Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN)
Global trends on land degradation and drought data have been released by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
- LDN: A state whereby the amount and quality of land resources, necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhance food security, remains stable or increases within specified temporal and spatial scales and ecosystems.
- UNCCD is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.
Advantage of NavIC over GPS
Government would make Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) mandatory to be incorporated in all hardware/devices, including gadgets used in automobiles, to promote localisation.
- NavIC provides better positioning accuracy of 10 meters compared to GPS’ accuracy of 20 meters, due to its dual frequency bands of spectrum.
- Unlike GPS, NavIC satellites are much above the Earth’s surface, hence, lesser signal blockages in Himalayan mountains or on terrestrial surfaces.
Red fire Ant
Red fire Ant, one of the world’s most invasive species, has been found in Europe for the first time.
- Native: South America however, spread in United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, China, and Australia.
- Communication – through chemical secretions and stridulation (sounds produced by rubbing or drumming one body part against another)
Scrub typhus Disease
Recently Scrub Typhus Disease is claiming lives in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.
- Caused by a bacterium.
- Vector – through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites).
- No vaccine is available to prevent scrub typhus.
- Affected regions – rural areas of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, China, Japan, India, and northern Australia.
International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML)
India has become an OIML certificate-issuing authority.
- OIML-Certificate system is a system for issuing, registering, and using OIML certificates, and their associated test or reports for measuring instruments e.g., thermometers, clinical thermometers, etc.
- OIML was established in 1955 (India became a member in 1956)
- Headquarters – Paris.
- It develops model regulations, standards, and related documents for use by legal metrology authorities and industry.