daily Gist of the hindu -4 dec 2024

Reflections on Baku’s ‘NCQG outcome

 Article Published : The Hindu ( 043/12/2024)

Important for –GS 3

Gist/ Summary of the Article:

Gist of the Article: Urgency for Stronger Climate Commitments at COP 29

Climate Change Crisis:

• The IPCC stresses the urgency of limiting global warming to 5°C above pre-industrial levels.
• Current policies, if unchanged, could lead to a temperature rise of up to 1°C, threatening global ecosystems and livelihoods.

Visible Impacts and Emerging Solutions:

• The devastating impacts of climate change are now evident across geographies, necessitating accelerated action.
• Cleaner fuels and innovative technologies are emerging, but their deployment requires a stronger focus on means of implementation, including financing, capacity building, and technology transfer.

COP 29 in Focus:

• Held in Baku, Azerbaijan, November 2024, and dubbed the “Finance COP,” the conference centered on mobilizing climate finance.
• A significant expectation was placed on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) to address the funding gap and enable large-scale mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Hope for Ambitious Outcomes:

• Strong outcomes from COP 29 were anticipated, aligning global financing mechanisms with the urgency of the climate crisis.
• This included commitments from developed countries to meet or exceed the $100 billion annual climate finance target and bolster support for vulnerable nations.

Key Takeaway:

The article underscores the critical need for robust financial commitments and collaborative global action to combat the escalating climate crisis. COP 29 serves as a pivotal moment to align climate finance with the scale of the challenge, particularly for developing nations and vulnerable communities.

Coastal Erosion in India: A Growing Crisis

Article Published : The Hindu/Indian express/PIB ( 03/12/2024)

Important for –GS 1/GS 3/

Gist/ Summary of the Article:

A recent Lok Sabha session highlighted that 33.6% of India’s coastline is under threat from erosion, emphasizing the need for robust coastal management.

India’s Coastline:

• Spanning over 7,500 km, India’s coast includes 9 states, 2 UTs, and 66 coastal districts.
• Coastal morphology: 43% sandy beaches, 11% rocky coasts, 36% muddy flats, 10% marshy areas, 97 estuaries, and 34 lagoons.

Extent of Erosion:

• 6% of the coastline faces erosion, while 26.9% shows accretion, and 39.6% remains stable (NCCR data).

State-wise highlights:

Karnataka: 48.4% of Dakshina Kannada’s coastline eroded.

West Bengal: 60.5% erosion, especially in the Sundarbans.

Kerala: 46.4% of the coastline eroded.

Tamil Nadu: 42.7% of the coastline affected.

Causes of Coastal Erosion:

Natural Factors:

• Wave action, sea-level rise, storm surges, and cyclones.

Anthropogenic Factors:

• Coastal development, illegal sand mining, and deforestation of mangroves.

Impacts:

• Loss of land affecting agriculture and housing.
• Displacement of communities, causing socio-economic challenges.
• Infrastructure damage to roads, bridges, and buildings.
• Biodiversity loss in mangroves, coral reefs, and wetlands.

Mitigation Measures:

Policy Initiatives:

• Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP) in Gujarat, Odisha, and West Bengal.
• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification (2019) with no-development zones (NDZ).
• Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) and multi-hazard vulnerability maps by INCOIS.

Innovative Engineering:

• Artificial reefs, eco-friendly breakwaters, and geo-tube installations (e.g., Odisha’s Pentha village).

Ecosystem-Based Solutions:

• Mangrove plantations and shelterbelt vegetation to stabilize coastlines.
• Community and Awareness:
• Community-driven conservation and education campaigns on coastal ecosystem importance.

Conclusion:

• Addressing coastal erosion requires a multi-faceted approach combining scientific research, community involvement, and sustainable development to safeguard India’s coastal ecosystems and livelihoods.

Let’s talk about AI in academia

Article Published : The Indian Express ( 04/12/2024)

 Important for -GS2/GS 3

Gist/ Summary of the Article:

A recent petition filed by a law student before the Punjab and Haryana High Court against a private university for failing him in a course raises important questions regarding generative AI (GenAI) use in academia and research.

The university failed the student because he used AI-generated materials to submit responses in an examination. The student challenged the decision on several grounds, including lack of sufficient evidence and violation of principles of natural justice. As the university later informed the Court that they had passed him, it disposed of the petition.

Ethical and Academic Challenges: The use of GenAI tools in academia raises ethical issues about how to fairly and consistently navigate their role in education and research. While they can enhance learning, improper use may undermine educational goals.

Institutional Responses: Many Indian institutions are either sticking to traditional evaluation methods or over-relying on AI detection tools like Turnitin, which have reliability concerns, especially when AI-generated content is edited by humans.

Reliability of AI Detection Tools: AI detection tools have high false positive rates and are less reliable when AI-generated drafts are modified by users. The decision on academic malpractice should be made by subject matter experts rather than relying solely on machine-generated reports.

Institution-Level Dialogues: Institutions should initiate discussions to define what constitutes permissible AI assistance, creating both general and discipline-specific guidelines to avoid inadvertent misuse by students and researchers.

Oral Examinations: To mitigate AI misuse, institutions should supplement written assessments with oral examinations. This requires additional time and resources from faculty, which should be factored into workload planning.

AI Disclosure Norms: Students and researchers should disclose the AI tools they used in their work and their specific purposes. Inquiry committees should base decisions on these disclosures and institutional guidelines, with students maintaining records of their work and modifications.

Revisiting Incentive Structures: Policymakers should reconsider the emphasis on publications in academia, which can lead to a publish-or-perish culture. A shift towards valuing quality over quantity would help foster better scientific communication and evaluation.

Comprehensive Reforms: There is a need for comprehensive reforms to balance the opportunities and challenges posed by GenAI, creating an academic environment that integrates technology responsibly while maintaining integrity.