Green Ammonia Production under SIGHT Program

• The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has opened bidding for the manufacture of green ammonia, with a total annual capacity of 5.39 lakh Metric Tonnes (MT).
• The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) National Green Hydrogen Mission includes the initiative under Mode 2A of the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Program.

About the National Green Hydrogen Mission

• In January 2023, the National Green Hydrogen Mission was introduced.
• The goal is to establish India as a “global hub” for the production, use, and export of green hydrogen.
• Prior to this, on August 15, 2021, the National Hydrogen Mission was introduced with the goal of reducing carbon emissions and boosting the usage of renewable energy sources.
• Guidelines for the scheme are developed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in order to carry out these missions.

Key features of the NGHM

• Power capacity: By 2030, the mission aims to support the establishment of a nationwide green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT annually and an additional 125 GW of renewable energy capacity.
• Employment creation: By 2030, more than 6 lakh jobs are expected to be created with an investment of more than ₹8 lakh crore.
• Lowering the energy import bill: By 2030, it will also reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by almost 50 MMT and cumulatively cut imports of fossil fuels by more by ₹1 lakh crore.
• Export promotion: The goal is to make it easier to create demand for, produce, use, and export green hydrogen.
• Incentivization: Specific financial incentive mechanisms are made available under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT).
• Green Hydrogen Hubs: Areas that can sustain the large-scale production and/or use of hydrogen will be designated as such and will receive development support.

The SIGHT Program: What is it?

Two separate financial incentive schemes totaling ₹ 17,490 crore were proposed in the first phase up until 2029–2030:

• Encouragement to produce electrolysers
• A financial incentive to produce green hydrogen.
• As the Mission advances, particular incentive plans and programs will continue to change based on the markets and technological advancements.

Consider the following statements: [2019]

1. Agricultural soils release nitrogen oxides into the environment.
2. Cattle release ammonia into the environment.
3. Poultry industry releases reactive nitrogen compounds into environment.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Remoulding the Global Plastics Treaty

It is crucial to take into account how a legally enforceable international treaty against plastic pollution might facilitate an equitable transition for recyclers and informal waste collectors.

Observations by the OECD Global Plastic Outlook

• Global production of plastic waste reached 353 million tonnes in 2019, more than doubling that of 2000. By 2060, this number is predicted to quadruple. In 2019, just 9% of plastic garbage was recycled.
• 50% of plastic garbage was dumped in uncontrolled areas or dumps, 19% was burned, and 22% was transferred to landfills.

Significance of Recognizing the Issue

• Important role of recycling workers: In the world of trash management, 85% of the 9% recycled plastic was recycled by informal recycling workers.
• Economic and Environmental Contribution: These employees support circular waste management strategies, ease the burden on local governments’ finances, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Their initiatives stop plastic from leaking into the environment and drastically reduce the amount of plastic in landfills.
• Even with their valuable contributions, unpaid recyclers are frequently disregarded and remain susceptible. They run the risk of being shut out of public policy interventions related to the management of plastic trash, privatization of waste management, and waste-to-energy projects.

Global Plastic Treaty Needs Just Transition

• The establishment of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in 2021 was deemed necessary as its goal is to forge a legally binding accord aimed at curbing plastic pollution. The last meeting of the INC is slated to take place in South Korea after multiple ones.
• Encouraging the Involvement of Informal Workers: The International Alliance of garbage Pickers (IAWP) highlights the necessity of assisting and incorporating informal garbage pickers into the negotiations for international treaties. Their rights should be upheld, their historical contributions recognized, and their viewpoints taken into account when implementing policy.
• Creating Clarity: There isn’t a formal definition of the informal waste industry or a concept for a just transition that is widely accepted. It’s crucial to define these terms clearly.

India’s Voice is Important

• Without completely banning the use of plastics, India encourages recycling, refilling, repairing, and reusing. This method places an emphasis on the capabilities and conditions unique to each nation.
• The informal waste pickers in India continue to be a crucial component of the conversation about managing plastic waste.
• Integrating the cohort of informal workers into the new legal system requires reevaluating EPR rules.
• India is an important Global South representative, and its viewpoints and methods are crucial in forming the Global Plastics Treaty.

What are the impediments in disposing of the huge quantities of discarded solid wastes which are continuously being generated? How do we remove safely the toxic wastes that have been accumulating in our habitable environment?  (2018)

APPRECIATION AND DEPRECIATION OF RUPEE

The rupee lost 27.6% of its value versus the US dollar between April 30, 2014, and April 20, 24—roughly the duration of the Narendra Modi administration. It went from Rs 60.34 to Rs 83.38.

Context:

• India engages in commerce beyond the US. It imports goods and services from other nations and exports them to other nations as well. The rupee’s value in relation to other international currencies, as well as the US dollar, determines how strong or weak it is.

Key takeaways

Appreciation of the Rupee:

• The Rupee becomes more powerful in relation to the Dollar as it appreciates. This implies that purchasing a dollar requires less rupees. An appreciation of the Rupee occurs, for instance, if the value of one USD falls from ₹75 to ₹70.

Here are some impacts of Rupee appreciation:

• Exports: The appreciation of the rupee hurts exporters because it can drive away buyers who see the cost of goods from India rising.
• Imports: Importers are able to import more goods for less money. This is so that they can purchase a dollar with less Rupees.

Depreciation of the Rupee:

• The Rupee weakens in relation to the Dollar as it depreciates. This implies that purchasing a dollar requires more rupees. Depreciation of the Rupee occurs, for instance, if the value of one USD rises from ₹70 to ₹75.

Here are some impacts of Rupee depreciation:

• Exports: Since the devaluation of the rupee increases export competitiveness, exporters stand to benefit the most from it.
• Imports: The cost of imports will increase. This is so that importers can purchase one dollar with more rupees.
• Inflation: Since India imports more than 80% of its crude oil, inflation is the main effect of the Rupee’s decline. This is because a decline in the value of the Rupee drives up the price of imported items.
• IT Sector: The fall in the value of the Rupee has allowed the Indian IT sector, which is mostly focused on exports, to increase revenue from its international clientele.
• Recall that changes in supply or demand for the Rupee and the Dollar have a significant impact on the Rupee’s growth or decline.

MEXICO

After being elected, Claudia Sheinbaum became Mexico’s first female president.

Context:

• When Sheinbaum assumes office on October 1, she will speak for the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), a party that leans left.

About MEXICO:

• Mexico is a nation in southern North America, formally known as the United Mexican States.
• With an approximate population of 130 million, it is the tenth most populated country in the world and home to the greatest number of Spanish speakers. It is the thirteenth largest country in terms of area.
• After Brazil and Argentina, it is the third-largest nation in Latin America.
• Mexico is a federal constitutional republic with 31 states, its capital, Mexico City, which is also one of the most populated metropolitan areas in the world.
• In addition to ocean borders with the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea to the southeast, and the Gulf of Mexico to the east, the nation shares land borders with the United States to the north, Guatemala, and Belize to the southeast.
• While large portions of the country’s tropical south and desert north are scarcely populated, more than half of Mexico’s population resides in the country’s center. Nearly four out of five Mexicans currently reside in metropolitan areas as a result of the country’s massive influx of migrants from impoverished rural areas.
• The southeast tip of Mexico forms the Yucatán Peninsula, a peninsula that juts into the Gulf of Mexico. It was the Maya civilization’s original home.
• Most of Mexico is covered with mountains. On the Central Plateau, there are small mountain ranges situated between the Sierra Madre Occidental and Oriental mountain ranges. These areas are abundant in priceless metals like copper and silver.
• One of the most active tectonic zones on Earth is where Mexico is situated. It is a portion of the “Ring of Fire” that encircles the Pacific, an area characterized by regular earthquakes and strong volcanism.
• Located on the western, or leading, edge of the massive North American Plate, Mexico has experienced frequent, catastrophic earthquakes as a result of its interaction with the Pacific, Cocos, and Caribbean plates. These earthquakes have also caused the earth-building processes that have created the rough topography of southern Mexico.