• The 2024 Tyler Prize for environmental achievement will be awarded to Johan Rockstrom for his groundbreaking contributions and pioneering work to the development of the Planetary Boundaries framework, the science for defining the safe operating space for humanity on Earth.
  • The prestigious Tyler Prize is often described as Nobel Prize for environment.
  • Established in 1973, the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement recognises global leaders in environment and sustainability.
• Rockstrom is director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and co-chair of the Earth Commission.
• The Planetary Boundaries framework provides boundaries for world development and a basis for human justice.
• The Planetary Boundaries is an international collaboration across multiple Earth system science disciplines.
• The theory establishes defined boundaries for nine Earth systems, emphasising the critical importance of their stability and resilience in preserving life as we understand it.
• The framework, published in 2009, defines these systems as:
  • Climate change; rate of biodiversity loss (terrestrial and marine); interference with the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles; stratospheric ozone depletion; ocean acidification; global freshwater use; change in land use; chemical pollution; and atmospheric aerosol loading.

• The State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2023 has been developed by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in collaboration with Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) to track EE initiatives in the states and UTs.
• It provides insights about sub-national energy efficiency policies, programmes, and investments.
• SEEI 2023 is the fifth edition of the index.
• SEEI 2023 assesses the EE progress of the 36 states and UTs for FY 2022-23 using 65 qualitative, quantitative, and outcome-based indicators distributed across 7 demand sectors, namely: Buildings, Industries, Municipal Services, Transport, Agriculture, DISCOMs, and Cross-Sector.
• The maximum score for the index is 100.
• In SEEI 2023, the states and UTs are categorized as ‘Front runner’ (>=60), ‘Achiever’ (50-59.75), ‘Contender’ (30-49.75), and ‘Aspirant’ (<30) based on their total scores.
  • With an overall score of 86.5 out of 100, Karnataka is the top-performing state in SEEI 2023.
  • The second-highest performer is, Andhra Pradesh, with a score of 83.25 out of 100.

 ABOUT BEE

• It is a statutory body established in 2002, under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
• The 22^nd Foundation Day of The Bureau of Energy Efficiency was celebrated on March 1, 2024, under the theme “Energy Transition through Electrification and Decarbonization in lndia”.
• Nodal Ministry- Ministry of Power
• BEE co-ordinates with designated consumers, designated agencies and other organizations and recognize, identify and utilize the existing resources and infrastructure, in performing the functions assigned to it under the Energy Conservation Act.

• The United Nations Environment Assembly adopted India’s resolution on sustainable lifestyles at its sixth session held in Nairobi, Kenya.
• All participating member states adopted the resolution which was co-sponsored by Sri Lanka and Bolivia.

ABOUT THE RESOLUTION

• It recognizes potential of behavioural changes toward sustainable lifestyles in achieving sustainable development.
• It recognizes work of 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Patterns, adopted at Rio+20 in 2012.
• It recognizes and underscores the role of the private sector and industry, local authorities, local communities, and Indigenous Peoples in supporting more sustainable lifestyles
• It recognizes that each country is best positioned to understand its national circumstances and priorities to encourage more sustainable lifestyles.

ABOUT UNEA

• United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) was established in 2012 as a result of Rio+20.
• It is world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment. 
• It also serves as the governing body of the UN Environment Programme.
• It meets every two years at Nairobi, Kenya.

ABOUT MISSION LIFE (LIFESTYLE FOR ENVIRONMENT)

• Envisioned by Prime Minister of India at the World Leaders’ Summit in Glasgow at COP26
• Launched on 20 October 2022, in the presence of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at Statue of Unity
• Mission LiFE aims to follow a three-pronged strategy for changing our collective approach towards sustainability–
  • Demand– by nudging individuals to practise simple yet effective environment-friendly actions in their daily lives;
  • Supply– by enabling industries and markets to respond swiftly to the changing demand and;
  • Policy– to influence government and industrial policy to support both sustainable consumption and production.

• A day before Punjab’s 99-year lease of the Shanan power project was to end, the Centre has ordered the status quo so as not to disrupt the functioning of the 110 MW power plant, located in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

• The initial capacity of the Shanan Power Project was 48 MW which, over a period of time, has been increased to 110 MW.
• When the project was first envisaged, its cost was Rs 2.50 crore, but its value today is calculated at around Rs 1,600 crore.
• The British-era project at Jogindernagar, 40 km from Palampur in HP, was constructed in 1925 under the lease executed between Raja Joginder Sen, the ruler of the then Mandi State, and Col BC Batty, a British representative.
• The project harnesses the power of the Uhl River, a tributary of the Beas River.

• Bharti Enterprises founder and chairman, Sunil Bharti Mittal has become the first Indian citizen to receive an Honorary Knighthood from United Kingdom’s King Charles III.
• The award grants Mr. Mittal the title of Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, recognising his contributions to fostering stronger business ties between India and the UK.
• An honorary Knighthood is one of the highest honours granted by the British Sovereign to civilians, conferred upon foreign nationals in recognition of their exceptional contributions.

• Parliament lost its oldest member, with the passing of Shafiqur Rahman Barq aged 93 at a hospital in Moradabad.
• The five-time MP from Sambhal in western Uttar Pradesh was set to recontest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on a Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket.
• Barq was born on July 11, 1930 in Sambhal and was elected five times as an MP and four times as an MLA .

• Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri’s new book ‘Swallowing the Sun’ was launched recently.
• Set during the freedom movement, Lakshmi Puri’s Swallowing the Sun is about the encounter of India’s national story with unknown individuals, the constant tussle between revolution and reform, encapsulated in the gaze of Malati, a girl from a Maharashtrian village who grows up to know the cost at which independence — for herself and her country — comes.

• Zero Discrimination Day is observed every year on March 1^st to promote inclusion, equality, and peace and raise awareness about the impact of discrimination worldwide.
• The day was first celebrated on March 1, 2014.
• Ten years ago, UNAIDS had launched its Zero Discrimination Campaign on ‘World AIDS Day’ in December 2013.
• UNAIDS is a joint United Nations program on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
• The theme for Zero Discrimination Day 2024 is “To protect everyone’s health, protect everyone’s rights.”

• The Centre appointed 1990 batch IPS officer, Daljit Singh Chaudhary as the director general (DG) of National Security Guard (NSG).
• Chaudhary, who is currently the DG of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), has been given the additional charge of heading the NSG.

ABOUT NSG

• Also known as black cats, NSG is India’s counter terrorism force.
• It was founded on 16 October 1984, following Operation Blue Star, to combat terrorist activities and protect states against internal disturbances.
• It is a federal counter deployment force against terrorism and anti-hijacking operations.
• The force is trained to deal with specific situations and used only in exceptional circumstances as deemed by the government.
• The NSG is modelled on the GSG-9 of Germany and the United Kingdom’s SAS.
• NSG is directly under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• NSG Motto: Sarvatra Sarvottam Suraksha
• NSG was extensively used during the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.
• It is a task-oriented Force and has two complementary elements in the form of the Special Action Group (SAG) comprising Army personnel and the Special Ranger Groups (SRG), comprising personnel drawn from the Central Armed Police Forces / State Police Forces.

• Ministry of Women & Child Development launched the logo and the website for the Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality.
• The Alliance for Global Good: Gender Equity and Equality marks a significant milestone in the global pursuit of gender equality.
• Launched in Davos 2024
• The Alliance aims to bring together global good practices, knowledge sharing and investments in the field of women’s health, education, and enterprise and aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including
  • SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being;
  • SDG 4- Quality Education;
  • SDG 5 – Gender Equality and Empowerment;
  • SDG 17 – Global Partnership for Development and more.
• The Alliance is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and anchored by the CII Centre for Women Leadership with the World Economic Forum as a ‘Network Partner’ and Invest India as an ‘Institutional Partner’.