UPSC CSE Key – January 14, 2022: What you need to read today

Since 2019, loss in dense forests higher than gain in net cover

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change

Main Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the India State of Forest Report?

• India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021- Major Findings

• Other Significant Features of ISFR 2021 like the assessment of forest cover in the Tiger Reserves, Corridors and Lion conservation area of India

• New initiative by FSI like ‘Mapping of Climate Change Hotspots in Indian Forests’ and ‘Above Ground Biomass’ documented in IFSR 2021

• What do you understand by ‘Above Ground Biomass’?

• Maximum overall gain in forest cover-Top five States

• Significant losses of dense forests Cover-Bottom five States

• Know the basics- Very Dense Forest, Moderately Dense Forest, Open Forest, Scrub, tree canopy, Forest area and Forest cover

• Why North-Eastern States have been losing forest cover consistently?

• India’s national forest policy-What is the forest cover target set by India?

• Forest Survey of India-About, Role and Under which Ministry?

• Compare both Report (Major Findings)-India State of Forest Report (ISFR), 2019 and India State of Forest Report (ISFR), 2021

• Map Work-Locate top five and bottom five states, Tiger Reserves mentioned in IFSR 2021

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Forest Survey report 2021

📍 Explained: Takeaways from Forest Report

📍 Forest Survey Report 2021: 11 states have lost forest cover; 21 have lost good forests

📍 Forest Cover and Forest Area

📍 Forest Survey Report 2021: 11 states have lost forest cover; 21 have lost good forests

📍 Every northeastern state reports loss in forest cover: State of India’s Forest Report 2021

📍 Forest Survey Report 2021: India’s mountainous states, already facing climate change, lose forest cover

THE CITY

‘Desh ke mentor’: NCPCR seeks to halt initiative, AAP hits back

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Main Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Desh k Mentor-Know About the Scheme

• Know about National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)-Constitutional Body or Statutory Body?

• What is National Education Alliance for Technology (NEAT) initiative?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)

📍 To future with hope: government scheme helps bridge a technical gap

📍 National Education Alliance for Technology (NEAT)

GOVT & POLITICS

US ‘Discouraging’ India from Acquiring Russian S-400 Missile Systems

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination:

General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

General Studies III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications

Key Points to Ponder:

• Know about S-400 Triumf Missile System

• The S-400 ‘Triumf’ missile systems and Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions’ Act (CAATSA)-What is the main Issue?

• What do you understand by ‘Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act’?

• Why India needs S-400 Triumf Missile System?

• Russian S-400 air defence system Vs Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Explained: S-400 purchase & implications

📍 S-400 missile systems: A booster dose with side effects

📍 What is CAATSA, and how did the S-400 deal fall foul of this Act?

📍 Russian S-400 air defence system Vs American Patriot Vs THAAD: Know more

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

A social line of control

Syllabus:

Main Examination:

• General Studies I: Salient features of Indian Society, Role of women and women’s organization

• General Studies IV: Ethics and Human Interface, Attitude and Case Studies

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is GitHub and BullyBai Controversy?

• Women’s Rights Issues and Social Media

• Women’s Safety on Social Media-Laws Against Cyber Crime

• Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals

• Social Media and Women Empowerment

• Youth in India and growing hatred towards particular race, religion, sex, Caste and Creed

• Growing hatred towards particular Religion and their followers in the country (present Situation) and Article 15
of the Constitution

• Impact of Media and Social Media on Youth

• Demography of Youngsters in India-Issues and Challenges

• Youth, attitude towards women in Indian Society and violent extremism on social media

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Youth and violent extremism on social media

📍 Bulli Bai is latest example of harassment women face online

📍 Explained: What is
GitHub, at the centre of online sexual harassment probe?

📍 Unsocial Media: Inclusion, Representation, and Safety for Women on Social Networking Platforms

THE IDEAS PAGE

Perils of a single-issue election

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity

Main Examination: General Studies II: Parliament and State legislatures and Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What do you understand by ‘Personality Cult or Cult of Personality’?

• Emergence of Personality politics and Democracy in India-Analyse from Post-Independence to present Situation

• Emergence of personality as the focal point of Indian politics-Issues and Challenges for the Vibrant Democracy
like India

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 The return of the personality cult

📍 What Is a Cult of Personality?

THE WORLD

Russia says Ukraine talks hit ‘dead end’, Poland warns of risk of war

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points to Ponder:

• Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)-About, Member Countries, Mandate and Headquarters

• Where is Ukraine-Locate on Map

• USA-Russia and Ukraine Crisis

• Russia’s Demand/Proposals-Key Highlights

• 2014 Crimean crisis

• Strategic Location of Crimea-why it matters to Russia?

• Ukraine, NATO, USA and Russia- where is this Heading?

• Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty (Collective Security)

• India’s stand in Ukraine Crisis

• India and Ukraine-Bilateral Relations

• How India can help US and Russia to maintain ‘Peace’ in this Conflict?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

📍 Ukraine crisis: Risks remain as Russia and West talk

📍 Explained: What happened at the NATO-Russia Council talks?

📍 Quixplained: What’s happening between Russia and Ukraine?

ECONOMY

India, UK kick off FTA talks, will avoid ‘sensitive issues’

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or
affecting India’s Interest

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?

• Know about other types of trade agreements like Bilateral investment treaty (BIT), Preferential Trade Area, Single market, Customs Union etc.

• What is Definition of trade given by WTO?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 What Is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?

📍 What Is the World Trade Organization?

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