India remains fastest-growing economy at ‘precarious moment’ for world: UN

• India remains the fastest-growing large economy and is expected to record a 6.3 per cent growth this fiscal year, while the global economy faces a “precarious moment,” according to the UN.
• The UN’s mid-year update of the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report said India’s economy is projected to grow a tad faster next year at 6.4 per cent, even though it is also 0.3 per cent lower than the January projection.
• “The world economy is at a precarious moment,” the report warned. “Heightened trade tensions, along with policy uncertainty, have significantly weakened the global economic outlook for 2025.”
• “It’s been a nervous time for the global economy,” Shantanu Mukherjee, the director of the Economic Analysis and Policy Division, said at the release of the WESP. “In January this year, we were expecting two years of stable, if subpar growth, and since then, prospects have diminished,” he added.
• Against this picture, the growth of the world’s fifth-largest economy, India, contrasts with the global rate of 2.4 per cent this year, and that of other major economies, according to the WESP.
• The projection for China is 4.6 per cent, for the US 1.6 per cent, Germany (negative) -0.1 per cent, Japan 0.7 per cent, and the European Union 1 per cent. “Resilient private consumption and strong public investment, alongside robust services exports, will support economic growth” for India, the report said.
• On inflation and employment, the WESP saw positive trends for India. “Inflation is projected to slow from 4.9 per cent in 2024 to 4.3 per cent in 2025, staying within the central bank’s target range,” it said.
• “Unemployment remains largely stable amid steady economic conditions,” it said, but added a note of caution that “persistent gender disparities in employment underscore the need for greater inclusivity in workforce participation”. The WESP drew attention to the risks to the export sector from the US tariff threats.
• “While looming US tariffs weigh on merchandise exports, currently exempt sectors- such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, semiconductors, energy, and copper, could limit the economic impact, though these exemptions may not be permanent.
• The International Monetary Fund last month projected India’s economy to grow by 6.2 per cent this year and 6.3 per cent next year

India, EU launch joint research projects on marine pollution and green hydrogen

• India and the European Union have jointly launched two major research initiatives under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), aiming to develop innovative solutions in the areas of marine pollution and green hydrogen production from waste.
•  The projects, backed by a combined investment of ₹391 crore (approximately €41 million), mark a significant step in strengthening bilateral cooperation in science and technology.
• The TTC, established in 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, serves as a platform to deepen strategic collaboration in trade and technology between India and the EU.
• The first initiative focuses on tackling the pressing issue of marine plastic litter and other pollutants. Co-funded by the European Union and India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences, this project aims to develop advanced tools to monitor, assess, and reduce the harmful impact of pollutants such as microplastics, heavy metals, and organic compounds on marine ecosystems.
• The research is expected to contribute to global commitments like the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and support national policies, including India’s National Marine Litter Policy and the EU’s Zero Pollution Action Plan.
• Speaking on the occasion, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, said that collaborative research plays a pivotal role in addressing shared environmental challenges.
• EU Ambassador to India, Hervé Delphin, underscored that joint efforts to address marine pollution and sustainable energy underscore the growing momentum in the EU-India partnership.
• Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. M. Ravichandran, remarked that marine pollution is a global concern that demands collaborative solutions, adding that this initiative will help in developing effective strategies to protect marine biodiversity.
• The second initiative targets the development of sustainable hydrogen production technologies by converting biogenic waste into green hydrogen. Supported by the EU and India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the project is in alignment with the EU’s Hydrogen Strategy and India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.
• The focus is on creating cost-effective and environmentally sustainable methods to produce hydrogen using agricultural, municipal, and industrial waste.
• Marc Lemaître, Director-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission, highlighted the scale of investment and cooperation, calling it a clear demonstration of India and the EU’s joint commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable future.
• The calls for proposals under both initiatives have been officially opened this month, inviting Indian and European researchers to collaborate and contribute to the development of transformative technologies for environmental protection and renewable energy.

 Record 6.98 lakh Olive Ridley turtles protected by Indian Coast Guard’s ‘Operation Olivia’

• In a significant achievement for marine conservation, the Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) annual initiative, Operation Olivia, has successfully protected over 6.98 lakh Olive Ridley turtles during their mass nesting at the Rushikulya river mouth in Odisha in February 2025.
• Conducted each year from November to May, Operation Olivia plays a crucial role in safeguarding the endangered Olive Ridley turtles, particularly along Odisha’s coast, including Gahirmatha Beach — one of the world’s largest nesting grounds. These coastal stretches witness the arrival of more than eight lakh turtles annually.
• This year’s record nesting at the Rushikulya river mouth is being hailed as a milestone, highlighting the effectiveness of the ICG’s sustained efforts. The operation involves round-the-clock patrolling, aerial surveillance, and close coordination with local stakeholders to protect the turtles during their breeding season.
• Since the inception of the operation, the ICG has conducted over 5,387 surface patrol sorties and 1,768 aerial surveillance missions. These measures have led to a significant decline in threats such as illegal fishing and habitat disruption. Notably, 366 boats engaged in illegal fishing activities were detained, underscoring the ICG’s strong enforcement capabilities.
• In addition to enforcement, the Coast Guard has actively collaborated with coastal communities, promoting the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in fishing nets and signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with NGOs to support conservation education and sustainable fishing practices.
• Officials said this integrated approach has played a pivotal role in creating a safer and more sustainable environment for Olive Ridley turtles, whose conservation is key to maintaining marine biodiversity along India’s eastern coast.

Why are Olive Ridley turtles important for marine ecosystems?

• Olive Ridley turtles play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems. Here’s why they are so important:
• Nutrient Cycling: Their nesting behavior helps enrich coastal habitats. When they lay eggs, some remain unhatched or get consumed by predators, contributing to the local food chain and nutrient flow.
• Regulating Marine Populations: As omnivores, Olive Ridley turtles feed on a variety of marine creatures, including jellyfish and crustaceans, helping regulate populations and prevent ecological imbalances.
• Maintaining Seagrass Beds & Coral Reefs: Their feeding habits indirectly support the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs, which serve as vital habitats for diverse marine species.
• Prey for Other Species: Hatchlings and eggs become food for birds, crabs, and other predators, making them an integral part of the coastal ecosystem’s food web.
• Indicators of Ocean Health: Their population trends reflect the condition of marine biodiversity, making their protection essential for assessing ecosystem health.
• Their conservation is not just about preserving one species—it’s about protecting an entire interconnected marine environment.

Conservation efforts for sea turtles

• There are several conservation efforts worldwide aimed at protecting sea turtles:
• Operation Olivia: Led by the Indian Coast Guard, this initiative safeguards Olive Ridley turtles along Odisha’s coast through patrolling, aerial surveillance, and community engagement.
• Sea Turtle Conservation Program: The Oceanic Society works globally to protect sea turtles from threats like fisheries bycatch, pollution, and habitat destruction.
• National Marine Turtle Action Plan (India): A government initiative focused on conserving marine turtles and their habitats while promoting sustainable ecotourism.
• NOAA Fisheries Conservation Efforts: Many sea turtle populations are rebounding due to habitat protection, reduced artificial lighting, and sustainable fishing practices.
• These efforts highlight the importance of coordinated action in ensuring the survival of sea turtles

Carbon Capture, Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in cement sector

• The establishment of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds is a crucial step in India''s climate action strategy. These testbeds aim to support National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and help industries transition towards net-zero decarbonisation.

Significance of CCU Testbeds

• Climate Action & Industry Transition: These testbeds contribute directly to India''s efforts in reducing industrial carbon emissions.
• Addressing Hard-to-Abate Sectors: CCU is particularly valuable in industries such as cement, steel, power, oil & gas, chemicals, and fertilizers, where emissions are difficult to eliminate entirely.
• Transforming Carbon Emissions into Useful Products: Instead of releasing CO₂ into the atmosphere, industries can convert it into synthetic fuels, urea, soda ash, chemicals, and concrete aggregates, creating value from emissions.
• Reducing Carbon Footprint in Heavy Industries: CCU provides practical pathways for these industries to lower their carbon emissions while maintaining efficiency.

Implementation & Collaboration

• The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has approved the setup of five CCU testbeds in a public-private partnership (PPP) model, engaging premier research institutions and top cement companies.
• Each testbed focuses on a different aspect of CCU, including oxygen-enhanced calcination, carbon-negative mineralisation, catalyst-driven CO₂ capture, vacuum swing adsorption technology, and integrated carbon reduction strategies.
• Institutions like IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, BITS Pilani Goa, and CSIR-IIP are leading research efforts in collaboration with major industry players.

The Bigger Picture for India

• India’s per capita CO₂ emissions are 1.9 tonnes per annum, significantly lower than the global average, yet total emissions are projected to exceed 4 gigatonnes annually by 2030 due to rapid industrial and economic growth.
• While renewable energy helps decarbonisation, industries contributing 70% of emissions require scalable CCU technologies to make meaningful progress.
• CCU plays a vital role in India''s goal of achieving Net Zero by 2070, making these testbeds a stepping stone towards large-scale adoption of carbon reduction solutions.
• This initiative not only supports India’s climate commitments but also builds confidence in CCU technology for scaling up and commercialization.

What are the specific technologies used in these testbeds?

• The five Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in India employ different technologies to capture and repurpose CO₂ emissions from the cement sector. Here’s a breakdown of the specific technologies used:

Technologies Used in CCU Testbeds

• Oxygen-Enhanced Calcination
• Location: National Council for Cement and Building Materials, Ballabhgarh, Haryana
• Industry Partner: JK Cement
• Technology: Captures 2 tonnes of CO₂ daily and converts it into lightweight concrete blocks and olefins using oxygen-enhanced calcination2.

Carbon-Negative Mineralisation

• Location: IIT Kanpur
• Industry Partner: JSW Cement
• Technology: Converts CO₂ into stable mineral forms, offering potential for permanent carbon storage2.

Catalyst-Driven CO₂ Capture

• Location: IIT Bombay
• Industry Partner: Dalmia Cement
• Technology: Uses advanced catalysts to capture CO₂ directly at a cement plant, improving efficiency2.

Vacuum Swing Adsorption (VSA) Technology

• Location: CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, IIT Tirupati, IISc Bangalore
• Industry Partner: JSW Cement
• Technology: Separates CO₂ from kiln emissions for reuse in building materials2.

Integrated Carbon Reduction Strategies

• Location: IIT Madras, BITS Pilani Goa
• Industry Partner: UltraTech Cement
• Technology: Develops comprehensive carbon reduction strategies, integrating multiple innovative approaches2.
• These testbeds are designed to scale up and commercialize CCU technologies, making them viable for large-scale industrial adoption.
• A How do these technologies compare with traditional carbon capture methods?
• A Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) technologies differ significantly from traditional carbon capture methods in terms of efficiency, scalability, and economic viability. Here’s how they compare:

Comparison of CCU vs. Traditional Carbon Capture Methods

Key Advantages of CCU Over CCS

• Revenue Generation: CCU creates economic value by converting CO₂ into useful products, whereas CCS incurs costs for storage.
• Lower Energy Demand: Some CCU methods, like mineralisation, require less energy compared to CCS, which involves high-pressure CO₂ injection.
• Industry Integration: CCU can be directly implemented in industries like cement and steel, making it more accessible.

Challenges of CCU

• Technology Maturity: Some CCU technologies are still in early development stages.
• Market Demand: The success of CCU depends on the demand for CO₂-derived products.
• CCU is emerging as a more sustainable and economically viable alternative to CCS, especially for industries that struggle with decarbonisation

World Health Assembly

• The 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78) is currently taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 19 to 27, 2025. This year’s theme, “One World for Health”, highlights WHO’s commitment to solidarity and equity, ensuring that everyone, everywhere has an equal opportunity to live a healthy life2.

Key Highlights of WHA78

• Pandemic Agreement: A landmark proposal developed over three years to enhance global preparedness and response to pandemics.
• Budget Adjustments: WHO is proposing a 20% increase in assessed contributions while reducing its 2026-2027 budget to $4.2 billion due to financial constraints.
• Health Priorities: Discussions will cover antibiotic resistance, environmental toxins, polio eradication, nuclear war, infant formula advertising, and health worker recruitment.
• Sustainable Financing: WHO aims to align resources with the most urgent global health needs and get health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track.Functions of the World Health Assembly
• Policy Decisions: Determines WHO’s global health policies.
• Leadership Appointments: Appoints the Director-General.
• Financial Oversight: Supervises WHO’s financial policies and approves the programme budget.
• This year’s gathering is particularly significant as Member States navigate emerging health threats and major shifts in global health and development

Key Implications of WHA78 Health Priorities

• Pandemic Preparedness & Response
• The proposed Pandemic Agreement aims to strengthen global coordination in preventing and responding to future pandemics.
• If adopted, it will establish binding commitments for countries to share resources, data, and vaccines during health crises.

Sustainable Financing for WHO

• WHO is facing a $2.5 billion budget shortfall between 2025 and 2027.
• Member States are considering a 20% increase in assessed contributions to stabilize funding.
• Budget reprioritization will focus on core health programs and aligning resources with urgent global health needs.

Health-Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Progress on health-related SDGs has stalled, with none of the 32 key indicators on track to be met by 2030.
• WHO is pushing for stronger health systems, better emergency preparedness, and data-driven decision-making to accelerate progress.

Antibiotic Resistance & Emerging Health Threats

• Rising antibiotic resistance is a major concern, requiring global action to regulate antibiotic use and develop new treatments.
• Climate change, conflicts, and shifting donor priorities are further disrupting health systems worldwide.

Equity & Universal Health Coverage

• WHO is reinforcing its commitment to solidarity and equity, ensuring that health services reach vulnerable populations.
• Countries are urged to strengthen primary healthcare and improve access to essential medicines.
• A World Health Assembly
• • The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. 
• The main functions of the World Health Assembly are:
• i) To determine the policies of the organisation.
• ii) Appoint the director-general.
• iii) Supervise financial policies.
• iv) Review and approve the proposed programme budget. 
• • The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.

World Health Organisation

• The WHO is an agency of the United Nations set up in 1948 to improve health globally. It has more than 8,000 people working in 150 country offices, six regional offices and its Geneva headquarters.
• The WHO has 194 Member States.
• Its director general is elected for a five-year term. 
• The WHO’s stated aim is “to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable”.
• It has no power to impose health policies on national governments, but acts as an adviser and offers guidance on best practice in disease prevention and health improvement.

It has three main strands of work: 

• i) Aiming for universal health coverage in every country.
• ii) Preventing and responding to acute emergencies.
• iii) Promoting health and well-being for all

How are species named?

• Christening a new species is no child’s play. Thousands of animals and plant species are discovered every year. Once these new species are discovered, it is necessary to give them an identification, a name. And the task falls on the scientists who identified the new species.
• A lot goes into it, and scientists often come up with intriguing names, with some being named after fantastical creatures and celebrities even! In most cases, these quirky names are given to draw attention of the public while some are named as a homage to the personalities.
• Naming organisms is necessary to classify and document them, thereby helping us manage them better (such as planning conservation strategies).
• So how do we name the species? It all traces back to Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnaeus. The formal classification that is internationally accepted had its origin in the 1750s, with the Linnaean system of binomial nomenclature, created by the naturalist. He is considered the founder of modern taxonomy and was the first to use binomial nomenclature. Over the years, Linnaeus’s rules and procedures have undergone a lot of modifications. A species (animal or plant) is thus designated by two parts, with the first identifying the genus to which it belongs and the second the species.
• Take for instance the case of us, modern humans. The scientific name is homo sapiens. Homo is the genus, Sapiens is the species, and we are the only member of the genus Homo that is not extinct.
• This internationally understood nomenclature is paramount to documenting all the species on our planet. While International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) regulates the zoological nomenclature or the naming of animals, the International Association of Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) controls the scientific naming of plant diversity such as algae, fungi, and plants.
• Quite often species are named after their characteristics. At times, they are named after celebrities, fictional characters, projects or sometimes simply using some quirky play of words.

How are species discovered ?

• So how do the scientists find these species? Sometimes the species can just surprise you, like how the tardigrade Stygarctus keralensis did. in fact on a different research,  identifying the meiofauna (small benthic invertebrates) along the coastal regions. “It was while the samples were being investigated that the species caught my attention. It was something new,”.

Knowledge of indigenous communities

• Discovering a new species can thus be something totally unexpected or it might be a planned investigation. But the role indigenous communities play in species identification is something the larger public may not be widely aware of. Their knowledge is an untapped wealth.
• “Local ecological knowledge is an emerging branch in science. Indigenous people may know many aspects of the wild that we do not. They might even have different names for these species. They have a strong knowledge about our forests and its biodiversity,

Mixed Pumped hydropower project in Nilgiris gets preliminary approval

• An expert panel of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted preliminary permissions to carry out an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study for a proposed 1,000 MW Upper Bhavani pumped hydropower project in the Nilgiri Hills, located in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats.
• Developed by NTPC Tamil Nadu Energy Company Limited, a joint venture of National Thermal Power Corporation Limited and Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO), the pumped hydropower or pumped storage project aims to harness the waters of the Upper Bhavani Dam and Avalanche-Emerald reservoirs in the Nilgiris to generate 1,000 MW of power.
• The project will require 167.85 hectares of land, of which 56.35 hectares is forest land, while 111.50 hectares is non-forest land, and it is located within a 1 km distance from Mukurthi National Park. The national park is known for the flagship Nilgiri Tahr, an endangered species endemic to this part of the Western Ghats.
• The ministry’s expert appraisal committee (EAC) on river valley and hydroelectric projects – one of the 11 sectoral panels that scrutinise projects before granting prior environmental clearances – granted the preliminary approval on April 15, minutes of the meeting show.
• The preliminary permission, technically known as a grant of terms of reference (ToR), spells out the scope of an EIA study and forms the basis for a public hearing and the eventual environmental clearance.
• While granting the ToR, the EAC has specified that the company should assess the project’s impact on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and noted in its minutes that a site visit shall be carried out by a subcommittee before granting final environmental clearance.
• The EAC granted the preliminary permission even though it had in February expressed concerns regarding the “ecological and environmental sensitivity of the region, emphasising that it forms part of the Western Ghats, a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot”. Given the area’s rich biodiversity and fragile ecosystem, the EAC had stressed on conducting comprehensive environmental assessments and had asked the developers to find alternative sites.

Do You Know:

• Pumped storage or pumped hydropower projects typically involve the utilisation of the elevation difference between two large reservoirs, one at a higher elevation and the other at a lower elevation. Water is pumped up from the lower reservoir and released back through turbines to generate electricity. Central and state governments have promoted pumped hydropower projects as part of India’s plans to achieve its non-fossil fuel energy targets.
• TANGEDCO has also proposed the Kundah and Sillahalla pumped hydro projects in the Nilgiris, and the latter has faced protests by locals for the environmental harm it may potentially cause in the region.
• Earlier in October, the Centre’s EAC on river valley and hydroelectric projects had expressed concern about another pumped hydropower project proposed in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra. It had noted that 15 such projects had been granted ToRs or preliminary permissions in the Western Ghats and that site visits would be important to make project-specific assessments before granting final environmental clearances.

ISRO’s Mission 101

• In a rare failure, India’s main rocket PSLV developed problems a few minutes after take-off and failed to place earth observation satellite EOS-09 into the intended orbit in an early morning launch on Sunday
• Today’s 101st launch was attempted. PSLV-C61 performance was normal till second stage. Due to an observation in the third stage, the mission could not be accomplished,” ISRO said.
• This was the 101st mission launched by ISRO, and the 63rd one using the PSLV rocket, which is the most successful launch vehicle developed by India’s space agency.
• PSLV has failed on only two earlier occasions, the first time during its inaugural flight in 1993 and then in 2017 when the C-39 mission had been unsuccessful.
• This is the second back-to-back failure for the space agency after its GSLV could not place NVS-02 satellite in the correct orbit during the space agency’s 100th mission. After being placed in an incorrect elliptical orbit, the space agency started looking for alternative ways to utilise NVS-02 that has a mission life of 15 years.
• This was also the second mission, after December’s Spadex launch, where the PSLV was integrated at the newly built Payload Integration Facility (PIF) instead of the launch pad. The facility was designed to free-up launch pad while a mission was being put together in order to increase the frequency of launches.
• — The space agency was to put the 1,700-kg earth observation satellite at an altitude of about 597 km in a sun-synchronous polar orbit — meaning the satellite was to pass over a given place at the same time every day. The EOS-09 satellite carried a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, capable of providing images of the earth in all weather conditions.
• The satellite was meant to work in tandem with the EOS-04 satellite launched in 2022,  ensuring seamless continuity and increasing the observation frequency.
• Importantly, in order to ensure a debris-free mission, the space agency had put on the satellite some fuel reserved for de-orbiting manoeuvre after the end of its life so that it would fall into the earth’s and burn up within two years.
• The data from the Earth Observation Satellites are used for several applications covering agriculture, water resources, urban planning, rural development, mineral prospecting, environment, forestry, ocean resources, and disaster management.
• Space debris can include natural space debris such as meteoroids, or man-made ones which can include defunct spacecrafts and satellites, stages of rockets which have launched payloads, dead satellites, satellite explosions and collisions.
• According to NASA, “more than 25,000 objects larger than 10 cm are known to exist” as space debris and the estimated population of particles between 1 and 10 cm in diameter is approximately 500,000. According to NASA’s estimates, as of January 2022, the amount of material orbiting the Earth exceeded 9,000 metric ton
• India is just embarking on its ambitious Space-Based Surveillance-3 programme to launch 52 surveillance satellites; 31 are to be built in the private sector, which still needs ISRO’s guidance.
• Focus on the programme also comes against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, which revealed at least one gap in the country’s space-based military surveillance capabilities when it depended on a foreign commercial operator for more frequent data.
• Small margins of error in a rocket components’ operations separate success from failure, and thus cost from reliability. Time, however, is a separate matter: the pressing need for surveillance capabilities, if not improving the understanding of climate change and disaster risk over India, means that developers lack the luxury of time while also coming under greater pressure to deliver across both civilian and military domains.
• The PSLV-C61 failure follows the failure in January to place the NVS-02 navigation satellite into its designated orbit.
• Between an increasingly crowded launch manifest, research and development, data acquisition and processing pipelines, limited access to manufacturing capacity, and the human spaceflight programme, it will not be remiss to increase the resources available to ISRO if only to ensure its ability to meet India’s military needs while carrying on with other enterprises, all of which are becoming time-sensitive in a highly competitive global industry.