[Mission 2024] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 29 February 2024

GS Paper 2

 Syllabus: International Multilateral Bodies/ United Nations Reforms

Source: TH

 Context: The current global order, epitomized by the United Nations, is facing considerable challenges. António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, has recently expressed scepticism about the organization’s future, citing divisions among members that undermine its authority.

What is the United Nations (UN)?

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization established in 1945 (with the UN Charter) after World War II. United Nations Day, observed on October 24th annually since 1947, commemorates the organization’s establishment in 1945. UN’s founding principles are:

1. Collective security
2. Disarmament
3. Peacekeeping

The UN’s structure comprises:

1. General Assembly as the primary policymaking body
2. Security Council responsible for peace and security
3. Specialized agencies like UNICEF and WHO focus on specific global issues such as health and education.

Importance of the UN:

1. Managing Power Rivalry Between Nations: The UN anchors the post-World War order, managing power rivalry among nations through its structure and specialized agencies.
2. Strengthening Multilateral Institutions: Through initiatives like the Bretton Woods Conference, the UN established financial and trade institutions to foster international economic cooperation and prevent past mistakes.
3. International Law and Human Rights: The UN promotes adherence to international law and human rights standards, establishing treaties and conventions while monitoring and addressing human rights abuses globally.
4. Humanitarian Assistance: The UN provides vital humanitarian aid to populations affected by conflicts and disasters through agencies like UNICEF, WFP, and OCHA, working to alleviate suffering and protect vulnerable populations.
5. Peacekeeping and Conflict Resolution: It maintains global peace through peacekeeping missions, deploying troops and mediators to conflict zones.
6. Environmental and Climate Change Initiatives: It promotes global cooperation on environmental challenges, exemplified by initiatives like the Paris Agreement to combat climate change.
7. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development comprises 17 SDGs focused on inclusivity and sustainability.

Issues in the Functioning of the UN:

1. Overrepresentation: There is a huge European bias in P-5 due to the presence of the United Kingdom and France, including Russia in the UNSC
2. Under-representation: While regions like Latin America, the Caribbean Group, the Arab World, and Africa do not have a single permanent member,
3. Question of Veto: All five permanent members of the UNSC enjoy veto power. However, the veto has been misused to put national interests ahead of global interests.
4. Non-transparent: The UNSC has been functioning in the most non-transparent and non-consultative way.
5. North-South Inequality: Only China is representative of the global south region, whereas the global north has four nations to present themselves at the UNSC.

6. Reflecting Colonial Mindset: Permanent veto power granted to major Allied powers, ignoring newly independent states’ voices.
7. Disbursal of Funds: Decision-making skewed towards powerful nations, impacting global financial stability and aid distribution.
8. Contemporary Faultlines: COVID-19, conflicts like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and divisions over issues like the Gaza conflict strain UN principles and cooperation.
9. Clash of Chinese and US Values: US-China rivalry marks a shift, challenging traditional multilateralism.
10. Multiple Crisis Confronting Multilateralism: Trust deficits, utility crises, and global emergencies strain multilateral cooperation.
11. Challenges in Concepts, Methods, and Institutions: Volatile concepts, outdated negotiation methods, and inadequate institutions hamper effectiveness.

Suggestions for Reforming UN:

Conclusion:

Looking towards the future, the 21st century presents a myriad of complex challenges, ranging from climate change to cybersecurity threats and economic inequality. Despite its imperfections, the United Nations (UN) stands uniquely positioned to address these multifaceted issues, given its convening power, diplomatic role, and extensive network of agencies.

However, realizing its full potential requires implementing reforms to enhance its effectiveness. Streamlining bureaucracy, reducing inefficiencies, and ensuring more equitable representation within the organization are crucial steps towards achieving this goal. Despite these challenges, the UN remains indispensable in global governance, humanitarian assistance, and crisis management. While the need for reform is evident, the UN’s continued role in fostering cooperation, dialogue, and collective action underscores its enduring importance in tackling the world’s most pressing problems.

Insta Links:

• If not reformed, the UN will be overtaken by other organisations

Mains Links:

What are the main functions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)? Explain different functional commissions attached to it. (10 M) (UPSC 2017)

Prelims Links:

Content For Mains Enrichment (CME)

Source: TH

 Context: Encouraging eco-conscious electoral practices in India is imperative amidst the climate crisis.

What is a Green Election?

A Green Election refers to an electoral process that prioritizes eco-conscious practices to minimize environmental impact. This includes reducing carbon footprints through measures such as using sustainable materials for campaign materials, adopting digital voting systems, promoting energy-efficient transportation, and minimizing waste generation

Initiatives for Green Elections in India and Worldwide:

India:

1. Electronic Voting Machines: Introduced during 1998-2001
2. Kerala’s Ban on Single-Use Plastic: During the 2019 general election, the Kerala State Election Commission urged political parties to avoid single-use plastic materials while campaigning. The Kerala High Court subsequently imposed a ban on flex and non-biodegradable materials in electioneering.
3. Goa’s Eco-Friendly Election Booths: In 2022, the Goa State Biodiversity Board implemented eco-friendly election booths for the Assembly elections, utilizing biodegradable materials crafted by local traditional artisans.

Worldwide:

1. Sri Lanka: Carbon-Sensitive Election Campaign: Sri Lanka’s SLPP party launched the world’s first carbon-sensitive environmentally friendly election campaign in 2019. They measured carbon emissions from campaign vehicles and electricity usage and compensated for these emissions by planting trees in each district, involving public participation.
2. Estonia: Digital Voting: Estonia introduced digital voting as an online alternative during elections. This method encouraged voter participation and reduced the environmental impact associated with traditional voting methods.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

 Context: Former Supreme Court judge A.M. Khanwilkar has been appointed as the chairperson of the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal, filling a vacancy that existed for nearly two years.

The Lokpal had been operating without a regular chief since the completion of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose’s term on May 27, 2022. Additionally, retired justices Lingappa Narayana Swamy, Sanjay Yadav, and Ritu Raj Awasthi have been appointed as judicial members, while Sushil Chandra, Pankaj Kumar, and Ajay Tirkey will serve as non-judicial members.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IE

 Context: Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched the SWAYAM Plus platform, in collaboration with industry leaders such as L&T, Microsoft, and CISCO.

• Operated by the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras), the platform aims to offer courses focusing on employability and professional development, covering sectors like manufacturing, energy, computer science, engineering, IT, management studies, healthcare, hospitality, and tourism.
• SWAYAM Plus combines academic rigour with real-world expertise from industry partners to enhance the employability of college students and lifelong learners

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

Context: The Prime Minister launched the Amrit Bharat Station scheme, laying the foundation for 554 railway stations as part of a government initiative to upgrade key railway infrastructure across India.

• The scheme aims to transform railway stations, enhancing amenities such as access, waiting areas, cleanliness, WiFi connectivity, and local product kiosks.
• Design of station buildings inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: DTE

Context: During the 37th African Union Summit, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, African leaders launched the ‘Africa Club’, an alliance of African multilateral financial institutions.

• Focusing on the urgent need for reforming the global financial system to address climate and development needs.
• To tackle this, there was a call for increased access to high-quality finance for climate and development efforts, which led to the
• African leaders also demanded solutions to the debt crisis, increased grant and concessional money to Africa, and rechannelling of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) to African financial institutions.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: WTO

Context: The World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) have jointly launched a USD 50 million global fund called the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund.

• The aim of this fund is to assist women-led businesses and women entrepreneurs in developing economies and least-developed countries in adopting digital technologies and expanding their online presence.
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has allocated USD 5 million as the first donor to the fund.

Additionally, the ITC hosted the SheTrades Summit, bringing together women entrepreneurs, global business leaders, and development partners to discuss solutions to challenges faced by women in accessing new markets in the digital trading system.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Business Line

Context: A committee led by Finance Secretary TV Somanathan has been tasked with suggesting ways to enforce a uniform Know Your Customer (KYC) mechanism.

• The committee, comprising members from various ministries and regulators, was formed after the Finance Stability and Development Council (FSDC) decided to simplify and digitalize the KYC process in the financial sector.

This initiative is deemed crucial, especially in light of the ongoing Paytm Payment Bank crisis, which revealed non-compliance with KYC norms.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: PIB

 Context: The Government of India has taken several measures to support Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco growers in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

Context: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) announced the completion of India’s ‘10,000 genome’ project, aiming to create a reference database of whole-genome sequences representative of the country’s diverse population.

• India’s population diversity, consisting of over 4,600 population groups, contributes to distinct genetic variations, including disease-causing mutations prevalent within certain groups.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: European Parliament

Context: The European Parliament has adopted a ground-breaking law aimed at restoring degraded ecosystems across the EU’s land and sea areas called as Nature Restoration Law (NRL).

• The law sets ambitious targets, including restoring at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.
• Member states must restore specific habitats, such as forests, grasslands, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and coral beds, to good condition by 2030, increasing to 90% by 2050.

Mapping

Source: DTE

 Context: Belgium, often hailed as the cockpit of Europe, has become the first country on the continent to recognize ‘ecocide’ as both a national and international crime.

What is Ecocide?

Ecocide refers to unlawful acts that result in substantial, widespread, or long-term damage to the environment. Recognizing ecocide as a crime aims to hold individuals and corporations accountable for their actions that harm the planet, with penalties including imprisonment and fines. The term was invented by American Biologist Arthur Galston in 1970.

The countries with domestic ecocide laws are France (2021), Ukraine (2001), Kazakhstan (1997), Kyrgyzstan (1997), Russia (1996), Tajikistan (1998), Uzbekistan (1994), Vietnam (1990) etc. India is yet to make it an offence.

About Belgium:

It is a country in Northwestern Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. Belgium is known for its complex institutional organization, divided into three autonomous regions: Flanders, Wallonia, and the Brussels-Capital Region. Linguistically diverse, it has a majority Flemish and minority French-speaking population, along with a small German-speaking community. It boasts a developed, high-income economy and is a founding member of the European Union, Eurozone, NATO, OECD, and WTO. Brussels serves as the de facto capital of the European Union, hosting key EU institutions and major international organizations.