UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 6 August 2024

Solution: a)

Only Statement 2 is correct.

India’s open ecosystems, such as savannahs and grasslands, face an unusual threat from increased tree cover, a phenomenon known as woody encroachment.

• This encroachment, driven by human activities that disrupt the natural disturbance regimes (like grazing and fire), is changing these ecosystems and threatening their biodiversity.
• A study highlighted that increased tree cover in areas like the African savannah has significantly reduced native grassland bird populations by more than 20%.
• Grasslands and savannahs, covering nearly 40% of the Earth’s landmass, are home to many endemic and at-risk species.
• However, threats like conversion to agriculture, large-scale development projects, and overgrazing are contributing to their decline, with trees now emerging as a significant threat.
• Higher atmospheric CO2 levels due to climate change promote the growth of deep-rooted woody plants, exacerbating the problem.

Solution: d)

Solution: a)

Only Statement 3 is correct.

The World Bank defines the middle-income trap as a situation where a middle-income country struggles to become a high-income economy due to rising costs and declining competitiveness. There are concerns that India may fall into this trap, potentially stalling at a per capita income of USD 5,000-6,000 on its path to becoming a developed economy.

Key Highlights of the Report:

• Wealthy countries often hit a growth slowdown at around $8,000 per capita (10% of U.S. GDP per person).
• Since 1990, only 34 middle-income countries (MICs) have transitioned to high-income status.
• As of end-2023, 108 MICs host 75% of the global population and generate over 40% of global GDP.
• Challenges for MICs include ageing populations, rising protectionism, and the need for faster energy transitions.

Why Countries Fall into the Middle-Income Trap

1. Struggles of Developing Countries: Middle-income nations often lag due to competition with low-wage producers and lack of innovation, stalling growth.
2. Structural Shift: Transitioning sectors or growth drivers risk stagnation in per capita income, especially if innovation capabilities are lacking.
3. Rising Income Inequality: High-income inequality, exemplified by large wealth gaps, restricts consumer spending and economic progress.

Solution: d)

Solution: b)

Solution: a)

Only Statement 1 is correct.

Seaweeds are various types of marine plants and macroalgae found in water bodies like rivers and lakes. Seaweed cultivation is part of aquaculture, with the fishing and aquaculture sector contributing 1.5% to India’s GDP.

Seaweed is chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Solution: a)

Only Statement 2 is correct.

Solution: d)

World Trade Organization (WTO) is a member-driven, consensus-based intergovernmental organisation that regulates and facilitates international trade between nations. It officially began operations on January 1, 1995, in accordance with the 1994 Marrakesh Agreement.

WTO’s Agreement on TRIPS promotes IP rights enforcement.

Governments use the organization to establish, revise, and enforce the rules that govern international trade in cooperation with the United Nations System.

Solution: b)

Statement 3 is incorrect.

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a non-profit foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland. GAIN was developed during the UN 2002 Special Session of the General Assembly on Children.

It collaborates with governments, businesses, and civil society to improve nutrition outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations.

GAIN has headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, along with offices in countries with high levels of malnutrition: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Tanzania.

Solution: b)

Statement 3 is incorrect.