Today's Brief 18-21/06/2024
- M.R Mishra
- Jun 21, 2024
- 5 min read
1.Global Energy Transition Index : 1. Global average ETI scores have risen by 6% since 2015, but growth has decelerated over the past three years.
. Only 28% of countries showed significant improvement in the lowest-scoring dimension, indicating progress towards a more balanced system.
. The top 10 countries contribute only 1% of energy-related CO2 emissions, 3% of total energy supply, 3% of energy demand, and 2% of the global population.
. In 2024, just 17% of countries managed to balance progress across all dimensions of the energy triangle.
. Overall, 53 countries have shown steady progress over the past decade.
Out of 120 countries benchmarked, 107 have made progress over the last decade, with only 30 seeing their scores increase by more than 10%.
Sweden leads the global rankings, followed by Denmark and Finland. This year, France has joined the top five performers on the ETI, thanks to its effective energy efficiency policies.
Major demand centers like Brazil, China, and India have shown strong improvements on the ETI in recent years. Achieving long-term energy transition goals requires sustained effort, even amidst near-term macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges.
In 2024, a notable 28% of nations, including Kuwait, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Tanzania, are actively moving towards a more balanced energy system. This progress is marked by significant improvements in the lowest-scoring sub-index among equity, security, and sustainability.
However, only 20 countries have improved scores across all three dimensions in the past year. This lack of consistent, balanced progress highlights the challenges many countries face in the energy transition. The increasing complexity of macroeconomic environments and rising geopolitical tensions have added challenges, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches to effectively navigate these evolving dynamics.
Amid these complexities and uncertainties, the path forward remains clear: it is imperative for all stakeholders across the energy value chain—including supply, demand, and distribution, and encompassing both public and private sectors—to take decisive action.
This involves accelerating efforts to transform energy systems through innovative solutions, mobilizing investment, and driving bold policy reforms. By harnessing the momentum of the energy transition, stakeholders can guide the way towards an equitable, secure, and sustainable energy future.
damage to the optic nerve can result in irreversible vision loss or blindness.
2.Methanol Poisoning:
In a severe incident in Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu, at least 47 people died, and nearly 100 others are critically ill after consuming methanol-spiked moonshine on June 20. Methanol, a toxic industrial chemical, is legally monitored, but its abuse persists despite previous incidents.
Harms of Methanol Poisoning
Methanol poisoning occurs when methanol is ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Methanol is found in industrial products like antifreeze, solvents, and fuel, as well as in adulterated alcoholic beverages. The toxic metabolites, formaldehyde and formic acid, cause significant harm to the body.
Visual Damage
Blurred Vision: Early sign progressing to blurred vision.
Blindness: Severe cases can lead to permanent blindness due to optic nerve damage.
Neurological Effects
Headache and Dizziness: Common early symptoms.
Confusion and Disorientation: Progresses with toxicity.
Seizures: Caused by toxic effects on the brain.
Coma: Severe cases lead to central nervous system depression.
Metabolic Effects
Metabolic Acidosis: Disrupts cellular function, causing critical conditions.
Hyperventilation: Rapid breathing to compensate for acidosis.
Gastrointestinal Effects
Nausea and Vomiting: Common symptoms.
Abdominal Pain: Due to irritant effects of methanol.
Cardiovascular Effects
Hypotension: Low blood pressure from severe acidosis.
Tachycardia: Rapid heart rate as a compensatory mechanism.
Kidney Damage
Renal Failure: Potentially caused by acidosis and toxicity.
Respiratory Effects
Respiratory Failure: Severe cases may require mechanical ventilation.
Long-term Effects
Chronic Neurological Deficits: Long-term cognitive and motor impairments.
Permanent Vision Loss: Irreversible optic nerve damage.
Methanol poisoning is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention to prevent severe complications and death.
3. Freshwater diatom : Researchers have identified a new genus of the Gomphonemoid diatom in the clean water rivers of the Eastern Ghats.
Named Indiconema, this genus features unique valve symmetry and other specific valve characteristics that set it apart from other Gomphonemoid members, reflecting its restricted distribution within India. This discovery highlights the critical role diatoms play in India's biodiversity.
Diatoms, microscopic algae, are essential to our daily lives, producing 25% of the global oxygen supply, which means they contribute to every fourth breath we take. They form the base of the aquatic food chain and are sensitive to water chemistry changes, making them excellent indicators of aquatic health.
India's documentation of diatoms dates back to Ehrenberg's 1845 publication, Mikrogeologie.
Since then, extensive research has recorded diatoms in both freshwater and marine environments, with an estimated 6,500 taxa in India. About 30% of these taxa are endemic, showcasing India's unique biodiversity.
The country’s diverse biogeographic zones support various species, with habitats ranging from freshwater to marine, sea level to high mountains, and alkaline lakes to acidic swamps.
The Eastern and Western Ghats of peninsular India, with their distinct gradients, harbor a wide array of habitats and unique diatom species.
The monsoon evolution has shaped the rainforest biome across the Indian Peninsula, influencing diatom flora. Published in Phycologia, the research reports one species of Indiconema from the Eastern Ghats and another from the Western Ghats. Similar patterns of endemic species distribution between these mountain systems are seen in other groups, such as reptiles.
Morphological comparisons suggest Indiconema is related to Afrocymbella, a genus endemic to East Africa. Early studies noted similarities between Gomphonema species from India, East Africa, and Madagascar, which this discovery supports. Funded by the erstwhile SERB, now ANRF, this research underscores the importance of diatom studies in understanding India's biodiversity and diatom biogeography.
Freshwater diatoms are a type of microscopic algae that live in freshwater environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. These single-celled organisms are a crucial component of the aquatic ecosystem and play a significant role in the ecological balance. Here are some key points about freshwater diatoms:
Characteristics
Cell Structure: Diatoms are encased in a unique silica cell wall called a frustule, which consists of two interlocking parts. The intricate and often beautiful patterns of these cell walls are species-specific.
Photosynthesis: Like other algae, diatoms perform photosynthesis, using sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and organic matter, making them primary producers in the food chain.
Size: Diatoms are generally very small, ranging from 2 micrometers to 2 millimeters in size.
4. Emissions :The European Commission has drafted plans to exempt long-haul flights from rules on monitoring their non-CO2 emissions, after international carriers lobbied for an opt-out, documents showed.
The EU is developing plans to require airlines to track and report their contribution to climate change from January 2025 – not only from carbon dioxide, but also soot, nitrogen oxides and water vapour.
Airlines’ non-CO2 emissions have at least as important an impact on global warming as their CO2 output, according to the EU’s aviation safety authority.
A draft Commission proposal for the new rules, would exclude international flights – defined by the EU as those departing or landing in Europe from non-European destinations – from the emissions disclosure rules for two years, limiting them until 2027 to only flights within Europe.
5.Microsoft and Nvidia are now the world’s most valuable companies :
Nvidia, the startup at the centre of the artificial intelligence boom, has become the world’s most valuable company, knocking Microsoft off the top spot.
Nvidia’s market capitalisation hit $3.335 trillion on Tuesday as shares of the chipmaker rose by 3.5 percent to $135.58.
Thanks for Visiting!!
Comments