A Fortnightly newsletter on S&T, Science Policy and Diplomacy
Science Diplomacy and Understanding the Effects of Nuclear War
mid growing hostilities between nuclear-armed states, scientists from all over the globe have called for an improved understanding on the effects of nuclear war. Anupama Vijayakumar writes on the recent UNGA First Com- mittee Resolution on “Nuclear War Effects and Scientific Research”.
India would be President during the 2024-2026 time period and France was re-elected as Vice President. The ISA assembly also chose eight Vice Presidents for its Standing Committee, with two hailing from each of the four ISA regions.
State-parties at the 16th session of UN Biodiversity Summit in Cali, Colom bia arrived at an Agreement to operationalise a new global mechanism to share benefits from digital genetic information.
Google DeepMind model AlphaFold 3 is now open source. Scientists can download the software code and use the artificial intelligence (AI) tool for non
-commercial applications.
Researchers have successfully developed an integrated quantum circuit chip using photons (light particles). With this system, they can explore various quantum phenomena.
The Generative AI governance startup has raised $5.2 million in funding to accelerate growth and enhance its platform for securely governing generative AI adoption in enterprises.
Leaders of national and international think tanks, members of academia, repre- sentatives of the public and private sectors, and civil society discussed public policy recommendations during the T20 Summit held during 11-12 November 2024.
World leaders and delegates from 200 countries gathered for the annual Con- ference of Parties to discuss progress on tackling climate change and global warming in Baku, Azerbaijan during 11-22 November 2024.
The ninth Taiwan-Philippines Pre-Joint Science and Technology Commission Meeting took place on Novem- ber 8 in Taipei City to review the results of bilateral cooperation on a wide range of projects.
The coating made of nanoclay-reinforced binary carbohydrates can reduce the recommended fertilizer dose, thereby limiting their interaction with the rhizosphere soil, water and microbes, and maintain enhanced crop production.
Researchers have uncovered the potential in the digestive enzymes of cows to break down the “biofilms” of certain types of bacteria, which can limit the action of drugs.
ISRO has started the country’s first analog space mission at Leh in Ladakh. The Space Agency will simulate life in an interplanet habitat, which will be significant as India plans to send a human on the moon in near future.
A bio-derived foam has been created which could offer a sustainable alternative to plastic materials used in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods that could transform the packaging industry, while addressing critical envi- ronmental concerns.
IIT Kanpur and Zynetic will cooperate in research, academic exchange and consultancy to tackle pressing challenges in EV charging technology, and focus on critical areas such as power electronics, embedded sys- tems and integration of AI and ML for predictive maintenance.
Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) Bengaluru have reported “first significant” results from the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) payload onboard the ADITYA-L1. It helped them to precisely estimate the onset time of a coronal mass ejection (CME) that erupted from the Sun on July 16.
This approach develops a digital model of the bridges. The real-time data, combined with traffic patterns
from the digital model, allows experts to track how traffic affects the bridge over time.
Experiment: The Japanese satellite, created by Kyoto University and Su- mitomo Forestry, uses magnolia wood as its main structural material. It measures 4 inches.
Future Prospects: The use of wood could reduce environmental impact, as traditional aluminum satellites release aluminum oxides upon reentry, potentially affecting Earth’s thermal balance and ozone layer. With the growing number of satellites in orbit, the environmental footprint of satel- lite reentry has become an increasing concern. The wooden satellite is de- signed to explore sustainable options for space technology.
Experiment: The MIT team focused on the electrochemical conversion of CO2 to ethylene. The team has developed a new design for the elec trodes used in these systems, which increases the efficiency of the con version process. They ran a test electrode for 75 hours continuously,
with little change in performance.
Future Prospects: The approach could also be applied to producing
other high-value chemical products as well, including methane, metha nol, carbon monoxide, and others. The process can be easily integrated into existing manufacturing processes, even in a large-scale roll-to-roll process.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has published a new report titled ‘The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance’. The report outlines a daunting roadmap for climate finance and calls for developed countries to meet escalating financial commitments to support global climate goals. The report stresses on key requirements pertaining to climate finance in the current context.
Developing nations will need around $1.1 trillion annually in climate financing by 2025, a figure expected to climb to $1.8 trillion by 2030.
Effective climate financing must be transparent, adaptable, and easily accessible, focused on expanding fiscal capacity rather than increasing debt burdens.
Equitable approach—aligning with the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Re- spective Capabilities (CBDR-RC)—to ensure fair effort-sharing among developed countries.
The 3rd edition of the World Solar Report series was released at the 7th Assembly of the International So- lar Alliance focusing on global solar growth, investment trends, technological advancements, and Africa's green hydrogen potential. The newly launched 4 reports namely World Solar Market Report, World Invest- ment Report, World Technology Report, and Green Hydrogen Readiness Assessment for African Countries each highlight a crucial area in the global shift towards sustainable energy. The report was released by MNRE Minister and ISA President Pralhad Joshi at the ongoing assembly of the International Solar Alli- ance held in New Delhi.
The World Investment Report highlights a global shift toward sustainable energy, with energy in- vestments rising from USD 2.4 trillion in 2018 to USD 3.1 trillion by 2024.
The World Solar Market Report said that exceptional growth was witnessed in solar, with global ca- pacity soaring from 1.22 GW in 2000 to 1,418.97 GW in 2023. The manufacturing sector is also expected to exceed demand, making solar more affordable. Solar jobs have surged to 7.1 million, and global ca- pacity may reach 7,203 GW by 2030.
The World Technology Report showcased advancements in solar technology, emphasizing break- throughs in efficiency, sustainability, and affordability.
The report on Readiness Assessment of Green Hydrogen African Countries highlighted green hy- drogen's potential to decarbonise industries heavily reliant on fossil fuels like steel and fertilizer pro- duction.
According to the report submitted by a group of developed countries to the UN Framework Convention on Cli- mate Change (UNFCCC): Developed countries provided USD 32.4 billion in 2022 to help developing countries adapt to climate change, including USD 28.9 billion in public funding. This amount was about 23 per cent high- er than in 2021 and 54 per cent higher than in 2019. However, according to a UN report released in November last year, developing countries need USD 215-387 billion every year to protect themselves from the impacts of climate change. USD 11.6 billion of international public finance was provided as grants, USD 17.2 billion was provided as loans, and USD 100 million was provided as equity in 2022. Compared to 2019, grants increased by 63 per cent, and loans rose by 48 per cent. Of the total USD 32.4 billion mobilised in 2022, USD 10.6 billion was given as bilateral aid, while USD 18.3 billion went through multilateral channels, like development banks and climate funds.
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