Today's Headlines - 25 July 2023
Marine heat waves gripped world’s oceans
GS Paper - 1 (Geography)
Sweltering temperatures have induced extreme heat warnings, wildfires and poor air quality in different regions. But it isn’t just on the land that the mercury has soared – the average daily global sea surface temperature is off the charts too. Ocean temperatures have remained at record-high levels, giving rise to marine heat waves (MHWs) around the globe.
What are marine heat waves?
A marine heat wave is an extreme weather event. It occurs when the surface temperature of a particular region of the sea rises to 3 or 4 degree Celsius above the average temperature for at least five days.
MHWs can last for weeks, months or even years, according to the US government’s agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
At present, MHWs have gripped the north-east Pacific, the southern hemisphere in the southern Indian Ocean and the Pacific, the north-east Atlantic, tropical North Atlantic, and the Mediterranean, according to a recent forecast of the non-profit science organisation Mercator Ocean International.
MHWs can have debilitating effects on both marine ecosystems and humans. They may cause the deaths of several marine species, alter their migration patterns, lead to coral bleaching and even impact weather patterns.
MHWs can make storms stronger and severely affect coastal communities. What’s more, these disastrous consequences are set to become even worse as the world continues to get warmer, making MHWs more intense and longer.
What is the impact of marine heat waves on ocean life?
Although an increase of 3 or 4 degrees Celsius in average temperatures may not be much for humans, it can be catastrophic for marine life.
For instance, MHWs along the Western Australian coast during the summer of 2010 and 2011 caused some “devastating” fish kills — the sudden and unexpected death of many fish or other aquatic animals over a short period and mainly within a particular area — as per a 2013 study in the Journal of Marine Systems.
A different study revealed that the same MHWs destroyed kelp forests and fundamentally altered the ecosystem of the coast. Kleps usually grow in cooler waters, providing habitat and food for many marine animals.
Another example is when high ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean in 2005 led to a massive coral bleaching event.
Higher ocean temperatures, which are associated with MHWs, can make storms like hurricanes and tropical cyclones stronger.
#upsc #news #todayheadline #marine #worldoceans #temperatures #wildfires #MHWs #global #celsius #NOAA #ecosystems #humans #coastal #tropical #atlantic #caribbean #cyclones #debilitating #mediterranean #humans #devastating
Marine heat waves gripped world’s oceans
GS Paper - 1 (Geography)
Sweltering temperatures have induced extreme heat warnings, wildfires and poor air quality in different regions. But it isn’t just on the land that the mercury has soared – the average daily global sea surface temperature is off the charts too. Ocean temperatures have remained at record-high levels, giving rise to marine heat waves (MHWs) around the globe.
What are marine heat waves?
A marine heat wave is an extreme weather event. It occurs when the surface temperature of a particular region of the sea rises to 3 or 4 degree Celsius above the average temperature for at least five days.
MHWs can last for weeks, months or even years, according to the US government’s agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
At present, MHWs have gripped the north-east Pacific, the southern hemisphere in the southern Indian Ocean and the Pacific, the north-east Atlantic, tropical North Atlantic, and the Mediterranean, according to a recent forecast of the non-profit science organisation Mercator Ocean International.
MHWs can have debilitating effects on both marine ecosystems and humans. They may cause the deaths of several marine species, alter their migration patterns, lead to coral bleaching and even impact weather patterns.
MHWs can make storms stronger and severely affect coastal communities. What’s more, these disastrous consequences are set to become even worse as the world continues to get warmer, making MHWs more intense and longer.
What is the impact of marine heat waves on ocean life?
Although an increase of 3 or 4 degrees Celsius in average temperatures may not be much for humans, it can be catastrophic for marine life.
For instance, MHWs along the Western Australian coast during the summer of 2010 and 2011 caused some “devastating” fish kills — the sudden and unexpected death of many fish or other aquatic animals over a short period and mainly within a particular area — as per a 2013 study in the Journal of Marine Systems.
A different study revealed that the same MHWs destroyed kelp forests and fundamentally altered the ecosystem of the coast. Kleps usually grow in cooler waters, providing habitat and food for many marine animals.
Another example is when high ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean in 2005 led to a massive coral bleaching event.
Higher ocean temperatures, which are associated with MHWs, can make storms like hurricanes and tropical cyclones stronger.
#upsc #news #todayheadline #marine #worldoceans #temperatures #wildfires #MHWs #global #celsius #NOAA #ecosystems #humans #coastal #tropical #atlantic #caribbean #cyclones #debilitating #mediterranean #humans #devastating
Today's Headlines - 13 August 2023
India's first Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX)
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)
The government of Telangana, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) launched India's first Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX) in Hyderabad. The Telangana government also launched the Agriculture Data Management Framework (ADMF) - a framework for facilitating consent-based responsible data sharing.
More about Exchange
Developed as a digital public infrastructure (DPI) for the agriculture sector, ADeX is an open-source, open-standard, and interoperable public good.
The software platform facilitates a secure, standards-based exchange of data between agricultural data users (agri application developers) and agricultural data providers (government agencies, private companies, NGOs, universities, etc.).
ADMF is applicable to all government departments dealing with agricultural activities, as well as, all agriculture information users and providers. The framework provides a grievance redressal mechanism.
Both ADeX and ADMF provide the right platform to ensure fair and efficient usage of agricultural data by the industry and startups and provide a big boost to the data economy specifically in the agriculture sector.
These initiatives help Telangana lead the country in using innovation and technology to drive food systems transformation and improve the livelihoods of farmers."
Data and digital ecosystems are critical for responsible innovation in the agriculture sector.
The agriculture data exchange and the agriculture data management framework highlight the power of multi-stakeholder communities and collective action in addressing complex challenges in the agriculture sector.
#upsc #news #headline #india #agricultural #data #exchange #ADEX #economy #world #economic #forum #institute #science #IISC #ADMF #DPI #digital #grievance #mechanism #NGO #privatecompanies #universities #agencies #mechanism #software #technology #telangana #ecosystems #sector #data
India's first Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX)
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)
The government of Telangana, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) launched India's first Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX) in Hyderabad. The Telangana government also launched the Agriculture Data Management Framework (ADMF) - a framework for facilitating consent-based responsible data sharing.
More about Exchange
Developed as a digital public infrastructure (DPI) for the agriculture sector, ADeX is an open-source, open-standard, and interoperable public good.
The software platform facilitates a secure, standards-based exchange of data between agricultural data users (agri application developers) and agricultural data providers (government agencies, private companies, NGOs, universities, etc.).
ADMF is applicable to all government departments dealing with agricultural activities, as well as, all agriculture information users and providers. The framework provides a grievance redressal mechanism.
Both ADeX and ADMF provide the right platform to ensure fair and efficient usage of agricultural data by the industry and startups and provide a big boost to the data economy specifically in the agriculture sector.
These initiatives help Telangana lead the country in using innovation and technology to drive food systems transformation and improve the livelihoods of farmers."
Data and digital ecosystems are critical for responsible innovation in the agriculture sector.
The agriculture data exchange and the agriculture data management framework highlight the power of multi-stakeholder communities and collective action in addressing complex challenges in the agriculture sector.
#upsc #news #headline #india #agricultural #data #exchange #ADEX #economy #world #economic #forum #institute #science #IISC #ADMF #DPI #digital #grievance #mechanism #NGO #privatecompanies #universities #agencies #mechanism #software #technology #telangana #ecosystems #sector #data