Tag: Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII)

UPSC DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (11TH SEPTEMBER, 2023) Goa Roadmap for Tourism Syllabus: GS-3/Indian Economy In News The G20 leaders endorsed the significance of the Goa Roadmap for tourism as a path towards achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030. About Goa Roadmap: It provides a blueprint of the sustainable global tourism. The roadmap offers a comprehensive strategy for nations to align their tourism policies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Its focuses on the five interconnected priorities identified by the G20 Tourism Working Group i.e. Green tourism, digitalisation, skills, tourism MSMEs and destination management. Other Initiatives Launched For Promotion of Sustainable Tourism G20 and SDG Dashboard: The Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched this program. It will serve as a global repository showcasing best practices and case studies of sustainable tourism from G20 nations. Tourism for tomorrow: This program is announced by the Ministry of Tourism to identify case studies and best practices aligned with five priorities of G20 Goa roadmap, which have been implemented by the states, Destinations and Industry Stakeholders, which can be replicated and scaled up across the country. The competition will be launched on World Tourism Day on September 27. Travel for LiFE Initiative: It is inspired by the Prime Minister’s vision of LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment). It involves tourists and business to take simple actions to take actions for environmental protection and climate action. Ministry of Tourism has aligned its programs and initiatives for promoting sustainable tourism under ‘Travel for LiFE’ program and the campaign. United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)– It was founded in 1946 and has its headquarters in Madrid, Spain.– It comprises 159 member states,6 associate members, 2 observers and India joined it in 1975.– It is the world’s leading international tourist organization, promoting tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development, and environmental sustainability.1. It advocates the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in order to optimize tourism’s socio economic contribution. Nataraja Syllabus: GS-1/CultureIn News The world’s tallest bronze statue of Nataraja, weighing 20 tonnes, has been installed at Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the G20 summit in Delhi.Composition The artisans from Swamimalai in Kumbakonam in Tamil nadu constructed it using “ashta dhatu”, a blend of eight metals, with copper as the primary component at 87%. The eight metals used in its construction are copper, zinc, lead, tin, silver, gold, mercury and iron. Lost Wax Casting Process The sculpture has been made using traditional ‘lost wax’ casting process, adhering to ancient canons and measurements prescribed in the Shilpa Shastra or the science of sculpturing, which have guided the creation of Nataraja sculptures since the Chola period. The intricate fabrication process involves several stages, including creation of a clay armature figure to serve as the support structure; application of a wax layer on top of the clay armature; addition of detailing and elaborate finishing and polishing.Tandava Nataraja is Lord Shiva in his dynamic dance posture, called “tandava”, which in a single pose captures Shiva’s roles as creator, preserver, and destroyer. The two most common forms of Shiva’s dance are the– Lasya (the gentle form of dance), associated with the creation of the world, and– Ananda Tandava (dance of bliss, the vigorous form of dance), associated with the destruction of weary worldviews—weary perspectives and lifestyles.Features of Nataraja Sculpture On the forearm of his right hand is placed a bhujanga-valaya which is a bracelet shaped like a coiled snake. The left leg of Nataraja is raised diagonally towards the right one with its foot up in the air denoting the path of salvation. The image of Shiva is encircled in a prabhamandala, that is the circle of fire. Adorning the head of the lord is a crown of coiled hair (jatamukuta), embellished with the river Goddess Ganga, a snake, jewels, flowers, a crescent moon, and a human skull. Several jatas emerge from the crown on either side spreading horizontally, touching the prabhamandala. Adornments Shiva is adorned with a pearl necklace, a yajnopavita that is a sacred thread, urassutra (a chest band), rings, anklets, and a Makara-kundala in the right ear and Patra-kundala on his left ear. Makara-kundala refers to an earring shaped like a Makara that is a mythical fish-like creature, while Patra-kundela refers to earrings shaped as coconut or palmyra leaves. Extreme Weather and Climate Crisis Syllabus: GS1/ Important Geophysical phenomenaIn News The recent extreme weather events leave little to no doubt that the climate crisis is here.About There were extreme weather events in the recent like– Raging wildfires across Europe and Canada.– Devastating floods, cloudbursts, and storms in China, India and Brazil.– Sweltering heat waves in numerous countries. Numerous climate records on temperature, ocean heat, and Antarctic sea ice cover are getting smashed week after week. According to the scientific evidence, we will continue to see more climate records and more intense and frequent extreme weather events impacting society and ecosystems, until we stop emitting greenhouse gases. Climate records of 2023Why does it matter?Hottest summer ever– According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) & European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), this year’s summer was the hottest on record.– August 2023 was the warmest August on record and the second hottest ever month after July 2023, according to the data presented by C3S and WMO.– In July 2023, the global average daily temperature crossed the mark of 17 degree Celsius for the first time.– The development highlights the possibility that the planet may soon become 1.5 degree Celsius warmer than it was during the pre-industrial times.– Once the limit is breached, there could be irrevocable damage to the Earth’s ecosystem, severely impacting humans and other living beings.Highest sea surface temperature– As noted by C3S, each day from July 31 to August 31, 2023, has witnessed warmer global average sea surface temperature than the previous record from March 2016.– Therefore, August as a whole saw the highest global monthly average sea surface temperature on record across all months, at 20.98 degree Celsius — it is well above average for August, with an anomaly of 0.55 degree Celsius.– The oceans have absorbed 90% of the additional heat caused by human activity since the second half of the 19th Century.– Higher ocean temperatures often cause marine heat waves (MHWs), which are extreme weather events.Lowest Antarctic sea ice extent– The Antarctic sea ice extent hit a new record low in 2023. In July, the sea ice extent averaged 13.5 million sq km, the lowest levels observed for this time of year since the continuous satellite record began in late 1978, a NASA Earth Observatory report said.– The worst affected regions were the northern Ross Sea and in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean sectors.– The extreme decline in Antarctica’s sea ice sheet has set alarm bells ringing for scientists.– Less ice cover may have grave consequences for the world.– Low sea ice extent leads to higher ocean temperatures, difficulty in the formation of ice, rising sea levels, and disruption of the ocean circulation. Suggestions Need of greater investments: These weather vagaries have underlined the need for greater investments in building people’s resilience —interventions to risk-proof agriculture, build food security, develop flood and cyclone warning systems and strengthen the defences of coasts and other vulnerable areas. Need of reviewing Paris targets: Many experts now argue that the cumulative ambition expressed through the Paris Pact’s voluntary targets —the Nationally Determined Contributions —was insufficient to keep the temperature rise below the tolerance threshold. CoP 28: The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, more commonly referred to as COP28, will be the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference, held from November 30th until December 12th, 2023 at the Expo City, Dubai.– COP28 UAE will be a milestone moment when the world will take stock of its progress on the Paris Agreement.– This will help align efforts on climate action, including measures that need to be put in place to bridge the gaps in progress.Way Ahead Adaptation challenges: India’s large population experiences adaptation challenges due to severe heat waves in the summer and extreme rainfall during the monsoon season.– Heatwaves cause mortality and pose challenges for public health infrastructure.– Prolonged extreme rainfall results in floods, which damage agriculture and infrastructure and cause human migration and loss of lives. Need for robust climate finances: Slow onsets can still be taken care of through adaptation and resilience ideas but these kinds of big events are very difficult to cope with.– That is where the main issue lies as the country would then have to divert development money to climate finance to combat climate change. India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Syllabus: GS2/International Relations In News During the 2023 G20 New Delhi summit, an MOU was unveiled for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). About Participants: The MOU was unveiled by the Governments of India, the United States, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy; and the European Union. It is expected to attract additional Asian countries in future. Objective: The IMEC is a planned economic corridor that aims to bolster economic development (manufacturing, food security, and supply chains) by fostering connectivity and economic integration between Asia, the Arabian Gulf, and Europe. Components: The project would involve the building of a railway line across the Arabian Peninsula through the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and develop shipping connectivity to India and Europe on either end of this corridor. The corridor could be further developed to transport energy through pipelines and data through an optical fibre link. Significance The project underlines several new geopolitical trends. Alternative to BRI: The new corridor is being presented as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which seeks to establish trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa. Many view BRI as a tool for China to exert influence over developing nations, often resulting in debt traps. Deepen strategic engagement with Arabian peninsula: The Indian Government, which had rapidly elevated political and strategic links with the UAE and Saudi Arabia in the last few years, now has an opportunity to build enduring connectivity between India and Arabia. Indo-US collaboration in the Middle East: This project has broken the myth that India and the United States might work together in the Indo-Pacific but not in the Middle East. Earlier, India and the U.S. joined hands with Israel and the UAE to set up the I2U2 forum to develop a few joint economic projects. Stability in Middle East: According to U.S., this mega connectivity project could help “bring down’ the political temperature in the Arabian peninsula and act as an “Infrastructure for peace” in the Middle East by promoting intra-regional connectivity. Integration of Europe: The corridor also marks the mobilisation of Europe into the infrastructure development in the region. Its support for the new corridor will make the EU a major stakeholder in integrating India with Arabia and Europa. Engagement with Africa: The US and the EU have envisaged a plan to build a Trans-African corridor connecting Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia. Depending on the success of IMEC, India, which has stepped up its engagement with Africa, could also team up with the US and EU in Africa. Bypassing Pakistan: IMEC breaks Pakistan’s veto over India’s overland connectivity to the West. Since the 1990s, India has sought various trans-regional connectivity projects with Pakistan. But Pakistan was adamant in its refusal to let India gain access to land-locked Afghanistan and Central Asia. Concluding Remarks A lot would depend on the speed at which the new corridor is implemented and its ability to avoid the problem of sustainability — financial as well as ecological — associated with the China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China–Africa Peace and Security Forum Syllabus: GS2/Important International Events affecting India’s interest In News The third edition of the China–Africa Peace and Security Forum was held recently under the theme ‘Implementing the Global Security Initiative, Strengthening China-Africa Solidarity and Cooperation’ in Beijing. About The China–Africa Peace and Security Forum provides a common platform for military officials from both sides to convene and discuss issues of mutual interest. The forum serves two primary goals: consolidate networks of strategic communications between Chinese and African defence departments; and explore possible ways in which African militaries and security architecture can align with China’s Global Security Initiative (GSI). Global Security Initiative (GSI)– The GSI was espoused by President Xi Jinping during the Boao Forum in April 2022.– The GSI is China’s regional and global architecture and is an effort to shape a new world order with Chinese characteristics.– It contains broad general principles reiterating China’s previous foreign policy and security statements.– It is seen as a statement of China’s intent to claim a much more significant role in international politics. Outcomes of the Conference Discussions at the forum echoed a need to strengthen China–Africa security cooperation to jointly deal with global security challenges and uphold international justice. It called African partners to work with China to uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security mindset. This is to be achieved by focusing on dialogue rather than confrontation, partnership rather than alliance, ‘win-win’ rather than zero-sum to inject more certainty, peace, and positive energy into a global order riddled with security challenges. Drivers of Chinese Security Activism in Africa China aims to offer African countries with an alternative model for growth and development that is different from the West. In June 2022, China sponsored a Horn of Africa Peace, Good Governance and Development Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and appointed a ‘Special Envoy’ for the Horn of Africa region. Beijing’s security engagement is inextricably connected to its logistical footprint, increasing political influence in multilateral forums like the United Nations, and protecting its commercial interests and investments. The African continent has emerged as sort of a ‘testing ground’ for Chinese security engagements abroad. Protecting Chinese Citizens: With over 1 million Chinese citizens, 10,000 Chinese firms, loans worth US$ 160 billion, and investments worth nearly US$ 300 billion in Africa, protecting its citizens and investments is a top priority for Beijing. An alarming trend in recent years is the increase in reports of attacks and kidnappings of Chinese workers in countries like the Central African Republic, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Democratic Republic of Congo, raising questions about China’s ability to protect its citizens overseas. Professional military education (PME) and policing and law enforcement cooperation: China has been taking interest in African security governance and is working to promote Chinese policing norms within African police forces and governments. Conflict mediation is an area which has attracted Chinese attention. Buoyed by the remarkable and unexpected success of brokering rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March 2023, Beijing is seeking to promote itself as a consequential mediator in the African peace process. Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII) Syllabus: GS2/International Relations In News The proposed India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) announced at the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi is a part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII). About What is it? The Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) is a collaborative effort by the G7 (or Group of Seven). The G7 countries include the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the European Union (EU). Objective: It aims to fund critical infrastructure projects such as roads, ports, bridges, communication setups, etc. in developing nations through public and private investment to enhance global trade and cooperation. Target: PGII aim to mobilise nearly $600 billion from the G7 by 2027 to invest in critical infrastructure. Principles: It is based on the standards and trust principles of the Blue Dot Network (BDN) which are “respect for transparency and accountability, sovereignty of property and resources, local labour and human rights, rule of law, and sound government practices in procurement and financing.” Timeline The Blue Dot Network (BDN) is a joint project of the United States, Japan, and Australia that was founded in 2019 to support investment in high-quality infrastructure projects around the world. In 2021, the success of the BDN program influenced the adoption of the Build Back Better World (B3W) initiative by the Group of Seven (G7) nations. However, it did not register much progress. In 2022, at the 48th G7 summit in Germany, the Build Back Better World (B3W) initiative was relaunched and renamed as the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). Significance: Alternative to BRI PGII is considered to be the G7’s counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which was initiated in in 2013 under its President Xi Jinping. It aims to revive the ancient trade routes crossing to and from China–from Rome in Europe to East Asia. Under this, the Chinese government helped in providing loans for infrastructure projects to various countries, and in many cases, Chinese companies were awarded contracts for carrying out the work. However, China was criticised in the West and by some other countries for providing unsustainable debts to countries that will be unable to repay them. Apart from high debts, there are issues of environmental degradation and corruption. India has opposed the BRI as it included the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which connected Kashgar in China with the Gwadar port in Pakistan via Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Other countries are doubtful of the benefits they might reap from enhanced trade connectivity. However, the G7 say their initiative is meant to be transparent, focused on building climate change-resilient infrastructure, and help in achieving objectives of gender equality and health infrastructure development. Challenges to PGII However, what the project could go on to accomplish depends on a range of factors. The scale of investments that can be raised by China is higher than that of the G7, who will have to look for political consensus within their countries for pledging to such projects. They also have no control over assured private-sector participation. Also, China is in the process of modifying BRI to address its criticisms. In 2019, China dramatically diminished its overseas infrastructure investments, especially pulling back on high-risk projects. President Xi Jinping emphasized his commitment to a ‘Green BRI.’ Concluding Remarks If PGII succeeds to a certain extent and with BRI addressing its own issues given this competition of sorts, it could actually help diversify the options available to the countries who have infra requirements. Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) Syllabus: GS3/Environment In News Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Global Biofuel Alliance on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. What are Biofuels? Biomass can be converted directly into liquid fuels, called biofuels. The two most common types of biofuels in use today are ethanol and biodiesel, both of which represent the first generation of biofuel technology. Ethanol: Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is a renewable fuel that can be made from various plant materials, collectively known as “biomass.” It is an alcohol used as a blending agent with gasoline to increase octane and cut down carbon monoxide and other smog-causing emissions. Biodiesel: It is a liquid fuel produced from renewable sources, such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats and is a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel. It is nontoxic and biodegradable and is produced by combining alcohol with vegetable oil, animal fat, or recycled cooking grease. What is Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA)? It is an India-led Initiative to develop an alliance of Governments, International organizations and Industry to facilitate adoption of biofuels. Aim: To position biofuels as a key to energy transition and contribute to jobs and economic growth. It will do so by bringing together the biggest consumers and producers of biofuels to drive biofuels development and deployment. USA (52%), Brazil (30%) and India (3%), contribute about 85% share in production and about 81% in consumption of ethanol. Members:19 countries and 12 international organisations have already agreed to join. G20 countries (07) supporting GBA: 1. Argentina, 2. Brazil, 3. Canada, 4. India 5. Italy, 6. South Africa, 7. USA. G20 Invitee Countries (04) supporting GBA: 1. Bangladesh, 2. Singapore, 3. Mauritius, 4. UAE. Non G20 (08) supporting GBA: 1. Iceland, 2. Kenya, 3. Guyana, 4. Paraguay, 5. Seychelles, 6. Sri Lanka, and 7. Uganda have agreed to be initiating members of GBA, and 8. Finland International organizations (12): World Bank, Asian Development Bank, World Economic Forum, World LPG Organization, UN Energy for All, UNIDO, Biofutures Platform, International Civil Aviation Organization, International Energy Agency, International Energy Forum, International Renewable Energy Agency, World Biogas Association. How it will work? It will support worldwide development and deployment of sustainable biofuels by offering capacity-building exercises across the value chain, technical support for national programs and promoting policy lessons-sharing. It will facilitate mobilizing a virtual marketplace to assist industries, countries, ecosystem players and key stakeholders in mapping demand and supply, as well as connecting technology providers to end users. It will also facilitate development, adoption and implementation of internationally recognized standards, codes, sustainability principles and regulations to incentivize biofuels adoption and trade. Significance for India GBA as a tangible outcome of the G20 presidency, will help strengthen India’s position globally. Moreover, the alliance will focus on collaboration and will provide additional opportunities to Indian industries in the form of exporting technology and exporting equipment. It will help accelerate India’s existing biofuels programs such as PM-JIVANYojna, SATAT, and GOBARdhan scheme, thereby contributing to increased farmers’ income, creating jobs and overall development of the Indian ecosystem. The global ethanol market was valued at USD 99.06 billion in 2022 and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 5.1% by 2032 and surpass USD 162.12 billion by 2032. As per IEA, there will be 3.5-5x biofuels growth potential by 2050 due to Net Zero targets, creating a huge opportunity for India. Biomass Programs in India The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is targeting 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025 from this year. Under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative, it aims to set up 5,000 BioCNG plants with a production target of 15 MMT by 2023-24. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is setting up 500 new compressed biogas (CBG) plants under the GOBAR-dhan scheme. The Ministry of Power’s Samarth Scheme aims for 5 to 7 percent of co-firing biomass pellets, going up to 10 per cent and then up to 20 percent for all coal power being produced from carbon-neutral biomass utilising farm agri-residue. India plans to mandate a one percent blending of Sustainable Aviation fuel with conventional jet fuel for all Indian airlines by 2025. Under the ambit of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, for management of organic/wet fraction of municipal solid waste biomethanation plants across cities was proposed in the Budget 2023-2024. Gene Drive Technology to Control Mosquitoes Syllabus: GS3/Developments in Science And Technology In News With insecticide resistance in mosquitoes rising to alarming proportions, it has become imperative that newer approaches should be developed to control them. About The earliest known mosquitoes from the fossil record date back at least 70 million years, and evidence of mosquito-borne diseases like malaria dates back to Egyptian mummies from 2000 BC. Apart from malaria, which claims the lives of over half a million people every year, mosquitoes serve as vectors for various other diseases- dengue, Zika, lymphatic filariasis, and yellow fever. Recent Trends The rapid urbanisation of the world’s populations, especially in many large and economically developing countries like India, has led to annual surges in mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue. Together with climate change and its cascading consequences, mosquito-borne diseases have expanded into new territories. A notable example is the indigenous cases of dengue in France in recent years. Hence, mosquito control has taken centre stage today and the battle continues unrelentingly with an array of tools – from mosquito nets to insecticides and the use of symbionts like Wolbachia. Further, the ability to read or sequence the genomes of organisms, and edit and manipulate these genomes, has given us new tools in this fight. Researchers have helped prepare high-quality reference genomes for Anopheles stephensi, a major malaria-vector mosquito. The Gene Drive Technology The fundamental idea behind genetic manipulation of mosquitoes is to systematically control their populations by interfering with their reproduction. The end result for mosquitoes is to selectively inherit some genes, rather than the whole inheritance. This technology was conceived by Austin Burt, professor at Imperial College London, in 2003. Here, a protein cuts the mosquito’s DNA at a part that doesn’t encode a particular sequence in the genome. This triggers a natural mechanism in the cell containing the DNA to repair it and forces the cell to incorporate a sequence, called the drive sequence, into the damaged portion. It focuses on reducing mosquito populations’ reproductive capabilities or rendering them sterile. As a result, the malaria parasite won’t be able to replicate inside the mosquito’s gut. Risks Associated An immediate implication is that the drastic reduction in the mosquito population could alter food chains and ecosystems that involve mosquitoes. So it’s likely that the gap in the food chain could be ‘invaded’ by other mosquitoes or in fact other insects. Critics have expressed concerns about unintended consequences, such as unforeseen ecological disruptions or the potential for engineered genes to spread beyond target mosquito populations. Since the consequences will be shared by individuals, communities, and populations, in that order, what constitutes a right decision and what processes are to be followed remains a dilemma to policymakers. Way Ahead Some of the concerns associated with the gene drive are valid and require extensive data collection, close monitoring, and multistakeholder discussions surrounding the adoption of this technology. Closer home, on the regulatory front, the Department of Biotechnology in India released comprehensive guidelines for genetically engineered insects. They provide a roadmap for researchers, outlining procedures and regulations for working with such insects in the country. Facts In News Ustad Ali Zaki Hader Syllabus: GS1/Art & Culture In News Noted Rudra veena exponent, Ustad Ali Zaki Hader, passed away in New Delhi at the age of 50. About Ali Zaki Hader was the last exponent of the Khandarbani (Khandaharbani) style of the Jaipur Beenkar gharana of Dhrupad. He was the Disciple of Ustad Asad Ali Khan. Rudra Veena It is an ancient stringed instrument, which is made of teak wood, metal, pumpkin, and Bamboo. It is found in various parts of North India. Majorly used in Northern Indian classical music. It is held at a higher angle of elevation, i.e, almost vertically. It consists of two large vibrating boxes. Unlike a sitar or sarod, the rudra veena does not have resonance strings. The word veena is believed to have been derived from the word vana, a string instrument mentioned in the Rig Veda. It is believed that Rudra Veena was created by Lord Shiva as a tribute to the beauty of Goddess Parvati. Rudra Veena has now become a rare instrument almost on the verge of extinction. Both, the craftsmen who create the instrument as well as its players are rarely found now. The instrument lost its importance in the early nineteenth century with the evolution of other stringed instruments such as – Surbahar, Sitar and Sarod, etc. Morocco Earthquake 2023 Syllabus: G-1/Geography; GS-3/Disaster ManagementIn News On 8 September 2023, an earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.8–6.9 and maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe) struck Morocco’s Marrakesh-Safi region.About It is the second deadliest earthquake of 2023 after the Turkey–Syria earthquake. More than 2,000 deaths have been reported. The earthquake’s epicenter was located near the town of Ighil in the Atlas Mountains. The Atlas Mountains stretches through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The range’s highest peak is Toubkal, in Morocco. Reason for earthquake: Geology of Morocco Morocco lies close to the boundary between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate, the Azores–Gibraltar Transform Fault. This zone of right-lateral strike-slip becomes transpressional at its eastern end, with the development of large thrust faults. To the east of the Strait of Gibraltar, in the Alboran Sea, the boundary becomes collisional in type. Seismicity in Morocco is concentrated in the country’s northern region and the Alboran Sea due to the “northward convergence of the African plate with respect to the Eurasian plate along a complex plate boundary.” The recent earthquake is attributed to “oblique-reverse faulting at shallow depth within the Moroccan High Atlas Mountain range”.Types of Fault A fault is a fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock. Faults allow the blocks to move relative to each other, causing earthquakes if the movement occurs rapidly. During a quake, the rock on one side of the fault suddenly slips with respect to the other.’ Scientists use the angle of the fault with respect to the surface (known as the dip) and the direction of the slip along the fault to classify faults. Faults which move along the direction of the dip plane are dip-slip faults. Faults which move horizontally are known as strike-slip faults. Oblique-slip faults show characteristics of both dip-slip and strike-slip faults. The term ‘reverse’ refers to a situation that the upper block, above the fault plane, moves up and over the lower block. This type of faulting is common in areas of compression — when one tectonic plate is converging into another.Morocco Location: Morocco is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Coastline: It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It is one of only three nations (along with Spain and France) to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. Neighbouring countries: Morocco has land borders with Algeria to the east, and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to the south. The Strait of Gibraltar separates Spain from Morocco with a 13 kilometres span of water. Important cities: Its capital is Rabat, while its largest city is Casablanca. Marrakesh: Marrakesh is the fourth largest city in Morocco. In 1994, the Marrakesh Agreement was signed here to establish the World Trade Organisation, and in 1997 Marrakesh served as the site of the World Water Council’s first World Water Forum. Organizations: It holds membership in the Arab League, the Arab Maghreb Union, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the African Union. Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2023 GS Paper 2 Syllabus: Government Policies and Interventions/ Social Justice Context: The latest UN report titled “Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2023” reveals that despite global efforts, the world is failing to achieve gender equality. What is Gender Equality? Gender equality refers to the equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of all individuals, regardless of their gender. It involves ensuring that women and men have the same access to resources, education, employment, and decision-making processes. G Key findings from the report include: Social aspects: SDG 1 (No Poverty): If current trends continue, over 340 million women and girls (about 8% of the female population) will live in extreme poverty by 2030 SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): One in four experiencing food insecurity. Older women face higher rates of poverty and violence than older men, with many lacking access to pensions. Violence: No country is within reach of eradicating intimate partner violence The number of women and girls in conflict-affected contexts has risen significantly Political aspects: Gender disparities persist in power and leadership roles SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Women spend 2.3 more hours per day on unpaid care and domestic work than men. SDG 13 (Climate Action): Climate change may push about 158 million more women and girls into poverty by mid-century. Progress on SDG: Progress on SDG 5 (gender equality) is significantly off track, with only two indicators nearing the target. Finance aspect: An additional $360 billion per year is needed to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment across global goals. Wage Gap: The labour and earnings gap remains persistently high. For each dollar men earn in labour income globally, women earn only 51 cents. Persistent Challenges: Challenges include food insecurity due to climate change, insufficient efforts to combat intimate partner violence, rising conflict-affected contexts for women and girls, a significant number of girls and young women out of school, and persistent earnings gaps between men and women in the labour force. Recommendations: The report calls for greater collaboration, funding, and policy actions to address gender disparities and emphasizes that failing to prioritize gender equality could jeopardize the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Addressing gender gaps in agrifood systems can reduce food insecurity and boost global GDP by nearly $1 trillion.

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