DAILY GK 7 JULY 2024

 DAILY GK 7 JULY 2024 

1.       6^TH EAS CONFERENCE ON MARITIME SECURITY COOPERATION

·         India hosted the 6th East Asia Summit (EAS) Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

·         The Conference was organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India (GoI), in partnership with the Governments of Australia and Indonesia.

·         The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-India Centre (AIC) at Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and the National Maritime Foundation (NMF) collaborated as Knowledge Partners for the Conference.

 

2.       UNESCO DESIGNATED 11 NEW BIOSPHERE RESERVES

·         United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has designated 11 new Biosphere Reserves (BR) in 11 countries including 2 transboundary biosphere reserves.

·         For the 1st time biosphere reserves from Belgium and Gambia were included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

·         Now, the World Network of Biosphere Reserves consists of total 759 sites in 136 countries including 24 transboundary sites.

·         These newly approved biosphere reserves covers a total area of 37,400 square kilometer (km2) which is equivalent to the size of the Netherlands.

·         Kempen-Broek tansboundary BR (between Belgium and Kingdom of the Netherlands) and Julian Alps transboundary BR (between Italy and Slovenia) were the only 2 transboundary BRs among the 11 new BRs approved by UNESCO.

·         UNESCO Director-General- Audrey Azoulay

·         Headquarters– Paris, France

·         Member Nations- 194 member states and 12 associate members

·         Established–1945

 

3.       MINISTRY OF CULTURE INITIATES PROJECT PARI

·         The Ministry of Culture (MoC) has initiated Project PARI (Public Art of India) ahead of the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee(WHC), which is scheduled to be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi

·         First time, India is set to chair and host the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s WHC.

·         Project PARI initiative is executed by the Lalit Kala Akademi and National Gallery of Modern Art.

Under this project, More than 150 visual artists from across India have come together to create various wall paintings, murals, sculptures and installation.

·         Ministry of Culture Union Minister- Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Constituency-Jodhpur, Rajasthan)

 

4.       INDIA’S SIGNING OF BIODIVERSITY BEYOND NATIONAL JURISDICTION AGREEMENT

·         Union Cabinet of India, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the signing of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement or ‘High Seas Treaty’, an international treaty under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

·         The BBNJ Agreement, agreed upon in March 2023, is open for signature for 2 years starting September 2023.

·         It will become a legally binding international treaty 120 days after the 60th ratification.

·         As of June 2024, 91 countries have signed, and 8 countries (Belize, Chile, Cuba, Mauritius, Micronesia, Monaco, Palau and Seychelles) have ratified the agreement.

·         This agreement aims to conserve and sustainably utilize marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, known as the High Seas.

·         It also aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and aims to ensure the equitable sharing of benefits from marine resources.

·         The BBNJ Agreement is the third implementation under UNCLOS, complementing the 1994 Part XI Implementation Agreement on exploration and extraction of mineral resources in the international seabed area and the 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement on conserving and managing straddling and migratory fish stocks.

·         UNCLOS Adopted in 1982 and effective from 1994, UNCLOS is crucial for maritime boundaries, marine resources, and dispute resolution, with over 160 ratifying countries.

·         It establishes the International Seabed Authority (ISA), headquartered at Kingston, Jamaica to regulate mining and related activities in High Seas.

 

5.       1ST STATE TO ADOPT  A ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN FOR 10 YEARS

·         Rajasthan is all set to become the 1st state in India to adopt an action plan for road safety for the next 10 years. 

·         The proposed action plan aimed at reducing road accidents in the state by 50% till 2030.

·         The World Bank (WB) would provide assistance to the Government of Rajasthan in the preparation of an action plan and safety plan by incorporating the best practices adopted in different countries.

·         As per the draft, the action plan will be implemented in 3 phases.

·         The phase 1 will be implemented between 2025 till 2027.

·         It will focus on safety audits of 500 kilometer (km) of state highways and major district roads.

·         The phase-2 of action plan will be implemented from 2027 till 2030 and will focus on the reduction of 50% of road accident fatalities which is in line with United Nations (UN)’s Second Decade of Action for Road Safety.

·         The phase-3 of action plan will be implemented from 2030 till 2033 and will focus on the reduction of 75% of road accident fatalities.

·         Rajasthan  Chief Minister (CM) – Bajan Lal Sharma

·         Deputy CMs- Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa

·         Governor- Kalraj Mishra