General Studies Paper -3 Context: The fifth meeting of the UN’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) has ended without delivering a legally binding treaty to address global plastic pollution. About More than 170 countries in the Republic of Korea were negotiating the global treaty to end plastic pollution, including marine pollution. Aim: The treaty aims to have countries cut the production of plastic and plastic polymers. Background In 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted a resolution to tackle plastic pollution on a global scale. 175 nations voted to adopt a global treaty for plastic pollution—agreeing on an accelerated timeline....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: The 16th session of the UNCCD Conference of Parties (COP16) is going to be held from December 2-13, 2024, marking the convention’s 30th anniversary. The theme is “Our Land and Our Future. About the Desertification Desertification is a type of land degradation in which an already relatively dry land area becomes increasingly arid, degrading productive soil and losing its bodies of water, biodiversity and vegetation cover. Causes Every year, 100 million hectares of healthy land are degraded due to drought and desertification, largely driven by climate change and poor land management. Desertification occurs mainly in dry....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: India has proposed setting up a dedicated multilateral fund to support developing countries in tackling plastic pollution at 5th Intergovernmental Negotiations Committee (INC). About INC is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the talks are scheduled to conclude on December 1. More than 170 countries in the Republic of Korea are negotiating the global treaty to end plastic pollution, including marine pollution. Aim: The treaty aims to have countries cut the production of plastic and plastic polymers. The negotiations are whether to agree to binding limits on certain classes of chemicals and on plastic....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: More than 170 countries will converge in the Republic of Korea, to negotiate a new legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution, including marine pollution. About Background: In 2022, the UN Environmental Assembly convened in Nairobi, to debate the global plastic crisis. 175 nations voted to adopt a global treaty for plastic pollution—agreeing on an accelerated timeline so that the treaty could be implemented as soon as 2025. The negotiations are whether to agree to binding limits on certain classes of chemicals and on plastic production, or to settle on a package of funding aimed....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: The 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has underscored the centrality of climate finance in achieving global climate goals. The ‘Raising Ambition and Accelerating Delivery of Climate Finance’ report presented at COP29 outlines the significant financial investments required globally, particularly for emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs). Highlights of the Report Massive Investment Required: The report underscores the urgent need for a significant global investment of $6.3-6.7 trillion per year by 2030 to effectively combat climate change. EMDCs’ Significant Burden: Emerging market and developing countries (EMDCs), excluding....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: UNICEF recently released The State of the World’s Children (SOWC) report. About report It was first published in 1980, has significantly contributed to global child welfare Each SOWC report examines critical issues impacting children, such as disabilities, conflict, child labour, urbanization, and early childhood development. It provides a comprehensive analysis of global trends affecting children. The latest flagship report examines three major global forces impacting children’s lives — population shifts, the climate crisis and disruptive technologies . Key findings Climate and Environmental Hazards: Nearly 1 billion children live in countries facing high climate and environmental risks.....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: In a rapidly warming world, the need for effective cooling solutions has become more critical than ever. International cooperation on clean energy and cooling solutions is essential to address the dual challenges of climate change and energy efficiency. Current State of Global Warming According to UNEP, global temperatures have already risen by approximately 1°C since pre-industrial times. It has led to more frequent and severe weather events, including heatwaves, floods, and wildfires. The UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report underscores that current efforts are insufficient to meet the targets set by the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: The “Adaptation Gap Report 2024: Come Hell and High Water” was released by the United Nations Environment Programme. Adaptation Gap Report (AGR) It is an annual publication by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Its purpose is to assess global progress on climate change adaptation, i.e. the efforts made by countries to adjust and prepare for current and future climate impacts. Adaptation gap refers to the difference between the actual adaptation efforts being implemented and the adaptation needs required to mitigate the risks posed by climate change. Key Highlights Adaptation Finance Gap: Although international public adaptation....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has invited proposals for setting up ‘Centres of Excellence (CoE) under Research and Development (R&D) Scheme’ of ‘National Green Hydrogen Mission’. About the Centres of Excellence for Research and Development on Green Hydrogen It is part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched to propel India towards a low-carbon economy and enhance energy independence. The primary objective is to create world-class ‘Centres of Excellence’ that will serve as hubs for cutting-edge research, skill development, and knowledge dissemination in the field of Green Hydrogen. These centres aim to....Read More

General Studies Paper-3 Context: The Union Government issued the sixth draft notification designating approximately 56,825.7 square kilometers of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) spanning six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. The notification aims to protect the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats by imposing restrictions on activities such as mining, quarrying, and large-scale construction within the ESA. It had provided the states a 60-day window seeking their views and objections on the villages demarcated as ESA. Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) In 2002, it was decided that an area around each Protected Areas, requires....Read More