Current Affairs 01-NOV-2023 (The Hindu)

Deep Ocean Mission

(D => Pg-15)

Deep Ocean Mission

About the Mission

• Explore & harness depths of the ocean (6000 meters).
• Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
• Estimated cost - Rs.4077 crores.
• Time period - 2021 to 2026.
• One of 9 missions under Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).

Components of the Mission

1. Development of Technologies - Deep Sea Mining & creating Manned Submersible vehicle.
• Manned submersible vehicle - three people to a depth of 6000 meters (MATSYA 6000 developed).
• Integrated Mining System - Mining Polymetallic Nodules in the central Indian Ocean (Underwater mining system - 'Varaha').
2. Development of Ocean Climate Change & advisory services (future projections about important climate variables).
3. Technological innovations for exploration & conservation of deep-sea biodiversity.
• Main focus - Bio-prospecting of Deep-sea flora and fauna, including microbes.
• Studying - sustainable utilization of deep-sea bio-resources.
4. Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration (Explore potential sites of multi-metal Hydrothermal Sulfide & other minerals).
• Done in the Indian Ocean mid-oceanic ridges.
5. Energy and freshwater from the Ocean (Designing offshore Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion - OTEC powered desalination plant).
• OTEC technology - utilizes the temperature difference of the ocean to extract energy.
6. Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology (Focus - capacity building of human resources & enterprise in ocean biology and engineering).

MATSYA 6000

• Part of the DOM.
• India’s first manned mission to explore the deep oceans.
• Aim - To send three personnel to a 6000-meter depth in a vehicle called ‘MATSYA 6000’.
• Purpose - To explore deep-sea resources like polymetallic nodules.
• Designed & developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
• Spherical titanium hull made up of a titanium alloy - developed by Vikram Sarabhai Space, ISRO.
• 6000-meter deep-rated Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).
• Endurance time: 12 hours under normal operation, 96 hours in case of emergency.

Practice Question – Mains

Q. With respect to MATSYA 6000, which was What are the objectives and components of the Samudrayan mission? How will it help in enhancing India’s capabilities and interests in the deep ocean exploration?

Green Climate Fund

(D,H => Pg-18)

Green Climate Fund

• Financial mechanism.
• Under United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• Established at COP 16 (Cancun, Mexico).
• Headquarters – South Korea.

Features

• Fund governed by GCF Board.
• 24 board members.
• Functions under the Conference of Parties (COP) and accountable to it.
• GCF serves the Paris Agreement in accordance with Article 9.

Aim

To help the developing countries realize their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) ambitions.

Global Environmental Facility

• 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
• Unique partnership of 18 agencies.
• World Bank administers the GEF Trust Fund.
• GEF Trust Fund – has donor contribution.
• 185 members.

Functions

• Provides funding to the developing countries to help meet environmental goals.
• Serves as a financing mechanism for 5 conventions.

Organizational Structure

• GEF Assembly.
• Composed of all 186 member countries.
• Meets once every 3 to 4 years.
• Governing Council.
• Executive body.
• Has 32 members appointed by the GEF assembly.
• Meets twice annually.
• Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP).
• Provides scientific and technical advice.
• 6 expert members.
• Evaluation Office.
• Assess the effectiveness of GEF.
• Reports to the governing councils.

UPSC PYQ 2014

Q. With reference to 'Global Environment Facility', which of the following statements is/are correct?

a) It serves as a financial mechanism for 'Convention on Biological Diversity' and 'United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change'.

b) It undertakes scientific research on environmental issues at the global level.

c) It is an agency under OECD to facilitate the transfer of technology and funds to underdeveloped countries with the specific aim to protect their environment.

d) Both (a) and (b).

Pegasus

(D,H => Pg-18)

Pegasus

About Pegasus

• A hacking software or spyware.

Spyware

• A type of malware.
• Malware - a program or file designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system.
• Installed on a computing device without the user’s knowledge.
• Gathers information from the infected system and sends it to another entity without the user’s consent.

Pegasus

• Spyware developed by the ‘NSO Group’.
• NSO group provides a license to governments across the world.

Working of Pegasus

Earlier Version

• Infection of devices by sending ‘malicious links’ through text messages or emails.
• Messages trick the targeted person to click on a malicious link.
• Result: Accessing critical messages from the infected device once clicked.

Latest Version

• Infections through “zero-click” attacks.
• Sending a malicious link is enough to carry out attacks.
• Do not require any interaction from the user of the device.

Practice Question – Prelims

Q. The terms 'Pegasus, WannaCry & EternalBlue' sometimes mentioned in the news recently are related to

(a) Exoplanets

(b) Cryptocurrency

(c) Cyber attacks

(d) Mini satellites