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Recently, the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has launched India’s first manned ocean mission “Samudrayaan” in Chennai. With this Unique Ocean Mission, India joined the elite club of nations such as the US, Russia, France, Japan, and China to have niche technology and vehicles to carry out subsea activities. Important points: It is India’s first unique manned ocean …

Recently, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s Emissions Gap Report 2021 has been published. This is the twelfth edition of the UNEP Emissions Gap Report It informs that the new national climate pledges combined with other mitigation measures put the world on track for a global temperature rise of 2.7°C by the end of the century. Important points: Following …

Recently, the Supreme Court has directed the Supervisory Committee to take an immediate and firm decision on the maximum water level that can be maintained at Mullaperiyar dam amidst torrential rains in Kerala. The Ministry of Jal Shakti has constituted a three-member Supervisory Committee to settle the issue of Mullaperiyar dam between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Important points: For Kerala, where it is …

Recently, a report named G20 Climate Risk Atlas from the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC) has said that G20 (Group of 20) countries including the wealthiest like the US, European countries, and Australia will bear extreme impacts of climate change over the coming years. The first study of its kind, it provides climate scenarios, information, data and future …

Recently, the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) has launched an e-National Level Awareness Programme SAMBHAV. Important points: It is a mass outreach programme under the Ministry of MSME in which students from different colleges/ITIs from all parts of the country will be encouraged by 130 field offices of the Ministry to take up entrepreneurship. During the campaign …

Recently, Indian Scientists have designed a photochemical method (Photocatalyst) to convert Carbon Dioxide (CO2)to Methane (CH4). A photochemical method is a chemical reaction initiated by the absorption of energy in the form of light. Important points: A polymer has been designed to absorb visible light and catalyse the reaction which reduces CO2. Most catalysts contain toxic and …

Recently, the Union Minister of Civil Aviation has released KrishiUdeDeshKaAamNaagrik (UDAN) 2.0 to facilitate movement of agricultural produce by air. It lays out the vision of improving value realization through better integration and optimization of agri-harvesting and air transportation and contributing to agri-value chain sustainability and resilience under different and dynamic conditions. Earlier, ahead of UDAN Day (21st October), the Ministry …

Recently, the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) has developed a poly-herbal medicine called Mastirak Gel to treat Mastitis in Dairy Cattle. NIF is an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), which renovates indigenous technologies based on farmer’s wisdom. Important points: It can improve the udder (Milk producing part) health. It reduces inflammation which is detrimental to …

Recently, a report titled “Mapping India’s Climate Vulnerability – A District-level Assessment” has been released by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) (not-for-profit policy research institution). The report has also launched the first-of-its-kind Climate Vulnerability Index. The index has analysed 640 districts in India and found that 463 of these are vulnerable to extreme floods, droughts …

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, the abundance of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere once again reached a new record last year (2020), with the annual rate of increase above the 2011-2020 average. This is despite the approximately 5.6% drop in fossil fuel CO2 emissionsin 2020 due to restrictions related to the pandemic. Earlier, the WMO released …