Defence
Indian Navy to Host Exercise SIMBEX-20 in Andaman Sea

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Exercise SIMBEX-20)
What's the NEWS

• Indian Navy (IN) is scheduled to host the 27^th edition of India - Singapore Bilateral Maritime Exercise SIMBEX-20 from 23 to 25 November 2020 in Andaman Sea.

Know! all about SIMBEX

• The SIMBEX series of exercises between IN and Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), being conducted annually since 1994, are aimed at enhancing mutual inter-operability and imbibing best practices from each other.
• The scope and complexity of these exercises has increased steadily over the past two decades to include advanced naval drills covering a wide spectrum of maritime operations.
• The 2020 edition of SIMBEX will witness participation by Indian Navy ships including destroyer Ranawith integral Chetak helicopter and indigenously built corvettes Kamorta and Karmuk.
• In addition, INsubmarine Sindhuraj and P8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft will also participate in the exercise.
• SIMBEX-20 will witness the two friendly navies participate in advanced surface, anti-air warfare and anti-submarine warfare exercises including weapon firings, over three days of intensive joint operations at sea.
• SIMBEX series of exercises exemplify the high level of coordination and convergence of views between India and Singapore, particularly in the maritime domain, towards enhancing the overall maritime security in the region and highlight their commitment to a rules-based international order.

Defence
TRILATERAL MARITIME EXERCISE SITMEX-20 IN ANDAMAN SEA

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Exercise SITMEX-20)
What's the NEWS

• Indian Navy (IN) Ships including indigenously built ASW corvette Kamorta and missile corvette Karmuk are participating in the 2^nd edition of India, Singapore and Thailand Trilateral Maritime Exercise SITMEX-20, from 21 to 22 November 20 in Andaman Sea.

Know! about SITMEX

• The first edition of SITMEX, hosted by Indian Navy, was conducted off Port Blair in September 2019.
• The SITMEX series of exercises are conducted to enhance mutual inter-operability and imbibing best practices between IN, Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and Royal Thai Navy (RTN).
• The 2020 edition of the exercise is being hosted by RSN.
• RSN is being represented by the ‘Formidable' Class frigate ‘Intrepid' and ‘Endurance' Class Landing Ship Tank ‘Endeavour' and RTN by the ‘Chao Phraya' Class frigate ‘Kraburi' in the exercise.
• The exercise, being conducted as a ‘non-contact, at sea only' exercise in view of COVID-19 pandemic
• The two days of maritime drills will witness the three navies participate in a variety of exercises including naval manoeuvres, surface warfare exercises and weapon firings.
• SITMEX series of exercise aim to strengthen mutual confidence and develop common understanding and procedures towards enhancing the overall maritime security in the region.

Space Awareness
Sentinel-6 satellite

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Sentinel-6 satellite)
What's the NEWS

• The Sentinel-6 satellite lifts off from the Vandenberg Air Force base in California on November 21

Know! all about Sentinel-6 satellite (aim and applications)

• The Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, designed to monitor oceans, was launched from the Vandenberg Air Force base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on November 21.
• This is a part of the next mission dedicated to measuring changes in the global sea level.
• Other satellites that have been launched since 1992 to track changes in the oceans on a global scale include the TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1 and OSTN/Jason-2, among others.
• The mission, called the Jason Continuity of Service (Jason-CS) mission, is designed to measure the height of the ocean
• The spacecraft consists of two satellites, one of them launched , and the other, called Sentinel-6B, to be launched in 2025.
• It has been developed jointly by the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat), the USA's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the EU, with contributions from France's National Centre for Space Studies (CNES).
• The satellite will ensure the continuity of sea-level observations into the fourth decade and will provide measurements of global sea-level rise.
• Since 1992, high-precision satellite altimeters have helped scientists understand how the ocean stores and distributes heat, water and carbon in the climate system.
• Essentially, the satellite will send pulses to the Earth's surface and measure how long they take to return to it, which will help scientists measure the sea surface height.
• The data it collects will support operational oceanography, by providing improved forecasts of ocean currents, wind and wave conditions.
• This data will allow improvements in both short-term forecasting for weather predictions in the two-to-four-week range (hurricane intensity predictions), and long-term forecasting, for instance for seasonal conditions like El Niño and La Niña.

Importance of measuring the height of the ocean

• Data from satellites such as Sentinel-6 help scientists foresee the effects of the changing oceans on the climate.
• In order to measure and track changes in the oceanic heat budget, scientists need to know the ocean currents and heat storage of the oceans, which can be determined from the height of the sea surface.

Environment conservation
Climate Transparency report 2020
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Climate Transparency report highlights)
What's the NEWS

• India is the only country on track among the G20 nations to meet its climate change mitigation commitments, according to a the 2020 Climate Transparency report published
• Climate Transparency, an international partnership of 14 research and non-governmental organizations, examined efforts to combat climate change among the G20 nations - examining their climate goals and actions taken.

Know! the report highlights (India)

• The report found that India's "fair share" climate targets that it set under the 2015 Paris Agreement as well as the actions it's taken in the years since make it "compatible" with the upper goal of curbing global warming by 2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.
• India has promised to reduce its emissions intensity by 33-35% by 2030 and took actions in its energy, waste, industry, transport and forestry sectors
• The report noted that India continues to not be on track to reach the Paris Agreement's long-term 1.5 C target.
• India could be a "global leader" if it didn't build new coal fired power and phased out the use of coal by 2040.

Know! the report highlights (World)

• According to the report, other nations and the European Union's targets do not go far enough to curb global warming between 1.5 to 2 C, and their actions have fallen short of the targets set when the Paris agreement was ratified.
• Projected temperature increases under these commitments are now expected to be more than 2.7 C of warming by 2100.
• The report also called for a reduction of global CO2 emissions to curb global warming.
• China's GHG emissions continue to be above the G20 average and are expected to peak by 2030.
• The report called for a withdrawal of coal pipeline projects at home and abroad to limit air quality issues and emissions.
• The US, which formally exited the Paris Agreement earlier this month, has GHG emissions more than double the average of all G20 nations.
• US transport emissions per capita are over four times the G20 average and even increased by 3.6% from 2016-18.

International Organisations
G20 Summit
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about G20 summit highlights + proposed new global index) + Mains (GS II international relations)

What's the NEWS

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a new global index based on transparency in governance and the creation of a vast talent pool.

Know! about the new global index

• A new global index for the post-Corona world that comprises four key elements - creation of a vast talent pool; ensuring that technology reaches all segments of the society; transparency in systems of governance; and dealing with Mother Earth with a spirit of trusteeship".
• Based on this, the G20 can lay the foundation of a new world
• There is a need to develop a new global index based on talent, technology, transparency and trusteeship towards the planet
• "Multi-skilling and re-skilling to build a talent pool will enhance dignity and resilience of our workers.
• Value of new technologies should be measured by their benefit to humanity."

Know! about 15th summit of G20

• The G20 virtual summit hosted by Saudi Arabia
• The two-day G20 leaders' summit brought together the world's largest economies that make up 85 per cent of the global GDP, and is expected to lay the foundations of an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.
• Heads of State/Government of 19 member countries, the EU, and other invited countries and international organisations, attended the summit.
• The 15^th summit of G20 leaders will culminate in the adoption of the Leaders' Declaration, and with Saudi Arabia passing on the presidency to Italy. India will host the G20 summit in 2022.

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