03 October 2022

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

1 – 5 G in India: GS III – Science and Technology

Context:

• On October 1, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra unveiled the 5G telecom services, ushering in a new era in technology. These services aim to offer seamless coverage, high data rates, minimal latency, and extremely dependable communications systems.
• The fifth-generation mobile network is known as 5G. Next-generation cellular technology will offer ultra-low latency communication that is quicker and more dependable. According to a government panel analysis, peak network data speeds for 5G are anticipated to be between 2 and 20 Gigabit per second (Gbps). In comparison, 4G connectivity speeds in India only average 6-7 Megabit per second (Mbps), compared to 25 Mbps in developed nations. The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) defines and oversees the standards for the use of 5G. (3GPP).

5G benefits for the communication sector include:

• According to a government-appointed panel’s research, the cumulative economic impact of 5G in India is predicted to reach $1 trillion by 2035.
• In a separate analysis, telecom equipment manufacturer Ericsson predicted that India’s 5G-enabled digitalization revenue potential will exceed $27 billion by 2026.
• The GSMA, a worldwide trade association for the telecom sector, also predicted that by 2025, there will be roughly 70 million 5G connections in India.
• The Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine communications are two developing technologies that 5G is predicted to be the foundation for.
• It would be able to enable a considerably wider variety of services and applications, such as autonomous cars, telemedicine, and real-time data analytics.
• Implementing sensor-embedded networks that enable real-time information relay across industries including manufacturing, consumer goods, and agriculture will be one of the main applications of 5G.
• By enhancing its intelligence, 5G can also help make transportation infrastructure more effective.
• Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication will be made possible by 5G, paving the way for the development of driverless cars among other things.
• For these use cases, 5G is a desirable technology due to its extremely low latency. The amount of time it takes for data to go from its source to its destination is known as latency.
• India’s desire to deploy 5G and play a vital role in its development and growth has been mentioned by the government on numerous occasions. A high-level forum was established in 2016 to advise India on a 5G strategy.
• The potential of this spectrum was recognised in the National Digital Communications Policy of 2018, and TRAI has recommended a reserve price for the auction of 5G spectrum in the 3.3-3.4 GHz and 3.4-3.5 GHz bands.

Economies of scale challenges:

• Allocation of frequencies: Indian operators have much less spectrum than foreign operators. The hefty investment costs that give telecom businesses second thoughts about their ROI.
• Network investment: There are problems with capital augmentation in the Indian telecom industry that need to be fixed. Lack of investment capital: A large number of Indian operators are also burdened with debt.
• Telecom companies appear hesitant to take part in the auction, citing the high reserve price of 490 crore per MHz and the inadequate amount of spectrum available.
• Regulations: The adoption of new technologies more quickly when the costs of earlier investments in technology have not been recovered adds another layer of complexity.
• Technical Difficulties: It is difficult to create an IT architecture that can be used globally while still allowing for regionally specific technology.
• Lack of government incentives: Given the growing pressure on its revenues, particularly following the COVID-19-induced slowdown, government has little motive to sacrifice income.
• Taxes are deterring investment in new technologies because the current flat rate of 6% of adjusted gross income for licence fees and 3% for spectrum usage charges is deterring it.
• Ineffective auction design keeps valuable spectrum unutilized. This comprises priceless 5G spectrum in the 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz bands as well as the highly coveted E and B bands.

Steps to Take:

• Digital India must be compatible with 5G technologies.
• Encourage the development and production of 5G technology, goods, and services in India.
• It is necessary to release unused spectrum, at least until it starts to earn sizable profits.
• Provide funding and incentives for local telecom and technology companies to build up their internal capabilities, which will aid in the adoption of 5G technology in the nation.
• Encourage 5G start-ups that allow these manufacturing and design capabilities.
• Encourage the creation of IPR for the aforementioned designs.
• The production of 5G chipsets may necessitate significant investments.
• The right test environments and technological foundations to support and enable the Indian technical ecosystem’s competitive advantage in 5G.
• Next-generation ubiquitous ultra-high broadband infrastructure is being rapidly deployed, with 100% coverage of 10 Gbps in urban areas and 1 Gbps in rural areas of India.
• A unified management strategy will be necessary for smooth mobile networks to provide uniform standards, and coverage, dependability, and scalability must all be optimised.

Conclusion:

• According to the World Economic Forum, there will be a stunning 9.1 billion mobile subscriptions by 2023. Digital India will be sparked by 5G, marking a turning point in the digital transformation. The fifth generation of cellular technology, or 5G, is about to arrive in India. It gives businesses a chance to access international markets, while consumers benefit from the economies of scale. Better service delivery, quicker access to services, and broader adoption of digital services can all be aided by it.

Source The Hindu

 2 – Swachh Survekshan 2023: GS II – Government Policies and Interventions

Context:

• According to the Swachh Survekshan 2023 rankings, Visakhapatnam was named the fourth cleanest city in the nation (in the over 10 lakh population category). The city’s standings have improved, moving from ninth place in 2021 to fourth this year. The city has now earned a spot in the top four for a second time. The city received its highest score to date when it was named the third cleanest city in the Swachh Survekshan of 2017.

About:

• Achieving circularity in waste management is the goal of SS 2023. The 3Rs — Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse — philosophy would be given top importance in the survey.
• Swachh Survekshan 2023: What is It?
• The MoHUA developed Swachh Survekshan in 2016 as a framework for competition to encourage towns to improve the state of urban sanitation while fostering widespread citizen participation.
• Swachh Survekshan has grown over time to become the largest urban sanitation survey in the world.
• Source segregation of trash, increasing city waste processing capacity to keep up with waste growth, and lowering waste going to landfills have all received significant weighting in SS 2023.
• The introduction of indicators has been weighted more heavily to emphasise the necessity of plastic waste processing, waste to wonder parks, and zero waste events.
• Through SS 2023, ranking of Wards within cities is also promoted.
• The cities will also be evaluated based on specific indicators for the problems with “Open Urination” (Yellow Spots) and “Open Spitting” (Red Spots) that they are now experiencing.
• The residential and commercial districts’ back lanes will be encouraged to be cleaned by MoHUA.

Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0: What is it?

About:

• SBM-U 2.0, which is the continuation of SBM-initial U’s phase, was announced in Budget 2021–2022.
• The government is making an effort to collect septage from toilets and safely contain, transport, and dispose of it.
• On October 2, 2014, SBM-first U’s phase was begun with the goals of making urban India ODF and attaining 100% scientific management of municipal solid waste. Up till October of 2019.
• It will cost Rs. 1.41 lakh crore to implement it over five years, from 2021 to 2026.
• Under the underlying tenets of “waste to wealth” and “Circular Economy,” the Mission is being carried out.
• Goal: By efficiently managing waste from construction and demolition activities and bioremediating all legacy dump sites, it focuses on source segregation of rubbish, decrease of single-use plastic and air pollution.
• In accordance with this aim, all wastewater will be appropriately cleansed before being dumped into water bodies, and the government is attempting to prioritise maximum reuse.

Mission results:

• Every statutory town will get ODF+ certification (focuses on toilets with water, maintenance and hygiene).
• Every statutory town with fewer than 1 lakh residents will receive ODF++ certification (focuses on toilets with sludge and septage management).
• In all statutory towns with fewer than 1 lakh residents, 50% will achieve Water+ certification (aims to sustain toilets by treating and reuse of water).
• According to the MoHUA’s Star Rating Protocol for Garbage Free cities, all statutory towns must receive at least a 3-star rating for cleanliness.
• All former dumpsites are being bioremediated.

Source The Hindu

3 – Climate Change: GS III – Environmental Conservation:

Context:

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has noted that since the industrial revolution, which began around 1800, human activities have released large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) due to fuel burning and other ‘greenhouse gases’ into the atmosphere, changing the earth’s climate. These gases include methane, nitrous oxide, and compounds of sulphur, phosphorous, and ozone.

How does the climate change?

• Climate change encompasses both the large-scale changes in weather patterns that arise from global warming caused by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
• Although there have been other eras of climate change, since the middle of the 20th century, people have had an impact on the Earth’s climate system that is unprecedented and has led to change on a global level.
• Climate change is the periodic alteration of the Earth’s climate caused by variations in the atmosphere and by interactions between the atmosphere and other geological, chemical, biological, and geographical elements that are part of the Earth’s system.
• Weather patterns may become less predictable due to climate change. Unpredictable weather patterns can make it challenging to maintain and develop crops, putting fragile nations like India that rely heavily on agriculture at risk.
• Additionally, it is bringing on harmful weather conditions including more frequent and powerful hurricanes, flooding, cyclones, etc.
• Sea levels are increasing as a result of the faster melting of polar ice due to climate change’s rising temperatures. As a result of the increased floods and erosion, this is harming the coastlines.
• Human activity is to blame for the current rapid climate change, which threatens humankind’s basic existence.
• The release of gases that have a greenhouse effect, of which carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane make up more than 90%, is the main cause of global warming.
• The primary source of these emissions is the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy consumption, with smaller amounts coming from manufacturing, agriculture, and deforestation.
• Climate feedbacks, such as the disappearance of sunlight-reflecting snow and ice, an increase in water vapour (a greenhouse gas in and of itself), and modifications to land and ocean carbon sinks, can speed up or slow down temperature rise.
• The increase in land temperatures is around twice that of the global average, which has caused the desert to spread and increased occurrence of heat waves and wildfires.
• In the Arctic, where it has led to permafrost melting, glacier retreat, and sea ice loss, temperature rise is also amplified.
• Warmer temperatures increase evaporation rates, which leads to more violent storms and harsh weather conditions.
• Numerous species may be forced to relocate or go extinct as their environment changes, most noticeably in coral reefs, mountains, and the Arctic.
• Food insecurity, water scarcity, flooding, infectious diseases, high heat, economic losses, and eviction are all threats posed by climate change to individuals.
• The World Health Organization has declared climate change to be the biggest threat to world health in the twenty-first century as a result of these human-caused effects.
• Even if attempts to limit future warming are successful, certain effects, such as rising sea levels, rising ocean temperatures, and ocean acidification, would last for generations.
• According to a number of publications from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), these effects will intensify noticeably if global warming continues to rise to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) and beyond. Additionally, increased warming increases the possibility that crucial thresholds known as tipping points will be reached.
• Through mitigation measures, countries collectively pledged to keep global warming “far under 2.0 °C (3.6 °F)”. Global warming would still reach roughly 2.8 °C (5.0 °F) by the end of the century even with pledges made under the Agreement.

Why does the world get warmer?

• A: The atmospheric buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants, which absorb sunlight and solar energy that has reflected off the earth’s surface, is what causes global warming. Normally, this radiation would escape into space, but because these pollutants may linger in the atmosphere for many years or even decades, they trap the heat and make the planet hotter. The greenhouse effect is the result of these heat-trapping pollutants, notably carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapour, and synthetic fluorinated gases, which are referred to as greenhouse gases.

Causes of climate change include:

Natural:

• The Earth’s climate changes as a result of several natural forces. Over a period of thousands to millions of years, they have an impact on the climate.
• Continental Drift: Before 200 million years ago, the continents of today were not the same.
• They were created millions of years ago when plate reversals caused the landmass to start drifting apart.
• Due to the movement’s effects on the landmass’s physical characteristics, position, and position of water bodies, including the flow of ocean currents and winds, climatic change was impacted.
• Even now, the landmass is still migrating. As the Indian subcontinent moves closer to the Asian mainland, the Himalayan range is rising by around 1 millimetre annually.
• Changes in the Earth’s orbit: The Earth’s orbit affects the seasonal distribution of sunlight that reaches the planet’s surface.
• The distribution of things around the planet can alter as a result of a little modification in the Earth’s orbit.
• The usual sunshine hasn’t changed all that much. However, it has a significant impact on the seasonal and geographic distribution. Three different forms of orbital fluctuations exist: precession of the Earth’s axis, variations in the tilt angle of the Earth’s axis of rotation, and variations in the eccentricity of the Earth. Together, this can lead to Milankovitch cycles, which are well known for their connection to the glacial and interglacial periods and have a significant effect on climate. Findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change demonstrated how the Milankovitch cycles affected how ice formed.
• Platonic movement:
• The mantle plumes and convection currents were forced to adapt due to the shift in temperature in the Earth’s core, which caused the Earth Plates to be rearranged.
• The patterns of climate and atmosphere both globally and locally may be affected by this.
• The positioning of the continents determines the shape of the oceans. As a result, the positioning of the continents affects how the ocean flows. The location of the sea also significantly affects how heat and moisture are transported around the world and impacts the climate globally. The construction of the Isthmus of Panama, which prevented the direct mixing of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, around 5 million years ago, is a recent example of tectonic control over ocean circulation.
• Volcanic Activity: When a volcano erupts, gases and dust are released, partially obstructing the sun’s beams. This can cause the weather to chill. Although volcanic activity only lasts for a few days, the gases and ashes that are emitted can last for a very long time, causing it to affect climate patterns. As a result of volcanic activity, sulphur oxide can react with water to generate minute droplets of sulfuric acid. Because they are so tiny, many of these droplets can linger in the atmosphere for many years.
• Ocean Currents: One of the main elements of the climate system is the ocean current.
• The movement of the water against the sea surface is caused by horizontal winds.
• The climate of the area is influenced by the water’s temperature variations.

Anthropogenic factors:

• Since the turn of the 20th century, scientists have researched the effects of climate change brought on by human activity. One of the main components of climate change is global warming, which is the gradual increase in the Earth’s climate system’s average temperature. The rise in the earth’s surface temperature is primarily due to human activity. These are the manmade elements driving climate change:
• Greenhouse Gases: The greenhouse gases are substances that absorb solar heat energy. The release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere has grown rapidly since the start of the Industrial Revolution. More absorption and heat retention have resulted from this. The global temperature rose as a result of this. The majority of the infrared released by the Earth’s surface is absorbed by the greenhouse gases, which mostly do not absorb the sun energy.
• One of the primary greenhouse gases is water vapour (the majority of the GHG in the atmosphere but the impact is less)
• The influence of carbon dioxide that is emitted due to anthropogenic and natural processes increases as a result of greater time spent in the atmosphere. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the concentration of CO2 has increased by 30%. Deforestation, in addition to the industrial revolution, has been linked to an increase in CO
• Chlorofluorocarbons, a man-made substance regulated by the Montreal Protocol because of its harmful effects on the ozone layers, are utilised for industrial reasons, particularly in refrigerants and air conditioning.
• As organic matter decomposes, methane is released. Because it can absorb more heat than CO2, it is more powerful.
• The agricultural industry generates nitrous oxide, particularly during the creation and application of organic fertilisers as well as while burning fossil fuels.

Modification of the land use pattern:

• It is stated that the industrial era is when land use changed by half.
• The majority of the trees were replaced by pasture meadows and agricultural cultivation.
• The planet’s surface cooled as a result of the increased albedo (an object’s reflectance in space) caused by deforestation in the snow-covered high altitude areas. The amount of solar radiation absorbed by the globe increases with decreasing albedo, which causes temperatures to rise. The Earth will cool if its albedo is higher and it is more reflective, as more radiation will be reflected back into space. Tropical deforestation influences soil moisture properties, desertification, and evapotranspiration rates (the quantity of water vapour sent into the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration from trees). The removal of forest cover for agriculture and irrigated farming in dry and semi-arid lands can increase solar energy absorption and the quantity of moisture evaporated into the atmosphere, according to satellite photography.

Aerosols in the atmosphere:

• Aerosols in the atmosphere have the ability to: Modify the microphysical and chemical characteristics of clouds; Scatter and absorb solar and infrared light; The planet cools as a result of dispersed solar energy. Instead of enabling the sunlight to be absorbed by the Earth’s surface, however, the aerosols’ absorption of solar radiation raises the temperature of the air. Aerosols’ ability to either reflect or absorb solar energy has a direct impact on climate change. By changing the formation and characteristics of the cloud, they can also have indirect consequences. Wind and upper-level atmospheric circulation can potentially carry them thousands of kilometres from their origination.
• Natural aerosols and anthropogenic aerosols are the two different types of aerosols.
• Sulphate aerosols are produced by volcanic eruptions, one of the sources of natural aerosols, and biogenic sources, such as planktons (can produce dimethyl sulphide).
• The ammonia used for fertilisers or released by the burning of plants and other organic materials is a primary source for nitrate aerosols, among other anthropogenic aerosols. Sulphur dioxide is created when coal and oil are burned, and it is a primary contributor to sulphate aerosols. When biomass is burned, organic droplets and soot particles may be released. Wide-ranging aerosols are released into the atmosphere as a result of industrial activity. Numerous contaminants that are produced by vehicle emissions might either start out as aerosols or turn into them as a result of atmospheric chemical interactions. Aerosol concentrations are discovered to be almost three times higher in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere, resulting in a radiation concentration that is 50% higher in the Northern Hemisphere.

Climate change effects include:

Temperature increase in the atmosphere:

• The Earth is getting hotter as a result of greenhouse gases caused by human activity.
• The hottest six years ever recorded were the last six.
• The current surge in heat-related illnesses and deaths, the rise in sea levels, and the intensification of natural disasters are all primarily caused by the rising temperature.
• The average temperature of the Earth rose by 1°F throughout the 20th century. This is thought to be the fastest increase in a millennium.
• According to research predictions, the average surface temperature could rise by 3-5°F by the end of this century if GHGs are not lowered.
• The landscape has changed:

• Global warming, altered weather patterns, and a shift in temperature have caused trees and plants to migrate to the poles and mountains.
• The animals that depend on the vegetation will be compelled to follow it as it attempts to adapt to climate change by shifting to cooler locations in order to survive. While some people succeed, many others fail.
• The melting of the ice poses a threat to other animals, such as polar bears, which depend on cold environments for habitat.
• Thus, many species, including the human population, are at serious risk of extinction due to the current fast change in the landscape.

Ecosystem vulnerability:

• Global warming is altering the weather and vegetation patterns, which forces some species to relocate to colder regions in order to survive.
• Many species are in risk of extinction as a result of this. If the current trend continues, it is predicted that one-fourth of Earth’s species may go extinct by 2050.

Rising sea levels:

• Due to thermal expansion, a rise in Earth’s temperature causes the sea level to rise (a condition wherein the warm water takes up more area than cooler water). This issue is exacerbated by glacial melt.
• Rising sea levels pose a hazard to the people who live in low-lying areas, on islands, and along coasts.
• It erodes coastlines, wrecks homes, and obliterates ecosystems like mangroves and wetlands that guard coastlines against storms.
• The sea level has risen 4 to 8 inches during the past 100 years, and it will continue to climb between 4 and 36 inches over the following 100 years.

Seawater acidification:

• The amount of CO2 absorbed by the ocean has increased as the atmospheric CO2 concentration has risen. As a result, the ocean is acidic.
• Plankton, molluscs, and other marine creatures, among others, may suffer harm as a result of the ocean’s increased acidity. Since it is challenging for corals to build and maintain the skeletal structures necessary for survival, they are particularly vulnerable to this.

Likelihood of both natural and man-made disasters rising:

• Because of the high ambient temperature, moisture from the soil and water is evaporating quickly.
• The result is drought. Drought-affected areas are more vulnerable to the harmful consequences of flooding.
• The droughts could get worse and happen more frequently under the current circumstances. The effects on agriculture, water security, and public health could be disturbing.
• Droughts are growing longer and more severe in countries in Asia and Africa, which are already experiencing this problem.
• In addition to exacerbating droughts, the rising temperature is also increasing the number of forest fires around the world.
• Hurricanes and tropical storms are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, which has a terrible effect on both human societies and the environment.
• The increase in ocean temperature is to blame for this, as warm seas affect the energy of hurricanes and tropical storms.
• Intensifying hurricanes and tropical storms are also a result of increasing sea levels, the disappearance of wetlands, and increased coastal urbanisation.

Health problems:

• Globally high temperatures can cause health problems and even fatalities.
• Many people have died worldwide as a result of the rising heat waves brought on by climate change.
• For instance, in 2003, India and Europe both saw more than 1,500 fatalities as a result of the intense heat waves.
• As a result of the long-term warm weather allowing disease-carrying insects, animals, and bacteria to survive longer, climate change enhances the spread of dangerous diseases.
• Inhospitable cooler locations may now be home to diseases and pests that were formerly restricted to the tropics.
• As a result of climate change, there is now an increase in fatalities from diseases, natural catastrophes, and high temperatures.
• According to the World Health Organization, between 2030 and 2050, climate change may result in an additional 250,000 fatalities year from starvation, malaria, diarrhoea, and excessive heat.

Monetary effects:

• Climate change is predicted to cost between 5 and 20 percent of the annual global GDP if nothing is done to reduce carbon emissions.
• In contrast, it would only cost 1% of GDP to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change.
• Shoreline ecosystems can change due to climate change. Ports, near-shore infrastructure, and habitats may need to be relocated as a result, which would cost millions of dollars.
• Increased hurricane activity and other natural catastrophes can result in significant financial losses due to infrastructure and property destruction.
• The prospect of mass famine for thousands of people can be brought on by declining agricultural yields as a result of protracted droughts and hot heat.
• The annual revenue from coral reefs is over $375 billion in products and services. Their very existence is currently in danger.

Productivity in agriculture and food security:

• Solar radiation, a comfortable temperature, and precipitation are all necessary for crop cultivation.
• As a result, climate patterns have always been important for agriculture.
• Affected by the current climate change are agricultural productivity, the availability of food, and food security.
• These outcomes have a biophysical, ecological, and financial impact.

They produced:

• Zones of agriculture and climate are shifting toward the poles.
• Due to the rise in ambient temperature, the pattern of agricultural production has changed.
• The rise in atmospheric CO2 has led to an increase in agricultural output.
• unpredictable patterns of precipitation
• The vulnerability of the impoverished and those without access to land has grown.

Source The Hindu

4 – Jim Corbett National Park: Prelims Specific Topic

Context:

• The highly anticipated tiger safari project of the Uttarakhand government came under criticism after a Forest Survey of India (FSI) investigation discovered that more than 6,000 trees were illegally cut down in the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) without the approval of 163 for the Pakhru tiger safari.

Jim Corbett National Park:

• The Nainital district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand is home to Jim Corbett National Park.
• As the country’s first national park, it was created in 1936 during the British Raj and given the name Haily National Park in honour of the governor of the United Provinces, where it was at the time.
• For Independence, it was renamed Ramganga National Park after the river that runs through it, and in 1956, it underwent a third renaming to Corbett National Park.
• Its founding had been significantly aided by Jim Corbett, who passed away the year before.
• The Project Tiger initiative’s original location was the park.

Tiger Reserve:

• The Corbett Tiger Reserve’s crucial tiger habitat is made up of the national park and the nearby 301-square-kilometer Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary.
• It is the perfect habitat for tigers, with its hills, meadows, and streams.
• With 163 tigers, the area boasts the largest tiger population in a tiger reserve and one of the highest tiger densities in the nation. Project Tiger was started there in 1973.

Source The Hindu