24th & 25th November, 2024

‘Choosing Our Future: Education for Climate Action’ report released by World Bank Group

The report states that climate change induced heat and extreme
weather events are significantly disrupting learning and emphasizes
that education system can empower, equip, and skill young people for
climate mitigation and adaptation.
Key Highlights of the Report
Impact of climate change on schooling and learning: Countries lost
on average 11 days of instruction per year in affected schools due
to climate-related school closures, with higher impact in low-income
countries.
Information gap on climate awareness: Climate change awareness
is still at only about 65% in low- and middle-income countries.
Need of skilling/ re-skilling/ up-skilling: Global green transitions
would require skilled workers for an estimated 100 million new jobs,
up-skilled workers for most existing jobs, and re-skilled workers for
another 78 million jobs which will disappear.
Education can help with climate action today: In India, climate-
related outreach to children not only increased their pro-climate
behavior but also increased the pro-climate behavior of parents by
nearly 13%.
Recommendations for the Government
Harness school education for pro-climate behavior-change by
investing in foundational skills and STEM education, delivering well-
designed climate education, etc.
Harness tertiary education for green skilling and innovation by fostering student adaptability
through strong foundations, flexible pathways, and information flows.
Protect education systems by making them more adaptable and resilient to a changing
climate.

Global Matchmaking Platform for Industrial Decarbonisation Launched

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) & Climate Club launched ‘Global Matchmaking Platform’ (GMP) for
industrial decarbonization at COP29.
UNIDO is a specialized agency of UNs with a mandate to promote, dynamize & accelerate industrial development.
Climate Club is an intergovernmental forum for exchange on accelerating climate action & industry decarbonisation.
About GMP
Aim: To boost international climate cooperation & partnerships to enable developing & emerging economies to leap-frog into
climate-friendly industrial development.
Secretariat: GMP is a support mechanism of Climate Club, with secretariat hosted by UNIDO.
How it works?
It connects country-specific needs with global technical & financial assistance to reduce emissions in energy & emissions-
intensive industrial sectors.
It’s accessible to all emerging & developing economies. Initiatives Undertaken
Global
What is Industrial Decarbonisation?
Industrial Deep Decarbonisation Initiative (2021): Co-led by UK
Defination: It’s the process of focusing on energy-efficient & India, it is global coalition of public & private organisations to
& sustainable projects that reduce industries' overall carbon stimulate global demand for low carbon industrial materials.
footprint. Alliance for Industry Decarbonization: Coordinated by International
Key Strategies: low-carbon technologies, Decarbonizing Renewable Energy Agency, aims to decarbonize industrial value
End-Use Energy through renewable sources, Carbon Capture, chains.
Utilisation, & Storage etc. India
Need: Decarbonizing industrial sector is critical for achieving Perform Achieve and Trade Scheme: Energy efficiency credit
net-zero emissions by 2050. trading scheme for industries.
Industrial activities alone are responsible for a quarter of Ministry of Steel is working to decarbonize steel sector, with a
global energy systems CO2 emissions. focus on renewable energy, green hydrogen etc.

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 UNHCR Launched Global Appeal 2025 to Address Global Refugee Crisis in 2025

UNHCR has launched a $10 billion appeal for 2025 to meet critical needs & implement sustainable solutions for millions of refu-
gees, displaced persons & stateless people worldwide.
It highlights UNHCR’s plans for 2025 & funding it needs to protect, assist & empower refugees, & to help them find solutions to
their situations.
Global Refugee Crisis
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee conflict/persecution & has crossed an international border to seek safety.
117.3 million People worldwide are forcibly displaced & 40% are children (UNHCR's Global Trends Report 2023).
Reasons: Conflict & violence (e.g. Syria), persecution (e.g. Myanmar), climate change impact etc.
Challenges
Refugees: Lacks basic necessities like food, shelter etc.; discrimination & exclusion from mainstream society; vulnerable to
trafficking etc.
Host Countries: Sudden increase in population; strain on local resources like healthcare; unemployment & social tensions, etc.
Initiatives Undertaken
Global Compact on Refugees (2018): Provides framework to help refugees & their host countries etc.
Global Refugee Forum: Held every 4 years to discuss & find solutions for challenges faced by refugees & their host communities.
United Nations Relief & Works Agency: Established in 1949 to provide assistance & protection to Palestine refugees.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

HQ: Geneva, Switzerland
Genesis: Established by General Assembly of United Nations in 1950.
Purpose: Protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution.
UNHCR works in 136 countries.
Achievement: It Received Noble Peace prize in 1954 and 1981.

UNGA adopts a Resolution paving way for negotiations of a Treaty on Crimes against
Humanity

Recently, Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) approved ‘United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on
Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity’.
Sixth Committee of the UNGA is the primary forum for the consideration of legal questions in the General Assembly.
Crime against Humanity is defined as specific criminal acts including murder, rape, torture, apartheid, deportation, and
persecution, when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population according
to a state or organizational policy. (Rome Statute)
Need of a Treaty on Crimes against Humanity
Absence of dedicated international treaty: Existing International Humanitarian Laws (the laws of war such as Geneva
Convention) do not adequately proscribe potential crimes that can be committed in non-armed conflict situations.
To provide comprehensive framework for countries: It would offer new pathways for victims of crimes against humanity and
provide framework for countries to incorporate these crimes into their national legal systems.
Global cooperation: It would also foster cooperation with other states, for example through mutual legal assistance.

Existing Mechanisms to prevent Crimes against Humanity

International Humanitarian Laws
4 Geneva Conventions (1949),
Biological Weapons Convention (1972),
Chemical Weapons Convention (1993),
Rome Statute for International Criminal Court (1998), etc.
Framework in India: Article 51 directs the state to promote international peace and security and foster respect for international law and treaty
obligations, etc.

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 COP29 of the UNFCCC concludes with the Baku COP29 Adopted New Collective Quantified Goal
Climate Unity Pact on Climate Finance (NCQG)

The Pact includes New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on The NCQG set a new finance goal to help countries to protect
Climate Finance, the Global Goal on Adaptation, and Sharm their people and economies against climate disasters, and
el-Sheikh mitigation ambition and implementation work pro- share in the vast benefits of the clean energy boom.
gramme.
NCQG is a key element of Paris Agreement, designed to
Key Highlights of the Pact
set a new financial target to support developing countries
NCQG on Climate Finance: Provides a new finance goal in their climate actions post-2025.
to help countries to protect their people and economies
against climate disasters, and share in the vast benefits of Climate Finance Goals Set by NCQG
the clean energy boom.
Baku Finance Goal: Sets new global target to channel
Global Goal on Adaptation $1.3tn of climate finance to developing countries by 2035.
Baku Adaptation Roadmap: For advancing
implementation of adaptation action in line with Article Triple finance to developing countries: It set a target for
7 of the Paris Agreement. developed countries to mobilize at least $300 billion per
year for developing countries by 2035.
♦ Article 7, paragraph 1: Establish the global goal on
adaptation of enhancing adaptive capacity with a In 2009 parties to UNFCCC had decided to mobilise
view to contributing to sustainable development. $100 billion annually by 2020 which was subsequently
Recognizes both incremental and transformational extended to 2025.
adaptation approaches: For protecting the well-being
India’s Stand
of people, and for implementing the UAE Framework for
Global Climate Resilience. India has rejected NCQG for climate finance during the
Sharm el-Sheikh mitigation ambition and implementation COP29 conference on the following grounds.
work programme Insufficient Financial Commitment: India criticized
No ‘one size fits all’ approach: Owing to the diversity of proposed goal of mobilizing $300 billion annually by
national and local circumstances. 2035 as "too little and too distant,”.
Collaboration: Between cities, subnational authorities, Lack of Inclusivity in Decision-Making and thus it
local communities and national Governments on
doesn't reflect the priorities of the Global South.
mitigation actions.
Discussion for creation of a digital platform: To India's rejection resonated with other developing countries,
facilitate implementation of mitigation actions. including Nigeria and Malawi.

Also in News

Trade and Economic Partnership Guidelines for identification of posts for

Agreement persons with disabilities

Recently, the Commerce Secretary visited Norway for implementation Centre issues guidelines for concerning identification of posts for
Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement between India and Europe- persons with disabilities in line with Rights of Persons with Disabilities
an Free Trade Association (EFTA). Act, 2016.
EFTA, set up in 1960, is an intergovernmental organisation of Iceland, It aims to ensure inclusivity, fairness, & uniformity in employment of
Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, to promote free trade and persons with disabilities.
economic integration. Key Highlights
About India-EFTA TEPA (signed in March 2024) Identification of Posts: Mandate a periodic review and identification
of posts suitable for individuals with at least 40% disability.
Objective: To increase the stock of foreign direct investments by USD
100 billion and 1 million direct jobs in India in the next 15 years. Reserved promotional posts: if a post is deemed suitable for them,
all subsequent promotional posts will also be reserved for persons
Agreement emphasized on market access related to goods, rules of with disabilities.
origin, trade facilitation, trade remedies, sanitary and phytosanitary
Formation of Committees: Ministries and departments to form
measures, technical barriers to trade, market access on services,
committees to assess all posts for their suitability.
intellectual property rights, etc.

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 National Cooperative Development
Quantum Tunneling
Corporation
91st General Council Meeting of National Cooperative Development Recently, researchers achieved a controlled transfer of atoms from one
Corporation - (NCDC) held in Delhi. place to another via quantum tunneling between optical tweezers.
About NCDC Also known as laser traps, Optical tweezers utilize focused laser
Genesis: It was established by an Act of Parliament in 1963 as a beams to trap & manipulate microscopic objects (such as cells).
statutory Corporation under Ministry of Cooperation. About Quantum Tunneling
Functions: It is a phenomenon in quantum mechanism where a particle is able to
Planning, promoting & financing programmes for production, penetrate through a potential energy barrier that is higher in energy
marketing, storage, export and import etc. of agricultural produce. than the particle’s kinetic energy.
Finance projects in rural industrial cooperative sectors & for This behavior is a direct consequence of the wave-like nature of
certain notified services in rural areas like water conservation, particles at the quantum level.
irrigation etc.
Loans & grants are advanced to State Governments for financing
primary & secondary level cooperative societies.
Baalbek & Tyre

International Cooperative Alliance Lebanon’s UNESCO Cultural Heritage sites Baalbek, Tyre, and Anjar are
being endangered by recurrent assaults.
International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Global Cooperative Conference About Baalbek, Tyre, and Anjar
is being organised in India for the first time in the 130 year long history Baalbek: Baalbek, with its colossal structures, is one of the finest
of ICA.
examples of Imperial Roman architecture at its apogee.
Theme "Cooperatives Build Prosperity for All" aligns with the Indian
Government’s vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” (Prosperity through Tyre: This great Phoenician city ruled the seas and founded
Cooperation). prosperous colonies such as Cadiz and Carthage, but its historical
About ICA role declined at the end of the Crusades.
Founded: In 1895, London. According to legend, purple dye was invented in Tyre.
It is a global organization that unites, represents, and serves Anjar: The city of Anjar was founded by Caliph Walid I at the beginning
cooperatives around the world.
of the 8th century. The ruins reveal a very regular layout, reminiscent
Members: 306 member organizations across 105 countries.
of the palace-cities of ancient times, and are a unique testimony to
It serves as the apex body for the cooperative movement, providing
city planning under the Umayyads.
a global platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and
coordinated action.

Project Veer Gatha

ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement
Over 1.76 crore school students from all States, Union Territories partici-
Recently, 6th meeting of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement pated in Project Veer Gatha 4.0.
(AITIGA) Joint Committee was held in New Delhi. About Project Veer Gatha
About AITIGA Ministry: It is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Defence and the
Entered into force on January 01, 2010 (signed in August 2009), it Ministry of Education.
paved the way for the creation of one of the world’s largest free trade Started: Organized since 2021.
areas in South and South-East Asia.
Members: India and all ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Objective: Disseminate the inspiring tales of valour, selfless sacrifice
Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, and courage of the Gallantry Awardees and the life stories among the
Thailand & Vietnam). students to inculcate the spirit of patriotism.
Significance: ASEAN as a group is one of the major trade partners of Scope: The Project is open for all schools in all states and Union
India with about 11% share in India’s global trade. Territories as well as all schools affiliated to CBSE.

Personality in news Raja Raja Chola (985 CE – 1014 CE)

The birth anniversary of the legendary Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola celebrated during Sadhaya Vizha in
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
Sadhaya Vizha festival is observed in Tamil month of Aippasi, which runs from mid-October to mid-
November at Brihadeshwara Temple.
About Raja Raja Chola (985 CE – 1014 CE)
Chola power reached its peak during reign of Arumolivarman, who assumed title Rajaraja I.
Rajaraja defeated Chera ruler Bhaskararavivarman in naval battle of Kandalursalai.
He also invaded Sri Lanka (annexing its northern part) and led a conquest to Maldives.
He completed construction of famous Rajarajeswara/Brihadeeswara temple at Tanjore in 1010 A.D

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