October 19 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is incorrect

• Key Factors Influencing Hurricane Forecasts:
  • Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs): Warmer ocean waters provide the energy hurricanes need to form and intensify. Monitoring SSTs helps predict hurricane activity.
  • El Niño and La Niña: These climate phenomena significantly influence hurricane seasons. El Niño generally suppresses hurricane formation, while La Niña enhances it.
  • Wind Shear: Changes in wind patterns at different altitudes affect hurricane formation and intensity. Lower wind shear tends to favour stronger hurricanes.

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• The International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook Report 2024 provides an in-depth look at global energy trends.
• It focuses on the shift towards clean energy, increasing energy needs, and how global conflicts affect the energy landscape.
• International Energy Agency (IEA):
  • The IEA was established in 1974 by member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to help industrialised nations respond to the 1973-1974 oil crisis.
  • Focus Areas: Energy security, economic development, environmental awareness.
  • Headquarters: Paris, France.
  • Members: The IEA comprises 31 member countries, 13 association countries (including India), and 4 accession countries. A nation must be a member of the OECD to become a member of the IEA.
  • Major Publications:
    • World Energy Outlook Report
    • India Energy Outlook Report
    • World Energy Investment Report
    • IEA Technology Roadmap and Policy Pathway series
    • Annual Energy Efficiency Market Report,
    • Energy Technology Perspectives.

Answer: (c) International Energy Agency (IEA); Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statements 1 and 3 are correct and statement 2 is incorrect

• Highlights of the 2024 Report related to India:
  • India is poised to face a higher increase in energy demand than any other country over the next decade, mainly due to its size and the scale of rising demand from all sectors.
  • Total energy demand in India is set to increase by nearly 35% by 2035, with electricity generation capacity nearly tripling to 1400 GW.
  • According to the Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS), India is on track to add over 12,000 cars daily to its roads by 2035. By 2035, iron and steel production is on track to grow by 70%, and cement output is set to rise by nearly 55%.
  • The stock of air conditioners is projected to grow by over 4.5 times, resulting in electricity demand from air conditioners in 2035 exceeding Mexico’s total expected consumption that year.
  • Coal is set to retain a strong position in India’s energy mix over the next decades, with the country projected to add about 60 gigawatts of new coal-fired power capacity by 2030. Coal-based electricity generation is projected to increase by over 15%.
  • Coal provided 40% of the energy used in industries like steel, cement, and manufacturing in 2023. By 2035, coal use in industry is expected to grow by 50%.

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Durand Line drawn in 1893 by Sir Mortimer Durand, marked the boundary between British India and Afghanistan to limit Russian influence.
• The line split Pashtun communities, with many on the Pakistani side, causing ongoing tribal and cross-border tensions.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Afghan Non-recognition: Afghanistan has never accepted the Durand Line as a legitimate border, fueling disputes with Pakistan over territorial claims.

Answer: (a) 1 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (d) is correct

• According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), coral reefs worldwide have experienced the most widespread mass bleaching event ever recorded.
• A staggering 77% of the world’s coral reefs, spanning the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, have suffered from bleaching-level heat stress due to record ocean temperatures driven by climate change.
• This event has broken the previous mass bleaching record from 2014-2017, which impacted 66% of the world’s reef area by more than 11%.
• Causes of Coral Bleaching
  • Climate Change and Rising Ocean Temperatures: Climate change, which has led to unprecedented ocean temperatures, is the primary driver of this bleaching event.
  • El Niño Impact: The event has been exacerbated by the natural climate pattern El Niño, which ended in May 2024 but temporarily raised ocean temperatures, worsening the bleaching.
  • Ocean Acidification: As the atmosphere increases in carbon dioxide, the oceans absorb more CO2, leading to heightened acidity in seawater. This elevated acidity weakens corals’ ability to form their essential calcareous skeletons, threatening their survival.
  • Solar and Ultraviolet Radiation: Shifts in tropical weather patterns, resulting in reduced cloud cover, expose corals to higher levels of solar and ultraviolet radiation. This increased radiation contributes to coral bleaching and further stresses these fragile ecosystems.
  • Human-Induced Threats: Human activities, including overfishing, pollution from agricultural and industrial runoff, coral mining, and industrial development near coral ecosystems, pose significant threats to coral health and contribute to their decline.

Answer: (d) All five; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

All pairs are incorrect

• Kumbh Mela is celebrated in a cycle of approximately 12 years, based on the Hindu Lunisolar calendar. The dates and venue for Kumbh Mela are determined by the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter:
  • Prayagraj: Located at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Sarasvati rivers
  • Haridwar: Located on the Ganges River
  • Ujjain: Located on the Shipra River
  • Nashik: Located on the Godavari River

Answer: (d) ; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• The European Space Agency (ESA) launched its Moonlight Lunar Communications and Navigation Services (LCNS) programme.
• The programme will have a constellation of about five lunar satellites, allowing accurate autonomous landings, high-speed communication, and surface mobility.
• Its initial services will begin by the end of 2028 and is expected to be fully operational by 2030.
• Objective: Offer coverage at the Moon’s South Pole, a key area for many missions owing to lighting conditions and the potential presence of water ice within craters that perpetually remain in the shadows
• As part of the Moonlight program, ESA working with NASA and Japanese space agency JAXA on LunaNet (framework for lunar communication and navigation standards) to ensure compatibility with upcoming lunar infrastructures and technologies.

Answer: (b) ESA; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• The Union Government has sanctioned three pilot projects under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) to explore the use of green hydrogen in steelmaking.
• Implemented by: Ministry of Steel.
• Components of the Pilot Projects
  • Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) Production Using 100% Hydrogen in a vertical shaft.
  • Hydrogen use in Blast Furnace to reduce coal and coke consumption.
  • Hydrogen Injection in DRI Making.

Answer: (b) Ministry of Steel; Difficulty Level: Medium