6th December, 2023 Current Affairs

NATIONAL
India will stop import of substitutable coal in next 2 years

• India will stop the import of substitutable coal in the next two years.
• The government has taken steps to make the country self-reliant in the sector as coal production has increased. The country is going to achieve one billion tonne of coal production soon.
• There used to be irregularities in the coal production and coal block allocations earlier but this government has checked it, and now even one block of coal cannot be given on a discretionary basis.

India’s Concerns Lead to Non-Signing of COP28 Health & Climate Declaration

• India, a notable absentee from the list of signatories at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), refrained from endorsing the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health. The primary point of contention arises from India’s apprehensions about the practicality and achievability of reducing greenhouse gas emissions for cooling within its healthcare infrastructure.
• The COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, signed by 124 countries, underscores the imperative for urgent and substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. It outlines various measures to achieve health benefits through climate action, such as just transitions, lower air pollution, active mobility, and shifts to sustainable healthy diets.
• A central objective of the declaration is a commitment to combating inequalities within and among countries. It stresses policies that accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG3, focusing on good health and well-being.

Also Read: Weekly Current Affairs (Persons) 4-10 November 2023 Bitbank: Who is set to be the next CMD of Konkan Railway?

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INTERNATIONAL
Kenyan President’s Three Day State Visit to India

• Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto recently embarked on a three-day state visit to India, emphasizing the enduring friendship between the two nations dating back to 1948. The visit aims to consolidate diplomatic ties and explore opportunities for collaboration in various sectors.
• President Ruto outlined key areas of collaboration, including rural development, agriculture, vaccine manufacturing, and genomics. Memorandums of understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed to foster cooperation in these domains. The emphasis is also on enhancing business relationships to strengthen economic ties between India and Kenya

India and Saudi Arabia agree to strengthen cooperation for Hajj and to focus on Improved Services

• Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani held productive discussions with Saudi Arabia's Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfig bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah on deepening cooperation for Hajj.
• Both nations have agreed to continue to work together to make the Hajj process as convenient and as seamless as possible with best provision of services for all Hajj pilgrims.
• India is deeply appreciative of the help that it has received from Saudi Arabia for extending cooperation for the smooth conduct of Hajj, particularly in Hajj 2023 where close to 47 percent of Indian pilgrims were women.
• Government is committed to making Hajj inclusive and accessible towards all segments of society, specially women and Divyangjan. Hajj Policy for 2024 has already been announced by government and applications for pilgrims have already been invited.
• Saudi Arabia has effectively transformed Umrah to a rewarding religious expedition by utilising technological advancements, enhanced measures and upgraded infrastructure.

COP28 Progress: 57 Billion Secured, Declarations Launched, Loss and Damage Fund Operational

• COP28 President Dr. Sultan Al Jaber announced major achievements in the first five days of the conference, highlighting progress on finance, declarations, and Loss and Damage. The conference is on track to deliver an ambitious response to the Global Stocktake. Over 57 billion US dollar have been secured in pledges and commitments.
• COP28 launched eight new declarations spanning sectors such as food systems, health, renewable energy, and heavy industries. A historic agreement was reached on Loss and Damage, with the fund operationalized and initial funding secured.
• The COP Presidency took a pioneering step by actively calling for language on all fossil fuels in the negotiated text, marking a significant first in COP history. The overarching objective remains to maintain the 1.5-degree Celsius target, requiring net-zero emissions by 2050 and a 43% reduction by 2030.

ENVIRONMENT
India Achieves Remarkable Environmental Milestone

• India has successfully slashed its GDP emission intensity by 33% between 2005 and 2019, exceeding its target 11 years ahead of schedule. A government report, ‘The Third National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,’ outlines the nation’s substantial progress in decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions.
• The energy sector contributed the most to anthropogenic emissions (75.81%), followed by agriculture (13.44%), Industrial Process and Product Use (8.41%), and waste (2.34%).
• The Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) sector removed a significant 4,85,472 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GgCO2e) of emissions.
• Despite a cumulative annual GDP growth rate of 7%, India’s emissions increased by only 4% per year during 2005-2019.
• India created an additional carbon sink of 1.97 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent during the same period.
• The country is on track to achieve its target of reducing GDP emission intensity by 45% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels.
• India stands out among developing countries, submitting its third national communication with GHG inventory of 2019, showcasing more recent data compared to other nations like China (2014), Brazil (2016), South Africa (2017), and Saudi Arabia (2012).
• India aims to achieve 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
• The country is committed to becoming a net-zero economy by 2070, highlighting its dedication to long-term sustainability.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Gajraj System: AI-Based Elephant Protection on Indian Railways
The Indian Railways has initiated a pioneering step towards wildlife conservation by deploying the “Gajraj system,” an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solution designed to prevent elephant fatalities on railway tracks. This surveillance system is being implemented along a 700-kilometer stretch with  a cost of Rs181 crore in forest areas to alert locomotive pilots of elephants’ presence on the tracks, thereby mitigating the risk of collisions.
Technology and Accuracy

• System Name: Intrusion Detection System (IDS)
• Accuracy: 99.5% in detecting elephant presence on tracks
• Deployment Date: December 2022
• Components: Sensors to identify the movement of wild animals
• Alert Recipients: Control offices, station masters, gatemen, and loco pilots
• Alerts Issued: 9,768 alerts from December 2022 to July, averaging 41 alerts daily
• Zero Collisions: No train-elephant collisions reported in the 11 corridors since deployment

Home Affairs Ministry blocks over 100 websites involved in part time job frauds under Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre initiative

• The Home Affairs Ministry has identified and blocked over 100 websites involved in organized investment or task-based - part time job frauds under the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre initiative. These websites facilitated task-based or organized illegal investment-related economic crimes.

• The websites were being operated by overseas actors and used digital advertisement, chat messengers and mule or rented accounts. It added that the proceeds were allegedly laundered out of India from large scale economic frauds using card networks, cryptocurrency, overseas ATM withdrawals and international Fintech companies. The National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit acted upon this last week.
• The Ministry has advised citizens to promptly report phone numbers and social media handles used by such fraudsters to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

ANDHRA PRADESH
Cyclone Michaung Strikes Andhra Pradesh: Transition from Severe Cyclonic Storm to Depression

• Cyclone Michaung, initially a severe cyclonic storm, made landfall on the south coast of Andhra Pradesh, wreaking havoc and leaving a trail of destruction. The storm weakened into a depression as it crossed the coast, centered in Central Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Currently, it is positioned approximately 100 km north-northwest of Bapatla and 50 km southeast of Khammam.
• Cyclone Michaung, initially a severe cyclonic storm, made landfall on the south coast of Andhra Pradesh, wreaking havoc and leaving a trail of destruction. The storm weakened into a depression as it crossed the coast, centered in Central Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Currently, it is positioned approximately 100 km north-northwest of Bapatla and 50 km southeast of Khammam.

Published date : 07 Dec 2023 11:45AM