National
Integrated Biological Control Laboratory in Hyderabad
⇒ The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Government of India, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the Integrated Biological Control Laboratory at National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM) Hyderabad, Telangana on 15 May 2023.
About Integrated Bio Control Laboratory:
- The new Integrated Bio Control Laboratory (BC Lab) is a state of art laboratory in NIPHM, have facilities for giving hands on experience on production methodologies for Biopesticides, Biocontrol agents like predators and parasitoids, Entomopathogenic fungi, Bio fertilizers, NPV,Pheromone and Botanicals.
- The use of bio-control agents, bio-pesticides, and bio-fertilizers will help in reducing the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, consequently reduce the adverse effects on the environment and human health and contribute to improved Soil and Plant Health.
- The BC Lab will also have an Insect Museum, weed museum, exhibition hall, Natural Farming Cell etc. to showcase the specimens of agriculturally important insects and weeds in the best preserved or live forms.
- The new Integrated Biocontrol Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, and the labs are staffed with highly qualified faculty members.
- The inauguration of this facility is a significant milestone in the development of chemical free sustainable agriculture in India. The facility will help the extension functionaries to promote non-chemical options of pest management in agricultural and horticultural crops.
About NIPHM:
- NIPHM promotes sustainable agricultural practices such as Agro Ecosystem Analysis (AESA) and Ecological Engineering (EE) for pest management with enhanced use of different biological agents, bio-pesticides and bio-fertilizers. NIPHM is conducting regular training programs on various aspects of insect pests and diseases management in different crops.
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
⇒ Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took over as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff on 15 May 2023.
About Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit:
- An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he was Commissioned in the fighter stream on 06 December 1986.
- The Air Officer has also been the Air Defence Commander of Southern Air Command and was Senior Air Staff Officer, South Western Air Command prior to taking over as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff.
- He participated in Operation Safed Sagar and Rakshak.
Mobile Application “Meri LiFE”
⇒ To catalyze youth action for climate change as a build up to June 5, World Environment Day, Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav launched a mobile application, called “Meri LiFE” (My life) in May 2023.
About App:
- MeriLiFE is a mobile application that empowers individuals to lead a sustainable lifestyle by making pro-planet choices in their daily lives.
- This app is inspired by the concept of LiFE, envisioned by the Prime Minister at COP 26, which emphasizes mindful and deliberate utilization instead of mindless and wasteful consumption.
- The Meri LiFE app helps in creating a structured way to track the progress being made on Mission LiFE.
International
3rd G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group Meeting
⇒ The G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group, under the Indian Presidency, held its third and final meeting in Chennai from July 24 – July 26, 2023.
This marked the first time that a dedicated working group on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) has been constituted, signifying India’s commitment to addressing global challenges posed by disasters and climate emergencies.
This meeting brought together G20 Countries and their leadership, international organisations, and knowledge partners to engage in drafting the Communique encapsulating shared commitments and key recommendations regarding the working group’s priority areas.
These areas include
- The Global Coverage of Early Warning Systems
- Disaster and Climate Resilient Infrastructure
- Financing Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
- Disaster Response System
- The Ecosystem-based Approach to DRR.
Before this, two other meetings of the Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group were held.
Day 1:
» On the first day, the delegates engaged in detailed discussions focusing on the Draft Outcome Document for priorities like ‘Global Coverage of Early Warning Systems’ and more.
» On the sidelines of the 3rd DRRWG Meeting, the delegates discussed the intricacies of ‘Capturing the Resilience Dividend towards Closing the Infrastructure Gap‘ and ‘Enhancing Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Governance‘.
Two Side Events were also organised on the first day on the themes of
- Capturing the Resilience Dividend Towards Closing the Infrastructure Gap
- Enhancing Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Governance
Day 2:
» On the second day, DRRWG delegates continued deliberations on the Draft Outcome Document focusing on priority areas of ‘Disaster & Climate Resilient Infrastructure‘ and ‘Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction’.
» The delegates furthered deliberations on the Draft Outcome Document focusing on the priorities such as ‘Disaster Response System’, ‘Ecosystem-based Approach to DRR‘, and the way forward.
Day 3:
On the final day of the meeting, two side event were organised on the themes of
- Building Capacities and Enhancing Cooperation on Disaster Response, Recovery and Rehabilitation
- Women-led and Community-based DRR: Investing in Participatory, Localised Pathways to Disaster Resilience.
» The third and final day of the meeting witnessed G20 members accepting the relevant action points under the five priority areas.
Key Points:
- The consensus amongst countries reaffirmed their commitment towards the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (Sendai Framework), to prevent new and reduce the existing disaster risks. The members agreed on accelerating their efforts to enhance universal coverage of multi-hazard early warning systems and transforming them into early action. They will foster collaborations between different stakeholders to build capacities to support anticipatory action and promote pre-arranged financing so that early action saves lives and livelihoods.
- Members also emphasized the need for investments in disaster and climate-resilient infrastructure, with a focus on G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment. They recognized the need to strengthen public-private partnerships, blended finance mechanisms, and governance systems for resilient and interconnected infrastructure projects.
- G20 stressed the urgent need to increase financing for DRR and for better integration of DRR into public and private sector investment decisions. The G20 members agreed on strengthening existing comprehensive national financing strategies for DRR that strengthen synergies between disaster risk financing and DRR financing in a risk-layered approach. They also agreed to develop and promote the use of assessment tools to analyze and quantify the economic impact of disasters.
- Further, the countries aimed to strengthen national and global disaster preparedness, recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction systems and learn lessons from past disasters. On the last priority, the members accentuated the need for the effective application of nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches for DRR.