07-Oct-2023-Daily-Current-Affairs

ALIGNING HIGHER EDUCATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS SDGS

GS 2 (SOCIETY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE): SOURCE – THE HINDU

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Global goals with 169 targets aimed at addressing poverty, socio-economic issues, and environmental challenges by 2030. All 193 UN member states committed to them.

Current Progress and Challenges: SDGs Report 2023 shows slow progress due to factors like COVID-19, climate crises, conflicts, and weak global economy, with Least Developed Countries, including India, facing more setbacks.

India’s Commitment: Actively pursuing SDGs, especially SDG4 (quality education).

Ex: National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aligns with SDGs.

Higher Education’s Role: Crucial for social mobility, critical thinking, and employment skills. Aligns with SDGs: poverty reduction (SDG1), hunger prevention (SDG2), health (SDG3), gender equality (SDG5), economic growth (SDG8), and reduced inequalities (SDG10).

Research-Teaching Nexus: Strengthening research-teaching link benefits students with knowledge from ongoing research. Multidisciplinary education prepares students for global challenges (energy, sustainability, climate change).

Sustainable Development: Achieving SDG12 (responsible consumption and production) requires changing production and consumption patterns. Collaboration with private companies, innovation, and value-based education are vital.

Suggestions for Progress:

• Universities should align daily operations with SDGs.
• Enhance university ranking based on SDG achievement.
• Educate and orient stakeholders in higher education toward SDGs.
• Universities should focus on community well-being, energy efficiency, and local development.
• Sustainability should be integral to institutional strategies.
• Integrate higher education into socio-economic development for citizen and nation-building.

REMEMBERING PROFESSOR M.S. SWAMINATHAN: THE FATHER OF INDIA’S GREEN REVOLUTION

GS 3 (ECONOMY): SOURCE – THE HINDU)

Professor M.S. Swaminathan, a visionary in agricultural science, left an indelible mark on India’s progress. His legacy will forever inspire us to strive for agricultural innovation and sustainability.

Early Inspiration: Impacted by the Bengal famine of 1943, Professor Swaminathan dedicated his life to studying agriculture, turning down opportunities abroad to work in India.

Agricultural Challenges: In the first two decades after Independence, India faced food shortages and famine threats. Professor Swaminathan’s pioneering work in wheat breeding catalysed the Indian Green Revolution, making India self-sufficient in food production.

Foundations of Modern Agriculture: His contributions laid the foundation for modern and progressive Indian agriculture. He also researched potato crops and promoted millets as superfoods since the 1990s.

Gujarat’s Agricultural Transformation: During his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, he supported the Soil Health Card initiative, a crucial step towards Gujarat’s agricultural success.

Champion of Small Farmers: Professor Swaminathan focused on improving the lives of small farmers, particularly women. He advocated sustainable agriculture and bridged the gap between scientific knowledge and practical application.

Innovation and Mentorship: After winning the World Food Prize in 1987, he established a research foundation to nurture innovation and mentor countless minds. His life underscores the enduring power of knowledge, mentorship, and innovation.

Institution Builder: Professor Swaminathan contributed to many research centres, including the International Rice Research Institute, where he served as Director. He opened the South Asia Regional Centre of the International Rice Research Institute in Varanasi in 2018.

Professor Swaminathan’s life serves as a testament to the importance of unwavering commitment. His contributions continue to guide agricultural innovation and sustainability.

CLIMATE CHANGE THREATENS TWO IN FIVE AMPHIBIAN SPECIES WITH EXTINCTION

GS 3 (ENVIRONMENT): SOURCE – THE HINDU

A recent study, ‘Ongoing declines for the world’s amphibians in the face of emerging threats,’ published in the journal Nature, reveals the alarming threat of climate change to amphibians, including frogs, salamanders, and caecilians.

Study Details:

• The research analysed two decades of global data and was part of the second global amphibian assessment, coordinated by the Amphibian Red List Authority, managed by wildlife conservation group
• Over 8,000 amphibian species worldwide were assessed for their risk of extinction, including 2,286 species evaluated for the first time.

Disturbing Findings: The study found that two out of every five amphibian species are now at risk of extinction. The data from this assessment will soon be incorporated into the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Climate Change as a Primary Threat: Between 2004 and 2022, climate change emerged as the leading threat pushing more than 300 amphibian species closer to extinction.

• Climate change poses a significant danger to amphibians because they are highly sensitive to environmental changes, including extreme heat, wildfires, droughts, and hurricanes.

Amphibians as Climate Captives: The study emphasizes that amphibians are increasingly becoming “climate captives,” unable to escape the intensifying impacts of climate change due to their limited mobility.

Habitat Destruction: The research also highlights that habitat destruction and degradation impact a staggering 93% of all threatened amphibian species.

It underscores the importance of expanding habitat protection and creating corridors to ensure the survival of these species.

11TH INDIA-UAE JOINT TASK FORCE MEETING ON INVESTMENTS

GS 2 (INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS): SOURCE – TIMES OF INDIA

The 11th meeting of the India-UAE high-level joint task force on investments was held in Abu Dabi. The meeting aimed to review the progress of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and discuss avenues for boosting investment and trade relations between the two nations.

• CEPA Implementation: CEPA, in effect since May 2022, has successfully reduced tariffs on more than 80% of product lines, eliminated trade barriers, and opened up opportunities for joint ventures and investments.
• Bilateral Trade Growth: During the first 12 months of CEPA, bilateral non-oil trade surged to $50.5 billion, marking a 5.8% growth compared to the previous year. India and UAE have set a target of achieving $100 billion in non-oil trade by 2030.
• Bilateral Investment Treaty: The meeting discussed the status of negotiations for the India-UAE bilateral investment treaty.
• Investment Opportunities: Opportunities for investment in key sectors such as renewable energy, health, semiconductors, and asset monetization in India were discussed. Progress on the Fast Track Mechanism for facilitating Indian investments in the UAE was also reviewed.
• India-UAE Start-Up Bridge: The meeting addressed the India-UAE Start-Up Bridge, a joint initiative aimed at offering a platform for knowledge-sharing, training, and collaboration between the two countries’ start-up ecosystems.
• Abu Dhabi – India Virtual Trade Corridor: Both nations discussed the establishment of the Abu Dhabi – India Virtual Trade Corridor, focusing on enhancing trade volumes through paperless trade facilitation and improving efficiency and security.
• Food Security Corridor: The meeting reviewed key projects, including investments under the I2U2 Framework for the food security corridor. This initiative aims to address food security challenges, strengthen the supply chain for essential food items, and enhance bilateral trade.

INDIAN GOVERNMENT ORDERS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO REMOVE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CONTENT

GS 3 (POLITY AND GOVERNANCE): SOURCE – THE HINDU

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in India has instructed YouTube, Telegram, and X (formerly Twitter) to proactively filter out child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from their platforms on the Indian internet.

• Warning to Platforms: The government’s notice warned these platforms that failure to take action could result in the loss of intermediary liability protections. This means the companies could be legally liable, along with the users posting CSAM.

RUPAY DOMESTIC CARD SCHEME

GS 3 (ECONOMY): SOURCE- THE INDIAN EXPRESS

• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has signed an agreement with Al Etihad Payments (AEP), an indirect subsidiary of the Central Bank of UAE.
• As per the agreement, NIPL and AEP will work together to build, implement and operationalize UAE’s national Domestic Card Scheme (DCS).
• The DCS will aim to facilitate the growth of e-commerce and digital transactions in the UAE.
• The services that will be offered by NIPL consists of a RuPay stack and value-added services like fraud monitoring services and analytics. NIPL will also assist AEP in formulating the operating regulations for their domestic card scheme.

 GUIDELINES TO PREVENT STUDENT SUICIDES (UMMEED):

GS 2 (POLITY AND GOVERNANCE): SOURCE – THE INDIAN EXPRESS

The Union Ministry of Education (MoE) has issued draft guidelines aimed at preventing student suicides, titled UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, Develop). These guidelines provide directions to schools to enhance sensitivity, understanding, and support for students dealing with self-harm or suicidal tendencies.

Key Highlights:

1. Formation of School Wellness Team (SWT): Schools are advised to establish a School Wellness Team, led by the school principal. Each team member should receive orientation on crisis management. The SWT plays a crucial role in responding to students exhibiting warning signs.
2. Orientation Programs: The guidelines recommend conducting orientation programs for teachers and family members at least once a year. Schools are responsible for organizing these capacity-building sessions.
3. Immediate Response: The guidelines stress the importance of immediate responses when a student displays warning signs or attempts self-harm. They outline specific actions to be taken by school individuals or members of the wellness team upon encountering such cases.

These guidelines provide a structured approach to address the sensitive issue of student suicides by involving schools, teachers, and family members in prevention and support efforts. UMMEED emphasizes the importance of awareness, prompt action, and teamwork in creating a safer environment for students’ mental health and well-being.