.
  • The Army Aviation Corps carries out the primary operations of evacuating injured troops during operations or during health emergencies from the high-altitude areas. The Aviation Corps are also deployed for reconnaissance, observation, combat search and rescue, casualty evacuation, and dropping essential supplies.
 National Achievement Survey 2021 released by Union Education Ministry 
  • The National Achievement Survey 2021 report was released by the Union Ministry of Education. National Achievement Survey (NAS) is a national-level assessment survey conducted to evaluate the progress and learning achievement of school students. It provides a system-level reflection on the effectiveness of school education and is useful to chalk out new educational policies. 
  • The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) developed the Assessment Framework to assess the competencies attained by the students vis-a-vis learning outcomes.
National Achievement Survey 2021 – Highlights
  • NAS has registered a dip in performances across subjects and grades at the national level as compared to the last achievement survey conducted in 2017.
  • Punjab was the best performer in India across all grades and subjects.Punjab has the highest mean score for subjects across Classes 3, 5, 8, and 10.
 WMO released State of Global Climate Report 2021
  • The State of the Global Climate Report 2021 has been released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). According to the report, four key climate change indicators which are sea-level rise, greenhouse gas concentrations, ocean acidification, and ocean heat set new records in 2021. The report shows that human activities are causing planetary level changes in the ocean, land, and the atmosphere, with long-lasting and harmful effects on ecosystems and sustainable development.
  • Due to extreme weather, the world has witnessed hundreds of billions of dollars worth of economic losses. It has also wreaked a heavy toll on the lives of humans and their well-being and triggered shocks for water and food displacement and security that have accentuated in the year 2022.
  • The past seven years are the warmest seven years that have been recorded. In 2021, the average global temperature was around 1.11 (± 0.13) °C above the pre-industrial level.
State of Global Climate Report 2021 – Highlight
  • Greenhouse gas concentrations: In 2020, the concentrations of greenhouse gases reached a new global high as carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration reached 413.2 parts per million (ppm) globally which is 149 percent of the pre-industrial level.
  • Global Annual Mean Temperature: In 2021, this was around 1.11 ±0.13 °C above the pre-industrial average of the 1850s and the 1900s. This was less warm compared to some recent years due to the cooling La Niña conditions at the beginning and end of the year. On record, the seven warmest years are from 2015 to 2021.
  • Ocean Heat: In 2021, the upper 2000m depth of oceans continued to warm up. It is expected to rise in the future, a change that is irreversible. The rates of ocean warming have increased in the past two decades.
  • Ocean acidification: 23 percent of the annual emissions of anthropogenic CO2 are absorbed by the oceans. This reacts with seawater which leads to ocean acidification. This is threatening the ecosystem, organisms, tourism, food security, and coastal protection.
  • Global Mean Sea Level: In 2021, it reached a new record high after it increased from 2013 to 2021 at an average of 4.5 mm per year. This is mainly attributed to the accelerated loss of ice sheets and ice mass.
  • Food security: Due to economic shocks, extreme weather events, and the COVID-19 pandemic the food security of the globe worsened.
  • Displacement: Due to hydrometeorological hazards, internal displacement has increased.
  • Ecosystems: A lot of the world’s ecosystems such as water towers, mountain ecosystems, etc, are degrading at an unmatched rate. The increase in temperature is increasing the risk of irreversible coastal and marine ecosystem loss.

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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – May 2022