Vikram goes silent
ISRO has lost contact with Chandrayaan 2’s lander Vikram and rover Pragyan on 7 September 2019. Earlier in the day, ground stations lost contact with the lander during its powered descent to the lunar surface minutes before the planned touch-down.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21417-vikram-goes-silent
#Vikram #Chandrayaan2 #ISRO #LOI #PSLVC11 #KSivan #Pragyan

Disturbed Area tag in Assam extended
Despite demand from several quarters to remove, Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 Assam government as per Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, has declared the entire State of Assam as “Disturbed Area for another six month.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21416-disturbed-area-tag-in-assam-extended
#Assam #CAPF #AFSPA #ULFA #SupremeCourt #ArmedForces

India, South Korea ink deal for Navy
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeongdoo. They comprehensively reviewed bilateral defence cooperation and signed two agreements to expand defence educational exchanges and extend logistical support to each other’s navies.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21415-india-south-korea-ink-deal-for-navy
#India #Navy #RajnathSingh #ROK #SouthKorea

Subsea science observatory vanishes
A German research organization is searching, so far in vain, for an underwater environmental monitoring station that was moored on the sea bed and went missing last month.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21414-subsea-science-observatory-vanishes
#German #CH4 #observatory #organization #science #greenhouse #gas

Joint Panel for FTA
India and the 10-member bloc of South-East Asian nations have decided to review their free trade agreement (FTA) in goods that was signed in 2009.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21446-joint-panel-for-fta
#FTA #JointPanel #ASEAN #RCEP #Indianindustry #PiyushGoyal

Healthcare’s climate footprint
India figures among the top ten countries that account for 75 per cent of global healthcare climate footprint, according to a report released by Health Care Without Harm, an international NGO, in collaboration with Arup.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21445-healthcare-s-climate-footprint
#Healthcare #footprint #GHG #NGO #greenhouse #gas

UN refuses to interfere on Kashmir issue
A day after India and Pakistan had a face-off at the 42nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on 11 September 2019 expressed concern on the potential escalation between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue and appealed to both sides to solve it through dialogue.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21444-un-refuses-to-interfere-on-kashmir-issue
#Kashmir #Pakistan #ImranKhan #UNSC #Article370 #UNHRC #NarendraModi

A rare Harvest Moon
This 13 September 2019, a full moon will be visible in the sky, which will be the first time in nearly 20 years that it will coincide with the 13th September 2019.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21443-a-rare-harvest-moon
#Harvest #Moon #NationalGeographic #HarvestMoon #fullmoon

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 September 2019 launched 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana' (an ambitious pension scheme) for farmers from Ranchi. PM said, 'this scheme will connect Jharkhand with India & the world.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21456-pradhan-mantri-kisan-maan-dhan-yojana
#PradhanMantri #KisanMaanDhanYojana #NarendraModi #LIC #PMKMDY

Second 'Netra' for IAF
The Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) handed over the second airborne warning plane, Netra, to the Indian Air Force on 11 September 2019.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21455-second-netra-for-iaf
#Netra #IAF #DRDO #AEWC #aircraft #MarshalRaghunath #AirCommand

Water discovered for first time in habitable exoplanet
Water has been discovered for the first time in the atmosphere of an exoplanet with Earth-like temperatures that could support life as we know it, scientists revealed.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21454-water-discovered-for-first-time-in-habitable-exoplanet
#Water #habitable #NASA #ARIEL #gas #atmosphere #Earth

Anti-tank missile successfully test-fires
The indigenously-developed Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) was successfully tested by the Defence Research Development Organization in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21453-anti-tank-missile-successfully-test-fires
#Antitank #missile #MPATGM #Israeli #DRDO #AndhraPradesh

India jumps in world tourism index
India clocked the biggest improvement among the top performers in global tourism, jumping from 40th in 2017 to 34th in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019 published by the World Economic Forum.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21452-india-jumps-in-world-tourism-index
#India #tourismindex #WorldEconomicForum #GDP #UAE #WEF

First woman athlete for Padma Vibhushan
The Indian Sports Ministry sent the list of recommendations for this year’s Padma Awards, naming six-time world champion MC Mary Kom for Padma Vibhushan and ace shuttler PV Sindhu for Padma Bhushan.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21451-first-woman-athlete-for-padma-vibhushan
#MaryKom #PadmaVibhushan #BWF #BharatRatna #woman #athlete

China launched three new satellites
China successfully launched three satellites, including a resource satellite, on 12 September 2019 into planned orbits which will help in disaster prevention, urban construction and monitor polar regions and global climate change.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21450-china-launched-three-new-satellites
#China #satellites #CAST #BNU1 #orbits #CarrierRocket #TSLC

States to get medical device parks
The government has given approval for setting up four medical device parks with a view to support Make in India initiative and provide world-class products at an affordable price for treatment.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21950-states-to-get-medical-device-parks.html
#CFC #AndhraPradesh #infrastructure #CommonFacilityCentre

100% FDI in coal mining
India’s move to allow 100 per cent foreign direct investment in coal mining is a “positive move” and a good policy enabler towards the country’s long-term ambition of producing 300 million tonnes of steel per annum.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21949-100-fdi-in-coal-mining.html
#FDI #NationalSteelPolicy2017 #environment #India #NSP

Black hole devour another
In a first, researchers have created simulations explaining how the largest of black hole mergers may have happened, showing one may have devoured another “in a ‘Pac-Man-like’ behaviour.”
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21948-black-hole-devour-another.html
#Blackhole #RIT #gravitational #Earth #gas #space

UN warning over climate crisis
The world's major fossil fuel producers are set to bust global environmental goals with excessive coal, oil and gas extraction in the next decade, the United Nations and research groups said on 20 November 2019 in the latest warning over climate crisis.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22051-un-warning-over-climate-crisis.html
#UN #UNEP #CICERO #gas #crisis #SEI #emissionsgap

Trilateral maritime exercise
Defence minister Rajnath Singh held wide-ranging talks with his Singapore counterpart Ng Eng Hen in Singapore on 20 November 2019 during which the two sides agreed to conduct the trilateral maritime exercise involving Singapore, India and Thailand annually from next year.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22050-trilateral-maritime-exercise.html
#Trilateral #RajnathSingh #SITMEX #HADR #DMD

New forest policy on anvil
More than 30 years after it was last launched, a new national forest policy that would deal with issues such as climate change and human-wildlife conflict is now on the anvil.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22049-new-forest-policy-on-anvil.html
#Newforestpolicy #anvil #ICFRE #Dehradun #SureshGairola

India appeals WTO Appellate body
India on 19 November 2019 appealed against a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement panel's ruling that had recommended withdrawal of its key export subsidy schemes, including the one for special economic zones in the next 90-180 days.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22048-india-appeals-wto-appellate-body.html
#India #WTO #Appellatebody #SCM #GNI #EOU #MEIS

Extraterrestrial sugar found in space rocks
In a first, an international team has found sugars essential to life in meteorites - supporting the hypothesis that chemical reactions in asteroids can make some of life's ingredients.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22047-extraterrestrial-sugar-found-in-space-rocks.html
#NASA #Extraterrestrial #DNA #RNA #OSIRIS #Hayabusa2

PETA India's 2019 Person of the Year
Team India skipper Virat Kohli has been named People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India's Person of the Year for 2019.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22046-peta-india-s-2019-person-of-the-year.html
#PETA #India #ViratKohli #AmerFort #PCAA #KSPanickerRadhakrishnan

Strategic Chabahar project
India and Iran on 22 December 2019 agreed to accelerate work on the strategic Chabahar project as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held wide-ranging talks with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22395-strategic-chabahar-project.html
#StrategicChabahar #India #NarendraModi #Afghanistan #JavadZarif

Boeing spacecraft returned to earth
Boeing's new Starliner unmanned spacecraft returned to Earth on 22 December 2019, landing in the New Mexico desert in the United States six days early after a clock problem prevented a rendezvous with the International Space Station.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22394-boeing-spacecraft-returned-to-earth.html
#spacecraft #earth #NASA #AtlasVlaunch #rocket #ISS

Russia, Ukraine outline gas transit deal
Russia and Ukraine announced terms of a new gas transit deal on 21 December 2019, under which Moscow will supply Europe for at least another five years via its former Soviet neighbour and pay a $2.9 billion settlement to Kiev to end a legal dispute.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22393-russia-ukraine-outline-gas-transit-deal.html
#Russia #Ukraine #Moscow #gas #Europe

Cuba gets first prime minister
Cuba's first prime minister in more than four decades - long-serving tourism minister Manuel Marrero - has taken office as the country resurrected a post last held by Fidel Castro.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22392-cuba-gets-first-prime-minister.html
#Cuba #ManuelMarrero #GHG #FidelCastro

UN's child mortality report
India is among the few countries in the world where, in 2018, the mortality under-5 years of girls, exceeded that of boys, according to the ‘Levels and Trends in Child Mortality’ report by the United Nations (UN) inter-agency group for child mortality.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22613-un-s-child-mortality-report.html
#UN #mortality #child #SRS #ChildMortality #UNICEF

IEA slams India's gas pricing policy
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has slammed India's natural gas pricing policy, saying linking domestic production to very low global reference prices has reduced incentives for producers to raise supplies.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22612-iea-slams-india-s-gas-pricing-policy.html
#IEA #gas #LNG #GST #NarendraModi #LPG

Kolkata Port Trust renamed
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 January 2020 rechristened Kolkata Port Trust after Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22611-kolkata-port-trust-renamed.html
#Kolkata #KPT #NarendraModi #SPMookerjee #Myanmar

Dispute panel over India's duty hike
The World Trade Organisation's (WTO) dispute settlement body has set up a panel to examine the US complaint against India which had increased customs duties on 28 American goods last year.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22610-dispute-panel-over-india-s-duty-hike.html
#India #WTO #GATT #DSB #DSU #India

China launches gigantic telescope
China on 11 January 2020 officially opened operations of the world’s largest radio telescope, which it will use for space research and help in the hunt for extraterrestrial life.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22609-china-launches-gigantic-telescope.html
#China #gigantic #telescope #SkyEye #FAST

Gas marketing freedom allowed
The government on 7 October 2020 allowed affiliate companies to buy gas produced from non-regulated fields as part of giving complete marketing freedom.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/26392-gas-marketing-freedom-allowed.html
#Gas #ONGC #OIL #DharmendraPradhan #UPSCOnlineClasses #OnlineClassses #IASOnlineclasses

Watch: Environmental Cost of Gas Flaring
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NvsBek2dtKY+

Today's Headlines - 03 August 2023
New IPCC assessment cycle begins
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded its elections, marking the beginning of the seventh assessment cycle. The elections commenced, during the IPCC’S 59th session held in Nairobi, Kenya. In the process, the body elected James Skea, professor of sustainable energy at Imperial College, London, as the new IPCC Chair.

About IPCC

It was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
The IPCC produces comprehensive assessment reports (ARs) that are considered the most authoritative source of scientific knowledge on climate change.
So far, it has released six ARs — the final synthesis report of the sixth AR came out in March 2023 — and with the latest elections, the body has initiated a new cycle of producing the next AR.

What does the IPCC Chair do?

The primary role of the IPCC Chair is to oversee the reports which come out in each assessment cycle.
Together with the IPCC Bureau, the Chair also sets the research agenda, which could include the release of additional special reports on specific topics.
The Chair is required to possess a rare combination of scientific and diplomatic skills, which are needed to get the approvals of governments on the report summaries.
The tenure of the Chair usually lasts five to seven years, depending on the duration of the assessment cycle, and they can serve up to two terms only — India’s RK Pachauri remains the only person till now to serve two terms as the Chair. He headed the fourth and fifth assessment cycles of the IPCC, between 2002 and 2015.

What are the IPCC assessment cycles?

So far, the IPCC has had six assessment cycles, during which it released six comprehensive assessment reports.
In each of these cycles, the body also produced several special reports on specific topics. Not only this, IPCC also publishes methodology reports during these cycles, in which it provides guidelines for governments to estimate their greenhouse gas emissions and removals.
Kickstarter in 2015, the sixth assessment cycle, the most recent one, was concluded in March this year with the release of the synthesis report — a relatively non-technical summary of the previous report that came out during the cycle.
The previous reports included reports put out by the three working groups, including Working Group I, which aims at assessing the physical scientific basis of the climate system and climate change, Working Group II, which examines the vulnerability of socio-economic and natural systems to climate change and its consequences, and the Working Group III, which focuses on climate change mitigation, assessing methods for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere
Notably, the IPCC doesn’t conduct its research, but asks the authors to “assess the thousands of scientific papers published each year to provide a comprehensive summary of what is known about the drivers of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and how adaptation and mitigation can reduce those risks”.

#upsc #news #headline #IPCC #cycle #panel #WMO #UNEP #ARs #agenda #report #bureau #diplomatic #greenhouse #methodology #technical #gas #emissions #synthesis #mitigation #research #focus #risks

Today's Headlines - 18 August 2023
Net zero carbon emission country
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)

Bhutan has emerged as a country with net zero emissions and not only curbed its carbon footprints, but has also transformed into a carbon sink, absorbing more carbon dioxide (CO2) than releasing, It reported that the recent report from the World Economic Forum revealed that the eight countries including Bhutan have attained an impressive feat of net zero emissions.

More about the News

Bhutan is one among the 196 nations that committed to the Paris Agreement during the UN Climate Change Conference focused on restricting global temperature increases to 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Apart from Bhutan, Comoros, nestled in the Indian Ocean and Gabon in Central Africa have managed to control the carbon emissions and set an example for other countries.
Comoros, by conscientiously managing its agricultural, fishing, and livestock sectors, complemented by rigorous environmental safeguards has maintained low emissions.
Bhutan's unique success as the first nation to achieve net zero emissions is rooted in its population of 8,00,000 and its remarkable forest coverage of 70%.
Why this achievement

The nation prioritizes sustainable organic farming and forestry practices, accentuated by the reliance on hydropower and the prudent management of its main economic driver, tourism.
Notably, Bhutan charges a $200 sustainable development fee per day from tourists, underscoring the value placed on eco-tourism and environmental protection.
It has been reported that another reason behind this control of emissions is the forests being an intrinsic part of its spiritual heritage.
Guided by a climate-conscious forest economy, Bhutan mitigates greenhouse gas emissions, preserves wildlife habitats, mitigates forest fires, and practices sustainable forest management for timber, fruit, and rubber - fostering a circular economy.
The nation has embarked on pilot projects that explore sustainable timber construction, showcasing innovative solutions.
Bhutan's journey to net zero emissions, fueled by an unyielding commitment to its environment and cultural heritage, is a source of inspiration for the world.
As nations navigate the complexities of climate change, Bhutan's story beckons us to embrace sustainable practices and safeguard our precious planet.

#upsc #news #headline #netzero #carbon #emission #country #enviroment #carbonfootprints #bhutan #carbondioxide #nations #climatechange #parisagreement #indianocean #gabon #africa #comoros #temperature #indianocean #safeguards #environmental #livestocks #sectors #rigorous #achievement #farming #tourism #reliance #heritage #economy #greenhouse #gas #wildlife #forestfires #cultural #world #embrace #planet #nations