{"id":18187,"date":"2018-04-04T13:04:21","date_gmt":"2018-04-04T07:34:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=18187"},"modified":"2018-04-04T12:15:38","modified_gmt":"2018-04-04T06:45:38","slug":"answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-april-3-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-april-3-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 April 3, 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/mains-marathon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Archives<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.1) <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has recently released the \u201cDraft National Forest Policy, 2018\u201d for public comments. Mentioning its key features, write how it is different from National Forest Policy 1988. What are the concerns raised over it? (GS &#8211; 2) <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The previous NFPs were focused on production and revenue generation of forests (NFP, 1894 and NFP, 1952) and environmental stability and maintenance of ecological balance (NFP, 1988).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Draft NFP, 2018 talks about <\/span><b>climate change mitigation through sustainable forest management. <\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The overall objective and goal of the present policy is to <\/span><b>safeguard the ecological and livelihood security of people, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of the present and future generations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Draft NFP, 2018 contributes to the forestry-related Nationally Determined Contribution Targets and by integrating, \u201cc<\/span><b>limate change mitigation and adaptation measures in forest management through the mechanism of REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation plus) so that the impacts of the climate change is minimised<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The draft policy document also talks about <\/span><b>degraded land and how it can be improved <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by undertaking afforestation activities using public private partnership models. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document also proposes creation of a c<\/span><b>ommunity forest management mission<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for the community resource management under Forests Rights Act. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>\u201cDraft National Forest Policy, 2018\u201d different from National Forest Policy 1988:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently, the \u201cNational Forest Policy of 1988\u201d is the primary document that drives India\u2019s forest outlook. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This dates back to the times when climate change was a <\/span><b>vague \u00a0concept<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and even before <\/span><b>economic liberalisation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was undertaken. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While <\/span><b>Forest Rights Act was passed in 2006<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a comprehensive new forest policy that covers the new evolving concerns was needed. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hence, the present draft on climate change concerns has factored in <\/span><b>climate change concerns and management plans forest and wildlife. <\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also talks of <\/span><b>\u201csafeguarding the livelihood of forest dependent people\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and envisions raising the country\u2019s forest cover from <\/span><b>25% to 30% <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of its land area.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Concerns:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Methodological weakness:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It persists with the methodological weakness of the \u201cIndian Forest Survey Reports\u201d of the past 30 years that conflate plantations with forest cover. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Monoculture and biodiversity loss: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It talks about improving the productivity of forest plantations by the intensive scientific management of commercially important species. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it does mention native plants like bamboo, it also stresses the need for plantations of exotics like eucalyptus and casuarina. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These provisions seems to disregard the compelling evidence that plantations are no substitute for natural ecosystems that with good biodiversity. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ecologists affirm that nurturing natural ecosystems comprising of indigenous species are key for ecological sustainability and for climate change mitigation. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, a 2015 study in Nature had cautioned against \u201cpromoting intensive forestry for maximum timber yield under the flag of climate change\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q2) The world&#8217;s cities occupy just 3% of the Earth&#8217;s land, but account for 60-80% of energy consumption and 75% of carbon emissions. What are the threats faced by urban centres from climate change. Suggest strategies for sustainable development and adaptation to climate change in your answer. (GS- 3)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Threats faced by urban centres from climate change:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the alarming prospects of climate change will be its impact on the rise in sea level. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Changes in precipitation patterns and water cycle will increase the already existing problems of water supply and quality in urban areas, especially in big cities. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Climate change is expected to increase environment-related diseases.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Global warming will be felt more in cities because of the \u201curban heat island effect\u201d that makes cities warmer than their surrounding.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Storms, floods, cyclones, coastal flooding that are expected to be more frequent put infrastructure at great risk. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Climate change related drought and floods are expected to foster rural to urban migration, increase overpopulation of cities and the proportion of poor and vulnerable people living in urban areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cities form the center of the economy in many countries, so climate change\u2019s impact on urban populations also damages the nation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Climate change will affect more the poor people who constitute between a quarter and half of Indian cities. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Sustainable development and adaptation to climate change:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adaptation seeks to lower the risks posed by the consequences of climatic changes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adaptation measures may be planned in advance or put in place spontaneously in response to a local pressure. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They include large-scale infrastructure changes such as:<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building defences to protect against sea-level rise and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improving the quality of road surfaces to withstand hotter temperature.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Behavioural shifts such as:<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">individuals using less water, <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">farmers planting different crops and <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">more households and businesses buying flood insurance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.3) Write short notes on<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8216;Beauty premium&#8217; in Economics (GS-3)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beauty premium refers to the incremental income that people who are physically attractive earn when compared to others who are considered less attractive. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The beauty premium has been attributed by researchers to a variety of reasons, including psychological biases that affect employer choices while hiring workers. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Workers and managers who are physically attractive may be considered more honest and competent at work than others. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some researchers, however, have denied the existence of the beauty premium in the labour market. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They argue that wage differences can be explained by factors other than physical beauty.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Bharat-22 (GS-3) <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Government of India is set to launch its second ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) Bharat 22.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will comprise 22 stocks including those of central public sector enterprises (CPSEs), public sector banks and GOI\u2019s holdings under the Specified Undertaking of Unit Trust of India (SUUTI).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>ETF: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exchange Traded Funds are index funds that offer the security of a fund and liquidity of stock.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Much like index funds they mirror the index, commodity, bonds or basket of assets.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their price changes daily as they are traded throughout the day.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Bharat 22:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ETF will have a diversified portfolio of companies from six sectors (Basic Materials,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Energy, Finance, FMCG, Industrials and Utilities).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The new ETF will help government sell equity stakes in state-run firms and also help in achieving its objective to raise Rs. 72,500 crore through disinvestment in the current financial year.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Archives Q.1) Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has recently released the \u201cDraft National Forest Policy, 2018\u201d for public comments. Mentioning its key features, write how it is different from National Forest Policy 1988. What are the concerns raised over it? (GS &#8211; 2) Introduction: The previous NFPs were focused on production and revenue&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-april-3-2018\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 April 3, 2018<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":2292,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mains-marathon-answers","category-public","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/pen-paper-laptop.jpg?fit=1000%2C500&ssl=1","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1704720975},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18187"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18187\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}