Daily Current Affairs: 10 Aug 2021

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

(Topic- GS Paper I – Geography, Source-Indian Express)

Why in the news?

A recent study notes that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is losing its stability.

About Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC )

The AMOC is a large system of ocean currents.
It is the Atlantic branch of the ocean conveyor belt or Thermohaline circulation (THC) and distributes heat and nutrients throughout the world's ocean basins.
AMOC carries warm surface waters from the tropics towards the Northern Hemisphere, where it cools and sinks.
It then returns to the tropics and then to the South Atlantic as a bottom current. From there it is distributed to all ocean basins via the Antarctic circumpolar current.

What happens if AMOC collapses?

Gulf Stream, a part of the AMOC, is a warm current responsible for mild climate at the Eastern coast of North America as well as Europe.
Without a proper AMOC and Gulf Stream, Europe will be very cold.
Modelling studies have shown that an AMOC shutdown would cool the northern hemisphere and decrease rainfall over Europe. It can also affect the El Nino.

Why is the AMOC slowing down?

Freshwater from melting Greenland ice sheets and the Arctic region can make circulation weaker as it is not as dense as salt water and doesn't sink to the bottom.
Recently, Arctic’s ice called the "Last Ice Area" has also melted.
The freshwater from the melting ice reduces the salinity and density of the water. Now, the water is unable to sink as it used to and weakens the AMOC flow.
Climate models have long predicted that global warming can cause a weakening of the major ocean systems of the world.

The Indian Ocean and AMOC flow

A 2019 study suggested that the Indian Ocean may also be helping the slowing down of AMOC.
As the Indian Ocean warms faster and faster, it generates additional precipitation.
With so much precipitation in the Indian Ocean, there will be less precipitation in the Atlantic Ocean, leading to higher salinity in the waters of the tropical portion of the Atlantic.
This saltier water in the Atlantic, as it comes north via AMOC, will get cold much quicker than usual and sink faster.

Evia islands

(Topic- GS Paper I – Geography, Source-Indian Express)

Why in the news?

Recently, Wildfires are continuing to rip through the Greek island of Evia with strong winds driving flames towards villages.

About Euboea

Euboea or Evia is the second-largest Greek island in area and population, after Crete.
It is separated from Boeotia in mainland Greece by the narrow Euripus Strait.

Geographic orientation

Its geographic orientation is from northwest to southeast, and it is traversed throughout its length by a mountain range, which forms part of the chain that bounds Thessaly on the east, and is continued south of Euboea in the lofty islands of Andros, Tinos and Mykonos.

Open Acreage Licencing Policy

(Topic- GS Paper II – Government Policies & Interventions, Source-Indian Express)

Why in the news?

Recently, the Oil Ministry launched the sixth bid round of the Open Acreage Licensing Programme.

About Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP)

It was introduced in 2016 as part of the new fiscal regime in the exploration sector called Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP).
It aimed at enabling a faster survey and coverage of the available geographical area which has potential for oil and gas discovery.
Under OALP, a bidder intending to explore hydrocarbons may apply to the Government seeking exploration of any new block which was not already covered by exploration.
Successful implementation of OALP requires the building of a National Data Repository on geo-scientific data.
The Government will examine the interest and if it is suitable for an award, then the government will call for competitive bids after obtaining necessary environmental and other clearances.

Implementing Agency:

Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

Note:

National Data Repository:

It is an integrated data repository of Exploration and Production (E&P) data of Indian sedimentary basins.

Permanent Forum of People of African Descent

(Topic- GS Paper II –International Organization, Source-The Hindu)

Why in the news?

UN General Assembly (UNGA) has recently approved a resolution to establish a Permanent Forum of People of African Descent.

More in the news

The new body's creation comes ahead of the 20th anniversary of the controversial September 2001 UN World Conference against Racism in Durban, South Africa, which was dominated by clashes over the Middle East and the legacy of slavery.

About the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent.

The Permanent Forum is tasked to contribute to the full political, economic and social inclusion of people of African descent in the societies in which they live as equal citizens without discrimination of any kind, and contribute to ensuring equal enjoyment of all human rights.
It will provide expert advice and recommendations to the Human Rights Council as well as other UN bodies that deal with the challenges of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
The forum is also tasked to consider the elaboration of a UN declaration on the promotion, protection and full respect of the human rights of people of African descent.

Members

The resolution decides that the Permanent Forum shall consist of 10 members: 5 members to be elected by the General Assembly, and 5 members to be appointed by the president of the Human Rights Council.
All members shall serve in their capacity for three years with the possibility of re-election or reappointment for one further period.
The Permanent Forum shall meet annually.

National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)

(Topic- GS Paper II – Government Policies & Interventions, Source-Live mint)

Why in the news?

Prime Minister has recently announced a National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) to boost domestic oilseed production and make the country self-sufficient in cooking oils.

About the National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)

Objectives

It has the objective to augment the availability of edible oils and reduce the import of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of oilseeds and oil palm.
The mission will ensure that farmers get all facilities, from quality seeds to technology to promote farming to produce palm oil and other oil seeds.
It will help to reduce the oil import.
North-eastern states and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands could be promoted for palm farming.

Related Information

India produces less than half of the roughly 2.4 crore tonnes of edible oil that it consumes annually.
It imports the rest, buying palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, soya oil from Brazil and Argentina, and sunflower oil, mainly from Russia and Ukraine.

Government Initiatives

Kharif Strategy for Oilseeds

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has formulated Kharif Strategy 2021 to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oils.
It is an ambitious plan for the free distribution of high yielding varieties of seeds to the farmers for the Kharif season 2021 in the form of mini-kits.
Strategy for both area and productivity enhancement has been formulated for soybean and groundnut under the National Food Security Mission (Oil Seeds and Oil Palm).
It will bring an additional 6.37 lakh hectare area under oilseeds and is likely to produce 120.26 lakh quintals of oilseeds and edible oil amounting to 24.36 lakh quintals.

National Food Security Mission (Oil Seeds and Oil Palm):

Objective

To augment the availability of edible oils and reduce the import of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of oilseeds and oil palm.

Merger of NMOOP under NFSM:

National Mission on Oilseeds & Oil Palm (NMOOP) was launched in 2014-15 and continued up to 2017-18.
From 2018-19 onwards, the NMOOP is being implemented under NFSM as NFSM-Oilseeds & Oil palm comprising the sub-components NFSM- Oilseeds, NFSM-Oil Palm and NFSM-Tree Borne Oilseeds (TBOs).

Funding Pattern

The cost-sharing pattern between Central and State Governments is in the ratio of 60:40 for a general category of States and 90:10 for North Eastern and the Himalayan States.
For few interventions, like purchase of breeder seeds by both State and Central seed producing agencies, supply of seed mini-kits to the farmers, 100% funding is provided by the Government of India.

Parliament passes Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021

(Topic- GS Paper II – Governance, Source-The Hindu)

Why in the news?

Parliament has passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

The Bill amends the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

Key Highlights

The Bill seeks to amend the constitutional list of Scheduled Tribes as recommended by Arunachal Pradesh.
It removes the Abor tribe from the list of identified STs in that state and also replaces certain STs with other tribes.

Proposed changes in the list of STs in Arunachal Pradesh under the Bill

Sources: The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021; PRS.

Constitutional Provision

Under Article 342 (1) the President to specify the Scheduled Tribes (STs) in various states and union territories.
Further, it permits Parliament to modify this list of notified STs.

IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report

(Topic- GS Paper III –Environment, Source-The Hindu)

Why in the news?

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently published its sixth assessment report (AR6) titled “Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis”.

Key findings of the report

The current overall global warming trends are likely to lead to an increase in annual mean precipitation over India, with more severe rain expected over southern India in the coming decades.
It will also result in intense and frequent heatwaves and humid heat stress in the 21st century in South Asia.
It highlighted that even if the temperature is limited 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels, extreme weather events will be witnessed.

Recommendation

The report recommended that countries strive to achieve net-zero emissions — no additional greenhouse gases are emitted — by 2050.

India and report

IPCC in its report confirmed that Indian Ocean was warming at a rate higher than other oceans.
Heatwaves, heavy rainfall events, and melting of glaciers are going to happen frequently, impacting countries like India.

Related Information

About the IPCC

It has been set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
It does not itself engage in scientific research. Instead, it asks scientists from around the world to go through all the relevant scientific literature related to climate change and draw up logical conclusions.

About the IPCC assessment reports

The IPCC reports are created by three working groups of scientists.

Working Group-I, whose report has been released recently, deals with the scientific basis for climate change.
Working Group-II looks at the likely impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation issues.
Working Group-III deals with actions that can be taken to combat climate change.

The assessment reports are the most widely accepted scientific opinion about climate change.
They form the basis for government policies to tackle climate change, and also provide -the scientific foundation for the international climate change negotiations.
So far, five assessment reports have been produced, the first one being released in 1990.

The fifth assessment report had come out in 2014 in the run-up to the climate change conference in Paris.

Previous assessments reports

First Assessment Report (1990)

Emissions resulting from human activities are substantially increasing the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases.
Global temperatures have risen by 0.3 to 0.6 degrees Celsius in the last 100 years.
In a business-as-usual scenario, temperatures are likely to increase by 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels by 2025, and 4 degrees Celsius by 2100
Sea-level likely to rise by 65 cm by 2100
This report formed the basis for the negotiation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992.

Second Assessment Report (1995)

Revises projected a rise in global temperatures to 3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100, sea-level rise to 50 cm, in light of more evidence.
Global rise in temperature by 0.3 to 0.6 degrees Celsius since late 19th century, "unlikely to be entirely natural in origin".
This report was the scientific underpinning for Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

Third Assessment Report (2001)

Revises projected a rise in global temperatures to 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius by 2100 compared to 1990.
The projected rate of warming unprecedented in the last 10,000 years.
Rainfall will increase on average.
The report also predicts that by 2100, the sea level is likely to rise by as much as 80 cm from 1990 levels. Glaciers to retreat during the 21st century.
Frequency, intensity and duration of extreme weather events to increase.
Presents new and stronger evidence to suggest that global warming is mostly attributable to human activities.

Fourth Assessment Report (2007)

Greenhouse gas emissions increased by 70 per cent between 1970 and 2004.
Atmospheric concentrations of CO2 in 2005 (379 ppm) were the maximum in 650,000 years.
In the worst-case scenario, global temperatures could rise 4.5 degrees Celsius by 2100 from pre-industrial levels. Sea levels could be 60 cm higher than 1990 levels.
The report won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for IPCC and was the scientific input for the 2009 Copenhagen climate meeting.

Fifth Assessment Report (2014)

More than half the temperature rise since 1950 is attributable to human activities.
Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide “unprecedented” in the last 800,000 years.
Rise in global temperatures by 2100 could be as high as 4.8 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial times
More frequent and longer heatwaves "virtually certain".
“Large fraction of species” face extinction.
Food security would be undermined.
This report formed the scientific basis for negotiations of the Paris Agreement in 2015.

miSHERLOCK

(Topic- GS Paper III –Science and Technology, Source-Indian Express)

Why in the news?

Recently, engineers at MIT and Harvard University have designed a small tabletop device called miSHERLOCK that can detect SARS-CoV-2 from a saliva sample in about an hour.

About miSHERLOCK

It is based on SHERLOCK, a CRISPR-based tool.
The device can also be used to detect specific viral mutations linked to some of the variants now circulating.
It is as accurate as PCR tests

Related Information

About CRISPR Technology

It is a gene-editing technology that can be used to alter genetic expression or change the genome of an organism.
The technology can be used for targeting specific stretches of an entire genetic code or editing the DNA at particular locations.
CRISPR technology is a simple yet powerful tool for editing genomes.
It allows researchers to easily alter DNA sequences and modify gene function.
Its many potential applications include correcting genetic defects, treating and preventing the spread of diseases and improving crops.
However, its promise also raises ethical concerns.