Daily Practice Sheet 10 June 2020

Climate Change

CO2 Curve

The CO2 curve began its upward march about 18,000 years ago when it was a little under 200 parts per million (ppm) and earth was much colder. By the time it reached 270 ppm about 11,500 years ago, the warmer conditions accompanying this curve made it possible for the emergence of agriculture. Over the past million years, CO2 levels never exceeded 280-300 ppm.
They always went back to 200 ppm before rising again in a cyclical fashion. They remained steady at close to 280 ppm for 10,000 years until, beginning in the mid-19th century, they began to rise again as humans burnt coal and oil to fuel the industrial revolution, and burnt forests to expand agriculture and settlements. From a mere 0.2 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions in 1850, annual emissions increased to 36 billion tonnes by 2018.

Global Temperature Curve:

From 1850 onwards, for over a century, the global temperature showed a slight warming trend. From 1975 onwards, the temperature graph has shown a distinct, upward trend.
By 2015, the globe had heated by a full degree Celsius relative to a hundred years previously.
Climate modellers project that under the current trends of emissions the globe will heat up by 4˚C by the end of the century.
The Climate Impact Lab at the University of Chicago put out a warning for India last year that if global CO2 emissions continue to gallop at the present rate, average summer temperatures would rise by 4˚C in most States.
Extremely hot days (days above 35˚C), which were only five days in 2010, would increase to 15 days by 2050 and to 42 days by 2100 on average across all districts.

FDI:

Cayman Islands has emerged as the fifth largest investor in India, with foreign direct investment from the nation increasing over three-fold to USD 3.7 billion in 2019-20, according to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). India had received FDI worth USD one billion in 2018-19 and USD 1.23 billion in 2017-18 from Cayman Islands, which is UK Overseas Territory.
Similarly, FDI from Cyprus too increased by about three-times to USD 879 million in the last financial year by about three-times to USD 879 million in the last financial year from USD 296 million in 2018-19.
It was USD 417 million in 2017-18.Experts have stated that over time, Cayman Islands has become one of the most preferred jurisdictions for routing investments due to the absence of direct taxes costs and is one of most significant reasons why developed economies like UK, France, and Germany are now falling behind.

GS 1: Geography

What do you understand by bonded labour? Discuss the reasons for existence of bonded labour in India. Also assess the legal and government framework to eradicate the social ill. [Reference: Times Of India]

GS 2: Polity

Discuss the role of High Court in protection of fundamental rights. [Reference: Indian Express]

GS 2: Governance

Discuss the role of NHRC in the protection of rights of marginalized people in India. [Reference: Times Of India]

GS 3: Economy

What do you understand by second generation reforms? Are recent reforms introduced by government qualify as second generation? [Reference: Indian Express]
Do you think there is a need for new PSUs policy in India? Critically examine the role of PSU in the economy. [Reference: Indian Express]
How COVID-19 will impact bio medical industry? [Reference: Indian Express]

GS 3: Disaster Management

What do you understand by climate change? How vulnerable India is to climate change? [Reference: The Hindu]

GS 4: Ethics