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Shift to low carbon

2018: rich + poor countries have faced extensive damage from storms and heatwaves.
Conference of the Parties 24: Big question is can we control carbon emission?
It is important control it because it is the main culprit behind climate change.
Kerala, Chennai, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka & Assam
Delhi, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana
Carbon dioxide is the biggest component of GHGs.
CO2 make the earth warmer and lead to heatwaves.
Warmer air holds more moisture, which results in more intense rainfall and provides more energy for storms.
Warm coastal waters will turn unsuitable for certain species of fish.
Japan has invested a lot of money on coastal defences.
World’s largest underground flood water diversion facility

But adaptation will not suffice unless mitigation takes central stage among the world’s leading emitters, including India.

Global Nutrition Report 2018
Third of the world’s stunted children under five — an estimated 46.6 million who have low height for age — live in India.
A quarter of the children display wasting (that is, low weight for height) as well.
Most horrific: wide variation in stunting levels in different parts of the country. Central: 30% N. India: 40% S. India: 20%
Political commitment, administrative efficiency, literacy and women’s empowerment in ensuring children’s health.
The Anganwadi Services scheme, which incorporates the Integrated Child Development Services, caters to children up to age six, and to pregnant and lactating women.
Whole foods and cooked meals emerge superior.
Economic Survey 2017-18: social services spending at 6.6% of GDP, an insignificant rise after a marginal decline from the 6% band during the previous year to 5.8%.

Violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district.
Protests over a rumour that cow carcasses had been found in the vicinity.
Investigations should reveal whether the mob at the police post formed organically, or whether there was a conspiracy to set up a communally polarising confrontation.
In a disturbing indication of the impunity gau rakshaks believe they enjoy, they have captured on camera incidents of violence, including Monday’s.

Incidents of stubble burning cannot be averted by imposing fines.
Key factor behind the formation of a dense cover of smog.
Green Revolution 1960s: wheat-paddy crop rotation was encouraged in Punjab and Haryana to make India selfsufficient in foodgrain production.
Punjab paddy (rice) share: 6.8% in 1966-67 to almost 36.4 %
Haryana paddy (rice) share : 4.97% to 20%

Punjab enacted a water conservation law in 2009 which mandates paddy sowing within a notified period (some time in June instead of the earlier practice in May).
A shorter period of sowing days prohibits transplantation before a notified date, which in turn limits the window available for harvesting paddy to between 15 and 20 days.
As a result, farmers who are pressed for time to sow wheat and maintain crop yield find stubble burning to be an easy and low-cost solution.
Encourages crop diversification
Adequate labour supply
Provide happy seeder: Uberisation of agriculture
Unlike wheat residue, which is used as fodder, paddy straw is non-palatable to animals as it has high silica content.

Private Investment is another indicator of the economy’s progress.
The expectation of profit is itself tied to the expected state of the economy.
Private investment is tied both to the present state of the economy and its anticipated future strength.
Government has to inspire confidence in the private investor.
Private investment in relation to output has in most years since been lower than what it was in 2014.
First, the private sector comprises two segments, the corporate and the unincorporated, termed household, in Indian national accounts.
Since 2014, after initially declining private corporate investment has shown a mild rise while household investment has fallen sharply.
Elements to the architecture

‘modern monetary policy framework’
A less recognised aspect of the modern monetary policy framework is that the real exchange rate has appreciated since its adoption.
This could only have reduced the demand for India’s exports, further lowering aggregate demand and holding back private investment.
A most natural thing for the government to have done would have been to raise substantially its own investment.
A rising public investment can nudge the private sector to follow suit as the latter perceives superior growth prospects raising the latter’s expectation of profits.

Accounting procedures, regarding the flow of climate finance, is one of the most controversial issues being debated at Katowice, Poland where countries have gathered to agree upon a ‘Rule Book’ to implement the Paris Agreement of 2015, that commits countries to ensure the earth doesn’t warm 2C beyond pre-industrial levels.
India, U.S. will sort out sanctions waiver: Mattis
India’s Bhutan hydel project ready
Demonetisation pushed up direct tax collections: CBDT
Devise norms for payment apps, RBI told
Patents granted by India up by 50% in ’17
Rose from 8,248 in 2016 to 12,387 last year