• May 10, 2023

Bluesky

Tags: paper: GS 3/Science and Technology 

In News

• Bluesky has emerged as a potential contender for Twitter’s throne.

What is Bluesky?

• It is a microblogging platform and social web based on the Authenticated Transport Protocol (AT Protocol).

• Jay Graber, a software engineer with experience in cryptocurrency, is the CEO of Bluesky.

Bluesky was founded in 2019 by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, who selected Ms. Graber as the project’s leader.

• Bluesky may be classified as a competitor to Twitter based on its founding team, but its structure is distinct because it is intended to be part of a decentralized ecosystem.

• It aims to “develop and drive large-scale adoption of technologies for open and decentralized public conversation.”

• Features:  Bluesky is currently in private beta, which means that only a select group of individuals with invite codes have access.
• Regular Bluesky members are periodically provided with a new invite code to share with new applicants they deem trustworthy.
• Platform users can also set their domains as their handles, making it simpler to link their accounts across ecosystems and verify their identity.

• Moderation of content: It It is easier to restrict signups than it is to clean up network abuse after allowing a large number of users in quickly.
• Bluesky will moderate content using automated filtering, manual admin actions, and community labeling. Users who promote hatred or victimization have also been banned from the platform.

• Difference between Bluesky and Mastodon
• Bluesky and Mastodon both strive to be decentralised social media platforms, Bluesky is still highly controlled by its team of creators, and entry is based on an invite code. 
• Mastodon has multiple servers that users can join or apply to join, making it less controlled in terms of entry.
• Mastodon is also older, going back to 2016. Its servers saw over 2.5 million active users late last year.
• But there are many complaints like Mastodon’s multiple server structure confused users, and that it lacked a significant user base. 
• Bluesky is newer and opting for a more regimented release of its product.

Source: TH

Revised numbers for India’s goods trade

 Tags: Paper:GS 3/Economy

In News

Initial estimates for India’s goods trade for February and March 2023 have been revised upwards by over $10 billion.

Major Highlights 

• The overall export-import figures for last year have been revised downward by approximately $3 billion each, with petroleum shipments identified as the primary reason for the astronomically large revisions to recent export data.
• The fact that India’s oil imports from Russia increased after the Ukraine conflict may have contributed to the fluctuating petroleum trade figures.
• In contrast, the changes to core export items or segments such as gems and jewelry have been negligible.
• Originally projected to reach $447.46 billion in 2022-23, exports are now projected to reach $444.4 billion, representing a 5.3% increase from 2021-22. The import bill for the previous year has been reduced from $714.24 billion to $711.85 billion, representing an increase of 16.1%.
• The trade deficit for the year has increased by 40.8% to $267.45 billion, exceeding the earlier estimate of 40% by a small margin.
• The initial estimate of $33.9 billion for February exports of goods has been revised up to approximately $37 billion, a nearly $3.1 billion increase.
• The month’s import bill was revised upward by more than $1.93 billion, the second-largest monthly increase after December’s $3.08 billion increase.
• In contrast, March exports appear to have been revised downward by $3.03 billion from the initial estimate of $38.38 billion to $35.35 billion, representing a sharp 20.7% decline year-over-year and placing the value of outbound shipments at nearly the same level as March 2021.

Issues and Concerns

• It is very puzzling and raises uncertainty on the outlook for India’s current account deficit and thereby rupee. With average monthly upward revision in net trade deficit to the tune of $1.5 billion, the cumulative for the year could add up to $18 billion. 
• Such sizeable revision in trade deficit data turns analysis somewhat challenging.

Suggestions 

• There is a  need for a greater understanding of the trigger for the higher data revisions in recent months and the context for greater concentration of these revisions in the petroleum sector
• Hence Measures need to be taken accordingly.

Source: TH

Petersberg Climate Dialogue

Tags: Paper : GS3/ Environmental Pollution & Degradation

In News

• On May 2 and 3, 2023, the Petersberg Dialogue on Climate Change was held in Berlin.

 More about the news

• Germany and the United Arab Emirates, which is hosting the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, hosted the Petersberg Climate Dialogue.

• Ministers from 40 nations attended the conference to discuss the next steps leading up to COP28.

• Topics of conversation at the event included the global renewables target, climate finance, and Global Stocktake.

Summit highlights

• Global renewables target
• According to members, in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C, greenhouse gas emissions must be drastically reduced.
• In addition, they initiated discussions regarding a potential global renewable energy target at the upcoming climate conference.
• Fossil fuels: Should production be phased out or emissions reduced?
• Members agreed to be laser-focused on phasing out fossil fuel emissions while simultaneously phasing in viable, cost-effective zero-carbon alternatives.
• They advocated a tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030, followed by a doubling by 2040, and their speech centered on reducing fossil fuel ’emissions’.
• On track for $100 billion in climate finance:  According to members, developed nations are “on track” to deliver the $100 billion per year they pledged to mobilize by 2020 at COP15 in 2009.
• Although this is positive news, achieving the $100 billion target by 2023 may be a bit late.
• One hundred billion dollars is likely a gross underestimate of the true need for climate finance in developing nations.
• A recent estimate places the annual climate finance requirement for emerging markets alone at $1 trillion by 2030.
• This means that climate finance needs are more than ten times the amount that developed countries have been able to mobilize, fourteen years after committing to $100 billion.
• Global Stocktake:  The Global Stocktake will occur in 2023.
• Global Stocktake is essentially a periodic review of global climate action that aims to assess whether current efforts will allow us to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals.
• This is the first Global Stocktake since the 2015 signing of the Paris Agreement, and work on the report has been ongoing for the past two years.
• Stocktake outcomes: Members noted that the Global Stocktake outcome should concentrate on how climate change impacts, actions, and responses impact the developmental priorities of developing countries, including the eradication of poverty.
• The first Global Stocktake should aim to convey a message on sustainable lifestyles and consumption to inform the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions and bolster international cooperation.
• According to members, in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C, greenhouse gas emissions must be drastically reduced.
• They also initiated discussions regarding a possible global renewable energy target at the upcoming climate conference.
• Fossil fuels: Should production be phased out or emissions reduced?
• Members agreed to be laser-focused on phasing out fossil fuel emissions while simultaneously phasing in viable, cost-effective zero-carbon alternatives.
• They advocated a tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030, followed by a doubling by 2040, and their speech centered on reducing fossil fuel ’emissions’.
• On track for $100 billion in climate finance:  According to members, developed nations are “on track” to deliver the $100 billion per year they pledged to mobilize by 2020 at COP15 in 2009.
• Although this is positive news, achieving the $100 billion target by 2023 may be a bit late.
• One hundred billion dollars is likely a gross underestimate of the true need for climate finance in developing nations.
• A recent estimate places the annual climate finance requirement for emerging markets alone at $1 trillion by 2030.
• This means that climate finance needs are more than ten times the amount that developed countries have been able to mobilize, fourteen years after committing to $100 billion.
• Global Stocktake:  2023 is the year for the Global Stocktake. The Global Stocktake is essentially a periodic review of global climate action that aims to assess whether current efforts will allow us to meet the Paris Agreement’s objectives.
• This is the first Global Stocktake year since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015, and work on the report has been ongoing for the past two years; it will be published in September 2023.

 Stocktaking results:

• Members noted that the outcome of the Global Stocktake should focus on how climate change impacts, actions, and responses affect the developmental priorities of developing nations, such as the eradication of poverty.
• The first Global Stocktake should aim to convey a message on sustainable lifestyles and consumption to inform the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions and bolster international cooperation.
  • .

Way ahead:

• Although the $100 billion pledge could have been met this year, the current needs have increased significantly. This highlights the urgent need for monetary compensation.
• The world will assess its progress on the Paris Agreement at COP28 UAE.
• The first Global Stocktake (GST) will provide an in-depth assessment of progress made since the adoption of the Paris Agreement.
• This will facilitate the alignment of climate action efforts, including the implementation of measures to close gaps in progress.

Source: TH

Syria’s return to the Arab League

Tags: GS2

More about the news

• Suspension of membership:  Syria’s membership in the Arab League was suspended 12 years ago, at the beginning of the uprising-turned-conflict that has killed nearly half a million people since March 2011 and displaced half of the country’s pre-war population of 23 million.

• Jordanian initiative:  Jordan recently hosted regional talks with Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, and Syria representatives.

 They reached an agreement on a framework known as the “Jordanian initiative” that would gradually reintegrate Damascus into the Arab fold.

All thirteen of the twenty-two member states present at the session supported the decision.

In general, the Arab League seeks to reach agreements through consensus, but occasionally opts for simple majorities.

• Conflict in Sudan: The conflict in Sudan is also on the agenda of the league’s meeting, as Arab governments attempt to stabilize a fragile ceasefire in the ongoing fighting, which has killed hundreds of people in recent weeks.

Significance

• Commitment to a dialogue:  The decision for Syria’s return includes a commitment to an ongoing dialogue with Arab governments to reach a political resolution to the conflict in accordance with the resolution of the United Nations Security Council.

 The Arab League also established a communications committee, comprised of Saudi Arabia and Syria’s neighbors Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq, to monitor the situation.

• Syria’s willingness to cooperate: In addition to commitments to a gradual resolution of the conflict, the decision welcomed the Syrian Government’s willingness to cooperate with Arab countries to resolve “humanitarian, security, and political” crises affecting Syria and the region as a result of the conflict, namely refugees, “the threat of terrorism and drug smuggling”.

• Earthquake as a catalyst:  The Arab rapprochement with Syria accelerated after a devastating earthquake shattered portions of the war-torn country. The quake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, was a catalyst for further normalisation throughout the Arab world, including regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran re-establishing ties in Beijing, which had previously backed opposing sides in the conflict.

Challenge

• There is still no Arab consensus on normalisation with Syria.

 • Several governments did not attend the meeting.

• Qatar, which continues to support opposition groups against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad and continues to oppose normalisation with Syria, was among the most notable absentees.

Syrian Crisis

• Pre conflict scenario:
• Even before the conflict began, many Syrians complained about high unemployment, corruption, and a lack of political freedom under President Bashar al-Assad, who succeeded his father Hafez in 2000 after the latter’s passing.
• Beginning of uprisings:
• In March 2011, pro-democracy demonstrations erupted in the southern city of Deraa, inspired by uprisings in neighbouring countries against repressive rulers.
• The unrest:
• When the Syrian government used lethal force to suppress dissent, nationwide protests demanding the resignation of the president erupted. The unrest spread and the repression intensified.
• Supporters of the opposition took up armaments, initially to defend themselves and then to clear their regions of security forces.
• Mr. Assad pledged to crush “foreign-backed terrorism”

Civil War:

• The violence escalated rapidly, and the nation descended into civil war.
• Hundreds of rebel factions emerged, and it did not take long for the conflict to become more than a struggle between pro- and anti-Assad Syrians.
• Syria’s Kurds, who desire autonomy but have not fought against Assad’s forces, have introduced a new dimension to the conflict.

Involvement of foreign powers:

• As the disorder worsened, extremist jihadist groups with their own goals, such as the Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda, became involved.
• This heightened concern among the international community, which viewed them as a significant threat.
• During the conflict, Russia and Iran have been the primary backers of the government, while Turkey, Western powers, and several Gulf Arab states have supported the opposition to varying degrees.

Issues faced by Syria

• Deaths:
• According to the UN, more than 5,900 people were killed in Syria and 8.8 million were affected.
• Infrastructure destruction: o Thousands of homes and vital infrastructure were destroyed, leaving many families without food, water, or shelter.
• Access to medical care for the sick and injured is severely limited because only half of the country’s hospitals are fully operational.
• In addition to the violence, more than half of Syria’s 22 million pre-war population has been forced to flee their homes.
• Approximately 6.8 million people are internally displaced, with over 2 million residing in tent camps with limited access to basic services.
• Six million more individuals are refugees or asylum-seekers abroad.

• Inflation:  The disaster occurred at a time when food and fuel prices in Syria were already soaring due to rampant inflation and the collapse of its currency, as well as the global crisis exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine.

• Destruction of cultural heritage: o A significant portion of Syria’s rich cultural heritage has also been destroyed.

IS militants deliberately detonated portions of the ancient city of Palmyra, causing significant damage to all six of the country’s Unesco World Heritage sites.

Way ahead

• The UN Security Council has called for the implementation of the 2012 Geneva Communiqué, which envisages a transitional governing body “formed on the basis of mutual consent”.
• It does not look like it will anytime soon, but everyone agrees a political solution is required.

Source: TH

Switching on India’s smart electricity future

Tags: Syllabus: GS3/ Conservation/Environmental Pollution & Degradation

In Context

• In India, more than 5.5 million smart meters have been installed, and more than 100 million have been approved.
• By 2025-26, it is planned to replace 250 million conventional electric meters with prepaid smart meters.

What are intelligent meters?

• A smart meter is an electronic device that logs data such as electric energy consumption, voltage levels, current, and power factor.

• Smart meters communicate the information to the consumer for a clearer understanding of consumption behavior, as well as to electricity suppliers for system monitoring and customer billing.

• Smart meters typically record energy consumption in close proximity to real-time and report at regular, short intervals throughout the day.

Smart Meter National Programme

• In an effort to rapidly achieve its stated objective of pan-Indian universal electricity access, the government of India is enabling Smart Grids that can provide consumers with affordability and other benefits.

• The implementation of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is the first step towards realizing Smart Grids.

 The goals of AMI are:

• Remote meter reading for error-free data, identification of network problems, load profiling, energy audit, and partial load curtailment in lieu of load shedding.
• The Smart Meter National Programme is being implemented nationwide to install smart meters.
• The program is being administered by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Ministry of Power-affiliated JV of government-owned corporations.

Significance

• According to a recent study conducted by the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), the majority of smart meter users have already begun to reap the benefits of the technology.
• The study included approximately 2,700 urban households in six states with prepaid or postpaid smart meters.
• Half of the users reported that billing consistency had improved, and two-thirds said that paying bills had become simpler.
• Approximately forty percent of users mentioned multiple co-benefits, such as a greater sense of control over their electricity expenses, a decrease in instances of electricity theft, and an improvement in the local power supply.
• In fact, 70% of prepaid smart meter users said they would recommend the technology to their friends and family. These findings provide assurance that India’s transition to smart metering is proceeding in the right direction.

Issues

• Users also encountered some difficulties. For example: o Half of users were not utilizing the o Many users were unable to access detailed electricity bills, leaving them unsure of their bill computation and deductions.
• Solving these issues will facilitate the implementation of smart meters in India.

 Suggestions

• User-centric design:  As India advances toward its vision of a financially stable and digitized power sector via smart metering interventions, it must pursue a user-centric design and deployment strategy.
• Sensitization: The Ministry of Power should lead a nationwide campaign to educate consumers on the advantages of smart meters and increase the adoption of smart meter apps.
• Accessibility of Apps: The apps should be accessible to users from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and provide actionable tips and information. This is important, as user satisfaction with smart meters is correlated with their ability to access and decipher online bills and their perception of the benefits of technology.
• High user satisfaction in Assam and high adoption of the mobile app in Bihar indicate opportunities for discoms in other states to learn how to scale smart meter usage.
• Role of Discoms:  The vast majority of smart meters in India are being installed by Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Providers (AMISPs), which are responsible for the installation and peration of the AMI system for the duration of the project (10 years).
• Discoms must work closely with AMISPs to ensure a seamless installation and recharging process for users, and to utilize smart meter data for revenue protection and consumer engagement.
• To accomplish this, discoms will need to bolster their internal capacity through staffing and training initiatives.
• Innovation & solutions:  Discoms, system integrators, and technology providers must work together to develop innovative and scalable data solutions.
• Effective utilization of smart meter data is crucial for realizing their full value proposition.
• This would necessitate an ecosystem that fosters innovation in analytics, data hosting and sharing platforms, and permits key actors to test and scale new solutions collaboratively.
• Policymakers’ and regulators’ responsibilities: o Policymakers and regulators must strengthen regulations to enable consumers to access new retail markets.
• Currently, important provisions regarding the phasing out of paper bills, arrear adjustment, frequency of recharge alerts, buffer time, rebates, and data privacy are dispersed across various regulatory orders or are simply absent.
• Their incorporation into existing State frameworks will be essential for end users to enjoy a positive technological experience.
• Regulators must also facilitate tariff design simplification and innovation and open the retail market to new business models and prosumers (producers, consumers, and storage users).
• Recent amendments to the Electricity Rules proposed by the Ministry of Power would enable time-variable tariffs for all smart meter users.

Way ahead

• India is on a unique path to meet its growing electricity demand while decarbonizing its generation sources.

 • Smart meters are an essential part of the transition toolkit, as they enable responsible consumption, efficient energy management, and cost-effective integration of distributed energy resources. Critical to the success of India’s smart metering initiative is a design and deployment philosophy centered on the user.

Source: LM

Commission For Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT)

Tags: paper : GS2/ Education, GS2/Polity

News

• The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) is developing a scientific and technical terminology in 10 underrepresented Indian languages.

About

• These 10 languages are Bodo, Santhali, Dogri, Kashmiri, Konkani, Nepali, Manipuri, Sindhi, Maithili, and Sanskrit.
• These are among the 22 official languages of India’s Eighth Schedule; however, there is a dearth of study materials written in them, primarily due to a lack of words to describe scientific phenomena and technical terms. In this context, the CSTT will publish basic dictionaries containing 5,000 words per language.
• Significance: The move is significant because the National Education Policy 2020 promotes the use of regional languages as a medium of instruction in schools and colleges.

Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT)

• Responsibility: Its responsibility is to develop standard technical terminology in all Indian languages. It also publishes the journals ‘Vigyan Garima Sindhu’ and ‘Gyan Garima Sindhu’ on a quarterly basis.

• Context: It was established in 1961 by Presidential Order under Article 344 (4) of the Indian Constitution. The subject of Article 344 is “Commission and Committee of Parliament on Official Language.”

It operates under the Department of Higher Education of the Union Ministry of Education.

• Headquarters: New Delhi.

List of languages in the Eighth Schedule

• The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution includes the 22 languages listed below: (1) Assamese, (2) Bengali, (3) Gujarati, (4) Hindi, (5) Kannada, (6) Kashmiri, (7) Konkani, (8) Malayalam, (9) Manipuri, (10) Marathi, (11) Nepali, (12) Oriya, (13) Punjabi, (14) Sanskrit, (15) Sindhi, (16) Tamil, (17) Telugu, (18) Urdu (19) Bodo, (20) Santhali, (21) Maithili and (22) Dogri.

• Fourteen of these languages were initially incorporated into the Constitution in 1950.

In 1967, the Sindhi language was added.

• Three additional languages, namely Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali, were added in 1992.

• In 2004, Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were added to the list.

Source: TH

Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Paper: GS2/Health, GS3/Science & Technology

News

• The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced that Covid-19 is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and that the focus will now shift to the long-term management of the infection

Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

• Definition: A public health emergency is defined as “an extraordinary event that is determined to pose a threat to the public health of other states through the international spread of disease and that may necessitate a coordinated international response.”
•  Coverage: A PHEIC is not limited to infectious diseases; it may also cover emergencies caused by chemical agent or radioactive material exposure.
• Three conditions must be met for a disease to be declared a public health emergency. i.e., whether the disease/event 1) constitutes an extraordinary event, 2) poses a threat to the public health of other nations due to its international spread, and 3) may necessitate a coordinated international response.
• Consequences: Under the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005, states are required by law to respond promptly to a PHEIC. Declaring a PHEIC may result in travel and trade restrictions for the host nation.
• Who proclaims it? Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for declaring an event to be an emergency. In order to declare a PHEIC, the WHO Director-General must consult with a committee of international experts, the IHR Emergency Committee (EC).
• In the past decade, WHO has declared public health emergencies for outbreaks such as the 2009 H1N1 (or swine flu) pandemic, the 2013–2016 Ebola outbreak in Western Africa, the 2014 polio declaration, the 2015–2016 Zika virus epidemic, the 2018–2020 Kivu Ebola epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing 2022–2023 mpox outbreak.

Designation of Covid-19 as PHEIC

• COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Common COVID?19 symptoms include fever, cough, headache, fatigue, difficulty breathing, loss of smell, and loss of taste.

• Context: The viral infection was discovered after China reported a cluster of pneumonia cases from Wuhan on December 31, 2019 with no known cause. The rapid global spread of the disease resulted in the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Cases/Deaths: India has reported 4.43 billion cases and 5.30 million deaths attributable to Covid-19. Globally, the number of infections has surpassed 76.5 billion, resulting in 69.2 million deaths.

• Designation as PHEIC: In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the novel coronavirus infection as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), a designation that lasted for more than three years.

• Why has the WHO now discontinued the designation? In the past three years, doctors and researchers have discovered transmission methods; improved, less expensive, and point-of-care diagnostics; medicines that prevent viral replication; and vaccines that can prevent severe disease.

Image Courtesy: IE

Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

Tags: Syllabus GS2/Health, GS3/Science & Technology

In News

• The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes COVID-19. Frequent COVID? Fever, cough, headache, fatigue, difficulty breathing, loss of smell, and loss of taste are among the 19 symptoms.

• Context: The viral infection was discovered after China reported a cluster of pneumonia cases from Wuhan with no known cause on December 31, 2019. The disease’s rapid global spread caused the COVID-19 pandemic.

India has reported 4.43 billion cases and 5.30 million deaths attributed to Covid-19. Infections have surpassed 76.5 billion worldwide, resulting in 69.2 million deaths.

• Designation as PHEIC: The World Health Organization (WHO) designated the novel coronavirus infection as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in January 2020. This designation lasted for more than three years.

• Why has the WHO terminated the designation now? In the past three years, doctors and researchers have discovered transmission methods, improved, less expensive point-of-care diagnostics, antiviral medications, and vaccines that can prevent severe disease.

National NCD Portal

• The Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Non-Communicable Disease (CPHC NCD IT) mobile application (or software) rolled out under the programme for screening and management will now be known as the National NCD Portal.

• The portal enables population enumeration, risk assessment, and screening for five prevalent NCDs, including hypertension, diabetes, oral, breast, and cervical cancers, in the over-30 population.

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in India

• According to an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study titled ‘India: Health of the Nation’s States – The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative in 2017’, the proportion of deaths in India attributable to noncommunicable diseases increased from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.1% in 2016.

• The four major NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs), and diabetes, which share four behavioural risk factors: an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

Source: TH