Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020 | 28th July 2020

Dear Aspirants

IASbhai Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020 is an initiative to dilute major articles from leading Newspapers in India which are most relevant to UPSC preparation –‘THE HINDU, LIVEMINT , INDIAN EXPRESS’ and help millions of readers who find difficulty in answer writing and making notes everyday. Hence we choose articles on daily basis and analyse them with respect to UPSC PRELIMS 2020.

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less traveled by, and that made all the difference.” –Robert Frost

HIGHLIGHT INFO:

ORANGE COLOUR: Important for Prelims.

RED COLOUR: Important for Mains.

BLACK COLOUR: Must Read !

BLUE COLOUR : Important Links/Survey.

PINK COLOUR: Reports/Themes/Summits.

Today's Must Read Articles :

GLOBAL TIGER DAY 2020

MAUSAM APP

BIS-CARE APP

Page Contents:

Knowledge Resource Centre Network (KRCNet)-MoES

HEADLINES:

MoES-Knowledge Resource Centre Network (KRCNet) Launched on the Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences

WHY IN NEWS:

Hot from PIB !

MINISTRY? :- Ministry of Earth Science

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Recent Developments : Science and technology

ISSUE:

Under the Digital India initiative of Government of India, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)aims to develop a World-Class Knowledge Resource Centre Network (KRCNet).

KNOWLEDGE RESOURCE CENTRES (KRC)

Traditional libraries of the MoES system will be upgraded into a top-notch Knowledge Resource Centres (KRC).
KRCs will be connected with each other and integrated into the KRCNet portal.

It will be a single point entry to the intellectual world of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

The resources and services of MoES system will be accessible 24X7 through a one point dynamic, updated and integrated KRCNet portal.

SALIENT OBJECTIVES OF THE KRCNET:

Establish a Total Quality Management (TQM) system by securing ISO certification for documenting MoES knowledge resources, its maintenance, easy retrieval and dissemination.

Collect, collate, analyze, index, store and disseminate the intellectual resources, products and project outputs available in MoES headquarter and its institutes.

Develop and maintain an up-to-date meta-data of the print & digital resources available in MoES headquarter and MoES institutes, including MoES services.
Provide 24X7 access to the subscribed knowledge contents through the KRCNet portal.
Application of information analytical tools & techniques like bibliometrics, scientometrics, big-data analytics, social media analytics etc., for policy formulation, report preparation and information dissemination.

IASbhai WINDUP:

KRCNET will also periodically organize training workshops to popularize usage of electronic journals, databases, digital products, data analytics etc.

SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020

MoES celebrates its Foundation Day

HEADLINES:

Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) celebrates its Foundation Day

WHY IN NEWS:

Hot from PIB !

MINISTRY? :-Ministry of Earth Science

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Earth Science

ISSUE:

The MoES was formed in 2006 by a merger of the India Meteorological Department, the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the Earth Risk Evaluation Centre and the Ministry of Ocean Development.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

The IMD provides tropical cyclones and storm surge advisories to 13 member countries under the ESCAP Panel.
India has also developed an Earth System Model for future climate projections for the first time.
This model capability is at par with other modelling centres in the USA, UK, Australia, Japan and Germany.
MOES has launched an experiment to understand and document merits and demerits of Artificial Rainmaking – Cloud Seeding.
Atmospheric Research Testbeds will be setup a unique facility in Tropics will be launched in 2021.

This open field observatory will help in better understanding of the monsoon clouds and land surface processes.

MoES is installing six new water desalinations plants in Lakshadweep islands, each with a capacity to produce 1.5 lakh litres of water every day.

A new Coastal Research Vessel “SAGAR ANVESHIKA” was commissioned in February 2020.

IASbhai WINDUP:

Earth science is a combination science that draws upon all other sciences to unlock Earth’s mysteries.
During the last few months, IMD’s accurate prediction of tropical cyclones Amphan & Nisarga and excellent field work by disaster management agencies helped saving thousands of precious lives

SUGGESTED READING : https://www.iasbhai.com/mausam-mobile-app-upsc/

SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020

Gas flaring

HEADLINES:

Gas flaring: An emission that escapes global attention

WHY IN NEWS:

Gas flaring or burning of natural gas during oil extraction contributes 400 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent every year.

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Energy

ISSUE:

Gas flaring results in 400 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emission every year and hit highest levels in a decade recently

GAS FLARING

It is a persistent emission that adds to atmospheric pollution significantly but never gets the required attention.

Gas flaring is not only increasing but has also hit the highest level in a decade.-World Bank

In 2019, for which the latest data is available, gas flaring increased to 150 billion cubic metres (BCM).
To make sense of the latest data, the gas burnt or wasted is equal to Sub-Saharan Africa’s annual gas consumption.

The three per cent rise in gas flaring in just a year is mostly due to increase in three countries — the United States, Venezuela and Russia.

The US reported an increase of 23 per cent in gas flaring, highest among the three countries that contributed to overall global rise.
Venezuela and Russia reported increases of 16 and 9 per cent respectively during 2018-19.
In many countries, local conflicts also contribute to the rise in gas flaring.
For instance, in Syria, it went up by 35 per cent and in Venezuela by 16 per cent.

MONITORING

Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFR) monitors gas flaring and works on ways to reduce flaring and the waste.

In 2012, a dedicated satellite was deployed to estimate gas flaring from across the word through powerful sensors.
Partners to the above coalition aim to attain zero flaring by 2030.

IASbhai WINDUP:

There are some green shoots as well. In the first quarter of 2020 fiscal (Jan-March), flaring has reduced by 10 per cent across 30 top gas flaring countries.
In fact, barring the top four gas flaring countries — Russia, Iraq, the US and Iran — flaring has reduced by 9 BCM during 2012-2019.

SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020

DISCOVER MORE : Important Daily Current Affairs for UPSC PRELIMS 2020

DONATE FOR A CAUSE

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis & Answer writing video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.