1- DEC- 2015
1) The
United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference or the 21st United
Nations Conference of the Parties (COP21) started at Paris on 30 November 2015.
This ambitious and historic conference aims to unite around 150 nations for a
single agreement on tackling climate change. What is one of the most important
proposed targets for this conference? – To cap the rate of global
warming at 2 degrees Celsius
Explanation: COP21
aims to cap the rate of global warming at 2 degrees Celsius, as compared to the
current 2.5 to 3.76 degrees Celsius. This will be done by, among other things,
reducing dependence on fossil fuels and shifting towards cleaner energies such
as wind or solar power.
However, scientists say even a 2 degrees Celsius rise
in global temperature will mean faster melting of glaciers and polar ice caps
and a corresponding rise in sea level that will gobble up land.
Last year, the global carbon emissions were the
highest ever. China
is considered the biggest polluter, followed by the US, the
European Union, India, Russia and Japan.
2) During
COP21, the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, 21 countries including India
launched an ambitious initiative to double their clean energy research and
development budget over the next five years as part of global efforts to tackle
climate change. What is the name of this mission under which the countries
pledged $20 billion to promote clean technologies? – ‘Mission
Innovation’
Explanation: Under
‘Mission Innovation’ each participating country will seek to double it’s
governmental and/or state-directed clean energy research and development
investment over five years.
The countries participating in the new initiative
include: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, France, Germany,
India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Republic of Korea, Saudi
Arabia, Sweden, the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland), the United
Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States of America (USA).
In addition to 21 countries that launched the
initiative, other countries will be encouraged to join in the future.
The formal announcement of ‘Mission Innovation’ was
made during COP21 at a meeting attended by US President Barack Obama, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande along with
other leaders. (Photo Courtesy: Mission-Innovation.net)
3) India
launched which polio vaccine on 30 November 2015 with the ambitious objective
of pushing for completely ending polio menace from the country? –Inactivated
Polio Vaccine (IPV)
Explanation: The
Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV), in injectable form, was launched under the
National Immunization Programme (NIP) on 30 November 2015. The launch of IPV
marks a shift in addressing vaccine derived poliovirus cases. IPV, which uses
killed polio viruses, will be used alongside the oral polio vaccine (OPV). With
its launch India is trying to push for the so-called “endgame polio” mission.
The IPV uses killed polio viruses and when used in
combination with OPV can quickly boost immunity against poliovirus and offer
double protection. Till date, India, like many other countries, has been
relying on an OPV campaign-style programme several times a year to keep the
naturally-occurring wild polioviruses at bay.
For now, immunization using IPV will be restricted to
Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. In
the first quarter of 2016, it will be expanded to the other Northern and
Northeastern States and in the second quarter, will encompass the five southern
States and Maharashtra.
It is worth mentioning that no new cases of polio have
been reported in India for around 5 years now.
4) What
was the GDP growth rate of the Indian economy during the second quarter
(July-September) of 2015-16, as disclosed in the data released by the Central
Statistics Office (CSO) on 30 November 2015? – 7.4%
Explanation: India’s
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for the three-month period ended 30
September 2015 stood at 7.4% as compared with 7% in the previous quarter
(April-June 2015) and 8.4% in the same quarter last year. Growth is thus
tracking as per RBI’s trajectory of between 7-7.5% for the full year.
Manufacturing growth during the quarter was 9.3%,
against 7.2% in the previous quarter. The agricultural sector grew 2.2%,
against 1.9%.
With these figures being disclosed, there is likely to
be a downward revision in official GDP growth estimates for the full financial
year 2015-16.
5) Which
country won the Davis Cup title for 2015 on 29 November 2015 and thus became
title holders of this prestigious tennis team title after a gap of 79 years?
– Great Britain
Explanation: Andy
Murray led Great Britain to its first Davis Cup title since 1936 after
defeating hosts Belgium by 3-1 in the finals played at Ghent. In the first
reverse-singles on 29 November, Murray defeated Belgium’s David Goffin by 6-3,
7-5, 6-3 to give his country a great tennis gift. Earlier Andy had partnered
his elder brother Jamie Murray to victory in the doubles on 28 November.
Belgium had hosted Britain in the final from 27 to 29
November 2015 in a repeat of their 1904 final when the Britons won 5-0 at
Wimbledon. Belgium had reached its first Davis Cup final since 1904 when in
September 2015 they had defeated Argentina by 3-2. On the other hand Britain
had defeated arch-rivals Australia 3-2 in the semis.
Davis Cup is the most prestigious men’s team tennis
championship and is often called the “World Cup of tennis”. It is run by the
International Tennis Federation (ITF) and is contested annually between teams
from competing countries in a knock-out format.
6) Mercedes’
Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) officially won the Formula One (F1) championship
for 2015 with the conclusion of the final race of year on 29 November 2015. He
however, was unable to win this last F1 Grand Prix, the Abu Dhabi GP. Who won
this race? – Nico Rosberg
Explanation: Lewis
Hamilton’s teammate Nico Rosberg won the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
with Hamilton finishing second. Rosberg thus ended his 2015 season in triumph
when he completed a hat-trick of victories in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of
world champion Lewis Hamilton. This was Rosberg’s sixth title win of the year.
But Hamilton still secured his third drivers’ title as
he had taken an unassailable lead at last month’s United States Grand Prix.
Hamilton won 10 titles during the year. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel (Germany)
finished at third spot.
2 dec 2015
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