• The Centre for Energy Studies of National Institute of Technology (NIT) received a grant of Rs 41 lakh for the e-waste management project under the Swachhata Action Plan of the Ministry of Education.
• Projet’s principal investigator Dr Mamta Awasthi said the project aims to develop a scalable small-scale business model for e-waste management through a deep learning system and creating a market chain in the NIT.

• To commemorate the 123rd birth anniversary of eminent artist Sobha Singh, a three-day Sobha Singh Art Festival will be organised by Sobha Singh Memorial Art Society at art village Andretta (Palampur) from November 27 to 29.
• Hirdya Pal Singh, convener of the Art Society, said that the local handicraft exhibition will be inaugurated on November 27. Handmade products like bamboo and pine needle craft, grass, wood and stone craft, crochet and embroidery and products made by self-help groups will be displayed and sold by rural women.
• Regular slide shows and documentaries on Sobha Singh and daily interactive talks on miniature paintings, local folk arts and demonstrations on extinct folk art Likhnu will be held during the festival. The visitors will be able to taste Mithroo, Sancholu and other homemade delicacies of the Kangra valley during this festival. A poetic symposium has also been planned, he said.
• On the concluding day, a month-long exhibition on miniature paintings by well known artist Gurpreet Singh Mankoo from Jagraon (Ludhiana) will be inaugurated at Artist Residency. A set of 18 view cards on well-known and lesser-known artworks of the artists like landscapes, watercolor works, Persian poet Ommar Khyaam, Greek mythology and hill brides will be released to mark the occasion.
• Besides the awards to winners of competitions, ‘Sobha Singh Kala Puraskar’ will be awarded to well-known art historian and art connoisseur Kishori Lal Vaidya.
• This prestigious award carrying a citation, a shawl and Rs 21,000 is conferred by the Sobha Singh Memorial Art Society to artists, art critics and others who propagate ‘Grow More Good ‘ philosophy of saint artist Sobha Singh.
• The festival is being organized after a gap of two years due to the pandemic. Other organizations will also celebrate the birth anniversary of the artist at Chandigarh, Jagraon and Bathinda, Hirday Pal Singh said.

• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) will organise ‘Swachhta Run’ across rural India tomorrow to mark the World Toilet Day. The theme of this year World Toilet Day is Making the Invisible Visible.
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti has directed states and union territories to conduct the Swachhta Run at the Gram Panchayat level and involving local heroes, Swachhagraha, ASHA workers, volunteers, youth, school children and local folk artists.
• The Ministry said that in the event local elected representatives, sports persons and other local influencers will flag off the Run to enthuse the local populace for participation.
• The World Toilet Day has been observed annually since 2013 to raise awareness for the people living without access to sanitation.

• National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) and 1 Million For 1 Billion Foundation (1M1B)  has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to conduct training and capacity-building programs for teachers and students of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs).
• In a statement the Ministry of Tribal Affair said, that the program will also capacitate the teachers and students with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) skills using the AR-VR skills curriculum launched by CBSE.
• It said the programme is being implemented as pilot based in EMRSs of 2 states, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.
• The MoU was signed on 7th of this month (November) at NESTS headquarters, New Delhi, an autonomous organization established under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• The Ministry said it is a social innovation and future skills initiative aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• 1 million for 1 billion (1M1B), is a Bengaluru based Not for Profit Company accredited to the United Nations Organization with special consultative status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

• Not included in the US-led Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) so far, India is trying to strike out on its own and is engaging consultants to identify assets and companies in the critical mineral sector in Australia and Argentina after having received a promising response from both.
• The government is planning to send a team of geologists to Argentina to evaluate lithium varieties. India is keen on joining the MSP but it has not received a positive signal and according to some of its members, it does not bring adequate expertise to the table. Two years ago, India had signed an agreement to jointly prospect lithium in Argentina, which has the third largest reserves of the metal in the world. India’s foray is being spearheaded by public sector KhanijBidesh India Limited (KABIL).
• The discussions with Australia are in an advanced stage with both sides close to identifying companies in this space after an MoU on cooperation in the field of mining and processing of critical minerals.
• An Australian parliamentary committee on treaties on Friday recommended that Canberra should ratify the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA) with its Chair Josh Wilson saying this would pave the way for further trade, investment and regulation.
• The hunt worldwide is for graphite, lithium, nickel and cobalt that find applications in EV batteries, semiconductors and high-end electronics manufacturing, including for space and defence industries. Extraction and processing of most of these metals take place in Australia, China, Congo and Latin America.
• These minerals, considered the building blocks of essential modern-day technologies, are used for making cellphones, computers, batteries, EVs, solar panels and wind turbines.

• MoPSW (Ministry of Ports,Shipping and Waterways)  is working diligently to develop the Maritime Sector as a goal of MIV 2030. In this regard 8th Norway-India Joint Working Group Maritime meeting was held on17th November,2022 in Mumbai.
• India-Norway Joint Working Group on Maritime meetings are being held on a regular basis. The 7th JWG on Maritime was held in Oslo in November, 2019. During the 7th Meeting issues regarding cooperation in Shipbuilding, enhancing skills of seafarers and environment friendly ships were discussed.
• In 8th JWG Maritime Meeting held on 18.11.2022 discussion was held on use of alternative fuels like green ammonia and hydrogen for futuristic shipping. Norwegian Green Shipping Programme has been successful and the experience and expertise was shared in the meeting. Norway stated that it is committed to India for zero emission solutions.
• India Norway is part of Green Voyage 2050 project, both parties agreed on willingness, devotion, partnership and capacity building for achieving common goals.
• India is a signatory to Hongkong Convention for Recycling of Ships. In today’s meeting India requested that EU regulation should not hinder to recycling non-European countries which is compliant as per International Convention. Norway was requested not to prolong Ship recycling to India as lot of investment has been made by Indian recyclers.
• India has pressed upon cooperation in the filed of Maritime Training in latest maritime technology eg. MASS etc. The Indian side has requested Norway to extend Ship Board training and Ship Board training in the area of Polar Water Navigation.
• “Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways has prepared Maritime India Vision 2030 identified more than 150 initiatives across various maritime sectors like ports, shipping and waterways focusing on capacity augmentation, operational efficiency improvement, growth in sectors related to Ship building, recycling and repair, quality maritime education and also supporting growth of nascent sectors like cruise tourism in the country” said Addl. Secretary , MoPSW.
• The Norwegian delegation will also take part in INMARCO, the Green Shipping Conclave, and the Maritime ShEO conference. The Maritime ShEO conference is supported by Norway and focused on maritime diversity and sustainability, including gender equality in the maritime industry.

• The Department of Women and Child Development, in collaboration with other state departments and civil society, has framed a policy document for children in the State called “PRARAMBH- the Odisha State Policy for Children, 2022 “.
• The state cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister on Friday approved the State Policy for Children, 2022 that pledges to ensure and fulfill the rights of children, particularly in the areas of protection, survival and health, education and development.
• The policy envisions the best interest of children by means of a blueprint which focuses on children’s right to survival, protection, physical health, including mental health, upholding the right to education, participation and other milestones required to achieve their optimal development. For this policy, and in line with United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), childhood includes the period from conception till 18 years of age, the statement issued by the government said.
• The policy will further strengthen the state’s commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by ensuring rights of children in the state and will significantly improve the overall wellbeing of children.
• The Policy for Children will stimulate, systematise and coordinate actions between the related departments and organizations working for children.
• One of the guiding principles of the policy also emphasises the protection and well- being of children from adverse or exceptional circumstances, affected by climate-induced natural disasters, orphaned, disabled, or with special needs, require additional protection, care and support from the state and society to lead a dignified life and to realise their full potential.

About:

• The European Union has proposed a policy — called the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism — to tax products such as cement and steel, that are extremely carbon intensive, with effect from 2026.
• BASIC, a group constituting Brazil, India, South Africa and China, and therefore large economies that are significantly dependent on coal, has reiterated their right to use fossil fuel in the interim during their countries’ eventual transformation to clean energy sources.

What is a carbon border adjustment tax?

• It is a duty on imports based on the amount of carbon emissions resulting from the production of the product in question. As a price on carbon, it discourages emissions. As a trade-related measure, it affects production and exports.
• There is the risk that it becomes a protectionist device, unduly shielding local industries from foreign competition in so-called ‘green protectionism’.
• If implemented as planned, EU importers will have to buy carbon certificates corresponding to the carbon price that would have been paid in the EU, if the goods had been produced locally.
• The price of the certificates would be calculated according to the auction prices in the EU carbon credit market. The amount of certificates required would be defined yearly by the quantity of goods and the embedded emissions in those goods imported into the EU.

About:

• Theme:
  • Theme of the two-day event is ‘boardrooms to Community-ESG, Carbon Neutrality, Operational Safety, Greener Solutions’.
• The Conclave aims to promote sustainability in the management of the entire life cycle of chemicals.
• Initiative:
  • It is being organized jointly with United Nations Environment Program and International Council of Chemical Associations with support of Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP):

• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading environmental authority in the United Nations system.
• It was established in 1972.
• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the UN system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

Indian Chemicals Council (ICC):

• It was established in 1938.
• It is the apex national body representing all branches of the Chemical Industry in India such as Organic & Inorganic Chemicals, Plastics & Petrochemicals & Petroleum Refineries, Dyestuffs & Dye-intermediates, Fertilizers & Pesticides, Specialty Chemicals, Paints etc.
• The Indian Chemical Council is dedicated to the growth of the Indian Chemical Industry.
• The Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, has authorised all ICC offices (Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai) to issue the CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN for the exporters.
• ICC also has two initiatives – Responsible Care and Nicer Globe.

• Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the country is spearheading a new wave of socioeconomic prosperity fueled by cutting-edge technology and innovation.
• Speaking after inaugurating the GeoSmart India 2022 Summit in Hyderabad, he said the country is advancing towards an era of sustainable development right from the grassroots level and aimed at eradicating poverty, combating climate change, and improving business and living standards.
• The theme for this year’s conference is #geospatialbydefault: Empowering Billions, and is being co-hosted by the Indian Society of Remote Sensing and the Indian Society of Geomatics.
• Stating that Geospatial information, has emerged as a key tool for development in the country, he said the government released the guidelines for geospatial data paving way for its usage across various sectors of the economy.
• Stating that the need for water, especially clean water, is at an all-time high, the minister said the country is facing severe water crisis that is becoming a critical issue and the Government has taken numerous steps to address the issue.
• About 2500 representatives from about 500 government, private, organisations working on geospatial technology and date have attended the three-day summit.

About GeoSmart India

• GeoSmart India is an interactive and collaborative platform that demonstrates the collective and shared vision of the Indian geospatial community.
• It showcases how geospatial and emerging technologies can have a disruptive impact on Indian businesses, government, and society.