Daily Current Affairs 8 july, 2024 (1)

1. DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS July9,2024 ENVIRONMENT / POLITY(MAINS) Low-Carbon Climate Resilient Development Context Re-Orienting Development Supreme Court in its recent judgment has recognized a right to be “free from the adverse impacts of climate change”. India needs to re-orient its development plans towards a low carbon emission standard. It can only be done by routine decision-making at all levels of development. About Just Energy Transition ●In M.K. Ranjitsinh and Others vs Union of India, the Supreme Court of India recently recognized a right to be “Free from the adverse impacts of Climate Change”. ●The Supreme Court has recognized this right under the Right to Life (Article 21) and the Right to Equality (Article 14). ●It is one of the strongest judgments advocating development which has been put forward by the Supreme Court of India. ●Hence, there is a need for strong Climate Resilient Legislation to be enforced which must be accordance with the Indian Scenario. ●The impact of climate change is not equally incident to every person. It impacts the vulnerable section of society more than well offs. ●In the same way, energy transition impacts the poorer section more than the wealthier section. ●Hence, there is a need for an energy transition from fossil fuel-based energy towards renewable energy. climate-resilient Changing the Approach of Climate Laws tailor-made in ●The concept of climate law is often associated with a top-down approach to setting and achieving climate-resilient targets. Steps to be Taken to Achieve Climate Resilient Future

2. ●However, in a developing country, this approach is limited because addressing climate change is about more than limiting emissions. ●It requires consideration of each developmental choice and its long-run synergies and tradeoffs with low-carbon and climate- resilient futures. ●To achieve this, the substantive right of protection against adverse effects of climate change must be realized, in part, through well-defined procedures in law that are applicable across levels of government. ●Climate action is more credible when a well-designed institutional structure is strategising, troubleshooting and evaluating policies behind the scenes. In India, these laws vary because India’s climate law approach must be tailored in accordance with the Indian context. ●Emissions in India Still Growing: India’s emissions are starting from a low base of per capita emissions which is less than half the global average and is still growing. Hence, India’s objective should be to squeeze out as much development as possible from each ton of carbon and avoid locking into high carbon futures. ●Climate Resilience Element in Indian Laws: As India is highly vulnerable to climate impacts the climate resilience element must be an integral part of India’s new law. ●Social Equity: In meeting both objectives, considerations of social equity must be central. At the same time, India’s law must ensure development, but in a low-carbon direction while building resilience to ever more pervasive climate impacts. ●Thoughtful Decision-Making: Indian Laws must create the basis for thoughtful decision-making achieving a low-carbon, resilient society. careful, ongoing, prioritizing, Global Climate Law Approach vs India’s Climate Law Approach Global Approach ●Around 67 Countries have experimented with ‘Framework Climate Laws’. These laws build governance capacity to address climate change. ●Umbrella laws that define government- wide goals and substantiate them with a set of processes and accountability measures are becoming popular in bringing climate action. toward For example, since Indian cities are still growing and changing rapidly following objectives must be taken into consideration: 1.Future Resilient Cities of Low-Carbon, Climate India’s Approach

3. 2.Methodology of city planning to minimize the risk of floods and vulnerability to heat waves 3.Shifting of City’s transport to low emission standards such as electric vehicle adoption 4.Shifting the public towards public transport and Lifestyle Shifts stakeholders is a fine example of such a commission. High-Level Strategic Body ●Effective Climate Governance also requires the ability to set directions, make strategic choices, and encourage the consideration of low-carbon choices and climate change impacts within line ministries. ●Hence, the climate law could create a high-level strategic body such as a ‘climate cabinet’, a core group of Ministers plus representation from Chief Ministers of States, tasked with driving strategy through government. ●Across the world, climate policy is often defeated by slow decision-making. This is one way of fixing it. ‘Low-Carbon Development Commission’ ●India must go towards building an institutional structure which must be capable of crafting viable answers to these questions. ●Hence, there should be an independent ‘Low-Carbon Commission’, staffed with experts and technical staff, which could offer both national and State governments practical ways of achieving low-carbon growth and resilience. It would also serve as a platform for deliberative decision- making. Development Engagement with The Federal Structure ●The Climate Law must pay attention to India’s federal structure and it must focus on many areas which are crucial in reducing emissions and improving resilience. ●These areas include agriculture, water, health and soil which are wholly or partially the preserve of State and local governments. Functions to be performed by such Commission ●The commission must serve vulnerable communities and those that may lose from technological change need to be systematically consulted. ●South Africa’s Presidential Climate Commission, which is tasked with charting a course toward just transition based on inputs and representations from electricity, Access Resources to Central Government’s

4. ●The law must establish a channel for sub-national governments to access the central government’s scientific capacity through the low-carbon development commission as an intermediary. ●Financing local climate goals action should be done by aligning centrally- sponsored schemes to be more aligned with or by departments to climate tag expenditure towards local climate resilience. M.K. Ranjitsinh has opened the door to legal and governance changes that make possible an actionable right against the adverse effects of climate change. Hence, India must make a fast-forward move to realize climate governance by framing new legislation. It will help India to realize Sustainable Development Goals such as Climate Action (SDG 13). climate requiring national Coordination Mechanism ●There should be planned coordination mechanisms that allow the Centre and States to consult on major climate decisions. ●It could also require the Centre and States to put out periodically updated medium-term climate plans built around unified goals. ●States could also build complementary institutions to those at the Centre, providing knowledge, strategy-setting, deliberation and coordination functions in order to enable the development of State-specific solutions. Conclusion The framework law which has been proposed enables and catalyses climate action across national ministries and the federal structure. The apex court’s historical pronouncement in

5. Science and Technology(PRELIMS) Transposons Context ●These elements can have diverse applications in biomedical applications such as genetic correction to cure a disease or for gene therapy. ●For Example, Researchers studied the genomes of fish and reconstructed a transposon called “Sleeping Beauty” at the molecular level. ●This transposon had become dormant in vertebrates millions of years ago. The researchers elegantly reprogrammed the synthetic avatar to work in human cells. The revolutionized genetics. discovery of understanding transposons the of About ●Transposons are the genetic materials which influence the effects of genes by turning “on” or “off” their expression. They use a variety of epigenetic mechanisms for this purpose. ●Transposons are termed as the tools of evolution, for their ability to rearrange the genome and introduce changes. Transposable Elements ●More than 45% of the human genome consists of transposable elements. These elements create diversity and also create mutations in genes which leads to diseases. ●Most of the transposons have themselves inherited mutations and have become inactive, and thus can’t move around within the gnome. ●With the development of science, researchers have attempted to resurrect inactive transposons from the genomes of the animal kingdom.

6. QUESTIONS 2)It has been recognized as a right under the Right to Life and the Right to Equality. 1.Discuss the need for Climate Action Legislation in India in light of recent judgements of the Supreme Court. 3)The judgment has paved the way for ‘Climate Action’ Legislation in India. 2.Consider the following statements with reference to Transposons; Which of the following statements is/are Correct? 1)Transposons are inherited mutations which have become inactive in human beings and other organisms over a period of time. A. One Only B. Two Only 2)More than 45% of the human genome consists of transposable elements. C. All Three 3)It can be helpful in genetic manipulation and curing of genetic diseases. D. None Answer: C Which of the following statements is/are Incorrect? A.One Only B.Two Only C.All Three D.None Answer: D 3.Consider the following statements with reference to the recent judgment of the Supreme Court of India in M.K. Ranjitsinh and Others vs Union of India : 1)The right to be “Free from the adverse impacts of Climate Change” is a fundamental right.