1. First ‘Global Clean Energy Action Forum -2022’ starts at Pittsburgh, United States
Tags: place in news Summits International News
The three day (21-23 September) ‘Global Clean Energy Action Forum -2022 organised by the United States government’s Department of Energy and Carnegie Mellon University, started on 21 September 2022 at Pittsburgh, United States .
Under the Global Clean Energy Action Forum a joint meeting of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM13) and Mission Innovation (MI-7) are being held.
It is being attended by energy and science ministers from 31 countries to discuss ways to achieve a net zero carbon target for the world.
India is being led by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh.
He met US Energy Minister Jennifer Granholm and other important dignitaries.
The theme for CEM13/MI-7 is Rapid Innovation and Deployment.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Pittsburgh is also known both as "the Steel City" and as the "City of Bridges".
- Jamshedpur in India is also called as Pittsburgh of India.
2. Centre dedicates 166 CNG stations across 14 states
Tags: National News
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on 15 July virtually dedicated 166 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations across 14 states of the country.
Important facts
These CNG stations have been set up by Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and nine of its group City Gas Distribution (CGD) companies.
This is an important step towards expanding the availability of eco-friendly CNG to the transport sector, households and industry in India.
These CNG stations, commissioned at a cost of Rs 400 crore, will further strengthen the gas based infrastructure and availability of clean fuel in the country.
This will stimulate the market for CNG vehicles and will have a huge impact on manufacturing, skill development and job creation.
The number of CNG stations will be increased to eight thousand in the next two years.
Presently the number of CNG stations has crossed 4500 as compared to 2014 when there were around 900 CNG stations across the country.
Ambitious target of expanding the share of Natural Gas
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set an ambitious target of increasing the share of natural gas in the primary energy mix to 15% to enter a gas-based economy.
The development of the gas-based economy is expected to play an important role in achieving India's goal of net zero by 2070.
What is Hydrogen Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG)?
Combination of hydrogen with CNG gives a compound gas known as HCNG.
It is a mixture of compressed natural gas and 4-9 per cent hydrogen by energy.
It can also be used as a fuel in internal combustion engines and for home appliances.
Compared to conventional CNG, the use of H-CNG can reduce carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by up to 70%.
It is capable of saving up to 5% in fuel.
3. World Economic Forum launches alliance to supercharge India's climate action
Tags: International News
The World Economic Forum (WEF) on 23 May announced a new 'Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders India'. It will work towards fast-tracking India's net-zero carbon journey as well as decarbonisation.
The coalition will strive to achieve the goals set out in the White Paper Mission 2070, released last year, as part of the World Economic Forum's Climate Task Force.
It will bring together the government, corporations and other key players to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet his ambitious 'Panchamrut' target, which includes a net-zero target for the country by 2070.
The alliance is a collaboration between management consulting firm Kearney and Indian think tank Observer Research Foundation.
It will serve as a high-level platform to assist business leaders in developing and implementing plans and programs to meet climate goals, including net-zero economic growth.
About World Economic Forum (WEF)
Founded - 24 January, 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab.
Headquarters - Cologny, Switzerland
Chairperson - Borge Brende
Purpose of Formation - International Organisation for Public-Private Cooperation
4. India to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030
Tags: National News
The Union Power Ministry has notified its green hydrogen/green ammonia policy on 17 February 2022. It puts into reality the National Hydrogen Mission announced by the Prime Minister in the 15 August 2021 speech.
The aim of the National Hydrogen Mission is to meet its climate change target of net zero carbon emission by 2070 and make India a production and export hub of hydrogen fuel.
The main highlights of the green hydrogen/green ammonia policy:
The policy has set a target to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030.
Separate manufacturing zones will be set up for manufacturing of green hydrogen /green ammonia.
The government would allow free power transmission to renewable energy units set up by green-hydrogen producers and power banking facilities for 30 days.
There will be charges for inter-state transmission for a period of 25 years if the manufacture of green hydrogen and green ammonia is started before 30th June 2025.
In order to deal with the challenge of global warming and climate change countries around the world are promoting hydrogen as an alternative fuel. In India many companies have projects to produce green hydrogen.
Indian Oil Corporation plans to build the country’s first green-hydrogen plant at its Mathura refinery.
NTPC will set up the country's first green hydrogen microgrid project at its Simhadri plant in Andhra Pradesh.
Concept clearing
Green Hydrogen, Brown Hydrogen, Blue Hydrogen:
Hydrogen is the first and the smallest element in the periodic table.
Depending upon the production method the colour of the hydrogen can be Green, Brown, Blue or Grey.
Green Hydrogen
It refers to the breaking down of the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable sources of energy. Renewable source of energy means which can be used again and again like solar power, hydel, wind energy etc. It contains no carbon which is responsible for global warming.
Grey Hydrogen
Grey hydrogen is created from natural gas, or methane, using steam methane reformation. It produces Hydrogen and Carbon dioxide which is released in the atmosphere.
Blue Hydrogen
Blue hydrogen is produced mainly from natural gas, using a process called steam reforming, which brings together natural gas and heated water in the form of steam. It produces hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
Black and Brown Hydrogen
When black coal or lignite (brown coal) is used in the hydrogen-making process it is called as black or brown coal.
5. China, U.S. pledge to enhance climate cooperation at UN talks:
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Why in the news?
The world's top two carbon polluters, China and the United States, pledged to increase their cooperation on climate action in a joint declaration issued at U.N. climate talks in Glasgow.
Key highlights:
- To accelerate the emissions reductions required to meet the temperature goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
- Governments agreed in Paris to jointly cut greenhouse gas emissions enough to keep the global temperature rise "well below" 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times, with a more stringent target of trying to keep warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius ( 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).
Steps were agreed on a range of issues, including:
- Methane emissions.
- The transition to clean energy.
- De-carbonisation.
What is COP26 and why is it happening?
- COP stands for "Conference of the Parties".
- The world is warming because of emissions from fossil fuels used by humans, like coal, oil and gas.
- Extreme weather events linked to climate change including heat waves, floods and forest fires are intensifying. The past decade was the warmest on record and governments agree urgent collective action is needed.
- For COP26, 200 countries have been asked for their plans to cut emissions by 2030.
- Under the Paris Agreement of 2015, countries were asked to make changes to keep global warming "well below" 2C - and to try to aim for 1.5C - in order to prevent a climate catastrophe.
- The goal is to keep cutting emissions until they reach net zero in 2050.
other developments at the COP26 climate summit:
- A draft of a final COP26 deal was announced, with countries being urged to strengthen carbon-cutting targets by the end of 2022.
- Dozens of countries have promised to phase out petrol and diesel-powered cars but the US, China and Germany haven't signed up. A number of major manufacturers - including Ford and Mercedes - have pledged commitments too.
- Climate change is one of the world's most pressing problems. Governments must promise more ambitious cuts in warming gases if we are to prevent greater global temperature rises.
Additional Information:
In October, India along with Australia, UK in collaboration with small island developing states (SIDS), have planned to launch a new initiative “Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS)”, on the side-lines of the Conference of Parties (COP26).
- The platform is aimed at creating a coalition for putting in place infrastructure that can withstand disasters and lessen economic losses in island nations.
- The IRIS initiative will be launched with an initial funding of $10 million from Australia, India and the UK.
- The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) is scheduled to take place from October 31 to November 12, 2021
- More countries including Japan are expected to contribute to the initiative.
What are Small Island developing states (SIDS)?
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a distinct group of 38 UN Member States and 20 Non-UN Members/Associate Members of UN regional commissions that face unique social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities.
- SIDS accounts for two-thirds of the countries in the world that suffer the highest relative losses due to disasters. According to the Asian Development Bank and Inter-American Development Bank, infrastructure investment deficit in the Pacific and the Caribbean SIDS is $42 billion and $46 billion, respectively, over a period of 2015-2040.
6. Nutrition Smart Village Initiative:
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Why in the news?
“Nutrition Smart Village” was initiated to strengthen the Poshan Abhiyan.
- The objectives of the initiative are promoting nutritional awareness, education and behavioral change in rural areas involving farm women and school children, harnessing traditional knowledge through the local recipe to overcome malnutrition and implementing nutrition-sensitive agriculture through homestead agriculture and Nutri-garden.
Key Highlights:
- This is the part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, to commemorate the 75th year of Independence of India.
- This initiative aims to reach out to 75 villages across India through the network of All India Coordinated Research Project on Women in Agriculture (AICRP-WIA).
- To achieve the goal of Malnutrition free villages, intensive awareness campaigns and field activities will be undertaken focusing on the concept of Nutri-village / Nutri-food / Nutri-diet/ Nutri-thali etc. for strengthening the Poshan Campaign.
- Awareness among the women farmers will also be created about their legal rights in all walks of life.
- The products/tools/technologies developed by AICRP centers will be evaluated through multi-location trials.
About Poshan Abhigyan:
- POSHAN Abhiyaan is a multi-ministerial convergence mission with the vision to ensure attainment of malnutrition free India by 2022.
- It targets to reduce levels of under-nutrition and other related problems by ensuring convergence of various nutrition related schemes.
- Its aim is to ensure holistic development and adequate nutrition for pregnant women, mothers and children.
- POSHAN Abhiyaan Was Launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan in March 2018.
Implementation:
- Implementation strategy would be based on intense monitoring and Convergence Action Plan right up to the grass root level.
- POSHAN Abhiyaan was rolled out in three phases from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
- POSHAN Abhiyaan targets to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively.
What is scenario of India in Malnutrition
- In the year 2020, India was ranked 94th out of 107 countries.
Steps taken by Indian Government :
The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme:
- It was launched in 1975.
- It is one of the world's largest and most unique outreach programs for early childhood care and development and covers all the districts and blocks in the country.
Mid-Day Meal Scheme:
- It was started in 1995.
- Government has taken steps for rice fortification in all parts of the country to deal with nutritional deficiency among the women and children, with IIT-Kharagpur.
National Nutrition Mission (NNM):
- Ending all forms of malnutrition by 2030 is also the target of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-2) of Zero Hunger.
- It aims to reduce anaemia among children, adolescent girls and women, each by 3 per cent per annum by 2022.
Additional Information:
What is GHI?
- GHI is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and national levels.
- Global Hunger Index is based on four leading indicators:
Undernourishment, malnutrition, child growth rate and child mortality.
- It was Created in 2006
- The GHI was initially published by the US-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Germany-based Welthungerhilfe.
- In 2007, the Irish NGO Concern Worldwide also became a co-publisher of GHI
- In 2018, IFPRI stepped aside from its involvement in the project and the GHI became a joint project of Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide.
7. G20 Summit & Climate Change
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Why in news?
The G20 Summit 2021 was held, which was hosted by Italy in October 2021. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
Objectives:
- The 2021 G20, under the Italian Presidency, will focus on three broad, interconnected pillars of action: People, Planet, and Prosperity.
Key points:
- Leaders committed to the key Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
- The leaders made a commitment to reach carbon neutrality by or around mid-century.
- They agreed to stop funding new dirty coal plants abroad by the end of 2021.
- They also pledged to reach a target of net zero carbon emissions “by or around mid-century”, instead of setting a clear 2050 date, as campaigners and summit host Italy were hoping for.
- They approved on an agreement that will subject multinationals to a minimum 15 percent tax, as part of an effort to build “a more stable and fairer international tax system”.
- Strengthen the WHO on Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Covid-19 vaccines.
- Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi led the Indian delegation at the Summit.
- India highlighted the need for resilient global supply chains and invited G-20 countries to make India their partner in economic recovery and supply chain diversification.
- India also lauded the G-20's decision to come up with a 15-percent minimum corporate tax to make the global financial architecture “more just and fair”.
- India welcomed the European Union's Indo-Pacific strategy and French leadership in it.
Carbon neutrality:
- Carbon neutrality is a state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved by balancing emissions of carbon dioxide with its removal or by eliminating emissions from society.
- India’s Net Zero target of 2070 silences its critics but it is along expected lines
Additional Information:
What is G - 20?
- The G20 is the international forum that brings together the world's major economies.
- Its members account for more than 80% of world GDP, 75% of global trade and 60% of the population of the planet.
- The forum has met every year since 1999 and includes, since 2008, a yearly Summit, with the participation of the respective Heads of State and Government.
- The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the European Union.
Members:
The 19 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, and the US.
How G-20 Works?
- The G-20 does not have a permanent secretariat.
- Its agenda and activities are established by the rotating presidencies, in cooperation with the membership.
- A “Troika” represented by the country that holds the presidency, its predecessor and its successor works to ensure continuity within the G-20.
Exclusive Economic Zone:
- Each coastal state may claim an EEZ beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea that extends seaward up to 200nm from its baseline.
- Within it EEZ, a coastal state has: Soverign rights for the purpose of exploring, exploiting, and managing natural resources.
- Rights to carry out activities like the production of energy from the water, currents and winds.
- It does not give a coastal state the right to prohibit or limit freedom of navigation or overflight.
