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  • UN declares Access to Clean, Healthy Environment as Universal Human Right

    Every person on the planet has the right to live in a clean, healthy environment, as declared United Nations (UN) in a historic resolution.

    Access to Clean, Healthy Environment

    • The resolution recognizes the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right essential for the full enjoyment of all human rights and, among others.
    • It calls upon States and international organizations to adopt policies and scale up efforts to ensure a clean, healthy and sustainable environment for all.
    • The landmark development demonstrates that the member states can unite in the collective fight against the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
    • The declaration sheds light on almost all the rights connected to the health of our environment.
    • The declaration adopted by over 160 UN member nations, including India, is not legally binding.

    Why such move?

    • This right was not included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948.
    • So, this is a historic resolution that will change the very nature of international human rights law.
    • The resolution will help to reduce environmental injustices and protection gaps.
    • It can empower people, especially those in vulnerable situations, including environmental human rights defenders, children, youth, women and indigenous people.

    Landmark resolution after 50 years

    • Some 50 years ago, the United Nations Conference on the Environment in Stockholm concluded with a resolution placing environmental issues at the global forefront.
    • Today, over 176 countries have adopted environmental framework laws on the basis of it.
    • From a foothold in the 1972 Stockholm Declaration, these rights have been integrated into constitutions, national laws and regional agreements.
    • In October 2021, it was recognised by the UN Human Rights Council.

    What were other such developments?

    • July 28, 2010, the UN general assembly recognised the right to water and sanitation through its resolution.
    • It stated that clean drinking water and sanitation “are essential to the realisation of all human rights”.
    • In response to this, governments across the world have changed their laws and regulations related to water and sanitation.

    Issues over this declaration

    • The words’ ‘clean’, ‘healthy’ and ‘sustainable’ lack an internationally agreed definition.
    • The text fails to refer to the foundational principle of equity in international environmental law.
    • Nevertheless, this has given more power in the hands of environmental activists to question environmentally destructive actions and policies.

    Back2Basics: Right to Clean Environment in India

    • The right to life has been used in a diversified manner in India.
    • It includes, inter alia, the right to survive as a species, quality of life, the right to live with dignity and the right to livelihood.
    • In India, this has been expressly recognised as a constitutional right under Article 21.
    • It states: ‘No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedures established by law.’
    • The Supreme Court expanded this negative right in two ways.
    1. Firstly, any law affecting personal liberty should be reasonable, fair and just.
    2. Secondly, the Court recognized several unarticulated liberties that were implied by article 21.
    • It is by this second method that the Supreme Court interpreted the right to life and personal liberty to include the right to a clean environment.

     

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  • Replacement Level Fertility achieved in India

    India has achieved replacement level fertility, with 31 States and UTs reaching a Total Fertility Rate (an average number of children per woman) of 2.1 or less, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare has informed Parliament.

    What is Replacement Level Fertility?

    • Replacement level fertility is the level of fertility at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next.
    • In simpler terms, it denotes the fertility number required to maintain the same population number of a country over a given period of time.
    • In developed countries, replacement level fertility can be taken as requiring an average of 2.1 children per woman.
    • In countries with high infant and child mortality rates, however, the average number of births may need to be much higher.
    • RLF will lead to zero population growth only if mortality rates remain constant and migration has no effect.

    Benefits of achieving RLF

    • RLF helps ensure greater food security.
    • The reduced demand for food would in turn lessen agri- culture’s impact on the environment.
    • It would also likely lead to economic benefits through a “demographic dividend.”
    • Finally, achieving replacement level fertility would yield significant social benefits―especially for women.

    How did India achieve this?

    • Between 2012 and 2020, the country added more than 1.5 crore additional users for modern contraceptives, thereby increasing their use substantially.
    • India has witnessed a paradigm shift from the concept of population control to population stabilisation to interventions being embedded toward ensuring harmony of continuum care.

    Way forward

    • Although India has achieved replacement level fertility, there is still a significant population in the reproductive age group that must remain at the centre of our intervention efforts.
    • India’s focus has traditionally been on the supply side, the providers and delivery systems but now it’s time to focus on the demand side which includes family, community and society.
    • Significant change is possible with this focus, instead of an incremental change.

     

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  • Who was Raja Ravi Varma?

    Ahead of the 175th birth anniversary fete of the legendary artist Raja Ravi Varma, erstwhile royal family of Kilimanoor has urged the Union government to posthumously confer the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, on him.

    Raja Ravi Varma

    • Raja Ravi Varma was born in April 1848 in Kilimanoor, Kerala, to a family which was very close to the royals of Travancore.
    • Often referred to as the father of modern Indian art, he is widely known for his realistic portrayal of Indian gods and goddesses.
    • While he majorly painted for the royalty, he is also credited for taking art to the masses with his prints and oleographs.
    • At a young age, he would draw animals and everyday scenes on the walls in indigenous colours made from natural materials such as leaves, flowers and soil.
    • His uncle, Raja Raja Varma, noticed this and encouraged his talent.
    • Patronised by Ayilyam Thirunal, the then ruler of Travancore, he learnt watercolour painting from the royal painter Ramaswamy Naidu, and later trained in oil painting from Dutch artist Theodore Jensen.

    How he become an artist of the royals?

    • Varma became a much sought-after artist for the aristocrats and was commissioned several portraits in late 19th century.
    • Arguably, at one point, he became so popular that the Kilimanoor Palace in Kerala opened a post office due to the sheer number of painting requests that would come in for him.
    • He travelled across India extensively, for work and inspiration.

    Fame as a notable painter

    • Following a portrait of Maharaja Sayajirao of Baroda, he has commissioned 14 Puranic paintings for the Durbar Hall of the new Lakshmi Vilas Palace at Baroda.
    • Depicting Indian culture, Varma borrowed from episodes of Mahabharata and Ramayana for the same.
    • He also received patronage from numerous other rulers, including the Maharaja of Mysore and Maharaja of Udaipur.
    • As his popularity soared, the artist won an award for an exhibition of his paintings at Vienna in 1873.
    • He was also awarded three gold medals at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

    Nature of his artforms

    • Much of his celebrated art also borrows heavily from Indian mythology.
    • In fact, he is often credited with defining the images of Indian gods and goddesses through his relatable and more realistic portrayals often painted with humans as models.
    • The depictions include Lakshmi as the goddess of wealth, Saraswati as the goddess of knowledge and wisdom, and Lord Vishnu with his consorts, Maya and Lakshmi.

    How he took Indian art to the masses?

    • Raja Ravi Varma aspired to take his art to the masses and the intent led him to open a Lithographic Press in Bombay in 1894.
    • The idea, reportedly, came from Sir T Madhava Rao, former Dewan of Travancore and later Baroda, in a letter where he pointed out to Varma that since it was impossible for him to meet the large demand for his work, it would be ideal for him to send some of his select works to Europe and have them produced as oleographs.
    • Varma, instead, chose to establish a printing press of his own.
    • The first picture printed at Varma’s press was reportedly The Birth of Shakuntala, followed by numerous mythological figures and saints such as Adi Shankaracharya.

    Major works

    • It is believed that he had made around 7,000 paintings before his death at the age of 58.
    • But only one painting is now left in ‘Chithrashala,’ the artist’s studio at Kilimanoor Palace — an unfinished portrait of ‘Parsi lady’ which was his last work.
    • Some of his popular works include ‘Lady in the Moonlight’, ‘Nair Lady Adorning Her Hair’, ‘Malabar Lady with Violin’, ‘Lady with Swarbat’, and ‘Maharashtrian Lady with Fruits’.

    Try this PYQ:

     

    There are only two known examples of cave paintings of the Gupta period in ancient India. One of these is paintings of Ajanta caves. Where is the other surviving example of Gupta paintings?

    (a) Bagh caves

    (b) Ellora caves

    (c) Lomas Rishi cave

    (d) Nasik caves

     

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    Back2Basics: Bharat Ratna

    • Bharat Ratna – ‘Jewel of India’ is the highest civilian award of the country.
    • It is conferred for exceptional Service to the nation in various fields such as Science arts, literature and recognition of public service of the highest order.
    • The award can be granted posthumously and since its establishment, seven awards were granted posthumously.
    • The award was established by formal President of India Rajendra Prasad on 2nd January 1954.
    • The concept of awarding this award posthumously was not there in the original statute declared in January 1954.
    • Provision to award posthumously was finally added in January 1966 statute of this prestigious award.
    • The medallion is cast in Bronze.
    • The medallion is designed like the leaf of a pipal tree with a sunburst in the centre and Bharat Ratna is engraved underneath it.

     

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  • Tribal Revolts President Murmu invoked in her inaugural speech

    Addressing the nation after being sworn in, President Murmu invoked four tribal revolutions that she said had strengthened tribal contribution to the freedom struggle.

    [1] Santhal revolution

    • On June 30, 1855, over 10,000 Santhals were mobilised by their leaders — Kanho Murmu, Chand Murmu, Bhairab Murmu and Sidho Murmu – to revolt against the East India Company over oppression by revenue officials, zamindars, and corrupt moneylenders.
    • The landmark event in tribal history, referred to as Santhal Hul, took place in Bhognadih village in present-day Jharkhand.
    • Soon after their open rebellion, Santhals took to arms to resist imposition of East India Company laws.
    • The seeds of the protracted rebellion, however, were sown in 1832 where the East India Company created Damin-i-koh region in the forested belt of Rajmahal hills, and invited the Santhals to settle there.
    • Over the years, Santhals found themselves at the receiving end of exploitative practices aided by the British.
    • After the rebellion broke out in 1855, both sides continued clashing till the uprising was crushed in 1856.
    • The British defeated the Santhals using modern firearms and war elephants in decisive action in which both Sidho and Kanho died.

    [2] Paika rebellion

    • In several recent descriptions, the 1817 Paika Rebellion in Odisha’s Khurda is referred to as the “original” first war of Indian Independence.
    • That year, the Paikas – a class of military retainers traditionally recruited by the kings of Odisha – revolted against the British colonial rulers mainly over being dispossessed of their land holdings.
    • In the run-up to the revolt, the British had dethroned and exiled the Khurda king in 1803, and then started introducing new revenue settlements.
    • For Paikas, who were into rendering martial services in return for hereditary rent-free land (nish-kar jagirs) and titles, this disruption meant losing both their estates and social standing.
    • The trigger for the revolt came as some 400 Kondhs descended from the Ghumusar area to rise against the British.
    • Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar Mohapatra Bharamarbar Rai, the highest-ranking military general of the banished Khurda king, led an army of Paikas to join the uprising of the Kondhs.
    • The Paikas set fire to government buildings in Banapur, killed policemen and looted the treasury and the British salt agent’s ship docked on the Chilika.
    • They then proceeded to Khurda and killed several British officials.
    • Over the next few months, the Paikas fought bloody battles at several places, but the colonial army gradually crushed the revolt.
    • Bakshi Jagabandhu escaped to the jungles, and stayed out of reach of the British until 1825, when he finally surrendered under negotiated terms.

    [3] Kol revolt

    • The Kols, tribal people from the Chhota Nagpur area, rose in revolt against the British in 1831.
    • The trigger here too was the gradual takeover of tribal land and property by non-tribal settlers who were aided by new land laws.
    • The simmering discontent over the economic exploitation of the original inhabitants led to an uprising led by Buddhu Bhagat, Joa Bhagat and Madara Mahato among others.
    • The Kols were joined by other tribes like the Hos, Mundas and Oraons.
    • The tribals fought with traditional weapons taking the battle to colonial forces who finally overpowered them with modern weaponry.
    • The uprising, which spread to areas like Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Palamau, and Manbhum and continued for almost two years before being snuffed out, mainly targeted colonial officials and private money-lenders.

    [4] Bhil uprising

    • After the British intruded into the Bhil territory in Maharashtra’s Khandesh region, the tribals pushed back fearing exploitation under the new regime in 1818.
    • The revolt was led by their leader, Sewaram and was brutally crushed using the British military might.
    • This uprising again erupted in 1825 as the Bhils sought to take advantage of reverses being suffered by the British in the first Anglo-Burmese war.

    Also read:

    Important Rebellions and Peasant Movements

     

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  • [pib] Anushilan Samiti

    Union Education and Skill Development Minister has urged NCERT and the Education fraternity to include enough information about Anushilan Samiti, especially in the upcoming National Curriculum Framework

    Anushilan Samiti

    • Anushilan Samiti was an Indian fitness club, which was actually used as an underground society for anti-British revolutionaries.
    • It was founded by Satish Chandra Pramatha Mitra, Aurobindo Ghose and Sarala Devi.
    • In the first quarter of the 20th century it supported revolutionary violence as the means for ending British rule in India.
    • The organisation arose from a conglomeration of local youth groups and gyms (akhara) in Bengal in 1902.
    • It had two prominent, somewhat independent, arms in East and West Bengal, Dhaka Anushilan Samiti (centred in Dhaka), and the Jugantar group (centred in Calcutta).
    • It challenged British rule in India by engaging in militant nationalism, including bombings, assassinations, and politically motivated violence.

    Revolutionary activities

    • The Samiti collaborated with other revolutionary organisations in India and abroad.
    • It was led by the nationalists Aurobindo Ghosh and his brother Barindra Ghosh, influenced by philosophies like Italian Nationalism, and the Pan-Asianism of Kakuzo Okakura.
    • The Samiti was involved in a number of noted incidents of revolutionary attacks against British interests and administration in India, including early attempts to assassinate British Raj officials.
    • These were followed by the 1912 attempt on the life of the Viceroy of India, and the Seditious conspiracy during World War I, led by Rash Behari Bose and Jatindranath Mukherjee respectively.

    Defiance from militant nationalism

    • The organisation moved away from its philosophy of violence in the 1920s due to the influence of the Indian National Congress and the Gandhian non-violent movement.
    • A section of the group, notably those associated with Sachindranath Sanyal, remained active in the revolutionary movement, founding the Hindustan Republican Association in north India.
    • A number of Congress leaders from Bengal, especially Subhash Chandra Bose, were accused by the British Government of having links with the organisation during this time.
    • The Samiti’s violent and radical philosophy revived in the 1930s, when it was involved in the Kakori conspiracy, the Chittagong armoury raid, and other actions against the administration in British-occupied India.

    Other personalities associated with Anushilan Samiti

    • Legends like, Deshabandhu Chittaranjan Das, Surendranath Tagore, Jatindranath Banerjee, Bagha Jatin were associated with Anushilan Samiti.
    • Dr Hedgewar who established the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was also an alumnus of the Samity.

     

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  • Who were Raja Serfoji and Sivaji?

    A 19th-century painting of Raja Serfoji and his son Sivaji, which was stolen from Saraswathi Mahal, Thanjavur, a few years ago has been traced to the Peabody Essex Museum, Massachusetts, in the US.

    Who was Raja Serfoji?

    • For long, the rulers of Thanjavur had been devoid of absolute power.
    • Serfoji, placed by the British on the throne over his stepbrother Amar Singh, died in 1832.
    • His only son Sivaji ruled until 1855.
    • However, he had no male successor.
    • Thanjavur became a casualty of Lord Dalhousie’s infamous ‘Doctrine of Lapse’, and it got absorbed into British-ruled Indian provinces.
    • The painting, which has Raja Serfoji and his young son, according to some historians, was probably painted between 1822 and 1827 and kept in the Saraswathi Mahal.

    Back2Basics: Doctrine of Lapse

    • Between 1848 and 1856, Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India, devised the Doctrine of Lapse as an annexation policy.
    • It was an idea to annex those states which have no heir.
    • They lose the right of ruling, and it will not be reverted by the adoption of a child.
    • It was one of the key components that added to the 1857 revolt.

    Features of the doctrine

    • Any princely state or any territory under the direct influence of the British, as a vassal state under the British Subsidiary System, would inevitably be annexed if the ruler was either “manifestly incompetent or died without a direct heir”.
    • It ousted the age-old right of an Indian ruler without an heir to select a successor.
    • Additionally, the British decided whether potential rulers were competent enough or not.

    Annexations made under this policy

    Annexation           Year

    Satara                1848

    Jaitpur                1849

    Sambalpur            1849

    Baghat               1850

    Udaipur              1852

    Jhansi                 1853

    Nagpur               1854

     

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  • Heat Waves across the Europe

    The UK posted its highest temperature ever recorded — crossing 40°C.  Parts of France, Spain and Portugal recorded temperatures between 42 and 46 degrees.

    Why in news?

    • Dozens of towns and regions across Europe reeled under what has been described as a “heat apocalypse”, which has caused widespread devastation this year.
    • Wildfires caused by a combination of extreme heat and dry weather have destroyed 19,000 hectares of forest in southwestern France.

    What is a Heatwave and when is it declared?

    • Heatwaves occur over India between March and June.
    • IMD declares a heatwave event when the maximum (day) temperature for a location in the plains crosses 40 degrees Celsius.
    • Over the hills, the threshold temperature is 30 degrees Celsius.

    How are they formed?

    • Heatwaves form when high pressure aloft (3,000–7,600 metres) strengthens and remains over a region for several days up to several weeks.
    • This is common in summer (in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres) as the jet stream ‘follows the sun’.
    • On the equator side of the jet stream, in the upper layers of the atmosphere, is the high pressure area.
    • Summertime weather patterns are generally slower to change than in winter. As a result, this upper level high pressure also moves slowly.
    • Under high pressure, the air subsides (sinks) toward the surface, warming and drying adiabatically, inhibiting convection and preventing the formation of clouds.
    • Reduction of clouds increases shortwave radiation reaching the surface.
    • A low pressure at the surface leads to surface wind from lower latitudes that brings warm air, enhancing the warming.
    • Alternatively, the surface winds could blow from the hot continental interior towards the coastal zone, leading to heat waves.

    Following criteria are used to declare a heatwave:

    To declare heatwave, the below criteria should be met at least in 2 stations in a Meteorological subdivision for at least two consecutive days and it will be declared on the second day.

    a) Based on Departure from Normal

    • Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 4.5°C to 6.4°C
    • Severe Heat Wave: Departure from normal is >6.4°C

    b) Based on Actual Maximum Temperature (for plains only)

    • Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥ 45°C
    • Severe Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥47°C

    How long can a heatwave spell last?

    • A heatwave spell generally lasts for a minimum of four days.
    • On some occasions, it can extend up to seven or ten days.

    Impact of Heat Waves

    • Heat Strokes: The very high temperatures or humid conditions pose an elevated risk of heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
    • Healthcare crisis: Effects from extreme heat are also associated with increased hospitalisations and emergency room visits, increased deaths from cardio-respiratory and other diseases, mental health issues, adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, etc.
    • Productivity loss: Extreme heat also lessens worker productivity, especially among the more than 1 billion workers who are exposed to high heat on a regular basis.
    • Risk of Wildfires: The heat domes act as fuel to wildfires, which destroys a lot of land area every year in countries like the US.
    • Prevents Cloud Formation: The condition also prevents clouds from forming, allowing for more radiation from the sun to hit the ground.
    • Effect on Vegetation: The trapping of heat can also damage crops, dry out vegetation and result in
    • Increased Energy Demands: The sweltering heat wave also leads to rise in energy demand, especially electricity, leading to pushing up rates.
    • Power Related Issues: Heat waves are often high mortality disasters.
    • Infrastructure failure: Avoiding heat-related disasters depends on the resilience of the electrical grid, which can fail if electricity demand due to air conditioning use exceeds supply.

    What is behind the extreme heat waves in Europe?

    Ans. Climate change, but exactly how

    • Scientists are near-unanimous that the heat waves are a result of climate change caused by human activity.
    • Global temperatures have already risen by more than 1°C , and studies in the UK had shown that a one degree rise in temperature raises the probability of the country witnessing 40°C by ten times.
    • The rising global temperature, which this year led to deviations above the normal by as much as 15 degrees in Antarctica, and by more than 3 degrees in the north pole.

    Major factor: Changes in old wind patterns

    • In the case of the US, the record temperatures are being linked to changes in the jet stream — a narrow band of westerly air currents that circulate several km above the earth’s surface.
    • While a conventionally strong jet stream would bring cooler air from the northern Atlantic, in recent years the jet stream has weakened and split into two.
    • This has led to intense and more frequent heat waves over parts of the American continent.

     

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  • Anayoottu Ritual of Kerala

    Anayoottu, an annual ritual at the Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur was recently held.

    Why in news?

    • There is a history behind this annual ritual at the temple.
    • Kerala’s elephant pooram was selected, along with other cultural forms of the country, for display at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games held in Delhi in 1982.
    • Elephants were transported all throughout the country to New Delhi.

    What is Anayoottu?

    • The Aanayoottu (gaja pooja/ feeding of elephants) is a festival held in the precincts of the Vadakkunnathan temple in City of Thrissur, in Kerala.
    • The festival falls on the first day of the month of Karkkidakam (timed against the Malayalam calendar), which coincides with the month of July.
    • It involves a number of unadorned elephants being positioned amid a multitude of people for being worshipped and fed.
    • Crowds throng the temple to feed the elephants.

    Mythology behind

    • It is believed that offering poojas and delicious feed to the elephants is a way to satisfy Lord Ganesha—the god of wealth and of the fulfillment of wishes.
    • The Vadakkunnathan temple, which is considered to be one of the oldest Shiva temples in southern India, has hosted the Aanayottoo event for the past few years.

     

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  • Does Tropical Ozone Hole exist?

    A new ozone hole has been detected over the tropics, at latitudes of 30 degrees South to 30 degrees North, a recent study claimed. But some experts are divided over this.

    Do you know?

    The Antarctic ozone hole — one of the deepest, largest gap in the ozone layer in the last 40 years — has closed, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

    What is Ozone and Ozone Layer?

    • An ozone molecule consists of three oxygen atoms instead of the usual two (the oxygen we breathe, O2, makes up 21% of the atmosphere).
    • It only exists in the atmosphere in trace quantities (less than 0.001%), but its effects are very important.
    • Ozone molecules are created by the interaction of ultra-violet (UV) radiation from the Sun with O2 molecules.
    • Because UV radiation is more intense at higher altitudes where the air is thinner, it is in the stratosphere where most of the ozone is produced, giving rise to what is called the ‘ozone layer’.
    • The ozone layer, containing over 90% of all atmospheric ozone, extends between about 10 and 40km altitude, peaking at about 25km in Stratosphere.

    Why need Ozone Layer?

    • The ozone layer is very important for life on Earth because it has the property of absorbing the most damaging form of UV radiation, UV-B radiation which has a wavelength of between 280 and 315 nanometres.
    • As UV radiation is absorbed by ozone in the stratosphere, it heats up the surrounding air to produce the stratospheric temperature inversion.

    What is Ozone Hole?

    • Each year for the past few decades during the Southern Hemisphere spring, chemical reactions involving chlorine and bromine cause ozone in the southern polar region to be destroyed rapidly and severely.
    • The Dobson Unit (DU) is the unit of measure for total ozone.
    • The chemicals involved ozone depletion are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs for short), halons, and carbon tetrachloride.
    • They are used for a wide range of applications, including refrigeration, air conditioning, foam packaging, and making aerosol spray cans.
    • The ozone-depleted region is known as the “ozone hole”.

    Tropical Ozone Hole

    • According to the study, the ozone hole is located at altitudes of 10-25 km over the tropics.
    • This hole is about seven times larger than Antarctica, the study suggested.
    • It also appears across all seasons, unlike that of Antarctica, which is visible only in the spring.
    • The hole has become significant since the 1980s. But it was not discovered until this study.

    What caused an ozone hole in the tropics?

    • Studies suggested another mechanism of ozone depletion: Cosmic rays.
    • Chlorofluorocarbon’s (CFC) role in depleting the ozone layer is well-documented.
    • The tropical stratosphere recorded a low temperature of 190-200 Kelvin (K).
    • This can explain why the tropical ozone hole is constantly formed over the seasons.

    Significance of the finding

    • The tropical ozone hole, which makes up 50 percent of Earth’s surface, could cause a global concern due to the risks associated with it.
    • It is likely to cause skin cancer, cataracts and other negative effects on the health and ecosystems in tropical regions.

    Back2Basics: Antarctic Ozone Hole

    • The Antarctic “ozone hole” was discovered by British Antarctic Survey scientists Farman, Gardiner and Shanklin in 1985.
    • It was caused by the chemical reactions on polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) in the cold Antarctic stratosphere caused a massive.
    • Though localized and seasonal, an increase in the amount of chlorine present in active, ozone-destroying forms.

    Role of PSCs

    • The polar stratospheric clouds in Antarctica are only formed when there are very low temperatures, as low as −80 °C, and early spring conditions.
    • In such conditions, the ice crystals of the cloud provide a suitable surface for the conversion of unreactive chlorine compounds into reactive chlorine compounds, which can deplete ozone easily.

     

    Try this PYQ

    Q.Consider the following statements:

    Chlorofluorocarbons, known as ozone-depleting substances are used:

    1. In the production of plastic foams
    2. In the production of tubeless tyres
    3. In cleaning certain electronic components
    4. As pressurizing agents in aerosol cans

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

    (b) 4 only

    (c) 1, 3 and 4 only

    (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”c3bai87zru” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • India ranks 135 out of 146 in Gender Gap Index

    India ranks 135 among a total of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index, 2022, released by the World Economic Forum.

    What is Global Gender Gap Index?

    • The report is annually published by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
    • It benchmarks gender parity across four key dimensions or sub-indices — economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
    • It measures scores on a 0-to-100 scale, which can be interpreted as the distance covered towards parity or the percentage of the gender gap that has been closed.
    • The report aims to serve “as a compass to track progress on relative gaps between women and men on health, education, economy and politics”.
    • According to the WEF it is the longest-standing index, which tracks progress towards closing these gaps over time since its inception in 2006.

    How has India fared on different sub-indices?

    Here’s how it stands on different sub-indices:

    (1) Political Empowerment

    • This includes metrics such as the percentage of women in Parliament, the percentage of women in ministerial positions etc.
    • Of all the sub-indices, this is where India ranks the highest (48th out of 146).
    • However, notwithstanding its rank, its score is quite low at 0.267.
    • Some of the best-ranking countries in this category score much better.
    • For instance, Iceland is ranked 1 with a score of 0.874 and Bangladesh is ranked 9 with a score of 0.546.
    • Moreover, India’s score on this metric has worsened since last year – from 0.276 to 0.267.
    • The silver lining is that despite the reduction, India’s score is above the global average in this category.

    (2) Economic Participation and Opportunity

    • This includes metrics such as the percentage of women who are part of the labour force, wage equality for similar work, earned income etc.
    • Here, too, India ranks a lowly 143 out of the 146 countries in contention even though its score has improved over 2021 from 0.326 to 0.350.
    • Last year, India was pegged at 151 out of the 156 countries ranked.
    • India’s score is much lower than the global average, and only Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan are behind India on this metric.

    (3) Educational Attainment

    • This sub-index includes metrics such as literacy rate and the enrolment rates in primary, secondary and tertiary education.
    • Here India ranks 107th out of 146, and its score has marginally worsened since last year.
    • In 2021, India was ranked 114 out of 156.

    (4) Health and Survival

    • This includes two metrics: the sex ratio at birth (in %) and healthy life expectancy (in years).
    • In this metric, India is ranked last (146) among all the countries.
    • Its score hasn’t changed from 2021 when it was ranked 155th out of 156 countries.
    • The country is the worst performer in the world in the “health and survival” sub-index in which it is ranked 146.

    Where does India stand amongst its neighbour?

    • India ranks poorly among its neighbours and is behind Bangladesh (71), Nepal (96), Sri Lanka (110), Maldives (117) and Bhutan (126).
    • Only the performance of Iran (143), Pakistan (145) and Afghanistan (146) was worse than India in South Asia.
    • In 2021, India ranked 140 out of 156 nations.

     

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