COP29 Commences in Baku, Azerbaijan

GS 3: Environment and Biodiversity: Combating Climate Change

Why is it in the news?

• The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) began on November 11 in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, uniting delegates from nearly 200 countries, business leaders, climate scientists, Indigenous Peoples, journalists, and other stakeholders.
• Scheduled to run until November 22, COP29’s primary objective is to establish a unified strategy to combat global warming, with a strong focus on increasing climate finance to support developing nations in managing climate impacts.

Understanding COP

• The Conference of Parties (COP) serves as the decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international treaty founded in 1992 to foster climate action.
• The UNFCCC, comprising 198 parties (197 countries and the European Union), commits members to jointly stabilize greenhouse gas emissions to prevent harmful human impacts on the climate.
• Annually, the COP evaluates national reports and emissions inventories from member states to assess progress. Since 1995, the COP has met every year to negotiate and develop global climate policy, with the exception of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused a hiatus.

Key Milestones of COP

Throughout its history, COP has marked significant achievements:

• At COP3 in 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was established, setting emission reduction targets averaging 4.2% below 1990 levels by 2012 for developed nations.
• COP15 in Copenhagen (2009) attempted to create a follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol but concluded with the Copenhagen Accord, which introduced the 2°C and 1.5°C warming limits and stressed the importance of climate finance for developing countries.
• In 2015, COP21 in Paris led to the adoption of the Paris Agreement, a landmark treaty aiming to keep global temperatures well below 2°C, ideally below 1.5°C, and required countries to submit national climate action plans, or nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Subsequent COPs built upon these agreements.
• COP26 in Glasgow (2021) resulted in the Glasgow Pact, committing to a “phase down” of coal and inefficient fossil fuel subsidies—the first time coal was explicitly mentioned in a UN climate agreement.
• COP28 in Dubai (2022) established a Loss and Damage fund to aid nations impacted by climate disasters.

Criticisms of COP

• Despite its achievements, the COP process faces criticism, particularly for not mobilizing sufficient climate finance for developing countries.
• In 2009, wealthier nations pledged to provide $100 billion annually by 2020 to support climate action in developing nations, but this goal remains unmet.
• A 2021 report from UN Climate Change estimated that developing countries need $6 trillion annually by 2030 to meet their climate targets, far exceeding the pledged funds.
• Additionally, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned during COP28 that, despite global commitments, the world is on track to exceed the 1.5°C warming limit.

Expectations for COP29

• Climate finance is a top priority at COP29, with a major focus on negotiating the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), a revised annual climate funding target for developed nations starting in 2025.
• The NCQG must surpass the previous $100 billion goal, yet disagreements persist over the target amount, contribution responsibilities, fund allocation, and duration. The final resolution remains uncertain.
• In a significant development, COP29 has adopted carbon credit standards under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, ending a prolonged deadlock. This agreement allows countries to emit greenhouse gases if they offset emissions through equivalent reductions elsewhere.
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Odisha’s Tribute to Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab: Celebrating the Legacy of a Visionary Leader

GS 1: History: Significant Personalities

Why is it in the news?

• The Odisha government has launched a year-long celebration to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab, a former Chief Minister and key historical figure in the state.
• This initiative aligns with the current administration’s campaign to revive “Odia asmita” (Odia pride), a sentiment that recently helped it secure power, replacing the previous government.
• In its search for a revered local figure to reinforce regional identity, the government is championing Mahatab—celebrated as “Utkal Keshari” or the Lion of Odisha—as a symbol of Odia pride.

Early Life and Odisha’s Formation

• Harekrushna Mahatab was born on November 21, 1899, in Agarapada, Bhadrak district (then part of Balasore), and was raised by his maternal grandparents, the Maharaja and Rani Dhani Bibi of Agarapada.
• His parents, Krushan Charan Das and Topha Bibi, supported his early education, and in 1918, Mahatab joined Utkal Sammilani—a socio-cultural organization led by social reformer Madhusudan Das. The Sammilani, founded in 1903, advocated for a separate Odisha province and sought to advance its social and industrial development.
• Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, Mahatab, then a student at Ravenshaw College in Cuttack, dedicated himself to the freedom struggle. His activism led to multiple imprisonments by the British, underscoring his commitment to India’s independence.

Political Career and Freedom Movement

• Mahatab rose to prominence within the Congress Party, holding significant positions in both the Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee and the Congress Working Committee.
• In the 1920s, he led the Praja Mandal Movement (Gadjat Praja Movement), a mass campaign against oppressive local aristocrats and British authorities in Odisha’s princely states. With independence in sight, Mahatab was elected to the Constituent Assembly as a representative of Odisha.
• He served as Odisha’s last Prime Minister from 1946 to 1950 and became the Chief Minister from 1956 to 1961. During his tenure, he integrated 26 Odia-speaking princely states with Odisha, moved the state capital from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar in 1949, and initiated the construction of the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River.

National Service and Break with Congress

• At the national level, Mahatab was appointed as a member of Jawaharlal Nehru’s first cabinet and later served as the Governor of Bombay province in 1955. He was promoted to vice president of the Indian National Congress in 1966.
• However, policy conflicts with Indira Gandhi, who had assumed the Prime Minister’s role after Lal Bahadur Shastri’s death, led Mahatab to part ways with the Congress.
• He subsequently founded his own party, the Orissa Jana Congress, and was elected three times to the Orissa Legislative Assembly. His opposition to Indira Gandhi’s policies during the Emergency led to his imprisonment in 1976.
• Mahatab retired from active politics in 1977 and passed away on January 2, 1987. His newspaper, Prajatantra, founded in 1923, continues to publish today, managed by his son Bhartruhari Mahtab (MP from Cuttack).

Commemorative Initiatives and Legacy Preservation

• To honour Mahatab’s legacy, the Odisha government has planned several commemorative initiatives. A memorial museum and a life-sized statue will be erected at his birthplace, Agarapada, to develop it as a tourist destination.
• The government also plans to host seminars on Mahatab’s life, work, and contributions, promote research on his ideas, and republish his books in multiple languages, including Hindi and English.
• A Mahatab Centre or Chair will be established in various universities to ensure that his legacy as a pivotal figure in Odisha and Indian history endures for generations.

World Bank’s 2024 Report on Healthy Longevity

GS 2: Society: Debating Health Longevity

Why is it in the news?

• The World Bank’s 2024 report, Unlocking the Power of Healthy Longevity: Demographic Change, Non-communicable Diseases, and Human Capital, highlights the challenges posed by an aging population in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).
• It notes a shift from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as the leading cause of death in these regions. Projections show global deaths rising from 61 million in 2023 to 92 million by 2050, along with a surge in the need for NCD-related healthcare.
• However, the report emphasizes that if LMICs make significant progress, 25 million deaths could be avoided annually by 2050, advancing the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• This forms the foundation of the World Bank’s Healthy Longevity Initiative (HLI), advocating a life-course approach to reducing avoidable deaths and disabilities.

Challenges in Achieving Healthy Longevity

• The World Bank envisions a healthy future with accessible healthcare, skilled professionals, and digitized systems for monitoring and early detection of NCDs.
• However, the report acknowledges the significant gap between this ideal and the reality in LMICs, where healthcare systems often grapple with corruption, unqualified practitioners, and exploitative hospitals.
• Chronic conditions are especially problematic in remote areas with limited healthcare access, worsening the disease burden. As a result, the ambitious goals of the Healthy Longevity Initiative (HLI) must be adjusted to address the practical challenges faced by LMICs, particularly India, where the healthcare system faces substantial obstacles.

India’s Elderly Population and Disease Concerns

• India, with the world’s second-largest elderly population of 140 million people aged 60 and above, is facing a rapidly growing demographic challenge, as this population is expanding nearly three times faster than the overall population.
• This shift is linked to the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes, which disproportionately affect the elderly.
• The economic and social impacts could be severe, leading to family impoverishment, higher mortality, reduced investment, and slower economic growth.
• To address this, the Indian government must tackle both the growing fiscal burden of NCDs and the ongoing challenge of infectious diseases.
• The Lancet (2018) warns that failure to implement timely policies could hinder India’s ability to meet SDG 3, which aims to improve health and reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030.

Rising Burden of NCDs in India

• NCDs have emerged as a major cause of death in India, with their share of total deaths rising from 40% in 1990 to an expected 75% by 2030. The leading causes of death in India today are cardiovascular diseases, cancer, respiratory illnesses, and diabetes, which together account for almost half of all deaths.
• This growing burden is driven by widespread risk factors, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyles, and poor diets high in simple carbohydrates and saturated fats.
• Moreover, many rural populations lack access to primary healthcare and regular screenings, further intensifying the NCD burden.

Impact of Social Security Schemes

• The report explores whether participation in social security schemes can reduce the prevalence of NCDs.
• Analyzing data from the India Human Development Survey 2015 and the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI 2017-18), the study finds that while pension schemes are modest, they provide essential support for the elderly in covering healthcare costs, helping reduce the financial burden of hospital visits, which are often necessary for treatment.
• Despite the existence of health insurance schemes like Ayushman Bharat, which aims to cover the bottom 40% of households, their potential remains underutilized due to limited awareness, bureaucratic delays, and widespread corruption.

Diet and Lifestyle Factors

• Dietary habits play a significant role in the rising incidence of NCDs in India. Diets high in refined grains, excessive rice consumption, and the intake of red meats like beef, pork, and mutton increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
• Furthermore, the rising cost of fat-dense foods like sugar and oils further exacerbates these risks.
• There is also an age gradient in the prevalence of NCDs, with older individuals being more susceptible due to sedentary lifestyles, high-calorie diets, and genetic predispositions to diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

Behavioural Changes and Public Health Measures

• Addressing behavioural factors is crucial in reducing the NCD burden. Obesity, a risk factor for heart disease and diabetes, is rising due to a lack of physical activity and high-calorie diets.
• Reducing tobacco consumption is also key to lowering NCD prevalence. Public health measures, such as taxing unhealthy products, could help reduce the incidence of multiple diseases and improve overall public health.

Conclusion

• While the policy reforms needed to address India’s growing NCD burden are essential, their successful implementation remains uncertain.
• Initiatives like Ayushman Bharat have the potential to improve healthcare access, but challenges such as corruption, inadequate funding, and poor infrastructure undermine their impact.
• For India to meet the goals outlined in the Healthy Longevity Initiative and the SDGs, a more realistic and achievable approach is required—one that considers the country’s healthcare realities and focuses on practical, incremental improvements in the prevention and treatment of NCDs.

Rising CO2 Emissions and India’s Growing Contribution

GS 3: Environment and Biodiversity: Global Emissions

Why is it in the news?

• As nations meet in Baku, Azerbaijan, to discuss carbon reduction strategies, a peer-reviewed report from a scientific collective shows global CO2 emissions are expected to increase by 0.8% in 2024, lower than the 1.2% rise seen in 2023.

Top Contributors to Global Emissions

• In 2023, the largest contributors to global fossil CO2 emissions were China (31%), the United States (13%), India (8%), and the EU-27 (7%), together accounting for 59% of global fossil CO2 emissions. The remaining countries contributed the other 41%.
• The per-capita emissions in 2023 were 1.3 tonnes of CO2 per person globally, with significant disparities: 3.9 tonnes in the U.S., 2.3 tonnes in China, 1.5 tonnes in the EU-27, and 0.6 tonnes in India.
• By the end of 2024, India’s fossil CO2 emissions are expected to increase by 4.6%, while China’s emissions will rise by only 0.2%. However, in absolute terms, these figures are not directly comparable due to different population sizes and emission bases.
• China is expected to emit 12 billion tonnes of CO2, India 3.2 billion tonnes, and the United States 4.9 billion tonnes, which marks a 0.6% decrease over the previous year.

Global Carbon Budget and Land-Use Emissions

• The Global Carbon Budget (GCB), a collective of approximately 120 scientists, publishes peer-reviewed estimates on the atmospheric carbon changes.
• Emissions from coal, oil, and gas in 2024 are expected to rise slightly by 0.2%, 0.9%, and 2.4%, respectively. Additionally, CO2 emissions from land-use changes and forestry (LULUCF) are expected to average 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon per year.

CO2 Concentration and Climate Change Impacts

• The CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is set to reach 422.5 ppm (parts per million) in 2024, which is 52% higher than pre-industrial levels. The study emphasizes that despite the increasing dramatic impacts of climate change, there is no sign that fossil fuel consumption has peaked.
• Further, the World leaders, gathering at COP29, must implement rapid and significant cuts to fossil fuel emissions to stay well below the 2°C temperature rise above pre-industrial levels.

Paris Agreement and the 1.5°C Goal

• Although the Paris Agreement aims to keep global temperatures from exceeding 2°C above pre-industrial levels, the focus since 2020 has shifted to striving to limit warming to 1.5°C.
• Many countries have set Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that project emissions reductions aligned with a 1.5°C pathway.
• However, the GCB report is pessimistic, estimating that there is a 50% chance the remaining carbon budget will be used up within about six years, which would lead to consistent breaches of the 1.5°C target.
• In January 2024, the mean global temperature, when recorded over the previous 12 months, had already crossed this threshold.
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India’s Renewable Energy Sector Records Significant Growth

GS 3: Economy: Renewable Energy

Why is it in the news?  

• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has reported a significant increase in India’s renewable energy (RE) capacity, reflecting the country’s commitment to the ‘Panchamrit’ goals set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Between October 2023 and October 2024, India’s RE installed capacity grew by 24.2 GW, or 13.5%, rising from 178.98 GW to 203.18 GW.
• Including nuclear energy, the total non-fossil fuel capacity increased from 186.46 GW to 36 GW, underlining India’s focus on achieving its clean energy targets.

 

Solar and Wind Power Growth

• India’s solar power sector saw substantial growth, with a 27.9% increase in installed capacity, adding 20.1 GW to reach 92.12 GW in October 2024, up from 72.02 GW in the previous year.
• The combined solar capacity, including projects under implementation and those tendered, has now reached 250.57 GW, a significant rise from 166.49 GW in 2023.
• Wind energy also experienced steady growth, with installed capacity increasing by 7.8%, reaching 47.72 GW in 2024 compared to 44.29 GW in 2023. Wind projects in the pipeline now total 72.35 GW.

Hydro and Nuclear Energy Contributions

• In addition to wind and solar, large hydro projects contributed 46.93 GW to India’s RE capacity as of October 2024, while nuclear power added 8.18 GW.
• These contributions enhance the diversity and resilience of India’s renewable energy mix, supporting a comprehensive approach to the country’s green energy transition.