Environment & Ecology
Planetary crisis puts children at risk: UNICEF report
Why in News?
The world is facing an unprecedented planetary crisis, with nearly half of the world’s children, approximately one billion, living in countries that face high risk from climate and environmental hazards, according to UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2024 (SOWC-2024) report. This report highlights the impact of three global forces — demographic shifts, climate and environmental crises, and frontier technologies — that will profoundly affect children’s lives from the present until 2050.
Key Findings from the UNICEF Report
- Global Environmental Challenges:
- Climate destabilisation, biodiversity collapse, and pollution are intensifying worldwide, threatening the environment and the well-being of children.
- Children’s developing bodies are particularly vulnerable to environmental hazards such as pollution and extreme weather events.
- Air pollution harms children’s respiratory health and development, with lifelong consequences.
- Rising temperatures increase the population of mosquitoes, leading to a surge in diseases like malaria, dengue, and Zika.
- Impact of Climate Change on Children:
- Floods contaminate drinking water, leading to waterborne diseases that significantly contribute to the high mortality rate of children under five.
- Food insecurity increases due to extreme weather, reducing food production and access.
- Psychological impact: Climate-related disasters can lead to trauma, helplessness, and anxiety in children, further undermining their emotional well-being.
- School Disruptions:
- Since 2022, 400 million students globally have faced school closures due to extreme weather events. This disrupts their education, hindering long-term economic growth and violating child rights.
- Child Population Trends:
- By the 2050s, the global child population is projected to stabilize at around 2.3 billion. However, regional shifts will see South Asia, Eastern and Southern Africa, and Western and Central Africa bearing the brunt of population growth.
- These regions are already struggling to meet children’s basic needs and face significant climate risks while also lacking adequate digital infrastructure.
- Frontier Technologies and Digital Divide:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI), neurotechnology, next-generation renewable energy, and vaccine breakthroughs have the potential to improve childhood outcomes significantly.
- However, digitalisation presents both opportunities and risks. While digital platforms can empower children, they also expose them to online risks, such as sexual exploitation and abuse.
- The digital divide remains significant: over 95% of people in high-income countries have internet access, compared to just 26% in low-income countries. This gap exacerbates existing inequalities, especially in rapidly growing child populations in low-income regions.
Global Risks to Children from Climate Change
| Risk Factor | Impact on Children |
|---|---|
| Air Pollution | Impairs respiratory health, lifelong damage |
| Rising Temperatures | Increases mosquito-borne diseases |
| Flooding | Contaminates water, leading to diseases |
| Food Insecurity | Increases malnutrition and hunger |
| Extreme Weather Events | Psychological trauma and displacement |
Child Population and Regional Shifts (2050s Projection)
| Region | Child Population Trends | Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| South Asia | Remains one of the largest populations | Struggles to meet basic needs |
| Eastern and Southern Africa | High growth in child population | Vulnerability to climate change |
| Western and Central Africa | High growth in child population | Limited access to digital resources |
Digital Divide and Access to the Internet
| Region | Internet Access | Implications |
|---|---|---|
| High-Income Countries | Over 95% connected | Facilitates education, healthcare |
| Low-Income Countries | 26% connected | Widening digital inequality |
Implications and Facts
- Demographic Changes: The global child population stabilization at 2.3 billion and regional shifts in child populations, especially in climate-vulnerable areas, should be linked to broader demographic and socio-economic implications.
- Economic Growth and Education: The 400 million students affected by school closures highlight the intersection between climate change, education, and economic development. This will need to be examined from the lens of sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
- Technological Impact: The digital divide and emerging technologies like AI should be explored in the context of inclusive growth, addressing equity issues, and the role of technology in bridging the gaps in education and healthcare.
International Relations
An overturning of Sri Lanka’s old political order
Why in News?
The National People’s Power (NPP), led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has achieved a resounding victory in Sri Lanka’s recent parliamentary elections, signaling a profound political transformation. The NPP’s success, following Dissanayake’s victory in the 2024 presidential elections, represents a rejection of the old political order and a mandate for change. This marks a critical juncture in Sri Lanka’s political history, particularly given the nation’s longstanding tradition as Asia’s oldest electoral democracy, with universal suffrage dating back to 1931.
Key Election Results:
- The NPP secured 159 seats (61.6%) in Parliament.
- The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) was reduced to 40 seats (17.7%).
- The political parties of former Presidents Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Rajapaksas were virtually wiped out, winning only 5 seats (4.5%) and 3 seats (3.1%), respectively.
- The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), historically the main representative of the Tamil community, was reduced to 8 seats (2.3%).
These outcomes indicate a significant reshaping of the political landscape, with the older political elites losing their grip on power.
The Historic Shift:
Sri Lanka is currently undergoing its worst economic crisis since independence, which has been a catalyst for this political change. The economic downturn, combined with mass protests demanding systemic change, has created the ideal conditions for the rise of the NPP. The transformation is reminiscent of the 1977 election, where J.R. Jayewardene led the United National Party (UNP) to a near-total victory during a global economic slump. Just as Jayewardene’s victory changed Sri Lanka’s economic and political trajectory with liberal reforms, Dissanayake and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) now face a similar opportunity to reshape the country’s future.
Challenges Ahead for the NPP:
The NPP, while enjoying overwhelming popular support, now faces the enormous task of meeting the high expectations of the people. Their promises of economic relief, ending corruption, abolishing the executive presidency, and repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) are pivotal. However, the challenges are monumental:
- The Sri Lankan economy remains deeply troubled, with the nation defaulting on its external debt for the first time in its history.
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has imposed stringent austerity measures that limit the government’s policy options.
- The entrenched political elite in Colombo, as well as global powers such as India, China, and the United States, will continue to exert significant influence, potentially undermining the NPP’s agenda.
Tamil Nationalist Politics and the NPP’s Role:
The NPP’s electoral success also includes a surprising shift in the Northern Province, traditionally a stronghold of Tamil nationalist politics. The NPP became the first national party to win both electoral districts in the Northern Province, which had long been dominated by parties advocating for Tamil autonomy. This is indicative of a broader disillusionment with the Tamil nationalist parties, which have been unable to address the grassroots challenges facing the Tamil community, including joblessness, poverty, and social disintegration.
Despite these regional shifts, the NPP now carries the responsibility of addressing the long-standing grievances of ethnic minorities in Sri Lanka. This includes addressing issues of ethnic reconciliation and economic inclusivity while navigating the complex political landscape of the Tamil diaspora.
Looking Ahead:
The NPP’s historic mandate provides an opportunity for a radical change in Sri Lanka’s governance. The new government must address the economic crisis, political reconciliation, and social inclusivity. With a two-thirds majority in Parliament, the NPP has the potential to bring about constitutional reforms, including the long-awaited abolition of the executive presidency.
However, the road ahead is fraught with challenges. The entrenched political establishment, external geopolitical pressures, and the need for economic stabilization will test the NPP’s resolve. The country’s historical struggles with external debt and dependency on international financial institutions may also impede its ability to enact substantial reforms.
In conclusion, Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads, and the NPP’s success represents a break from the past. The future of the island nation hinges on whether this new political order can overcome the immense challenges it faces, both domestically and internationally.
Question: Examine the reasons behind the historic rise of the National People’s Power (NPP) in Sri Lanka’s 2024 elections. How does it compare with the political transformation in Sri Lanka during the 1977 elections?
Source: The Hindu
Polity
The long fight for accessibility, dignity in Indian prisons
Why in News?
The case of Professor G.N. Saibaba represents not only a failure of justice but also highlights the grim realities faced by prisoners with disabilities in India’s overcrowded and underfunded prison system. In March 2024, after spending over a decade behind bars, Professor Saibaba was finally exonerated, only to pass away in October 2024. His tragic story sheds light on the extreme physical and psychological challenges faced by disabled prisoners in India.
Key Facts:
- G.N. Saibaba’s Struggles: Saibaba, confined to a wheelchair due to his disability, faced daily struggles due to the lack of basic accessibility at Nagpur Central Jail. Tasks as basic as using the toilet, fetching water, or taking a bath were incredibly difficult due to cramped conditions and inadequate prison infrastructure.
- Conditions of Prisons in India: Overcrowding, violence, and neglect are endemic in Indian prisons. For example, Indian prisons house around 5.73 lakh people, which exceeds their total capacity of 4.36 lakh (as per the National Crime Records Bureau, 2022). Many prisons are operating at over 100% capacity, further exacerbating the conditions of prisoners.
Challenges for Disabled Prisoners:
Prisoners with disabilities face additional hardships, including:
- Violence and Abuse: Disabled inmates are vulnerable to abuse and neglect, both from fellow prisoners and prison staff.
- Inaccessibility: Basic infrastructure is often ill-equipped to meet the needs of prisoners with disabilities. An audit of Tihar, Rohini, and Mandoli jails in 2018 revealed severe accessibility gaps, including lack of functional wheelchairs, inaccessible cells, and toilets.
Human Rights and Legal Framework:
Indian prisoners have the constitutional right to dignity and humane conditions, as affirmed by the Supreme Court in several landmark cases. For instance:
- Upendra Baxi vs. State of U.P. (1983) affirmed prisoners’ right to humane treatment.
- The Nelson Mandela Rules (2015) emphasize the importance of reasonable accommodations for disabled prisoners, including wheelchair access, provision of assistive devices, and accessible sanitation facilities.
- India is also bound by international conventions such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which prohibits torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of disabled individuals. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 mandates the protection of disabled persons from violence and exploitation.
Government’s Response and Legislative Gaps:
While the Model Prison Manual (2016) issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs calls for dignified living conditions, and the Accessibility Guidelines for Police Stations and Prisons (2024) outline the need for accessible infrastructures, the implementation remains weak. Prisons continue to violate the rights of disabled prisoners, and the case of Father Stan Swamy, who was denied basic assistive items like a straw and sipper during his imprisonment, further underscores the systemic neglect.
The Political Will and Responsibility of the State:
There is a pervasive belief in society that cruelty towards prisoners is deserved. This mentality perpetuates a lack of political will to address prison reforms. However, compliance with legal obligations is non-negotiable. The state, especially through State governments, is responsible for ensuring that the rights of prisoners, including those with disabilities, are upheld. The case of G.N. Saibaba serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive prison reforms and proper care for disabled prisoners.
Conclusion:
The fight for dignity, accessibility, and humane treatment for prisoners with disabilities remains far from over in India. Although legal frameworks and guidelines exist, enforcement is inadequate. The tragic death of Professor G.N. Saibaba highlights the urgent need for systemic reform to ensure that no prisoner, especially those with disabilities, is denied their fundamental rights.
In Brief
Prasar Bharati’s OTT Platform – Waves
- Launch Event: Prasar Bharati, India’s public broadcaster, launched its OTT platform ‘Waves’ during the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). This platform aims to deliver a diverse range of content, blending classic and contemporary shows, promoting digital inclusion, especially for rural audiences.
- Content Diversity: Waves offers 65 live TV channels, video-on-demand services, free-to-play games, and online shopping. The content is available in over 12 languages, including genres such as infotainment, education, entertainment, and live events.
- Promotion of Indian Cultural Heritage: Waves features nostalgic shows like Ramayan, Mahabharat, and Shaktimaan, alongside modern programming like Fauji 2.0 and Kicking Balls, showcasing India’s rich cultural legacy and contemporary tastes.
- Focus on Family-Friendly Entertainment: The platform aims to provide clean, family-friendly content, becoming a “one-stop hub” for audiences across generations.
- Collaboration and Support for Emerging Creators: Waves supports young and emerging creators, including students from film and media colleges, and co-develops content with government ministries and industry bodies, such as CDAC for cybersecurity campaigns and FTII for student films.
- Live Events and Future Prospects: Waves will broadcast significant live events, including the US Premier League Cricket Tournament and Mann Ki Baat. Future collaborations will focus on docudramas, reality shows, and historical documentaries.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G)
- Launch: Launched on November 20, 2016, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, PMAY-G aims to provide pucca houses with essential amenities to all rural houseless households and those living in kutcha or dilapidated homes.
- Vision and Objective: PMAY-G aligns with the vision of “Housing for All” by 2022, aiming to transform rural housing in India and promote inclusive growth and rural development.
- Extended Targets and Budget: Initially aimed to complete 2.95 crore houses by 2023-24, the scope was expanded to 2 crore additional houses by March 2029, with a total outlay of ₹3,06,137 crore, and ₹54,500 crore allocated for FY 2024-25.
- Beneficiary Identification and Inclusivity: Beneficiaries are selected through SECC 2011 and Awaas+ surveys, with verification by Gram Sabhas. 60% of houses are reserved for SC/ST households, with 5% reserved for differently-abled beneficiaries.
- Women Empowerment: The scheme prioritizes women’s ownership, with 74% of houses either solely or jointly owned by women. The goal is to achieve 100% women ownership.
- Technological Innovations: The Awaas+ 2024 Mobile App aids in beneficiary selection and integrates 3D house designs, allowing beneficiaries to select suitable housing options based on cultural and environmental considerations.
- Financial Assistance and DBT: Financial assistance is ₹1.20 lakh in plain areas and ₹1.30 lakh in North-Eastern and Hill States. The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system ensures timely payments to beneficiaries.
- Convergence with Other Schemes: PMAY-G is integrated with schemes like MGNREGA (employment), SBM-G (toilets), Jal Jeevan Mission (water supply), and Surya Ghar Yojana (solar energy).
- Focus on Tribal Development: PMAY-G supports tribal communities under the DharatiAaba Tribal Village Utkarsh Abhiyan, improving social infrastructure, health, education, livelihoods, and housing in over 63,843 tribal villages.
Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025
- India’s Ranking: India ranks 10th out of 63 countries and the European Union (EU) assessed in the CCPI 2025, which evaluates the climate performance of major emitters contributing to 90% of global emissions.
- Strengths in CCPI 2025:
- Low Per-Capita Emissions: India’s per-capita emissions are 2.9 tons CO2e, significantly lower than the global average of 6.6 tons CO2e.
- Renewable Energy Progress: India has made rapid advancements in renewable energy adoption, including large-scale solar projects and the Rooftop Solar Scheme.
- Electric Vehicle (EV) Deployment: India has made notable progress in the EV segment, particularly for two-wheelers.
- Energy Efficiency: India has made improvements in energy efficiency standards.
- Challenges for India:
- Coal Dependency: India still heavily relies on coal for energy production, with plans to increase production due to large coal reserves.
- Industrial Growth and Energy Demands: India’s growth-oriented approach results in rising energy demands from industrial growth and population increase.
- India’s Climate Commitments:
- Net-Zero Emissions Target: India has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
- Renewable Energy Capacity: India aims to install 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
- Global Rankings and Trends:
- Top Performers: Denmark (4th), Netherlands (5th), and the UK (6th) are leading the index due to progressive climate policies.
- Lowest Performers: Countries like Iran (67th), Saudi Arabia (66th), UAE (65th), and Russia (64th) rank at the bottom due to their dependency on oil and gas.
- China and US: Both remain significant emitters, ranking 55th and 57th, with inadequate climate targets.
- Global Context: The top three positions in the CCPI 2025 are vacant as no country achieved “very high” performance in climate action.
Global Energy Efficiency Alliance
- Purpose: The alliance aims to double global energy efficiency rates by 2030 and contribute significantly to emission reductions.
- Alignment with COP28 ‘UAE Consensus’: The initiative aligns with the ‘UAE Consensus’ from COP28, which sees 198 countries, organizations, and companies committed to reducing carbon emissions and minimizing natural resource consumption.
- Leadership by UAE: The UAE will lead the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance, sharing its expertise in energy efficiency, fostering knowledge transfer, and building effective private sector partnerships.
- Significance of the Alliance: The alliance aims to support carbon emission reductions and the sustainable use of natural resources through knowledge sharing, capacity building, and standardization efforts.
- Support for African Nations: The alliance plans to provide financing options and technological solutions crucial for energy sustainability in Africa.
Aquaculture
- Definition: Aquaculture refers to the propagation and husbandry of aquatic plants, animals, and other organisms for commercial, recreational, and scientific purposes.
- Types of Aquaculture: There are two main types: marine and freshwater aquaculture, practiced in coastal ocean waters, freshwater ponds, rivers, and land-based tanks.
- Global Importance: Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing forms of food production globally, already supplying more than half of all seafood consumed by humans. Over 550 aquatic species are farmed.
- Major Aquaculture Producers: China is the largest producer, contributing nearly 60% of global farmed seafood. Other key producers include Indonesia, India, and Vietnam.
CENVAT (Central Value Added Tax)
- Purpose: CENVAT allows manufacturers to use the credit of excise duty or additional duty paid on input services for paying excise duty on their final products or output services.
- Introduction: Introduced to simplify taxation by allowing manufacturers to claim credits on excise duties paid on raw materials used in production.
- Claimable Goods and Services: Manufacturers can claim CENVAT credit on excise duties for raw materials, services, and capital goods used in the production process.
- Impact on Businesses: Reduces overall tax liability, promotes compliance, encourages investment in capital goods, and leads to modernization.
Bhu-Neer Portal
- Purpose: Developed by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in collaboration with NIC, to regulate and manage groundwater resources in India.
- Features:
- Provides comprehensive information on legal frameworks and regulations for groundwater extraction.
- Centralized database for accessing information on compliance, policies, and sustainable practices.
- Supports Ease of Doing Business by simplifying the groundwater regulation process with features like a PAN-based single ID system, NOC with QR code, and streamlined processes.
- Significance: Bhu-Neer replaces the older system NOCAP, enabling better groundwater management and compliance tracking.