Low-cost finance for the energy transition report

GS Paper 3 Syllabus: Infrastructure (Energy), Environment, Indigenisation of Technology and Developing New Technology   Source: IRENA   Context: The IRENA released the ‘Low-cost finance for the energy transition’ report.   The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA): It is an intergovernmental organization (an official UN observer, founded in 2009, HQ – Masdar City, Abu Dhabi) …

Groundwater conservation in India

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation   Source: TH   Context: Since groundwater consumption and the variability of monsoon rainfall are the two main factors influencing groundwater storage, climate change might pose new challenges for groundwater sustainability in India.   Groundwater: Groundwater is the water that seeps through rocks and soil and …

Importance of Biodiversity

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation   Source: TH  Context: Despite the importance of biodiversity that ultimately sustains all human endeavours, not enough has been done for caring and nurturing life on earth. Biodiversity/Biological diversity: Meaning: The rich variety of life forms and their interconnections with each other and the environment is …

Semiconductor manufacturing in India

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Changes in Industrial Policy and Their Effects on Industrial Growth   Source: IE  Context: India’s ambition of manufacturing semiconductor chips appears to be taking longer to materialize.   Why? Three entities (Vedanta-Foxconn, international consortium ISMC and Singapore-based IGSS Ventures) that had applied to build the chips are facing hurdles in setting …

Indian toy industry

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Effects of Liberalisation on the Economy, Changes in Industrial Policy and Their Effects on Industrial Growth   Source: TH  Context: India has recently turned a net exporter of toys (in 2020-21 and 2021-22), ending decades of import dominance.   An overview of the Indian toy industry:  In 2015-16, the industry had …

Key takeaways from the RBI Annual Report for 2022-23

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment   Source: HT  Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its annual report for the year 2022-23, providing information on the RBI’s functioning through the fiscal year as well as the state of the economy   …

Insurgency in Manipur

 GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Linkages between Development and Spread of Extremism   Source: IE  Context: Amid fresh violence in Manipur, the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) has countered the claims of the Manipur CM that 40 insurgents had been killed by security forces.     How did violent clashes start? Violence erupted in the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur …

Food Fortification: Benefits and associated risks

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Food Security; Technology Missions   Source: ET  Context: According to a UN report, India’s pilot studies on rice fortification showed a significant drop in the prevalence of anaemia among schoolchildren.   Food Fortification:  Meaning: It is defined as the practice of adding vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods during processing …

The Role of Small Modular Reactors in the Energy Transition

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Indigenization of Technology & Developing New Technology   Source: NITI Aayog  Context: The NITI Aayog recently released a report on ‘The Role of Small Modular Reactors in the Energy Transition’.   Background: Apart from Renewable Energy (RE), nuclear is also being explored as a clean energy option to help the nations …

Decentralised renewable energy (DRE) technologies

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life   Source: DTE  Context: According to a new report, technologies that are powered by DRE could potentially impact 37 million livelihoods in India’s agriculture and textile sectors.   DRE: Energy that is generated close to where it will be …

India’s Women in Science

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology   Source: IE  Context: Two books – Lilavati’s Daughters (2008) and Lab Hopping (2023) – highlight the complicated relationship between science and gender in India.   Some notable women scientists of India: Anandibai Joshi (India’s first woman physician), Iravati Karve (India’s first woman anthropologist),  …

Land reclamation

GS Paper 3  Syllabus: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation   Source: IE  Context: Should new land be generated in oceans by land reclamation, given that coastal regions around the world are endangered by rising sea levels and more severe storms?   Challenges: Most coastal land expansions happened in low-lying areas, with more than 70% of …

Agricultural exports-imports

GS Paper 3 Syllabus: Indian economy, agriculture and related issues   Source: IE  Context: Both agricultural exports from and imports into India have scaled new highs in the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2023.   Provisional data of Department of Commerce on agri imports-exports: Agricultural trade surplus (Exports – Imports): It has marginally dipped …

Global Land Outlook report

GS Paper 3 Syllabus: Environment, conservation   Source: TH   Context: According to the 2nd edition of the Global Land Outlook (GLO) report, humans have breached four out of nine planetary boundaries.   GLO: It is a United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification’s (UNCCD) flagship publication, whose 1st edition was launched in 2017 at the …

Maoist challenge: Needs political understanding, not securitisation

GS Paper 3 Syllabus: Linkages between Development and Spread of Extremism   Source: IE   Context: The efficacy of the Maoist movement needs to be gauged in terms of their declining social base, not on the basis of how many violent incidents occur. What led to the failure of the above approaches: Declining Maoist presence/violence …

Debt-for-climate swaps

GS Paper 3 Syllabus: Environment, Conservation   Source: DTE   Context: In the past decade, debt-for-climate swaps have grown relatively popular among low- and middle-income countries. Insta Links: