Coastal Flooding: Varied Impact on Tree Species

The Coastal flooding is increasingly recognized as a significant environmental challenge, particularly in the context of climate change and rising sea levels. Recent research has highlighted that different tree species respond variably to coastal flooding, which can have profound implications for forest ecosystems and coastal management strategies.

The Impact of Coastal Flooding on Tree Species

• Variability in Species Response: Research carried out by the researchers has shown that the rise of sea level has various impacts on different tree species hence the different ecological effects. The inner structure and outer part of the trees have significant effects of impacts of saline water inundation. The flood tolerant ability of the plants varies in relation to water salinity whereby plants that have high tolerance to saltwater tend to cope well during flood while others may have stunted growth or high mortality rates.
• Mechanisms of Damage: Coastal flooding primarily harms trees through two mechanisms: salt stress and waterlogging.
• Salt Stress: Nowadays, when the seawater invades the territories of coastal regions, it enlarges the salinization of the ground. Plants, especially those that are not halophytes can undergo osmotic stress where they cannot easily take up water and nutrients due to high salt concentrations. This can result in leaf burn, reduced photosynthesis and overall tree decline will also be evident.
• Waterlogging: Water logged extreme can fill the root zone and make it difficult for roots to respire due to lack of oxygen enriched air. This affects trees with small root bases because they cannot easily obtain all the oxygen they require. This condition can lead to root rot as well as result in increased tree death rate even for the trees that are affected.

Species-Specific Responses

            Tolerant Species: Hurricane exposure is another great element of storms and they are hugely featured along the coast and some tree species respond to them in quite a unique manner. For instance:

• Mangroves: These trees are special since they grow in septic conditions and can withstand flooding conditions for a long time. Other than holding the coastal areas, their root systems are particularly important as they offer support essential to the life of a number of sea creatures.
• Cypress Trees: Some species of cypress are known to be able to grow in waterlogged conditions because of their special adaptations to anaerobic conditions in the soil.

Sensitive Species: On the other hand, most of the native tree species are relatively sensitive or have reduced capacity or ability to cope with the stress which accompany coastal flooding:

• Pine Trees: Some species of pine trees can be impacted negatively if the soil salinity increases and if the water table rises, for instance, there will be stunted growth, and a tree will be susceptible to diseases and pests.
• Deciduous Trees: Most of the broad-leaved deciduous trees are not well equipped to survive the saline conditions hence high mortality rates especially among flood-affected areas.

• Ecological Implications

Enduring coastal flooding amazingly influences tree species and has many ecological consequences. That shifts in species can potentially lead to changes in the architecture of habitats, which would subsequently affect other diverse services that ecosystems provide namely the water purification, carbon storage and prevention of erosion.

• Biodiversity Loss

This is because extinction of more sensitive species will make the overall diversity in the coastal ecosystems to reduce progressively. This loss can in turn affect food chains and vice reduce the ability of these ecosystems to recover from other environmental impacts in future.

• Carbon Sequestration

Specific tree species are equally important when it comes to carbon storage, and if these trees are threatened by floods, then carbon emissions are likely to rise, and this is not good news for climate change.

Understanding how different tree species respond to coastal flooding is essential for effective conservation and management strategies. As climate change continues to impact coastal regions, prioritizing the protection of resilient species while addressing the vulnerabilities of sensitive ones will be crucial for maintaining healthy coastal ecosystems.

Equitable Agrifood Systems for Food Access

• Food access is a fundamental aspect of equitable agrifood systems, crucial for addressing food inequality and ensuring that everyone has access to nutritious food.

Major Categories of Food Security

• Proper nutrition should be considered as important to people’s health and welfare as political stability. However, current statistics indicate that, the world over, 733 million people are affected by hunger as supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). People with access to proper diet also have compact and contented societies hence nutrition is imperative for society.

Historical Context

• Indeed India’s Green Revolution was crucial in increasing the food stocks. But now there is emphasis on nutrition which is essential in the growth of these children and the nation’s productivity.
• The Indian agriculture and food industry has undergone revolutionary changes such as the White Revolution in Dairy and the Blue Revolution in fisheries producing sufficient food which is safe and diverse.

Addressing Inequalities

• Thus, countering food inequality requires the launch of an empowering process for the disadvantaged. This can be done through adherence to, and promotion of, the right to food and nutrition security.
•  Due to higher poverty rates in the rural area, tackling poverty in these areas continues to be an issue; hence, Credit/ subsidies, machinery technology, and efficient irrigation systems are required for providing better production.

Sustainable Practices

• Climate change is dangerous to agriculture because it causes unpredictable weather conditions. Applying better ways of farming including water management and rehabilitation of soils would assist the farming communities develop some buffer. The agreements between Rome based agencies and the Government of India are centered on the natural resource management, Markets and modern Agriculture.

Access to Food Right Beyond Agricultures

• Specifically, the Right to Food transcends the sphere of agriculture; it affects all residents irrespective of the household’s occupation. The provision of healthy foods that are safe, affordable and available requires protection on principles of human rights regardless of occupation or geographical location. Just as important is to feed a growing number of people living in cities and not directly connected with farming.

Urban Food Security

• There is increased and conscious demand for food security for the non-horticultural population under a robust food retail system. Food inequality is still existing in urban areas hence the need to create good policies that will enhance issuance of social safety nets and also policies that encourage market regulation for basic foods.
• The analysis of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in India shows that great progress was achieved in addressing the food access issue related to various segments of the population.

Collective Responsibility

• The theme of World Food Day 2024 indicates that it is about ensuring that everyone gets access to healthy and safe foods; it is more than production Issue: It is about creating stronger and a more secure and sustainable agrifood systems for all people. This partnership with EXIM, which stands for FAO, IFAD, WFP and the Government of India underlines our common mission to tackle world hunger.

Conclusion

• In furthering the agenda, there is a need to uplift both agricultural and non-agricultural households and to enhance livelihoods with a bid to address food disparities. Leaving no one behind, it is crucial for creating a new form of a healthy, prosperous society where the society will find its place to improve the whole life and future. It will be important for several stakeholders to cooperate in achieving these goals.

India Commits to Safe and Trusted AI with New EoI initiative

•  The IndiaAI Mission has selected eight Responsible AI Projects against the Expression of Interest (EoI) floated under the Safe and Trusted AI Pillar of the IndiaAI Mission. Recognizing the need for adequate guardrails to advance the responsible development, deployment, and adoption of AI, the selected Responsible AI projects include the development of indigenous tools and frameworks, and establishing guidelines for ethical, transparent, and trustworthy AI technologies.

Promoting responsible AI through 8 strategic projects

• As AI continues to permeate various sectors of society, India is committed to invest in agile mechanisms for developing indigenous governance tools, frameworks, and guidelines that are based on Indian datasets and reflect its unique challenges, opportunities, and datasets. To support this vision, IndiaAI has issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) to promote responsible AI projects across a range of critical themes. These include Machine Unlearning, Synthetic Data Generation, AI Bias Mitigation, Ethical AI Frameworks, Privacy-Enhancing Tools, Explainable AI, AI Governance Testing, and Algorithm Auditing Tools.
• The details of the Selected Projects are given below:-
   

Advancing India''s leadership in AI through the IndiaAI Mission

        This initiative aligns with the Government of India’s vision of leveraging AI for    inclusive growth. IndiaAI, an IBD (Independent Business Division) under the Digital India Corporation (DIC) of the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), is the implementation agency of the IndiaAI Mission, which aims to democratize AI''s benefits across all strata of society, bolster India’s global leadership in AI, foster technological self-reliance, and ensure ethical and responsible use of AI.

India’s Renewable Energy Capacity Reaches 200 GW

• India has recently achieved a significant milestone in its renewable energy sector, reaching a total installed capacity of 200 gigawatts (GW). This achievement marks a pivotal moment in the country’s commitment to sustainable energy and climate change mitigation.

Overview of the Milestone

• According to the data, the installed power capacity of India’s Renewable Energy System on October 14, 2024, is 46.3 percent. This figure is according to the country’s active drive towards renewable energy especially solar, wind, hydro and biomass energy. The passion that the government has for increasing the use of renewable energy is part of their larger plans in tackling carbon emission and climate change.

Breakdown of Renewable Energy Sources

• India’s renewable energy capacity is diversified across several key sources:
• Solar Energy: In the recent past, there has been a rather remarkable witnessed shift, where solar power was realized as the biggest generation source of renewable electricity in India. Solar power alone has contributed the lion’s share for the 200 GW target due to the immense solar farm and roofs across the country.
• Wind Energy: Wind energy is another important part, as India is among the leaders in installed wind power at the moment. It has been done in a proper manner especially at the coastal areas and open plan for the establishment of wind farms.
• Hydroelectric Power: Therefore, despite several attempts to diversify generation resources, hydropower remains a dominant source of renewable electricity in India. It has many hydro electric schemes which are very useful for its total capacity and useful for getting electricity in a consistent way.
• Biomass and Other Sources: Other renewable sources such as biomass energy equally form part of the total capacity although not as dominant as the solar power and wind power forms.

Government Initiatives and Policies

• The Indian government has implemented various initiatives and policies to facilitate this growth in renewable energy:
• Wind Energy Policy: The government has issued policies that grant private investments on wind energy developments positive incentives for promoters, and fast-track approval for projects.
• Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO): These obligations mean that electricity distribution companies have to govern a particular percentage of power from renewable sources – guaranteeing the renewable sector constant demand.
• Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO): These duties require electricity distribution companies to buy a certain level of power from renewable sources and due to this, ensure a continuous market for clean energy.

Challenges Ahead

• Despite this remarkable achievement, India faces several challenges in further expanding its renewable energy capacity:
• Infrastructure Development: Improvement of the current transmission networks as well as creation of new ones is a critical key to integrating more renewable energy sources into the electric grid.
• Financing and Investment: Access to suitable funding remains a bottleneck when it comes to financing big renewable power projects. For infrastructure development, new sources of funding need to be tapped and international funding has to be mobilised.
• Policy Consistency: Any policy that relates to the long-term development of renewable energy must therefore be consistent. Fluctuations in regulations make it difficult for investors to invest the targeted amounts and for progress to be made.
• Attaining the 200 GW mark is evidence that India is on the right path to the part of demand for a cleaner energy supply system. There is potential for possible future improvements in the investment, the policies and overall technology to evolve that will help India to go farther in terms of percentage of renewable energy. This achievement also helps support climate action internationally as well as ensures job openings to encourage the development of green energy.As India proceeds to the future, it would remain to supercharge the solved problems while maintaining the renewable-resource abundance to form a bright, green future.

 India-Canada Bilateral Relations

• India decided to withdraw its High Commissioner and other affected diplomats and officers from Canada.

India-Canada Bilateral Relations

• Foundation of Ties: India-Canada relations are based on shared values of democracy, cultural diversity, financial engagement, and people-to-people connections.
• High-Level Exchanges: In 2015, PM Modi visited Canada, leading to a couple of agreements.
• In 2018, Trudeau visited India, signing 6 agreements in various sectors.
• COVID-19 Cooperation: Leaders discussed vaccine collaboration and evacuation of stranded citizens.
• G-7 Meeting (2022): The  PMs met to enhance bilateral relations.
• G20 Summit (2023): Trudeau attended the summit in India and met Modi.
• Bilateral Mechanisms: Established dialogues in trade, energy, and foreign affairs, with recent consultations in 2023.
• Security Cooperation: Counter-terrorism efforts under a Joint Working Group set up in 1997.
• Civil Nuclear Cooperation: An agreement signed in 2010 for non violent nuclear power makes use of, with implementation oversight by a Joint Committee.
• Energy Cooperation: Expanded Ministerial degree Energy Dialogue since 2018 to consist of renewables.
• Space Collaboration: MoUs signed for satellite tv for pc monitoring and astronomy; ISRO has launched Canadian satellites.
• Economic Relations: Total bilateral trade in 2023 reached USD 9.36 billion, with a huge carrier alternate.
• Canadian investments in India exceed CAD 75 billion, with over 600 Canadian businesses running in India.
• Exports: Pharmaceuticals, electronic goods, rings, seafood, engineering goods.
• Imports: Minerals, pulses, potash, and chemicals.
• Science and Technology Cooperation: Multiple MoUs signed for research and technological collaboration.
• Education: Largest foreign student demographic in Canada is Indian, with around 427,000 students.
• People-to-People Relations: Canada has a high Indian diaspora (about 1.8 million), contributing to its economic system and society.
• Cultural Exchanges: Co-production agreements in movies and joint projects among Canada Post and India Post.
• ICCR chairs installed at diverse Canadian universities to foster cultural cooperation.

Diplomatic row

• In September 2023, Canadian PM Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in the homicide of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which India rejected.
• India counseled its nationals in Canada and suspended visa services for Canadians.
• Visa Resumption: Services resumed in precise classes in October and e-visas for positive classes in November 2023.
• The Ministry of External Affairs stated the “unsubstantiated allegations” sought to shift awareness away from “Khalistani terrorists and extremists who have been provided safe haven in Canada”.
• Concerns had been raised about the safety of Indian diplomats, pointing out that the Trudeau Government’s moves make a contribution to an atmosphere of extremism and violence.

Future Outlook 

• The Government of India strongly rejects preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government that is centered around vote bank politics.
• India indicated it reserves the proper to take in addition moves in response to what it perceives as the Trudeau Government’s assistance for extremism and violence towards India.

National Organ Transplant Programme

The Union Health Ministry has warned states and institutions for functioning without regular transplant coordinators, a critical role under the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP).

• NOTP has provision for two transplant coordinators for government medical colleges and one for well-performing private medical colleges.

National Organ Transplant Programme scheme

• The National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) is aimed at improving access to life-saving organ transplants for needy citizens.
• The current phase of the scheme covers the period from 2020-21 to 2025-26.

Key objectives of the NOTP:

• Promote deceased organ donation
• Improve access to transplantation for needy citizens
• Bridge the gap between availability and demand for organs and tissues
• Enhance organ donation rates in India

Strategies and activities under the NOTP

• Awareness campaigns: Conduct public awareness campaigns to educate people about organ donation and dispel myths and misconceptions.
• Training and capacity building: Train healthcare professionals in organ donation and transplantation procedures.
• Establishment of infrastructure: Develop a network of organ procurement and transplantation organisations (OPTOs) across the country.
• Financial assistance: Provide financial support to needy transplant recipients and deceased donors.
• Coordination and collaboration: Collaborate with various stakeholders, including government departments, NGOs, and medical institutions, to promote organ donation and transplantation.

Achievements of the NOTP

• Increase in organ donation rates: The organ donation rate in India has increased significantly since the launch of the NOTP.
• Establishment of OPTOs: A network of OPTOs has been established across the country, facilitating organ procurement and transplantation.
• Improved access to transplantation: More patients have been able to receive life-saving organ transplants due to the NOTP

Eligibility for Organ Donation in India

• Living Donors: Living donors must be at least 18 years old, have no infectious diseases, active cancer, or severe infection, and are typically restricted to donating to immediate blood relatives.
• In special cases, donations can also be made out of affection and attachment for the recipient.
• Living donors are eligible to donate the following organs:
• One of their kidneys
• A portion of the pancreas
• Part of the liver
• Deceased Donors: They have an opportunity to donate six vital organs: kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, and intestine.
• While uterus transplants are performed, they are not classified as life-saving organs. 
• Consent from the family is required for organ donation from a person declared legally dead.
• 2023 Revised Guidelines for Organ Donation:
• Upper age limit of 65 years for receiving deceased donor organs was removed.
• The domicile requirement for registering patients for deceased donor transplants was removed to increase accessibility.

Legislation Governing Organ Transplantation in India

• Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA): It was  enacted in 1994 and amended in 2011, establishes the legal framework for organ transplantation in India. 
• This law governs multiple facets of organ donation and transplantation, including the recognition of brain death as a form of death and the necessity of family consent for organ donation following brain death.

Organ Transplant Governance

• The National Organ & Tissue Transplantation Organization (NOTTO), located in New Delhi, coordinates procurement and distribution of organs nationwide.
• Five Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (ROTTOs) and 14 State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (SOTTOs) have been established under NOTP.
• National Network division of NOTTO: It function as apex center for all India activities of coordination and networking for:
• Procurement and distribution of organs and tissues.
• Registry of Organs and Tissues Donation and Transplantation in the country.

 New Photocatalyst can Efficiently Degrade Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics

•  Antibiotic contamination has several adverse effects, including antibiotic resistance, ecological impact, human health concerns, etc. Hence, there is a need to find ways to mitigate this environmental issue.
• A team of scientists from Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, have synthesized copper zinc tin sulfide Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanoparticles (NPs) and copper zinc tin sulfide -tungsten disulfide CZTS-WS2 composite. The team led utilised hydrothermal reaction of zinc chloride, copper chloride, tin chloride and tungsten disulfide forming a composite that is efficient photocatalyst in degrading sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic.
• Broad-spectrum antibiotics like sulfamethoxazole (SMX) have long been used to treat human illnesses like urinary and respiratory tract infections. However, more than 54 % of SMX was released into the environment along with the faeces and urine of the patients.
• “CZTS and its nanocomposites are a multifunctional quaternary semiconductor nanomaterial made up of earth-abundant, inexpensive, and non-toxic components possessing remarkable photostability making it extremely valuable in light-harvesting and photocatalyst applications,”
•  CZTS-WS2 composite exhibits good photocatalytic activity for the breakdown of sulfamethoxazole.
• The developed catalyst could be recovered and used repeatedly without losing its effectiveness, which is very important from an economic point of view.

Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG)

• The newly operationalised Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) recently announced the launch of first two of its initiatives— the Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG) and the Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas -Electric Vehicle (MAHA- EV) Mission.

Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG)

• Objective: To support early career researchers in contributing to India’s scientific excellence and innovation.

Key Focus:

• Encourages young researchers to engage in innovative, high-quality research.
• Expands knowledge boundaries and drives technological progress.
• Aligns with ANRF’s goal of fostering a vibrant, research-driven ecosystem.
• Impact: Aims to position India as a global leader in Science and Technology (S&T), nurturing early researchers to contribute to groundbreaking discoveries.

Significance of the Initiatives

• PMECRG: Boosts innovation by empowering early-career researchers, driving India’s research potential and technological advancements.

Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas – Electric Vehicle (MAHA-EV)

• Objective: To develop a robust research and development ecosystem for Electric Vehicles (EV) in India, promoting domestic innovation and reducing import dependency.
• Key Focus Areas:
• Tropical EV Batteries and Battery Cells.
• Power Electronics, Machines, and Drives (PEMD).
• Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure.
• Mission Goals:
• Supports Atmanirbhar Bharat by fostering self-reliance in EV components.
• Encourages collaboration across institutions to tackle critical scientific challenges.
• Aims to establish India as a global hub for EV component development.

Right to Form Trade Union in India. 

  Samsung Workers Demand Union Recognition Amid Police Action in Tamil Nadu

• Fundamental Right to Form a Union: The workers at Samsung India’s Sriperumbudur facility are demanding the registration of the Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) to enable collective bargaining for better employment terms. 
• This is rooted in their fundamental right to form a union, as upheld by Article 19(1)(c) of the Constitution.
• Government’s Response: The Tamil Nadu government formed a ‘workmen committee’ to resolve the issue but also resorted to police action to suppress the strike.
•  A workmen committee, also known as a works committee, is an integral body within industrial establishments aimed at fostering better relations between employers and employees. 
• It plays a key role in resolving conflicts and maintaining industrial harmony. 

Collective bargaining

• Collective bargaining is a voluntary process where workers and their employers negotiate the terms and conditions of employment. 
• It’s a fundamental right that’s recognized in the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

International Laws on Collective bargaining

• Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949
• This fundamental convention from the ILO protects workers from anti-union discrimination and protects workers’ and employers’ organisations from interference. 
• ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, 1998
• This declaration reaffirms the importance of the right to collective bargaining. 
• It was adopted in 1998 and amended in 2022, is an expression of commitment by governments, employers’ and workers’ organisations to uphold basic human values – values that are vital to our social and economic lives. 

ILO Convention No. 154 (1981)

• This convention outlines collective bargaining as a process for negotiating working conditions and terms of employment, and regulating the relationship between employers and workers.

Constitutional Provisions for Collective bargaining

Freedom of speech and expression:

• Article 19(1)(a) provides the right to freedom of speech and expression which is one of the most important fundamental rights which provide every citizen to express their views or to express dissent. 
• Thus, every citizen has the right to speech and expression, which can be exercised individually or in groups.
• The right to form an association or union:
• Article 19(1)(c) provides the right to form an association or union which can be said to be the foundation of the trade unions in India.
• Workers participation in management: 
• Article 43A gives the state the authority to enact and implement laws that encourage workers to take part in management. 

Legal Provisions related to Collective bargaining:

• Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
• The primary law governing collective bargaining in India. 
• This act gives workers the right to form trade unions and bargain with employers. 
• It also allows for the resolution of employment disputes through a conciliation officer, board of conciliation, or labour court.
• Section 4 of the Act allows as few as seven workers to apply for union registration.Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946
• Trade Unions Act, 1926 .

Right to Strike in India

• The right to strike in India is limited and regulated by the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, which is now part of the Industrial Relations Code of 2020. 
• The act defines a strike as a cessation of work by a group of employees in an industry. 
• No Explicit Constitutional Right: The Indian Constitution does not explicitly guarantee the right to strike. 
• However, the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, provides a legislative framework for strikes, recognizing them as a legal right, but not as a fundamental one.
• Article 19 and Strikes: While Article 19 of the Constitution protects the right to protest, the right to strike has limitations.
• It is not considered a fundamental right but is derived from the fundamental right to form associations or unions 
• Trade Union Act, 1926: The Act provided a limited right to strike, allowing trade unions to engage in specific activities to further a trade dispute.

o   Industrial Relations Code, 2020: The right to strike has been subsumed under this modern legislation, continuing to regulate strikes within legal limits.

A fair resolution requires respecting workers’ fundamental rights to unionise while addressing corporate concerns through dialogue. Constructive negotiations, rather than conflict, will ensure a sustainable and cooperative industrial environment.