Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 25 June 2024 | Download PDF

• The Union Mines Minister launched a new auction tranche for mining rights in 21 blocks of critical and strategic minerals. 

About Critical minerals:

• Critical minerals are natural resources essential for the economy and national security but have supply chain risks due to geopolitical, economic, or other factors.
• Critical minerals and their Uses:
  • Phosphorite: Used in fertilizers for agriculture.
  • Lithium: Essential for batteries, especially in electric vehicles and energy storage.
  • Graphite: Used in batteries, lubricants, and as a refractory material.
  • Manganese: Important in steel production and battery manufacturing.
  • Rare Earth Elements: Used in electronics, renewable energy technologies, and defense applications.
  • Cobalt: Used in batteries and superalloys.
  • Nickel: Used in stainless steel, batteries, and various alloys.
• Supply Chain Risks:
  • Geopolitical tensions and trade restrictions.
  • Concentration of supply in a few countries (e.g., China, Democratic Republic of Congo).
  • Environmental and ethical concerns related to mining practices.

• The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has recently been awarded the 2024 Blue Planet Prize.

About IPBES:

• Established: 2012
• Purpose: Strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
• Role:
  • Provides policymakers with objective scientific assessments about the state of knowledge regarding the planet’s biodiversity, ecosystems, and the benefits they provide.
  • Offers tools and methods to protect and sustainably use vital natural assets.
• Inspiration: Independent body inspired by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
• Relation to the UN:
  • Not a United Nations body.
  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides secretariat services to IPBES since 2013, at the request of the IPBES Plenary and with the authorization of the UNEP Governing Council.
• Membership: India is a member country.
• Governing Body:
  • IPBES Plenary made up of representatives of member States.
  • Meets once per year.
• Secretariat: Located in Bonn, Germany.

• The Iberian lynx, once one of the rarest cat species globally, has improved its status from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List.

About Iberian lynx:

• Endemic Species: One of two carnivore species endemic to Europe (other being European mink, Mustela lutreola).
• Characteristics:
  • World’s most endangered cat species.
  • Pointy ears, long legs, and leopard-like spotted fur.
• Behavior:
  • Generally nocturnal.
  • Activity patterns synchronized with major prey (rabbits).
• Habitat:
  • Requires variable terrain below 1300 m.
  • Prefers a mosaic of closed Mediterranean scrubland interspersed with open patches of grassland.
  • Often found in areas with marsh ecotones.
• Distribution:
  • Once widespread throughout the Iberian Peninsula.
  • Now sparsely distributed in Spain and Portugal.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
  • CITES: Appendix II.

• The Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development has urged state governments to encourage more farmers to register on the e-Samridhi portal to avail the facility of assured procurement.

About e-Samridhi Portal:

• Launched through:
  • National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED)
  • National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF)
• Purpose: Registration of farmers for government procurement of pulses at Minimum Support Prices (MSP).
• Portal Registration:
  • Can be done directly by farmers
  • Can be done through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)
• Payment:
  • Made by NAFED directly into the farmers’ mapped bank accounts
  • No intermediary agency involved

• A Pakistani delegation recently arrived in Jammu for ongoing discussions about the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT).

About IWT:

• Date of Signing: The Indus Water Treaty was signed on September 19, 1960.
• Signatories: The treaty was signed by India and Pakistan, with the World Bank acting as a third-party guarantor.
• Rivers Covered: The treaty governs the use of waters from the Indus River system, which includes six rivers:
  • The Indus, 
  • Jhelum, 
  • Chenab, 
  • Ravi, 
  • Beas, and 
  • Sutlej.
• Allocation of Rivers:
  • Eastern Rivers: India has exclusive rights over the waters of the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej.
  • Western Rivers: Pakistan has control over the waters of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab, although India is allowed limited use for agricultural, transport, and power generation purposes.
• Permanent Indus Commission: 
  • The treaty established the Permanent Indus Commission, comprising one commissioner from each country. 
  • The commission is tasked with the administration of the treaty and the resolution of disputes.
• Duration: The treaty has no expiration date and is intended to remain in force unless both countries agree to amend or terminate it.

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