Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 25 April 2024 | Download PDF

National and International News

• Almost 282 million people suffered from acute hunger in 2023, according to a UN-led report.
• The report said that conflicts, extreme weather events and economic shocks were fueling food insecurity worldwide.

About Global report on food crises:

• The Food Security Information Network (FSIN) released a global report on food crises, describing the outlook as “bleak”.
• The report noted an increase of 24 million people facing food insecurity in 2023 compared to 2022.
• The report was a joint effort by several UN agencies, the European Union, various government bodies, and NGOs.
• Major food crises were ongoing in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Syria, and Yemen.

• The External Affairs Minister of India (EAM) spoke at the First ASEAN Future Forum virtually.
• He highlighted the synergy between India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IIPOI) and the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

Key points:

• This synergy provides a strong framework of cooperation, addressing challenges to comprehensive security.
• EAM emphasized that ASEAN is central to India’s Act East policy and is a crucial pillar in India’s wider Indo-Pacific mission.
• He called for the global south to present its perspective and assume a greater role in international affairs.
• He stressed the importance of respecting and facilitating freedom of navigation, overflight, and unimpeded commerce.

• The Central government has plans to upgrade the NCS portal.
• The upgrade aims to link millions of youths with prospective employers.
• The ultimate goal is to prepare a future-ready workforce.

About NCS

• National Career Service (NCS) is a mission-mode project under the E-Governance Plan, launched in 2015.
• The portal provides online career counseling and vocational guidance to its registered users.
• It aims to help jobseekers make informed career choices based on their qualifications, skills, and interests.
• NCS provides a nation-wide online platform for job seekers and employers for efficient and responsive job-matching.
• The NCS portal is implemented by the Directorate General of Employment, Ministry of Labour & Employment.

• Nuclear energy can be utilized to stimulate the production of ‘pink’ hydrogen in India.
• This can be achieved by amending the nuclear law.

About Pink hydrogen:

• Pink Hydrogen is generated through electrolysis powered by nuclear energy.
• It can also be referred to as purple hydrogen or red hydrogen.
• The very high temperatures from nuclear reactors could be used in other hydrogen productions by producing steam for more efficient electrolysis or fossil gas-based steam methane reforming.
• Nuclear power offers significant advantages for pink hydrogen production, including reducing production costs and emissions.
• Applications of Pink Hydrogen:
  • Promising replacement for fossil fuels in the cement industry, steel industry, aviation and heavy transportation.
  • Can be used as a feedstock and energy source with no greenhouse gas emissions.

• The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research report details the conditions that have led to significant changes in Antarctic ice.
• These conditions have caused an unprecedented hindrance in the expansion of Antarctic ice.
• Additionally, these conditions have led to the retreat of Antarctic ice.

About National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research:

• It is an autonomous research institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), established in 1998.
• It is India’s premier R&D institution responsible for the country’s research activities in the Polar and Southern Ocean realms.
• The institute is tasked with planning and executing polar expeditions and scientific research in Antarctica, Arctic, Himalayas and Southern Ocean.
• It undertakes research on strategically vital projects like mapping of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), continental shelf margins and the Deep Ocean Mission.
• It is located in Vasco da Gama, Goa and was formerly known as the National Center for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR).

• A recent study published in the Nature journal forecasts a substantial economic impact due to climate change by 2050.
• The global economy is expected to suffer a 19% income reduction, while India may face a higher loss of 22%, surpassing the global average by three percent.

Key Findings of the Study:

• Conducted by researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impacts Research in Germany, the study projects an alarming annual global loss of $38 trillion by 2050, despite efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
• Various regions, notably South Asia and Africa, are anticipated to bear severe consequences, including reduced agricultural yields, lower labor productivity, and infrastructure challenges.

Primary Drivers of Economic Setbacks:

• Primary drivers of these damages include rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and increased weather variability, with potential exacerbations from extreme weather events such as storms or wildfires.
• Highly developed countries like the European Union, Germany, France, and the United States are also vulnerable, with projected income reductions ranging from 11% to 13% within the next 25 years.

Urgent Need for Adaptation Measures:

• Urgent adaptation measures and significant emission reductions are emphasized to mitigate economic losses, which could escalate up to 60% globally by 2100 if unaddressed.
• Lead researcher Leonie Wenz highlights the cost-effectiveness of investing in climate protection compared to the mounting economic toll, emphasizing broader non-economic impacts like loss of life and biodiversity.

Advocacy for Renewable Energy Sources:

• The study advocates for a transition towards renewable energy sources to safeguard economic stability and prevent catastrophic consequences, stressing the necessity of moving away from fossil fuels for long-term planetary health and financial security.

• The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Susanta Nanda, reported that 26 fire alerts were received in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
• The alerts were effectively handled by an ODRAF (Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force) team.

About:

• Similipal draws its name from the abundant presence of the ‘Simul’ tree, also known as the silk cotton tree.
• Recognized as a tiger reserve in 1956, it was incorporated into Project Tiger in 1973. 
• Later, in June 1994, the Government of India declared it a biosphere reserve. 
• Since 2009, it has been included in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
• Similipal is a vital part of the Similipal-Kuldiha-Hadgarh Elephant Reserve, commonly referred to as the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve. 
• This encompasses three protected areas: Similipal Tiger Reserve, Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary, and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Located in the northern region of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, it occupies the eastern extremity of the Eastern Ghats mountain range. 
• Covering an extensive area of 4,374 square kilometers, the biosphere reserve comprises 845 square kilometers of core forest designated as the tiger reserve, along with a buffer area of 2,129 square kilometers and a transition zone spanning 1,400 square kilometers.

• Hundreds of jellyfish carcasses have been discovered along Gopalpur Beach in Odisha’s Ganjam district.
• Environmentalists and nature enthusiasts are concerned about this discovery, and the exact cause of the jellyfish deaths is yet to be determined.
• Southern winds and tide patterns can cause jellyfish to come ashore, where they struggle to return to sea due to their slow movement, eventually leading to their deaths. Such incidents occur annually.
• Dr. Anil Mohapatra, a scientist from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), explained that jellyfish reproduce during this season, leading to a surge in their numbers.

About:

• A jellyfish is a marine creature classified under the phylum Cnidaria, which includes sea anemones, sea whips, and corals. 
• Like other members of this phylum, jellyfish have body parts that extend from a central axis. 
• They are found in oceans worldwide, varying in size and shape.
• Jellyfish have a soft, transparent, umbrella-shaped bell that contracts and expands for movement. 
• Their tentacles hang from the bell, containing tiny stinging cells used to stun or paralyze prey before consumption. 
• Waste is expelled and food is consumed through an opening in the bell, which serves as their mouth.

• The Odisha government has extended its “Anwesha” program(free residential school programme for needy ST and SC children) to 17 districts in the state, benefiting 22,340 children.
• Selected through a lottery system from BPL families in remote areas, these children stay in 98 Anwesha hostels located within 163 English medium schools in urban areas.

Objective and Support

• The program aims to integrate these children into mainstream education by offering a conducive environment for their overall development.
• Specialized subject teachers in Mathematics, English, and Science, along with other tutors, act as “after-school mentors” to the enrolled students.

Facilities Provided:

• The program provides indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, a nutritious diet, and all necessary study materials to the students.

Impact and Testimonials:

• • Parents have expressed gratitude for the program, highlighting its positive impact on their children’s academic and extracurricular activities.
• Anwesha has become a second home for many students, providing them with study materials and a wellness grant of Rs 200 per month.

Program Expansion and Future

• Initially launched as a pilot project, the program has expanded its reach and impact, benefiting thousands of students from ST and SC categories.
• The program’s success has led to its extension for another five years, ensuring continued support for needy students.

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