UAE Hosted the 28th UNFCCC COP: Advancing Global Climate Action
- The 28th edition of Conference of Parties (COP) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) held in Dubai, UAE (United Arabs of Emirates). The annual climate summit was held fromNovember 30, 2023 to December12, 2023. The summit witnessed the participation of more than 70,000delegates from nearly 200 countries.
- Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry andAdvanced Technology and UAE Special Envoyfor Climate Changes served as President ofCOP28.
- UN Climate Change conferences (or COPs) takeplace every year, and are the world’s onlymultilateral decision-making forum on climatechange with almost complete membership ofevery country in the world.
- India is the 3rd highest emitter of Carbon Dioxidefrom Fossil Fuels.
- Global Climate Report declared 2023 as HottestYear on Record
- 7th edition of Yearbook of Global Climate Actionreleased at UNFCC COP28 in Dubai, UAE
- CHD Group, Manguluru based global health organization will lead an international delegation at theCOP28 meeting of UNFCCC in Dubai.
- UAE inaugurated the 2-GW (Gigawatt) Al Dhafra Solar Photovoltaic Independent Power Project ,theworld’s largest single-site solar power plant
VINBAX-2023: 4th Joint Military Exercise between India & Veitnam held in Hanoi
VINBAX-2023, the 4th edition of Joint Military Exercise isbeing held between India and Vietnam in Hanoi, Vietnam from11th to 21st December 2023.
Key Points:
- The exercise is conducted as Command Post Exercise andField Training Exercise, emphasizing the deployment and use ofan Engineer Company and a Medical Team.
- The exercise involve rehearsing tactics, techniques, andprocedures for combat engineering and medical tasks.
- There will be exchange of ideas on modern methods toconstruct roads, culverts, helipads, ammunition shelter andobservation posts in operational areas.
- The Exercise ends with a Validation showcasing bothcontingents’ standards through UN-akin technical military operations.
RITES signed Pact with Mozambique Ports and Railways for Supply of 10 DieselLocomotives
RITES Limited (formerly known as Rail India Technical and Economic Service Limited), a Navratna andSchedule ‘A’ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Railways (MoR) has enteredinto an agreement with Mozambique Ports and Railways.
Key Points:
- As per the agreement, RITES will supply 10 diesel locomotives along with incidental services to CFM Mozambique.
- The contract is valued at USD 37.68 million (approximatelyRs 314.1 crores)
About RITES Limited:
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)– Rahul Mithal
Headquarter– Gurugram, Haryana
Established in – 1974
World’s first liquid oxygen-methane powered launch vehicle “Zhuque-2 Y-3” launchedby China
- China-based private space technology firm, LandSpace Technology Corporation, successfully launchedthe Zhuque-2 Y-3, the world’s first liquid oxygenmethanepowered launch vehicle, carrying 3 satellites,from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, InnerMongolia region, China.
- With this, LandSpace became the World’s firstcompany to launch satellites using a rocket fueled byMethane and liquid oxygen.
- China-based Beijing Interstellar Glory SpaceTechnology Ltd., also known as iSpace, has launched“Hyperbola-2”, fuelled by methane–liquid oxygen,from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China
- With this, iSpace completed China’s first reusablelaunch vehicle test
About China:
President– Xi Jinping
Capital– Beijing
Currency– Renminbi (Chinese Yuan)
Former President Ram Nath Kovind Launches Book Titled “Naye Bharat ka Samveda”Authored by PM Narendra Modi
Former(14th) President of India Ram Nath Kovind launched a booktitled “Naye Bharat ka Samveda” in an event held in IndiraGandhi National Centre for the Arts(IGNCA), New Delhi, Delhi.
Key Points:
- The book was authored by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi.
- The book is a compilation of speeches of Narendra Modi on theIndian Constitution.
- The book is published by Prabhat Prakashan Private Limited.
International Mountain Day 2023- December 11
The United Nations (UN) International Mountain Day is annually observed across the globe on 11December to create awareness about the importance ofmountains to life.The theme of International Mountain Day 2023 is“Restoring Mountain Ecosystems”.The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN(FAO) is the coordinating agency for the preparationand animation of this celebration and it is mandated tolead observance globally.
Key Points:
- International Mountain Day has its origins in 1992 when the adoption of Chapter 13 of Agenda 21, titled“Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development,” at the UN Conference onEnvironment and Development (UNCED).It is often known as the Earth Summit, which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to recognise the importantrole of mountains in sustainable development.
- The increasing attention to the importance of mountains led the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) to declare 2002 as the International Year of Mountains (IYM2002).UNGA also adopted the resolution A/RES/57/245 and declared 11 December as International Mountain Day,as of 11 December 2003.
- The first-ever International Mountain Day was observed on 11 December 2003
Universal Health Coverage Day 2023- December 12
The United Nations (UN) Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) is annually observed across theglobe on 12 December to raise awareness about the importance of strongand resilient health systems in achieving universal health coverage andto celebrate the progress towards health for all.The 2023 UHC global campaign theme is, “Health For All: Time forAction.”
Key Points:
- The Universal Health Coverage Day was first organised on 12December 2014 by the Universal Health Coverage Coalition.
- On 12 December 2017, the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/72/138 and proclaimed the 12December of every year as International Universal Health Coverage(UHC) Day.
- The first-ever official UN-designated International UHC Day wasobserved on 12 December 2018.