UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 11 September 2024
Kartavya Desk Staff
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 11 September 2024 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles
InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.
Table of Contents
GS Paper 1: (UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 11 September 2024)
• Arctic Sea Ice Impact on Monsoon Patterns
Arctic Sea Ice Impact on Monsoon Patterns
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
• Story of midwives in Bihar
Story of midwives in Bihar
Facts for Prelims (FFP)
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah Re-elected as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language
Union Home Minister Amit Shah Re-elected as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language
• Air Quality Management Exchange Platform (AQMx)
Air Quality Management Exchange Platform (AQMx)
• Elongated Tortoise
Elongated Tortoise
• Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations
Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations
Mapping
• Typhoon Yagi (Vietnam)
Typhoon Yagi (Vietnam)
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 11 September 2024
#### GS Paper 1:
Polar Ice melt Impact on Monsoon Patterns and economy
Syllabus: Geography
Source: TH
Context: A recent study reveals that declining Arctic sea ice affects Indian monsoon patterns.
How does Arctic sea ice affect Indian monsoon patterns?
Declining Arctic sea ice influences Indian monsoon patterns through changes in atmospheric circulation:
• Central Arctic Ice Reduction: Less sea ice leads to more heat being transferred from the ocean to the atmosphere, which strengthens Rossby waves (air currents high in the atmosphere). This creates high pressure over northwest India and low pressure over the Mediterranean, shifting the Asian jet stream and causing more rainfall in northern and central India, but less in western and peninsular regions.
• Barents-Kara Sea Ice Reduction: Reduced sea ice in this region causes higher pressure over northwest Europe and alters atmospheric stability over Asia. This results in increased rainfall in northeastern India and less in central and northwest India due to shifts in the subtropical easterly jet and high surface temperatures in the Arabian Sea.
About melting of Arctic and Antarctic ice:
The melting of Arctic and Antarctic ice is a significant indicator and driver of climate change, with far-reaching impacts on the global climate, marine ecosystems, and economies. The rapid loss of polar ice, accelerated by global warming, is not just a regional concern but a global one, with implications that are complex and interconnected.
* *
Impact of Arctic and Antarctic ice melting
• Impacts on Climate
• 1. Rise in Sea Levels: Melting polar ice contributes to global sea level rise, threatening coastal communities. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports significant sea level rise projections for the coming decades.
• 2. Albedo Effect Reduction: Ice reflects sunlight; its loss leads to the absorption of more solar radiation, further warming the planet.
• 3. Disruption of Ocean Currents: Freshwater from melting ice can disrupt thermohaline circulation, affecting global climate patterns.
• 4. Release of Greenhouse Gases: Melting permafrost in the Arctic releases trapped methane, a potent greenhouse gas, exacerbating global warming.
• 5. Increased Weather Extremes: Polar ice melt influences jet streams, contributing to extreme weather events worldwide.
• Impacts on Marine Life
• 1. Habitat Loss for Species: Polar bears and penguins face habitat loss, impacting their populations and distribution.
• 2. Changes in Marine Ecosystems: Altered temperature and salinity levels affect marine biodiversity, including plankton—the base of the oceanic food chain.
• 3. Ocean Acidification: Increased CO2 absorption by oceans leads to acidification, harming marine life, particularly shell-forming species.
• 4. Disruption of Food Chains: Changing ice conditions affect the availability of algae and krill, essential for many marine species.
• 5. Increased Predation and Competition: As ice-dependent species migrate or decline, it alters the balance of marine ecosystems, leading to increased competition and predation.
• Impacts on Global Economy
• 1. Coastal Infrastructure and Housing: Rising sea levels threaten coastal infrastructure, requiring massive investments in adaptation.
• 2. Impact on Fisheries: Changes in marine ecosystems affect fish stocks, impacting global fisheries and dependent economies.
• 3. Increased Insurance Costs: Extreme weather events lead to higher insurance costs for businesses and governments.
• 4. New Shipping Routes: Melting ice opens up new shipping routes in the Arctic, altering global trade patterns.
• 5. Agricultural Changes: Altered weather patterns influence agricultural productivity, affecting food prices and security.
Case Study: Greenland Ice Sheet Melting and its Global Implications
The Greenland Ice Sheet, one of the largest ice masses on Earth, has been experiencing accelerated melting in recent years.
Context and Current Situation: The Greenland Ice Sheet covers about 80% of Greenland’s surface.
Recent studies, including those referenced by the IPCC, indicate that Greenland is losing ice at an unprecedented rate.
Global Climate Impacts: According to NASA, Greenland’s ice loss is responsible for about 25% of the total global sea level rise.
Weather Pattern Alterations: The freshwater influx from Greenland’s melting ice is suspected to impact ocean currents and, in turn, global weather patterns.
Marine Life Impacts: The influx of fresh meltwater affects ocean salinity, which can disrupt marine ecosystems, particularly in the North Atlantic.
Impact on Fisheries: Changes in water temperature and salinity due to the influx of fresh water can affect fish populations, impacting fisheries in the North Atlantic.
Economic Impacts:
Cost of Coastal Adaptation: The sea level rise influenced by Greenland’s melting demands significant adaptation costs for coastal cities worldwide.
Fishing Industry Changes: The fishing industry, particularly in the North Atlantic, faces potential changes in fish migration patterns and stock availability.
Recent Developments and Global Response: There has been an increased focus on monitoring Greenland’s ice loss through satellite missions like NASA’s ICESat-2.
International efforts, such as those under the UNFCCC, are crucial in addressing the root causes of climate change contributing to the ice melt.
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*Suggestions*
• Mitigating Climate change : International Agreements: Strengthening commitments under the Paris Agreement. For example, countries increasing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce emissions. Renewable Energy Initiatives: Germany’s Energiewende program, which aims to transition to renewable energy, serves as a model for reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
• International Agreements: Strengthening commitments under the Paris Agreement. For example, countries increasing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce emissions.
• Renewable Energy Initiatives: Germany’s Energiewende program, which aims to transition to renewable energy, serves as a model for reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
• Protecting Marine Ecosystems Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): The establishment of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in Australia demonstrates effective conservation of marine biodiversity. Sustainable Fishing Practices: Norway’s implementation of sustainable fishing quotas and strict regulations to protect fish stocks.
• Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): The establishment of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in Australia demonstrates effective conservation of marine biodiversity.
• Sustainable Fishing Practices: Norway’s implementation of sustainable fishing quotas and strict regulations to protect fish stocks.
• Adapting Coastal Infrastructure Flood Defense Systems: The Netherlands’ Delta Works, a series of dams and storm surge barriers, exemplify advanced coastal protection infrastructure. Managed Retreat Strategies: The planned relocation of the Alaskan village of Newtok due to rising sea levels is an example of managed retreat.
• Flood Defense Systems: The Netherlands’ Delta Works, a series of dams and storm surge barriers, exemplify advanced coastal protection infrastructure.
• Managed Retreat Strategies: The planned relocation of the Alaskan village of Newtok due to rising sea levels is an example of managed retreat.
• Promoting Sustainable Economic Practices Circular Economy Models: Japan’s focus on recycling and waste reduction under the concept of a “Sound Material-Cycle Society.” Green Bonds and Sustainable Investments: The issuance of green bonds, such as those by the World Bank, to fund environmental projects.
• Circular Economy Models: Japan’s focus on recycling and waste reduction under the concept of a “Sound Material-Cycle Society.”
• Green Bonds and Sustainable Investments: The issuance of green bonds, such as those by the World Bank, to fund environmental projects.
• Scientific Research and Monitoring Polar Research Programs: The European Space Agency’s CryoSat mission, monitoring polar ice and snow, contributes valuable data on ice melt and sea level rise. Climate Research Institutes: The Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the USA conducts cutting-edge research on climate change and its impacts.
• Polar Research Programs: The European Space Agency’s CryoSat mission, monitoring polar ice and snow, contributes valuable data on ice melt and sea level rise.
• Climate Research Institutes: The Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the USA conducts cutting-edge research on climate change and its impacts.
Conclusion
• The melting of Arctic and Antarctic ice poses serious challenges to our global climate system, marine ecosystems, and economies. However, these challenges also present opportunities to foster global cooperation, advance scientific understanding, and implement innovative solutions.
• Addressing these issues requires a multi-faceted approach, combining mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development strategies. Through collective efforts and commitment to sustainable practices, it is possible to mitigate the impacts of ice melting and pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable future.
Insta Link:
• What is happening to Arctic Sea ice?
Mains Link:
• How do the melting of the Arctic ice and glaciers of the Antarctic differently affect the weather patterns and human activities on the Earth? Explain. (2021)
• What are the economic significances of the discovery of oil in the Arctic Sea and its possible environmental consequences? (2015)
Prelims Link:
The term ‘IndARC’, sometimes seen in the news, is the name of (USPC 2015)
(a) an indigenously developed radar system inducted into the Indian Defence
(b) India’s satellite to provide services to the countries of the Indian Ocean Rim
(c) a scientific establishment set up by India in the Antarctic region
(d) India’s underwater observatory to scientifically study the Arctic region
Ans: D
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 11 September 2024 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
Story of Midwives in Bihar
- •Source: BBC*
Context: In the 1990s, rural midwives in Bihar, India, were pressured to kill newborn girls due to societal preference for sons.
Journalist documented their confessions, revealing how families coerced midwives to commit infanticide under the threat of violence. This practice was tied to the dowry system, where daughters were seen as a financial burden. However, social workers began changing this, asking midwives if they would kill their own daughters.
Some midwives, including Siro Devi, began saving girls and sending them to orphanages. Monica, one of the rescued babies, reunited with Siro decades later. Despite progress, the preference for sons persists, as seen in abandoned baby girls.
The case presents several ethical dilemmas:
• Coercion vs. Moral Responsibility: Midwives were coerced by families to commit infanticide, raising the dilemma of acting under duress versus moral duty to protect life.
• Caste and Poverty: The midwives, belonging to lower castes, faced societal pressures, complicating their ability to refuse orders from powerful families, pitting survival against ethical action.
• Gender Discrimination: The societal preference for sons devalued female life, forcing midwives to choose between compliance and resisting harmful gender norms.
• Justice vs. Forgiveness: Should the midwives be held accountable for their past actions, or should their transformation and efforts to save lives be seen as redemption?
• Cultural Tradition vs. Legal Obligation: The custom of dowry and societal norms clashed with laws prohibiting sex-selective practices, creating a conflict between following tradition and upholding the law.
Usage: The example can be used in an Essay/ Ethics main paper.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 11 September 2024 Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah Re-elected as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language (PCOL)
Source: PIB
Context: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been unanimously re-elected as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language.
He emphasized the need for Hindi to complement rather than compete with regional languages, aiming to enhance its acceptance across India. The goal is to have all government systems operate in Indian languages by 2047.
About Official Languages:
The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution includes 22 languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili, and Dogri. Initially, 14 languages were included. Sindhi was added by the 21st Amendment Act (1967), Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali by the 71st Amendment Act (1992), and Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali by the 92nd Amendment Act (2003), effective from 2004.
About PCOL
• Constitution: Established in 1976 under Section 4 of the Official Languages Act, 1963, to oversee the adoption of Hindi for official purposes.
• Membership: Comprises 30 members (20 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha), elected via proportional representation by single transferable vote.
• Functions: Reviews the progress of Hindi usage for official purposes and submits recommendations to the President.
Air Quality Management Exchange Platform (AQMx)
Source: UNEP
Context: The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) has introduced the Air Quality Management Exchange Platform (AQMx) to support global efforts in improving air quality. This platform provides air quality managers with tools and guidance to meet WHO Air Quality Guidelines and interim targets.
Developed in response to a UNEA-6 resolution for increased global cooperation, AQMx will facilitate the sharing of best practices and data, ultimately supporting better policies and health outcomes worldwide.
About CCAC:
Founded in 2012 within UNEP, CCAC is a partnership of over 160 governments, NGOs, and organizations. India joined in 2019. It focuses on reducing short-lived climate pollutants like methane and black carbon.
WHO Air Quality Guidelines (AQG): These guidelines provide limit values for pollutants such as PM2.5, O3, NO2, SO2, and CO, recommending safe levels and interim targets. For example, the 24-hour mean for PM2.5 should not exceed 15 µg/m³, and the annual mean should not exceed 5 µg/m³. The guidelines have been significantly updated from 2005 to 2021.
Elongated Tortoise
- •Source: IE*
Context: A critically endangered elongated tortoise was spotted for the first time in Haryana’s Damdama area in the Aravallis during a research survey.
This medium-sized tortoise, with a yellowish-brown or olive shell and black blotches, is typically found in Southeast Asia. It’s unusual to find this species in the Aravallis, and its presence may be linked to trade. The tortoise is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List due to severe population declines caused by human activities.
About Aravallis:
The Aravalli Range spans 692 km from Gujarat to Delhi, with a width of 10 to 120 km. It acts as a natural green wall, 80% in Rajasthan and 20% in Haryana, Delhi, and Gujarat. The range is divided into two main sections: the Sambhar Sirohi Range and the Sambhar Khetri Range in Rajasthan, extending about 560 km. It serves as an ecotone between the Thar Desert and the Gangetic Plain. Gurusikhar in Rajasthan is the highest peak, at 1,722 meters.
Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations
Source: PIB
Context: Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan released the Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations on 9th September 2024 in New Delhi.
What are Amphibious Operations?
It refers to military operations that involve a coordinated effort between land and naval forces to project power from the sea onto land.
More on doctrine:
This doctrine offers guidance to commanders for conducting amphibious operations in the complex military environment. It enhances the Armed Forces’ capability to perform various operations in the Indian Ocean Region during both war and peace. The doctrine emphasizes jointness and integration among the Armed Forces, following the earlier release of the Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations.
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS): The CDS post, recommended in 2001, was created in 2019 based on Lt Gen DB Shekatkar’s committee. General Bipin Rawat became India’s first CDS on December 31, 2019.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 11 September 2024 Mapping
Typhoon Yagi (Vietnam)
Source: TH
Context: Typhoon Yagi has claimed 143 lives in northern Vietnam, with 58 still missing. Typhoon Yagi is the strongest to hit Vietnam in decades, with winds reaching 149 kph.
Why Vietnam and the Philippines are affected by so many typhoons?
Vietnam and the Philippines are frequently affected by typhoons due to their geographic location in the Western Pacific, one of the most active typhoon basins in the world. Both countries lie along the Pacific typhoon belt, where warm ocean waters and atmospheric conditions favour the formation of strong tropical storms. Their long coastlines and low-lying areas also make them highly vulnerable to storm surges, flooding, and landslides triggered by typhoons. Additionally, the seasonal monsoons intensify these weather systems, especially during the peak typhoon season from June to November.
About Vietnam:
Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, covering 331,000 square kilometres with a population of over 100 million. It shares borders with China, Laos, and Cambodia, and maritime borders with several countries in the South China Sea. Its capital is Hanoi, and its largest city is Ho Chi Minh City.
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