GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

Context:

The United Nations (UN's) declining influence in conflict resolution is a threat to increasing Israel-Hamas conflict and India's role limitations.

Declining Influence of the UN

• Post-Cold War Power Dynamics: Major power differences have hindered the UN's effectiveness in conflict resolution.
• Limitations of the UNSC Structure: The UNSC's structure, with veto powers, limits its ability to address conflicts with conflicting national interests.
• Lack of Multilateral Framework: The shift to a multipolar world without a corresponding multilateral framework has led to an exercise of force.

Israel-Hamas Conflict Dynamics

• Netanyahu's Divisive leadership: The domestic political challenges contribute to the continuation of the conflict.
• Limited Arab Support: Limited sympathy for the Palestinian cause within Gulf Arab states and reluctance to accept Palestinian refugees.
• Conflict Resolution Efforts: The U.S. election adds complexity to finding a resolution, while the Abraham Accords' envisioned solution has unraveled.

India's Role and Interests

• Evolving Indian Foreign Policy: India's evolving foreign policy balances traditional positions with bilateral relationships with key countries.
• India's Limited Mediation Capacity: While India has provided aid and engaged in diplomacy, its capacity to mediate in the conflict is limited.
• West Asian Interests and Constraints: Recognizing India's interest in the West Asian region, its role is circumscribed by the complexities at play.

Context:

There is a need of community-driven innovation, citing like Amul's success, ATLs, and ATL Sarthi, highlighting grassroots involvement for national growth.

India's Innovation Ecosystem

• Example being set earlier: India's success stories like Amul highlight the power of community-driven efforts in achieving national milestones.
• Rankings: The Global Innovation Index (GII) ranks India 40th, showcasing the impact of public and private commitment towards innovation.
• The Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) initiative: aims to cultivate one million young innovators, emphasizing the need for grassroots involvement.

Challenges:

• Lack of guidance: ATL Sarthi, an initiative in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, focuses on creating clusters of ATLs overseen by a guidance committee.
• More crowd, less efforts: Clusters enhance effectiveness by pooling resources and sharing expertise, leading to improved attendance and performance in schools.
• Overcoming mindset barriers and encouraging schools to take ownership of taxpayer-funded infrastructure is a key challenge.

Empowering Communities for Sustainability

• Benefit of community participation: The success of Green and White Revolutions underscores the importance of community participation in driving national progress.
• Taking seriously Government initiatives: This can reach their full potential when communities actively engage, taking ownership of modern initiatives.
• Transforming era of evolution: This community-centric approach, from schools to startups, is essential for India to thrive in the era of innovation.

Context:

Recently, on the second anniversary of World Biosphere Reserve Day, it is important to reflect on the progress made in conserving and sustainably using these vital ecosystems.

Significance of Biosphere Reserves

• Reserves' Multifaceted Role: UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, like Principe Biosphere Reserve, combat single-use plastic pollution while safeguarding biodiversity and climate resilience.
• World Biosphere Reserve Day: It highlights their conservation and sustainable use, featuring core, buffer, and transition zones.
• Act as Climate and Biodiversity Guardians: Biosphere Reserves play a pivotal role in preserving unique ecosystems and endangered species, serving as carbon sinks to combat climate change.

Conservation Efforts

• Empowering Communities in Sundarban: Sundarban Biosphere Reserve in India showcases local community-led mangrove forest management and biodiversity protection initiatives.
• Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve: engages communities, including women and youth, in conservation and eco-tourism efforts.
• The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust employs 'plastic checkpoints' to collect and recycle waste for road construction.

Challenges:

• Threats associated: Biosphere Reserves face threats like deforestation and invasive species due to human exploitation and urbanization.
• Innovative Measures: The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme combines natural and social sciences to foster sustainable environmental practices.
• Way forward: The 10th South and Central Asian Biosphere Reserve Network Meeting (SACAM) in Chennai emphasize knowledge exchange for sustainable practices.