Geography, Mapping, Ecology & Environment
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM):
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- Context: Indian exporters of iron and steel to EU face the highest CBAM levy of about €301 million.
- It was introduced by the European Union (EU) as part of its European Green Deal and Fit for 55 climate packages.
- Its purpose is to prevent carbon leakage — the shifting of carbon-intensive industries to countries with weaker climate policies.
- To ensure that imported goods face the same carbon costs as goods produced within the EU.
- Mechanism: Imports of certain carbon-intensive products (like steel, cement, aluminium, fertilizers, electricity, hydrogen, etc.) must pay a carbon price based on their embedded emissions.
- The cost is aligned with the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) carbon price.
- Implementation Timeline:
- Transitional phase: Began in October 2023 (reporting-only phase; importers report emissions but do not pay).
- Full implementation: From January 2026, importers will be required to purchase CBAM certificates.
- Impact on India: Could affect Indian exports of steel, aluminium, cement, and fertilizers to the EU.
- Encourages Indian industries to adopt cleaner production and carbon accounting measures.
- Legal Basis: CBAM complies with WTO principles under the justification of environmental protection, though some developing countries view it as a trade barrier.
- Broader Significance:
- Promotes global carbon pricing convergence.
- Encourages climate responsibility beyond EU borders.
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Science & Technology
Google’s new AI finds promising approach for cancer treatment:
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- Opening a portal to a new approach to drug discovery, Google unveiled a family of artificial intelligence tools that proposed a drug combination for detecting cancer that human experts did not know about, which seemed effective in laboratory conditions.
- The Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B (C2S-Scale) is a 27-billion-parameter foundation model designed to understand the language of individual cells.
- “C2S-Scale generated a novel hypothesis about cancer cellular behaviour, and we have since confirmed its prediction with experimental validation in living cells. This discovery reveals a promising new pathway for developing therapies to fight cancer.”
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Defence & Security
Hybrid warfare:
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- It refers to a blend of conventional and unconventional tactics, combining military force with non-military tools like cyberattacks, disinformation, economic pressure, and proxy warfare.
- Aims to achieve strategic goals without open war or clear attribution of aggression.
- Core Features: Combines military force, cyberattacks, propaganda, and economic pressure to create confusion and destabilization.
- Blurs the line between peace and war, state and non-state actors.
- Examples:
- Russia–Crimea (2014): Use of unmarked troops, cyberattacks, and disinformation.
- Election interference and cyber campaigns worldwide.
- Relevance to India:
- Faces hybrid threats from cross-border terrorism, cyberattacks, and misinformation.
- Needs stronger cybersecurity, intelligence coordination, and public awareness.
- Response Strategy: Build multi-domain defense and information resilience to counter hybrid threats.
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Terms in news
Dopamine fasting:
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- Concept: A self-control practice that involves temporarily avoiding activities that give quick pleasure (like social media, gaming, junk food, or entertainment).
- Purpose: To reduce overstimulation of the brain’s reward system and restore focus, motivation, and emotional balance.
- Origin: Popularized in Silicon Valley (around 2019) as a behavioural technique inspired by neuroscience and mindfulness.
- Scientific View: Dopamine cannot literally be “fasted,” but the practice helps in resetting habits and promoting mindful behavior.
- Criticism: Misinterpreted by some as total sensory deprivation; experts emphasize moderation, not abstinence.
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PRACTICE MCQ’S
Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM):
1. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism has been introduced by the European Union to prevent carbon leakage and promote fair carbon pricing on imports.
2. During its transitional phase, importers are required to purchase CBAM certificates based on their carbon emissions.
3. The mechanism initially covers sectors like steel, cement, aluminium, fertilizers, electricity, and hydrogen.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: CBAM was introduced by the EU to prevent carbon leakage and ensure imported goods face the same carbon cost as domestic goods.
Statement 2 is incorrect: During the transitional phase (Oct 2023–Dec 2025), importers only report emissions; purchasing CBAM certificates will begin from January 2026.
Statement 3 is correct: CBAM initially applies to carbon-intensive sectors such as steel, cement, aluminium, fertilizers, electricity, and hydrogen.
Q2. Which of the following best describes Hybrid Warfare?
a) Use of only conventional military force for short, decisive wars.
b) A combination of conventional military tactics with cyber, informational, and economic tools to achieve strategic goals without open conflict.
c) Deployment of nuclear weapons alongside traditional military operations.
d) Use of peacekeeping missions to manage post-conflict situations.
Answer: B
Explanation:
A combination of conventional military tactics with cyber, informational, and economic tools to achieve strategic goals without open conflict.
Q3. Consider the following statements regarding Dopamine Fasting:
1. Dopamine fasting is a behavioural practice aimed at reducing overstimulation of the brain’s reward system by temporarily avoiding pleasurable activities.
2. It involves the complete elimination of dopamine production in the brain for a certain period to reset motivation levels.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: A
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: Dopamine fasting helps reduce overstimulation by avoiding activities that trigger instant gratification (e.g., social media, junk food).
Statement 2 is incorrect: It is not possible to stop dopamine production; the practice focuses on Behavioral control, not biochemical fasting.
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