GS PAPER – III

Climate Change and Health Centre by ADB

Why in news?

India to open climate change and health hub in New Delhi in partnership with ADB in 2024.

• The hub will focus on:
  • Understanding the impact of climate change on health;
  • Developing strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change on health;
  • Building climate-resilient health systems.
• The hub will also work to:
  • Promote collaboration between different stakeholders; Share knowledge and best practices; Advocate for climate action.
• India has committed to prioritizing climate-resilient health systems development. The hub is a significant step towards achieving this goal.

About the Asian Development Bank(ADB):

• ADB, was established in 1966 and is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.
• It aims to promote social and economic development in Asia and the Pacific.Largest Shareholders: Japan and the United States (each with 15.6% of total shares), the People’s Republic of China (6.4%), India (6.3%), and Australia (5.8%).
• It is headquartered in Manila, Philippines.

Do You Know?

• The first WHO Centre for Global Traditional Medicine (WHO GCTM) will be set up in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India

GS PAPER – III

August 23: National Space Day and SHIV SHAKTI POINT

Why in news?

Recently the Prime Minister of India declared August 23, the day the Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module touched down on the lunar surface, as National Space Day.

More About the News:

• He also announced the naming of the Chandrayaan-3 landing site as Shiv Shakti Point and the crash site of the failed Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019 as Tiranga Point.
• The Prime Minister said that the Moon landing was a turning point in India’s position as a space-faring nation in the world.

Significance of the move:

• It will commemorate the remarkable achievement of Chandrayaan-3’s landing on the Moon.
• This will motivate the scientists and engineers of ISRO and appreciate India’s scientific spirit, technology, and scientific temperament.

International Conventions for Space Exploration:

• Outer Space Treaty, 1967: It establishes the principle that outer space is the province of all mankind and that no country can claim sovereignty over any part of it. The treaty also prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in outer space.
• Rescue Agreement, 1968: It provides for the rescue and return of astronauts and space objects in distress.
• Liability Convention, 1972: This treaty was adopted in 1972 and establishes liability for damage caused by space objects.
• Registration Convention, 1975: This requires countries to register all space objects before they launch.

Moon Agreement 1979:

• The Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Moon Agreement), 1979: It establishes specific rules for the exploration and use of the Moon.
• It prohibits the militarization of the Moon and the exploitation of its resources without the consent of all countries.
• The Moon Agreement has not been ratified by many countries, including the United States, Russia, and China.
• India has not ratified the Moon Agreement. It signed the agreement in 1982 but has not yet ratified it. However, it is still considered to be an important part of international space law.

These treaties are important because they help to ensure that the exploration and use of the Moon is conducted in a safe and responsible manner. They also help to promote international cooperation in space exploration.

GS PAPER – III

Crew-7 astronauts reach ISS after successful launch

Why in news?

Four astronauts from four countries, including the US, Denmark, Japan, and Russia, launched aboard a SpaceX rocket to the International Space Station (ISS) a day later.

• They will replace four astronauts living at the ISS since March, and stay there for the next six months.

The Internation Space Station:

• • The Crew-7 mission is a result of the ongoing cooperation among different countries in space, especially since the launch of the space station in 1998.
  • The International Space Station Program involves the US, Russia, Canada, Japan, and the participating countries of the European Space Agency, and is one of the most ambitious international collaborations ever attempted.
• The mission:
  • During their stay at the space station, the Crew-7 astronauts will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations to prepare for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
  • The research will include a collection of microbial samples from the exterior of the space station. The team will also analyse how sleeping in the microgravity environment differs from Earth by examining astronauts’ brain waves while they sleep.

Analysis:

• The Crew-7 mission is a significant milestone in the ongoing international cooperation in space. The astronauts will conduct important research that will help us prepare for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

GS PAPER – II

Neeraj Chopra Won Gold at World Athletics Championships

Why in news?

Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra wrote his name in the history books yet again after winning the gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary with the official mascot, a Racka, called Youhuu.

• He recorded a best throw of 88.17m.
• This was his second medal at the championships, after he had won the silver medal at Eugene, United States in 2022.

Other Medals & Awards Won by Neeraj Chopra:

• Gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
• Silver medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States.
• In 2021, he also received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.
• Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra received the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India.

The World Athletics Championships (until 2019 known as the World Championships in Athletics) are a biennial athletics competition organized by World Athletics.