A Fortnightly newsletter on S&T, Science Policy and Diplomacy
UN Summit of the Future: The Way Ahead
“The Pact symbolizes a milestone and a progressive approach towards reformed multilateralism and global cooperation and fast-tracking the achievement of SDGs for the future”, writes Sneha Sinha.
USA, Australia, India and Japan affirmed continued cooperation on various critical technologies including AI, semiconductors, biotech and space. Key initiatives pertaining to health security, maritime security, cyber security and critical mineral supply chains were also an nounced.
The nine countries: Cyprus, Slovenia, Malta, Croatia, Greece, Italy, France, Portugal and Spain announced collaboration to set up renewable energy projects across borders. Projects may focus on tidal energy and floating photovoltaic units.
This platform aims to accelerate investments and innovation in renewable energy both in India and globally. The two countries also pledged to strengthen cooperation in urban development, mobility & agroecology.
14 banks including Barclays, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley have “their support for the call to action to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050”, while recognising the importance of civil nuclear energy in bringing about an energy transition .
The Compact entails “a comprehensive framework for global governance of digital technology and AI”. It emphasises upon equity, inclusity, sustainabil- ity and responsible governance of these technologies for the benefit of hu- manity.
The recommendations include the constitution a global fund on AI and SDGs, an AI capacity building network and an international scientific panel on AI.
Held during 22-23 September 2024, the much-anticipated event witnessed the adoption of a Pact of the Future which includes a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations.
The meeting deliberated upon a proposal jointly submitted by Japan, Iceland and Norway to allow whaling and decided to uphold a 40-year old moratorium which bans commercial whaling.
Deployed in Pune, New Delhi and Kolkata, the three supercomputers will help pioneer cutting-edge research in areas including astronomy, physics and earth sciences.
An analysis of images clicked by the cameras on-board the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter and the Pragyan rover re- vealed the landing site to be located in an ancient crater where “no other missions have gone”.
The new rules reduce the frequency for testing drug imports and calls for more random inspections of phar- maceutical facilities across the country to ensure quality control.
During an informal foreign ministers’ meeting held in New York, the grouping took stock of cooperation in areas including health, food security, skill development and maritime and digital connectivity.
Utilising data from the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, the scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics found that the solar equator rotates faster than its poles.
The NGLV will be a reusable launch vehicle which can will have 3 times the present payload capability with 1.5 times the cost compared to LVM3, which India currently uses as a heavy lift launch vehicle.
The data portal has been set up by the Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) Foundation is accessible to researchers around the world. It can help “improve the understanding of the genetic variations of cancer in India”.
The solution: Trials run by researchers from Real Ice, a UK-based startup revealed that pumping seawater onto snow can potentially make the layers at bottom thicker. This is because the air pockets with- in ice absorb the water which then turns into ice.
Significance: Accelerated by global warming, Arctic ice is shrinking fast and is currently at “record-low levels”. leading to rising sea levels and causing detrimental effects on the world’s climate.
Future prospects: Numerous short-term solutions have been pro- posed to address the thawing of Arctic ice. The refreezing solution can purportedly result in thicker ice.
The Device: Named “Blindsight”, the device has been described as “ an experimental vision-restoring implant”. It can restore vision to visually impaired individuals.
The Designation: Granted by the US Food and Drugs Administration, the breakthrough device designation seeks to fast-track the development of innovations that can help address severe and debilitating health conditions.
Future Prospects: While trials have not commenced, Neuralink CEO Elon Musk has indicated that the de- vice’s ability to match human-like vision would improve steadily and may even enhance normal human vi- sion.
INSIGHTS & RESOURCES
New Courses Announced on AI, Semiconductors During this fortnight, several entities including IITs have launched new courses and fellowships in areas including AI, semiconductors and data sciences.
The Business Division of IndiaAI, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has invited nominations for fellow-ships from B.Tech and M.Tech Students. Applications are also invited from new Ph.D. students researching on AI.
A Technology and AI Leadership Programme has been launched at IIT Delhi. The 7-month online programme is in- tended for professionals and shall offer opportunities to gain hands-on experience on AI leadership strategies.
G20 Adopts Manalaus Declaration on STI for SDGs The declaration recognises open innovation as a driving force for achieving 2030 Agenda and SDGs. It represents G20 nations’ com- mitment to:
Address inequalities which impede the use of STI for SDGs, particularly in the developing world.
Use STI to tackle global challenges in health, climate change and biodiversity conservation.
Boost international cooperation in pro- moting equitable access to STI and funding opportunities.
Making efforts to include marginalised communities in STI initiatives, while placing sustainability, diversity equity, accessibility and inclusivity at the centre.
WMO United in Science Report Highlights Role of Technology in Climat Action
The United in Science Report released recently by World Meteorological Organization has presented several key insights on how key froniter technologies including AI, immersive technologies and geospatial technologies could help achieve climate goals.
The report acknowledges the role of S&T in enhancing humanity’s understanding of the earth system. Recognising that the “science is clear” it underlines its significance in informing policy actions on ad- dressing climate change.
Terming AI and machine learning as transformative technologies, the report acknowledges how their advent has revolutionized meteorology while rendering weather forecasting “faster, cheaper and more accessible”.
The report acknowledges the growing significance of geospatial technologies while underlining their criticality for environmental monitoring and weather forecasting. It calls for international collaboration initiatives to support space-based weather observation.
It draws attention to the potential for immersive technologies such as the metaverse and virtual reality to be employed in integrated land and water management.
The report also emphasises upon the adoption of a transdisciplinary approach which brings together diverse actors across environmental, social and cultural contexts “to co-create and implement solutions”.
IAEA Publishes Annual Nuclear Energy Outlook
The International Atomic Energy Agency has released a report indicating an expansion in nuclear energy deployment around the world.
In the high case scenario, global nuclear energy capacity “is projected to increase by 2.5 times the cur- rent capacity by 2050”. Small Modular Reactors would account for about a quarter of this share within this scenario.
In the low case projection scenario, the world’s nuclear energy capacity would only increase by 40 per cent with SMRs accounting for about 6 per cent.
The report notes a growing interest in nuclear energy deployment with around 30 newcomer countries looking to advance nuclear energy projects. Meanwhile, several others are looking to extend the life- times of operational nuclear reactors.
The report terms lifetime extension of existing nuclear reactors as “one of the most cost-effective sources of low emission electricity” and projects that the operational life of most existing reactors would be extended in a high-case scenario.
The successful expansion of nuclear power will depend on factors such as supportive national policies, investment frameworks, workforce development, and international regulatory collaboration, especially for SMRs.
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