Daily Current Affairs : 23rd and 24th November 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CSE

Topics Covered

1. Methane Emission
2. ILO Convention on health and safety
3. Israel – Palestine Ceasefire Agreement
4. Verdict on Governors role
5. Social Audit of MGNREGA
6. Cop 28 : India’s equity Demand
7. Facts for Prelims –  

1 . Methane Emission

Context: CoP28 turns attention to potent methane emissions. 

About Methane  

• Methane (CH₄) is a hydrocarbon that is a primary component of natural gas. 
• Methane is also a greenhouse gas (GHG), so its presence in the atmosphere affects the earth’s temperature and climate system.  
• Methane is emitted from a variety of anthropogenic (human-influenced) and natural sources. 
• Methane is the second most abundant anthropogenic GHG after carbon dioxide (CO2), accounting for about 16 percent of global emissions. 
• Methane is more than 28 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. 

Sources of Methane Emissions  

• Natural Sources: 
  • Wetlands: Microbial activity in waterlogged conditions, such as in wetlands and swamps, produces methane. This is one of the largest natural sources of methane emissions. 
  • Termites: Certain termite species produce methane during digestion through a process called enteric fermentation. 
  • Geological Sources: Methane can be released from geological formations, including seafloor sediments and mud volcanoes. 
• Anthropogenic (Human-Caused) Sources: 
  • Agriculture: 
    • Enteric Fermentation: Livestock, especially ruminants like cattle, produce methane during digestion as part of enteric fermentation. 
    • Manure Management: Anaerobic decomposition of manure in storage systems and during spreading releases methane. 
    • Rice Cultivation: Flooded rice paddies create anaerobic conditions, leading to methane production. 
  • Energy Production: 
    • Fossil Fuel Extraction and Processing: The production and processing of fossil fuels, including oil and natural gas, release methane. This can occur during drilling, extraction, and transportation. 
    • Coal Mining: Methane is released from coal seams during mining operations. 
  • Waste Management: 
    • Landfills: Decomposition of organic waste in landfills under anaerobic conditions produces methane. 
    • Wastewater Treatment: Methane is generated during the treatment of sewage and wastewater. 
  • Industrial Activities: 
    • Oil and Gas Industry: Methane is emitted during the extraction, processing, and transportation of oil and natural gas. Methane leaks from equipment and facilities are also common. 
    • Biomass Burning: Incomplete combustion of organic matter, such as in the burning of agricultural residues and wood, can release methane. 
  • Biomass and Bioenergy: 
    • Biomass Decomposition: Anaerobic decay of organic matter in natural ecosystems, such as forests and grasslands, can result in methane emissions. 
    • Bioenergy Production: Certain bioenergy processes, such as anaerobic digestion for biogas production, can release methane. 
  • Permafrost Thaw As permafrost thaws due to global warming, organic matter that was previously frozen can decompose, releasing methane. 
  • Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking): Methane emissions can occur during the extraction of natural gas through hydraulic fracturing processes. 
  • Coal Seam Gas:  Extraction of coal seam gas can release methane from coal seams. 

Who are the biggest methane emitters? 

• China, the United States, Russia, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Mexico are estimated to be responsible for nearly half of all anthropogenic methane emissions. 

Initiatives to tackle Methane emissions: 

• Global Methane Pledge: The Global Methane Pledge is an international initiative that encourages countries to commit to reducing methane emissions by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. This voluntary pledge aims to accelerate collective action on methane reduction. 
• The Global Methane Initiative (GMI) is an international collaboration between public and private entities with the aim of overcoming obstacles to harnessing methane as a sustainable energy resource. 

Initiatives by India

• The National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, involves climate resilient practices including methane reduction practices in rice cultivation. These practices contribute to substantial reduction of methane emissions. 
• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project has developed several technologies with mitigation potential for methane from rice viz. (a) System for Rice Intensification – The technique has potential to enhance rice yield from 36-49% with about 22-35% less water than conventional transplanted rice; (b) Direct Seeded Rice – The system reduces methane emissions as it does not involve raising nurseries, puddling and transplanting. Unlike transplanted paddy cultivation, standing water is not maintained in this system; and (c) Crop Diversification Programme – Methane emissions is avoided due to diversion of paddy to alternate crops like pulses, oilseeds, maize, cotton and agro forestry. 
• Capacity building programmes are conducted through Krishi Vigyan Kendras across the country for creating awareness on climate resilient practices. 
• The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) is implementing National Livestock Mission, which inter alia, includes Breed Improvement and Balanced Rationing. Feeding livestock with superior quality balanced ration is helping to reduce methane emissions from the livestock. 
• Government of India promotes green fodder production, silage making, chaff cutting, and total mixed ration under National Livestock Mission with a view to reduce methane emissions from livestock. 
• Through initiatives like ‘The Gobar (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) –Dhan’ scheme and New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme, cattle waste utilisation is being incentivised. 

2 . ILO Convention on health and safety

Context: Trade unions urge Centre to ratify ILO conventions on health and safety; express anguish over the failure of authorities to take responsibility for Silkyara tunnel collapse in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.  

About ILO

• The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that focuses on promoting social justice and internationally recognized labor standard. 
• Established in 1919, the ILO formulates and oversees international labor standards, encourages decent work opportunities for all, enhances social protection, and addresses various labor-related issues globally. 
• The organization operates through tripartite cooperation involving governments, employers, and workers to develop policies and programs that advance fair and humane working conditions worldwide. 

ILO Conventions on health and safety

• The ILO Constitution sets forth the principle that workers must be protected from sickness, disease and injury arising from their employment.
• Employers face costly early retirements, loss of skilled staff, absenteeism and high insurance premiums.
• Yet, many of these tragedies are preventable through the implementation of sound prevention, reporting and inspection practices. ILO standards on occupational safety and health provide essential tools for governments, employers and workers to establish such practices and provide for maximum safety at work.
• The ILO has adopted more than 40 standards specifically dealing with occupational safety and health, as well as over 40 Codes of Practice. Nearly half of ILO instruments deal directly or indirectly with occupational safety and health issues.

Key instruments on occupational safety and health

• Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187)  -As an instrument setting out a promotional framework, this Convention is designed to provide for coherent and systematic treatment of occupational safety and health issues and to promote recognition of existing Conventions on occupational safety and health. The Convention is aimed at establishing and implementing coherent national policies on occupational safety and health through dialogue between government, workers’ and employers’ organizations and to promote a national preventive safety and health culture. 
• Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155)  – and its Protocol of 2002  -The convention provides for the adoption of a coherent national occupational safety and health policy, as well as action to be taken by governments and within enterprises to promote occupational safety and health and to improve working conditions. This policy shall be developed by taking into consideration national conditions and practice. The Protocol calls for the establishment and the periodic review of requirements and procedures for the recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases, and for the publication of related annual statistics. 
• Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 (No. 161): This convention provides for the establishment of enterprise-level occupational health services which are entrusted with essentially preventive functions and which are responsible for advising the employer, the workers and their representatives in the enterprise on maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. 

Health and safety in particular branches of economic activity and Protection against Specific Risks

• Hygiene (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1964 (No. 120)  
• Occupational Safety and Health (Dock Work) Convention, 1979 
• Safety and Health in Construction Convention, 1988 
• Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995
• Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention, 2001
• Radiation Protection Convention, 1960
• Occupational Cancer Convention, 1974 
• Working Environment (Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration) Convention, 1977
• Asbestos Convention, 1986
• Chemicals Convention, 1990

3 . Israel – Palestine Ceasefire Agreement 

Context: Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day ceasefire in the war in Gaza — a diplomatic breakthrough that will free dozens of hostages held by militants as well as Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, and bring a large influx of aid to the besieged territory. 

About the Agreement

• A temporary cease-fire agreement to facilitate the release of dozens of people taken hostage during Hamas’ raid on Israel is expected to bring the first respite to war-weary Palestinians in Gaza and a glimmer of hope to the families of the captives. 
• The deal was brokered by Qatar, the U.S. and Egypt. 

Key Provisions of the Ceasefire

• Under its terms, Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day halt in hostilities. Palestinian prisoners held by Israel would also be freed as part of the agreement. 
• Qatar announced that Hamas will release 50 hostages in exchange for what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Those released by both sides will be women and minors. 
• The hostages would be released in bursts throughout the cease-fire. Once the first batch is released, Israel is expected to free the first group of Palestinian prisoners. 
• Israel said the truce would be extended by a day for every 10 additional hostages released.  
• Qatar said Israel would also allow more fuel and humanitarian aid into Gaza, but did not provide details. Hamas said hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid and fuel are to be allowed to enter Gaza every day as part of the deal. Supplies would also reach northern Gaza, the focus of Israel’s ground offensive, for the first time. 
• Hamas said Israel’s warplanes would stop flying over southern Gaza during the four-day truce and for six hours daily over the north. Israel made no mention of halting flights, and it wasn’t clear if this would include its sophisticated intelligence drones, which have been a constant presence over Gaza. 

Implications of the deal

• The deal offers only a short break in the fighting. Israel, which has made destroying Hamas and saving the captives its goals, is expected to continue where it left off once the four days wrap up.  
• The cease-fire will allow the Israeli army to prepare for the continued fighting and will not harm its war effort. 
• A break in fighting would also grant Hamas time to strategize, shift around militant positions and perhaps regroup after Israel claimed it had killed large numbers of fighters and destroyed many of the group’s military assets. 
• The staggered nature of the deal also opens the door for Hamas to up its demands on the fly, in the hopes that Israel would make more concessions to release more hostages. 
• The Israeli government would face growing domestic pressure to secure the release of more hostages. Families left out of the current deal will only become more determined to see their loved ones freed once they’ve seen the first groups leave captivity. 

4 . Verdict on Governors role

Context: Governor holds no veto power over Bills, says SC.  

About the Verdict

• The Verdict was based on a petition filed by the Punjab government against its Governor’s action to hold back crucial Bills. 
• The Supreme Court has laid down the law that a Governor, in case he withholds assent to a Bill, should send it back to the State legislature “as soon as possible” with a message to reconsider the proposed law. 
• If the Assembly reiterates the Bill “with or without amendments”, the Governor has no choice or discretion, and has to give his assent to it. 
• The Bench held that the ultimate decision on whether or not to accept the advice of the Governor as contained in the message belongs to the legislature alone. It reiterated that the message of the Governor is not binding on the legislature. 
• The court further held that a Governor who chooses to withhold a Bill without doing anything further would be acting in contravention of the Constitution. 

5 . Social Audit of MGNREGA

Context: Of the 34 States and Union Territories, only six have completed social audit of works done under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in more than 50% of gram panchayats.  

Findings of the Audit  

• High rate of corruption is one of the primary complaints against the scheme and social audit is the inbuilt anti-corruption mechanism in the Act.
• These numbers are sourced from the Management Information System (MIS) on Social Audit maintained by the Union Ministry of Rural Development as on November 10.
• Kerala is the only State to cover 100% gram panchayats. 
• The States to cross the 50% mark are Bihar (64.4%), Gujarat (58.8%), Jammu and Kashmir (64.1%), Odisha (60.42%) and Uttar Pradesh (54.97%). 
• Only three States have covered 40% or more villages — Telangana (40.5%), Himachal Pradesh (45.32%) and Andhra Pradesh (49.7%) 

What is Social Audit? 

• Social Audit is the examination and assessment of a programme/scheme conducted with the active involvement of people and comparing official records with actual ground realities. 
• Social Audit is a powerful tool for social transformation, community participation and government accountability. 

Social Audit under MGNREGA

• Section 17 of the MGNREGA has mandated Social audit of all Works executed under the MGNREGA. 
• Each State has social audit units which are supposed to work independent of the implementing authorities. 
• Under the auditing standards laid down by the Comptroller and Auditor General, every Social Audit Unit is entitled to funds equivalent to 0.5% of the MGNREGA expenditure incurred by the State in the previous year. 
• The audit involves quality checks of infrastructure created under the MGNREGA and checking for financial misappropriation in wages and procedural deviations. 

Benefits of Social Audit

• It informs and educates people about their rights and entitlements. 
• It provides a collective platform for people to ask queries, express their needs and grievances.  
• It promotes people’s participation in all stages of implementation of programmes.  
• It brings about transparency and accountability in government schemes.  
• It strengthens decentralized governance. 

6 . Cop 28:India’s equity Demand

Context: There is an almost linear relationship between global warming and cumulative carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992 noted that per capita emissions in developing countries are still “relatively low” and that their share in the global emissions will grow to meet their social and developmental needs. 

 What is the global carbon budget? 

• The term ‘global carbon budget’ refers to the maximum cumulative global anthropogenic CO2emissions, from the pre-industrial era to when such emissions reach net- zero, resulting in limiting global warming to a given level with a given probability. The remaining carbon budget indicates how much CO2 could still be emitted, from a specified time after the pre-industrial period, while keeping temperature rise to the specified limit. 
• The IPCC AR6 has shown that the world warmed by a staggering 1.07 degrees Celsius until 2019 from pre-industrial levels, so almost four-fifths of the global carbon budget stands depleted. Only a fifth remains to meet the target set in the Paris Agreement. 
• For a 50% chance of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the U.S. would have to reach net-zero in 2025, rather than 2050; Germany by 2030 instead of 2045; and the EU-28 bloc by 2031 instead of 2050. 

Who’s responsible for cumulative global emissions? 

• According to the IPCC AR6, the developed countries have appropriated a disproportionately larger share of the global carbon budget to date. 
• The contribution of South Asia, including India, to historical cumulative emissions is only around 4% despite having almost 24% of the entire world population. The per capita CO2-FFI (fossil fuel and industry) emissions of South Asia was just 1.7 tonnes CO2-equivalent per capita, far below North America (15.4 tonnes CO2-eq. per capita) and also significantly lower than the world average (6.6 tonnes CO2-eq. per capita). 

How does the carbon budget matter for India? 

• The global carbon budget for a given temperature limit is a global resource, common to the entire world, but is exhaustible and limited and with only equitable methods of sharing it, consistent with the foundational principles of the UNFCCC. India must recognise a ‘fair share of the carbon budget’ as a strategic national resource whose reserves are depleting rapidly due to over-exploitation by developed countries. 
• In a rapidly depleting global carbon budget, if we fail to deploy resources at our command to forcefully use it as a strategic national resource, we will be short changed by new colonial techniques of developed countries. 
• In almost all the emissions scenarios estimated by the IPCC, the world breaches an increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels in the early 2030s. 
• In 2022, oil, coal and gas accounted for 30%, 27% and 23% of the world’s total energy, while solar and wind energy together contributed only 2.4%. 
• The world is still largely powered by non-renewable energy. Developed countries have tried to browbeat developing countries into accepting rapid, economy-wide changes. 
•  At the COP 26 talks in Glasgow, the developed countries forced the issue of phasing down the use of coal but then backtracked by reopening coal plants across Europe after the Russia-Ukraine war created an energy crisis. 
• This has illustrated that the immediate phaseout of fossil fuels is infeasible in the face of shocks and also limits developing countries’ access to their ‘room to grow’. 
• The developed countries have stretched the argument further by calling gas “green” and a “bridge fuel” towards their own decarbonisation efforts. 

What should India’s stance be at COP 28? 

• At COP 28, India must demand a fair share of its carbon budget or equivalent reparations to bring about fairness within the global order. Only development brings with it an assurance to tide over the roller coasters of climate change. Scientists estimate that at a conservative price of $50/tCO2-eq, developed countries’ carbon debt to the world is pegged at over $51 trillion. 
• Based on India’s historical emissions (1850-2019), it has a carbon credit equivalent of 338 GtCO2-eq., equal to around $17 trillion at $50/tCO2-eq. Without finance and technology as promised in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit, developing countries stare at an even more unfair world. 
• The cover decision of the Glasgow Climate Pact recorded an unprecedented “regret” on the failure of the developed countries to provide US $100 billion dollars a year, as promised at the COP 15 talks in Copenhagen in 2009. We need more finance and less rhetoric from developed countries. For far too long, developed countries have had a free pass, and it is time for a new India to take them on. 

7 . Facts for Prelims

PMEAC

• Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) is an independent body constituted to give advice on economic and related issues to the Government of India, specifically to the Prime Minister. 
• The Terms of Reference of EAC-PM include analyzing any issue, economic or otherwise, referred to it by the Prime Minister and advising him thereon, addressing issues of macroeconomic importance and presenting views thereon to the Prime Minister.  
• These could be either suo-motu or on reference from the Prime Minister or anyone else. They also include attending to any other task as may be desired by the Prime Minister from time to time. 

 Fathima Beevi

• M. Fathima Beevi was an Indian judge who was a justice of the Supreme Court of India. 
• Appointed to the apex Court in 1989, she became the first female judge to be a part of the Supreme Court of India and the first Muslim woman to be appointed to any of the higher judiciaries in the country. 
• On her retirement from the court, she served as a member of the National Human Rights Commission and later as the Governor of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu from 1997 to 2001.  
• In 2023, she was honoured with Kerala Prabha Award, the second-highest honour given by the Government of Kerala.  

India’s research stations in Antarctica

• India presently has two research stations at Antarctica namely ‘Maitri’ and ‘Bharati’.  
• New station ‘Bharati’ has just been constructed and established in March, 2013.  
• At both the stations, research and investigations are undertaken to understand the Polar processes and phenomenon. Observations and studies are carried out in atmospheric, biological, geological, ecological sciences etc. Maitri station has been in operation since 1989. 
• A chartered ice breaker ship along with cargo vessel has been used during the construction of “Bharti” Station in Larsemann Hills. 
• Earlier, chartered vessels were used for transporting the personnel and material for the Maitri station.

Survey of India 

• In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Survey of India (SoI) has signed an agreement with a Mumbai-based private company, Genesys International, to prepare three-dimensional maps of several cities and towns 
• Survey of India, The National Survey and Mapping Organization of the country under the Department of Science & Technology, is the OLDEST SCIENTIFIC DEPARTMENT OF THE GOVT. OF INDIA. 
•  It was set up in 1767 and has evolved rich traditions over the years. 
• In its assigned role as the nation’s Principal Mapping Agency, Survey of India bears a special responsibility to ensure that the country’s domain is explored and mapped suitably, provide base maps for expeditious and integrated development and ensure that all resources contribute with their full measure to the progress, prosperity and security of our country now and for generations to come. 
• It is headed by the Surveyor General of India.  
• The Survey of India, headquartered at Dehradun, Uttarakhand,  has 18 geospatial divisions ranging from the prediction of tides to aerial survey. 

Fiji

• Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. 
• It lies about 1,100 nautical miles (2,000 km; 1,300 mi) north-northeast of New Zealand. 
• Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands, of which about 110 are permanently inhabited and more than 500 islets, amounting to a total land area of about 18,300 square kilometres. 
• The majority of Fiji’s islands were formed by volcanic activity starting around 150 million years ago. 

Ghol fish

• The black-spotted croaker, or the ghol fish, considered a fisherman’s lottery was declared the state fish of Gujarat. 
• It was chosen because of its economic value and its uniqueness. The fish is usually found in the Indo-Pacific region that stretches from the Persian Gulf to the Pacific Ocean.  
• Being an expensive fish, the local consumption of this variety is not widely heard of. But the fish has a huge market in China and other countries.