< Daily Current Affairs & Important Editorials

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NEST Initiative

GS- III >> Economy >> Energy

Context: Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) launched a rating and certification initiative called ‘Nest’.

About NEST Initiative:

• Aims to promote sustainable and eco-friendly constructions in domestic housing.
• Encourages homeowners and the residential sector to adopt green building features.
• Focuses on reducing electricity consumption, water usage, and creating a healthy living space.

About Indian Green Building Council (IGBC):

• Established in 2001 as part of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• Premier certification body for green buildings in India.
• Offers various services, including developing green building rating programs and certification services.
• Hosts the annual Green Building Congress, a flagship event on green buildings.
• Among the five countries on the board of the World Green Building Council.
• Headquarters located in Hyderabad.
• Ratings based on six environmental categories: sustainable station facility, health, hygiene and sanitation, energy efficiency, water efficiency, smart and green initiatives, and innovation and development.

Source: www.thehindu.com

Emission Gap Report (2023)

GS- III >> Environment>> Climate Change

Context:  Recently, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) releases Emission Gap Report 2023

About Emission Gap Report (2023) by UNEP:

• This is the 14th Emission Gap Report which tracks our progress in limiting global warming well below 2°C and pursuing 1.5°C in line with the Paris Agreement.
• Emissions gap is the difference between:
• The estimated global GHG emissions resulting from full implementation of the latest Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and those under least-cost pathways aligned with the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement.

Key highlights:

• 86 days have been recorded with temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels this year.
• Global GHG emissions increased by 1.2 % from 2021 to 2022 with fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes being main contributors.
• Highly unequal distribution of current and historical emissions: Globally, the 10% of the population with the highest income accounted for 48% of emissions.
• Global warming is estimated to be limited to 3°C if the current policies continue.

India related findings:

• GHG emissions across the G20 increased by 1.2% in 2022, with increases in China, India, Indonesia, and the USA but decreases in Brazil, EU and Russia.
• India to date has only contributed 5% of warming.
• India has 8% implementation gap between Current Policies and NDC pledges.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP):

• Genesis: Founded in 1972 under UN General Assembly resolution shortly after Stockholm Conference on Human Environment.
• Objective: To help humanity foster climate stability, live in harmony with nature, and forge a pollution-free future, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Composition: UN Environment Assembly is the governing body with universal membership encompassing all 193 UN Member States.
• It is part of the UN Secretariat and responds to the UN General Assembly.
• India is a member.
• Other reports released by UNEP: Adaptation Gap report, Global Environment Outlook, Environmental Rule of Law Report, etc.

Source: www.unep.org

Sea Buckthorn

GS- III >> Environment >> Flora & Fauna

Context: Ladakh has secured its fourth Geographical Indication (GI) tag, this time for ‘Ladakh Sea Buckthorn.’

About Sea Buckthorn:

• Sea Buckthorn is a highly profitable crop in Ladakh, with around 90% of its production coming from the region.
• A shrub which produces an orange-yellow coloured edible berry.
• It is found in the Himalayan region, generally in dry areas such as the cold deserts of Ladakh and Spiti.
• The Sea Buckthorn Plantation has many medicinal, economic and ecological benefits.

Source: newsonair.gov.in

Cosmic Vine

GS- III >> Science & Technology >> Space

Context: The Cosmic Vine came into focus through analysis of data gathered by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), recognized as humanity’s most potent tool for exploring the depths of space and time.

About Cosmic Vine:

• Identified as an extensive ‘vine-like structure,’ the Cosmic Vine envelops 20 galaxies and spans over 13 light years.
• Positioned in the early universe, researchers determined its age with a redshift of 3.44, signifying a travel time for light between 11 and 12 billion years before reaching JWST.
• Houses two of the most massive galaxies at this high redshift—Galaxy A and Galaxy E, both exhibiting reduced star formation rates in a quiescent state.
• Scientists speculate that the Vine might act as a precursor to a galaxy cluster, providing valuable insights into the development of such clusters and the emergence of massive galaxies within them.

About Light Year:

• A light-year, measuring distance rather than time, represents the distance travelled by a beam of light in a single Earth year.
• This measurement equates to approximately 6 trillion miles (9.7 trillion kilo-meters), serving as a unit to gauge the vast distances in space.

Source: www.space.com