August (Part-2) Current Affairs | UPSC CGSE-2025 | GeologyConcepts.com

Summary

This video covers the latest updates in environmental science, technology, and security, including a World Bank report on climate change's impact on education, Iran's launch of a climate finance fund, and the state of global mangrove ecosystems. It also explores the effects of atmospheric rivers on extreme weather, India's recent underwater discoveries, and ISRO's EOS-08 satellite launch. Additional topics include the discovery of the heaviest antimatter nucleus, India's Roomi One hybrid rocket, and key joint military exercises. The video provides a comprehensive overview of significant global developments relevant to current affairs.

Takeaways

• 😀 The World Bank's report highlights that climate change is disrupting education, causing school closures and learning losses, especially during extreme weather events.
• 😀 Education accounted for only 1.3% of total climate assistance in 2020, showing that it is often overlooked in climate policies.
• 😀 Rising temperatures negatively affect learning outcomes, with an increase of 1°C in outdoor temperature leading to a decline in test scores.
• 😀 Climate change disproportionately impacts girls, with at least 4 million girls in low-income countries unable to complete their education due to climate-related events.
• 😀 The Climate Finance Action Fund (CFA) launched by Iran aims to support climate projects in developing countries, with an initial fundraising target of $1 billion.
• 😀 Southeast Asia has around 1/3 of the world's mangrove forests, with Indonesia holding the largest share. Climate change and industrial expansion threaten these ecosystems.
• 😀 Atmospheric rivers, long narrow bands of moisture in the atmosphere, are intensifying due to global warming, leading to more extreme rainfall events and flooding.
• 😀 By 2100, atmospheric rivers are expected to become broader, longer, and more intense, potentially causing both flooding and droughts in various regions.
• 😀 Atmospheric rivers have been linked to severe flooding in India, with seven out of the ten most severe monsoon floods in the country between 1985 and 2022 associated with them.
• 😀 ISRO launched the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-08 with three main payloads designed for environmental monitoring, disaster management, and supporting space missions.

Q & A

What is the main finding of the World Bank report on the impact of climate change on education?

The World Bank report highlights that climate change intensifies extreme weather events, disrupting schooling, leading to learning losses, and causing dropouts. Education remains largely overlooked in climate policies, despite its significant vulnerability to climate impacts.

How much of the total climate assistance in 2020 was allocated to education, according to the report?

In 2020, education accounted for only 1.3% of the total climate assistance, highlighting its underrepresentation in climate policy.

What impact does rising temperature have on student learning outcomes, as reported by the World Bank?

The report indicates that a 1°C increase in outdoor temperature on extreme days can lead to a substantial decline in test scores. For example, in Brazil’s hottest municipalities, students lost 1% of their learning per year due to rising temperatures.

What measures does the World Bank report suggest to mitigate the impact of climate change on education?

The report suggests investing in early warning systems (like Indonesia's mobile app), developing climate-resilient school infrastructure (such as Kenya's green economy strategy), and ensuring learning continuity during climate shocks (e.g., Ghana's back-to-school campaign).

What is the Climate Finance Action Fund, and where will it be launched?

The Climate Finance Action Fund (CFA Fund) is a new initiative launched by Azerbaijan at the COP 29 conference, aimed at supporting climate projects in developing countries. It will help meet nationally determined contributions to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.

What significant environmental concern does the State of the World's Mangroves report address?

The report highlights the alarming loss of mangrove forests, especially in Southeast Asia and India, due to climate change, industrial expansion, and land conversion, with significant implications for biodiversity and coastal protection.

How are atmospheric rivers related to climate change, and what impact do they have?

Atmospheric rivers, which are narrow bands of concentrated water vapor in the atmosphere, are becoming more intense and frequent due to global warming. They contribute to extreme rainfall events and flooding, as well as drought-like conditions in some regions.

What discovery related to antimatter was made by scientists recently?

Scientists recently discovered the heaviest antimatter nucleus, known as anti-hyper hydrogen 4, which was created in a particle accelerator. It consists of an antiproton, two anti-neutrons, and an anti-hyperon.

What is the Roomi-1 rocket, and what makes it significant?

Roomi-1 is India’s first reusable hybrid rocket, developed by Space Zone India in collaboration with the Martin Group. It combines solid and liquid propellants to improve efficiency and reduce costs, with features like adjustable launch angles and environmentally friendly operations.

What are some of the key military exercises mentioned in the transcript?

Key military exercises mentioned include Tarang Shaki (India's first multinational air exercise), Udari (joint exercise with Malaysia), Parbat Prahar (high-altitude warfare exercise in Ladakh), Mitra Shaki (between India and Sri Lanka), and the Maritime Partnership Exercise (India-Russia).