Daily Current Affairs - 17th October 2025
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- 6 days ago
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IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 concludes in Abu Dhabi, UAE |
The IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 concluded in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The Congress is held once every four years.
It includes the Members’ Assembly, which is the highest decision-making body of IUCN.
The Members’ Assembly approved a 20-year Strategic Vision for global conservation.
It also adopted a new four-year programme to guide conservation actions until the next Congress.
The Congress issued the "Abu Dhabi Call to Action", a collective appeal for urgent conservation efforts.
This Call to Action focuses on five key areas of accelerated action.
The first area is reaffirming nature as the foundation of human well-being.
The second area is strengthening multilateralism, meaning enhanced cooperation between countries.
The third area is ensuring justice and inclusion, promoting fair and equitable conservation practices.
The fourth area is advancing knowledge and innovation, especially in science and technology for nature.
The fifth area is scaling up resources for nature and climate action, including financial and technical support.
The IUCN welcomed over 100 new members during the Congress.
These include six new state members: Armenia, Tajikistan, Marshall Islands, Gabon, Tuvalu, and Zimbabwe.
A significant milestone was the adoption of the first-ever IUCN Policy on Synthetic Biology and Nature Conservation.
Synthetic biology refers to designing or redesigning biological components or systems using engineering principles.
The policy acknowledges that synthetic biology may offer benefits, such as restoring lost genetic diversity.
It also warns of risks, such as unintended ecological cascades, where changes to one species affect entire ecosystems.
The Members’ Assembly adopted Motion 042 on Fossil Fuels.
The motion recognizes the production of fossil fuels as a direct threat to nature.
It urges a global treaty for fossil fuel phase-out and a just transition.
A just transition ensures that workers and communities depending on fossil fuels are supported during the shift to clean energy.
Motion 108 on Wildlife Trade was also adopted.
It proposes regulations to reduce the commercial trade in wild animals kept as pets.
The Congress approved Motion 061 on Ecocide.
It recognizes ecocide—defined as deliberate, large-scale environmental harm—as an international crime.
The motion calls for ecocide to be recognized under the International Criminal Court (ICC).
About IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
The IUCN was founded in 1948, making it one of the oldest global environmental organizations.
Its headquarters is located in Gland, Switzerland.
IUCN is the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network.
It includes over 1,400 members, such as states, NGOs, and research institutions.
India is a member of the IUCN.
The IUCN’s highest governing body is the Members’ Assembly, convened during the World Conservation Congress.
Between Congress sessions, governance is managed by the IUCN Council, its principal governing body.
IUCN operates several key scientific and policy tools.
The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the global conservation status of species.
The World Heritage Outlook tracks the conservation status of UNESCO World Heritage natural sites.
The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is the most comprehensive global database of protected areas.
Restructuring of GST and Its Impact on States’ Fiscal Health |
The recent restructuring of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has brought fiscal challenges for Indian states.
A major change is the abolition of the GST Compensation Cess.
The GST Compensation Cess was designed to compensate states for revenue loss after the implementation of GST.
Its removal has raised concerns over potential revenue loss for states.
It has also intensified concerns over states' fiscal autonomy.
Fiscal autonomy refers to a state's ability to generate and manage its own revenue independently.
The GST structure shifted taxation powers from individual states to the GST Council.
The GST Council is a constitutional body in which the Centre holds a dominant role in decision-making.
This shift has contributed to the erosion of states' fiscal autonomy.
Trends Highlighting Fiscal Imbalance Among States
There exists a growing expenditure-resource mismatch in the federal structure.
States are responsible for key services such as law and order, health, and education.
However, their revenue-raising powers are now largely centralized under the GST regime.
This mismatch has created a fiscal imbalance, where spending responsibilities remain with states but revenue control lies with the Centre.
Additionally, there is a trend of declining devolution share to the states.
Tax devolution refers to the sharing of central tax revenue with states, as per Finance Commission recommendations.
The actual devolution as a percentage of Gross Tax Revenue has declined.
This decline is mainly due to the increasing use of cesses and surcharges by the Centre.
Cesses and surcharges are not part of the divisible tax pool, hence not shareable with states.
This practice further reduces the fiscal space available to states.
Challenges in the Tax Sharing Mechanism
States have raised concerns over penalising tax-sharing criteria of the Finance Commission.
Progressive states, which have performed well in population control and economic growth, often feel penalized under current criteria.
This has led to grievances about fairness and equity in resource distribution.
There is also a growing dependence on central transfers among states.
Central transfers account for 44% of total revenue for Indian states.
In some states, this dependency is even higher, such as Bihar where it reaches 72%.
High dependence can affect liquidity management of state governments.
It may also cause political friction, particularly in Opposition-ruled states, due to perceived bias or delays in transfers.
Way Forward to Strengthen Fiscal Federalism
There is a need to restructure tax-sharing principles to address fiscal imbalances.
Restructuring should aim to restore states’ fiscal space and reduce over-dependence on the Centre.
It should also aim to enhance cooperative federalism, which means collaborative governance between Centre and states.
One proposed reform is to share the tax base of Personal Income Tax (PIT) with states.
Personal Income Tax is currently collected entirely by the Centre.
Sharing it can empower states with a more stable and elastic revenue source.
Some states advocate for the Canada Model of fiscal federalism.
Under this model, the federal government collects 46% of taxes and spends 40%.
In contrast, sub-national (provincial) governments collect 54% and spend 60%.
This model offers greater fiscal autonomy and spending flexibility to provinces.
Monitoring and Sustaining Fiscal Health
States should actively monitor their fiscal health using assessment tools.
Instruments like the Fiscal Health Index can help track and improve financial performance.
Proactive measures are needed to strengthen financial management and long-term fiscal sustainability.
SAIME Model from Sundarbans Wins FAO Global Recognition |
The Sustainable Aquaculture in Mangrove Ecosystems (SAIME) model has received Global Technical Recognition from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
The model was developed by the Nature Environment and Wildlife Society (NEWS).
SAIME is designed as a Multi-Stakeholder Partnership (MSP).
A Multi-Stakeholder Partnership involves collaboration among multiple actors like NGOs, farmers, private sector, and governments.
The goal of SAIME is to strengthen transformative processes in the shrimp trade in South Asia.
It aims to achieve this by using aquaculture as a tool for mangrove ecosystem protection.
In the Sundarbans region, SAIME seeks to create a resilient and sustainable ecosystem.
It does so by standardizing brackish water aquaculture practices.
Brackish water aquaculture involves cultivating aquatic species in water that is a mix of seawater and freshwater.
The initiative promotes the culture of the native black tiger shrimp as a major species.
This is implemented through an ecosystem-based approach.
An ecosystem-based approach means managing natural resources by considering the entire ecosystem, including humans.
SAIME also focuses on capacity building of existing brackish water farmers.
The model is an example of a climate-adaptive, conservation-linked livelihood system.
It aims to reduce blue carbon emissions through sustainable aquaculture.
Blue carbon refers to the carbon captured by oceans and coastal ecosystems, especially by mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes.
The model integrates mangroves as natural carbon sinks.
A carbon sink absorbs more carbon than it emits, thus helping mitigate climate change.
SAIME enhances market access for farmers by building farmer institutions.
It also promotes branding and certification mechanisms to ensure fair pricing.
These strategies aim to promote inclusive growth in aquaculture livelihoods.
The initiative is funded by the Global Nature Fund (GNF).
The funding is in consortium with Naturland e.V. and Mercedes-Benz.
Integrated Mangrove Aquaculture (IMA) Under SAIME
SAIME also supports the implementation of the Integrated Mangrove Aquaculture (IMA) model.
IMA promotes extensive aquaculture systems with low stocking densities.
Extensive aquaculture involves minimal external inputs like feed or fertilizers.
Under IMA, no additional feed input is used, relying instead on natural productivity.
This supports both biodiversity conservation and cost-effective farming.
About the Sundarbans Ecosystem
The Sundarbans mangrove forest lies in the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers.
It is located along the coast of the Bay of Bengal.
The region is made up of a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats, and salt-tolerant mangrove islands.
It serves as an excellent example of ongoing ecological processes in coastal ecosystems.
The Sundarbans is one of the only mangrove forests globally with a significant tiger population.
Apart from India, the Bangladesh Sundarbans also hosts these tigers.
In India, West Bengal has the highest mangrove coverage at 42.45%.
It is followed by Gujarat with 23.66% and Andaman & Nicobar Islands with 12.39%.
As per India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, the total mangrove cover in India is 4,991.68 km².
This constitutes 0.15% of India’s total geographical area.
Google AI Model C2S-Scale Marks Breakthrough in Cancer Research |
Google DeepMind, in collaboration with Yale University, has developed a new AI model called C2S-Scale (Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B).
The model is designed to understand the language of individual cells and interpret complex biological interactions.
C2S-Scale generated a novel hypothesis about cancer cell behavior using computational analysis.
This hypothesis was later experimentally validated in living cells, confirming its scientific accuracy.
This marks a significant breakthrough in cancer treatment through data-driven scientific discovery.
Key Discovery and Application
The AI model identified Silmitasertib as a promising drug in cancer treatment.
Silmitasertib was found to enhance the immune response against tumors, making cancer cells more vulnerable.
Role of AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) in Healthcare
AI models like C2S-Scale belong to a category called Large Language Models (LLMs).
LLMs are advanced AI systems trained to understand and generate human-like language from large datasets.
In biomedical applications, LLMs are now decoding the "language" of cells, which includes cellular signals and interactions.
These models can translate complex biological data into clear, interpretable insights.
This enables AI to act as a scientific collaborator in research.
LLMs are capable of generating testable hypotheses and assisting in their experimental validation.
This positions AI as a digital scientist, supporting and accelerating real-world scientific discovery.
Accelerating Drug Discovery
AI models can simulate thousands of drug–cell interactions in a short time.
This simulation helps in identifying novel drug targets much faster than traditional drug discovery methods.
It significantly reduces the cost and time involved in developing new treatments.
Enabling Precision Medicine
AI enhances the scope of precision medicine, which tailors treatment based on individual patient profiles.
Precision medicine uses genetic, molecular, and cellular data to create personalized therapies.
C2S-Scale supports this by interpreting patient-specific cellular behavior.
Improving Patient Engagement and Support
AI-driven chatbots powered by LLMs can provide 24/7 health information to patients.
These chatbots can answer common queries, explain medications, and offer guidance on lifestyle changes.
They also support patients in post-treatment care and medication adherence.
India-Mercosur Preferential Trade Agreement: Expansion in Focus |
India and Brazil have agreed to broaden the scope of the existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
The agreement is between India and the Mercosur trade bloc.
A Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) is a trade pact that reduces tariffs on certain products among member countries.
About Mercosur Trade Bloc
Mercosur is a South American trade bloc established in 1991.
Its headquarters is located in Montevideo, Uruguay.
The bloc was formed to promote free trade and economic cooperation among its members.
Membership of Mercosur
The current full members of Mercosur are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Venezuela's membership in the bloc is currently suspended.
Governance Structure of Mercosur
Mercosur is governed through a multi-tier institutional framework.
The top decision-making body is the Council of the Common Market (CMC).
The Common Market Group (GMC) coordinates implementation and harmonization of policies.
The Mercosur Trade Commission (CCM) handles trade-related matters and tariff regulations.
Role and Functioning of Mercosur
Mercosur functions as a customs union.
A customs union is an economic arrangement where member countries adopt a common external tariff on imports from non-members.
This structure helps in facilitating regional economic integration among member states.
UPOV and the Growing Influence of FTAs on Seed Laws |
A recent report by GRAIN highlights the increasing influence of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) on plant variety protection laws.
The report documents how a growing number of FTAs compel countries to adopt standards from the 1991 UPOV Convention.
These standards often strengthen intellectual property rights in plant breeding, potentially impacting farmers' rights to seeds.
About UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants)
UPOV stands for the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.
It was established in 1961 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
UPOV is an intergovernmental organization focused on promoting effective Plant Variety Protection (PVP) systems.
Plant Variety Protection (PVP) refers to a legal framework that gives breeders exclusive rights over the commercial use of new plant varieties.
Function and Purpose of UPOV
UPOV's main function is to grant Breeder’s Rights, which are a form of intellectual property (IP).
These rights are meant to incentivize the development of new and improved plant varieties.
Such developments support agricultural innovation and food security globally.
Key Provisions of the UPOV Convention 1991
The UPOV Convention was revised in 1991 to further strengthen breeders’ rights.
The 1991 version made the farmer’s privilege—the right to save, use, exchange, or sell farm-saved seeds—optional for member countries.
This marked a shift toward greater protection for commercial breeders and reduced flexibility for farmers, especially smallholders.
India’s Position on UPOV
India is not a member of UPOV.
Instead, India has adopted its own sui generis system for plant variety protection.
A sui generis system means a unique or standalone legal framework tailored to national needs.
India’s framework is defined under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act (PPV&FRA), 2001.
This law uniquely balances the rights of both plant breeders and farmers.
It recognizes farmers as conservers and cultivators of plant varieties, and protects their traditional rights to save, use, and exchange seeds.
Ahmedabad Recommended to Host Commonwealth Games 2030 |
Ahmedabad has been officially recommended as the host city for the centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games.
The 2030 edition will mark 100 years since the inaugural Commonwealth Games.
About the Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is a multi-sport international event.
It is exclusively held for athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations.
The first edition was held in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada.
The most recent edition took place in 2022 in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
The next scheduled edition is set for 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Games are held every four years, maintaining a regular quadrennial schedule.
Organizational Details
The headquarters of the Commonwealth Games is located in London, United Kingdom.
The governing body of the Games is Commonwealth Sport.
Commonwealth Sport was formerly known as the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).
The Games include participation from 72 member nations and territories of the Commonwealth.
Understanding Dopamine and Its Role in Digital Behavior |
Dopamine is often referred to as the brain’s “feel-good” neurotransmitter.
A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that transmits signals between nerve cells in the brain.
Dopamine plays a central role in motivation, reward, and pleasure.
It is released during enjoyable experiences such as eating food, achieving goals, or social interactions.
Its core function is to drive reward-based learning, which reinforces behaviors that lead to pleasurable outcomes.
Dopamine and Addiction
Addictive substances like cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol trigger abnormally high dopamine surges.
These repeated surges cause the brain to become desensitized to normal dopamine levels.
This desensitization leads to a need for increasingly higher doses to feel the same effect.
Over time, this process contributes to the development of addiction.
Digital Technologies and Dopamine Manipulation
Modern digital technologies exploit the brain’s dopamine system.
Platforms use features like notifications, likes, and content feeds to trigger dopamine release.
These features are designed to activate intermittent reward schedules, where rewards come unpredictably.
Intermittent reward schedules are known to be especially effective at reinforcing compulsive behavior.
This mechanism can lead to compulsive use of digital devices and fractured attention spans.
State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI) Released by Ministry of Mines |
The Ministry of Mines has released the State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI).
The objective of the SMRI is to capture the relative contribution of States in developing India’s mining sector.
It also aims to promote mining sector reforms across States.
The index helps in assessing the performance of States in mining-related governance and implementation.
Evaluation Criteria of SMRI
The index evaluates non-coal mineral-related activities only.
It is based on parameters like auction performance of mining blocks.
It also considers early mine operationalization, i.e., how quickly a mine starts production after being auctioned.
Another key criterion is exploration thrust, which means efforts taken by States to identify new mineral resources.
The index also includes assessment of sustainable mining practices, which promote environmental and social responsibility.
State Classification and Top Performers
States are classified into three categories (A, B, and C) based on their mineral endowment.
Mineral endowment refers to the availability and abundance of mineral resources in a given State.
In Category A, the top performers are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
In Category B, the top performers are Goa, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam.
In Category C, the top performers are Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Tripura.
SITAA: Strengthening Aadhaar’s Technological Framework |
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched the Scheme for Innovation and Technology Association with Aadhaar (SITAA).
UIDAI functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Aim and Purpose of SITAA
The primary aim of SITAA is to strengthen India’s digital identity ecosystem.
It also seeks to combat emerging security threats linked to biometric authentication.
Key threats addressed by SITAA include deepfakes, spoofing, and presentation attacks.
Deepfakes refer to AI-generated fake videos or images that mimic real people.
Spoofing involves using fake biometric data (like photos or silicone fingerprints) to trick authentication systems.
Presentation attacks occur when a person presents fake biometric traits to gain unauthorized access.
Key Focus Areas of SITAA
SITAA will focus on biometric authentication technologies, ensuring identity is verified through biological traits like fingerprints or facial data.
It will also promote the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for enhancing Aadhaar’s security features.
Data privacy will be a core area of focus to ensure Aadhaar users' personal information remains secure.
The scheme will also explore advanced biometric security techniques to keep pace with evolving threats.
Pilot Launch and Initial Challenges
SITAA will be initially launched as a pilot program to test its viability and technological readiness.
The pilot will begin with a few identified technological challenges to address.
These challenges include face liveness detection, which ensures a real person (not a photo or video) is present during authentication.
It also includes presentation attack detection, designed to detect fake biometric attempts.
Another focus area is contactless fingerprint authentication, which allows fingerprint scanning without physical contact, enhancing hygiene and user convenience.
India’s Role in UN-GGIM Asia-Pacific |
India has been elected as Co-Chair of the Regional Committee of the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP).
The UN-GGIM-AP is one of the five regional committees operating under the global body UN-GGIM.
About UN-GGIM
The United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) was established in 2011.
It is an intergovernmental body functioning under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
ECOSOC is one of the six principal organs of the UN, responsible for coordinating economic, social, and related work.
UN-GGIM serves as the apex intergovernmental mechanism for decision-making on geospatial information policy.
Its key function is to coordinate global geospatial data governance.
The committee aims to address global challenges by promoting the enhanced use of geospatial data and technologies.
Geospatial data refers to information that identifies the geographic location of features and boundaries on Earth.
State of Finance for Forests 2025 Report |
The UN Environment Programme has released the first-ever State of Finance for Forests 2025 report.
The report provides a global overview of both public and private forest finance for the year 2023.
Major Findings on Forest Finance
The report identifies an annual forest finance gap of US$ 216 billion.
This gap exists between current financial flows and the investment needed to achieve global forest goals by 2030.
To meet these goals, annual investment in forests must triple to US$ 300 billion by 2030.
Furthermore, investment will need to grow sixfold by 2050, compared to the US$ 84 billion invested in 2023.
Sources and Climate Goals
In 2023, governments were the primary source of forest funding, contributing 91% of total financial flows.
Achieving global climate and biodiversity goals requires expanding nature-based solutions by 1 billion hectares by 2030.
This expansion must reach 1.8 billion hectares by 2050 to adequately address environmental challenges.
Nature-based solutions are strategies that protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural ecosystems to address societal challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss.
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