Dec 01

Climate Conference begins

The 2015 United Nations climate change conference started on 30 Nov 2015 in Paris.

•      From 30 Nov to 11 Dec
•      195 nations
•      40000 delegates

COP 21

• It is the 21^st yearly session of Conference of Parties [COP] i.e COP 21 to the United Nations Framework on Climate change
• It is also the 11th session meeting of Parties  of  1997 Kyoto protocol

Aim of COP 21

To  achieve a legally  binding  and  universal agreement to climate with an aim to keep Global warming below  2degree C

Main Focus

The overarching goal of the Convention is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the global temperature increase to 2 °C above pre-industrial levels

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international environmental treaty negotiated at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992, then entered into force on 21 March 1994.                                                                                                                                                                    
• The UNFCCC was adopted on 9 May 1992, and opened for signature on 4 June 1992
• The framework sets no binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual countries and contains no enforcement mechanisms. Instead, the framework outlines how specific international treaties (called "protocols") may be negotiated to set binding limits on greenhouse gases
• One of the first tasks set by the UNFCCC was for signatory nations to establish national greenhouse gas inventories of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals, which were used to create the 1990 benchmark levels for accession of Annex I countries to the Kyoto Protocol and for the commitment of those countries to GHG reductions. Updated inventories must be regularly submitted by Annex I countries.

Objective

To "stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”

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China hosts first BRICS Media Summit

China has taken the initiative for creating an alternative media platform for the emerging economies by hosting the first media summit of countries belonging to the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) grouping.

                                   
                                  
A total of 25 media organisations are participating in Tuesday’s summit, which hopes to create a new institutional framework that would be tailored to benefit the media of five emerging economies, which have deep linkages with the Global South.

BRICS

·        

• BRICS is a grouping of 5 major economies of the world. Brazil – Russia – India – China – South Africa
• The grouping was originally known as "BRIC" before the inclusion of South Africa in 2010.
• The BRICS members are all developing or  newly industrialised countries, but they are distinguished by their large, fast-growing economies and significant influence on regional and global affairs;
• Since 2009, the BRICS nations have met annually at formal summits
• Russia currently holds the chair of the BRICS group, and hosted the group's seventh summit in July 2015.

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Prime Minister of India launches International Solar Alliance

PM of India launched an International Solar Alliance (ISA) at the CoP21 Climate Conference at Paris on Monday

International Solar Alliance (ISA)

This is an alliance that brings together developed and developing countries, governments and industries, laboratories and institutions, in a common enterprise.
ISA seeks to share collective ambitions to reduce the cost of finance and technology that is needed to deploy solar power widely.

Details

• The new body, which has invited all countries located fully or partly between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn to join, is to function from the National Institute of Solar Energy in India, Gurgaon
• The union government will provide land and $30 million to form a secretariat for the Alliance 
• India will support operations for five years, and together all will raise long terms funds to achieve our prescribed goals

Tasks

 The Alliance would pursue areas such as

• Cooperation in training
• Building institutions
• Regulatory issues
• Common standards 
• Investment including joint ventures.

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Kerala wants six ports modernised

Kerala has submitted projects for Rs.266 crore for the development of six ports to the Union Ministry of Shipping for inclusion in the forthcoming Sagarmala project for port modernisation.

Sagarmala Project

     
The Sagarmala Project  intends to achieve the broad objectives of enhancing the capacity of major and non-major ports and modernizing them to make them efficient, thereby enabling them to become drivers of port-led economic development.

In addition to strengthening port and evacuation infrastructure, it also aims at simplifying procedures used at ports for cargo movement and promotes usage of electronic channels for information exchange leading to quick, efficient, hassle-free and seamless cargo movement.
For a comprehensive and integrated planning for Sagarmala, a National Perspective Plan (NPP) for the entire coastline shall be prepared within six months which will identify potential geographical regions to be called Coastal Economic Zones (CEZs).

Objective

Prime objective of the Sagarmala project is to promote port-led direct and indirect development and to provide infrastructure to transport goods to and from ports quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively

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Curtains down for IFFI 2015

                              

Internationally co-produced adventure drama Embrace of the Serpent (Al Abrazo de la Serpiente) bagged the Golden Peacock for the best film with a prize money of Rs. 40 lakhs at the 46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which which was held in Goa.

Curtains came down on the IFFI with a moderately-attended awards presentation ceremony at Panaji, Goa.

Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, I&B Secretary Sunil Arora and film dignitaries were present.

The International Jury of IFFI 2015 was headed by filmmaker Shekhar kapoor

Fellini Medal

Five films have been shortlisted from the official selection of IFFI (International Film Festival of India) following the recommendations of the Film Preview Committee constituted by the Directorate of the Film Festivals.

The broad guidelines for the selection of the films are:

• The film shall exhibit artistic excellence in screenplay, music, and filming technique
• The film shall promote the common good, which is defined as a society in which persons and communities care for one another’s well-being 
• The film shall exhibit sensitivity to the human situation, promoting the dignity of all
• The film shall cultivate a realistic hope of creative transformation
• The film shall reflect the ideals of peace, love, tolerance, harmony, and friendship

 About the UNESCO Fellini Medal

When Italian film director Federico Fellini died in 1993, UNESCO’s Member States had just adopted a General Conference resolution calling for the safeguarding of the cinematographic heritage. An appeal was launched to the international community inviting governments, industry, and the public to participate in a campaign to keep the seventh art alive. Activities were also earmarked for UNESCO’s participation in the forthcoming cinema centenary celebrations in 1995.

 

The Fellini medal, first unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1995, therefore had a double significance: to honour the director’s tremendous contribution to film as an art form and to commemorate the centenary of the birth of cinema (1895-1995). The medal’s design of fragmented, interlocking images is the work of Italian painter Valerio Adami.

The obverse side features a profile of Fellini with his signature hat, facing the inscription 8 1/2, the title of one of the most famous films in the history of cinema. The reverse is inscribed Fellini (1920-1993) UNESCO. French sculptor Robert Michel created the model and the Paris Mint strike the medal.

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