Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020 | 27th June 2020
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Today's Must Read Articles :Page Contents:
Hottest day in Arctic
HEADLINES:
Hottest day in Arctic: WMO official warns of more extreme weather
WHY IN NEWS:
As Verkhoyansk in Siberia recorded 38°C, governments must remember how a hotter Arctic region can affect the whole world
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 1:3:Climate Change : Global Warming
ISSUE:
- The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is assessing the veracity of this measurement which would verify the claim.
- The Arctic region has experienced repeated heat waves in the last few months, with average temperature in Siberia 10°C above normal in May 2020.
- A major chunk of this warming is a result of heat getting trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere due to increasing emissions of greenhouse gases resulting from human activities.
AFFECTS ON JET STREAMS :
- The climate in the Arctic region also impacts weather systems further south through the changing nature of the Arctic jet stream, which is a band of winds over the region that usually keeps the region insulated from winds in the lower latitudes.
- Due to the warming, this jet stream is becoming wavy and allowing its cold winds to get out — and warm winds from outside to get in — thereby disrupting long-term weather conditions everywhere.
HOW UNPRECEDENTED IS THIS RECORD, IF ACCURATE?
- Temperatures of that magnitude have occurred but simply haven’t been measured.
- Temperatures to the tune of 38°C value in the Arctic over the length of observed temperature records of approximately 150 years.
ROLE OF HUMAN-INDUCED CLIMATE CHANGE PLAYED IN ?
- The Arctic is one of the more climatically sensitive regions of the Earth.
- As warmer temperatures create less and less snow cover for the area, the feedback response (less white to reflect sunlight) can cause continually increasing temperatures.
- Overall global temperature increase is primarily the result of human activity, we, the human race, have to take responsibility for these extremes.
IASbhai WINDUP:
Unfortunately, unless governments and countries change their policies, more frequent extremes of this type will be observed.
SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020
UN-75 declaration delayed
HEADLINES:
UN-75 declaration delayed
WHY IN NEWS:
Six countries oppose a ‘Chinese’ phrase in the document
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:UNO
ISSUE:
- The document still stands a chance of passing on the June 26th anniversary if no objections are raised to an alternatively worded statement before 6 pm New York time.
- The phrase, “community with a shared future for mankind” is closely associated with the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and especially Chinese President Xi Jinping as an articulation of the country’s vision for the world.
- While objecting to the language that is apparently inspired by the CPC ideology is not new, the current impasse comes at a time when China’s relationships with a number of democracies, including India, Australia and the U.S., are strained.
IASbhai WINDUP:
ALTERNATIVE WORDING
The objecting countries wanted the resolution to read, “We will work together with partners to strengthen coordination and global governance for the common good of present and future generations and to realize our shared vision for a better future as envisaged in the preamble of the UN Charter.”
SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020
ASEAN states warn of S. China Sea tensions
HEADLINES:
ASEAN states warn of S. China Sea tensions
WHY IN NEWS:
Online meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders on Friday.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Health:Diseases : IR
ISSUE:
Rising tensions: A beach ramp built by the Philippines on the island of Pag-asa, also known as Thitu, in the disputed South China Sea on June 9. ‘ABIDE BY GLOBAL LAW’
- Both Hanoi and Manila lodged protests with China in April after Beijing unilaterally declared the creation of new administrative districts on islands in the troubled waterways to which Vietnam and the Philippines also have competing claims.
- “Even as our region struggles to contain COVID-19, alarming incidents in the South China Sea occurred,” .
- “We call on parties to refrain from escalating tensions and abide by responsibilities under international law,” .
- Vietnam said one of its fishing boats was sunk by a Chinese maritime surveillance vessel.
- China said that Vietnam’s claims in South China sea are illegal and “doomed to fail”.
IASbhai WINDUP:
‘IRRESPONSIBLE ACTS’
- “The pandemic is fanning the flames of dormant challenges within the political, economic and social environment of the world and in each region,” .
- While the entire world is stretched thin in the fight against the pandemic, irresponsible acts and acts in violation of international law are still taking place.
SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020
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