Current Affairs – November 17-18, 2024

{GS2 – Governance – Reforms} Transforming Governance through AI in India

• Context (IE | ET | ET | WEF): India’s governance has undergone a technological transformation through Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), while the Council of Europe has introduced a landmark AI treaty to uphold human rights and democracy.

Key Trends Driving AI Integration in Governance

• Accelerating Digitalisation: Over 900 million Indians online, expected to rise to 1.2 billion by 2026, fostering a digital ecosystem for startups and services.
• Data as a Resource: India is a key hub for datasets, with initiatives like IndiaDatasets Programme ensuring secure and ethical data usage for AI.
• Post-COVID Efficiency Drive: Governments are prioritizing efficient resource use, with AI enhancing targeted service delivery and reducing wastage.

Applications of AI in Governance

• Citizen Services: Automates processes in admissions, healthcare access, and social security.
• Policy Design and Performance: Uses predictive analytics for evidence-based policymaking and scheme evaluation.
• Healthcare: Accelerates diagnostics and medical research.
• Elections: Enhances election processes through voter behavior analysis, efficient electoral roll management and monitoring for fair conduct
• Agriculture & Livelihoods: Supports crop monitoring, weather forecasting & resource optimization.
• Disaster Management: Improves early warning systems and mitigation strategies.
• National Security: Enhances cybersecurity, law enforcement, and surveillance.
• Language Translation: Breaks linguistic barriers in a multilingual nation.

Advantages of AI-Driven Governance

• Citizen-Centric Services: Ensures timely assistance through automation and predictive analytics.
• Efficiency: Streamlines operations, reduces bureaucratic delays and improves decision-making.
• Cost Savings: Automation lowers operational costs and optimizes resources.
• Inclusivity: Ensures democratized access to AI benefits.
• Transparency: Evidence-based systems enhance accountability.
• Innovation Ecosystem: Boosts AI-driven startups and solutions.

Challenges in AI Governance

• Representation Gaps: Developing countries, particularly in the Global South, face exclusion from global AI decision-making processes.
• Coordination and Standards: Lack of harmonized global AI frameworks limits interoperability across systems.
• Ethical Concerns: Risks of algorithmic bias, misuse in surveillance, and unsafe recommendations necessitate fairness and transparency.
• Data Privacy and Security: Ensuring robust protection against data breaches and misuse remains a critical challenge.
• Skills Gap: Shortage of professionals trained in AI development and deployment hampers progress.

Steps Taken for AI Regulation

AI Regulation in India

• National Strategy for AI (#AIforAll): Focus on healthcare, education, and agriculture.
• Digital Personal Data Protection Act: Strengthens data privacy and security.
• India AI Program: Drives innovation, skilling, and ethical AI development.

Global Initiatives

• G7 AI Pact: Voluntary framework for responsible AI use.
• UNGA Resolution on AI
• Europe’s AI Act: Risk-based categorization of AI applications.
• Bletchley Declaration: Collaborative approach to frontier AI opportunities and risks.

Measures for Effective AI Governance

• Policy and Regulation: Formulate inclusive AI laws balancing innovation with risk management; create global frameworks to address representation gaps. (eg, Guidelines by MeiTY)
• Ethics and Transparency: Ensure fairness, transparency, and unbiased AI algorithms to build public trust.
• Data-Driven Innovation: Facilitate access to anonymized government datasets for secure and ethical AI development.
• Capacity Building: Launch AI skilling programs through industry-academia collaboration; emphasize R&D in technical institutions.
• Global Collaboration: Strengthen international partnerships to foster equitable and sustainable AI governance.

{GS2 – IR – India-Africa} PM Modi’s Visit to Nigeria

• Context (FE | IE | HT): PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Nigeria is the first by an Indian PM in 17 years, aimed at deepening India-Nigeria relations across multiple sectors.

Significance of Modi’s Visit to Nigeria

• Historical Milestone: First visit in 17 years, highlighting Nigeria’s importance in India’s African diplomacy.
• Distinguished Honor: PM Modi conferred with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, Nigeria’s second-highest honor, becoming only the second foreign dignitary to receive it.
• Strategic Partnership: The visit strengthens the India-Nigeria strategic partnership, established in 2007.
• Common Values: Both nations share multi-ethnic, multi-religious and democratic systems, positioning them as natural allies.

Ongoing India-Nigeria Collaborations

• Shared Historical Ties: Relations trace back to the 1500s, with Indian traders in Kano, Nigeria.
• Economic Importance: Nigeria, Africa’s second-largest economy, has bilateral trade of $7.9 billion, mainly in crude oil and Indian investments totaling $27 billion across sectors.
• Trade Partnerships: Bilateral trade focusing on pharmaceuticals, textiles, and food items, with strategic partnerships in the hydrocarbon sector.
• Diaspora Contributions: The 60,000 strong Indian community in Nigeria, is the largest non-African group and contributes significantly to the Nigerian economy.
• Cultural Engagement: Strengthening people-to-people ties through cultural exchanges.
• Development Assistance: India has provided $400 million in concessional loans, repurposed for Nigerian-led infrastructure projects.
• Defense and Security Cooperation: Joint efforts to combat terrorism (e.g., Boko Haram) and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, with over 250 Nigerian officers trained annually in India.
• Technological and Infrastructure Development: MoUs in areas like customs cooperation, geological surveys, and audiovisual advancements.
• Human Resource Development: 500 annual ITEC scholarships for civilian and defense training, with Indian educational institutions as a preferred destination for Nigerian students.
• Humanitarian Aid: Support for Nigeria’s flood relief efforts through humanitarian assistance.

Challenges in the Relationship

• Economic Constraints: India’s exports to Nigeria declined by 29.7% in 2023-24, compounded by the lack of upstream hydrocarbon assets despite India being a key crude buyer.
• Underutilized Development Aid: Nigeria has repurposed $290 million of India’s developmental assistance for localized initiatives.
• Infrequent Engagement: Bilateral joint commission meetings are irregular, with significant gaps in direct collaboration.

Opportunities for Strengthening India-Nigeria Relationship

• Defense and Security Cooperation: Exploring defense equipment supplies and establishing credit lines for military needs.
• Economic Integration: Boosting non-oil trade in pharmaceuticals and technology, supporting Nigeria’s economic stabilization, and exploring rupee-based trade to address forex shortages.
• Technological and Infrastructure Development: Collaboration on building digital public infrastructure and supporting tech-driven governance.
• Strengthen Bilateral Mechanisms: Reviving the joint commission for high-level dialogues and leveraging the African Union’s G20 membership for joint initiatives.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Focus on defense, counter-terrorism, and digital innovation, with the diaspora serving as a bridge for deeper ties.

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} The Journey of Beijing Declaration

• Context (IE): The 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action marked a key milestone in global gender equality after years of women’s advocacy and activism.

Current Status of Women and Challenges

• Gender Inequality: Exacerbated by COVID-19 pandemic (2020 UN report).
• Representation Gaps: Women hold only 25% of political power globally, with under-representation in decision-making roles (2020 UN report).
• Disparities in Education: Although more women and girls are educated, gaps remain in access and quality of education, especially in low-income areas.
• Climate Change Vulnerability: Women, particularly in rural areas, are disproportionately affected by climate change but are often excluded from environmental decision-making.
• Women and Poverty: Women in poverty face double discrimination – gender and financial, with women often in low-paying, unstable jobs.
• Women’s Health: Health risks, including inadequate reproductive healthcare, continue to threaten women’s well-being.
• Women as Instruments of War: Women & girls face heightened risks of violence during armed conflicts.
• Economic Inequality: Gender discrimination leads women to occupy low-wage, unstable jobs, hindering their economic empowerment.
• Institutional Challenges: Inadequate institutional mechanisms for gender equality, especially in policy enforcement and resource allocation.

Historical Roots of Women’s Movements

• Seneca Falls Convention (1848): The first women’s rights convention in the U.S., asserting equality between men and women.
• Suffragette Movement: A global campaign for women’s right to vote in the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Simone de Beauvoir’s “The Second Sex” (1949): Challenged traditional gender roles, presenting gender as a social construct.
• Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique” (1963): Addressed oppression of housewives & led to the creation of National Organization for Women, The Equal Pay Act (1963) and Civil Rights Act (1964).
• Women’s Strike for Equality (1970) mobilized 50,000 women demanding equal rights.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995)

• Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, September 1995) resulted in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, addressing critical issues for global gender equality.

Key Objectives of the Beijing Declaration

• Global Equality: Promote equality, development, and peace for women worldwide.
• Education Access: Ensure free, quality education for all women and girls.
• Eradicating Violence: Eliminate violence against women through awareness, policies and programs.
• Leadership Representation: Increase women’s participation in leadership and decision-making roles.
• Human Rights: Establish women’s and children’s rights as integral to universal human rights.

Core Aspects of the Beijing Platform for Action

• Women’s Comprehensive Participation in all aspects of economic, social, cultural and political life.
• Legal & Social Freedoms: Access to education, freedom from violence, and equal pay for equal work.
• Gender Parity in the UN: Aim for 50% representation of women in UN administrative and decision-making roles by 2000.

Impact of the Beijing Declaration

• Women’s Leadership in Environmental Issues: Encouraged the involvement of women in environmental governance, especially in conservation efforts.
• Political Representation: Promoted gender quotas and increased female political representation in Latin America and Southern Africa.
• Improved Women’s Health: Thanks to efforts promoting women’s health, reduce HIV-AIDS spread and encourage healthy pregnancies.
• Educational Parity: Progress toward educational parity, especially for girls in developing regions.

Key Milestones in Women’s Activism in India

• Recent Schemes in India: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana aim to promote gender equality.
• Legislative Protections for Women
  • Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005)
  • Domestic Violence Act (2005): Protection for women against all forms of abuse (physical, emotional & mental).
  • Dowry Prohibition Act: Outlaws dowry transactions, preventing exploitation during marriage.
  • Maternity Benefits Act: Guarantees paid maternity leave to support working mothers.
  • Equal Remuneration Act (1976): Ensures equal pay for men and women performing similar work.
  • Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act (2013): Legal protection for women against workplace harassment, inspired by the Vishaka Guidelines.

Gender Mainstreaming as a Solution

• Gender mainstreaming integrates a gender perspective into the preparation, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies to promote equality and combat discrimination.
• It involves defining, planning, implementing, and checking policies with a gender lens, ensuring both representation and responsive content.

Challenges in Implementing Gender Mainstreaming

• Lack of Political Will: Political leaders often fail to prioritize gender equality, hindering progress.
• Insufficient Resources: Implementing gender-responsive policies requires substantial resources, which are often lacking.
• Cultural and Social Barriers: Societal norms in patriarchal societies hinder the adoption of gender-sensitive policies.

Benefits of Gender Mainstreaming

• Promotion of Equality: Ensures gender considerations are integral to decision-making, resulting in more inclusive policies.
• Improved Outcomes: Gender-responsive policies lead to better outcomes for both women and men, promoting balanced development.
• Empowerment of Women: Directly empowers women and reduces discrimination by addressing representation and policy content.

Way Forward: Achieving Gender Equality

• National and Global Commitment: Governments must establish national machinery, implement gender-responsive policies, allocate resources and enforce laws ensuring gender equality.
• Focus on Intersectionality: Policies should address the diverse experiences of women, especially those at the intersections of race, class and ethnicity.
• Support Women’s Organizations: Civil society and women’s organizations play a crucial role in sustaining momentum for change.
• Focus on Education and Health: Ensuring equal educational opportunities and access to quality healthcare remains a key priority.
• Civil society engagement to sustain the momentum & achieve Beijing Declaration’s goals.
• Involve Men in Gender Equality: Men must actively participate in achieving gender equality and dismantling patriarchal structures.
• Combatting Violence: Continued advocacy and legal reforms are necessary to reduce violence against women and girls.

{GS3 – Envi – CC} U.N. International Methane Emissions Observatory Report

• Context (TH): The U.N. International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) report examines challenges in addressing methane leaks and explores the steps required to meet global methane reduction targets.

• UN IMEO is a key initiative under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) aimed at providing reliable and actionable data to reduce methane emissions.

Key Findings of the Report

• Global Warming Contribution: Methane emissions have driven about 0.5 degrees Celsius in global warming, accounting for a third of the global temperature rise since the mid-19th century.
• Methane Alert and Response System (MARS): Launched by the UNEP to detect methane leaks using satellite data. Over 1,200 alerts have been issued since its launch in 2023. Only 1% (12 alerts) received substantive responses with actionable measures.
• Voluntary Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter: National oil and gas companies, including Azerbaijan’s SOCAR, have committed to zero out methane this decade.
• Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0: Roughly 140 companies have signed onto this U.N. effort, committing to tackle unintentional methane outputs.
• Global Methane Pledge: The pledge aims to cut methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. However, the response to detected methane leaks has been minimal.

Challenges in Addressing Methane Leaks

• Low Response Rates: Only 1% of alerts led to significant action, indicating inadequate governmental and corporate commitment.
• Technical Limitations: Satellite detection can be hindered by cloud cover, affecting the accuracy of data.
• Economic Barriers: Developing countries lack the funds and technology to plug leaks effectively.

Opportunities for Improvement

• Financial Viability: Capturing leaked methane can be economically beneficial, as methane is a valuable product. Leak prevention can save resources for oil and gas companies.
• Technology Adoption: Advanced satellite systems offer precise leak detection. Countries and companies can leverage this data to implement targeted mitigation strategies.
• International Funding: Philanthropic initiatives pledged nearly $500 million in 2023 to help developing nations address methane emissions. Nations can use methane data to secure additional climate finance.
• Policy Integration: Governments must enact stricter methane regulations to ensure accountability. Companies need clear guidelines to utilise satellite data for compliance.

Read More > Steps taken to mitigate Methane Emissions.

{GS3 – S&T – Defence} India’s First Long-Range Hypersonic Missile

• Context (TH | PIB | IE): DRDO successfully conducted the flight trial of India’s first long-range hypersonic missile from Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha.

About the Long-Range Hypersonic Missile

• It was designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1,500 km for the Armed Forces.
• It was developed by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Missile Complex laboratories, Hyderabad, along with various other DRDO laboratories and industry partners.

What is Hypersonic Missile?

• A hypersonic missile is an advanced weapon system capable of travelling at speeds five times the speed of sound. Their range typically varies between 6,125 km/h (Mach 5) and about 24,140 km/h (Mach 20).
• Unlike ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles are highly manoeuvrable, allowing them to change their flight path and precisely target specific locations.
• They can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, making them versatile for different types of missions.
• US, Russia, China and India are at the forefront of hypersonic missile development. Other countries like France, Germany, Japan, & Australia also work on hypersonic weapons technology.

Types of Hypersonic Weapons

• Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs): These vehicles are launched from a rocket. It can Glide towards their target after reaching the upper atmosphere.
• Hypersonic Cruise Missiles: It is powered by air-breathing high-speed engines, known as scramjets. Achieve sustained hypersonic speeds during flight to their target.

Advantages of Hypersonic Missiles

• Responsive Long-Range Strike Capability: Hypersonic missiles can quickly and accurately strike distant, defended, or time-critical targets, such as mobile missile launchers.
• Enhanced Penetration: Using only kinetic energy (the energy derived from their high-speed motion), they can destroy unhardened targets and penetrate underground facilities.

Read More > India’s Missile Systems

{Prelims – Awards} Booker Prize 2024

• Context (DTE): British author Samantha Harvey is awarded the Booker Prize 2024 for her novel “Orbital.”

• Harvey is the first woman to win the Booker Prize since Margaret Atwood, who won in 2019.
• “Orbital” is the first space-themed book ever to win the Booker Prize.
• At 132 pages, “Orbital” is the second-shortest novel to win the Booker Prize, following “Offshore” by Penelope Fitzgerald.

{Prelims – Envi – Species} Benjamin Button Jellyfish

• Context (IE): Adult comb jellies can reverse their development and become larvae again when stressed by starvation, similar to the “immortal jellyfish.”

Source: ABC

About Benjamin Button Jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii)

• The immortal jellyfish, also called the Benjamin Button jellyfish, is one of the only known animals that possess full regenerative capabilities and is the only species of jellyfish with an indefinite lifespan.
• First documented in 1883 in the Mediterranean Sea. It regularly reverts to a sexually immature stage after it has reproduced as well as when it is injured, starving, or dying. The regeneration process is called “transdifferentiation” and it occurs when the jellyfish’s cells convert to an immature polyp state.
• It is the only jellyfish species that does not remain in the last stage (Medusa stage) until death.
• The only way it can die is by being eaten, being removed from the water, or contracting diseases.
• If it starves or gets sick in its immature state when it’s called a polyp, it cannot regenerate and will die.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio – Diseases} Thai Sacbrood Virus

• Context (TH): The Thai sacbrood virus is one of the greatest threats facing the Asiatic honey bee.

About Thai Sacbrood Virus (TSBV)

• It is a variant of sacbrood virus (SBV), a viral disease affecting honey bee colonies.
• First observed in Thailand in 1976. In 1991-92, it destroyed more than 90% of the then-existing bee colonies in south India and reemerged in 2021 in Telangana. Also reported in China and Vietnam.
• It kills bees when they are larvae, thereby reducing the population of bee colonies.
• It causes an uneven brood pattern with discoloured, sunken or perforated cappings scattered throughout the brood.

About Asian Honeybee (Apis cerana)

• It is primarily found in South Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Southeast Asia, encompassing Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
• It is one of the region’s most domesticated bee species. Known for its resilience and adaptability, it plays an important role in agriculture.
• They are known for their docile nature and effective colony defence mechanisms, including the ability to thermoregulate their hives by fanning their wings.
• It produces highly valued honey for its medicinal properties and nutritional benefits.