9 PM Daily Brief – 3rd October 2016

 

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NATIONAL

 

[1]. India ratifies Paris climate agreement

The Hindu

Context

India ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change by depositing the instrument of ratification with the United Nations on 2^nd October 2016, the 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Why 2^nd Oct was chosen?

Living through an age of industrial capitalism, Gandhiji had always warned of the dangers posed by the unchecked exploitation of natural resources.

• 2^nd October is also celebrated as International Day of Non-violence
• An early environmentalist: Gandhiji, recognizing the importance of clean environment had said during his time that “The earth, the air, the land and the water are not an inheritance from our forefathers but on loan from our children. So we have to hand over to them at least as it was handed over to us”

62^nd country to ratify

India is the 62nd country to ratify the agreement, which will enter into force one month after 55 countries that account for 55 per cent of global emissions ratify the agreement.

Situation wrt Paris treaty

With today’s action by India, which accounts for 4.1 per cent of the emissions, the Agreement only needs slightly more than 3 percentage points to reach the 55 per cent threshold

 

[2]. Paris Agreement: 5 things you should know

 The Hindu

Context

With India formally joining the Paris Agreement on Sunday, here are five salient points about the deal

Points

With India formally joining the Paris Agreement on Sunday, here are five salient points about the deal:

1. Along with India, 62 countries responsible for almost 52 per cent of greenhouse gas pollution have signed the accord.
2. India, in its climate pledge — also known as Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) — submitted to the United Nations last October estimated a cost of $2.5 trillion for its climate-action plan.
3. India will ask developed countries to provide $100 billion per year in climate finance for developing countries at the climate talks in November at Marrakech. Only $2bn has so far been received.
4. Paris deal will only come into force 30 days after it is ratified by at least 55 countries that between them produce 55 per cent of global carbon emissions. After India, the European Union and Canada will likely ratify within a month.
5. Paris Agreement was adopted by 185 nations last year on December 12 and India signed it in New York on April 22 this year. A total of 191 countries have signed the Paris Agreement so far.

 

[3]. Six changes after Paris climate deal: How the new global pact could affect your life

Indian Express

Context

Article deals with the changes that we as common people will come to face after India’s ratification of the Paris agreement

The Paris Agreement on climate change, in terms of its scope and impact, is probably the most far-reaching international agreement ever.

In India, as in the rest of the world, what this will lead to is change in where we live, how we travel, what we eat or wear, and even what we do in our personal and professional spaces. But while all of these may not be visible to the common people, some certainly will. So what will change, and what could?

SOLAR & WIND ENERGY

• India plans to install as much as 100 GW of electricity generation capacity through solar energy by 2022, of which 40 GW would be through individual rooftop systems.
• Decentralised production and consumption of electricity, through solar, wind, biogas or small hydro initiatives, is likely to become more prevalent as efforts are made to take electricity to 200 million people still in the dark

HOME APPLIANCES

• Use of LED bulbs: Under the Paris Agreement, India has promised to reduce emissions intensity, or the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP, by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030 as compared to 2005 levels. A quarter of India’s total electricity is consumed at homes. So far, more than 3 crore households have switched over to energy efficient LED bulbs, according to government figures.
• Using efficient appliances: Electrical appliances, including air conditioners, refrigerators and television have become far more efficient

PRIVATE & PUBLIC TRANSPORT

• Electric cars are slowly marking their presence and battery-operated e-rickshaws have become popular in many cities
• Stricter fuel efficiency norms: India has advanced the implementation of Bharat VI pollution norms to 2020 instead of 2022.
• Upcoming Metro projects: Metro tracks are coming up in various cities across the country that will resolve, to a large extent, not just the problem of mass urban transport but also pollution caused by older forms of transport

MORE TREES

India has promised to create an additional carbon sink (system capable of absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere) of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2-equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2030.

Challenge: It will be difficult to rapidly expand the forest cover, especially because more forest area will be cut for developmental or industrial requirements in the coming future

Solution: Thousands of crores of rupees are available for afforestation drives through CAMPA, or Green India Mission. The government has also spoken about planting trees along the entire stretch of highways and railways.

SMARTER BUILDINGS

• Creation of smart & Net Zero Buildings: Smart” and “net zero” buildings are becoming popular but still a vast majority of new constructions are of poor quality

Example: The new building of the Union Environment Ministry, which came up three years ago, was constructed to be net zero, ie., the total amount of energy used on an annual basis is roughly equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site

• Green rating: Rating of buildings on green parameters, with incentives or penalties on electricity or water bills, will become common

Rating systems currently in use: The Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), endorsed by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a third-party certification programme, which is one of the most popular green building certification programs used worldwide are fairly well established in India

WATER

For a country that is already water-stressed, climate change is an additional urgent reason to reform the way in which water is managed and utilised. Some movements in this direction have already started happening.

• Rationing of water: Free water is likely to be rationed in future
• Charging water use: Water for all uses is likely to be priced.
• No unrestricted rights over Groundwater:There will be no unrestricted rights over groundwater below the land one owns
• Industries will be mandated to use only treated water.

 

EDITORIAL

 

[1]. OPEC’s roll of the dice

The Hindu

Context

In an agreement reached at the meeting of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, in Algiers it was decided to cut down the cartel’s collective output by about 700,000 barrels a day

Author says that,

Shadow over a Consensus: It was well anticipated that OPEC would take some measure to address the 2 year long slump in the oil prices but still, it was unclear if there could be a meaningful consensus on production cuts among disparate member-countries

Desperate time, desperate measures

That the 56-year-old grouping arrived at an agreement, albeit after leaving a decision on country-specific production targets to November, reflects just how desperate the situation had become for most oil-producing economies

Why a shift in Saudi Arabia’s policy?

Saudi Arabia’s policy was such so as to target US shale gas producers but while the big U.S. shale producers have waited patiently, Saudi Arabia found itself with a huge hole in its budget.

• A fiscal deficit of 16 per cent of GDP in 2015 that is projected to slightly narrow to about 13 per cent this year forced spending cuts, including on wages and fuel subsidies

Conclusion

Author concludes by saying that, the underlying idea behind the agreement reached at Algiers of cutting the production to spur the demand which would result in a subsequent increase in oil prices, will work only if OPEC countries maintain discipline and stick to the terms.

 

[2]. Breaking out of election mode

The Hindu

Context

Article stresses on the need to implement the provision of conducting simultaneous elections in India

Election commission’s view

Holding elections simultaneously would certainly save money, time and energy, and ensure effective governance.

Arguments for simultaneous election

• Long-term gains: The cycle of continuous elections was not only affecting the developmental process and good governance, but also forcing the political class to typically think in terms of immediate electoral gains rather than focus on long-term programmes and policies for the overall progress of the nation and its people
• No harm to federal structure:Author cites the example of simultaneous elections conducted between 1952 and 1967 in any way make the country a unitary state at that time? There is no evidence to this effect for anybody to draw such a conclusion?.
• Level playing field:Holding simultaneous elections would make our democracy stronger and healthier as it would provide a level playing field to all the players across all States rather than giving an advantage to a few players here and there due to their political equations with the party in power at the Centre
• Politically savvy voters: Author argues that though the evidence might show that people tend to vote for same party at the Centre and in the States during simultaneously held elections in the past, it is politically immature to simply infer that this would be the general trend whenever polls are held. India’s vibrant political diversity is too good to allow same party domination always at the Centre and the States
• Cost to the exchequer:If the Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections are held simultaneously, it would reduce the massive expenditure incurred for conduct of separate elections every year. Election Commission has estimated that the cost of holding elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies in the current disaggregated form was Rs4,500 crore.
• Model Code of Conduct: The imposition of the Model Code of Conduct puts on hold the entire range of development activities of the Union and State governments. Frequent elections lead to imposition of MCC over prolonged periods of time leading to policy paralysis and government deficit.

Conclusion

The advantages of holding simultaneous elections far outweigh the disadvantages as the process would not only vastly reduce the burden on the exchequer, but put an end to the practice of frequent deployment of police and other government staff on election duty in different States

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

[1]. No visa for Baloch leader NaelaQuadri

The Hindu

Context

Sending out a negative signal about its support to the Baloch freedom movement, the Government of India has denied visa to prominent Baloch nationalist leader NaelaQuadri Baloch

Spreading awareness for Baloch cause

Professor Baloch was scheduled to address the media outreach and also travel to various locations to spread awareness regarding alleged human rights abuse by the Pakistani military in Balochistan. Visa denial to Prof. Baloch has drawn attention, especially since she has visited India recently

• She has been a strong opponent of the ongoing CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) project which is aimed at connecting Balochistan’sGwadar port with western China

Her son, Mr. MazdakDilshad Baloch will travel to Gujarat where a large Baloch community resides and will seek support of the Baloch community based in India for the nationalist movement in Balochistan

Dolkun Isa case

Veteran diplomats have compared the visa denial to Prof. Baloch to the Dolkun Isa case. In April, Germany-based Uighur dissident, Dolkun Isa was similarly denied visa before he could attend an event in Dharamsala. Mr. Isa later blamed China for India’s denial of visa.

Baloch government in exile

The denial of visa to Prof. Baloch has also highlighted India’s silence on granting of political asylum to Baloch leader Brahumdagh Bugti. During the weekend, Mr. Bugti said India was yet to respond to his request.

• Despite the visa denial and delay of Mr. Bugti’s application, Mr. MazdakDilshad Baloch hopes that a large number of Balochistan leaders will soon be getting asylum in Delhi as he hopes that Baloch government in exile will be set up within a year

 

[2]. U.K. to begin Brexit process by March 2017

The Hindu

Context

British Prime Minister Theresa May has announced that her government will trigger Brexit negotiations by the end of March, putting the country on course to leave the European Union (EU) by early 2019

Britain’s position

British PM has said that Britain will invoke Article 50 no later than the end of March 2017

What is article 50?

This article, contained in the Lisbon treaty of 2007,  sets out how an EU country might voluntarily leave the union.

Clause 1: Any member state may decide to withdraw from the union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements.

Clause 2: A Member State which decides to withdraw shall notify the European Council of its intention. In the light of the guidelines provided by the European Council, the Union shall negotiate and conclude an agreement with that State, setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal, taking account of the framework for its future relationship with the Union. That agreement shall be negotiated in accordance with Article 218(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It shall be concluded on behalf of the Union by the Council, acting by a qualified majority, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament.

Clause 3: The Treaties shall cease to apply to the State in question from the date of entry into force of the withdrawal agreement or, failing that, two years after the notification referred to in paragraph 2, unless the European Council, in agreement with the Member State concerned, unanimously decides to extend this period.

Clause 4: For the purposes of paragraphs 2 and 3, the member of the European Council or of the Council representing the withdrawing Member State shall not participate in the discussions of the European Council or Council or in decisions concerning it. A qualified majority shall be defined in accordance with Article 238(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Clause 5: If a State which has withdrawn from the Union asks to rejoin, its request shall be subject to the procedure referred to in Article 49.

Britain has to decide whether to go for a “hard” or “soft” withdrawal

“Hard” Brexit would mean quickly severing all links with EU institutions and pulling out of the single market, relying instead on World Trade Organization (WTO) rules to trade overseas.

“Soft” Brexit would retain access to the single market in some form, but EU leaders have made clear that this would require continued free movement for EU workers into Britain

 

[4]. In fact: Why a special relationship with Russia matters

 Indian Express

 Context

Article focuses on the changing nature of Indo-Russia ties

Author begins by mentioning the Russian statement over LoC escalation after Uri attacks& how vastly different it was to the statement it issued during 2008 Mumbai attacks

Statement on LoC escalation: Moscow expressed concern “with aggravation of situation along the line of control” and called on “parties not to allow any escalation of tension

Statement on 2008 terror strikes: Russia supported “resolute actions of the Indian government to cut short terrorist actions

Situation before August 2015

Back in 1967, following the Tashkent Agreement, Moscow had decided to sell military armaments to Pakistan. But Indira Gandhi objected, and the USSR, considering its special relationship with India, withdrew the proposal.

• The understanding continued into the 21st century — President Vladimir Putin said in Delhi in March 2010 that “unlike many other countries, Russia does not have any military cooperation with Pakistan because we bear in mind the concerns of our Indian friends”.

Change in ties after August 2015

• Pakistan signed a deal with Russia for four Mi-35M attack helicopters
• The Pakistani army, navy, and air force chiefs have all visited Russia in the past 15 months. The countries are conducting a 2-week-long military exercise in Pakistan, the first in their history

India’s dependence on Russia

At present there is excessive Indian dependence on Moscow for the upkeep of military hardware and transfer of high-end military technologies.

• Experts estimate that nearly 65% of the current inventory in the three Services is of Soviet or Russian origin. The serviceability state of some of these platforms has been abysmally low because of the poor availability of spares from Russia
• India’s only nuclear submarine, INS Chakra, is leased from Russia, while negotiations for leasing another Akula class nuclear submarine are in the final stages. No country other than Russia would have provided India with such critical technology

Indigenization has begun

India is now in the process of building its own nuclear submarines, and reports suggest a reasonable degree of Russian cooperation on the project. Informed sources, however, say the second and third n-submarines are 70% and nearly 90% indigenous respectively. But even as India increases its indigenous defence production capacity and diversifies its procurement sources, the military’s dependence on Russia for some critical technologies still remains.

What experts believe?

Russia’s closeness with Pakistan won’t change the transactional nature of defence ties with India because India has the monetary prowess which Russia is in dire need of. A cash-strapped Pakistan won’t be able to match India in that sphere.