Current Affairs 17-DEC-2023 (The Hindu)

Fossil Fuels

(D => Pg-11)

Fossil Fuels

Phasing out of Fossil Fuels - Is it Possible

Constraints in Shifting to Renewable Energy

Cop-26 Commitment

• World committed to phasing down coal at Cop-26.
• Opposition from large developing countries like India and China.
• Protest against singling out coal among fossil fuels.
• Developing nations argue duty to lift masses out of poverty and provide energy security.

Mismatch of Vested Interests

• Example: United States advocates phasing out coal but not eliminating oil and gas.
• The U.S. heavily depends on oil and gas.

Infrastructure Challenges

• Availability of Power
• Power from natural sources is unreliable.
• Solar energy is unavailable at night.
• Wind energy depends on the temperamental nature of the ocean and atmosphere.
• Transmission Issues
• Inadequate infrastructure to store green energy.

Aspirations of Developing Nations

• India’s National Electricity Plan, 2022-27
• Plans to add 87,000 MW through fresh coal-fired capacity.
• Includes 27,000 MW from under-construction power plants.
• Targets 60,000 MW from new plants.

Practice Question – Prelims

Consider the following statements:

1. Methane is the Second most abundant anthropogenic greenhouse gas next only to carbon dioxide (CO2)
2. It is responsible for creating ground-level ozone which is a dangerous air pollutant.
3. Global Methane Pledge is a binding agreement among the countries to reduce Methane Emissions.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

North East India

(D => Pg-1)

About North East India

• Comprises 8 states: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.
• Each state has a distinct history and identity.
• Region shares borders with Bhutan, China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, holding strategic importance for our National Security.
• Issues of Insurgency & Under-development.

Governmental Steps

• Prevent the spread of Insurgency.
• Developmental activities to reduce poverty and backwardness.

Preventing Spread of Insurgency

• Indian Army: Successful military operations against insurgent organizations in the Northeast for regional peace.
• Example: Surgical Strike in 2015.
• Operation All Clear in 2019 against NDFB-S insurgents in Assam.
• Operation Sunrise - Anti-Incumbency operation by both India and Myanmar.
• Various Peace accords: Assam Accord-1985, Bodo Peace Accord – 2020, Bru Accord (2020), Karbi Anglong Peace Agreement (2021), UNLF Peace Accord – 2023.
• Rollback of AFSPA: Removed from Meghalaya & Tripura. Potentially reduced in other states.

Developmental Activities to Reduce Poverty, Backwardness

• Act-East Policy: North Eastern States as the epicenter of development.
• Objective: Promote economic cooperation, cultural ties, and develop strategic relationships with the Asia-Pacific region.
• Significant infrastructural projects:
• India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Highway.
• Kaladhan multimodal project establishing connections to the NE states.
• Rail line between Agartala in Tripura and Akhaura in Bangladesh.
• Internal Infrastructure:
• India is developing 4,000 km of roads, 20 railway projects, and 15 air connectivity projects in the region.
• Waterway connectivity with projects on Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Barak river.
• Various Schemes of GOI:
• Border Area Development Project.
• Hill Area Development Programme.
• Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North Eastern Region (PM-DevINE).

Practice Question – Prelims

Consider the following statements:

1. It seeks to develop connectivity through water between ASEAN and India.
2. It will enable an alternative transit route to India’s Northeast region bypassing Bangladesh.
3. It connects Kolkata in India to Sittwe and Paletwa in Myanmar.

The above statements most appropriately describe which of the following regional connectivity projects?

(a) Belt and Road Initiative

(b) BCIM corridor

(c) Indo-pacific economic corridor

(d) Kaladan Multi-Model Transit Transport Project

Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS)

(D => Pg-1)

LEADS

• Annual report released by the Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• Role: Measures the efficiency of logistical services at the State/UT level.

Logistics

• Overall process of managing how goods are acquired, stored, and transported to their final destination.
• Important to promote exports and economic growth.

What is Supply Chain Management? An example: the journey of a tee-shirt

LEADS Report

• Encourages healthy competition between the States/UTs to improve logistical services.
• Prepared on the lines of Logistics Performance Index.

Logistics Performance Index

• Published by the World Bank.
• Purpose:
• Helping countries identify challenges & opportunities they face in logistical services.
• Suggesting solutions to improve logistics performance.

LEADS Report

• Helps states & UTs identify challenges they face in logistical services.
• Provides region-specific insights.
• Helps make informed decisions.
• Helps achieve broad growth in exports.
• Highlights the impact of various reforms taken to improve logistical services.
• Result: Identification of best practices to improve logistical services.

2023 LEADS Report

• 5th edition - pan-India survey.

Division of States/UTs into 4 Groups

• Coastal Group.
• Landlocked Group.
• North-East Group.
• Union Territories.

3 Categories Under Each Group

• Achievers.
• Fast Movers.
• Aspirers.

Practice Question – Prelims

Which one of the following organisation publishes the Logistics Performance Index (LPI)?

(a) World Trade Organization (WTO)

(b) World Bank (WB)

(c) United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

(d) International Chamber Of Commerce (ICC)