Major Conferences, Conventions, Protocols in Environment and Ecology important for PRELIMS 2017

Introduction Does the plethora of conventions, conferences, protocols that appear in the Environment and Ecology syllabus confuse and put you off? This article is developed in order to make them simple to you. Before we probe in to the actual one, it is imperative to learn the background and process. Let us understand some definitions. A Conference is consulting together formally; a type of negotiations, there is only broad theme. In a conference the principle bodies are established for further deliberations if any required on the broad theme for which the conference is called for. A Conventionis a meeting or gathering to formulate or deliberate on a generally accepted principle, aframework in which the parties decide the basic guidelines. (Note: Sometimes, the line between conference and a convention is very thin and sometimes they are intercha ngeably used because the outcome document of convention is arrived at the conference) A Protocol to the convention is an agreement that diplomatic negotiators formulate and sign as the basis for a final convention where the parties set specific aims or legal obligations. Usually, when a major provision is to be incorporated on regulations of the convention, a protocol is called among the countries, who are signatory of the original convention when it was signed and approved. Process The international laws or conventions on environment related issues arise under the two international organizations viz., IUCN and the UN. Though sometimes they work together, it is important differentiate which treaty arises from which organization and who handles the administrative and the financial aspects. Under the UNO The UN Charter does not specifically mention the environment or sustainable development. Both the General Assembly (UNGA) and the Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC –which is one of the 6 main organs of the United Nations) consider environmental questions. The lead organization under the United Nations charter that deliberates on the environment related issues is the UN Environment Programme (UNEP is under the UN General Assembly organ of the UN)and theCommission on Sustainable Development is another forum for the countries to discuss the issues. Economic and Social Council adopts a resolution to recommend the UN General Assembly to consider convening a UN conference on problems of the environment or UNGA may on its own pass a resolution to convene a conference on the issue. So simply put, Resolution (by ECOSOC / UNGA)à Conference àConvention à Protocol à Treaty Example: Sweden first suggested to ECOSOC in 1968 the idea of having a UN conference to focus on human interactions with the environment. ECOSOC passed resolution supporting the idea and recommended the General Assembly consider convening a UN conference. General Assembly Resolution in 1969 decided to convene a conference in 1972 and suggesting that the conference focus on “stimulating and providing guidelines for action by national government and international organizations” facing environmental issues. The UN Conference on the Human Environment (1972) at Stockholm was held. This led to the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) – the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. In 1947, the Swiss League for the Protection of Nature organised an international conference on the protection of nature in Brunnen (Switzerland). Afterwards, the IUCN was established on 5 October 1948, in Fontainebleau, France The initiative to set up the new organisation came from UNESCO Its headquarters are in Gland, Switzerland It was previously called the International Union for Protection of Nature– IUPN (1948–1956) and the World Conservation Union (1990–2008). IUCN has observer and consultative status at the United Nations, and plays a role in the implementation of several international conventions on nature conservation and biodiversity. (Note: It is not a member or part of the UN) It is best known for compiling and publishing the IUCN Red List, which assesses the conservation status of species worldwide. IUCN was established in 1948. IUCN was one of the few NGOs formally involved in the preparations of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972). The Stockholm Conference eventually led to three new international conventions, with IUCN involved in their drafting and implementation: To establish a stable financial basis for its work, IUCN participated in setting up the World Wildlife Fund (1961) now called the World Wide Fund for Nature WWF. Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972). IUCN provides technical evaluations and monitoring CITES- the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1974) IUCN is a signatory party and the CITES secretariat was originally lodged with IUCN Ramsar Convention – Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (1975). The secretariat is still administered from IUCN’s headquarters. In 1975 IUCN started work on the World Conservation Strategy. The Strategy was followed in 1982 by the World Charter for Nature, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, after preparation by IUCN. TIMELINE Convention Name Year RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands 1971 Stockholm Conference 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972 CITES 1973 Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals 1979 World Conservation Strategy 1980 Nairobi Declaration 1982 World Charter of Nature 1982 Vienna Convention for Ozone Layer 1985 Montreal Protocol for ODS 1987 Helsinki Declaration 1989 Basel Convention on Hazardous wastes 1989 Earth Summit 1992 UNFCCC 1992 CBD 1992 UN Convention on Desertification 1994 Kyoto Protocol 1997 Stockholm Convention on POPs 2000 Johannesberg Declaration 2002 UN World Summit 2005 Bali Summit on Climate Change 2007 RAMSAR CONVENTION, 1971 The Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975 after UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the Convention’s depositary received the instruments of accession from the countries. The RAMSAR Secretariat is based at the headquarters of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Gland, Switzerland. World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2nd. Criteria for Selecting a RAMSAR site: Criterion 1:If the site is representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region. Criterion 2: if it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities. Criterion 3: if it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region. Criterion 4: if it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions. Criterion 5: if it regularly supports 20,000 or more water-birds. Criterion 6: if it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of water-bird. Criterion 7: if it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity. Criterion 8: if it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend. Criterion 9: if it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animal species. The Montreux Record The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference. It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List. RAMSAR SITES in India The convention entered into force in India on 1 February 1982. India currently has 26 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 689,131 hectares. See Appendix 1. Keoladeo National Park, Loktak Lake, are designated in Montreux record, and Chilka lake was designated but removed since 2002. The World Heritage Convention, 1972 The Convention recognizes the way in which people interact with nature, and the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two. The Convention defines the kind of natural or cultural sites which can be considered for inscription on the World Heritage Listunder UNESCO Established in 1992, the World Heritage Centre ensures the day-to-day management of the Convention. There are 35 (27 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed) World Heritage Sites in India that are recognised by the UNESCO as of July 2016. See Appendix 2 The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held at Stockholm June 1972 Generally called as the ―Stockholm Conference. Itwas the first declaration of international protection of the environment. In the conference Stockholm Declaration contains 26 principles. These principles provide the basis of anInternational Policy for the Protection and improvement of the environment. The UnitedNations Environment Programme has been established by the UNGA in pursuance of the Stockholm Conference. The Environmental Programmewas set up in Geneva in June 1972. Convention on International Trade in Endangered species of Wild flora and fauna(CITES) 1973 It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) The Conference aims to control or prevent international commercial trade inendangered species or products derived from them. The Convention does not seek todirectly protect endangered species, rather it seeks to reduce the economic incentive topoach endangered species and destroy their habitat by closing off the internationalmarket. India became a party to the convention in 1976. International trade in all wildflora and fauna in general and species covered under convention is regulatedthrough the provisions of the Wild life (protection) Act 1972. CONVENTION ON MIGRATORY SPECIES, 1979 (BONN CONVENTION) The Convention on the Conservation of MigratorySpecies of Wild Animals (also known as the BonnConvention) aims to “conserve terrestrial, marine and avianmigratory species throughout their range.” The Conventionfacilitates the adoption of strict protection measuresfor endangered migratory species, the conclusionof multilateral agreements for the conservation andmanagement of migratory species, and co-operativeresearch activities. The Convention has two appendices: Appendix I lists migratory species that are classified asendangered and where urgent international cooperationis necessary to address the issue. Appendix II lists otherspecies that require or would benefit significantly frominternational agreements under the Convention. TheConvention entered into force in 1983. Marine Turtles, Siberian and Dugong are a part of the conservation under this convention which are related to India. WORLD CONSERVATION STRATEGY, 1980 In 1975 IUCN started work on the World Conservation Strategy. Stopping illegal trade of wildlife is one of IUCN’s priorities The drafting process – and the discussions with the UN agencies involved – led to an evolution in thinking within IUCN and growing acceptance of the fact that conservation of nature by banning human presence no longer worked. The World Conservation Strategy was launched in 35 countries simultaneously on 5 March 1980. It set out fundamental principles and objectives for conservation worldwide, and identified priorities for national and international action. It is considered one of the most influential documents in 20th century nature conservation and one of the first official documents to introduce the concept of sustainable development. The Strategy was followed in 1982 by the World Charter for Nature, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, after preparation by IUCN. WORLD CHARTER FOR NATURE, 1982 World Charter for Nature was adopted by United Nations member nation-states on October 28, 1982. It proclaims five “principles of conservation by which all human conduct affecting nature is to be guided and judged.” Nature shall be respected and its essential processes shall not be impaired. The genetic viability on the earth shall not be compromised; the population levels of all life forms, wild and domesticated, must be at least sufficient for their survival, and to this end necessary habitats shall be safeguarded. All areas of the earth, both land and sea, shall be subject to these principles of conservation; special protection shall be given to unique areas, to representative samples of all the different types of ecosystems and to the habitats of rare or endangered species. Ecosystems and organisms, as well as the land, marine and atmospheric resources that are utilized by man, shall be managed to achieve and maintain optimum sustainable productivity, but not in such a way as to endanger the integrity of those other ecosystems or species with which they coexist. Nature shall be secured against degradation caused by warfare or other hostile activities. Nairobi Declaration 1982 to Stockholm Conference The Nairobi Declaration was adopted at Nairobi for celebrating the 10thAnniversary of the Stockholm conference on human Environment in 1972. The Declaration envisaged thecreation of a special commission to frame long term environment strategies for achievingsustainable developments upto the year 2000 and beyond. Vienna convention for the protection of ozone layer (1985) The convention was adopted on 22nd March, 1985 by the conference ofThe Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer is a Multilateral Environmental Agreement. It is under the The Vienna convention of 1985was the starting point of the global cooperation for protection of ozone layer. Later,adoption of Montreal protocol on substances that deplete ozone layer on 1987, theamendment in Montreal protocol in London (1990) and Vienna (1995). Montreal protocol on substances that deplete ozone layer, 1987 to the Vienna Convention The Protocol came into force in 1989. The protocol settargets for reducing the consumption and production of a range of ozone depletingsubstances. In a major innovation the protocol recognized that all nations should not betreated equally. The agreement acknowledges that certain countries have contributed toozone depletion more than others. It also recognizes that a nation‘s obligation to reduce current emissions should reflect its technological and financial ability to do so. Becauseof this, the agreement sets more stringent standards and accelerated phase-out timetablesto countries that have contributed most to ozone depletion. India accepted this protocolalong with its London Amendment in September 1992. The Ministry of Environmentand Forest has established an ozone cell and a steering committee on the protocol tofacilitate implementation of the India country program, for phasing out ozone depletingsubstances production by 2010 to meet the commitments India has also taken policydecisions. The Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000 weredrafted under Environment (protection) Act, 1986. Amendment to Montreal Protocol, 2017 170 countries have reached a historic deal to phase out Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) after years of protracted and at times seemingly intractable negotiations in Kigali, Rwanda accepted an amendment to the Montreal Protocol that will see developed countries reduce their use of HFCs from 2019. HFCs are potent greenhouse gases with a significantly higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide and are widely used as refrigerants, aerosol sprays and in solvents. HFCs have been widely used as an alternative to Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) since the Montreal Protocol came into effect to prevent ozone depletion. Developed countries must reduce HFCs use by 10% by 2019 from 2011-2013 levels, and 85% by 2036. A second group of developing countries, including China and African nations, are committed to launching the transition in 2024. A reduction of 10% compared with 2020-2022 levels should be achieved by 2029, and 80% by 2045. A third group of developing countries, including India, Pakistan and Arab Gulf states, must begin the process in 2028 and reduce emissions by 10% by 2032 from 2024-2026 levels, and then by 85% by 2047. World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) It was started by the UN General Assembly resolution in 1983 and based on a four-year study entitled “Our Common Future”, also known as the Brundtland report in 1987 was put out. It developed the theme of sustainable development. It was the first time Sustainable Development was officially defined; This commission is also called as the Brundtland commission. Basel convention on trans-boundary movement of hazardous wastes, 1989 The industrialized world in the 1980s had led to increasing public resistance to the disposal of hazardous wastes – in accordance with what became known as the NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard) syndrome – and to an increase of disposal costs. This in turn led some operators to seek cheap disposal options for hazardous wastes in the developing countries, where environmental awareness was much less developed and regulations and enforcement mechanisms were lacking The Convention came into force in 1992. The objectives of the convention are toreduce trans-boundary movements of hazardous wastes, to minimize the creation of suchwastes and to prohibit their shipment from Developed countries to the LDCs India ratified the convention andenacted Hazardous Wastes Management Rules Act 1989, encompasses some of theBasal provisions related to the notification of import and export of hazardous wastes,illegal traffic and liability. United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit), 1992 In continuation of Stockholm Declaration, 1972 and the Nairobi Declaration,1982 the third major Declaration was held in Rio-de-Janeiro in Brazil in the year 1992. Hence it is termed as Rio-Declaration and attended by over 150 countries. Hence, it isalso well known as ―Earth Summit. It discussed global and environmental problemsvery widely. It was the biggest International Conference in the history of Internationalrelations – was also called as the “Parliament of the planet” then. The formal process of UNCED culminated in the adoption of fivedocuments, namely Rio Declaration– a statement of broad principles to guide national conduct on environmental protection and development. Agenda-21, a massive documentcontaining a detailed action-plan for sustainable development. Legally Non-Binding Principles of Forestry. Convention on Climate Change and Convention onBiodiversity. The Rio Declaration The Rio Declaration was adopted in the conference recognizing the universal and integral nature of Earth and by establishing a global partnership among states and enlisting general rights and obligations on environmental protection. The RioDeclaration is a statement of 27 principles for the guidance of national environmentalbehaviour and enlisting general rights and obligations on environmental protection. Rio principles placed human beings at the centre of sustainable development concerns by stating that humans are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature The gist of those principles are happy and healthy life to all people in the world in order to achieve this goal, concept of sustainable development has been established. To achieve sustainable development, states shall reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, exchange of scientific and technological knowledge, compensation for adverse effects of environmental damage caused by activities with in their jurisdiction or control to areas beyond their jurisdiction, precautionary approach shall be widely applied by states polluter should bear the cost of pollution, Environmental impact assessment as an instrument to monitor the likely environmental effects. Agenda-21 It is a comprehensive action plan which gives a future plan in relation to environment and development. The Agenda emphasizes on issues like poverty, health consumption patterns, natural resource use, financial resources human settlements and technological It also includes energy, climate and other wide range of issues concerning environment and development. Agenda-21 is not a binding document but it constitutes the key document of the Rio U.N. Frame Work Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 1992 In 1992, countries joined an international treaty, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as a framework for international cooperation to combat climate change by limiting average global temperature increases and the resulting climate change, and coping with impacts that were, by then, inevitable. The primary goals of the UNFCCC were to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions atlevels that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the global climate. The convention embraced the principle of common but differentiated responsibilitieswhich has guided the adoption of a regulatory structure. India signed the agreement inJune 1992 which was ratified in November 1993. As per the convention the reduction/limitation requirements apply only to developed countries. The only reporting obligationfor developing countries relates to the construction of a GHG inventory. Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement are a part of the UNFCCC Kyoto protocol, 1997 The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty which extends the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits State Parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the premise that (a) global warming exists and (b) human-made CO2 emissions have caused it. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. There are currently 192 parties to the Protocol. Some of the principal concepts of the Kyoto Protocol are: The main feature of the Protocol is that it established legally binding commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases for parties that ratified the Protocol. The commitments were based on the Berlin Mandate, which was a part of UNFCCC negotiations leading up to the Protocol. Implementation. In order to meet the objectives of the Protocol, Parties are required to prepare policies and measures for the reduction of greenhouse gases in their respective countries. In addition, they are required to increase the absorption of these gases and utilize all mechanisms available, such as joint implementation Clean development mechanism and Emissions trading, in order to be rewarded with credits that would allow more greenhouse gas emissions at home. Minimizing Impacts on Developing Countries by establishing an adaptation fund for climate change. Accounting, Reporting and Review in order to ensure the integrity of the Protocol. Compliance. Establishing a Compliance Committee to enforce compliance with the commitments under the Protocol. PARIS AGREEMENT, 2016 The Paris Agreement (French: Accord de Paris) is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) dealing with greenhouse gases emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in the year 2020. It was opened for signature on 22 April 2016 (Earth Day) at a ceremony in New York. As of December 2016, 194 UNFCCC members have signed the treaty, 131 of which have ratified it. The Intended Nationally Determined Contributions pledged during the 2015 Climate Change Conference serve—unless provided otherwise—as the initial nationally determined contribution. The emission reduction efforts will be made in order to hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2 ̊C by reducing emissions to 40 gigatonnes or to 1.5 ̊ The implementation of the agreement by all member countries together will be evaluated every 5 years, with the first evaluation in 2023. The Paris Agreement has a ‘bottom up’ structure in contrast to most international environmental law treaties which are ‘top down’, characterised by standards and targets set internationally, for states to implement. Unlike, the Kyoto Protocol, which sets commitment targets that have legal force, the Paris Agreement, with its emphasis on consensus-building, allows for voluntary and nationally determined targets. The Paris Agreement still emphasizes the principle of “Common but Differentiated Responsibility”—the acknowledgement that different nations have different capacities and duties to climate action—it does not provide a specific division between developed and developing nations. The SDM is considered to be the successor to the Clean Development Mechanism, a flexible mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol, by which parties could collaboratively pursue emissions reductions for their INDCs. The Sustainable Development Mechanism lays the framework for the future of the Clean Development Mechanism post-Kyoto (in 2020). Not part of the Paris Agreement (and not legally binding)is a plan to provide US$100 billion a year in aid to developing countries for implementing new procedures to minimize climate change with additional amounts to be provided in subsequent years (The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a fund within the framework of the UNFCCC ) The agreement stated that it would enter into force (and thus become fully effective) only if 55 countries that produce at least 55% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. (US and China together contribute 40% of the emissions.) Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992 The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) entered into force on 29 December 1993. It has 3 main objectives: The conservation of biological diversity The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity. The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources The Convention was opened for signature on 5 June 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Rio “Earth Summit”). This convention is a legally binding framework treaty that has been ratified by180 countries. The areas that are dealt by convention are conservation of biodiversity,sustainable use of biological resources and equitable sharing of benefits arising fromtheir sustainable use. The convention came into force in 1993. Many biodiversity issuesare addressed including habitat preservation, intellectual property rights, biosafety andindigenous people‘s rights. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to CBD The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international agreement which aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health. It was adopted on 29 January 2000 and entered into force on 11 September 2003. The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international agreement which aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way. It entered into force on 12 October 2014, 90 days after the date of deposit of the fiftieth instrument of ratification. U.N. Convention on Desertification, 1994 An inter-governmental negotiating committee for the elaboration of aninternational convention to combat desertification in countries experiencing seriousdrought and/ or desertification was recommended in 1992 U.N. Conference onEnvironment and Development. The U.N. General Assembly established a committee in1992 which helped formulation of the convention on desertification. The convention endorses and employs a bottom-up approach to internationalenvironmental cooperation. Theconvention aims at tackling desertification through national, regional and sub-regionalaction programmes. India hosts the network on agro forestry and soil conservation. 2006 was declared “International Year of Deserts and Desertification” World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002) It is also known as Rio +10, held at Johannesburg in 2002 Reviewed progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 since its adoption in 1992 Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development ROTTERDAM CONVENTION, 1998 The Rotterdam Convention (formally, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade) signed in 1998 is a multilateral treaty to promote shared responsibilities in relation to importation of hazardous chemicals, effective from 2004. The convention promotes open exchange of information and calls on exporters of hazardous chemicals to use proper labelling, include directions on safe handling, and inform purchasers of any known restrictions or bans. Signatory nations can decide whether to allow or ban the importation of chemicals listed in the treaty, and exporting countries are obliged to make sure that producers within their jurisdiction comply. In 2012, the Secretariats of the Basel and Stockholm conventions, as well as the UNEP-part of the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat, merged to a single Secretariat with a matrix structure serving the three conventions. The three conventions now hold back to back Conferences of the Parties as part of their joint synergies decisions. Stockholm Convention on POPs, 2004 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is an international environmentaltreaty, signed in 2001 and effective from May 2004, that aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). In 1995, the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) called for global action to be taken on POPs, which it defined as “chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment”. UN Conference on Sustainable Development (2012) It was the third international conference on sustainable development aimed at reconciling the economic and environmental goals of the global community. It is also known as Rio 2012 / Rio+20 / held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 20th anniversary of Earth Summit 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. The report was themed “The future we want“. Can't Join Expensive IAS Prelims Test Series ? 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Harappa civilization; All important facts (Prleims 2017 ,Ancient History) Posted: 08 Mar 2017 05:14 AM PST We have tried to summarize all the important aspects related to Harappa civilization, still if some important points have been left, please add your inputs in the comments below, we would edit the post and include the mentioned important aspects About Flourished during the 2500-2000 BC. Main sites include:- Kalibangan (Rajasthan) Dholavira (Gujarat) Lothal (Gujarat) Sarkotada (Gujarat) Diamabad (Maharashtra) Alamgirpur (U.P.) Bhagwanpura(Haryana) Banawali (Haryana) Mauda(Jammu) Architecture Main features of the architecture includes:- Towns in rectangular grid pattern Roads cutting at right angle Use of well baked burnt mud bricks Use of gypsum mortar Existence of granaries(with air ducts) Prevalence of public baths Advanced covered drainage system Seals Main features of seals:- Shape: mostly square together with triangular, rectangular and circular Material used: Steatite(most common) with agate, chert, copper, faience, ivory and gold No evidence of Cow found Pictographic script on seals of animals and mathematical too Used for: commercial purpose, as amulets Examples: Pashupati seals and unicorn seals Sculptures Bronze castings Bronze statues were made using ‘Lost wax technique’ Examples are bronze dancing girl and bronze bull Terracotta Use of fire baked clay for making Terracotta sculptures Generally used to make toys, animals, figures, miniature carts etc. Example: mother goddess Red sandstone Red sandstone figureof a male torso has been found Painted potteries

 

Insights Daily Current Events, 10 May 2016

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• Is 70 Too Old for the UN?

  
  
  
  
  NEW YORK – As world leaders prepare to gather next week at the United Nations in New York to ratify the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and commemorate the UN’s 70th anniversary, for many a fundamental question has become inescapable. In the face of growing global disorder – including turmoil in the Middle East, waves of migrants flooding into Europe, and China’s unilateral moves to enforce its territorial claims – does the UN have a future?

  Grounds for pessimism are undeniable. Conflicts rage on, seemingly unaffected by upholders of world order. Despite more than two decades of talk, the Security Council’s permanent membership (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) still reflects the geopolitical realities of 1945, not 2015. Denied accommodation in the Bretton Woods institutions (the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund) commensurate with its economic clout, China has established its own alternatives, which other countries have flocked to join. The G-20 seems more representative than the Security Council – and more imbued with common purpose.

  Yet the UN should not be written off. It continues to serve a vital purpose, and its history suggests that it can be revitalized to meet the needs of the twenty-first century.

  The UN began, in 1945, as a vision shared by the leaders of the victorious Allies, who were determined to ensure that the second half of the twentieth century did not play out like the first half. After two world wars, countless civil wars, brutal dictatorships, mass expulsions of populations, and the horrors of the Holocaust and Hiroshima, “never again” was not just a slogan: the alternative was too apocalyptic to contemplate.

  To this end, the Allies sought an alternative to the balance-of-power politics that had wreaked such havoc in the preceding five decades. Their idea – now called “global governance” – was to create an institutional architecture that could foster international cooperation, elaborate consensual global norms, and establish predictable, universally applicable rules, to the benefit of all.

  The hope that many placed in the UN Charter was soon dashed by the onset of the Cold War. And yet global statesmen made good use of the new organization as a forum to contain superpower tensions. Peacekeeping missions, not even mentioned in the Charter, were devised to contain conflicts around the world, and to prevent them from igniting a superpower conflagration. Thanks to the UN, World War III never happened.

  Moreover, the UN’s contribution to peace during the Cold War is not the whole story. Its decolonization efforts freed millions from the yoke of imperialist oppression. Economic and social development rose to the top of its agenda.

  As global governance has evolved, the UN system has become the port of call for innumerable “problems without passports”: the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the degradation of our common environment, epidemics, war crimes, and mass migration. Such problems require solutions without passports, because no country or group of countries can solve them alone.

  With universality comes legitimacy. Because all countries are members, the UN enjoys a global standing that gives its decisions and actions a degree of authority that no individual government enjoys beyond its own borders.

  The binary international order of the Cold War is long gone. Instead, the metaphor for today’s globalized world is that of the World Wide Web, in which we increasingly function through multiple networks. Sometimes those networks overlap, with common participants, and sometimes they are distinct; they all serve our interests in different ways and for different purposes.

  Many countries once felt insulated – by wealth, strength, or distance – from external dangers. But now they realize that local security forces are not enough to protect their citizens, and that the safety of people everywhere depends on internationally coordinated efforts to combat terrorism, pollution, infectious diseases, illegal drugs, and weapons of mass destruction, and to promote human rights, democracy, and development.

  The UN has not fully succeeded in turning recognition into reality. But at its best and its worst, the UN is a mirror of the world. As the legendary Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld famously put it, “The United Nations was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell.”

  I believe strongly that the UN needs reform, not because it has failed, but because it has succeeded enough to be worth investing in. As the agreement on the SDGs demonstrates, there is much that can be accomplished with the UN as the lynchpin of our system of global governance.

  Moreover, the UN has proved a remarkably adaptable organization; it would not have survived so long if it was not. While it must be reformed to accommodate today’s world, all that is needed is a smidgen of the statesmanship shown seven decades ago, when world leaders subordinated their immediate short-term interests to a long-term vision of the kind of world they wanted their children to inhabit.

  The UN remains the source of laws and norms that countries negotiate together and agree to uphold as the “rules of the road.” And it remains the pre-eminent forum where sovereign states can come together to share burdens, address shared problems, and seize common opportunities.

  In other words, the UN’s foundations, laid down in 1945, remain strong. But they must be buttressed if they are to withstand the ongoing shifts in countries’ strategic weight. As the UN turns 70, it is time to reaffirm its founders’ guiding vision – a vision born of devastation that remains a source of universal hope for a better world.

B. Fouzia Taranum, IRS, ACIT, Circle 5(2)(1), Bangalore

B. Fouzia Taranum, IRS, ACIT, Circle 5(2)(1), Bangalore

Rank – 31, CSE – 2014

I do not know how helpful this brief write up is going to be, but since many had asked, and I have benefitted from similar write ups of seniors, here goes.

I started preparing for UPSC in December 2010, having quit my job as a Business Analyst with Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. In CSE 2011, I cleared with AIR of 307, thereby joining the IRS (IT). The attempt in 2012 didn’t see me improve my rank/service. I was under training in NADT, Nagpur, and decided to go ahead and settle into the service, which I was beginning to like, understand and enjoy.

However once posted, from June 2014, I started feeling the difference in service – IAS and IRS – and the job profiles. I felt that I should try one last time for my dream service, and give one last attempt. So a few weeks before the prelims of 2014, I jumped into preparation mode. It helped that I was posted at my hometown, so I had the support of my parents in this venture. In fact, the result was a surprise to my family/relatives/friends, as not many people other than my parents, sisters and my IRS batch mates knew that I was giving another attempt!

I reread the standard books, along with the sources available online like Insights on India. I think a big part of the improvement in rank to AIR 31 this year was due to me growing as a person, becoming more mature, having seen more of this world, and a creeping sense of practicality and realism in approach, compared to an over-idealistic one earlier. UPSC is actually looking for more rounded personalities with problem solving approach and an analytical mind. The UPSC journey should be looked at in this light, and not merely reading of books.

Work + Study

It was very important for me that I do not compromise on my present work, while I gave this attempt. I had to be more than justifying the salary that I was taking home.

At office, I would concentrate on work, and at home on preparation efforts and personal obligations. While it was difficult and often tiring, I hope I did justice to both, my aspiration to be in IAS through my preparation efforts, along with the requirements of my job as an Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax.

The balance came from management of time. There will never be enough time, rather we have to make time for everything.

General Strategy

• No leave before prelims (no proper study before prelims either, thanks to strength in CSAT)
• Focussed preparation after getting a fair idea that I will clear the prelims (having checked with various answer keys available online)
• 30 days leave before mains
• 5 days leave for interview
• Studying atleast 2 hours a day (working days) – depending on my work day either early morning or late night – August to December 2014. Also managed to take a few Fridays off after the prelims results, so as to get 3 days of continuous reading done, or to compensate for the days when I had not prepared due to obligations at work.
• Finishing weekly newspapers (piled up) and studying for about 4 hours a day (during weekends/holidays)
• A general study, unlike the crazy detailed study of 2011-12
• Focussed on revising my strong areas (economy, geography, etc) and re-preparing for my weak areas (history, culture, sociology, etc) along with preparing for the newly introduced topics.
• Focussed on current events and ensured that connected GS related gyan was revised (e.g: LS elections were on – read up all election related polity).
• Chose Sociology as optional because pub ad wasn’t performing too well, socio takes lesser time to prepare in comparison and enjoyed reading this subject more, even though I have never studied this subject academically.
• Didn’t read too many books, so as to not feel lost at the end of it all – stuck to the books (or the particular sections in the books) that I really enjoyed reading.
• Use of YouTube videos for World History, as this was newly introduced.
• Ethics – GS Paper 4 – Just read up a few solved papers on the Vision website and realised that our “UPSC orientation” is sufficient – Looked up definitions on all the terms used in the syllabus and made short notes. Didn’t read anything beyond that. Scored 113/250, and was largely just giving “true” answers to most situational questions/case studies.
• Couldn’t practise writing due to lack of time – I know that if I had, I could have really upped my game.
• Gave many examples in my answers, and tried to keep them interesting to whoever was to read them.

Use of Time

There is a dire need for short, productive periods of reading through the day. For instance, reading up the news feeds after returning from lunch at office, listening to the news/saved videos while travelling to and from office, etc. Such reading of 15 minutes in short bursts 4-5 times a day really adds up and contributes immensely to our efforts.

Also, I used to take up a subject I like and enjoy when I felt like I have a lost cause in my hands and was feeling depressed. This really helps make our efforts more productive. However, we need to be cautious that we do not let other subjects suffer from neglect. Be judicious in the time you allot to various “sub-subjects”.

Writing style

• Short, to the point, bullet points, covering as many dimensions and aspects as possible
• Didn’t focus on word limits too much – some answers I looked for more space and for some I just jotted down half a page
• Didn’t really fill pages, wrote as much as I knew
• Interlinking of topics
• Use of diagrams/charts
• Underlining of important points as I write
• Points in the margin (like a summary box, to help me and the evaluator)

Booklist:

GS (scored 405):

• History – Bipin Chandra, Spectrum
• World History – Norman Lowe, YouTube Videos, Online resources
• Geography – NCERT (11^th and 12th), G C Leong, Atlas
• Art and Culture – Insights on India questions and answers, NCERT History pdfs online
• Polity – Lakshmikanth, Online resources
• Economy – Newspapers, Frank ISC Economics (11th and 12th), Economic Survey
• Environment – Newspapers, ICSE Text book, Online/Wiki for all the various protocols, committees, etc.
• Ethics – Just read up definitions online and read some answer scripts put up on Vision IAS website.
• Current Affairs – Newspapers, Insights on India Daily Current Events (daily + revision 2 weeks before Mains), Vision IAS monthly Current affairs notes, Sriram IAS summary Current affairs notes, general reading online on relevant topics
• Newspapers – The Hindu, Times of India, Editorials from Economic Times
• Magazines – None this year due to paucity of time (used to read Frontline and Wizard in 2011-12)

Sociology (Scored 257 L)

Paper 1

1. C N Shankar Rao – Intro to socio
2. Crack IAS notes – ppr 1
3. Haralambos – very important book according to me (understood Mead thanks to this book!)
4. IGNOU BA Notes – selectively. (Did all units on thinkers thoroughly)
5. Ritzer for Thinkers
6. Upendra Notes – for thinkers and introduction only
7. Collins Dictionary for Sociology – for concept clarity

Paper 2

1. C N Shankar Rao – Indian socio
2. Crack IAS notes – ppr 2
3. IGNOU BA Notes  – selectively
4. Nagla for Indian Thinkers
5. Upendra Notes – for movements only
6. Nadeem Hasnain – Tribal India selectively
7. Ram Ahuja – very few topics
8. Year Book for programmes/schemes
9. Spectrum History – for national movement
10. Online resources for few topics
11. Newspaper articles/editorials on social issues

In conclusion

A lot of resources available online, have a look and settle for what works best for you, but don’t waste time on the internet unnecessarily.

Never lose focus, never lose faith. Stay consistent in your efforts. Believe in yourself! Don’t forget to keep learning and to keep improving!

Though a certain amount of luck is required, hard work does pay! I have not studied in big “Ivy League” institutions, nor do I have any civil servants in my family. I come from a very simple, ordinary, loving household, where education has never been very important. Still thanks to my parents’ support and my efforts, I could make it. So can anyone who sets her mind to it.

All the best for Prelims 2015 and the journey ahead! I hope you realize all your dreams.