PM Modi Awarded CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award
PM Narendra Modi was awarded with the CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award at the CERAWeek 2021 on 5th March. He also delivered a keynote address via video conferencing. In his speech PM mentioned about the adoption of Bharat - 6 emission norms since April 2020 which is equal to Euro - 6 fuel. He mentioned how India is working to increase the share of natural gas from the current 6% to 15% by 2030 and the recently launched National Hydrogen Mission and PM KUSUM which promotes an equitable and decentralized model of solar energy generation.
- CERAWEEK- Cambridge Energy Research Associates Week 2021(CERAWeek) was founded in 1983 by Dr. Daniel Yergin. It has been organized in Houston in March every year since 1983 and is considered the world’s premier annual energy platform. CERAWeek 2021 is being convened virtually from 1st March to 5th March, 2021.
- CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award- It was instituted in 2016. It recognizes the commitment of leadership on the future of global energy & environment and for offering solutions and policies for energy access, affordability & environmental stewardship.
- National Hydrogen Mission-Finance minister in her budget speech had proposed to launch a National Hydrogen Mission for generating hydrogen from green power sources. The proposed Mission would aim to lay down Government of India’s vision, intent and direction for hydrogen energy and suggest strategy and approaches for realising the vision.
- Hydrogen- Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe and the third most abundant on the surface of the globe. Hydrogen has three isotopes: protium, deuterium or D and tritium or T.
- PM KUSUM- Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme has been launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for farmers for installation of solar pumps and grid connected solar and other renewable power plants in the country.
India - Sweden Virtual Summit Held
Pime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of the King-dom of Sweden H.E. Stefan Löfven on 5th March held a Virtual Summit where they discussed bilateral issues and other regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Sweden’s decision to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The leaders also noted the growing member-ship of the India-Sweden joint initiative – the Leadership Group on Indus-try Transition (LeadIT) that was launched during the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019 in New York. This was fifth interaction between the two leaders since 2015
- ISA- The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was conceived as a coalition of solar-resource-rich countries (which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn) to address their special energy needs. The ISA has 122 sun-belt countries that lie between the two tropics as its prospective member countries and currently boasts a membership of 86 countries globally.
- ISA Headquarters- Gurugram, India
DRDO successful tests Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet technology
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out a flight demonstration based on Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology from Integrated Test Range Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on March 05, 2021. This technology will enable DRDO to develop long range air-to-air missiles
- DRDO- DRDO is the R&D wing of Ministry of Defence, Govt of India, with a vision to empower India with cutting-edge defence technologies and a mission to achieve self-reliance in critical defence technologies and systems, while equipping our armed forces with state-of-the-art weapon systems and equipment in accordance with requirements laid down by the three Services. DRDO was formed in 1958 from the amalgamation of the then already functioning Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development & Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO).
Virtual Edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair 2021 inaugurated by the Union Education Minister
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated the New Delhi World Book Fair 2021 – Virtual Edition on 5th March. The 29th edition of the fair is being organised by the National Book Trust (NBT) in association with the International Trade Organization of India (IPPO).
Supreme Court to start hybrid physical hearing of cases from March 15
The Supreme Court, which is hearing cases virtually since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will start hybrid physical hearing from March 15 on an experimental basis.
- Supreme Court- Article 124 of the Indian Constitution mentions the Establishment and constitution of Supreme Court of India. It is the supreme judicial body and the highest court of order in India. The Supreme Court of India comprises the Chief Justice and a maximum of 33 other Judges appointed by the President of India. Supreme Court Judges retire upon attaining the age of 65 years.
- In order to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court, a person must be a citizen of India and must have been, for atleast five years, a Judge of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession, or an Advocate of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession for at least 10 years or he must be, in the opinion of the President, a distinguished jurist. Provisions exist for the appointment of a Judge of a High Court as an Ad-hoc Judge of the Supreme Court and for retired Judges of the Supreme Court or High Courts to sit and act as Judges of that Court.The Constitution seeks to ensure the independence of Supreme Court Judges in various ways. A Judge of the Supreme Court cannot be removed from office except by an order of the President passed after an address in each House of Parliament supported by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of members present and voting, and presented to the President in the same Session for such removal on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. A person who has been a Judge of the Supreme Court is debarred from practising in any court of law or before any other authority in India.
- The proceedings of the Supreme Court are conducted in English only. Supreme Court Rules, 1966 are framed under Article 145 of the Constitution to regulate the practice and procedure of the Supreme Court.
UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021
The Food Waste Index Report 2021 was released on March 4, 2021 by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and partner organisation WRAP .It aims at supporting the goals of SDG 12.3. It does so by presenting the most comprehensive food waste data collection, analysis and modelling to date, generating a new estimate of global food waste; and publishing a methodology for countries to measure food waste, at household, food service and retail level, to track national progress towards 2030 and to report on SDG 12.3.
As per the report- the household food waste estimate in the US is 59 kg per capita per year, or 19,359,951 tonnes a year, while for China these estimates are 64 kg per capita per year or 91,646,213 tonnes a year. In India, the household food waste estimate is 50 kg per capita per year, or 68,760,163 tonnes a year.
As per the report- the household food waste estimate in the US is 59 kg per capita per year, or 19,359,951 tonnes a year, while for China these estimates are 64 kg per capita per year or 91,646,213 tonnes a year. In India, the household food waste estimate is 50 kg per capita per year, or 68,760,163 tonnes a year.
The Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest Fire
A forest fire which started in Simlipal Biosphere Reserve recently and has been raging for nearly a week now, was finally brought under control.
- Similipal Bio-sphere, which derives its name from ‘Simul’ (silk cotton) tree covers a vast area of 2750 sq. km out of which 303 sq. km form the core area, this biosphere reserve is a sanctuary and one of the Tiger Projects and National parks in the northern part of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district. It is also the Asia’s 2nd largest Biosphere. UNESCO had added the National Park to its list of Biosphere Reserves back in 2009.