Environment/GSIII
Facilitative Sharing of Views (FSV) of India's Third Biennial Update Report (BUR) at COP26
 

What's the NEWS

• During the 11^th Facilitative Sharing of Views (FSV) at the ongoing COP26, India made a presentation on its third Biennial Update Report (BUR) that was submitted to UNFCCC in February 2021.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, highlighted the fact that India represents 17% of the global population, its historical cumulative emissions are only 4%, while current annual GHG emissions are only about 5%.
• The key highlight of the discussion on India's third BUR was the achievement of 24% reduction in emission intensity of its Gross domestic product over the period of 2005-2014, and the significant increase of its solar programme.
• In the last 7 years, India's installed solar energy capacity has increased 17 times.

Know! all about the third biennial update report (BUR-III)

• In its third biennial update report (BUR-III), submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on February 20, India declared that the country's emission intensity (per unit of GDP) has reduced by 24% between 2005 and 2016 and therefore it is "on track to meet its voluntary declaration to reduce the emission intensity of GDP by 20-25% from 2005 levels by 2020".

• The BUR-III, carrying details of India's GHG inventory for the year 2016, shows that the country had emitted 2.8 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHG) with energy sector alone accounting for 75% of the total emission
• India had submitted it first BUR to the UNFCCC in 2016 and the second one in 2018.
• Analysis of India's all three BURs presents an interesting trend, showing a consistent decline in share of agriculture Sector in total emission since 2010.
• On the other hand, emission from energy sector has been growing while shares of industries and waste sectors remain constant.
• The agriculture sector is the main source of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions.
• The CH4 emissions occur from this sector mainly due to livestock rearing (enteric fermentation and manure management) and paddy cultivation while N2O is principally emitted due to the application of fertilizers to agricultural soils.
• In the energy sector, electricity production was the single largest source in this category, accounting for about 40% of the national total GHG emissions in 2016 while manufacturing industries and construction together emitted over 18% of total emissions.
• Though the BUR-III gave details on how the share of non-fossil sources (renewable and nuclear) in total installed capacity of electricity generation increased to over 38% by November last year, it emphasized on the need to continue coal consumption in the country.
• Currently, India is the fourth in terms of overall global GHG emission with China, the USA and EU+UK being the top three.
• In terms of per capital emission, India's figure is nearly one-third of the global average and nearly one-seventh of the biggest historical polluter, the USA.

What's the NEWS

• Researchers at the Medical Research Council Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, have identified the gene responsible for doubling the risk of respiratory failures from COVID-19.

• This gene - called LZTFL1 - can be found in 60 percent of people with South Asian ancestry and the researchers say that it may be able to explain the excess deaths seen in some of the UK communities and the impact of pandemic during the second wave in India.
• The researchers found that the higher risk version of the gene possibly prevents the cells lining the airways and the lungs from responding to the virus properly.
• This means that the presence of this gene changes how an individual's lungs respond to the virus, thereby increasing risk of developing respiratory failure from COVID-19.
• But while the gene impacts the response of the lungs, it does not impact the immune system, therefore, researchers believe that people carrying this version of the gene should respond normally to the vaccines.

Environment/GSIII
Global Methane Pledge
 

What's the NEWS

• As many as 104 countries have promised to cut their methane emissions by at least 30 per cent by 2030 at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (CoP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) summit in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

• The initiative was announced by the United States and European Union in September 2021, when only nine countries had signed the agreement. These included Argentina, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Mexico and the UK.
• A 0.3 per cent reduction per year in methane is equivalent to net-zero for carbon dioxide - there would be no additional warming if this level of reduction is achieved, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's latest report.
• The pledge is called Global Methane Pledge. India, the third-largest source of methane emissions, is not a signatory. At least 22 countries from Africa have signed the pledge.
• Both developed and developing countries are a part of this global pledge, which is not a structured agreement.
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank and the Green Climate Fund have agreed to provide technical and financial support for the projects.

• Methane is a leading cause of climate change, and stopping methane leaks and reducing emissions faster is imperative
• Warming could be reduced by at least 0.2 degrees Celsius by 2050, if countries deliver according to the pledge.
• At least 30 per cent of global warming since the industrial revolution is due to methane emissions
• Methane warms the planet 86 times as much as CO2, according to IPCC.
• Cutting back on methane emissions is one of the most effective things we can do to reduce near-term global warming and keep 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• As much as 45 per cent reduction in human-caused methane emissions by 2030 would put the world on a path to achieving the Paris Agreement Goal to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C this century.
• Oxidation of methane is responsible for formation of ground-level ozone (smog), which is a harmful air pollutant.
• Hence, reducing methane would help in preventing 260,000 premature deaths, 775,000 asthma-related hospital visits, 73 billion hours of lost labour from extreme heat, and 25 million tonnes of crop losses annually, according to the Global Methane Assessment released by Climate and Clean Air Coalition and the UNEP in May 2021 .
• It is important to monitor and calculate methane emissions
• This will be done by the independent International Methane Emissions Observatory launched October 31, 2021 by the UNEP with support from the European commission.

What's the NEWS

• On November 8, 2021, Google celebrated 104th birthday of Kamal Ranadive with a Google Doodle.

• Kamal Ranadive (8 November 1917 - 2001) was an Indian biomedical researcher who is known for her research in cancer about the links between cancers and viruses.
• She was a founder member of the Indian Women Scientists' Association (IWSA).
• In the 1960s, she established India's first tissue culture research laboratory at the Indian Cancer Research Centre in Mumbai.
• Kamal was awarded the Padma Bhusan (the third highest civilian award) for Medicine, in 1982.
• She was an Emeritus Medical Scientist of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

What's the NEWS

• Pfizer announced trial results for its investigational Covid-19 oral antiviral candidate, Paxlovid, saying it significantly reduced hospitalisation and death.

• It is an investigational SARS-CoV-2 "protease inhibitor antiviral therapy".
• It inhibits viral replication at proteolysis, a stage that occurs before viral replication.
• It is designed to be administered orally so that it can be prescribed at the first sign of infection or at first awareness of an exposure, potentially helping patients avoid severe illness.

What's the NEWS

• Arunachal Pradesh is planning to make a documentary about one of its most "patriotic destinations" - Kaho, a village in Anjaw district on the China border - to mark the 75th year of Independence.
• One of seven villages in the Kibithoo block bisected by the Lohit river, Kaho had weathered the Chinese attack in 1962. Its people had assisted the Indian soldiers who had been outnumbered.
• The village is 580 km east of Itanagar.Its people belong to the Meyor community.
• Anjaw is one of the 11 districts of Arunachal Pradesh that share their border with China.
• The documentary, sanctioned by the State BJP Government, is a part of the celebrations of "Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav", the nationwide celebrations for the 75th year of Independence.
• According to the 2011 census, Kaho has only 65 residents and a literacy rate of 64.15%.
• A similar publicity event was organised at Dipa village in Lower Siang district a month ago.
• Several residents of Dipa had taken part in the freedom movement and the national flag was first hoisted at the village on August 15, 1947.

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