Current Affairs 21 March 2024 for UPSC And State PSC Exam

Global Climate Report 2023

News- The State of the Global Climate report, recently released, identified 2023 as the warmest year ever recorded.

About

• The State of Global Climate Report 2023 is an annual publication by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
• Contributors to the report include UN organizations, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), Global Data and Analysis Centers, Regional Climate Centres, the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), the Global Cryosphere Watch, and the Copernicus Climate Change Service operated by ECMWF.

Key findings of the 2023 Report

• Recorded as the hottest year, with a global average near-surface temperature 1.45 °C above the pre-industrial baseline (margin of uncertainty: ± 0.12 °C).
• The last ten years were the warmest decade recorded.
• Nearly one-third of the global ocean experienced a marine heatwave on any given day in 2023, with over 90% of the ocean facing heatwave conditions at some point during the year.
• The reference glaciers saw their most significant ice loss on record since 1950, particularly due to extreme melt events in western North America and Europe.
• Renewable capacity additions rose by almost 50% from the previous year, totaling 510 gigawatts – the most significant increase in the last two decades.

About the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)

• A UN specialized agency, initially the International Meteorological Organization founded in 1873, established as WMO in 1950.
• Specializes in meteorology, operational hydrology, and related geophysical sciences.
• Headquarters located in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Membership includes 191 countries.

Governance Structure

• The supreme body, the World Meteorological Congress, includes all member representatives and convenes at least every four years to set policies and adopt regulations.
• A 36-member Executive Council, meeting annually to implement policy.
• The Secretariat, led by a secretary-general appointed for a four-year term, acts as the administrative center.

Barberton Greenstone Belt

News- Recently, researchers discovered evidence of some of the earliest recorded earthquakes within the Barberton Greenstone Belt.

About

• The Barberton Greenstone Belt is located on the eastern boundary of the Kaapvaal Craton in South Africa.
• Renowned for gold mineralization and komatiites, a unique type of ultramafic volcanic rock named for the Komati River.
• Hosts some of Earth’s oldest rocks, over 3.6 billion years old, in the Eswatini–Barberton areas, featuring early traces of life.
• The Isua Greenstone Belt in Western Greenland is the only location with older traces of life.
• The Makhonjwa Mountains constitute 40% of the Barberton belt.

Ultramafic Rocks

• Dark-colored igneous and meta-igneous rocks, rich in magnesium and iron minerals with low silica content.
• Compositionally, they contain over 90% mafic minerals.
• High in magnesium oxide (over 18% MgO) and iron oxide (FeO), with silica content under 45% and low potassium.
• Believed to compose the Earth’s mantle.
• Primarily found in orogenic belts, where mountain formation occurs.

European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act

News- Recently, the European Parliament cast a significant majority vote in support of the Artificial Intelligence Act.

About

• The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act is the world’s first comprehensive AI law.
• It establishes specific rules and guidelines to address risks associated with AI use in areas such as biometric authentication, facial recognition, healthcare, and deep fakes.
• The Act adopts a horizontal, risk-based approach applicable across various sectors of AI development.
• AI technology is classified into four risk categories: Prohibited, High-risk, Limited-risk, and Minimal-risk.
• Prohibited: Systems that violate human rights, like social scoring and mass surveillance, are banned.
• High-risk: Systems impacting life and rights, e.g., in biometric identification, education, health, and law enforcement, must adhere to stringent requirements including human oversight and security assessments.
• Limited-risk: Systems like chatbots and image-generation programs must disclose AI interaction to users and offer an opt-out.
• Minimal-risk: Common applications with negligible risk, such as spam filters and smart appliances, are exempt from regulation but must comply with existing laws.
• The Act applies to all companies operating within the EU, with penalties up to 7% of global turnover or €35 million (whichever is higher) for non-compliance.
• It grants consumers the right to lodge complaints about AI misuse by businesses and to obtain explanations for AI-driven decisions affecting their rights.

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