Weekly Current Affairs (22nd to 31st August 2023) Part - 1 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Rising Methane Levels and the Threat to Climate Stability

Context: The surge in methane levels in Earth's atmosphere has raised concerns about the planet's ongoing climate transition.

• As methane, a potent greenhouse gas, gains momentum in its growth, it raises questions about whether Earth is undergoing a 'termination-level transition' similar to past climate shifts.

What is Termination-Level Transition?

• The concept of a "termination-level transition" refers to a significant and abrupt shift in Earth's climate from one state to another.
• These transitions are marked by rapid and substantial changes in various climatic factors, which can have far-reaching consequences for the planet's ecosystems, weather patterns, and overall environmental stability.
• Earth's climate has undergone termination-level transitions throughout its history.
• These transitions are often associated with the end of ice ages (It was during the Pleistocene, epoch spanning from approximately 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago, which witnessed the most recent instances of global cooling, or ice ages) and the subsequent shift to warmer interglacial periods.
• Various factors, including changes in ocean currents, and atmospheric composition, can trigger termination-level transitions.

How Does Methane Threaten Warming Limits?

Potency of Methane as a Greenhouse Gas:

• Methane is much more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide(CO₂).
• It has a shorter atmospheric lifespan of less than a decade compared to CO₂'s centuries.
• While present in smaller quantities than CO₂, methane's heat-trapping capacity is approximately 28-36 times stronger over a 100-year period.
• Methane was about 0.7 parts per million (ppm) in the air before humans began burning fossil fuels. Now it is over 1.9 ppm and rising fast.
• This enhanced warming potential intensifies its impact on the greenhouse effect.

Challenges in Limiting Warming:

• The rapid increase in methane levels complicates efforts to limit global warming to safe levels.
• Elevated methane concentrations contribute to the overall greenhouse gas effect, exacerbating temperature rise.
• Rising methane levels can push the planet closer to dangerous temperature thresholds.
• Warming caused by methane can lead to further methane release from thawing permafrost and melting Arctic ice, amplifying its warming effects.

Effects on Ecosystems:

• The increased methane concentrations can impact ecosystems, disrupt natural processes, and affect biodiversity.
• Vulnerable ecosystems, such as wetlands, are particularly sensitive to methane-related changes.

Implications for Sea-Level Rise:

• Elevated methane levels can contribute to sea-level rise by accelerating the melting of polar ice and glaciers.
• Sea-level rise threatens coastal communities and exacerbates the impacts of climate change.

Methane

• Methane is the simplest hydrocarbon, consisting of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms (CH₄).
• It is flammable and is used as a fuel worldwide.
• Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.
• Methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years of its lifetime in the atmosphere.
• Roughly three-fifths of methane emissions come from fossil fuel use, farming, landfills and waste. The remainder is from natural sources, especially vegetation rotting in tropical and northern wetlands.

What are the Initiatives to Tackle Methane Emissions?

Indian:

• ‘Harit Dhara’ (HD): Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed an anti-methanogenic feed supplement ‘Harit Dhara’ (HD), which can cut down cattle methane emissions by 17-20% and can also result in higher milk production.
• India Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Program: The India GHG Program led by WRI India (non-profit organization), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is an industry-led voluntary framework to measure and manage greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The programme builds comprehensive measurement and management strategies to reduce emissions and drive more profitable, competitive and sustainable businesses and organisations in India.
• National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): NAPCC was launched in 2008 which aims at creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat posed by climate change and the steps to counter it.
  • Bharat Stage-VI Norms: India shifted from Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) to Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) emission norms.

Global:

• Methane Alert and Response System (MARS): MARS will integrate data from a large number of existing and future satellites that have the ability to detect methane emission events anywhere in the world, send out notifications to the relevant stakeholders to act on it.
• Global Methane Pledge: At the Glasgow climate conference (UNFCCC COP 26) in 2021, nearly 100 countries had come together in a voluntary pledge, referred to as the Global Methane Pledge, to cut methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 from the 2020 levels.
  • India is not a part of the Global Methane Pledge.
• Global Methane Initiative (GMI): It is an international public-private partnership focused on reducing barriers to the recovery and use of methane as a clean energy source.

Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit

Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated a pilot programme aimed at evaluating the feasibility of a 'Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit', seeking to facilitate seamless and efficient credit delivery by lenders for Credit Appraisal, and therefore boosting Financial Inclusion in India.

• The initiative comes as part of RBI's developmental and regulatory policies and was introduced following the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in August 2023.

Note: Frictionless credit is a borrowing approach that seeks to streamline the lending process for consumers. Unlike the traditional credit systems, where individuals need to go through extensive paperwork, credit checks, and lengthy approval procedures, frictionless credit promises a smoother and faster experience.

What is the Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit?

About:

• Developed by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), It is an end-to-end digital platform that will have an open architecture, open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and standards to which all banks can connect in a "Plug and Play" Model.
• The public tech platform seeks to make this process seamless by providing all the required information in one place to facilitate credit.

Process:

• The process of delivering credit through digital means involves Credit Appraisal, which evaluates the borrower's ability to repay the loan and adhere to the credit agreement.

This process rests on three pillars:

• Adverse selection (information asymmetry between borrowers and lenders)
• Exposure risk measurement
• Default risk assessment.

Key Data Sources:

• The platform would integrate data from central and state governments, Account Aggregators (AA), banks, credit information companies, and digital identity authorities.
• This consolidation would eliminate hindrances and streamline rule-based lending processes.

Scope and Coverage:

• Diverse Loan Types: The platform's scope encompasses digital loans beyond KCC (Kisan Credit Card), including dairy loans, MSME loans without collateral, personal loans, and home loans.
• Data Integration: It will link with various services like Aadhar e-KYC, Aadhar e-signing, land records, satellite data, PAN validation, transliteration, account aggregation by account aggregators (AAs), and more.

What are the Benefits and Outcomes?

Enhanced Credit Portfolio Management:

• The platform's data consolidation will enable improved credit risk assessment and efficient credit portfolio management.

Improved Access to Credit:

• Access to accurate information supports informed and swift credit assessments. This expansion of credit availability benefits borrowers by lowering the cost of capital access.

Reduced Operational Costs:

• The platform addresses operational challenges such as multiple visits and documentation requirements, leading to cost reduction for both lenders and borrowers.
• RBI’s survey indicated that processing of farm loans took two to four weeks and cost about 6% of the loan’s total value.

Efficiency and Scalability:

• The platform's streamlined processes lead to quicker disbursement and scalability, resulting in a more efficient credit ecosystem.
• What is the Significance of Financial Inclusion and Access to Credit in Economic Growth?

Reduced Income Inequality:

• Financial inclusion ensures that all segments of society, including low-income individuals and marginalized groups, have access to essential financial services.
• This empowers them to save, invest, and access credit, reducing income disparities and fostering more equitable economic growth.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation:

• Access to credit enables aspiring entrepreneurs to start and expand businesses.
• This leads to increased job creation, innovation, and economic diversification, all of which contribute to higher GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth and overall prosperity.

Poverty Alleviation:

• Financially excluded individuals often face barriers to economic progress.
• Providing access to credit allows them to invest in education, healthcare, and income-generating activities, breaking the cycle of poverty and enhancing overall human development.

Infrastructure Development:

• Adequate credit access is essential for funding large-scale infrastructure projects. These projects, such as transportation, energy, and communication networks, provide the necessary backbone for sustained economic growth.

Rural Development:

• In agrarian economies, access to credit can enable farmers to invest in modern agricultural practices, leading to increased productivity and rural development. This, in turn, supports overall economic growth.

Financial Stability:

• A well-functioning credit market contributes to financial stability by diversifying funding sources for individuals and businesses. It reduces dependence on informal lending, which can be more volatile and risky.

Chandrayaan-3 Successfully Lands on Moon's South Pole

Context: Chandrayaan-3 has made history by becoming the first mission to soft-land on the lunar south pole, a region that has never been explored before. The mission aimed to demonstrate safe and soft lunar landing, rover mobility, and in-situ scientific experiments.

• India now joins the United States, Russia, and China as one of the few countries to successfully land on the Moon.
• How did Chandrayaan-3 Prevail Over Obstacles Encountered in the Previous Mission?
• Chandrayaan-3's successful landing came after the setback of the Chandrayaan-2 mission's landing failure in 2019.
• The Vikram lander of Chandrayaan-2 had lost control and communication during descent, leading to a crash on the lunar surface.
• Lessons from the Chandrayaan-2 mission were applied to Chandrayaan-3, focusing on a "failure-based" design approach to anticipate and mitigate potential issues.
• Critical changes included strengthening the lander's legs, increasing fuel reserves, and enhancing landing site flexibility.

Why did Chandrayaan-3 Choose Moon's Near Side for Landing?

• Chandrayaan-3 aimed to investigate "permanently shadowed regions" near the South Pole for potential water-ice and resources.
• The Vikram lander's controlled descent achieved one of the closest approaches to the Moon's South Pole.
• While a notable achievement, Vikram's landing occurred on the Moon's near side, unlike China's Chang'e 4 on the far side.
• The near side, visible from Earth due to synchronous rotation, covers 60% of the Moon.
• The far side, though not always in darkness, remained hidden until the Soviet spacecraft Luna 3 captured images in 1959.
• Astronauts aboard the Apollo 8 mission in 1968 became the first humans to observe the far side directly.
• The near side boasts smoother surfaces and numerous 'maria' (large volcanic plains), while the far side features massive craters from asteroid impacts.
• The lunar crust on the near side is thinner, causing volcanic lava to flow and fill craters over time, creating flat terrains.
• The decision to land on the near side was driven by the mission's primary goal of a controlled soft landing.
• Landing on the far side would require a relay for communication due to the lack of direct line-of-sight with Earth.

What are the Intended Actions for Chandrayaan-3 after its Landing?

• Chandrayaan-3 is expected to operate for at least one lunar day (14 Earth days) on the lunar surface.
• The Pragyan rover will move around the landing site within a radius of 500 meters, conducting experiments and sending data and images to the lander.
• The Vikram lander will relay the data and images to the orbiter, which will then transmit them to Earth.
• Lander and Rover modules are collectively equipped with advanced scientific payloads.
• These instruments are designed to conduct comprehensive investigations into diverse facets of lunar characteristics, encompassing terrain analysis, mineralogical composition, surface chemistry, atmospheric attributes, and crucially, the exploration for water and potential resource reservoirs.
• The propulsion module that carried the lander and rover configuration till 100 km lunar orbit also has a Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.

What are ISRO's Future Expeditions?

Chandrayaan-4: Navigating the Path of Lunar Evolution

• Building upon past missions, Chandrayaan-4 emerges as a potential candidate for a sample return mission.
• If successful, it could mark the next logical step after Chandrayaan-2 and 3, offering the capability to retrieve lunar surface samples.
• The mission holds promise for advancing our understanding of the Moon's composition and history.

LUPEX: Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission, a collaborative effort between ISRO and JAXA(Japan), is poised to explore the Moon's polar regions.

• It will be specifically designed to venture into permanently shaded areas.
• Investigating the presence of water and assessing the potential for a sustainable long-term station are among LUPEX's objectives.

Aditya-L1: Aditya L1 will be the first space based Indian mission to study the Sun.

• The spacecraft shall be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million km from the Earth.
• Observing the sun's corona, emissions, solar winds, flares, and coronal mass ejections are the primary focus areas of Aditya-L1.

XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite): It is India’s first dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions.

• The spacecraft will carry two scientific payloads in a low earth orbit.

NISAR: NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory being jointly developed by NASA and ISRO.

• NISAR will map the entire globe in 12 days and provide spatially and temporally consistent data for understanding changes in Earth’s ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass, sea level rise, ground water and natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides.

Gaganyaan: Gaganyaan mission aims to send humans to space and return them safely to Earth. The mission will consist of two unmanned flights and one manned flight, using the GSLV Mk III launch vehicle and a human-rated orbital module.

• The manned flight will carry three astronauts, including a woman, for up to seven days in low Earth orbit.

Shukrayaan 1: It is a planned mission to send an orbiter to Venus, the second planet from the Sun. It is expected to study Venus’s geological and volcanic activity, emissions on the ground, wind speed, cloud cover, and other planetary characteristics.

National Curriculum Framework

Context: Recently, the final National Curriculum Framework (NCF) was released by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), leading to significant reforms in the education system, led by the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

• The NCF introduces changes in language learning, subject structure, evaluation strategies, and environmental education, reshaping the educational landscape for Grades 3 to 12 under CBSE.

What are the Key Highlights of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF)?

Language Learning:

• Students in Classes 9 and 10 learn three languages, with at least two being native Indian languages.
• In Classes 11 and 12, students will study two languages, including one of Indian origin.
• Aim to achieve a "literary level" of linguistic capacity in at least one Indian language.

Board Exams and Evaluation:

• Students are allowed to take Board exams on at least two occasions in a school year.
• Only the best score among attempts will be retained.

Alignment with NEP 2020:

• The NCF follows the guidelines of NEP 2020. Provides the framework for formulating new textbooks from Grades 3 to 12 under CBSE.
• Textbooks for Classes 3-12 aligned with 21st-century requirements.
• Focus on ensuring rootedness in the current context while being forward-looking.

Changes in Mandatory and Optional Subjects:

• Earlier, students in Classes 9 to 12 studied five mandatory subjects with an option to add one more.
• Now, the number of mandatory subjects for Classes 9 and 10 is seven, and for Classes 11 and 12 is six.

Optional Subjects:

• First group includes art education, physical education, and vocational education.
• The second group includes Social Science, Humanities, and interdisciplinary areas.
• The third group includes Science, Mathematics, and computational thinking.

Flexibility and Choice for Students:

• Redesigned "Secondary Stage" to provide more flexibility and choice.
• No strict separation between academic and vocational subjects, or between Science, Social Science, Art, and Physical Education.
• Students can choose varied subject combinations for their School Leaving Certificates.

Environmental Education:

• Emphasis on environmental awareness and sustainability.
• Environmental Education integrated across all schooling stages.
• Separate area of study dedicated to environmental education in the Secondary Stage.

Content Distribution for Social Science Curriculum (Classes 6-8):

• 20% content from local level.
• 30% content from regional level.
• 30% content from national level.
• 20% content from global level.

What is the National Curriculum Framework?

About:

• NCF is one of the key components of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, that enables and energizes this transformation, informed by the aims, principles, and approach of NEP 2020.
• The NCF has undergone four revisions in the past - in 1975, 1988, 2000, and 2005. The proposed revision, if implemented, would be the fifth iteration of the framework.

Four Sections of NCF:

• NCF for School Education (NCF-SE)
• NCF for Early Childhood Care and Education (Foundational Stage)
• NCF for Teacher Education
• NCF for Adult Education

Objective:

• It aims to help in positively transforming the school education system of India as envisioned in NEP 2020, through corresponding positive changes in the curriculum including pedagogy.
• It aims to realize the highest quality education for all children, consistent with realizing an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisaged by the Constitution of India.