ETEN Enlightens-Daily current capsules (Prelims Prominence) – 12th March 2018

First Founding Conference of International Solar Alliance (ISA)

New Delhi, (March 11, 2018)

The summit was attended by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio

Guterres, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Bangladesh

President Abdul Hamid among other dignitaries from over 50 countries.

One of the key takeaways at the 2015 Paris Climate summit 2015 (2015

UN Climate Change Conference, COP 21 or CMP 11),

(to be headquartered at Gurugram, India. Its major objectives entered into force

in December 2017)

ISA is aimed at tapping solar energy in the countries that lie partially or

fully between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

The summit aims to mobilise $1 trillion of investments needed by 2030

for massive deployment of solar energy, according to the ‘ISA Mission’

Efforts were under way to put together 121 projects, which can be signed

in two phases — about 50 on March 11 and another 71 on April 20.

Enlighten about ISA -

The ISA is the first treaty-based intergovernmental organisation to be

based in India that aims to help sunshine-rich developing countries to tap

solar energy at more affordable prices through aggregating both demand

and risks in order to bring down costs and secure investments of solar

developers.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and African Development Bank

(AfDb), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Asian

Development Bank (ADB), Green climate fund (GCF), and New

Development Bank (NDB)

signed Joint financial partnership Declarations.

The International Energy Agency (IEA)

signed Joint partnership Declaration with ISA.

No restrictions on membership in ISA

The membership of the body will be thrown open to all countries that

want to join the grouping

There will be no restrictions on duration of sunlight or geographical

location

Earlier when the International Solar Alliance was announced in 2015, 121

nations situated between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of

Capricorn and receiving 300 days of sunlight were deemed eligible for

membership

State Specific The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2018

Passed by the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly

What it is

death penalty for convicts involved in rape of girls below 12 years of age.

Enlighten about it -

The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2018 adds sections

376- AA and 376-DD to the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

The amendment states that a person who is convicted of

raping/gangraping a girl up to twelve years of age, shall be given a death

sentence or rigorous imprisonment, which shall not be less than fourteen

years and 20 years, respectively.

Rajasthan has become second state after Madhya Pradesh to award death

penalty and lifetime imprisonment to child rapists.

International agreements Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific

Partnership or CP TPP or TPP11

11 Pacific Rim countries formally entered into it without USA in

Santiago, Chile

It is revised version of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) proposed by US,

that was Finalized after US withdrew from it.

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacic Partnership

TPP11 includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia,

Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

It will be world’s third largest trade bloc after European Union (EU) and

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

It will come into effect 60 days after six of the 11 member countries

ratify the agreement domestically.

It eliminates some requirements of original TPP demanded by US,

including rules to ramp up intellectual property protection of

pharmaceuticals.

After the US withdrawal, remaining 11 countries had decided to forge

ahead regardless and finalized the agreement in January

Border Security First ever Crime free Zone

Along India – Bangladesh Border

Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have

declared an 8.3 km stretch of the Indo-Bangladesh border as a ‘crime-

free zone’.

Enlighten about The Crime-free zone

The stretch covers the Gunarmath and Kalyani Border Out Posts (BOPs)

in India and the Puthkhali and Daulatpur BOPs across the border.

Both border guarding forces with the help of the civil administrations of

the two countries, NGOs and the local populance will help in ensuring

that no crime takes place along the stretch.

This is a pilot project that will be reviewed after 5-6 months. The stretch

will be extended to other trouble-prone areas.

Renewable Energy Diu - The first and only Union Territory to be 100 % solar energy

efficient

Diu has become the first and only Union Territory to be fully solar energy

efficient.

Diu’s geographical area is limited only to 42 square kilometers,

despite the shortage of land, solar power plants have been installed at

over 50 acres of land.

A total of 13 megawatts of electricity from the solar power-generating

systems is generated, with 3MW generated by rooftop solar plants and

10MW by other solar power plants.

Agreement between IREDA and EIB

Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) and European

Investment Bank (EIB)

What -

EIB to finance Euro 150 million for renewable energy projects

Enlighten about European Investment Bank (EIB)

EIB is long-term lending institution of European Union owned by its

member states.

Engaged in multilateral financing and works closely with other EU

institutions to implement EU policy.

More than 90% of its activity is in Europe but it is also big investor

globally.

Enlighten about Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA)

Under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

for financing renewable and energy efficiency projects.

Sources – PIB,The Hindu, Toi,IE