Current Affairs Reverse Engineering – CARE (07-06-2024)
| News at a Glance |
| Environment and Ecology: Climate conference in November to emphasise ‘peace’ and ‘truce’ |
| Science and Technology: Man in Mexico dies with first human case of H5N2 bird flu |
| International Relations: Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, Somalia set to get seats on UNSC |
| World Health Assembly defines pandemic emergency, pledges improved access to medical products & financing |
| Economy: Global debt crisis: Nations spending more on interest payment than education & health |
Climate Conference in November to emphasise ‘peace’ and ‘truce’
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Syllabus Relevance: GS 3 (Environment and Ecology)
Context: 29th edition of the Conference of Parties (COP)
Why in News
- The 29th edition of the Conference of Parties (COP) is set to further agenda points decided in the 28th edition in Dubai such as a firm commitment to “transition away from the use of fossil fuels.
Key Highlights
- The choice of Azerbaijan as the host means that it will preside over COP-29 proceedings and try to steer countries into achieving consensus on addressing the climate crisis.
- Most countries have agreed on the urgency of the problem and the need to keep temperatures from rising 1.5C above pre-industrial levels by the end of century.
- A long-standing criticism and a matter of deep division between developed and developing countries is that a 2009 commitment by developed countries to mobilise $100 billion a year between 2020 and 2025 for developing countries has only been partially realised.
- A major item that is expected to be firmed up in 2024 is to decide a new annual target above $100 billion and agreement on whether these will be in the form of grants or loans.
- However, deliberating on all these would require an atmosphere of peace.
Background
- Technically in Azerbaijan, it was inhabited by ethnic Armenians, who claimed it as an independent territory following the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991. Its independence was recognised neither by Azerbaijan nor Armenia.
- President Ayilev announced in September 2023 that Azerbaijan had successfully “reclaimed” the territory following a military occupation.
- The episode has however triggered a humanitarian crisis- the largest since the dissolution of the Soviet empire—with thousands fleeing to Armenia.
- Azerbaijan as a petro-state is almost entirely dependent on oil and gas exports for its economy and does not yet have a firm plan for transitioning away from fossil fuel.
Conference of the Parties (COP)
- The Conference of the Parties is the governing body of the Convention, and advances implementation of the Convention through the decisions it takes at its periodic meetings.
- To date the Conference of the Parties has held 14 ordinary meetings, and one extraordinary meeting.
- The agenda of the meetings of the Conference of the Parties is very wide-ranging, reflecting the programme of work the Conference of the Parties has established for itself.
- At its first meeting, the Conference of the Parties decided on a medium-term programme of work for the period 1995-1997.
- Implementation of this programme has laid the groundwork for the long-term implementation of the Convention itself. In particular it has seen the development of a number of thematic work programmes, and identified a series of key cross-cutting issues relevant to all work programmes.
- From 1994 to 1996, the Conference of the Parties held its ordinary meetings annually. Since then, these meetings have been held somewhat less frequently and, following a change in the rules of procedure in 2000, will now be held every two years.
- The Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) is held in Kunming, China and Montreal, Canada, in two phases.
- Phase one took place virtually, from 11 to 15 October 2021 and included a High-Level Segment from 12 to 13 October. Phase two is currently happening in Montreal, Canada, from 7 to 19 December 2022.
29th edition of the Conference of Parties (COP)
- The 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) will convene in November 2024.
- It will include the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 29), the 19th meeting of the COP serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 19), and the sixth meeting of the COP serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 6) that will convene to complete the first enhanced transparency framework and the new collective quantified goal on finance, among other matters.
- The 61st sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 61) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 61) will also meet.
About United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
- The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the UN process for negotiating an agreement to limit dangerous climate change.
- It is an international treaty among countries to combat “dangerous human interference with the climate system”.
- The main way to do this is limiting the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
- It was signed in 1992 by 154 states at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro.
- The treaty entered into force on 21 March 1994.
- “UNFCCC” is also the name of the Secretariat charged with supporting the operation of the convention, with offices on the UN Campus in Bonn, Germany.
What are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)?
- Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of its long-term goals. NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
- NDCs refer to concrete plans laid out by countries as contributions to stem greenhouse gas emissions in line with achieving the 1.5c target.
- Several countries provided their latest NDCs by 2023 and are next expected to do so by 2028.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q1. Consider the following statements
Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 2 only (d) 1 and 3 Only |
Q. With reference to the Agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2016)
Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Ans: B |
| Answer 1- D
Explanation:
|
Man in Mexico dies with first human case of H5N2 bird flu
Source: BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cneejz1kdzmo
UPSC Relevance: GS 3- Diseases, Science and Technology
Context: First human case of H5N2 bird flu
Why in News
- A 59-year-old man in Mexico has died with a type of bird flu – H5N2 – never recorded in people before now.
Key Highlights
- Infections like a type of bird flu – H5N2 can sometime pass from animals to humans.
- The man had other underlying health issues that likely made him vulnerable.
- He had been bedridden for weeks before getting sick with fever and shortness of breath from bird flu, according to officials.
- There is no evidence that the virus could start spreading between people and cause an outbreak.
- The World Health Organization and other authorities monitor strains of flu, like this one, that could have the potential mutate and become a threat.
What is bird flu?
- Avian influenza, or bird flu, is a highly contagious viral disease of birds caused by the influenza A viruses.
- It was previously known as “fowl plague” and was recognised as an infectious disease of poultry in Italy as far back as 1878.
- Although avian influenza A viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds worldwide, they are also known to infect other animals, including ducks, chickens, turkeys, pigs, whales, horses, seals, dogs and cats.
- Exposure to animal influenza viruses can lead to infection and disease in humans – ranging from mild, flu-like symptoms or eye inflammation to severe, acute respiratory disease or death.
- Domestic poultry may be infected with two types of bird flu viruses: highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A viruses or low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) A viruses.
- All outbreaks of the highly pathogenic form have been caused by influenza A viruses of the sub-types H5 and H7.
- The highly pathogenic viruses spread quickly and may kill nearly an entire poultry flock within 48 hours. The low pathogenic viruses may not cause symptoms or may cause only mild symptoms such as ruffled feathers or a drop in egg production.
Risks to humans
- Avian influenza A viruses are a public and occupational health concern. Human infection with LPAI and HPAI viruses can lead to infections and diseases in humans, ranging from mild to severe flu-like symptoms or eye inflammation to severe, acute respiratory disease and death.
- They may change into a form that is highly infectious in humans and spread easily from person to person.
- As these viruses threaten domestic poultry globally, they are also a risk to people who have contact with poultry worldwide, including poultry farmers, farm workers, veterinarians, and sellers and butchers of chickens at live bird markets.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q2. Which of the following statements with regards to Avian Influenza is/are correct?
Select correct code
|
Q. H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases? (2015)
(a) AIDS (b) Bird flu (c) Dengue (d) Swine flu Ans: (d) |
| Answer 2 – D
Explanation:
|
Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, Somalia set to get seats on UNSC
Source: Business Standard
UPSC Relevance: GS2- International Organisations
Context: Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, Somalia set to get seats on UNSC
Why in News
- The 193-member world body UNSC is scheduled to vote to elect five countries to serve two-year terms on the council.
Voting At UNSC
- The 10 non-permanent seats on the 15-member council are allotted to regional groups who usually select their candidates but sometimes can’t agree on one. There are no such surprises this year.
- Last year, Slovenia soundly defeated Russia’s close ally Belarus for the seat representing the East European regional group, a vote that reflected strong global opposition to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
- This time, the regional groups put forward Somalia for an African seat, Pakistan for an Asia-Pacific seat, Panama for a Latin America and Caribbean seat, and Denmark and Greece for two mainly Western seats.
- The five council members elected Thursday will start their terms on Jan. 1, replacing those whose two-year terms end on Dec. 31 Mozambique, Japan, Ecuador, Malta and Switzerland.
- They will join the five veto-wielding permanent members the United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom and France and the five countries elected last year Algeria, Guyana, South Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia.
About United Nations Security Council
- The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, and approving any changes to the UN Charter.
- Its powers as outlined in the United Nations Charter include establishing peacekeeping operations, enacting international sanctions, and authorizing military action.
- The UNSC is the only UN body with authority to issue resolutions that are binding on member states.
- Like the UN as a whole, the Security Council was created after World War II to address the failings of the League of Nations in maintaining world peace.
Functions of Security Council
-
- The Security Council is charged with maintaining international peace and security. The Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
- It has 15 Members, and each Member has one vote. Under the Charter of the United Nations, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.
- The Security Council takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression.
- It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement.
- In some cases, the Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.
- Virtually every country agrees that almost eight decades after the United Nations was established the Security Council needs to expand and reflect the world in the 21st century, not the post-World War II era reflected now.
- But with 193 countries with national interests, the central question and the biggest disagreement is exactly how.
United Nations Security Council Membership
- The council has 15 members: the five permanent members and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.
- The five permanent members are the United States, the Russian Federation, France, China and the United Kingdom.
- India, for the eighth time, has entered the UNSC as a non-permanent member last year (2021) and will stay on the council for two years i.e 2021-22.
- Each year, the General Assembly elects five non-permanent members (out of ten in total) for a two-year term. The ten non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis.
- The council’s presidency is a capacity that rotates every month among its 15 members.
United Nations Security Council Voting Powers:
- Each member of the Security Council has one vote.
- Decisions of the Security Council on matters are made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members.
- A “No” vote from one of the five permanent members blocks the passage of the resolution.
- Any member of the United Nations which is not a member of the Security Council may participate, without vote, in the discussion of any question brought before the Security Council whenever the latter considers that the interests of that member are specially affected.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q3. Consider the following statements with regards to Security Council of UN:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 2 only (d) Both |
Q. The Security Council of UN consists of 5 permanent members, and the remaining 10 members are elected by the General Assembly for a term of (2009)
(a) 1 year (b) 2 years (c) 3 years (d) 5 years Ans: (b) |
| Answer 3 A
Explanation
|
Global debt crisis: Nations spending more on interest payment than education & health
Source: Down To Earth
UPSC Syllabus Relevance: GS 3- Economy, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Context: Countries are drowning in unprecedented levels of debts
Why in News
- With hardly six years left for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be met by 2030, the world has hit a wall: countries are drowning in unprecedented levels of debts.
Key Highlights
- According to the Institute of International Finance, global debt (including borrowings of households, businesses and governments) has reached $315 trillion in 2024.
- This is three times the global gross domestic product (GDP).
- Of the total global debt, household debt stands at US$59.1 trillion; business debt at US$164.5 trillion; and public debt (governments’ borrowing) at US$91.4 trillion.
- Many compare this level of debt to that experienced during the Napoleonic Wars some two centuries ago.
What is Global Debt?
- Global debt refers to the borrowings of governments as well as private businesses and individuals.
- Governments borrow to meet various expenditures that they are unable to meet through tax and other revenues.
- Governments may also borrow to pay interest on the money that they have already borrowed to fund past expenditures.
- The private sector borrows predominantly to make investments.
Reports
- On June 5, the United Nations (UN) said in a new assessment report titled A world of debt 2024: A growing burden to global prosperity that the level of public debt has not just reached a historic level but also threatens countries’ development spending, particularly among developing and poor countries.
- Global public debt (both domestic and external borrowing by governments) reported a steep hike: US$97 trillion in 2023, an increase of US$5.6 trillion over 2022.
- Developing countries share 30 per cent of the total global debt. But the debt growth rate of developing countries is twice that of developed countries.
- The latest UN assessment says that in 2023, developing countries spent US$847 billion in interest payment. That is a 21 per cent increase over 2021. For these countries, the interest rate is also higher, up to four times that of the US.
Concerns
- While debt, or borrowing, is an established way to fund personal, institutional and national expenditures, it has reached an unmanageable level where borrowers divest much of the revenues to just serve debt, primarily in terms of interests.
- Serving loans is a key expenditure for many countries that keeps them away from development funding, like on health and education.
- The mounting public debt is concerning, warranting dire warning from various international agencies.
- This is because public spending on development sectors is being restrained by this.
- Debt becomes a risk when the respective country doesn’t have the capacity to repay. In such a situation, the country concerned has to divert funds to just serve it while slashing budgets for development programmes.
Impact on Development
- Global debt’s impact on development spending is glaring.
- The UN assessment says that some 3.3 billion people currently reside in countries where debt interest payment overtakes spending on either education or health.
- In Africa, the per capita spending on interest is US$70, which is higher than US$60 per capita for education and US$39 for health.
- The growing public debt for developing countries could be a direct fall out of the changing profile of development aid.
- First, aid has fallen in the last two years.
- Second, concessional loans are replacing aid thus also adding to developing countries’ debt. In 2012, loans’ share in aid for developing countries was 28 per cent, which has reached 34 per cent in 2022.
- Third, the support to lessen debt among developing countries in terms of relief and other actions has also trickled: from US$4.1 billion in 2012 to US$300 million in 2022.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q4. Which of the following statements about the consequences of growing global debt is correct?
Select the correct answer using the code given below. (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 |
Q. Consider the following statements: (2018)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Ans: C |
| Answer 4 C
Explanation
|
World Health Assembly defines pandemic emergency, pledges improved access to medical products & financing
Source: Down To Earth
UPSC Syllabus Relevance: GS 2- International Relations
Context: World Health Assembly defines pandemic emergency
Why in news
- Member countries of the World Health Organization (WHO), in a historic move, have adopted crucial amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) at the recently concluded 77th World Health Assembly.
Key Highlights
- International Health Regulations (IHR) alterations include defining a “pandemic emergency” as well as pledging improved access to medical products and financing.
- The steps will help ensure comprehensive, robust systems are in place in all countries to protect everyone everywhere from the risk of future outbreaks and pandemics, the United Nations said in a news release.
Amendments to International Health Regulations (IHR)
- The pandemic emergency definition represents a higher level of alarm and builds on the IHR’s existing mechanisms, such as the determination of a public health emergency of international concern.
- Another significant change was the enhancement of national capacity.
- The changes are designed to improve individual countries’ ability to detect and respond to future outbreaks. This will entail enhancing disease surveillance, information sharing and national response plans.
- Further, the WHO emphasised that health threats transcend national borders. This new framework prioritised ensuring all countries have the resources they need to prepare and respond effectively.
- Furthermore, the States Parties Committee was established to facilitate the effective implementation of the amended regulations and National IHR Authorities were created to improve coordination of regulation implementation within and between countries.
- The member countries agreed to continue working on the proposed Pandemic Agreement to improve international coordination, collaboration and equity in preventing, preparing for and responding to future pandemics.
- The members also decided to extend the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body’s mandate, which was established in December 2021, so that the Pandemic Agreement can be finalised by the World Health Assembly in 2025, or earlier if possible, at a special session in 2024.
Significance of Amendments
- The International Health Regulations (IHR) amendments will improve countries’ ability to detect and respond to future outbreaks, strengthen national capacities and improve global coordination on disease surveillance, information sharing and response, Ghebreyesus emphasised.
- This is built on a commitment to equity, an understanding that health threats do not recognise national borders and that preparedness is a collective endeavour.
- The most significant amendment was the addition of a definition of a pandemic emergency to allow for more effective international collaboration in response to events that are on the verge of becoming, or have already become, pandemics.
World Health Organization (WHO)
- World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations’ specialized agency for Health was founded in 1948.
- Its headquarters are situated in Geneva, Switzerland.
- There are 194 Member States, 150 country offices, six regional offices.
- It is an inter-governmental organization and works in collaboration with its member states usually through the Ministries of Health.
- The WHO provides leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.
- It began functioning on April 7, 1948 – a date now being celebrated every year as World Health Day.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q5. Consider the following statements with regards to World Health Assembly:
Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 |
Q. With reference to the “United Nations Credentials Committee”, consider the following statements: (2022)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 3 only (b) 1 and 3 (c) 2 and 3 (d) 1 and 2 Answer: (a) |
| Answer 5 B
Explanation
|