What is the UN High Seas Treaty and why is it needed?

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment   Source: BBC  Context: After more than a decade of negotiations, the UN members have agreed (in New York, US) on the first-ever treaty – the UN High Seas Treaty, to protect the world’s oceans outside national boundaries.   What are the high …

Unused funds, unsuitable land: The problems with Compensatory Afforestation in India

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment   Source: IE  Context: Compensatory afforestation forms a significant component of various reforestation programmes being implemented in India.   Background: India has promised to increase its forest and tree cover to absorb an additional 2.5 – 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by …

G20 meeting shows a deepening crisis in multilateralism

GS Paper 2 Syllabus: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests   Source: IE  Context: The G-20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Delhi was unable to agree to a joint communique, over differences between Russia and the West on the war in Ukraine.   Issues that needed to be addressed  …

Karnataka BJP MLA and son’s bribery scandal: History, powers of the state’s Lokayukta

GS Paper 2 Syllabus: Polity – Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.   Source: Indian Express Context: The Lokayukta has seized over Rs 8 crore of unaccounted cash from the residence and office of a BJP MLA, who was serving as the chairperson of the Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) …