Weekly Current Affairs: Quizzes, 14 to 19 November, 2022

EXPLANATION:

• The World Energy Outlook 2022 report was released to provide insights into the implications of this global energy shock. The WEO is the world’s most comprehensive and authoritative assessment and projection of the global energy sector. It is an annual report published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) since 1998. It provides comprehensive insights into the global energy supply and demand in different scenarios and their impact on energy security, climate targets and economic development. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Russia has been the world’s top exporter of fossil fuels. However, its supply curtailments to Europe and European sanctions on imports of oil and coal from Russia have increased energy prices significantly. While all fuels are affected by the Ukrainian crisis, gas markets are the main victims since Russia is looking to take advantage of its market position by exposing consumers to high energy bills and supply shortages. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• Amid the global energy crisis caused by war in Ukraine,Natural gas prices have reached unprecedented levels. They are consistently exceeding the equivalent of USD 250 per barrel of oil. Coal prices have also reached unprecedented levels and price of oil was higher than USD 100 per barrel in mid-2022 before decreasing again. The energy crisis caused by the Ukrainian conflict has created a risk of recession. It enabled fossil fuel producers to record a 2 trillion USD windfall above their 2021 net income. High energy prices have also worsened food insecurity in many developing countries. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The 2022 Forest Declaration Assessment was published on October 24 this year. In 2021, deforestation rates declined at the global level by 6.3 per cent compared to the 2018-20 baseline. Though the rate of forest loss has accelerated, the climate goal of stopping deforestation by 2030 will not be achieved. Global tree cover has increased by 130.9 million hectares over the past 20 years. Three-quarters of the increase was concentrated in 13 countries. The most significant increase was seen in Russia, Canada, the United States, Brazil and China. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• A 10 per cent annual reduction is required to stop deforestation completely by the end of the present decade. It recorded a 3 per cent increase in the deforestation rate last year compared to the 2018-2020 baseline.The deforestation rate in Bolivia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 6 percent and 3 per cent respectively. Around 145 countries have committed to stop and reverse deforestation and land degradation by 2030 at the COP26 in 2021. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• In 2021, Brazil will be the largest contributor of deforestation in the world. China recorded the largest net increase in green cover of 2.1 million hectares. India recorded 0.87 million hectares increase in tree cover. Around 90 per cent of total tree cover gain in the world is attributed to natural regeneration and assisted natural regeneration that occurred outside plantation. The increase in tree cover does not cancel out tree loss nor does it eliminate the adverse impact of forest degradation in terms of carbon storage, biodiversity, or ecosystem services. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The World Health Organization released the Global TB Report 2022 on October 27 this year. The Global TB report is released every year by the World Health Organization to provide a comprehensive assessment of the tuberculosis epidemic and the progress of countries in preventing, diagnosing and treating the disease at the global, regional and national levels. The report is mainly based on the data gathered by the World Health Organization from national health ministries. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• According to the report, the number of reported cases of TB fell from 7.1 million in 2019 to 5.8 million in 2020. The situation improved in 2021, with 6.4 million people reporting TB. Over 10.6 million people fell ill because of tuberculosis in 2021. This is a 4.5 per cent increase when compared with 2020 figures. 6 million people have lost their lives to tuberculosis. Of these, 187,000 are HIV patients. Hence, statement 2 is correct. 
• The global spending on essential TB services has declined from 6 billion USD in 2019 to 5.4 billion USD in 2021. The number of people treated for RR-TB and multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) has fallen between 2019 and 2020. In 2021, only one in three people who are in need of these treatments accessed the medical services. In 2021, seven countries i.e., India, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, accounted for 82 per cent of those that started preventive TB treatment last year. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The Global Gender Wealth Equity Report was jointly developed by the World Economic Forum (WEF). It explores gender-based wealth differences across five regions in the world. It assesses the reasons behind the inequality like interlinked effects of career, family support, life events and financial literacy. According to the report, when women retire from work, they will have just 74 per cent of wealth accumulated by men. This is mainly because of the pay gaps and delays in promotion. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• India has the worst gender wealth gap in the Asia-Pacific. India’s gender pay gap is higher than the global average. It is prevalent especially in professional and technical roles. Leadership roles for women are limited. Only 3 percent of women in the workforce hold senior-level positions. Women assume childcare responsibilities at a young age. This adds to the financial burdens that cannot be borne alone. Long-term financial decisions generally rest in the hands of men. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The report titled “The Adaptation Gap Report 2022: Too Little, Too Slow – Climate adaptation failure puts world at risk” was released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Adaptation Gap Report (AGR) has been published each year since 2014 by the UNEP to provide science-based assessment of the global progress on adaptation planning, financing and implementation. Hence, statement 1 is  correct.
• Adaptation is the measures taken to protect against the already unavoidable consequences of climate change. It refers to the adjustments in the social, economic and ecological systems that are changing or will change because of the climate crisis. It is one of the 3 major planks of climate action. The world is currently on track for a 2.8°C increase in average global temperature over the average temperature obtained in the pre-industrialization era of 1850 to 1900. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The 2022 report found that at least 84% of parties to the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) have adaptation plans, strategies, policies and laws in place. This is a 5% increase when compared with the previous year. A third of the 197 parties of the UNFCCC have quantified and time-bound targets focusing on climate adaptation. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• UDISE was developed by the Department of School Education and Literacy in 2018-19. The Union Education Ministry released the detailed report on Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2021-22 on school education of India. Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) was initiated in 2012-13. It is one of the largest Management Information Systems on School Education. It covers more than 15 lakh schools and more than 26.4 crore children. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• UDISE+ is an updated version of UDISE, where the data from the schools is collected online and in real-time. In the UDISE+ system, improvements were made regarding data capture, data mapping, and verification of data.The total enrollment in school education from primary to higher secondary in 2021-22 is 25.57 crore. This is a 19.36 lakh increase when compared with the 2020-21 UDISE+ data. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• Highest number of enrolment of students in government schools and recruitment of teachers happened in Uttar Pradesh. The Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) in 2021-22 is 26 for primary, 19 for upper primary, 18 for secondary and 27 for higher secondary. This is a significant progress when compared to the 2018-19 figures. In 2021-22, around 12.29 crore girls enrolled in primary to higher secondary education. This is an increase of 8.19 lakh when compared with the 2020-21 report. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) was launched at the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27). The Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) is an intergovernmental alliance that seeks to expand and hasten the progress towards the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems. The alliance will raise global awareness about the role of mangroves as a nature-based climate change solution. It will ensure the rehabilitation of mangrove forests at the global level. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Its members include the UAE, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, and Spain. The newly formed alliance adopted a voluntary approach. The alliance will support projects implemented by the member countries in areas of mangrove research, management and protection of coastal areas and public education focusing on climate mitigation and adaptation. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• Its members can determine their own commitments towards planting and restoring mangrove forests, promoting multilateral cooperation and knowledge sharing. Collectively, the members of the Alliance will demonstrate their commitment towards maximizing the potential of nature-based solutions via the expansion of mangrove ecosystems and conservation campaigns. It will also enhance mangrove ecosystems’ climate change mitigation capabilities by promoting innovation and research as well as scientific and socio-economic studies. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• A new species of estuarine crab named Pseudohelice annamalai was discovered in Cuddalore District in Tamil Nadu. The species Pseudohelice annamalai was discovered at the mangroves in Parangipettai, close to the Vellar River estuary in Cuddalore district. The species’ name recognizes 100 years of service by Annamalai University in the areas of research and education. The new species is small, with a maximum width of 20 mm. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It dwells in muddy banks of mangroves. Its burrows are situated close to the pneumatophores of Avicennia mangroves. The burrows are 25-30 cm deep and are branched, with larger pellets around the entrance. The new species is found across the Indian Subcontinent and the eastern Indian Ocean. It is identified by the presence of dark purple to dark gray hue, with irregular light brown, yellowish brown or white patches on the posterior carapace. Its chelipeds are light brown in color. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The new species is not aggressive and can move at a fast pace like intertidal crabs. Before the discovery of Pseudohelice annamalai, only two species had been identified from the genus Pseudohelice. They are Pseudohelice sub quadrata and Pseudohelice latreilli. The discovery marks the first ever recorded finding of the genus from the high intertidal areas in front of the Centre of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Marine Biology, Annamalai University. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The Indian Government recently completed the Mother Tongue Survey of India (MTSI) project. The Mother Tongue Survey of India (MTSI) project is implemented by the Central Government to conduct surveys of mother tongues that are returned consistently across 2 or more Census decades. According to the Home Ministry’s annual report for 2021-22, the MTSI project was successfully completed, with field videography of India’s 576 languages. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• According to the 2011 linguistic census data released in 2018, more than 19,500 languages or dialects are spoken as mother tongues in India. “Mother tongue” is a designation provided by the survey’s respondent. It need not be identical to the actual linguistic medium. 43.6 percent of the population (52.8 crore people) declared Hindi to be their mother tongue, making it the most widely spoken mother tongue in India. The second highest spoken mother tongue is Bengali. 9.7 crore people or 8 percent of the population speak the language. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The report also stated that, to preserve and analyze the original flavor of each indigenous mother tongue, The NIC and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) is currently documenting and preserving the linguistic data of the surveyed mother tongues in video-audio files. The data will be stored in the web-archive that will be set up at the National Informatics Centre (NIC). Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund was announced by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) at the India Pavilion of COP27. Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund (IRAF) is a multi-partner trust fund set up by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). This multi-donor trust fund was established with the assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The initial focus of this fund will be on supporting island states in the Pacific region. In this regard, Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) is one of the first initiatives supported by the IRAF. The fund will be managed by the United Nation Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (UN MPTFO) in New York. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) was launched in 2019 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York. It brings together governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and knowledge institutions to boost resilience of the new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster related risks and help support sustainable development. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The Central Government recently released the framework for the proposed sovereign Green Bond. Green bonds are financial instruments that generate proceeds for the investments in environmentally-suitable and climate friendly projects. These instruments have lower capital cost than regular bonds.The Green Bonds Framework was released by the Indian Government on November 9, 2022. As per this framework, the payments of principal and interest on the Green Bonds will not rely on the eligible projects’ performance.  Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The Indian Government announced at the Union Budget 2022-23 that it will issue its maiden sovereign green bonds in the present financial year. The government announced that it would auction Rs.16,000 worth of green bonds during the second half of FY2023. This accounts for a fraction of the Central Government’s borrowing programme for October-March. The Indian Government had set up a Green Finance Working Committee headed by the Chief Economic Adviser to select eligible projects for financing via green bonds. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• The Union Ministry of Finance has the right to make any changes in the Green Bonds Framework, the modifications made will be reviewed by an independent organization. The framework was reviewed by the Norway-based CICERO Shades of Green – a firm that provides second opinions on green bond frameworks. The framework has been rated “Medium Green” with a “Good” governance score by CICERO. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• A new study titled “Reducing the burden of anaemia in Indian women of reproductive age with clean-air targets” has found a link between the PM 2.5 pollutants and the prevalence of anaemia. It was conducted by researchers from institutions and organizations in India, the US and China. According to the new study, PM 2.5 sources – sulphate and black carbon – are more associated with anaemia than organics and dust. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Anaemia is a condition that is characterized by the lack of healthy blood cells required for carrying adequate oxygen to tissues. It is often accompanied by a disease in red blood cells and depleted blood hemoglobin concentration. It is among the major contributors to the global disease burden. Women of reproductive age may suffer from regular iron deficiency due to the mensuration. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• India is currently one of the countries having the highest prevalence of anaemia among women of reproductive age. According to the study, for every 10 microgram/cubic meter of air increase in ambient PM 2.5 exposure, the average anaemia prevalence among women of reproductive age increases by 7.23 per cent. The findings of the study suggest that the clean energy transition can accelerate India’s progress towards achieving the ‘anaemia-free’ mission target. Hence, statement 3 is correct.