REN21’S Renewable 2019 Global Status Report

19, Jun 2019

Why in News?

• The REN21’s Renewable 2019 Global Status Report (GSR) was recently released.

Global prospects of the Report:

• Renewables  now  supply  around  26  per  cent  of  global  electricity  production  but  the transport, cooling and heating sectors lag far behind in renewable adoption.
• Underlining  the  subsidy  support  being  given  to  fossil  fuel,  the  GSR  read  that  lack  of political will and fossil fuel subsidies are threatening to derail the crucial UN 2030 Climate and Development Goals.
• Renewable energy’s share in power consumption is increasing undoubtedly, but people would have consumed more had policy makers prioritized the sector. Erratic policy decisions kept the world from using the sector to its potential in meeting climate change targets, added the report.

Indian Case:

• India ranked fourth globally for new investment in renewable energy in 2018.
• India’s new power generation capacity from solar photovoltaic panels decreased compared to 2017, according to the report.
• However, India placed fifth, overtaking Italy, with 33 gigawatts (GW) total installed capacity. The report confirmed that installed renewable power capacity was more than that of fossil fuel and nuclear power combined for the fourth consecutive year.
• Around 100 GW of solar PV were added in 2018 which is enough to meet more than 25 per cent of electricity demand in France.

Decrease in Investments:

• Lack of ambitious and sustained policies to drive decarburizing in heating, cooling and transport sectors indicates that countries are not trying to maximise the benefit of energy transition.
• The investment  has decreased 16  per cent  compared to 2017. It  attributes this  to factors like:
• • Land and transmission constraints,
  • 25 per cent safeguard duty on imports from China and Malaysia
  • Flaws in tender scheme
  • Tax uncertainties

World Population Prospects 2019: UN

19, Jun 2019

• According  to  the  World  Population  Prospects  2019,  India  Will  Become  the  Most Populous Nation by 2027.
• The  2019  revision  of  the  World  Population  Prospects  is  the  twenty-sixth  edition  of  the United Nations population estimates and projections.
• It  presents  population  estimates  from  1950  to  the  present  for  235  countries  or  areas, underpinned by analyses of historical demographic trends.
• India’s population will touch 1.64 billion by 2050, while that of China would come down by 1.4 billion.

India’s Demographic dividend will peak by 2047:

• Although absolute numbers in population is increasing in India, the rate of growth is declining. The rate of growth of population is highest in Sub- Saharan Africa.
• Nigeria  is  expected  to  add  200  million  to  the  world  population  thereby  replacing  U.S  to become the third most populous country. In India the working age population is growing faster than other groups. Globally it’s the post working age population that is growing the fastest. This implies that India should invest more on education and health especially on young people.

Key Facts of the Report:

• Confirms that the world’s population continues to grow, albeit at a slowing rate.
• Highlights the unprecedented ageing of the world’s population.
• Describes how international migration has become an important determinant of population growth and change in some parts of the world.
• Confirms the ongoing global increase in longevity and the narrowing gap between rich and poor countries.

Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report by UN Organisations

19, Jun 2019

• Almost 2/3rd of the global population which stopped defecating openly between 2000 and 2017 has been from India.
• However there has been no growth in the population with access to piped water facilities. Large inequalities remain between urban and rural areas.
• Increase in population (with access to protected drinking water facilities within 30 metres) from 79% in 2000 to 93% in 2017.
• In rural India only 32% have access to piped water, in urban areas it is 68%.
• The South Asian region, accounted for almost three-fourths of the population who stopped defecating in open between 2000 and 2017.
• Only 30% of the country’s wastewater is treated at plants, in comparison to 80% global average.

What is JMP?

• The Joint WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme is affiliated to UN- Water and was Established in 1990.
• The JMP’s objectives are to provide regular global reports on drinking-water and sanitation coverage to facilitate sector planning and management, to support countries in their efforts to improve their monitoring systems, and to provide information for advocacy.
• For  the  Sustainable  Development  Goals,  the  JMP  uses  its  25  years  of  experience,  and focuses  on  drinking  water,  sanitation  and  hygiene.  The  Joint  Monitoring  Programme report, Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and Sustainable Development  Goal  baselines,  presents  the  first  global  assessment  of  “safely  managed” drinking   water   and   sanitation   services.   JMP   is   part   of   the   UN-Water   Integrated Monitoring Initiative for SDG 6, reporting on progress towards SDG targets 6.1 and 6.2.

Godavari Mangroves at Coringa Wildlife

19, Jun 2019

Context:

• The government has begun the process to get UNESCO’s World Heritage Site status for Godavari Mangroves at Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, near Kakinada.
• Once the Coringa sanctuary gets the heritage site tag, UNESCO will help develop tourism and protect the wildlife in the mangroves.
• Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary is 18 km from the port city of Kakinada. This sanctuary is a part of the Godavari estuary

UNESCO’s World Heritage:

Mission:

• Encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage. Encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites; Provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger

Funding:

• The World Heritage Fund provides about US$4 million annually to support activities requested by States Parties in need of international assistance.
• A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as of special cultural or physical significance.
• It is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme

Status of Sites:

• The designated sites mainly get protection as legal status is granted under the programme
• • Mainly Protection in War Times
  • Geneva Convention, its Articles, Protocols and Customs
  • Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and international

FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY

18, Jun 2019

Context:

• World   Food   India   2019   will   be   the   biggest   gathering   of   all   global   and   domestic stakeholders in Food Processing Sector.

World Food India:

• The government initiated biennial event- World Food India to promote food processing sector at global level.
• WFI 2019 will be held from 1-4th November 2019 in New Delhi and will position India as Food Processing Destination of the World.
• The tagline of the event will be “Forging Partnerships for Growth”.

Why there is need to focus on Food Processing Industry:

• India produces more fruits & vegetables in comparison to food grains. There is huge loss of Fruits and Vegetable due to perishable nature of it.
• As   per   APEDA   (Agricultural   and   Processed   Food   Products   Export   Development Authority),  India  loses  Rs.  13,000  to  15,000  Crore  every  year  on  waste  of  fruits  and vegetables.
• Non availibity of Storage facility is issue, only 2% of the perishable produce has that Facility.

Scope for Food Processing Industry:

• Due to Increase in Standard living of people– there is demand for quality food , Packed food.
• Packaging increases shelf life of food.
• farmers also shifting production towards horticultural crops to cash in on growing demand of packaged food.
• food, it can be customized to suit the nutritional requirements of groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, infants, young children and athletes.
• Food processing industry is sun rise industry.
• Indian  Food  Processing  Industry  has  grown  tremendously  recording  11%  growth  rate, which is twice the pace of Global Industry.

Global Market:

• Global Food processing industry market valued around USD 3.4 trillion.
• Only  6  percent  of  processed  foods  are  traded  across  borders  compared  to  16  percent  of major bulk agricultural commodities.
• There is room for India to capture this space in international market.

Issues in Food Processing Industry:

• Productivity of Food product is quite low compared to international standard. Supply Chain Issue – Backward and Forward Linkage Gap.
• Certification infrastructure gap.

Government Initiative:

• The Scheme of Mega Food Park aims at providing a mechanism to link agricultural production to the market by bringing together farmers, processors and retailers so as to ensure maximizing value addition, minimizing wastage, increasing farmers income and creating employment opportunities particularly in rural sector.