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  • [pib] Satellite-based real-time monitoring of Himalayan glacial catchments

    Melting of glaciers in Himalaya and GLOFs

    • The Himalayan region is home to the largest ice mass outside of the planet’s Polar Regions.
    • The glaciers in the Himalayas are melting at a faster rate creating new lakes and expanding the existing ones.
    • The rising temperatures and extreme precipitation events make the region increasingly prone to a variety of natural hazards, including devastating glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
    • GLOFs occur when either a natural dam containing a glacial lake bursts or when the lake’s level suddenly increases and overflows its banks, leading to catastrophic downstream destruction.
    • However, the remote, challenging Himalayan terrain and the overall lack of cellular connectivity throughout the region have made the development of early flood warning systems virtually impossible.
    • In their recent work the Scientists point out that the surge of meltwater in mountain streams is most commonly caused by cloud-burst events during the monsoon season (June–July–August) time frame.

    Satelitte-based real-time monitoring

    • Satellite-based real-time monitoring of Himalayan glacial catchments would improve understanding of flood risk in the region and help inform an early flood warning system that could help curb disaster and save human lives, says a recent study.
    • This should be the future strategy to reduce loss of human lives during glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF), said a study carried out by scientists from IIT Kanpur.
    • The IIT Kanpur team suggests that efforts to help mitigate GLOF events in the future should include the creation of a network of satellite-based monitoring stations that could provide in situ and real-time data on GLOF risk.
    • The integration of monitoring devices with satellite networks will not only provide telemetry support in remote locations that lack complete cellular connectivity but will also provide greater connectivity in coverage in the cellular dead zones in extreme topographies such as valleys, cliffs, and steep slopes.

  • Why single price of vaccine across the country is good idea

    The article deals with the issues of different prices set for the Covid vaccine and its implications.

    Understanding the positive and negative externalities

    • Vaccines have a positive externality; it is a good whose consumption benefits not just the one who has it.
    • A vaccinated person is not only relatively protected against the disease himself/herself, but also less likely to transmit it to others.
    • Usually, a person getting vaccinated takes into account only his/her own cost and benefit, while ignoring the fact that he/she lowers the chances of infecting others.
    • It is the opposite of smoking, which has “negative externality”.
    • Since every individual ignores the full set of benefits/costs from consuming goods with positive/negative externalities, the market isn’t always the most efficient mechanism for allocation of such goods.
    • That is a key reason why governments treat goods having large positive externalities as “public goods” and provide these while factoring in the full costs and benefits to society.

    Analysing the issues with vaccine policy

    1) Vaccine inequality

    • It requires vaccine manufacturers to supply 50 per cent of their production to the Centre at controlled prices, while allowing them to sell the remaining half in the open market including to state governments at pre-announced “self-set” prices.
    • To start with, the new policy can lead to differential access to the vaccine.
    • Manufacturers are supposed to “transparently declare” their prices in advance for their 50 per cent supply to the open market.
    • But there is no limit per se on the retail price they would charge.
    • This could lead to a whole range of prices and vaccine inequality, apart from diversion of supplies from the controlled low-price government centres to the open market.
    • So, we may well have scarcity in the “mass” segment co-existing with a glut in the “elite” segment.
    • There is also concerns about economic efficiency and the potential for market failure.

    2) Economic efficiency and potential for market failure

    • Imagine there are two sets of people in India.
    • The first consists of those who are better off and can afford to stay back or work from home.
    • This lot is also less likely to cause infection to others.
    • The second set is mostly blue-collar workers, small traders, vendors and agriculturists.
    • The nature of their work — on the shop floor or in the field — makes them naturally prone to infect others.
    • It follows, then, that society gains from first vaccinating the latter, as they have a higher negative externality.
    • The market will ignore those with lower purchasing power, despite them having a higher probability of spreading the disease.
    • In fact, the bigger the income difference between the two segments, the greater will be the extent of market failure from simultaneous over-provisioning and under-provisioning.

    Way forward

    • The solution could be a single price to be paid to vaccine makers for all the doses that they supply.
    • The price should be high enough to stimulate them to rapidly ramp up production.
    • Those government should pay directly to the vaccine maker or the hospital administering the dose for those without sufficient means.
    • The suggested solution is similar to the fertiliser subsidy, which is now disbursed to companies only after actual sales to farmers.

    Consider the question “What policy should be followed for the vaccination in the country? What are the issues with the curent policy which involved different price for government and for open market.”

    Conclusion

    A single price for Covid-19 vaccines will stimulate production, ensure efficient vaccination.

  • [pib] Drone use permission for feasibility study of Covid-19 vaccine delivery

    Conditional drone use exemption for vaccine delivery

    • Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have granted conditional exemption to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
    • The exemption is granted for conducting feasibility study of Covid-19 vaccine delivery using drones in collaboration with IIT Kanpur.
    • The permission exemption is valid for a period of one year or until further orders.

    Entities using drone on conditional drone use exemption basis

    • Conditional drone use exemption has been granted to the below entities for said purposes:
    • Nagar Nigam of Dehradun, Haldwani, Haridwar & Rudrapur for preparation of GIS based property database & electronic tax register.
    • West Central Railway, (WCR) Kota for train accident site & maintaining safety & security of the railway assets.
    • West Central Railway, (WCR) Katni for train accident site & maintaining safety & security of the railway assets.
    • Vedanta Ltd. (Cairn Oil & Gas) also received the conditional drone usage exemption for data acquisition for asset inspecting & mapping.

  • Eastern India most vulnerable to climate change, says study

    About the report

    • Published this week, the report on ‘Climate vulnerability assessment for adaptation planning in India using a common framework’ was conducted in 2019-2020 across 29 States.
    • It was part of a capacity building programme under the National Mission on Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem and National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change.
    • The report was prepared by IISc, IIT-Mandi and IIT-Guwahati.

    Major findings

    • Along with Chhattisgarh in central India, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Odisha, Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal are the eight most vulnerable States.
    • These eight most vulnerable States require prioritisation of adaptation interventions.
    • Jharkhand, with the highest vulnerability indices VI of 0.674, topped the list of States most vulnerable to climate change.
    • The major drivers for the vulnerability of all the States included lack of forest area per 1,000 rural population, lack of crop insurance, marginal and small operational land holding, low density of health workers, low participation of women in the workforce, yield variability of food grains, and a high proportion of the population below the poverty line.
    • Tamil Nadu and Kerala are among seven States that are the least vulnerable but there’s more to it meets the eye.
    • However, the vulnerability indices (VIs) for these seven States range from the lowest of 0.419 for Maharashtra to 0.468 for Uttarakhand, which is on the higher side.

  • India-U.S. climate partnership

    Leaders Summit on Climate

    • Leaders Summit on Climate included 40 heads of state and government.
    • At the summit, President of the United State and Indian Prime Minister launched the ‘India-U.S. climate and clean energy Agenda 2030 partnership’. 
    • The goal of the partnership are given below:
    • 1) Mobilise finance and speed clean energy deployment.
    • 2) Demonstrate and scale innovative clean technologies needed to decarbonise sectors, including industry, transportation, power, and buildings.
    • 3) Build capacity to measure, manage, and adapt to the risks of climate-related impacts.

    India’s progress on NDC

    • Despite development challenges, India has taken many bold steps on clean energy, energy efficiency, afforestation and bio-diversity.
    • That is among the few countries whose NDCs are 2-degree-Celsius compatible.
    •  India is targeting a 2030 GDP emissions intensity ( i.e., volume of emissions per unit of GDP) that is 33%-35% below 2005 levels.
    • It also seeks to have 40% of power generated from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
    •  India’s per capita carbon footprint is 60% lower than the global average.

  • Global Energy Review 2021 report

    Initial estimates for 2020 energy demand and CO2 emission was released recently in an annual report Global Energy Review by International Energy Agency (IEA).

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    • The Global Energy Review is annual update on the latest trends in world energy and CO2 emissions.
    • It covers all the main fuels and technologies, providing insights across regions, economies and countries.

    Highlights of the report:

    • Global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are on course to surgeby 1.5 billion tonnes in 2021 driven by in the resurgence of coal use in the power sector.
      • The second-largest increase in history.
      • This would be the biggest annual rise in emissions since 2010, during the carbon-intensive recovery from the global financial crisis.
    • CO2 emissions will increase by almost five per cent in 2021 to 33 billion tonnes.
      • The key driver is coal demand, which is set to grow by 4.5 per cent, surpassing its 2019 level and approaching its all-time peak from 2014, with the electricity sector accounting for three-quarters of this increase.
    • Global energy demand is set to increase by 4.6 per cent in 2021, led by emerging markets and developing economies, pushing it above its 2019 level.
    • Demand for all fossil fuels is on course to grow significantly in 2021, with both coal and gas set to rise above their 2019 levels.
    • Oil is also rebounding strongly but is expected to stay below its 2019 peak, as the aviation sector remains under pressure.
      • More than 80 per cent of the projected growth in coal demand in 2021 is set to come from Asia, led by China.
    • Electricity generation from renewables is set to leap by over eight per cent in 2021.
    • The biggest contribution to that growth comes from solar and wind.
      • Electricity generation from wind is projected to grow by 275 terawatt-hours, or around 17 per cent, from last year.
      • Electricity generation from solar PV is expected to increase by 145 terawatt-hours, up almost 18 per cent from last year.
      • Their combined output is on track to reach more than 2800 terawatt-hours in 2021.
    • Renewables are set to provide 30 per cent of electricity generationworldwide in 2021.
    • China is expected to account for almost half of the global increase in electricity generation from renewables, followed by the US, the European Union and India.

  • Task force in J&K under Article 311 to act against govt staff without probe

    Why the task force

    • The Jammu and Kashmir administration has set up a Special Task Force (STF) to initiate action against government employees suspected of activities against security of the State.
    • The order has been passed under provisions of Article 311(2) (C) of the Constitution.
    • The STF would be headed by the J&K Additional Director General of Police, CID, and include Inspectors General of Police, Kashmir and Jammu, a representative of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, and a representative of the department the employee belongs to.

    What are the provisions under Article 311 (2) C

    • Article 311(2) says no government employee shall be dismissed or removed or “reduced in rank” except after an inquiry.
    • However, its sub-section C says this clause will not apply “where the President or the Governor, as the case may be, is satisfied that in the interest of the security of the State, it is not expedient to hold such inquiry”.

  • India ranks 87th in global energy transition index

    India has been ranked at the 87th position among 115 countries in the Energy Transition Index (ETI).

    • The latest report is based on a revised ETI methodology that takes into account recent changes in the global energy landscape and the increasing urgency of climate change action.
    • 92 out of 115 countries tracked on the ETI increased their aggregate score over the past 10 years, which affirms the positive direction and steady momentum of the global energy transition

    Highlights of the report:

    • The top 10 countries in the index are Western and Northern European countries.
    • Sweden is in the first position followed by Norway (2nd) and Denmark (3rd).
    • Other countries in the top 10 are Switzerland (4), Austria (5), Finland (6), the United Kingdom (7), New Zealand (8), France (9) and Iceland (10).
    • China (68) and India (87), which collectively account for a third of global energy demand, have both made strong improvements over the past decade, despite coal continuing to play a significant role in their energy mix.
      • “China”s improvements primarily result from reducing the energy intensity of the economy, gains in decarbonising the energy mixthrough the expansion of renewables and strengthening the enabling environment through investments and infrastructure.
    • Zimbabwe is the last ranked country.

    India specific highlights:

    • India has been ranked at the 87th position among 115 countries.
    • India has targeted improvements through subsidy reforms and rapidly scaling energy access, with a strong political commitment and regulatory environment for the energy transition.

    About the Energy Transition Index (ETI):

    • ETI is a report from World Economic Forum (WEF).
    • It is an annual ranking.
    • The index tracks nations on the current performance of their energy systems across various aspects.
    • The index benchmarks 115 countries on the current performance of their energy systems across three dimensions :
      1. Economic development and growth
      2. Environmental sustainability
      3. Energy security and access indicators — and their readiness to transition to secure, sustainable, affordable, and inclusive energy systems.

  • India as a country of Particular concern: USCIRF

    About USCIRF

    • U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent bi-partisan commission.
    • USCIRF recommendations are non-binding.
    • The Trump administration had rejected the USCIRF recommendation to designate India a CPC last year.
    • Last year India had denied visas to members of USCIRF who wanted to visit India for their assessment.

    What are the key concerns of the report

    • The key concerns of the 2021 report include the Citizenship Amendment Act.
    • On the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the report says, “The consequences of exclusion – as exemplified by a large detention camp being built in Assam – are potentially devastating
”
    • Efforts to prohibit interfaith marriage – such as those in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh – are also highlighted as a concern.
    • In an apparent reference to the Tablighi Jamaat Markaz in March 2020, the USCIRF says that at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, disinformation and hateful rhetoric often targeted religious minorities.

    Recommendations of the report to the US Congress

    • The USCISRF recommended that the administration impose targeted sanctions on Indian individuals and entities for ‘severe violations of religious freedom’.
    • A second recommendation was for the administration to promote inter-faith dialogue and the rights of all communities at bilateral and multilateral forums “such as the ministerial of the  Quad].
    • Another recommendation – to the U.S. Congress – was to raise issues in the U.S. – India bilateral space, such as by hosting hearings, writing letters and constituting Congressional delegations.

  • Very few post-vaccine infections

    Breakthrough infection

    • ICMR said that a small fraction of those vaccinated with either Covaxin or Covishield have tested positive (i.e. breakthrough” infections).
    • However, these instances do not undermine the efficacy of the vaccines.
    • The immune response begins to develop usually two weeks after every dose and there are variations within individuals, too.
    • Of the 9.3 million who received the first dose of Covaxin, 4,208 tested positive; and of the 1.7 million who received the second dose, 695 tested positive.
    • For Covishield, of the 100.3 million who received the first dose, 17,145 tested positive; and of the 15 million who got the second dose, 5,014 tested postive.

    What explains infections after vaccination

    • Healthcare and frontline workers, who were among the first to be vaccinated, were as a population far more exposed to the virus and therefore more susceptible.
    • Secondly, the emergence of “the highly transmissible second wave (newer variants) ” may have contributed to instances of infection among those vaccinated.
    • Several variants, which have mutations that have been shown to avoid detection by the immune system, and in some cases reduce the efficacy of vaccines, have been reported globally, including in India.