QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 14 November 2018

Solution: a.

About Banglanatak dot com: “…is a social enterprise working across India with a mission to foster inclusive and sustainable development using culture based approaches. We work for protection of rights of women, children and indigenous people.”

In the news (TH): In a unique initiative, three graphic novels have been published on three different art forms of the State, both in Bengali and English. These have been published by the West Bengal government, the UNESCO and banglanatak dot com for promotion of traditional crafts of West Bengal.

Additional information: Chhau dance;

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Solution: b.

TH: By 2022, India is expected to have a fourth of the world’s air conditioning units, and the risks to climate from this could be immense, according to a report… Several Departments in India, including the Department of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Power, on Monday announced a partnership with the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), a U.S.-based institute, and Conservation X Labs, a technology solutions company, to institute a Global Cooling Prize to motivate research laboratories across the world to develop highly efficient cooling technologies.

A technology solution that could help to reduce the impact by one-fifth and ensure that air conditioning units use 75% less electricity would be needed, says Solving the Global Cooling Challenge, a report written by the Rocky Mountain Institute. A technology solution would not only significantly reduce the burden on electricity grids but also save ₹109 trillion ($ 1.5 trillion).

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Solution: d.

TH: In 2016, India was a signatory to a compact of 107 countries to “substantially phase” out the potent greenhouse gas, called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), by 2045 and move to prevent a potential 0.5 C rise in global temperature by 2050. HFCs are a family of gases that are largely used in refrigerants at home and in car air-conditioners. However, they substantially worsen global warming. India, China, the United States and Europe have committed themselves to reducing the use of HFC by 85% by 2045.

• Under the compromise stitched up, developed countries will start to phase down the climate impacting family of refrigerant gases called HFCs by 2019.
• Most developing countries, including China, will subsequently follow with a freeze of HFCs consumption levels in 2024 and subsequently reduce the usage.
• Some countries, including India, bargained to get the peak consumption year pegged to 2028, gaining an four extra years.
• India was not able to bargain for the 2030 as the freeze year and had to settle for 2028. The consequence, in terms of costs to the Indian industry and economy, would be much higher than what the two year difference suggests.
• “By 2028, many of the patents on costly alternatives are to expire. So, we wanted 2030 to be the freeze year. The two years in between would have given us the chance to figure out cheaper new technological options rather than their patented technologies that would have taken root by 2028”.

BS; TH;

Solution: b.

What is IPBES?

• The IPBES is an independent intergovernmental body, established by member States in 2012.
• It provides policymakers with objective scientific assessments about the state of knowledge regarding the planet’s biodiversity, ecosystems and the benefits they provide to people, as well as the tools and methods to protect and sustainably use these vital natural assets.
• Its mission is to strengthen knowledge foundations for better policy through science, for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being and sustainable development.
• To some extent IPBES does for biodiversity what the IPCC does for climate change.

In the news: TH;

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Solution: b.

The planetary winds in this region are offshore Trade Winds.

Improvisation: California fires;

Ch-18, GC Leong’s Certificate Physical and Human Geography;

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