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By admin: April 7, 2023

World Energy Transitions Outlook report - 2023

Tags: Reports

Recently, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released the World Energy Transitions Outlook report-2023.

Highlights of the report

• The global energy transition is still not on track and well short of the 1.5°C pathway.

• To survive 1.5°C, deployment levels must increase from 3,000 gigawatts (GW) at present to more than 10,000 GW in 2030, averaging 1,000 GW annually.

• Equally, more investment towards countries requires public sector intervention.

• Global investment in energy transformation technologies to reach a new record of $1.3 trillion in 2022.

• Annual investments must more than quadruple to more than $5 trillion to stay on the 1.5°C path.

• By 2030, cumulative investment should be US$44 trillion, with transition technologies representing 80 percent of total investment, or $35 trillion.

• Current pledges and plans fall well short of IRENA's 1.5°C pathway and would result in an emissions gap of 16 gigatonnes (Gt) in 2050.

About International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

• It is an intergovernmental organisation.

• Founded - in Bonn, Germany on 26 January 2009.

• Headquarter - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

• Member Countries - 167 and the European Union.

• India became a Member - In 2009 as 77th Founding Member.

• Purpose - To support countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future.

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport enters the busiest airports club, ranks 9 in world

Tags: Reports INDEX

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) ranks ninth in the list of top ten busiest airports in the world, according to data from the Airports Council International (ACI).

An overview of the news

• For the first time, an Indian airport has made it to the list of top ten airports in terms of traffic.

• As per ACI report, Delhi airport is expected to handle more than 5.94 crore passengers in 2022.

• As a result of this achievement, IGIA has jumped from 17th position in pre-Covid 2019 to 9th position, according to ACI data.

• In terms of traffic, five of the top ten airports are from the US.

• Apart from India, Dubai is the only other airport in Asia in the list.

• No Chinese airport made it to the list considering the travel restrictions due to the Covid situation in the country.

• Mumbai is India's second busiest airport.

Top 10 busiest airports in the world in 2022

1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (93.7 million passengers)

2. Dallas Fort Worth Airport (73.4 million passengers)

3. Denver Airport (69.3 million passengers)

4. Chicago O'Hare Airport (68.3 million passengers)

5. Dubai Airport (66.1 million passengers)

6. Los Angeles Airport

7. Istanbul Airport (64.3 million passengers)

8. Heathrow Airport in London

9. IGI Airport in Delhi

10. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Kalikesh Singh Deo takes charge as NRAI president

Tags: Sports Person in news

Senior Vice President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo assumed charge as the President of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on 6 April. He replaced Raninder Singh.

An overview of the news

• Raninder, who was elected NRAI president in September 2021, went on leave after the Sports Ministry issued a directive that the heads of National Sports Federations (NSFs) cannot hold office for more than 12 years as per the National Sports Code.

• Raninder had completed 12 years as the president from December 29, 2010 till December 29, 2022 and as per the code, he cannot continue as NRAI chief any further.

• In an impromptu virtual meeting, the governing body "unanimously" approved Dev as the president.

About National Rifle Association of India (NRAI)

• It was established in 1951 with the objective of promoting and popularizing shooting sports in India.

• The first speaker of Lok Sabha, GV Mavalankar was the founder president of NRAI.

• It is affiliated to the International Shooting Sport Federation, Asian Shooting Confederation, Commonwealth Shooting Federation, South Asian Shooting Confederation and Indian Olympic Association. 

• In India it has shown steady progress and has grown significantly since 1994.

• Indian shooters have won many medals in international competitions like Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth and Asian Games/Championships.

Committee constituted to review the National Pension System for government employees

Tags: committee

The Finance Ministry on 6 April constituted a four-member committee headed by Finance Secretary T V Somanathan to review the pension system for government employees under the National Pension System (NPS).

An overview of the news

• Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Special Secretary, Department of Expenditure and Chairman, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) will be members of the committee.

• The committee will suggest whether any changes are necessary in the existing structure of the National Pension System (NPS) applicable to government employees.

• The committee will suggest modifications with a view to improve the pensionary benefits of government employees covered under NPS, keeping in view the fiscal implications and the overall budgetary impact.

• The announcement comes in the backdrop of several non-BJP states seeking restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and employees' unions in some other states demanding the same.

• The state governments of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have requested to return the accumulated funds under NPS while notifying the Center about their decision to restore the old pension scheme.

• Under the OPS, retired government employees received 50 per cent of their last drawn salary as monthly pensions.

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurate Gaj Utsav at Kaziranga in Assam

Tags: Festivals State News

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated a two-day 'Gaj Utsav-2023' on April 7 at the Kaziranga National Park High School’s playground field in Assam. 

An overview of the news

• Meanwhile, President Murmu also enjoyed cultural performances including Bhortal, Jhumur and Bihu dance forms by Assamese artistes at Kohora.

• The President also flag off the ‘Mount Kanchenjunga Expedition-2023’.

• President Murmu attended the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Gauhati High Court as the chief guest and also launched a mobile app "Bhoroxa" designed for the safety of women and the elderly.

• President Murmu is on a three-day visit to the northeastern state.

• The Gauhati High Court was established on 5th April, 1948 for the seven North Eastern States.

• However, after the establishment of separate High Courts for the 3 states, the Gauhati High Court now exercises jurisdiction over the remaining four states.

About Gaj Utsav

• Kaziranga Gaja Utsav is an annual festival held in the national park to promote the conservation and protection of elephants.

• It is jointly organized by the Forest and Tourism Departments to draw attention and find a solution to the growing human-elephant conflict in the state.

• This is being organized to mark the completion of 30 years of Project Elephant.

• The Government of India started Project Elephant in the year 1992 to protect elephants, their migration routes and natural habitats.

• Assam has the second largest population of elephants in the country after Karnataka.

• Kaziranga National Park being a UNESCO World Heritage Site is an ideal place for Gaja Utsav.

About Assam State 

• Chief Minister - Himanta Biswa Sarma

• Governor - Gulab Chand Kataria

• Number of Districts - 33

• Lok Sabha seats - 14

• Rajya Sabha seats - 7

• State Animal - Indian Rhinoceros

• State Bird - White Winged Duck

• National Parks – Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Nameri National Park, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park

IFC to stop funding new coal-powered electricity projects

Tags: International News

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of The World Bank, has said it will not support investments in new coal projects.

An overview of the news

• The announcement has come as a big relief to those campaigning for a clean energy transition.

• In the year 2020, IFC unveiled a policy that required its clients to reduce their exposure to coal projects by 2025 and to zero by 2030.

• There was no talk of stopping new investments in that policy, but now the situation has changed with this new announcement.

• A new update to IFC's Green Equity Approach (GEA) policy explicitly bars its financial intermediaries clients (such as commercial banks) from investing in coal.

• IFC lends money to banks and other financial institutions which in turn lend to infrastructure and energy projects.

• IFC has given loans of about $5 billion to about 88 financial institutions in India.

About International Finance Corporation (IFC)

• It was established in 1956 as a member of the World Bank Group.

• A member of the World Bank Group, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) provides financing for private enterprise investment in developing countries.

• Its focus is the elimination of poverty through economic development, but critics claim it is more focused on profits than people.

• In fiscal year 2021, IFC invests $31.5 billion in financial initiatives.

Union govt approves Indian Space Policy 2023 to enhance role of Department of Space

Tags: National Science and Technology National News

The Union government has approved the Indian Space Policy 2023 on 6th April. 

An overview of the news

• The Union Cabinet also approved the revised domestic gas pricing guidelines.

• Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said, the price of natural gas should be 10 percent of the monthly average of the Indian crude basket.

• This step has been taken to ensure stable pricing in the regime and to provide adequate protection to the producers from adverse market movements.

• This would provide an incentive to increase production.

Indian Space Policy 2023

• Its aim is to boost the country's space department's role and give a larger participation to research, academia, startups, and industry.

• The policy sets out the roles and responsibilities of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and private sector entities.

• The policy will enhance the role of India's Department of Space, promote research, education, start-ups and industry.

• The policy is expected to provide a framework for the country's space sector for the next decade.

• Within 3 years, the number of startups has reached 150 in ISRO.

India's progress in the field of space exploration

• India has been making significant progress in the field of space exploration in recent years, with the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-2 mission and the development of the Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send astronauts into space.

• The country is also working on developing its own satellite navigation system, the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

103rd birth anniversary of Pandit Ravi Shankar - 7 April 2023

Tags: Important Days

Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar's 103rd birth anniversary was celebrated on 7 April 2023 and is known for his significant contribution to the global promotion of Indian music.

An Overview of the News

• Shankar has been honoured with several honours and awards for his contribution to music, including the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Kalidas Samman, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the prestigious Bharat Ratna (1999).

• Shankar won three Grammy Awards during his lifetime, including a Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 2013.

• Shankar was appointed as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 1999 for his contribution to music and cultural understanding.

• Other notable honours conferred on Shankar include the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Commander of the Legion of Honor of France, Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) and Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

• Several books have been written about Pandit Ravi Shankar, including his autobiography, "My Music, My Life", and biographies such as "Ravi Shankar: A Life in Music" and "Pandit Ravi Shankar: The Man and His Music".

Honda Motor Appoints Tsutsumu Otani As Its New President, CEO And MD

Tags: Person in news

Honda Motor Company Limited on 5 April 2023 appointed Tsutsumu Otani as the new President, CEO and Managing Director of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India.

An Overview of the News

• Otani was serving as vice president of Honda Motor in Japan and took over from Atsushi Ogata.

• Otani began his career with Honda Japan in 1997 and has held several leadership positions within the company.

About Honda Motor Company Limited

• It is a multinational conglomerate manufacturer based in Japan and this company manufactures automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment.

• In addition to producing vehicles and power equipment, Honda is also involved in a number of other industries, including aerospace and robotics.

• As of 2021, Honda is one of the most valuable automobile brands in the world, with a brand value of over $25 billion.

Founded - 24 September 1948, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan

Founders - Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa

Headquarters - Minato, Tokyo, Japan

About Japan

• It is also called Nihon or Nippon and is an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean in East Asia.

• It is an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean in East Asia.

• It is made up of four main islands Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu and Honshu is the largest island of Japan.

• Its highest mountain is Mount Fuji.

• It is the third largest economy in the world after the United States and China.

Capital - Tokyo

currency - Yen

Prime Minister - Fumio Kishida

Ukraine's President awarded Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honour

Tags: Awards International News

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was awarded the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest award.

An Overview of the News

• The award was given to him for his exceptional services to protect security, resilience and human rights.

• The Order of the White Eagle is a prestigious and highly regarded decoration of the Republic of Poland, awarded for outstanding civil and military contributions to the country.

• It is considered the oldest and highest decoration in Poland, whose history dates back to the 14th century.

• In recent years, the award has been awarded to individuals who have made a significant contribution to Polish–Ukrainian relations and to the promotion of democracy and human rights in the region.

About Ukraine

• It is located in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, and is the second largest country in Europe, covering approximately 600,000 square kilometres.

• Ukrainian culture has influences from Slavic, Byzantine and European traditions.

Capital - Kyiv

Official language - Ukrainian

About Poland

• A country located in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and Russia to the north.

• The country is divided into 16 administrative regions, known as provinces, each with its own government and parliament.

• Poland has a total area of 312,696 km², making it the ninth largest country in Europe and the fifth most populous member state of the European Union.

• Poland is also a member of several international organisations including the United Nations, NATO, and the World Trade Organization.

Capital - Warsaw

Official language - Polish

Amit Shah unveils 54 feet tall statue of Lord Hanuman at Gujarat's Sarangpur temple

Tags: State News

On April 6, 2023 Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled a 54 feet tall statue of Lord Hanuman at Sarangpur temple in Botad district of Gujarat.

An Overview of the News

• The statue was unveiled on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, which is celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Hanuman.

• The idol is located in the Sarangpur Temple, a popular pilgrimage site for devotees of Lord Hanuman.

• The idol is 54 feet tall, making it one of the tallest idols of Lord Hanuman in the country.

• Apart from unveiling the statue, Amit Shah also inaugurated the temple's new community kitchen on April 6, 2023.

• The new community kitchen has the capacity to serve around 4,000 pilgrims at a time, making it easier for devotees to get food during their visit to the temple.

About Gujarat

• It is a state located in western India on the Kathiawar Peninsula with a long coastline of about 1,600 km.

• It is the fifth largest Indian state by area and the ninth most populous state.

• Some of the famous tourist attractions in Gujarat include Rani ki Vav stepwell, Somnath Temple, Gir Forest National Park and Sabarmati Ashram, which was the home of Mahatma Gandhi.

Establishment - 1 May 1960

Capital - Gandhinagar

Official language - Gujarati

Governor - Acharya Devvrat

Chief Minister - Bhupendrabhai Patel

Aleksander Ceferin re-elected UEFA president until 2027

Tags: Sports Person in news Sports News

Aleksandar Ceferin was re-elected as the President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) on 6 April 2023.

An Overview of the News

• It was re-elected during UEFA's Ordinary Congress held in Lisbon, Portugal, and Ceferin was elected unopposed, meaning that there were no other candidates for the position.

• He was first time elected as the seventh president of UEFA in 2016, succeeding Michel Platini.

• Ceferin's new term will last for another four years (2027).

• The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is responsible for governing association football, futsal and beach soccer in Europe.

• UEFA is one of the six continental governing bodies in the world of football.

• Apart from European countries, UEFA also regulates football in transcontinental countries such as Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan.

• Some Asian countries such as Israel, Cyprus and Armenia also come under the rule of UEFA.

Establishment - 15 June 1954

Headquarters - Nyon, Switzerland

Speaker - Aleksander Ceferin 

Parent organisation - FIFA

Subsidiary - UEFA Media Technologies SA

Argentina becomes number one football team in the world in FIFA rankings 2023

Tags: Sports Sports News

On 6th April 2023 The (FIFA) released the latest rankings of international football teams and Argentina topped the FIFA rankings for the first time in six years.

An Overview of the News

• The top five teams in the FIFA rankings 2023 are Argentina, France, Brazil, Belgium and England.

• The next FIFA World Rankings will be published on 20 July 2023.

• FIFA is the governing body for association football, beach soccer and futsal at the international level.

• It was established in 1904 to oversee international competition between the national federations of several European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

• FIFA is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, and is responsible for organising major international tournaments such as the World Cup, the Women's World Cup and the Club World Cup.

• The organisation also maintains the Laws of the Game, which are the rules governing how football is played around the world.

• FIFA has 211 member associations, making it one of the largest international organisations in the world.

• The current President of FIFA is Gianni Infantino, who was elected to the position in 2016.

About Argentina

• It is a South American country bordered by Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean.

• It is the second largest country in South America, the fourth largest in the Americas and the eighth largest in the world.

• The country has a diverse geography, including the Andes Mountains, the Pampas grasslands, and the Patagonian desert.

• Argentina gained independence from Spain in 1816.

• Argentina claims sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, Georgia and the Sandwich Islands.

President - Alberto Fernandez

Capital - Buenos Aires

Currency - Argentine peso

Official language - Spanish

World Health Day: 7 April

Tags: Important Days

World Health Day is observed every year on 7th April to draw global attention to a specific health issue that affects people around the world.

An Overview of the News

• The theme of World Health Day 2023 is "Health for All", reflecting the achievements of public health over the past seven decades in enhancing the quality of life of people.

• The theme emphasises the need for the world to take necessary measures to deal with current and future health challenges.

• World Health Day aims to promote awareness and draw global attention to a specific health issue that affects people around the world.

• The first World Health Day was celebrated on July 22, 1949, but was later moved to April 7 to encourage student participation.

• The day also marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO), a leading global health institution that works towards improving global health and well-being.

About WHO

Establishment - 7 April 1948

Headquarters - Geneva, Switzerland

Director General - Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus