03, April 2019 03/04/2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags: , , , , , , ,

The State Of Global Air report 2019

 

News Flash

According to Global study report, air pollution killed 1.2 million people in India in 2017. The air pollution exposure collectively reduces life expectancy by 20 months on average worldwide.

India and China together were responsible for half of the total global attributable deaths from air pollution in 2017. Across the world, air pollution is responsible for more deaths than many better-known risk factors such as malnutrition, alcohol use and physical inactivity.

Overall, ten countries with the highest mortality burden attributable to air pollution in 2017 were China (1.2 million), India (1.2 million), Pakistan (128,000), Indonesia (124,000), Bangladesh (123,000), Nigeria (114,000), the United States (108,000), Russia (99,000), Brazil (66,000), and the Philippines (64,000).

 

Facts

  • The largest numbers of deaths were in India (482,000) where 60% of the population cooks with solid fuels.
  • The second highest number is reported from China with 271,000 death which is 32% of the population.
  • Both India and China accounted for about 46% of deaths due to household air pollution.

 

The State of Global Air report

The State of Global Air report is an annual report implemented by the HEI in cooperation with the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, University of British Columbia and University and Texas.

 

Major Air pollutants

  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Chlorofluorocarbons
  • Ozone
  • Nitrogen oxide
  • Sulphur dioxide
  • Tobacco Smoke
  • Fly ash

 

Government Initiatives

  • The National Air Quality Monitoring Programme

The objectives of the NAMP are to determine status and trends of ambient air quality;

(i) To ascertain whether the prescribed ambient air quality standards are violated;

(ii) To Identify Non-attainment Cities;

(iii) To obtain the knowledge and understanding necessary for developing preventive and corrective measures and to understand the natural cleansing process undergoing in the environment through pollution dilution, dispersion, wind based movement, dry deposition, precipitation and chemical transformation of pollutants generated.

 

Under NAMP, four air pollutants viz ., Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Oxides of Nitrogen as NO2, Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM / PM10) and Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) have been identified for regular monitoring at all the locations.

 

  • National Air Quality Index

Air Quality Index is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms, which are easy to understand. It transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number (index value), nomenclature and colour.

There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. Each of these categories is decided based on ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts (known as health breakpoints). AQ sub-index and health breakpoints are evolved for eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term (upto 24-hours) National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed.

 

AQI Remark Color Code Possible Health Impacts  
0-50 Good ///////// Minimal impact
51-100 Satisfactory ///////// Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people
101-200 Moderate ///////// Breathing discomfort to the people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases
201-300 Poor ///////// Breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure
301-400 Very Poor ///////// Respiratory illness on prolonged exposure
401-500 Severe ///////// Affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases

 

The Global Energy & CO2 Status Report

  • Global energy consumption in 2018 increased at nearly twice the average rate of growth since 2010.
  • China, the United States, and India together accounted for nearly 70% of the rise in energy demand.
  • Driven by higher energy demand in 2018, global energy-related CO2 emissions rose 1.7% to a historic high of 33.1 Gt CO2.
  • China, India, and the United States accounted for 85% of the net increase in emissions.
  • Coal-fired power plants were the single largest contributor to the growth in emissions observed in 2018.

 

Source: Indian Express

 

 

Kerala Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill

 

News Flash

New suggestions for modifications to the Kerala Land bill.

 

Background

Even before the formation of the State of Kerala, there had been endeavours at land reforms; the Restriction on Possession and Ownership of Lands Bill, 1954 , being the best example for the same. After the formation of the State of Kerala the first major achievement was the Kerala Agrarian Relations Bill, 1957 which was passed on October 15, 1960. This Act was repealed in 1961 and was substituted by The Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1963. This act had provisions relating to the fixation of ceiling on land holdings, the vesting of lands in excess of the ceiling in Government, Assignment of surplus lands, abolition of tenancy system, assignment of proprietary right on land to the cultivating tenants, the conferment of the right on Kudikidappukars to purchase land and the constitution of a Kudikidappukars Benefit Fund.

 

Note on Kerala Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2002

  • The Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1963 provide for imposition of ceiling on holdings. However certain kinds of lands are exempted from ceiling limit. They interalia, include plantations, private forests etc.
  • Lands principally cultivated with tea, coffee, cocoa, rubber, cardamom or cinnamon will come under plantation. At national and international level the production of tea, coffee, cocoa, etc has increased and the price of these commodities has come down. The landholders are therefore reluctant to cultivate the above items. Lands cultivated with plantation will not get the exemption from ceiling limits, if they are used for non-plantation purposes. Cashew estates having a contiguous extent of ten acres or more were originally exempted from ceiling limits. This has affected adversely the traditional cashew industry in our State.
  • Further medicinal plants and vanilla are on great demand all over the world. The planters of these items have been seeking exemption of their lands from ceiling provisions.
  • The committee has considered the present trends and demands of these commodities and recommends grant of exemption to lands planted with cashew, medicinal plants and vanilla from the ceiling provisions of the Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1963 prospectively and that the holders of these lands may be allowed to convert their lands for other plantation purposes or any other exempted category.

 

Source: The Hindu

 

 

World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD)

 

News Flash

WAAD is celebrated on the 2nd of April globally with the goal of spreading awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

  • It is a developmental disorder which impairs the communication and social interaction skills of an individual. This year, WAAD is being organized by the UN Department of Global Communications and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, along with other organizations that represent individuals living with autism.
  • According to the estimates of the World Health Organization, one out of every 160 children is living with ASD around the world. It is surprising that there aren’t enough people who understand this neuro developmental condition that impacts such a vast majority of the world.

 

Significance of the day

The day aims to help autism patients and their caregivers in spotting the early signs which start manifesting themselves from the first year of life, fight discrimination against this disorder, acknowledge and celebrate the unique gifts ASD kids are born with.

 

Theme

The theme of this year’s World Autism Awareness Day is ‘Assistive Technologies, Active Participation’.

 

Access to technology is crucial for improving the lives of people living with any form of disability including autism, ensuring their basic human rights and cutting out the obstructions they face in living as an integral part of the mainstream society. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities also highlights the significant role that assistive technologies can play in helping persons with disabilities to participate in the various sectors of social life and exercise their rights.

 

Assistive technologies : Challenges :

  • High prices
  • Lack of availability
  • Public ignorance about their efficacy
  • Insufficient guidance on usage.

 

Source: Hindustan Times

 

 

 

FATF and Its grey and black lists

 

News Flash

Pakistan could be blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) due to “lobbying by India”.

  • It is estimated that the country could suffer a loss of $10 billion annually if it remains in the watchdog’s grey list.

 

Why Pakistan is on Grey List?

In June last year, the Paris-based FATF had placed Pakistan on the ‘grey list’ of countries whose domestic laws are considered weak to tackle the challenges of money laundering and terrorism financing.

 

Why FATF is considering to put it in black list?

During a review visit to Pakistan, a delegation of the Asia-Pacific Group on money laundering, a regional affiliate of the FATF found that :

  • Insufficient physical actions on ground against banned groups to block flow of funds and activities have been taken .
  • No specific actions against each of the eight organisations proscribed under international requirements.
  • Banned organisations and NGOs activities are still unchecked at the provincial, district and grass roots level, where they can still raise funds and hold meetings and rallies..

 

FATF and Its mandate

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was established in July 1989 by a Group of Seven (G-7) Summit in Paris, initially to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering. The FATF expanded its mandate to incorporate efforts to combat terrorist financing, in addition to money laundering.

Since its inception, the FATF has operated under a fixed life-span, requiring a specific decision by its Ministers to continue. The current mandate of the FATF (2012-2020) was adopted at a Ministerial meeting in April 2012.

 

Objectives

The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.

Starting with its own members, the FATF monitors countries’ progress in implementing the FATF Recommendations; reviews money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures; and, promotes the adoption and implementation of the FATF Recommendations globally.

 

The FATF blacklist

The FATF blacklist or OECD blacklist has been issued by the Financial Action Task Force since 2000 and lists countries which it judges to be non-cooperative in the global fight against money laundering and terrorist financing, calling them “Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories” (NCCTs).Grey List: Those countries which are considered as the safe heaven for supporting terror funding and money laundering; included in this list.

Grey list is a signal given to the country that it might come in Black list, if a country is unable to curb expansion of terror funding and money laundering; it is shifted from black list to grey list by the FATF. When a country comes in the Grey list, it means ;

  1. Economic sanctions from international institutions (IMF, World Bank, ADB etc.) and countries can be imposed on that country.
  2. Problem in getting loans from international institutions (IMF, World Bank, ADB etc.) and countries

 

India and FATF 

India became a full-fledged member of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2010 when FATF Plenary adopted the Mutual Evaluation Report on India on 24th June 2010 and on 25th June 2010 admitted India as 34th Country Member of FATF.

Earlier, India had become Observer at FATF in the year 2006. Since then, India has been working towards full-fledged Membership of FATF.

 

FATF membership’s benefits 

  • Important for India in its quest to become a major player in the International finance.
  • It helps India to build the capacity to fight terrorism and trace terrorist money and to successfully investigate and prosecute money laundering and terrorist financing offences.
  • India can secure a more transparent and stable financial system by ensuring that financial institutions are not vulnerable to infiltration or abuse by organized crime groups.
  • The FATF process will also help us in co-ordination of AML/CFT efforts at the international level.

 

Source: Economics Time

 

 

Purchasing Managers Indexes

 

News Flash

It slowed to a six-month low of 52.6 in March due to lower levels of new orders and production, according to a private sector survey.

 

Reasons

The increase in new orders was the slowest in six months, with firms reporting that the effect of strong underlying demand, successful advertising, and the receipt of bulk orders was being curbed by competitive conditions and the upcoming elections.

However the business sentiment strengthened to a seven-month high in March with companies predicting that marketing initiatives, capacity expansion plans and favourable public policies after the elections would support production growth over the course of the coming 12 months.

 

Purchasing Managers Indexes

PMI are economic indicators derived from monthly surveys of private sector companies. The data for the index are collected through a survey of 400 purchasing managers in the manufacturing sector on different fields, namely, production level, new orders from customers, speed of supplier deliveries, inventories, order backlogs and employment level.

The PMI Data for India is published by Japanese firm Nikkei but compiled and constructed by Markit Economics (for the US, it is the ISM).

 

The variables used to construct India’s PMI for manufacturing sector are:

Output, New Orders, Employment, Input Costs, Output Prices, Backlogs of Work, Export Orders, Quantity of Purchases, Suppliers‟ Delivery Times, Stocks of Purchases and Stocks of Finished Goods. Similar variables are used for the construction of services PMI. A manufacturing PMI and a services PMI are prepared and published by the two.

 

Source: The Hindu