Daily Prelims Notes 1 May 2024

May 1, 2024
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

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Daily Prelims Notes

1 May 2024

1. Microbes, not fossil fuels, produced most new methane: study

Subject: Environment

Section: Climate change

Tag: Greenhouse gases, Methane, Global methane Pledge

Context:

Historically, methane levels rose until the 1990s, stabilized, and then began increasing again in 2007.
Current methane concentrations are estimated to be three times higher than they were 300 years ago.

Evolving understanding:

Methane, the second most abundant anthropogenic greenhouse gas after CO2, is significantly more potent, having a global warming potential 28 times greater than CO2 over a century and even higher over two decades.
Its sources include cattle-farming, landfills, wastewater treatment facilities, rice cultivation, and some industrial processes.
- Energy, agriculture and waste sectors are the primary emitters of methane, responsible for 30 per cent of the earth’s warning.
It is only recently that policymakers have started to prioritize methane in global warming discussions.
This shift was highlighted at the 2021 U.N. climate talks where the ‘Global Methane Pledge’ was introduced, aiming to reduce methane emissions to slow global warming.
New research has revealed that the primary source of atmospheric methane is microbes, rather than the burning of fossil fuels, indicating an evolving understanding of methane’s sources and impacts.

Greenhouse Gases: Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include, but are not limited to, water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), ozone (O₃), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆).

Sources of methane:

Scientists have identified two primary sources of methane: biogenic and thermogenic.
- Thermogenic methane is released during the extraction of fossil fuels like natural gas and oil from beneath the Earth’s crust.
- Biogenic methane, on the other hand, is produced by microbes known as archaea, or methanogens.
These single-celled organisms, distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes, thrive in oxygen-poor environments such as animal digestive tracts, wetlands, rice paddies, landfills, and lake and ocean sediments.
Methanogens are crucial to the global carbon cycle, converting organic matter into methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
However, human activities such as agriculture, dairy farming, and fossil fuel production have amplified methane emissions.
Different isotopes of methane, produced by both biogenic and thermogenic processes, help scientists trace the most active sources.

Modelling with a supercomputer:

The carbon-13 isotope is important in distinguishing the sources of methane.
Methane molecules containing fewer carbon-13 atoms typically indicate a biological origin, while a higher presence suggests thermogenic sources like fossil fuels or geological activities.
The study suggests that the observed discrepancies in methane emissions might be linked to increased cattle-rearing in Latin America and rising emissions from waste in South and Southeast Asia, as well as in Latin America and Africa.
Additionally, the number of wetlands globally has also grown. While satellite data has previously highlighted anaerobic archaea microbes as major methane contributors, Mr. Patra points out that satellite data, reliant on models, cannot accurately measure changes over time and are subject to uncertainties.

Global Methane Pledge

Launched at the UN COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.
- So far, over 90 countries have signed this pledge, which is an effort led jointly by the United States and the European Union.
The pledge was first announced in September by the US and EU, and is essentially an agreement to reduce global methane emissions.
One of the central aims of this agreement is to cut down methane emissions by up to 30 per cent from 2020 levels by the year 2030.
Among the signatories is Brazil — one of the five biggest emitters of methane, which is generated in cows’ digestive systems, in landfill waste and in oil and gas production.
- Three others —China, Russia and India — have not signed up.
- Australia has said it will not back the pledge.
According to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, methane accounts for about half of the 1.0 degrees Celsius net rise in global average temperature since the pre-industrial era.

Source: TH

2. Supreme Court: Article 39(b) shouldn’t be read like there is no protection for private rights

Subject: Polity

Sec: constitution

Tag: Art 39(b), DPSP V/S FR

Context:

A nine-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, which is examining the question whether private property would constitute material resources of the community as appearing in Article 39(b),said that the provision should not be interpreted in such a wide sense that there is no protection for private rights at all.

More on news:

The reference to the nine-judges had arisen in the context of the two views emerging in the 1978 decision in ‘State of Karnataka And Anr Etc vs Shri Ranganatha Reddy & Anr’.
In the Golak Nath case (1967), the Supreme Court held that fundamental rights cannot be abridged or diluted to implement DPSP.
Finally, in the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973), a thirteen-judge Bench of the Supreme Court upheld the validity of Article 31C but made it subject to judicial review.
In the Minerva Mills case (1980), the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution exists on a harmonious balance between fundamental rights and DPSP.
The Union also proposed to understand the post-Minerva Mills impact on Article 31C from the standpoint of Blackstone’s Declaratory Theory.

What does the Constitution provide?

The Preamble to the Constitution aims to secure to all citizens social and economic justice, liberty and equality.
Part III of the Constitution lists down the fundamental rights that guarantee liberty and equality while Part IV contains the DPSP.
These are principles that the central and State governments should follow to achieve social and economic justice in our country.
Article 39(b) and (c) in Part IV contain principles that are aimed at securing economic justice.
They provide that ownership and control of material resources of the society should be distributed to serve the common good and that the operation of the economic system does not result in concentration of wealth to the common detriment.

What is the historical context?

The Constitution originally guaranteed the right to property as a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(f).
It provided under Article 31 that the state shall pay compensation in case of acquisition of private property.

About Right to private property:

In 1978, in order to avoid excessive litigation directly in the Supreme Court by the propertied class, the 44th amendment act omitted the right to property as a fundamental right and made it a constitutional right under Article 300A.
The right to private property continues to be an important constitutional cum legal right.
Any law to acquire private property by the state should be only for a public purpose and provide for adequate compensation.

India’s Economic model:

The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969 (MRTP Act) was brought with the rationale to reduce inequality and redistribute wealth among the poorer sections who constituted the majority of the population.
A new industrial policy was unveiled in July 1991 with the objective of empowering market forces, improving efficiency and rectifying deficiencies in the country’s industrial structure.
The MRTP Act was repealed and replaced with the Competition Act, 2002 and income tax rates were reduced considerably.
Estate duty was abolished in 1985 and wealth tax in 2016.

Constitutional Provisions in news:

Article 39(b) obligates the state to direct its policy towards securing the ownership and control of the material resources of the community that are so distributed as best to subserve the common good.
Article 39(c) of the DPSP states that the operation of the economic system does not result in the concentration of wealth and means of production to the common detriment.
Article 300A required the state to follow due procedure and authority of law to deprive a person of his or her private property.
The right to property is now considered to be not only a constitutional or statutory right, but also a human right.

About Material resources of the community:

Material resources of the community in the context of reordering the national economy embraces all the national wealth, not merely natural resources, all the private and public sources of meeting material needs, not merely public possessions.

About Blackstone’s Declaratory Theory:

Main supporters of declaratory theory are Hale, Blackstone and carter.
According to this theory judges only declare law; no new law is created by the judges.
Their province is to ascertain and declare what the law is.
They only discover the existing laws, the particular principles that govern the individual cases.

DISTINCTION BETWEEN FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS	DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES
These are negative as they prohibit the State from doing certain things	These are positive as they require the State to do certain things.
These are justiciable, that is, they are legally enforceable by the courts in case of their violation.	These are non-justiciable, that is, they are not legally enforceable by the courts for their violation
They aim at establishing political democracy in the country	They aim at establishing social and economic democracy in the country.
These have legal sanctions	These have moral and political sanctions
They promote the welfare of the individual	They promote the welfare of the community
They do not require any legislation for their implementation. They are automatically enforced.	They require legislation for their implementation. They are not automatically enforced
The courts are bound to declare a law violative if any of the Fundamental Rights is unconstitutional and invalid	The courts cannot declare a law violative if any of the Directive Principles is unconstitutional and invalid. However, they can uphold the validity of a law on the ground that it was enacted to give effect to a directive
Fundamental Rights are analogous with UNHDR	Directive Principles could be considered analogous to the rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

STAGE

First Stage:

1950-1966

Directive Principles as subsidiary and subordinate to Fundamental Rights

In case of conflict, FR would prevail over DPSP

Eg :Champakam Dorairajan’s case (Article 29 vs Article 46

The Constitution (First Amendment Act, 1951): Inserted Articles 31A and 31B of the Constitution. Article 31A provides that no law providing the acquisition by the State of any estate therein shall be deemed to be void on the ground that it is inconsistent with or takes away or abridges any of the rights conferred by any provisions of Part III.

31-B, none of the laws specified in the Ninth Schedule shall be deemed to be void on the ground that it was inconsistent with any of the Fundamental Rights, notwithstanding any judgments, decree or order of any court or tribunal to the contrary

Second Stage:

1967-1971

(Fundamental Rights are Sacrosanct)

Golak Nath’s Case: The First, Fourth and Seventeenth Amendment abridged the scope of the Fundamental rights and were, therefore, void under Article 13 of the Constitution. Any amendment of Part III could be made only in so far as it did not take away or abridge any of the rights conferred by that part

Third Stage:

1972-1975

Fundamental Rights can be

amended to implement Directive Principles

Kesavananda Bharati case (1973), the Supreme Court declared the above second provision of Article 31C as unconstitutional and invalid on the ground that judicial review is a basic feature of the Constitution and hence, cannot be taken away. However, the above first provision of Article 31C was held to be constitutional and valid

Fourth Stage

Fundamental Rights as Subordinate to Directive Principles

42nd Constitutional Amendment Act: The Act inter alia gave preponderance to the Directive Principles of State Policy over the Fundamental Rights. It amended Article 31(c) and fundamental rights guaranteed by Articles 14, 19 and 31 were subordinated to all the Directive Principles of State Policy mentioned in Part IV.
It extended the scope of the above first provision of Article 31C by including within its protection any law to implement any of the Directive Principles and not merely those specified in Article 39 (b) and (c)
This was a fundamental change in the Constitution because it has completely changed the relationship between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles

Fifth Stage:

1980- Till date

Superiority of Fundamental Rights

In Minerva Mills Case some of the provisions of the 42nd Amendment Act were challenged in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court in its judgment struck down section 4 of the 42nd Amendment Act.

Concluding view by Minerva Mills Case

The Supreme Court held that ‘the Indian Constitution is founded on the bedrock of the balance between the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles. They together constitute the core of commitment to social revolution. They are like two wheels of a chariot, one no less than the other. To give absolute primacy to one over the other is to disturb the harmony of the Constitution. This harmony and balance between the two are an essential feature of the basic structure of the Constitution. The goals set out by the Directive Principles have to be achieved without the abrogation of the means provided by the Fundamental Rights’

3. Heatwaves in several parts of India: Why has April been hotter than usual?

Subject: Geography

Sec: Climatology

Tags: Anticyclone, Heat waves

Context:

In the first 26 days of the month of April, either a small pocket or a considerably large geographical area in India experienced heatwave conditions, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

More on news:

While the southern peninsular and the southeastern coast areas have been the worst affected, the northern plains are yet to experience heatwave conditions this season.

About Heat Waves:

A Heat Wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western parts of India.
Heat Waves typically occur between March and June, and in some rare cases even extend till July.
The extreme temperatures and resultant atmospheric conditions adversely affect people living in these regions as they cause physiological stress, sometimes resulting in death.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has given the following criteria for Heat Waves :

Heat waves need not be considered till the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C for Plains,37°Celsius for coastal areas and 30°C for hilly regions.
When the normal maximum temperature of a station is less than or equal to 40°C:
- Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 5°C to 6°C
- Severe Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 7°C or more.
When the normal maximum temperature of a station is more than 40°C:
- Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 4°C to 5°C
- Severe Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 6°C or more.
When actual maximum temperature remains 45°C or more irrespective of normal maximum temperature, heat waves should be declared.

Which areas in India are prone to heatwaves?

The Core Heatwave Zone (CHZ) spanning central, north, and peninsular India between Gujarat and West Bengal is prone to heatwave conditions every year.
Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, West Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Vidarbha in Maharashtra, parts of Gangetic West Bengal, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana are the most heat-wave-prone states or regions.

Why has April been so hot?

El Nino:

2024 is a year that began in an El Niño state.
El Niño, a weather pattern, refers to an abnormal warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which leads to extreme heat in many parts of the world and the ocean.
It is the large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate interaction linked to periodic warming in sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central Equatorial Pacific.
It is associated with high pressure in the western Pacific.
El Nino adversely impacts the Indian monsoons and hence, agriculture in India.
It developed in June 2023 and generally, the years which begin in an El Niño state, experience extreme temperatures, harsh, multiple and extended heatwave spells, and lack of pre-monsoon rainfall.

Anticyclonic conditions:

The persistent presence of anticyclone systems over southern peninsular and southeastern coastal areas is also partly responsible for such a hot April.
An anticyclone is an area of high pressure where air moves apart and sinks.
It typically indicates fair weather.
Winds in an anticyclone blow clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
These high-pressure systems, which exist at about the altitude of 3 km and extend between 1,000 and 2,000 km in length, push the air underneath them towards the Earth, in a process called air subsidence.
The forcefully sunk air generates more heat on the surface closer to the Earth.