According to the recently published ‘Global Slavery Index 2023’ by the Walk Free Foundation, there has been a significant rise in the global prevalence of modern slavery. The report reveals that the number of individuals living in these exploitative conditions has reached 50 million, marking a concerning increase of 25% over the past five years. 

Ø  The report highlights the notable contribution of G20 nations in intensifying the crisis of modern slavery, primarily through their trade activities and global supply chains.

Ø  Among the G20 countries, India, China, Russia, Indonesia, Turkey, and the U.S. stand out as having the highest number of individuals subjected to forced labor.

Modern Slavery

Ø  Definition: Modern slavery includes forced labour, forced marriage, debt bondage, commercial sexual exploitation, human trafficking, slavery-like practices, and the sale and exploitation of children.

Ø  Consequences: Modern slavery has severe impacts on individuals, communities, and societies.

Ø  Human Rights Violation: It violates human rights, undermines human dignity, and erodes social cohesion.

Ø  Economic Impact: It hampers economic development, perpetuates inequality, and fuels corruption.

Ø  Threat to Security: Modern slavery poses a threat to global security and stability by contributing to conflict, terrorism, and organized crime.

Major Findings of Global Slavery Index 2023

Ø  Global Estimate: The report estimates that around 50 million people were living in modern slavery in 2021, a significant increase of 10 million since 2016.

Ø  Prevalence: The prevalence of modern slavery is approximately one in every 160 people worldwide.

Ø  Country Rankings: The index ranks 160 countries based on their estimated prevalence of modern slavery per 1,000 people.

Ø  Highest Prevalence: North Korea, Eritrea, and Mauritania are identified as countries with the highest prevalence of modern slavery, where it is widespread and often state-sponsored.

Ø  Lowest Prevalence: Switzerland, Norway, and Germany are ranked among the countries with the lowest prevalence of modern slavery, indicating strong governance and effective responses to combat it.

Ø  Asia and the Pacific: This region has the highest number of people in modern slavery, with an estimated 29.3 million individuals affected.

Ø  India’s Prevalence: India is highlighted with a prevalence score of 8, indicating a significant proportion of the population living in modern slavery per thousand people.

Contributing Factors and Challenges

Contributing Factors:

Ø  Climate Change and Environmental Factors: The report identifies climate change as a contributing factor to the rise of modern slavery, along with other environmental factors. Displacement and resource scarcity increase vulnerability to exploitation.

Ø  Armed Conflict: Ongoing armed conflicts create conditions conducive to modern slavery, with armed groups and militias exploiting vulnerable populations.

Ø  Weak Governance: Countries with weak governance structures and inadequate enforcement of labor laws are more susceptible to modern slavery.

Ø  Health Emergencies: The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities, disrupted economies, and worsened working conditions, leading to an increase in modern slavery.

Role of G20 Nations:

Ø  G20 Contribution: G20 nations account for over half of all people living in modern slavery. Importing products worth billions of dollars from countries with weak worker protection contributes to forced labor conditions.

Ø  Importation of High-Risk Products: Certain products, such as electronics, textiles, palm oil, and solar panels, are associated with forced labor and human trafficking. G20 countries import significant amounts of these high-risk goods.

Global Supply Chains:

Ø  Complex Supply Chains: Global supply chains, involving multiple stages from sourcing to transportation, are interconnected with forced labor. Lack of transparency makes it difficult to identify and address instances of modern slavery.

Ø  High-Risk Products: The importation of textiles and apparel goods by G20 countries exposes them to forced labor risks.

Assessment Methodology:

Ø  Vulnerability Factors: The index assesses nations’ vulnerability to modern slavery based on factors like political instability, inequality, lack of basic needs, criminal justice mechanisms, internal conflicts, and displacement.

Ø  Data Sources: The report relies on data from reputable organizations such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Walk Free, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Textiles Industry:

Ø  Exploitative Conditions: The textiles industry is highlighted as a significant contributor to forced labor. Issues include forced and unpaid work, unsafe conditions, low wages, lack of benefits, and debt bondage.

Ø  Sumangali Scheme: The report cites the Sumangali scheme in Tamil Nadu as an example of exploitative conditions in spinning mills, particularly affecting women and girls. 

Recommendations:

Strengthen Measures and Legislation:

Ø  The Global Slavery Index recommends the implementation of more robust measures and legislation to prevent governments and businesses from engaging in the sourcing of goods and services associated with modern slavery.

Ø  This includes enacting stricter regulations and enforcing them effectively to hold accountable those involved in exploitative practices.

Integrate Anti-Slavery Measures into Climate Change Sustainability Plans: 

Ø  The report suggests incorporating anti-slavery measures into plans addressing climate change sustainability.

Ø  This involves recognizing the connection between climate change and modern slavery, and taking proactive steps to address vulnerabilities created by climate change while ensuring that efforts to combat climate change do not contribute to forced labor and exploitation.

Provide Education to Children:

Ø  It is recommended to prioritize education for children, particularly those in vulnerable communities, as a means to prevent and protect against modern slavery.

Ø  By ensuring accessible and quality education, children can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize and avoid exploitative situations. 

Tighten Regulations on Child Marriage:

Ø  The report emphasizes the importance of tightening regulations around child marriage, which is a form of modern slavery affecting numerous girls globally.

Ø  This includes raising the minimum age of marriage, enforcing penalties for those involved, and providing support for survivors of child marriage.

Ensure Transparency in Value Chains:

Ø  Promoting transparency and accountability in global value chains is essential to identify and address instances of modern slavery.

The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), which hosts the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), recently announced that scientists at the organisation found the first evidence of the rare process by which the Higgs boson decays into a Z boson and a photon. 

About Higgs boson:

Ø  The Higgs boson is a fundamental particle associated with the Higgs field, which gives mass to other particles.

Ø  It is one of the elementary particles in the Standard Model of particle physics.

Ø  Sometimes referred to as the “God particle,” it plays a crucial role in subatomic physics.

Ø  Proposed in 1964 by Peter Higgs, François Englert, and others to explain particle mass.

Ø  Discovered on July 4, 2012, at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

Features:

Ø  The Higgs boson has a mass of 125 billion electron volts, making it significantly more massive than a proton.

Ø  It has zero charge and zero spin, distinguishing it as the only elementary particle with no spin.

Ø  It acts as a force carrier during particle interactions.

Standard Model of Elementary Particle Physics:

Ø  The standard model of elementary particles is a theoretical framework in physics that explains the particles of matter and their interactions.

Ø  It represents the elementary particles as connected through mathematical symmetry, similar to bilateral symmetry between two objects.

Ø  The model utilizes mathematical groups that result from continuous transformations between different particles.

Ø  It suggests a finite number of fundamental particles represented by characteristic “eigen” states of these groups.

Ø  Experimental observations have confirmed the existence of particles predicted by the model, including the Z boson.

Ø  The most recent discovery, made in 2012, was the Higgs boson, which is responsible for giving mass to the heavier particles.

About Large Hadron Collider (LHC):

Ø  The LHC is the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator.

Ø  Located near Geneva, Switzerland, spanning the border of France and Switzerland.

Ø  Built by CERN, it conducts experiments with highly energized particles.

Ø  It can recreate conditions similar to the early universe moments after the Big Bang.

Ø  Scientists collide high-energy subatomic particles and observe their interactions.

Ø  Notably, the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 was a significant breakthrough at the LHC.

World Environment Day, observed annually on June 5th, serves as a platform to raise awareness about environmental protection and sustainability.

 Ø  To commemorate the 50th anniversary, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and the Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program (CLASP), an international non-governmental organization, joined forces to host a conference titled “Consumer-Centric Approaches for E-cooking Transition” in New Delhi.

Ø  The primary objective of the conference was to expedite the adoption of energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective e-cooking solutions throughout India.

World Environment Day 2023 

Establishment and Hosting:

Ø  World Environment Day was established by the United Nations Assembly on June 5, 1972.

Ø  It is hosted by a different country each year.

Ø  India hosted the 45th celebration in 2018 with the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution.’

Ø  Côte d’Ivoire, in partnership with the Netherlands, is hosting the 2023 World Environment Day.

50th Anniversary:

This year marks the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day.

Theme for 2023:  The theme is focused on solutions to plastic pollution. The campaign is #BeatPlasticPollution. 

Objectives:

Ø  Raise awareness about plastic pollution.

Ø  Mobilize communities to take action.

Ø  Encourage collaborative efforts to address plastic pollution.

Ø  Promote a healthier and more sustainable environment.

Ø  E-Cooking: A Clean and Energy-Efficient Alternative

Definition and Adoption:

Ø  E-cooking involves using electric cooking appliances as a clean and energy-efficient alternative.

Ø  It includes electric stoves, induction cooktops, and other electric cooking devices.

Ø  It is gaining popularity as a sustainable cooking method in households.

Role of Electricity Access in India:

Ø  India’s achievement of 24/7 electricity access has been a driving factor in the transition to e-cooking.

Ø  The Saubhagya Scheme has provided electricity connections, eliminating power cuts and facilitating the adoption of electric cooking. 

Mission LiFE and Clean Cooking Energy:

Ø  E-cooking is a crucial part of India’s Mission LiFE initiative.

Ø  Mission LiFE promotes sustainable lifestyles and aims to create pro-planet advocates.

Ø  Clean cooking energy is essential for India’s energy transition, aligning with Mission LiFE’s goals.

Scalability and Affordability:

Ø  With reliable electricity access, e-cooking is poised to become the future of Indian kitchens.

Ø  Electric cooking technology is scalable and affordable, suitable for both urban and rural areas.

Promoting Adoption and Affordability:

Ø  Developing affordable business models is key to widespread adoption of e-cooking solutions.

Ø  Utilizing renewable energy sources, such as solar and thermal power, can reduce costs and enhance accessibility.

Ø  Aggregation models and price reduction strategies can make e-cooking more affordable for a larger population.

Overcoming Technology Barriers:

Ø  Concerns regarding appliance faults and compatibility have been addressed in e-cooking technology.

Ø  Replicating successful e-cooking models at scale and gradually replacing traditional cookers can build consumer confidence and facilitate a smooth transition. 

Benefits for Power Sector and Consumers:

Ø  E-cooking aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 7.1, ensuring universal access to clean cooking and improving indoor air quality.

Ø  Energy consumption in reheating can be reduced, contributing to a cleaner, greener lifestyle.

Bureau of Energy Efficiency:

Ø  The BEE was established on 1st March 2002 under the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.

Ø  Objective: To reduce the energy intensity of the Indian economy.

Ø  It coordinates with designated consumers, designated agencies, and other organizations.

Ø  It recognizes, identifies, and utilizes existing resources and infrastructure to perform the functions assigned to it under the Energy Conservation Act.

The railways recently confirmed that there was no ‘Kavach’ system installed on the trains involved in the accident in Odisha’s Balasore district. 

Kavach System: An Indigenously Developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System 

Ø  Developed by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) under Indian Railway (IR).

Ø  Collaboration with Medha Servo Drives Pvt Ltd, HBL Power Systems Ltd, and Kernex Microsystems.

Ø  Components and Communication:

Ø  Consists of electronic devices and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices.

Ø  Installed in locomotives, signaling systems, and tracks.

Ø  Communication between devices using ultra-high radio frequencies.

Ø  Logic programming enables control of train brakes and driver alerts.

Field Tests:

Ø  Railway conducted field tests for Kavach since 2016.

Ø  Tests carried out on passenger trains.

Applications:

Ø  Assisting locomotive pilots in avoiding Signal Passing At Danger (SPAD) and overspeeding.

Ø  Alerting loco pilots and automatically applying brakes to halt the train when another train is detected within a set distance.

Ø  Continuous relay of signals ahead for better visibility in low-visibility conditions.

Ø  Automatic speed control by applying brakes if the loco pilot fails to do so.

Ø  Supporting train operations during inclement weather, like dense fog.

Recently, the Prime Minister of India lauded Asia’s first demonstration of Performance-Based Navigation for helicopters for a flight from Juhu to Pune using GAGAN satellite technology. 

GAGAN Satellite Technology: GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation

GAGAN is jointly developed by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). 

Functionality:

Ø  Utilizes a network of ground stations to enhance the GPS standard positioning service (SPS) navigation signal.

Ø  Provides necessary augmentations to enhance accuracy, availability, and integrity for reliable GPS navigation throughout all flight phases.

Ø  Enables users to depend on GPS for various aviation operations.

Ø  Enhances position reporting accuracy, contributing to improved Air Traffic Management (ATM).

Ø  Extends benefits to other modes of transportation, including maritime, highways, and railroads.

Space-Based Augmentation Systems:

Ø  GAGAN is one of the four Space-Based augmentation systems available globally.

Ø  Other systems include WAAS (US), EGNOS (Europe), and MSAS (Japan).

Performance-Based Navigation (PBN):

Ø  PBN concept specifies performance requirements for aircraft RNAV (Area Navigation) systems.

Ø  Focuses on accuracy, integrity, availability, continuity, and functionality for specific airspace operations.

Ø  Shifts from sensor-based to performance-based navigation.

Ø  Navigation specifications define the performance requirements and allowable navigation sensors and equipment.