Mumbai Becomes the First City in South Asia to Top CDP’s Climate Action List
Mumbai has become the first Indian city to be added to the A-list in the 5th Annual Cities Report published by CDP, a non-profit organisation that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states, and regions – recognises the important role that cities play in taking bold actions to mitigate and adopt to climate change.
More About The Development:
122 cities across the globe have been named as leaders in environmental action and transparency in 2022 by CDP. For the first time, this includes cities from several countries in the Global South, including Mumbai; cities that are often among those most affected by the impacts of climate change.
What Has Been Said:
The organisation says that Mumbai was able to attain despite the challenging global economic situation. Designed to encourage and support cities to ramp up their climate action and ambition, CDP’s Cities A-List is based on environmental data disclosed by cities to CDP-ICLEI Track.
Significance of This:
Mumbai is the most populous city in India, and, globally, the 7th largest in terms of population. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, Mumbai is separated from the mainland by Thane Creek and Harbour Bay. The city is vulnerable to climate change-induced hazards, such as sea level rise, heavy rainfall, storm surges, increasing heat, and tropical cyclones. It is also susceptible to landslides, due to heavy rain that causes many fatalities and physical damage each monsoon season.
About The Mumbai’s Plan:
Mumbai announced detailed plans to zero out carbon emissions by 2050, a target that puts it two decades ahead of India’s national goal and makes it the first city in South Asia to set such a timeline. India’s richest city, Mumbai is also home to tremendous poverty, with slums and fishing villages along the southern coast that date to British rule. By 2050, rising sea levels are expected to flood those parts of the city. In total, unabated climate change could cost the city $920 million.
In the coming three decades the city aims to cut to zero its total greenhouse emission which in 2019 stood at 23.42 million tons or 1.8 tons per capita. The largest investments will have to come into energy, which accounts for 72% of total emissions, according to the plan documents. Vehicle emissions and waste comprise the rest.
Mumbai’s short-term priorities include the purchase 2,100 electric buses by 2023 at a cost of 130 billion rupees ($1.7 billion). The city will also spend on projects like retrofitting low-income homes with electricity-efficient equipment.
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards 2021 Announced by GoI
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India announced the National Adventure Award called “Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award” (TNNAA) for the year 2021. The award is given in four categories which are Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure, and Life Time Achievement.
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards 2021 Announced by GoI- Key Points
The National Selection Committee was constituted under the chairpersonship of the Secretary (Youth Affairs).
The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India along with other Sports Awardees at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on 30th November 2022.
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards are given annually to praise the achievement of persons in the fields of adventure.
The award encourages people to develop the spirit of endurance, risk-taking, cooperative teamwork, and quick reflexes.
Govt Unveils Framework To Curb Fake Reviews On Ecommerce Platforms
Aiming to guard customers from fake online reviews of products, the Union government on released a comprehensive set of guidelines which would come into effect from November 25 and would be voluntary in nature.
More About This:
IS 19000:2022 is the standard that the BIS [Bureau of Indian Standards] has formulated for us, in consultation with us and the industry. Public consultations have taken place. Now, this is ready to be launched. While we unveil the main provisions of this standard today. On 25th November this will be in place.
What Has Been said:
The guidelines titled “Indian Standard (IS) 19000:2022 Online Consumer Reviews – Principles and Requirements for their Collection, Moderation and Publication”, will be applicable to every online platform which publishes consumer reviews.
“Taking cognizance of the impact of fake and deceptive reviews and protection of consumer interest in e-commerce, the Department of Consumer Affairs constituted a committee to develop a framework on checking fake and deceptive reviews in e-commerce on 10th June, 2022. The committee included various stakeholders including e-commerce companies, industry associations, consumer organizations and law chairs,” the statement said.
The reviews should be legitimate and the process of collecting, moderating and publishing of consumer reviews should be accurate, he said, adding that it should not be misleading. He said that protection of review authors’ personal information should be ensured.
The secretary said that companies like Zomato, Swiggy, Reliance Retail, Tata Sons, Amazon, Flipkart, Google, Meta, Mesho, Blinkit and Zepto were part of the consultation process and they have assured compliance with these standards.
Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022 Begins in New Delhi
The three-day apex-level regional strategic dialogue of the Indian Navy, the fourth edition of “Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022” (IPRD-2022) began in New Delhi.
About IPRD:
The IPRD is an annual international conference that seeks to foster exchange of ideas and promote deliberations on maritime issues relevant to the Indo-Pacific which, for India, stretches over a vast, predominantly maritime expanse from the eastern shore of Africa to the western shore of America.
The IPRD is an apex-level international annual conference of the Navy and the principal manifestation of the Navy’s engagement at the strategic level. The National Maritime Foundation (NMF) is the Navy’s knowledge partner and chief organiser of each edition of the event.
Theme Of The Session:
The theme of IPRD-2022 is “Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)”, which was articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 14th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok on November 4, 2019, the defence ministry said.
More About The Development:
Inaugural session of the event kicked off with Adm Karambir Singh (retd), the incumbent Chairman of the National Maritime Foundation, and former Chief of the Naval Staff, welcoming all present and highlighting the importance of the Indo-Pacific in the prevailing geopolitical scenario, focusing specially upon India’s maritime policy encapsulated by the acronym SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) and the first-order specificity provided to SAGAR by the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), which had been enunciated by PM Narendra Modi, on 14 November, 2019 when he addressed the 14th East Asia Summit in Bangkok.
What Has Been Said:
In the Inaugural Address that followed, Adm R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, outlined the Indian Navy’s outreach in terms of fostering maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
Kumar brought out numerous challenges that are not only unique to India, but also relevant to other nations in the Indo-Pacific region which broadly included – Imperatives at Home, Influences from Outside and some Intrusive Paradigms, and that these challenges would need collective approach by all stakeholders in the region to ensure safe, secure and stable Indo-Pacific.
He explained that the Indian Navy saw itself as being deeply invested in the actualisation of each of the seven intricately connected spokes or pillars of the IPOI. Further, he reiterated the need to address three predominant and interlinked sectors – security, economy and environment through the medium of IPOI.
Delivering the Keynote Address, Ajay Bhatt, the Raksha Rajya Mantri, who is concurrently the Minister of State for Tourism, said, “India is well prepared to address threats in the current and emerging maritime domain. He emphasised the need to build other aspects of India’s maritime capability, such as the merchant marine, ports, and the capability for sustainable management of the nation’s oceanic resources, in addition to bolstering military capabilities”.
Shaheedi Diwas or Martyrdom Day of ‘Guru Tegh Bahadur’ observed on 24 November
Shaheedi Diwas or Martyrdom Day of ‘Guru Tegh Bahadur’:
Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Sikh Guru and second Sikh martyr, who sacrificed his life for religion and for the protection of the human rights. The martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur is celebrated every year on November 24. Guru Tegh Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day is also observed as Shaheedi Diwas. He was the father of the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh. It was on 24 November 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed his life for the sake of people who did not even belong to his community. to protect religion, human values, ideals and principles. The sites of his execution and cremation were later converted into Sikh holy places namely Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi.
About Guru Tegh Bahadur:
Guru Teg Bahadur is also known as Hind Di Chadder– Protector of India. He was born in Amritsar, Punjab, India in 1621 and was the youngest son of Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh guru. He became the 9th Guru of Sikhs on 16 April 1664, a position earlier occupied by his grand-nephew, Guru Har Krishan. He had travelled in different parts of the country, including Dhaka and Assam, to preach the teachings of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh guru. Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi for resisting the forced conversions of Hindus in Kashmir.
Guru Tegh Bahadur’s term from 1665 to 1675:
He travelled extensively to preach the teachings of Guru Nanak.
During Aurangzeb’s regime, he had resisted forced conversions of non-Muslims to Islam.
In 1675, he was publicly killed on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi.
His works are included in Adi Granth.
In the Guru Granth Sahib, there are one hundred and fifteen hymns of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
Guru Tegh Bahadur is remembered for his selfless service to people. He travelled across the country with the teachings of Guru Nanak – the first Sikh Guru.
Guru Tegh Bahadur had set up community kitchens and wells for the local people wherever he went.
Anandpur Sahib, the famous holy city and a global tourist attraction in the foothills of the Himalayas, was founded by Guru Tegh Bahadur.
Canada’s Brampton city gets first turbaned Sikh Harkirat Singh as deputy mayor
Brampton city in Canada got its first turbaned Sikh deputy mayor with the appointment of Harkirat Singh. Harkirat Singh, who represents wards 9 and 10, has been appointed deputy mayor from 2022-26. The deputy mayor presides at council and other committee meetings and assumes ceremonial and civic event duties on behalf of the mayor if the mayor is absent or unavailable.
In the present Canadian Parliament there are 18 Sikhs members. Currently Harjit Sajjan, Bardish Chagger are the two Sikhs who are ministers in the Justin Trudeau government in Canada. Prior to his role as councillor, he served a four-year term as school trustee at the Peel District School Board.
Early life of Harkirat Singh:
Singh holds a BA from the University of Toronto, where he majored in Economics and Public Administration. He is an M Sc in Economics from London Metropolitan University and has an MBA from the Schulich School of Business. The position of Deputy Mayor was established by the City of Brampton in April 2022, and was divided into East and West parts.
Sonowal Launches India’s first Centre of Excellence for Green Port & Shipping
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced India’s first National Centre of Excellence for Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS) a major initiative by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping towards providing greener solutions.
More About The Development:
The Deendayal Port Authority Kandla, Paradip Port Authority, Paradip, V.O Chidambaranar Port Authority, Thoothukudi and Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi have all extended their support to the ministry to set up this centre. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is the knowledge and implementation partner for this project.
What Has Been Said:
“The centre aims to develop a regulatory framework and alternate technology adoption road map for Green Shipping to foster carbon neutrality and circular economy (CE) in shipping sector in India,” the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said.
Sonowal said, “It is my immense pleasure to announce establishment of India’s first centre of excellence for Green Port & Shipping as a major attempt by the Ministry towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s Mission LiFE movement. As per the vision of PM Modi, this movement, is going to be an India led global movement for collective action to protect & preserve Enviornment. This centre is an important step towards this movement as it aims to transform ports and shipping turn more Enviornment friendly.“
India’s Goal:
India intends to increase the share of renewable energy to 60% of the total power demand of each of its major ports from a present share of less than 10%. This will be through solar and wind-generated power. The ports have also aimed to reduce Carbon emissions per ton of cargo handled by 30% by 2030. The Maritime Vision Document 2030, released by PM Modi is a 10 Year blueprint on India’s vision of a sustainable Maritime sector and vibrant blue economy. India has been selected as the first country under the IMO Green Voyage 2050 project to conduct a pilot project related to Green Shipping.
Comments