The Election Commission has released the draft delimitation papers for Assam. In December2022, the Election Commission began the delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in Assam by using the Census data of 2001 for the readjustment seats.

What is Delimitation?

Ø  According to the Election Commission, the word ‘delimitation’ is defined as “the act or process of fixing limits/boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body”.

Ø  In the Indian context, the exercise of redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly Constituencies in a region is known as delimitation.

Ø  In this process, the number of seats allocated to a particular state/UT in Lok Sabha or in the Legislative Assembly may vary.

Ø  For example – Delhi, a union territory with legislative assembly, has 7 Lok Sabha constituencies while in the Legislative Assembly it has 70 constituencies.

Why is it needed?

Ø  Delimitation helps in redrawing the boundaries (based on the data of the last Census) in sucha way that the ratio between the population of each constituency and the number of seats allotted to it shall, so far as practicable, be the same throughout the State/UT.

Ø  It ensures a fair division of geographical areas so that all political parties or candidates contesting elections have a level playing field in terms of a number of voters.

Constitutional Provisions -

Ø  Article 82 and Article 170 of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to readjust the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of States respectively, afterevery census.

Ø  Accordingly, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Commission Act and an independent highpowered panel known as the Delimitation Commission is constituted to carry out the exercise of delimitation.

Ø  The Parliament has enacted the Delimitation Commission Acts in 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002 for this purpose.

Ø  There was no Delimitation Commission Act after the 1981 and 1991 census.

Ø  The present delimitation of constituencies has been done on the basis of 2001 census data under the provisions of Delimitation Commission Act, 2002.

Ø  The next Delimitation Commission will be set up after 2026.

Ø  Further, Article 330 and Article 332 of the Constitution provide for re-fixing the number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of the states, on the basis of the 2001 census.

Delimitation Commission -

Ø  The Delimitation Commission is a high-powered committee entrusted with the task of drawing and redrawing of boundaries of different constituencies for state assembly and Lok Sabha election.

Ø  It is appointed by the President and works in collaboration with the Election Commission.

The Commission consists of –

Ø  A retired or working Supreme Court Judge (chairperson)

Ø  Election Commissioner

Ø  Concerned State Election Commissioners

Ø  The Commission’s orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court.

Ø  The Commission’s orders are laid before the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies concerned, but they cannot effect any modifications in the orders.

China blocked a proposal by India and the US at the United Nations to designate Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir as a global terrorist. Mir is wanted for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Sanctions regime of UNSC -

Ø  Under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the UN Security Council can take action to maintain or restore international peace and security.

Ø  The application of sanctions is one of the possibilities the Council has in this respect.

Ø  Sanctions measures, under Article 41 of the UN Charter, encompass a broad range of enforcement options that do not involve the use of armed force.

Ø  The measures can range from economic and trade embargoes to more targeted measures against specific individuals, companies or entities, such as the freezing of funds and travel bans.

Ø  Pursuant to this, currently, the UNSC has 14 active sanctions regimes.

Ø  Sanctions regimes are enacted via a UN Security Council resolution.

Ø  The sanctions regimes focus on supporting political processes in armed conflicts, nuclear non-proliferation and counter-terrorism.

Sanctions committee of UNSC -

Ø  Each sanctions regime is administered by a sanctions committee that consists of all 15 members of the Security Council.

Ø  15 members include – 5 permanent member and 10 non-permanent members of UNSC.

Ø  These sanctions committees ensure the implementation of the sanctions and can decide by consensus to adopt targeted sanctions against specific individuals, enterprises or entities.

Ø  UNSC Al-Qaeda and ISIL Sanctions Committee or 1267 sanctions committee is one of such committee.

Functions of UNSC sanctions committee -

Ø  The committee discusses UN efforts to limit the movement of terrorists, especially those related to travel bans, the freezing of assets and arms embargoes for terrorism.

Ø  Once an entity or an individual is included in the list it gets designated as the “Global Terrorist”.

The member states are required to —

Ø  freeze funds and financial assets of that individual/entity,

Ø  enforce a travel ban, and

Ø  cut off access to arms and related materials.

Procedures followed by the UNSC sanctions committee -

Decision by consensus —

Ø  The decisions are adopted by consensus.

Ø  This requirement effectively gives a veto to all 15 members of the committee (10 nonpermanent + 5 permanent).

Member can place a hold on the decision —

Ø  A committee member can place a “hold” on the decision should they require more time and information to consider the matter at hand.

Ø  As per the guidelines, a hold can last for as long as 6 months at a time, but can be extended further under “extraordinary circumstances”.

Ø  Apart from this vague condition, there is no restriction on repeatedly invoking a hold.

Meeting behind the close doors —

Ø  Committee meetings take place in closed sessions, with no publication of the agenda, proceedings and voting records of the committee.

UNSC Al-Qaeda and ISIL Sanctions Committee -

Ø  The ISIL (Da'esh) and Al Qaida sanctions committee is also known as the 1267 sanctions committee.

Ø  It is one of the most important UN subsidiary bodies working to combat terrorism, particularly in relation to ISIL (Da’esh), Al‑Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities.

Ø  It oversees sanctions measures related to individuals, entities and groups, associated with the aforementioned organisations.

Ø  This committee oversees the implementation of sanctions pursuant to UNSC resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015).

Amid heatwave deaths being reported in parts of the country, Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with senior officials of the India Meteorological Department, National Disaster Management Authority, and the Health ministry.

What is Heat wave?

Ø  Qualitatively, heat wave is a condition of air temperature which becomes fatal to human body when exposed.

Ø  Quantitatively, it is defined based on the temperature thresholds over a region in terms of actual temperature or its departure from normal.

Ø  In certain countries it is defined in term of the heat index based on temperature and humidity or based on extreme percentile of the temperatures.

What is the criterion for declaring Heat wave?

Ø  Heat wave is considered if maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 400C or more for Plains and at least 300C or more for Hilly regions.

Ø  For coastal regions – When maximum temperature departure is 4.50C or more from normal, Heat Wave may be described provided actual maximum temperature is 370C or more.

Ø  Period of Heat wave over India – It is occurring mainly during March to June and in some rare cases even in July. The peak month of the heat wave over India is May.

Ø  Heat wave prone areas of India – Heat wave generally occurs over plains of northwest India, Central, East & north Peninsular India during March to June.

How India Meteorological Department (IMD) monitors the Heat wave?

Ø  IMD has a big network of surface observatories covering entire country to measure various metrological parameters like Temperature, Relative humidity, pressure, wind speed & direction etc.

Ø  Based on daily maximum temperature station data, climatology of maximum temperature is prepared for the period 1981-2010 to find out normal maximum temperature of the day for particular station.

Ø  Thereafter, IMD declared heat wave over the region as per its definition.

How does heatwave affect human body?

Ø  We all feel drained and tired after stepping out on an extremely hot day.

Ø  This is referred to as heat exhaustion, which happens when the body sweats excessively to keep the core temperature low.

Ø  A heat stroke happens when the ambient temperature is so high that the body is unable to sweat to regulate the core temperature, which shoots up to 400

Ø  In these cases, there is a severe imbalance of salts such as sodium and potassium in the body.

Ø  The high core temperature coupled with salt imbalances disrupts organs, leading to a host of symptoms.

Ø  It can affect the brain, making a person foggy, drowsy, and in severe cases may also lead to a person going into a coma.

Ø  It can lead to kidney and liver damage as well. A cascade of such symptoms leads to death due to heat stroke.

How to avoid Heat Stroke?

Ø  The primary aim should be to bring down the core temperature of the body fast.

Ø  This can be done by pouring cold water over the person, making them drink cold drinks, and giving them electrolytes to balance salt levels.

Ø  To prevent heat stroke, it is better to avoid stepping out in direct sunlight, especially between noon and 3 pm. You should avoid strenuous activity during this time.

Prior to the UNFCCC's COP28 in Dubai (UAE), representatives from countries around the world met in Bonn (Germany) for climate negotiations. This was the first full in-person meeting since COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Agenda of Bonn Conference -

Ø  At Bonn, delegates were tasked with laying the groundwork ahead of a “global stocktake” that will see nations assessing their progress towards climate goals.

Ø  Bonn was expected to act as the springboard for accelerated climate action.

Global Stocktake (GST) -

Ø  Mandated by the 2015 Paris Agreement, GST is an exercise aimed at assessing the progress in the fight against climate change, and deciding ways and means to enhance global action to bridge the adequacy gap.

Ø  The Paris Agreement says GST must be conducted every five years, starting in 2023.

Consequence of the Bonn conference -

Ø  One thing that the countries did manage to wrap up was the third and final round of technical discussions on GST.

Ø  The technical discussions just produced a short ‘framework’ on the elements to be included in the stocktake exercise.

Ø  The actual substance in GST would come in at COP28, the year-ending climate conference.

Mitigation Work Programme (MWP) -

Ø  Apart from GST, this is another mechanism was set up at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 for climate action.

Ø  This is a temporary emergency exercise focused only on increasing emission cuts.

Other outcomes of the Bonn conference -

Ø  Discussions at the MWP ran into trouble after developing countries complained that while they were being asked to strengthen their climate actions, developed countries were yet to offer the enabling finance and technology transfers.

Ø  Developed countries are under an obligation to support the implementation of climate action plans of developing countries through money and tech transfers.

Ø  Most developing countries, including India, have said they would be able to act more if international support in the form of money and technology transfer was made available.

Issues between developed and developing nations -

Ø  The discussion on GST resulted into disagreement (between developed and developing countries) over provisions related to finance and technology transfer and ‘historical responsibility’ of the rich countries.

The Historical Responsibility -

Ø  A bulk of the accumulated greenhouse gas emissions, the reason for global warming, have come from a group of about 40 rich and industrialised countries, usually referred to as Annex I countries in the 1992 UNFCCC.

Ø  This historical responsibility has been the basis for the differentiated burden-sharing on developed and developing countries in the climate change framework.

Why money matters?

Ø  According to the IPCC, global emissions have to come down by 43% from 2019 levels by 2030 to keep alive hopes of meeting the 1.5-degree target.

Ø  For this, developing countries need as much as US$ 6 trillion between now and 2030 just to implement their climate action plans.

Ø  The loss and damage needs of developing countries are assessed to be about US$ 400 billion every year.

Ø  Against this, even a minuscule-looking US$ 100 billion per year that the developed countries had committed to raise from 2020 is not fully available.

Concerns raised by the developed nations -

Ø  The historical emissions happened at a time when there was no alternative to fossil fuelbased energy sources, and when there was little understanding or consensus on the harm caused by greenhouse gases.

Ø  Since 1992, about 57% of the carbon dioxide emissions had come from non-Annex I countries. (All Countries excluding a group of about 40 rich and industrialised countries).

Ø  It said that 70% of the incremental warming since 1992 due to emissions from carbon dioxide, methane and sulphur dioxide had come from non-Annex I countries.

Ø  While maintaining that developed countries would take the lead in climate action, bridging the adequacy gap was not the sole responsibility of the developed nations and that it would not agree to references to pre-2020 commitments in the GST.

Way forward -

Ø  A fresh effort at raising financial resources for climate change.

Ø  The Summit for a New Global Financial Pact is an attempt at redirecting global financial flows and raising new money to fight climate change, and dealing with associated problems like biodiversity loss and poverty.

Conclusion -

With current global efforts to keep rising temperatures in check abysmally inadequate, a massive and immediate scale-up in climate action is essential to keep alive any realistic chance of meeting the 1.5 degree or 2-degree Celsius targets. The international community’s responses are currently fragmented, partial and insufficient. There is a need to fundamental overhaul of all discussions on climate change and related actions and finance.

In 2022, there was a significant surge in forced displacement, driven by social and climate crises, according to a report by the UNHCR. The number of individuals forcibly uprooted from their homes increased by 21% compared to the previous year, totaling 108.4 million people. This included a significant number of children who were also displaced.

Major Highlights of the Report:

Forced Displacement Statistics:

Ø  The number of forcibly displaced people reached a record high of 108.4 million by the end of 2022.

Ø  Approximately 30% of the displaced individuals were children.

Ø  This marked an increase of 19 million people compared to the previous year.

Ø  Out of the total displaced population, 35.3 million were refugees who crossed international borders.

Main Drivers of Displacement:

Ø  The full-scale war in Ukraine was the primary driver of displacement in 2022, with 11.6 million Ukrainians remaining displaced.

Ø  Ongoing and new conflicts in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, and Myanmar also contributed to significant displacement.

Ø  The total number of displaced people worldwide increased to 110 million by May 2023 due to the fresh conflict in Sudan.

Ø  Climate change and natural disasters were additional factors leading to displacement, causing 32.6 million internal displacements in 2022.

Burden on Low- and Middle-Income Countries:

Ø  90% of the displaced population originated from low- and middle-income countries.

Ø  These countries hosted 76% of the world’s refugees, highlighting their disproportionate responsibility.

Ø  Least Developed Countries (LDCs) hosted 20% of the global refugee population, facing significant challenges.

Challenges of Statelessness:

Ø  Statelessness worsens the difficulties faced by refugees, denying them access to essential services.

Ø  An estimated 4.4 million people worldwide were stateless or of undetermined nationality by the end of 2022, representing a 2% increase from the previous year.

Impacts of Forced Displacement:

Challenges Faced by Refugees:

Ø  Disrupted livelihoods and limited access to employment opportunities, education, and financial resources.

Ø  Economic hardships, poverty, and vulnerability.

Ø  Disrupted or denied access to education, hindering long-term development and opportunities for a better future.

Ø  Emotional distress, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression, due to traumatic experiences during displacement.

Ø  Health challenges, such as inadequate access to healthcare, malnutrition, and exposure to unsanitary conditions.

Ø  Difficulties in integration into host societies due to language barriers, cultural differences, and discrimination.

Ø  Social exclusion, marginalization, and isolation, impeding the rebuilding of their lives.

Impacts on Host Communities:

Ø  Pressure on resources, including housing, healthcare facilities, schools, and public services.

Ø  Overburdened infrastructure, leading to shortages and reduced access for both refugees and host community members.

Ø  Social tensions and cultural dynamics within host communities due to differences in language, religion, and customs.

Ø  Misunderstandings and conflicts arising from these differences.

Ø  Competition for employment opportunities, leading to tension and resentment.

Ø  About United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Ø  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is an international organization with the mandate to protect and assist refugees worldwide. Here are the key points about UNHCR:

Mission:

Ø  UNHCR is dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and improving the future of people forcibly displaced due to conflict and persecution.

Ø  It was established in 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly to assist those who had lost their homes after World War II.

Ø  UNHCR’s primary mission is to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to refugees and promote durable solutions for their plight.

Governance and Role:

Ø  UNHCR operates under the authority of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Ø  It acts as the guardian of the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, which define the rights and legal obligations related to refugees.

Ø  UNHCR works closely with governments, international organizations, and civil society to address the challenges faced by refugees and find solutions.

India’s Position:

India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol.