Current Affairs

1. ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE INDEX 2024 –

• The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Columbia Center for International Earth Science Information Network released the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) for 2024.
• Global Scenario: Estonia leads the index by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 59% from 1990 levels.
• The report shows that only five countries — Estonia, Finland, Greece, Timor-Leste, and the United Kingdom — cut their GHG emissions at the rate needed to reach net zero by 2050. In contrast, Sub- Saharan Africa and Southern Asia rank lowest among the eight regions assessed.
• Apart from  the  United  Kingdom,  all  countries identified in the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) report as being on track to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, and have either seen slow progress, as in the United States, or their emissions are still increasing, as seen in China, India, and Russia.
• India’s Performance: India ranks 176th out of 180 countries with 27.6 points, placing above only Pakistan, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar.
• It performs poorly in Air quality, Emissions, and Biodiversity Conservation, largely due to its heavy reliance on coal, which contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution levels.
• Specifically, India ranks 177th in air quality and 172nd in projected emissions by 2025.
• The Largest Emitter Of Transboundary Pollution: In South Asia, India is identified as the largest emitter of transboundary pollution, impacting neighbouring Bangladesh and affecting residents’ well-being.
• Despite its low overall ranking, India fares relatively better (133rd) in the climate change category, due to investments in renewable energy and a commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.

 

2. UKRAINE “PATH TO PEACE” SUMMIT –

• Recently, the two-day Summit on Peace in Ukraine titled “Path To Peace Summit”, held in Switzerland, ended on 16th June 2024. Through this summit, participants hoped for an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

What were the Key Highlights of the Summit-

• Call for Territorial Integrity of Ukraine- 80 countries have called for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
• They supported the final joint communiqué that outlined a “Path to Peace” and focused on 3 agendas- nuclear safety, global food security, and humanitarian issues.
• Release of Prisoners of War- The declaration emphasised the release of all prisoners of war and the return of all deported and unlawfully displaced Ukrainian children and civilians.
• Absence of Russia from Peace Summit- Russia, the primary party to the conflict, was not invited by the host, Switzerland, due to the International Criminal Court’s indictment of President Vladimir Putin.
• India’s Refusal to Endorse Ukraine Meet Statement- India along with Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates refused to sign onto the final document released at the conclusion of a Peace Summit.India emphasised that only proposals acceptable to both Russia and Ukraine can lead to peace.

What is India’s Stand in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict-

• Commitment to Non-Alignment
• Preserving Strategic Partnership with Russia
• Humanitarian Assistance and Diplomatic Efforts
• Balancing Ties with the West

 

3. FIRST ALL-INDIA SURVEY ON AYUSH –

• Recently, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the findings of a national survey on Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) systems of medicine.
• This is the first-ever all-India AYUSH survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) from July 2022 to June 2023, that provides valuable insights into the utilization patterns of these traditional healthcare practices within the Indian population.
• This survey covered the entire Indian Union, excluding a few inaccessible villages in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
• In rural India, around 95% of males and females (aged 15 and above) are knowledgeable about AYUSH, while in urban areas the awareness rate is around 96%.
• About 79% of households in rural India and about 80% in urban India have at least one member aware about medicinal plants and home medicines.
• Around 24% of the households (in both rural and urban India) have at least one member aware about folk medicine or local health tradition.

Use of AYUSH-

• Around 53% of people in urban areas and 46% in rural areas have used AYUSH for prevention or treatment of ailments, during the last 365 days.
• The average expenditure per person for prevention or treatment of ailments using AYUSH stood at Rs. 574/person in urban areas and Rs. 472/person in rural areas.