Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for October 23, 2024. If you missed the October 22, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here

FRONT PAGE

Modi-Xi bilateral today, first in 5 years, after China confirms LAC agreement

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Hours after China, without mentioning the agreement on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control, confirmed it had “reached a solution” and would “work with India” to “effectively implement” the plan, India announced Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping would hold a bilateral meeting Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, capital of Tatarstan in Russia.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Why BRICS Summit in Kazan is significant?

• BRICS Summit in Kazan-what are the highlights of the meeting?

• ‘India and China are said to have agreed to restore each other’s patrolling rights in Depsang Plains and Demchok in Ladakh, hopefully paving the way for restoring the pre-2020 status quo ante’-Analyse

• “The current disengagement is, of course, just the beginning: It has to be followed by de-escalation and de-induction”-Explain

• “India’s diplomatic and security establishment has shown both fortitude and patience over the last few years, and this must continue to be part of its template in dealing with China”-Critically analyse the statement

• “The patrolling agreement is certainly an achievement of Indian diplomacy”-How far you agree with this?

• Why is China important for India, and how important is India for China?

• Standoff between India and China-what you know about the same?

• Friction between India and China-what are the reasons?

Key Takeaways:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan in Russia, will be the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders in five years.

• Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, briefing the media in Kazan, said, “I can confirm that there will be a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.”

Do You Know:

• This will be the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders in five years — they met for an informal summit in Mahabalipuram in October 2019, months before the Chinese incursions in eastern Ladakh that triggered a military standoff along the LAC. They did have pull-aside meetings in Bali (2022) and Johannesburg (2023), but the meeting Wednesday will be the first proper and structured bilateral meeting.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Express View on India-China agreement: Breaking a stalemate

????India-China agreement is welcome — but we don’t know enough

Kartarpur Corridor: India, Pak renew pact for another five years

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: India and its neighborhood- relations.

• General Studies IV: Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world

What’s the ongoing story: Less than a week after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Islamabad and met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, India and Pakistan on Tuesday agreed to renew their pact on the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for another five years. The pact was due to lapse on October 24.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the Kartarpur Corridor?

• What is the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor agreement?

• Why timing of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor pact renewal is significant?

• Map Work- Kartarpur

• Who was the founder of Sikhism?

• Sikhism and History of Sikhs

• Bhakti Movement and Sikhism

• Guru Nanak Dev-About him, Philosophy, and Contriibutions

• Know the fundamental beliefs of Sikhism articulated in the sacred scripture Guru Granth Sahib.

• Know all the ten Sikh Gurus

• Why Guru Nanak Dev’s teaching is still Relevant?

Key Takeaways:

• The 4 km-long Kartarpur Corridor provides visa-free access to Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. While the Corridor was opened in November 2019, movement was suspended in March 2020 after the pandemic struck. It was reopened later. The development comes days after Jaishankar went to Pakistan on October 15-16 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting of Council of Heads of Government — the first visit by an Indian Foreign Minister after Sushma Swaraj went to Islamabad for the Heart of Asia meeting in December 2015.

• According to MEA website, it has been agreed between India and Pakistan through diplomatic channels to extend the validity of the Agreement on Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for a further period of five years. The Agreement, signed on 24 October 2019 to facilitate the visit of pilgrims from India to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Narowal, Pakistan through the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, was valid for a period of five years. Extension of the validity of this Agreement will ensure uninterrupted operation of the Corridor for use by the pilgrims from India to visit the holy Gurdwara in Pakistan.

Do You Know:

• According to the Prof J S Grewal, eminent historian and former Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, —Kartarpur marks the most significant and constructive phase in the life of Guru Nanak Dev. —It was here on the banks of the river Ravi that he laid the foundations of a new faith in a commune he set up. Guru Nanak came to the town between 1520 and 1522, after he had travelled widely across continents. —He had spent the formative years of his life at Talwandi, a town founded by a rich landlord named Rai Bhoi, about 90 km west of Lahore in Pakistan, where he was born in 1469. The Rai’s great grandson, Rai Bular Bhatti, renamed it ‘Nankana Sahib’ in the honour of Guru Nanak. Today it is the capital of Nankana Sahib district. —The next 10 years of Guru Nanak’s life were spent at Sultanpur Lodhi, where he gained enlightenment. He finally came to Kartarpur rich with experiences gained from his interactions with rulers, common people, clergymen, and thinkers. —The janam sakhis on Guru Nanak’s life say he was offered this piece of land by a ‘karori’ (administrator of a pargana) who was initially against him, but subsequently became his disciple. Guru Nanak called it Kartarpur, and started living here with his parents, wife Mata Sulakhni, and two sons, Sri Chand and Lakshmi Chand, thus demonstrating that he preferred the life of a householder to that of an ascetic. —At Kartarpur, Guru Nanak practised what he preached—“naam japo, kirrt karo, wand chhako (worship, work, and share)” — as the path to liberation. He and his followers cultivated the land at Kartarpur, and also reared cattle. As per the janam sakhis, Guru Nanak used to bring his cattle to graze at the well of Ranjita Randhawa, a landlord at Pakhoke Randhawa, now called Dera Baba Nanak from where the Kartarpur Corridor starts, a few kilometres from Kartarpur. —Nanak believed in the importance of singing the praises of God as a way to gain liberation. He set up a ‘dharamsal’ (a place where dharma or merit is earned) at Kartarpur, where he and his followers would sing his compositions in the morning and evening. —Besides ‘kirtan’ (praise of God), Nanak also introduced his followers to ‘katha’, exposition of his composition or other issues. It was at Kartarpur that Nanak started the concept of ‘langar’, a community meal prepared in a community kitchen where everyone would sit on the floor and eat together regardless of their social background.

• The distinctive feature of Sikh identity — Service before Self — was formulated by Guru Nanak at Kartarpur. Nanak preached that every human being, regardless of his family, caste, creed or gender, can attain liberation by following the three principles of work, worship and sharing. His programme was of universal liberation and redemption. “It was at Kartarpur that Nanak gave the three Gs — Gurdwara, the Granth, and the Guru himself — that underpin the Sikh faith,” says Prof Grewal.

• Baba Sukhdeep Singh Bedi, who claims to be the 17th generation descendant of Guru Nanak Dev, says that when the Guru passed away, both Hindus and Muslims wanted his remains. According to the janam sakhis, when they removed the white sheet, they found only ‘phool’ (flowers), that they divided amongst themselves.

• Historians say the flowers are a metaphor for remains. Bedi says they divided the white sheet and flowers into two. While the Muslims buried these under a mazaar, the Hindus put these in an urn and buried it alongside. Gurudwara Darbar Sahib came up on this place and the locals still pray at the mazaar there.

• A few years later, when the place got flooded, Guru Nanak’s son Sri Chand dug up the urn and brought it to Pakhoke Randhawa (Dera Baba Nanak) where a gurdwara was built on it. The well that Nanak used to frequent is also in the compound of this gurudwara.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Kartarpur corridor: How India and Pakistan came on board

????Guru Nanak Jayanti: 5 things to know about Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

1. Consider the following Bhakti Saints: (UPSC Prelims 2013 GS question Paper) 1. Dadu Dayal 2. Guru Nanak 3. Tyagaraja Who among the above was/were preaching when the Lodi dynasty fell and Babur took over? A. 1 and 3 B. 2 only C. 2 and 3 D. 1 and 2

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: ????Terrorist activities and mutual distrust have clouded India – Pakistan relations. To what extent the use of soft power like sports and cultural exchange could help generate goodwill between the two countries? Discuss with suitable examples. (UPSC Mains, GS2, 2015) ????What were the major teachings of Guru Nanak? Explain their relevance in the contemporary world. (UPSC Mains, GS4, 2023)

EXPRESS NETWORK

DAP shortage dampens rabi crop prospects

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.

What’s the ongoing story: A shortage of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), a key fertiliser required at the time of sowing, is undermining crop production prospects for the current rabi season.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is di-ammonium phosphate?

• Why there is a shortage of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP)?

• Why is DAP so important for farmers?

• Which is Rabi and kharif?

• What are Rabi crops?

• Fertilizer Consumption in India-Know in detail

• What is Fertilizer?

• Primary (Macro) Nutrients and Secondary (Micro) Nutrients in Fertiliser-Know the difference

• Know more about Fertiliser Sector in India and Related Policies

• Fertilizer comes under Union List, State List or Concurrent List?

• know the basics of Fertiliser Subsidy

• Subsidy Mechanism in the form of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)-know more in detail

• What is the fertiliser requirement of a typical farmer?

• How much subsidy does a farmer really get per acre?

• NPK in Fertilisers-Have you heard of ‘NPK’? What is NPK and Its Ideal Ratio in Fertilizers?

Key Takeaways:

• According to official data, the all-India sales of DAP, at 45.72 lakh tonnes (lt) during April-September 2024, were 27.2 per cent, lower than the 62.83 lt for April-September 2023. Imports (19.67 lt versus 34.53 lt) and domestic production (21.53 lt versus 23.29 lt) of the fertiliser, too, were lower for this period relative to last year.

• Being a basic nutrient for Rabi crops, the DAP fertiliser has to be sprinkled at the time of sowing crops like mustard and wheat. The farmers say they need a bag of at least 45 kilos for sowing an acre of land. Any delay in its supply could adversely impact the sowing of crops. So, the farmers of the state have started turning impatient as they see a lack of supply of the fertilizer.

Do You Know:

• DAP contains 46 per cent phosphorus or P, a nutrient crops need at the early growth stage of root establishment and development. Alternatives to DAP include complex fertilisers containing nitrogen (N), P, potassium (K) and sulphur (S) in varying proportions, such as 12:32:16:0, 10:26:26:0, 20:20:0:13 and single super phosphate or SSP (0:16:0:11). These have much less P content compared to DAP.

• Sales of Single Superphosphate (SSP) fertiliser also fell to 23.55 lt during April-September 2024, from 29 lt during April-September 2023. However, sales of both urea (189.11 lt versus 183.95 lt), complex fertilisers (72.49 lt versus 61.36 lt) and muriate of potash (9.27 lt versus 7.74 lt) were higher during the first six months of 2024-25, compared to April-September 2023-24. The shortage of DAP is being blamed on higher global prices, aggravated by the government policy of fixing a low MRP with inadequate subsidy concession to enable imports.

• India consumes 10.5-11 million tonnes (mt) of DAP annually — next only to the 35.5-36 mt of urea — more than half of which is supplied through imports from China, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Russia, and other countries.

• In addition, India imports phosphoric acid (mainly from Jordan, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia) and rock phosphate (from Morocco, Togo, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE) for the domestic production of DAP, as well as other P-containing fertilisers. In 2022-23, India imported 6.7 mt of DAP (valued at $5,569.51 million), 2.7 mt of phosphoric acid ($3,622.98 million) and 3.9 mt of rock phosphate ($891.32 million). These amounted to $10 billion-plus of imports — excluding imports of other inputs, namely ammonia and sulphur/ sulphuric acid.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Explained: How fertiliser subsidy works

????Explained: Why has the Modi government increased subsidy on DAP?

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

2. With reference to the international trade of India at present, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC CSE GS1, 2020) 1. India’s merchandise exports are less than its merchandise imports. 2. India’s imports of iron and steel, chemicals, fertilisers and machinery have decreased in recent years. 3. India’s exports of services are more than its imports of services. 4. India suffers from an overall trade/current account deficit. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 4 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 3 and 4 only

3. Why does the Government of India promote the use of ‘Neem-coated Urea’ in agriculture? (UPSC CSE GS1, 2016) a) Release of Neem oil in the soil increases nitrogen fixation by the soil microorganisms b) Neem coating slows down the rate of dissolution of urea in the soil c) Nitrous oxide, which is a greenhouse gas, is not at all released into atmosphere by crop fields d) It is a combination of a weedicide and a fertilizer for particular crops

4. In the ‘Index of Eight Core Industries’, which one of the following is given the highest weight? (UPSC CSE GS1, 2015) a) Coal production b) Electricity generation c) Fertilizer production d) Steel production

5. With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE GS1, 2020) 1. At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government. 2. Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas. 3. Sulphur, which is a raw material for phosphoric acid fertilizer, is a by-product of oil refineries. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 2 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

MEDICINE USE AND MISUSE

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

• General Studies III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

What’s the ongoing story: Rajib Dasgupta Writes-The National One Health Mission, a cross-ministerial effort, has mapped existing surveillance programmes and laboratory capabilities and aims to plug gaps. The UN mandate is an opportunity to refine and reshape India’s AMR activities

Key Points to Ponder:

• UN General Assembly recognised anti-microbial resistance (AMR) as an urgent “global health threat and developmental challenge”-what you know about the same so far?

• What you understand by ‘One Health approach’?

• What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?

• Why antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a cause for concern?

• Why is AMR increasing?

• What are the WHO’s Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) programmes?

• What initiatives has the Government of India undertaken to combat AMR?

• How One Health approach can establish links between humans, animals and the environment?

Key Takeaways:

• UNGA considered AMR an imminent threat to human, animal and plant health. It also rightly recognised that dealing with the problem is essential to enabling equitable economic development and a healthy environment.

• Antimicrobial is an all-encompassing term that includes antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics administered to humans, animals and plants. They have been misused and overused not just to treat diseases but also as “growth promoters” in industrial-scale food production since the 1950s. In 2000, the WHO recommended rapidly phasing out antibiotic growth promoters from the agriculture and animal sectors.

• The World Bank estimates that this threat could result in additional healthcare costs of up to $1 trillion by 2050 and GDP losses per year ranging from $ 1-3.4 trillion (Rs 10.9-11.7 lakh crore) by 2030. This translates to annual costs being as large as those of the 2008 global financial crisis and could widen the inequality between nations.

Do You Know:

• According to the WHO website, One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems. It recognizes that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent. While health, food, water, energy and environment are all wider topics with sector-specific concerns, the collaboration across sectors and disciplines contributes to protect health, address health challenges such as the emergence of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and food safety and promote the health and integrity of our ecosystems.

• By linking humans, animals and the environment, One Health can help to address the full spectrum of disease control – from prevention to detection, preparedness, response and management – and contribute to global health security. The approach can be applied at the community, subnational, national, regional and global levels, and relies on shared and effective governance, communication, collaboration and coordination. Having the One Health approach in place makes it easier for people to better understand the co-benefits, risks, trade-offs and opportunities to advance equitable and holistic solutions.

• AMR is a condition in which a pathogen acquires the ability to survive and cause infection even in the presence of an antimicrobial drug. AMR is the result of evolution of microbes in a situation where there is a misuse or overuse of antibiotics. Excessive use of antimicrobial drugs can lead to the creation of resistant or extremely resistant superbugs, which can circulate in hospitals, through drinking water, or sewers. Infections caused by these pathogens will not respond to commonly prescribed antibiotics.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????UPSC Issue at a Glance | Antimicrobial Resistance and India: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

THE IDEAS PAGE

Social ill and legal response

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc. 

Mains Examination:  General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story: Audrey Dmello and Flavia Agnes writes-On October 18, a Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra delivered an extensive judgment highlighting the alarming scale of child marriages in India despite the enactment of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) 18 years ago. Even though it took the Bench seven years, the verdict has elaborate guidelines for the effective implementation of PCMA.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What exactly Supreme Court said regarding the alarming scale of child marriages in India ?

• “Girls who are married off early are not only denied their childhood but are also forced into social isolation…Boys who are married early are forced to take up more responsibilities and are pressured to play the role of a provider to the family, earlier in life”-Analyse

• What is ‘Child marriage’?

• Child Marriage in India-Know the statistics and data’s

• But why child marriage are still prevalent in certain areas in India?

• Why Child Marriage is a violation of Human Rights?

• What are the Government initiatives taken to curb Child Marriages in India?

• What the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 says?

• What are the recommendations given by various Committees and Conventions in India as well as by the International Bodies on minimum age of marriage?

• What does the constitution and laws says about Child Marriages?

• “Child marriages affect the national economy negatively and do not allow us to come out of the vicious cycle of inter-generational poverty”-Elaborate

• What does the UN Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages (1962), the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) and the Beijing Declaration (1995) says on child marriages?

• The Age of Consent Act 1891-Know in detail

• The Child Marriage Restraint Act , 1929 or the Sharda Act-Know in detail

Key Takeaways:

• The recent Supreme Court Bench extensive judgment highlighting the alarming scale of child marriages in India: —Stating that marriages fixed in the minority of a child have the effect of violating their “free choice” and “childhood”, the Supreme Court on Friday asked Parliament to consider banning child betrothals by amending the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006. —A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said “international law such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) stipulates against betrothals of minors”. — “Marriages fixed in the minority of a child also have the effect of violating their rights to free choice, autonomy, agency and childhood. It takes away from them their choice of partner and life paths before they mature and form the ability to assert their agency,” said the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. — “Parliament may consider outlawing child betrothals which can be used to evade penalty under PCMA. While a betrothed child may be a child in need of care and protection under the Juvenile Justice Act, the practice requires targeted remedies for its elimination,” it said. —Under PCMA, which considers child marriage a criminal offence, girls below the age of 18 and boys under 21 are deemed to be children. The court also dealt with the interface between personal laws and prohibition of child marriage under the PCMA. —On child marriages, the court said it “adversely affected” both sexes. “Girls who are married off early are not only denied their childhood but are also forced into social isolation…Boys who are married early are forced to take up more responsibilities and are pressured to play the role of a provider to the family, earlier in life,” it said. —The court noted that since the enactment of PCMA, “the prevalence of child marriages in India has halved… from 47% to 27% in 2015-16 and 23.3% in 2019-2021” but that despite the Centre’s efforts, there remains a gap in implementing specific, targeted measures focused solely on the prevention of child marriage. Do You Know:

• Child marriage is an offence punishable with rigorous imprisonment — which may extend up to two years — or with a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, or both, on whoever performs, conducts, directs or abets child marriage. Offences under the Act are cognisable and non-bailable. The marriage is voidable except in certain cases. The PCMA of 2006 replaced the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929. Before this, we had the Age of Consent Act, of 1891.

• India has one in three of the world’s child brides. Of the country’s 223 million child brides, 102 million were married before turning 15. In 2006, child marriages in India made up 47 per cent of all marriages — almost half of all girls in India were married before the age of 18, as per the National Family Health Survey. The prevalence has halved since the enactment of the PCMA. In some states, however, it still exceeds 40 per cent, with the highest rates found in West Bengal, Bihar and Tripura (UNICEF report). The problem is worse in rural India as compared to urban areas, with 56 and 29 per cent prevalence respectively.

• Poverty is the dominant cause of child marriages. Families see it as a way to cope with growing economic hardship. Often, younger siblings are married along with the elder ones to save expenses. Displacement breaks down social networks and protection systems, making young girls even more vulnerable.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????One in 5 girls in India still married below legal age, finds new study

????Law on prevention of child marriages can’t be stunted by personal laws: SC

ECONOMY

IMF retains India growth estimate for FY25 at 7%

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: • General Studies II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

• General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. What’s the ongoing story: India’s GDP growth is likely to moderate from 8.2 per cent in 2023 to 7 per cent in 2024 and 6.5 per cent in 2025 because the pent-up demand accumulated during Covid has exhausted, as the economy reconnects with its potential, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are the key highlights of recent released World Economic Outlook report?

• What International Monetary Fund (IMF) said about India’s economy?

• World Economic Outlook-know in detail

• What is the International Monetary Fund (IMF)?

Key Takeaways:

• The annual World Economic Outlook released projected global economic growth to stay steady at 3.2 per cent in 2024 and 2025, even though a few countries, especially low-income developing countries, have seen sizable downside growth revisions.

• India’s GDP growth is likely to moderate from 8.2 per cent in 2023 to 7 per cent in 2024 and 6.5 per cent in 2025 because the pent-up demand accumulated during Covid has exhausted, as the economy reconnects with its potential, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said

• About the global economy, the IMF said the battle against inflation has largely been won, even though price pressures persist in some countries.

Do You Know:

• According to IMF website, the World Economic Outlook (WEO) is a survey of prospects and policies by the IMF staff, usually published twice a year, with updates in between. It presents analyses and projections of the world economy in the near and medium term, which are integral elements of the IMF’s surveillance of economic developments and policies in its member countries and of the global economic system. They consider issues affecting advanced, emerging and developing economies, and address topics of pressing current interest.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Global growth is expected to remain stable yet underwhelming

????IMF’s World Economic Outlook update for India: Holding steady

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 6. Which of the following organizations brings out the publication known as ‘World Economic Outlook? (UPSC CSE, GS1, 2014) a) The International Monetary Fund b) The United Nations Development Programme c) The World Economic Forum d) The World Bank

7. “Rapid Financing Instrument” and “Rapid Credit Facility” are related to the provisions of lending by which one of the following? (UPSC CSE, GS1, 2022) (a) Asian Development Bank (b) International Monetary Fund (c) United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (d) World Bank

8. ‘Global Financial Stability Report’ is prepared by the (UPSC CSE, GS1, 2016) (a) European Central Bank (b) International Monetary Fund (c) International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (d) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

9. With reference to the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), consider the following statements: ((UPSC CSE, GS1, 2016) 1. IMFC discusses matters of concern affecting the global economy, and advises the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the direction of its work. 2. The World Bank participates as an observer in IMFC’s meetings. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: ????The World Bank and the IMF, collectively known as the Bretton Woods Institutions, are the two inter-governmental pillars supporting the structure of the world’s economic and financial order. Superficially, the World Bank and the IMF exhibit many common characteristics, yet their role, functions and mandate are distinctly different. Elucidate. (UPSC CSE, GS 2, 2013) ????Compare and contrast the role of the IMF with that of the World Bank. (UPSC CSE, 2010)

EXPLAINED

The Biodiversity COP

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: Ahead of the annual climate change meeting, scheduled in Baku, Azerbaijan, this year from November 11, countries are currently assembled in the Colombian city of Cali for the UN Biodiversity Conference that takes place every two years.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the COP16 biodiversity framework?

• What are the objectives of COP16?

• What are the key aspects of Convention on Biological Diversity?

• Is India part of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity?

• What is 30 x 30 targets?

Key Takeaways:

• Ahead of the annual climate change meeting, scheduled in Baku, Azerbaijan, this year from November 11, countries are currently assembled in the Colombian city of Cali for the UN Biodiversity Conference that takes place every two years.

• This year’s meeting — the 16th Conference of Parties to CBD, or COP16 — is the first after a landmark agreement on biodiversity was finalised two years ago. This agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework that was concluded at COP15 in Montreal in 2022, lay down four goals and 23 targets to be achieved collectively by 2030.

• These include the so-called 30 x 30 targets — a commitment to put at least 30% of the world’s lands and oceans, especially biodiversity rich areas, under conservation by 2030, and to initiate restoration work in at least 30% of degraded land or marine ecosystems by 2030.

• The climate crisis and the threat to biodiversity are closely linked — both are caused by indiscriminate extraction of natural resources, over-consumption, and unsustainable human activities. The two crises also feed off each other. Climate change has been expediting the loss of biodiversity, while changes in land and oceans have been contributing to global warming.

• Like in climate change negotiations, finance is crucial in CBD discussions as well. One of the 23 goals of the Kunming-Montreal Framework is to mobilise at least $200 billion per year by the year 2030, from all sources, for spending on biodiversity conservation. Out of this, developed countries must provide at least $20 billion every year to developing countries to support their biodiversity-related work. This money has to increase to at least $30 billion every year by 2030. Ways and means to mobilise these financial resources is one of the main items on the agenda at COP16.

• Countries are also supposed to ensure that perverse incentives or subsidies that are harmful for biodiversity are phased out, eliminated, or repurposed. These can be incentives that allow over-fishing, encourage deforestation, or subsidise the use of fossil fuels. Under the Kunming-Montreal Framework, such measures should scale up to at least $500 billion by 2030.

Do You Know:

• The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) came out of the same 1992 Rio Earth Summit that gave rise to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). CBD aims to protect global biodiversity, restore natural ecosystems, and ensure that benefits from the world’s biological resources are equitably distributed.

• One of the main objectives of COP16 is to expedite progress on the 30 x 30 targets which are the most immediate. Under the Kunming-Montreal Framework, each country is supposed to prepare and submit action plans to halt and reverse biodiversity loss within their jurisdiction. These National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, or NBSAPs, are similar to the Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, that countries have to submit under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, mentioning their time-bound goals and actions being taken.

• So far, only 32 countries out of the total 196 parties to CBD, have submitted their NBSAPs. Many more are likely to do so during COP16.

• The High Seas Treaty, also known as the agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions or BBNJ, which was finalised last year as a separate international agreement to maintain the ecological health of oceans, was a major step forward in meeting the 30 x 30 targets.

• One of the objectives of the High Seas Treaty is to demarcate protected areas in biodiversity-rich parts of the oceans — just like national parks or wildlife reserves on land — where human activities can be regulated and restricted.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????What is the Biodiversity Act? What changes has the Lok Sabha cleared in the law?

????Historic biodiversity agreement reached at UN conference

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

10. What is Rio+20 Conference, often mentioned in the news? (UPSC CSE, GS1, 2015) a) It is the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development b) It is a Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization c) It is a Conference of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change d) It is a Conference of the Member Countries of the Convention on Biological Diversity

11. With reference to ‘Global Environment Facility’, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC CSE, GS1, 2014) a) It serves as a financial mechanism for ‘Convention on Biological Diversity’ and ‘United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’. b) It undertakes scientific research on environmental issues at the global level. c) It is an agency under OECD to facilitate the transfer of technology and funds to underdeveloped countries with the specific aim to protect their environment. d) Both a) and b) Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: ????Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India in this conference? (UPSC CSE , GS3, 2021 )

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