Top News Highlights-21 November 2024

10 Years of Polio Eradication in India

• WHO declared India polio-free in 2014 after three years of no wild poliovirus transmission, robust surveillance, and vaccine stock management.
• Key initiatives include National Immunization Days, introduction of Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV), and Mission Indradhanush targeting 90% immunization.
• Border vaccinations continue to prevent re-importation from endemic regions like Pakistan and Afghanistan.

India-Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029

• Both countries agreed to intensify cooperation in defense, energy, and technology sectors, such as Indo-Italian Innovation Exchange and Defense Industrial Roadmap.
• Economic focus on green technologies, pharmaceuticals, and connectivity through the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC).
• Defense cooperation to include annual Joint Defence Consultative meetings and joint staff talks for better coordination.

G20 Rio de Janeiro Declaration: A Blueprint for Global Action

• Key focus areas are social inclusion, with Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty being launched, targeting 500 million people by 2030.
• Sustainable Development Goals the establishment of Task Force for Climate Action and mobilization of private capital for developing nations.
• The declaration supported reforms in global governance-the UN Security Council and MDBs.

UNFCCC COP29: Methane and Agrifood Initiatives

• Launched the Declaration Reducing Methane from Organic Waste to address methane reduction in organic waste, the third major source of methane.
• Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative supports transformation of agrifood systems by empowering farmers, mainly women, and youth.
• Agrifood partnerships and sustainable development programs support the integration of India with international climate goals.

Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Notified as India’s 56th Tiger Reserve

• Located in Chhattisgarh, the reserve stretches across the Chota Nagpur and Baghelkhand plateaus, housing varied fauna such as leopards and sloth bears.
• It follows a landscape conservation approach, with wildlife corridors, while ensuring that community involvement would be maintained under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Strengthens India’s tiger conservation, through its corridors with reserves in Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.

India-Australia Annual Summit: Strengthening Strategic Ties

• Renewed the Australia-India Business Exchange (AIBX) program to foster market insights and partnerships.
• Launched the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership (REP) with a focus on green hydrogen, solar PV, and energy storage technologies.
• The summit resonates with increased trade, technology, and energy transition cooperation between the two countries.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Statistical Yearbook 2024

• Agriculture accounts for 26 percent of global employment; workforce decline to 40 percent from 2000, agriculture also contributes 4% to the global GDP.
• India tops in agricultural workforce (226 million) with growing female engagement from 32.2% in 2000 to 36% in 2022
• Global hunger impacted 9.1% of the population in 2023, surpassing the pre-pandemic levels, and calls for strong food security efforts.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Mission Indradhanush: A flagship program that ensures 90 percent immunization coverage against preventable diseases.
• India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC): An economic initiative meant to expand global connectivity in terms of trade.
• Task Force for Climate Action – An international initiative under G20 to break the barriers in climate finance, especially for the developing world.
• Baku Harmoniya Initiative – A program launched by the UN that focuses on the enablement of vulnerable communities through agrifood systems
• FAO Yearbook – All-inclusive statistics for policymakers concerning agricultural goods and services in national and global economies.