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GS Paper: GS3

  • Social media and dilemmas associated with it

    Internet has transformed our life like no other technologies. However, it has created several problems as well. The article analyses such issues.

    Examining the role of social media

    • The first reason for the examination of role is the impending US presidential election.
    • Ghosts of Cambridge Analytica, are returning to haunt us again.
    • The second reason is the COVID pandemic.
    • Social media has emerged as a force for good, with effective communication and lockdown entertainment, but also for evil, being used effectively by anti-vaxxers and the #Unmask movement to proselytize their dangerous agenda.

    Understanding the problems associated with social media

    • The big problem with social networks is their business model.
    • The internet was created as a distributed set of computers communicating with one another, and sharing the load of managing the network.
    • This was Web 1.0, and it worked very well. But it had one big problem—there was no way to make money off it.
    •  The internet got monetized, Web 2.0 was born.
    • Come 2020, search and social media advertising has crossed $200 billion, rocketing past print at $65 billion, and TV at $180 billion.
    • This business model has led to a “winner-takes-all” industry structure, creating natural monopolies and centralizing the once-decentralized internet.
    • The emergence of Web 3.0, a revolution that promises to return the internet to users.

    Way forward

    • One principle of the new model is to allow users explicit control of their data, an initiative aided by Europe-like data protection regulation.
    • Another is to grant creators of content—artists, musicians, photographers, —a portion of revenues, instead of platforms taking it all (or most).
    • The technologies that Web 3.0 leverages are newer ones, like blockchains, which are inherently decentralized.
    • They have technology protection against the accumulation of power and data in the hands of a few.
    • Digital currencies enabled by these technologies offer a business model of users paying for services and content with micro-transactions, as an alternative to advertiser-pays.

    Conclusion

    The path to success for these new kinds of democratic networks will be arduous. But a revolution has begun, and it is our revulsion of current models that could relieve us of our social dilemmas.

  • India must reject the inequitable climate proposal

    The article takes stock of India’s climate action and the issue of phasing out the use of coal.

    Context

    • The UN Secretary-General called on India to give up coal immediately and reduce emissions by 45% by 2030.

    State of India’s climate action

    • India’s renewable energy programme is ambitious and its energy efficiency programme is delivering, especially in the domestic consumption sector.
    • India is one of the few countries with at least 2° Celsius warming compliant climate action.
    • India is also among one of smaller list of countries on track to fulfilling their Paris Agreement commitments.
    • India’s annual emissions, at 0.5 tonnes per capita, are well below the global average of 1.3 tonnes.
    • In terms of cumulative emissions, India’s contribution by 2017 was only 4% for a population of 1.3 billion.

    How West is performing?

    • While talking about their phasing out of coal, the global North has obscured the reality of its continued dependence on oil and natural gas, both equally fossil fuels, with no timeline for their phaseout.
    • While it is amply clear that their commitments into the future set the world on a path for almost 3°C warming, they have diverted attention by fuzzy talk of “carbon neutrality” by 2050.
    • Environmentalists in developed countries, unable to summon up the domestic political support have turned to pressure the developing countries.
    • All of these are accompanied by increasing appeals to multilateral or First World financial and development institutions to force this agenda on to developing countries.

    Implications of ending coal investment for India

    •  Currently, roughly 2 GW of coal-based generation is being decommissioned per year.
    •  But meeting the 2030 electricity consumption target of 1,580 to 1,660 units per person per year, will require anywhere between 650 GW to 750 GW of renewable energy.
    • Unlike the developed nations, India cannot substitute coal substantially by oil and gas and despite some wind potential, a huge part of this growth needs to come from solar.
    • However, renewables at best can meet residential consumption and some part of the demand from the service sector.
    • Currently, manufacturing growth powered by fossil fuel-based energy is itself a necessity.

    Conclusion

    India must unanimously reject the UN Secretary General’s call and reiterate its long-standing commitment to an equitable response to the challenge of global warming.

  • Explained: Solar Cycle 25

    NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced the commencement of solar cycle 25.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q. Which one of the following reflects back more sunlight as compared to the other three?

    (a) Sand desert

    (b) Paddy cropland

    (c) Land covered with fresh snow

    (d) Prairie land

    What is the Solar Cycle?

    • Like seasons on Earth, the Sun follows a cycle of 11 years, during which solar activities fluctuate between solar minima and maxima.
    • Depending on the number of sunspots detected on the Sun, scientists term it is as solar maxima (highest number of sunspots) or solar minima (lowest number of sunspots).
    • Sunspots are small and dark, yet cooler areas formed on the solar surface, where there are strong magnetic forces.
    • They start appearing at Sun’s higher latitudes and later shift towards the equator as a cycle progresses.
    • In short, when the Sun is active, there are more sunspots in comparison to fewer sunspots during the lesser active phase.
    • Maxima or minima is not a specific time in the 11-year cycle but is a period that can last for a few years.

    How are solar cycles determined?

    • One of the important elements researchers look out for on the Sun’s surface is the number of sunspots.
    • A new cycle commences when the Sun has reached its lowest possible minima phase.
    • Every time the cycle changes, the Sun’s magnetic poles reverse.

    Monitoring solar cycles

    • Since the Sun is a highly variable star, data of sunspot formation and its progress need close monitoring.
    • Data of six to eight months are required to confirm whether the star has undergone a minima phase.
    • Traditionally, telescopes were used to record sunspots and recorded data since 1755 is available.
    • With the advance in technology in recent decades, satellites are also used to make real-time sunspot observations.
    • On this basis, scientists announced the completion of solar cycle 24, which lasted between December 2008 and December 2019.
    • With the Sun’s activities having reached its lowest minima between the two cycles, the new solar cycle 25 has now commenced.

    How has the transition between solar cycles 24 and 25 been?

    • The Sun’s activities were notably lesser during 2019 and early 2020. There were no sunspots for 281 days in 2019 and 181 days in 2020.
    • Since December 2019, the solar activities have slowly picked up, corroborating the beginning of the news cycle.
    • The panel termed solar cycle 25 to be a weak one, with the intensity similar to that of Solar cycle 24.

    What solar activities affect us on Earth?

    • Solar activities include solar flares, solar energetic particles, high-speed solar wind and Coronal Mass Ejections (CME).
    • These influence the space weather which originates from the Sun.
    • Solar storms or flares can typically affect space-dependent operations like GPS, radio and satellite communications, besides hampering flight operations, power grids and space exploration programmes.
    • CMEs pose danger to space weather. Ejections travelling at a speed of 500km/second are common during solar peaks and create disturbances in Earth’s magnetosphere, the protective shield surrounding the planet.
    • At the time of spacewalks, astronauts face a great health risk posed by exposure to solar radiation outside Earth’s protective atmosphere.

     

  • Species in news: Kalinga Frog

    Indian scientists have reported a first-of-its-kind discovery of morphological phenotypic plasticity (MPP) in the Kalinga cricket frog.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Consider the following statements:

    1. Biodiversity hotspots are located only in tropical regions.
    2. India has four biodiversity hotspots i.e., Eastern Himalayas, Western Himalayas, Western Ghats and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands.

    Which of the above statements is/ are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    Kalinga Frog

    • The Kalinga Frog (Fejervarya Kalinga) was recently identified species which was documented in 2018.
    • The species was encountered several times during field expeditions in the Western Ghats. However, the physical characteristics vary entirely from the known species of Eastern Ghats.
    • However, it has been reported from the central Western Ghats, with the evidence of considerable MPP.
    • It was the only genetic analysis that helped prove that physically different-looking frogs from eastern and western ghats were the same.

    What is MPP?

    • The morphological phenotypic plasticity (MPP) is the ability of an organism to show drastic morphological (physical features) variations in response to natural environmental variations or stimuli.
    • The term “phenotype” refers to the observable physical properties of an organism, which include the organism’s appearance, development, and behaviour.

  • [pib] Kosi Rail Mahasetu

    PM has dedicated to the nation the historic Kosi Rail Mahasetu (mega-bridge).

    Kosi Rail Mahasetu

    • The Kosi Mega Bridge line project was sanctioned during 2003-04.
    • The bridge is 1.9 km long. It is of strategic importance along the India-Nepal border.
    • In 1887, a meter gauge link was built in between Nirmali and Bhaptiahi (Saraigarh).
    • During the heavy flood and severe Indo Nepal earthquake in 1934, the rail link was washed away and thereafter due to meandering nature of river Kosi no attempt was made to restore this Rail link for long period.
    • The dedication of the mega-bridge is a watershed moment in the history of Bihar and the entire region connecting to the North East.

    About Kosi River

    • The Kosi is a trans-boundary river which flows through Tibet, Nepal and India.
    • The river crosses into northern Bihar, India where it branches into distributaries before joining the Ganges near Kursela in Katihar district.
    • Its unstable nature has been attributed course changes and the heavy silt it carries during the monsoon season, and flooding in India has extreme effects.
    • It is also known as the “Sorrow of Bihar” as the annual floods affect about 21,000 km2 of fertile agricultural lands thereby disturbing the rural economy.

  • Agricultural reform bills introduced in Parliament

    Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have been protesting against three ordinances promulgated by the Centre back in June this year.  After the Monsoon Session of Parliament began this week, the government has introduced three Bills to replace these ordinances.

    Try this PYQ:

    The economic cost of food grains to the Food Corporation of India is Minimum Support Price and bonus (if any) paid to the farmers plus:

    (a) Transportation cost only

    (b) Interest cost only

    (c) Procurement incidentals and distribution cost

    (d) Procurement incidentals and charges for godowns

    What are these ordinances?

    The ordinances included:

    • The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020;
    • The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020; and
    • The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 (It is the Bill replacing the third that has been passed in Lok Sabha)

    The cause of discontent

    • While farmers are protesting against all three ordinances, their objections are mostly against the provisions of the first.
    • Their concerns are mainly about sections relating to “trade area”, “trader”, “dispute resolution” and “market fee” in the first ordinance.

    What is a ‘trade area’, as mentioned in the Bill?

    • Section 2(m) of The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020 defines “trade area” as any area or location, place of production, collection and aggregation.
    • It includes (a) farm gates; (b) factory premises; (c) warehouses; (d) silos; (e) cold storages; or (f) any other structures or places, from where the trade of farmers’ produce may be undertaken in the territory of India.
    • In effect, existing mandis established under APMC Acts have been excluded from the definition of trade area under the new legislation.
    • The government says the creation of an additional trade area outside of mandis will provide farmers with the freedom of choice to conduct trade in their produce.

    Why are farmers protesting?

    • The protesters say this provision will confine APMC mandis to their physical boundaries and give a free hand to big corporate buyers.
    • The APMC mandi system has developed very well as every mandi caters to 200-300 villages.
    • But the new ordinance has confined the mandis to their physical boundaries.

    What is ‘trader’ and how is it linked to the protests?

    • Section 2(n) of the first ordinance defines a “trader” as “a person who buys farmers’ produce by way of inter-State trade or intra-State trade or a combination thereof.
    • Thus, it includes processor, exporter, wholesaler, miller, and retailer.
    • According to the Ministry of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, “Any trader with a PAN card can buy the farmers’ produce in the trade area.”
    • In the present mandi system, arhatiyas (commission agents) have to get a licence to trade in a mandi.
    • The protesters say arhatiyas have credibility as their financial status is verified during the licence approval process.

    Why does the provision on ‘market fee’ worry protesters?

    • Section 6 states that no market fee or cess or levy, by whatever name called, under any State APMC Act or any other State law, shall be levied in a trade area.
    • Government officials say this provision will reduce the cost of the transaction and will benefit both the farmers and the traders.
    • Under the existing system, such charges in states like Punjab come to around 8.5% — a market fee of 3%, a rural development charge of 3% and the arhatiya’s commission of about 2.5%.
    • By removing the fee on trade, the government is indirectly incentivizing big corporates.

  • What are Interest Rate Derivatives (IRDs)?

    The RBI has proposed allowing foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to undertake exchange-traded rupee interest rate derivatives transactions subject to an overall ceiling of ₹5,000 crores.

    Every year, there is a question on a capital market instruments. Make note of all such separately. Also, try this PYQ:

    Q. Which of the following is issued by registered foreign portfolio investors to overseas investors who want to be part of the Indian stock market without registering themselves directly? (CSP 2019)

    (a) Certificate of Deposit

    (b) Commercial Paper

    (c) Promissory Note

    (d) Participatory Note

    Interest Rate Derivatives (IRDs)

    • An IDR is a financial instrument with a value that is linked to the movements of an interest rate or rates.
    • These may include futures, options, or swaps contracts.
    • They are often used by institutional investors, banks, companies, and individuals to protect themselves against changes in market interest rates.
    • The proposed directions by RBI are aimed at encouraging higher non-resident participation, enhance the role of domestic market makers in the offshore market, improve transparency, and achieve better regulatory oversight, according to the central bank.

    Back2Basics: Foreign portfolio investment (FPI)

    • FPI involves holding financial assets from a country outside of the investor’s own.
    • FPI holdings can include stocks, ADRs, GDRs, bonds, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds.
    • Along with foreign direct investment (FDI), FPI is one of the common ways for investors to participate in an overseas economy, especially retail investors.
    • Unlike FDI, FPI consists of passive ownership; investors have no control over ventures or direct ownership of property or a stake in a company.

    FPI vs FDI

    • With FPI—as with portfolio investment in general—an investor does not actively manage the investments or the companies that issue the investments.
    • They do not have direct control over the assets or the businesses.
    • In contrast, foreign direct investment (FDI) lets an investor purchase a direct business interest in a foreign country.

  • Etosha Salt Pan, Namibia

    NASA has recently captured images depicting the wet and dry cycles of Etosha Pan in Africa’s Namibia through the year.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Which of the following has/have shrunk immensely/ dried up in the recent past due to human activities?

    1. Aral Sea
    2. Black Sea
    3. Lake Baikal

    Select the correct option using the code given below:

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 2 only

    (d) 1 and 3 only

    Etosha Salt Pan

    • The Etosha pan is hollow in the ground, wherein water may collect or in which a deposit of salt remains after the water has evaporated.
    • The 120-kilometre-long dry lakebed and its surroundings are protected as Etosha National Park, Namibia’s second-largest wildlife park.
    • The pan is mostly dry, but after a heavy rain, it acquires a thin layer of water that is heavily salted by the mineral deposits on the surface.

  • Urban unemployment in India

    The article discusses the issue of vulnerability of informal jobs in India and suggests the steps to address the problem.

    The urban unemployment in India crept up to 9.83% in August as against 9.15% in July, according to monthly unemployment data released Tuesday by the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). In other words, roughly one in every 10 person in urban areas cannot find work

  • Life signature on Venus

    Scientists have detected in the harshly acidic clouds of Venus a gas called phosphine that indicates microbes may inhabit Earth’s inhospitable neighbour, a sign of potential life beyond Earth.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Which phenomenon has Venusian winds rotating 60 times faster than the planet below on the dark side?

    (a) Super rotation

    (b) Monrotation

    (c) Dual rotation

    (d) Macrrotation

    Phosphine

    • Phosphine – a phosphorus atom with three hydrogen atoms attached – is highly toxic to people.
    • It is known to be produced only through a biological process, and not through any naturally occurring chemical process.
    • Phosphine was seen at 20 parts-per-billion in the Venusian atmosphere, a trace concentration.
    • Researchers examined potential non-biological sources such as volcanism, meteorites, lightning and various types of chemical reactions, but none appeared viable.
    • There are some other ways in which this chemical might be produced, for example, in the underbelly of volcanoes or meteorite activity, but that would have shown in much lower concentrations.

    Why study Venus?

    • Venus is Earth’s closest planetary neighbour. Similar in structure but slightly smaller than Earth, it is the second planet from the sun. Earth is the third.
    • Venus is wrapped in a thick, toxic atmosphere that traps in heat. Surface temperatures reach a scorching 880 degrees Fahrenheit (471 degrees Celsius), hot enough to melt lead.
    • Existence of phosphine is the most credible evidence yet for the possibility of life away from Earth.

    Hosting life on Venus

    • There are several things that we know about Venus that make life, as we know it, unsustainable on that planet.
    • The temperature of Venus is too high, and its atmosphere is highly acidic, just two of the things that would make life impossible.
    • It is too early to consider this as evidence for extraterrestrial life.

    Paving way for future mission

    • Missions to Venus are not new. The finding can further ignite interest in space missions to Venus.
    • Spacecraft have been going near the planet since the 1960s, and some of them have even made a landing.
    • In fact, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is also planning a mission to Venus, tentatively called Shukrayaan, in the near future.
    • As of now, the plan is still on the drawing board. All future missions to Venus would now be attuned to investigating further evidence of the presence of life.