Telecom Regulatory Authority of India -TRAI
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India – TRAI Established by an Act of Parliament, called the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. TRAI is an independent regulator of Telecom Business in India. Aims to regulate telecom services, including fixation/revision of tariffs for telecom services which were earlier vested in the Central Government. Its mission is to create and nurture conditions for the growth of telecommunications in India to enable the country to have a leading role in the emerging global information society. It also provides fair and transparent environment that promotes level playing field and facilitates fair competition in the market. It also regularly issues orders and directions on various subjects such as tariffs, quality of service, interconnections, Direct To Home (DTH) services, and mobile number portability. Read Also IUC TRAI also fixes or revises the tariffs for telecom services in India. The TRAI Act was amended to establish a Telecommunications Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to take over the adjudicatory and disputes functions from TRAI. TDSAT was set up to adjudicate any dispute between a licensor and a licensee, between two or more service providers, between a service provider and a group of consumers, and to hear and dispose of appeals against any direction, decision order of TRAI. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join now
Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict and India
Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict and India A three-decades-old unresolved ethnos territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh flared up once again. The conflict is between two relatively small countries and is territorial in nature. Origin of the conflict: Nagorno-Karabakh is a mountainous and heavily forested patch of land that sits inside the territory of the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan. Under international law, Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but the ethnic Armenians who make up the vast majority of the population reject Azeri rule. They have been running their own affairs, with support from Armenia, since Azerbaijan`s troops were pushed out in a war in the 1990s. The Caucasus is a strategically important mountainous region in south-east Europe. For centuries, different powers in the region – both Christian and Muslim – have vied for control there. Nagorno-Karabakh – key facts: A mountainous region of about 4,400 sq km (1,700 sq miles) Traditionally inhabited by Christian Armenians and Muslim Turks In Soviet times, it became an autonomous region within the republic of Azerbaijan Internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but majority of population is ethnic Armenian An estimated one million people displaced by war in 1988-1994, and about 30,000 killed Separatist forces captured some extra territory around the enclave in Azerbaijan in the 1990s war Stalemate has largely prevailed since a 1994 ceasefire Turkey openly supports Azerbaijan; Russia has military bases in Armenia Israel: The conflict marks a strange coupling of Turkey and Israel, which are hostile to one another both diplomatically and in terms of security. Significance of the region: The energy-rich Azerbaijan has built several gas and oil pipelines across the Caucasus (the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea) to Turkey and Europe. Some of these pipelines pass close to the conflict zone (within 16 km of the border). In an open war between the two countries, the pipelines could be targeted, which would impact energy supplies and may even lead to higher oil prices globally. Role of India: India does not have a publicly articulated policy for South Caucasus, unlike ‘Neighborhood First’, ‘Act East’ or ‘Central Asia Connect’ policies and the region has remained only on the periphery of its radar. Balancing Between The Two Extremes India has adopted a balanced and neutral stance and made a politically correct statement in which it has expressed its concern, called for restraint and immediate cessation of hostilities and resolution of the conflict peacefully through diplomatic negotiations. Asymmetry in Relations There is a visible asymmetry in India’s relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Armenia is the only country in the region with which it has a Friendship and Cooperation Treaty (signed in 1995), which incidentally would prohibit India from providing military or any other assistance to Azerbaijan in case Azerbaijan’s offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh spills over to the territory of Armenia. Conclusion The conflict between the two countries has reached alarming levels and the international mediators should intervene immediately and push sides for substantive negotiations to prevent any further escalations. Growing Pakistan- China-Turkey’s influence in the south Caucasus region is a source of concern for India. It is important for it to strengthen its ties with both the countries in line continuing its non-aligned stance and call for peace in the region. Under these circumstances, India has done the right thing to adopt a balanced and neutral stance and pitching for a political solution as outlined in the Madrid Principles. Read Also India Afghanistan Relations Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Dilution of Offset Policy
Dilution of Offset Policy The government diluted the “offset” policy in defence procurement, reportedly in response to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India’s report tabled in Parliament last month. The move is a setback for augmenting domestic capabilities or for realising the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat. ‘Offset’ policy: The offset policy, introduced in 2005, mandates foreign suppliers to spend at least 30% of the contract value in India. The 2005 policy helped promote a vibrant aerospace cluster, mostly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) around Bengaluru The offset is an obligation by an international player to boost India’s domestic defence industry if India is buying defence equipment from it The policy was adopted on the recommendations of the Vijay Kelkar Committee. Developing country buyers often lack an industrial base and research and development (R&D) facilities. However, large buyers such as India seek to exercise their “buying power” to secure defence deals, not just the lowest price. Read Also Aero India 2021 Objectives: Fostering the development of internationally competitive enterprises. Augmenting capacity for Research, Design and Development related to defence products and services. Encouraging development of synergistic sectors like civil aerospace, and internal security”. Leverage capital acquisitions to develop Indian defence industry by fostering the development of internationally competitive enterprises domestically. Partially compensating for a significant outflow of the country’s resources in the large purchase of foreign goods. Issues with New Policy: Misplaced Rationale CAG Report Impact of New Policy: The dilution means practically giving up the offset clause. This would impact India’s prospects for boosting defence production and technological self-reliance. Further, India has voluntarily given up a powerful instrument of bargaining to acquire scarce advanced technology. Way Forward: Need for Clear Roadmap Review & Proper Implementation of Offset Clause Better Regulation & Facilitation . Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join now
Air Pollution & Concerted Efforts
Air Pollution & Concerted Efforts India’s air pollution problem needs to be tackled systematically, taking an all-of-government approach, to reduce the huge burden of associated ill-health. Deteriorating air quality due to the release of hazardous pollutants from multiple sources is a growing challenge. Most Indian cities report poor levels of air quality, threatening the health of its citizens and adversely impacting economic activity. If air pollution is not controlled, by 2030 the air will become so poisonous that it will be necessary to use an oxygen kit to breathe easily. State of Global Air 2020 Report: State of Global Air 2020 (SoGA 2020) has been released by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal are among the top ten countries with the highest PM2.5 (particulate matter) exposures in 2019 and all of these countries experienced increases in outdoor PM2.5 levels between 2010 and 2019. India is also among the top ten countries with highest ozone (O3) exposure in 2019. Also, among the 20 most populous countries, India recorded the highest increase (17%) in O3 concentrations in the past ten years. Long-term exposure to outdoor and household (indoor) air pollution contributed to over 1.67 million annual deaths from stroke, heart attack, diabetes, lung cancer, chronic lung diseases, and neonatal diseases, in India in 2019. High PM contributed to the deaths of more than 1,16,000 Indian infants who did not survive their first month. WHO: WHO data shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits containing high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures. WHO is supporting countries to address air pollution. AQI It helps the common man to judge the air quality within his vicinity. Index constituted as a part of the Government’s mission to improve the culture of cleanliness. World Bank: According to a 2016 World Bank report, the lost lives and ill health caused are also a colossal economic burden. $225bn is lost labour income in 2013, or $5.11tn per year (about $1m a minute), if welfare losses are also added. Source of Air Pollution Burning of Fossil Fuels Agriculture & Allied Sources(eg: Stubble burning) Natural Sources Pollutants Causing Effect of Health: Mortality and burden of disease from unhealthy environments In children under five years, up to 26% of all deaths could be prevented, if environmental risks were removed. 12.6 million people died as a result of living or working in an unhealthy environment, representing 23% of all deaths. When accounting for both death and disability, the fraction of the global burden of disease due to the environment is 22%. particulate air pollution exposure during pregnancy is linked to low birth weight and preterm birth. Air pollution is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (umbrella term for several progressive lung diseases including emphysema) and lung cancer, and increases the risks for acute respiratory infections and exacerbates asthma. Government Initiatives: Introduction of BS-VI emission standards Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (Household LPG programme). National Clean Air Programme. Implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Way Forward: To address this multifaceted problem, solutions are needed to tackle existing challenges like knowledge gaps, institutional capacity, monitoring capabilities and data availability, policy enforcement and low levels of public awareness. Average pollution levels in India are declining over the past three years but these have been marginal, particularly in the Indo-Gangetic plains which see extremely high PM pollution especially during winter. After a decline in pollution due to the nationwide lockdowns after March, pollution levels are again rising and air quality is dipping to the ‘very poor’ category in several cities. WHO’s 4 Pillar Strategy: Expanding the knowledge base Monitoring and reporting Global leadership and coordination Institutional capacity strengthening Responsibility of Citizens Addressing Injustice Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey.Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. contact us
Air Pollution & Concerted Efforts
Air Pollution & Concerted Efforts India’s air pollution problem needs to be tackled systematically, taking an all-of-government approach, to reduce the huge burden of associated ill-health. Deteriorating air quality due to the release of hazardous pollutants from multiple sources is a growing challenge. Most Indian cities report poor levels of air quality, threatening the health of its citizens and adversely impacting economic activity. If air pollution is not controlled, by 2030 the air will become so poisonous that it will be necessary to use an oxygen kit to breathe easily. State of Global Air 2020 Report: State of Global Air 2020 (SoGA 2020) has been released by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal are among the top ten countries with the highest PM2.5 (particulate matter) exposures in 2019 and all of these countries experienced increases in outdoor PM2.5 levels between 2010 and 2019. India is also among the top ten countries with highest ozone (O3) exposure in 2019. Also, among the 20 most populous countries, India recorded the highest increase (17%) in O3 concentrations in the past ten years. Long-term exposure to outdoor and household (indoor) air pollution contributed to over 1.67 million annual deaths from stroke, heart attack, diabetes, lung cancer, chronic lung diseases, and neonatal diseases, in India in 2019. High PM contributed to the deaths of more than 1,16,000 Indian infants who did not survive their first month. WHO: WHO data shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits containing high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures. WHO is supporting countries to address air pollution. AQI It helps the common man to judge the air quality within his vicinity. Index constituted as a part of the Government’s mission to improve the culture of cleanliness. World Bank: According to a 2016 World Bank report, the lost lives and ill health caused are also a colossal economic burden. $225bn is lost labour income in 2013, or $5.11tn per year (about $1m a minute), if welfare losses are also added. Source of Air Pollution Burning of Fossil Fuels Agriculture & Allied Sources(eg: Stubble burning) Natural Sources Pollutants Causing Effect of Health: Mortality and burden of disease from unhealthy environments In children under five years, up to 26% of all deaths could be prevented, if environmental risks were removed. 12.6 million people died as a result of living or working in an unhealthy environment, representing 23% of all deaths. When accounting for both death and disability, the fraction of the global burden of disease due to the environment is 22%. particulate air pollution exposure during pregnancy is linked to low birth weight and preterm birth. Air pollution is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (umbrella term for several progressive lung diseases including emphysema) and lung cancer, and increases the risks for acute respiratory infections and exacerbates asthma. Government Initiatives: Introduction of BS-VI emission standards Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (Household LPG programme). National Clean Air Programme. Implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Way Forward: To address this multifaceted problem, solutions are needed to tackle existing challenges like knowledge gaps, institutional capacity, monitoring capabilities and data availability, policy enforcement and low levels of public awareness. Average pollution levels in India are declining over the past three years but these have been marginal, particularly in the Indo-Gangetic plains which see extremely high PM pollution especially during winter. After a decline in pollution due to the nationwide lockdowns after March, pollution levels are again rising and air quality is dipping to the ‘very poor’ category in several cities. WHO’s 4 Pillar Strategy: Expanding the knowledge base Monitoring and reporting Global leadership and coordination Institutional capacity strengthening Responsibility of Citizens Addressing Injustice
Malnutrition and covid 19
Malnutrition and covid 19 A robust and diverse food supply is an essential part of the health and nutrition response to COVID-19. WHO, together with partners, is providing nutrition and food safety guidance and advice during the COVID-19 pandemic for governments, food businesses, health workers, and the general public, to maintain good health and prevent malnutrition in all its forms. Women, infants, children, and adolescents are at particular risk of malnutrition. Optimizing nutrition early in life—including the 1000 days from conception to a child’s second birthday—ensures the best possible start in life, with long-term benefits. Key facts Malnutrition, in all its forms, includes undernutrition (wasting, stunting, underweight), inadequate vitamins or minerals, overweight, obesity, and resulting diet-related non-communicable diseases. 1.9 billion adults are overweight or obese, while 462 million are underweight. 47 million children under 5 years of age are wasted, 14.3 million are severely wasted and 144 million are stunted, while 38.3 million are overweight or obese. Around 45% of deaths among children under 5 years of age are linked to undernutrition. These mostly occur in low- and middle-income countries. At the same time, in these same countries, rates of childhood overweight and obesity are rising. The developmental, economic, social, and medical impacts of the global burden of malnutrition are serious and lasting, for individuals and their families, for communities and for countries. Causes of Malnutrition: Inadequate Dietary Intake The state of the World’s Children Report 2019 by UNICEF reckons that 69 percent of deaths among children under five years of age can be attributed to malnutrition in India Food & nutrition insecurity Inequity Less food and less nutritious food. Covid 19 and Malnutrition: The nationwide lockdown has disrupted access to essential services. The mid-day meal program, which served as the primary source of supplementary nutrition for millions of school-going children in India suffered, had to be put on hold as schools were closed and states have imposed restrictions on the congregation of more than five persons. Malnutrition and India: As per the report of the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) conducted by UNICEF during 2016-18, the prevalence of severe acute malnutrition among children is 4.9%, which indicates further reduction when compared to the levels reported by NFHS-4 as 7.4%. As per the report of NFHS-4 conducted in 2015-16, 38.4% of children under 5 years of age are stunted indicating a reduction and information from the previous NFHS – 3 conducted in 2005-06, which reported 48% children under 5 years of age as stunted and hence there is an improvement from the previous status. As per the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) conducted by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the rate of stunting among children has further reduced to 34.7%. Global Hunger Index-2019: India ranks 102 out of 117 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2019 Global Nutrition Report-2020: As per the Global Nutrition Report 2020, India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025. FAO estimates: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 194.4 million people in India (about 14.5% of the total population) are undernourished. Government Initiatives: POSHAN Abhiyaan. PradhanMantriMatruVandanaYojana Anganwadi Services Scheme for Adolescent Girls under the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) We need to develop long-term sustainable strategies to address the challenges facing the health and agri-food sectors. Priority should be given to addressing underlying food security and malnutrition challenges. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey.Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. contact us
Contempt of Court
Contempt of Court Contempt of Court refers to the offense of showing disrespect to the dignity or authority of a court. The objective for contempt is stated to be to safeguard the interests of the public if the authority of the Court is denigrated and public confidence in the administration of justice is weakened or eroded. The Supreme Court and High Courts derive their contempt powers from the Constitution. Read Virtual court The Constitution also includes contempt of court as a reasonable restriction to the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19, along with elements like public order and defamation. Separately, Article 129 of the Constitution conferred on the Supreme Court the power to punish contempt of itself. Article 215 conferred a corresponding power on the High Courts. The Contempt of Court Act, 1971, outlines the procedure in relation to investigation and punishment for contempt. The Act divides contempt into civil and criminal contempt. Civil contempt refers to the willful disobedience of an order of any court. Criminal contempt includes any act or publication which: Scandalises the court, Prejudices any judicial proceeding Interferes with the administration of justice in any other manner. ‘Scandalising the Court’ broadly refers to statements or publications which have the effect of undermining public confidence in the judiciary. The punishment for contempt of court is simple imprisonment for a term up to six months and/or a fine of up to ₹. 2,000. There was an impression that the judiciary tended to hide any misconduct among its individual members in the name of protecting the image of the institution. The Act was amended in 2006 to introduce truth as a valid defense if it was in the public interest and was invoked in a bonafide. Read India Russia Relations Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey.Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. contact us
The Plight of Slums
The Plight of Slums Eighty lakh children grow in India’s urban slums, and live a life of poverty, amid squalor and harsh living conditions. The slums and other informal settlements where about 49% of its population resides. This population, accounting for around 46 lakh people, lives in slums that occupy barely 7.5% of the city’s area according to Slum Rehabilitation Authority’s city survey data. Slum: A large part of the country’s population lives in slums. Some slums are legally exiting, whereas the majority ones are illegally thriving in large pockets of the country. The magnitude of the problem can be gauged from the fact that nearly 3.5 crores of citizens of India live in slums and on pavements of metropolitan cities. one citizen out of every twenty five citizens is so afllicted. The slum dwellers are often denied electricity and sanitary facilities on the ground that their occupation is unauthorized. And quite often their huts are razed to the ground and they are evicted by the local authorities without offering them any alternative facility.The plight of these unfortunate evictees comprising women and children is indescribable. The condition of slum dwellers in all parts of the country faces similar apathy and situations, which is not too different from one another. 50-80% of employment is informal in developing cities, from street vendors to minibus drivers to migrant workers. More than 1 billion people live in slums and informal settlements globally. Between 152-216 million (17.4% of urban households) people in India live in dense informal housing, or slums. Highly populated urban residential areas consisting mostly of closely packed, decrepit housing units in a situation of deteriorated or incomplete infrastructure, inhabited primarily by impoverished persons. In Mumbai,While more than 70% of slum dwellers queued up for water delivered by tanker trucks every few days, the amount of water these households could access was far below the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommendation of 50 liters per day in non-emergency situations World Resources Institute (WRI)’s World Resources Report documented how one slum in Bangalore is 12 times denser than the city average, housing 140,000 people per square kilometer. Dharavi: One of Asia’s largest slums was a Covid-19 hotspot a few weeks ago but has under 100 active cases currently. While the number of infections seems to be in control at the moment the risk of spread continues to remain high within these neighborhoods where unusually high population densities – up to 350 families per hectare against the city average of 38 as per the 2011 Census. Poor drinking water and sanitation facilities mean that social distancing is virtually impossible. Government initiatives: “Smart Cities Mission of 2015 proposed an investment allocation of Rs. 2,039 billion to convert 99 Indian cities into smart cities. Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project to support innovations in housing finance and strengthen housing sector institutions in the state. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban. PURA Initiative Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) Affordable Housing( ‘jahan jhuggi, waha makan’ ) It is important to understand that the vision of a slum-free city needs to be viewed through the lens of inclusive development. Elimination and clearance of slums has to be substituted for up-gradation of living conditions, provision of access to basic services, and participation of the current slum dwellers in policy conception. Read Also Redactive Pricing Audit Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey.Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. contact us
Natural Gas Marketing Reforms
Natural Gas Marketing Reforms The government brought a series of reforms in Gas sector and as a result investment of more than Rs. 70,000 crore is being made in the East coast. To increase the share of gas in the energy mix from the current 6% to about 15% by 2030, India has bolstered its efforts in making the environment favorable to ensure such an increase. Gas production from East coast will contribute to Atmanirbhar Bharat by meeting the increasing energy needs of the country. Natural Gas: Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuels among the available fossil fuels It is used as a feedstock in the manufacture of fertilizers, plastics, and other commercially important organic chemicals as well as used as a fuel for electricity generation, heating purposes in industrial and commercial units. It is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, but commonly including varying amounts of other higher alkanes, and sometimes a small percentage of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, or helium. Natural gas is also used for cooking in domestic households and a transportation fuel for vehicles. It is a potent greenhouse gas itself when released into the atmosphere, and creates carbon dioxide during oxidation. (Natural Gas Chain (India)) Objective of Natural Gas Marketing Reforms policy: To prescribe the standard procedure to discover the market price of gas to be sold in the market by gas producers, through a transparent and competitive process. Permit Affiliates to participate in the bidding process for the sale of gas and allow marketing freedom to certain Field Development Plans (FDPs) where Production Sharing Contracts already provide pricing freedom. Significance: The policy permitted Affiliate companies to participate in the bidding process in view of the open, transparent, and electronic bidding. This will facilitate and promote more competition in the marketing of gas. However, rebidding will have to be done in case only affiliates participate, and there are no other bidders. The policy will also grant marketing freedom to the Field Development Plans (FDPs) of those Blocks in which Production Sharing Contracts already provide pricing freedom. These reforms in the gas sector will further deepen and spur economic activities in the following areas: The whole eco-system of policies relating to production, infrastructure and marketing of natural gas has been made more transparent with a focus on ease of doing business. These reforms will prove very significant for Atmanirbhar Bharat by encouraging investments in the domestic production of natural gas and reducing import dependence. These reforms will prove to be another milestone in moving towards a gas-based economy by encouraging investments. The increased gas production-consumption will help in the improvement of the environment. These reforms will also help in creating employment opportunities in the gas-consuming sectors including MSMEs. The domestic production will further help in increasing investment in the downstream industries such as City Gas Distribution and related industries. (Region wise gas-based power generation capacity) Increasing domestic gas production has been a key government priority. Further, the plan to achieve ‘One Nation One Gas Grid’ will shift Indian economy towards a gas-based economy. A liquid and well-functioning domestic gas market, as also suggested by the International Energy Agency (IEA), would be a strong pillar for building gas economy in India. Natural Gas Marketing Reforms (Infrastructure addition linked to ICF’s NGG proposal and CBM Blocks) Challenges: Differential Pricing Public Sector Domination Nascent Gas Sector Way Forward: The Government has taken transformative reforms in the upstream sector with a view to making investment easier focusing on ease of doing business. The Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) which is an investor-driven acreage auction process, has increased substantial acreages in the country. Boosting Infrastructure Freeing Gas Markets Deregulation of Pricing Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Global Commons at Threats
Global Commons at Threats Global commons refer to shared resources that cannot be managed within national jurisdictions. The spread of zoonotic diseases like COVID-19; greenhouse gas emissions; biodiversity reduction; overfishing; and the accumulation of plastic waste are some of the problems within the scope of global commons. Global commons Global commons is a term typically used to describe international, supranational, and global resource domains in which common-pool resources are found. International law identifies four global commons as follows: The High Seas The Atmosphere Antarctica Outer Space Significance of Common: Globally India A third of the global population depends on ‘Commons’ for their survival; 65% of the global land area is under ‘Commons’, in different forms. The extent of ‘Common’ land ranges between 48.69 million and 84.2 million hectares, constituting 15-25% of its total geographical area. At least 293,061 million metric tonnes of carbon (MtC) are stored in the collective forestlands of indigenous peoples and local communities. They contribute $5 billion a year to the incomes of poor Indian households The significance of ‘Commons’ in supporting pollination (the cost estimated to be worth $224 billion annually at global levels) cannot be overlooked. Around 77% of India’s livestock is kept in grazing-based or extensive systems and dependent on ‘Commons’ pool resources. 53% of India’s milk and 74% of its meat requirements are met from livestock kept in extensive ‘Common’ systems. Global Commons Alliance: The Earth Commission — A select team of scientists to synthesize the latest research, anticipate tipping points and assess the limits of the entire Earth system. Read the press release: Earth Commission to Identify Risks, Guardrails, and Targets for the Planet. Science-Based Targets Network – A group of international NGOs to turn the science into practical applications for companies and cities to set goals for operating within Earth’s limits. Systems Change – Building new partnerships to transform our food system, green our cities, decarbonize the global energy system, and move towards a circular economy. Earth HQ – A media portal for the planet, to connect people across the globe and share the big picture of how all Earth systems are performing and tracking progress towards solutions. Issues related to Global Commons: Multilateral Negotiations on Climate Change and other global commons over decades have had limited success According to a report by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), biodiversity has been mismanaged so badly that 60% of the lost resources can never be recouped. National Sample Survey Office data show a 1.9% quinquennial rate of decline in the area of ‘Common’ lands, though microstudies show a much more rapid decline of 31-55% over 50 years. (Carbon Emission Projections for India) Challenges: over-exploitation and rapid degradation The opposing and dominant world view of the ‘developmentalism’ is predicated on the value of built infrastructure and requires the constant colonization of open land and resources. Failures will be inevitable if we stimulate local-level experimentation, and higher-level authorities need to provide insurance for those cases. Way Forward: Governing global commons is the defining challenge for current and future generations. To manage our global commons, we need to facilitate and accommodate the self-governance of local commons, but provide safeguards at different levels to avoid exploitation and manage risks. At the local levels, initiatives and solutions could be developed that fit the local context. When expertise is not available, higher-level organizations could facilitate learning from peers in similar conditions. Failures will be inevitable if we stimulate local-level experimentation, and higher-level authorities need to provide insurance for those cases. Read Also Global Energy Transition Index Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey.Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. contact us
