Important Current Affairs of the week for Paper 1

What is 5G? 

•  5G is the next generation of mobile broadband that will eventually replace or at least expand the 4G LTE connection. 
•  It operates in the millimetre wave spectrum (30300 GHz), which has the advantage of sending large amounts of data at very high speed. 
•  3-band operation, specifically in the low, medium and high frequency spectrum. 
•  Reduced Latency will support new applications that harness the power of 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence. 
•  Increasing capacity on 5G networks can minimize the effects of peak loads, such as those found at sports and news events. 

 What are the potential health risks of 5G? 

•  To date, and after extensive research, no adverse health effects have been associated with exposure to wireless technologies. 
•  Tissue heating is the main interaction mechanism between radiofrequency fields and the human body. High-frequency exposure through current technologies leads to a negligible increase in temperature in the human body. 
•  As the frequency increases, it penetrates less into the body tissue and energy absorption is more limited to the body surface (skin and eyes). 
•  As long as the total exposure remains below international guidelines, no public health consequences are expected.

International Blue Flag Certification:

• Two other beaches in India (Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry) receive the coveted International Blue Flag certification. India now has 10 blue flag beaches.
  
• This is yet another recognition of India's commitment to protecting and conserving pristine coastal and marine ecosystems through comprehensive resource management.
  
• 8 nominated beaches in India were awarded the Blue Flag last year.
  

What is the Blue Flag certification? 

• The Blue Flag certification is a globally recognized environmental label awarded by the Danish Foundation for Environmental Education according to 33 strict criteria.
  
• The Blue Flag program for beaches and marinas is run by the international non-governmental non-profit organization "Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)".
  
• It was launched in France in 1985 and has been introduced in Europe since 1987 and in areas outside of Europe since 2001 when South Africa joined.
  Clean and well-kept beaches are an indicator that the coastal environment is in good condition, and the Blue Flag is a global recognition of India's efforts to protect nature and sustainable development.
  
• A waving "Blue Flag" is a sign that these 33 strict criteria are 100% met and that the beach is healthy.
  

What is the blue flag beach?

• The “Blue Flag” beach is a “model of ecotourism”.
  
• Identifies beaches that offer tourists and bathers clean and hygienic bathing water, facilities, a safe and healthy environment and the sustainable development of the area.

Global Innovation Index 2021:

• India is up to two places and ranked 46th in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Global Innovation Index 2021.
  
• India has been on an upward course in the Global Innovation Index (GII) in recent years, from 81st in 2015 to 46th in 2021.
  

Significance:

• The steady improvement in the GII ranking is due to the immense capital of knowledge of the dynamic startup ecosystem and the amazing work of public and private research organizations.
  
• Scientific departments such as the department of atomic energy; the Department of Science and Technology; the Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Space have played a fundamental role in enriching the national innovation ecosystem.
  

Global Innovation Index:

• The Global Innovation Index (GII) is an annual ranking of countries according to their capacity for innovation and success in innovation.
  
• It is published by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization in collaboration with other organizations and institutions.
  
• It is based on subjective and objective data from various sources, including the International Telecommunication Union, the World Bank, and the World Economic Forum.
  
• The index was launched in 2007 by INSEAD and World Business, a British magazine.
  
• The GII is widely used by corporate and government officials to compare countries based on their level of innovation.

Plant Discoveries 2020: 

•  The Botanical Survey of India has added 267 new taxa/species to the flora of the country in its new publication Plant Discoveries 2020. 
•  The 267 new discoveries include 119 angiosperms; 3 pteridophytes; 5 mosses, 44 lichens; 57 fungi, 21 algae and 18 microbes. 
•  14 new species of macro and 31 new species of microfungi were recorded from different parts of India. 
•  22% of discoveries were made in the Western Ghats, followed by the Western Himalayas (15%), the Eastern Himalayas (14%), and the Northeast Mountains (12%).

WHO Global Air Pollution Standards: 

• The World Health Organization (WHO), in its first update since 2005, tightened global air pollution standards in recognition of emerging science that the effects of air pollution air in health are much more serious than previously thought. 

 According to the latest standards: 

• The upper limit of PM2.5 per year according to the 2005 standards that countries are now following is 10 micrograms per cubic meter. That has now been revised to five micrograms per cubic meter. 
•  The 24-hour limit used to be 25 micrograms but has now been lowered to 15. 
•  The upper limit for PM10 or particles larger than 10 micrograms is 20 micrograms and has now been changed to 15, while the 24-hour value has been changed from 50 to 45 micrograms

BharatNet Project: 

1.  The Meghalaya cabinet approved amendments to a tripartite agreement to implement the BharatNet Project in Meghalaya. 
2.  The agreement was first signed in 2013 between DOT, the IT department of the Meghalaya government, and Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), the agency responsible for implementing BharatNet. 
3.  The Union Cabinet approved the revised implementation strategy of BharatNet in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode in 16 states of the country in July 2021. 

 About BharatNet: 

1.  The BharatNet project was originally started in 2011 as the National Fiber Optic Network (NOFN) and was renamed BharatNet in 2015. 
2.  Aims to provide connections to 2.5 lakh gram panchayats (GP) over fibre. 
3.  It is a flagship mission carried out by Bharat Broadband Network Ltd. (BBNL) is implemented. 
4.  The objective is to facilitate the provision of e-governance, e-health, e-education, e-banking, Internet and other services to rural areas of India.

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