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India spent about Rs 13.35 lakh crore (Rs 13.35 trillion) in 2021-22, just over 5.5% of its GDP, on climate adaptation and expects to incur another about Rs 57 lakh crore (Rs 57 trillion) over the next seven years for this purpose, New Delhi told the UN Framework for Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC).
This is India’s latest submission filed Saturday that includes its first assessment of adaptation requirements.
But this is only in the business-as-usual scenario,that is only if climate vulnerability does not deteriorate during this period. Climate-induced damage could escalate this amount by another Rs 15.5 lakh crore.
Adaptation efforts are meant to reduce the impacts of climate change. Along with mitigation, or reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation is a central pillar of global climate action.
Adaptation activities span a sweeping range and include actions like creating sea-walls to protect against rising sea levels; development of temperature-resilient crops; heat-action plans; early warning systems, creation of disaster-resilient infrastructure are all examples of adaptation activities.
Govt & Politics
A decade and 4 deadlines later, India set to eliminate kala azar this yr (Page no. 6)
(GS Paper 2, Health)
After missing the deadline thrice, India is poised to achieve the elimination target for visceral leishmaniasis or kala azar this year with no block in the country reporting more than one case per 10,000 people.
In October, Bangladesh became the first country in the world to be officially validated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for eliminating kala azar as a public health problem. India now needs to sustain its momentum over the next three years in order to receive the WHO certification.
“With the elimination target just a year away, the team started working rigorously after the pandemic. And, we started to see the results.
We haven’t seen more than one case per 10,000 population in any of the blocks since January this year,” said Rajiv Manjhi, the Joint Secretary overseeing kala azar and other vector-borne infection programmes.
Kala azar is a parasitic infection transmitted by sandflies. It causes fever, weight loss, and spleen and liver enlargement. Left untreated, it can be fatal in 95% of cases.
Express Network
Azerbaijan all set to host COP 29 at Armenia pull out (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
In a breakthrough deal, Armenia has agreed to withdraw its candidature and let its neighbour Azerbaijan host the next edition of the annual climate change conference, COP29, in 2024,
Armenia and Azerbaijan, who have been in a conflict over the status of Nagorno-Karabakh region, had both bid for hosting COP29 which is supposed to be held in Eastern Europe according to a rotating schedule. Both had been opposing each other’s candidature.
Another east European country, Bulgaria, was also in the fray, despite Russia having made it clear that it would not support the candidature of any country that was a member of European Union, which Bulgaria is.
In a surprise joint statement issued, Armenia and Azerbaijan announced “tangible steps towards building confidence between the two countries”, which included a decision on COP29 candidacy as well.
Opinion
When Indians left their footprint on Antarctica (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
Forty-two years ago, on December 6, 1981, a 21-member crew of scientists, technicians and Navy personnel aboard a chartered Norwegian ship M V Polar Circle, quietly set sail from Goa’s Mormugao harbour.
Part of India’s first scientific expedition to Antarctica, code-named ‘Operation Gangotri’, the crew set foot on the coast of Queen Maud Land on the frozen continent a little over a month later, on January 9, 1982, and hoisted the Indian flag, marking India’s first foray into the icy realms of Antarctica. The group returned to Mormugao on February 21, covering over 21,000 km in 77 days.
After the Second World War, as Antarctica witnessed an upsurge in scientific exploration, several nations asserted territorial claims on the continent, based on their discoveries and expeditions.
India’s engagement with the ‘White Continent’ began as early as 1956 when India proposed an item titled ‘The Question of Antarctica’ on the agenda of the eleventh UN General Assembly, stating that the vast areas and resources of Antarctica be used entirely for peaceful purposes and for general welfare.
Economy
COP 28 clashes over fossil fuel phase out after OPEC pushback (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
Countries clashed over a possible agreement to phase-out fossil fuels at the COP28 summit in Dubai, jeopardising attempts to deliver a first-ever commitment to eventually end the use of oil and gas in 30 years of global warming talks.
Saudi Arabia and Russia were among several countries insisting that the conference in Dubai focus only on reducing climate pollution – and not on targeting the fossil fuels causing it, according to observers in the negotiations.
On the other side, at least 80 countries including the United States, the European Union and many poor, climate-vulnerable nations are demanding that a COP28 deal call clearly for an eventual end to fossil fuel use.
COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber told nations late on Saturday to speed up their work to find a final deal, saying there were “still more areas of divergence than agreement”.