To Host UN convention on climate change
Why in news?
- Chile, the designated host for this year’s UN climate change conference, has said it would not be able to organise the December event because of political unrest at home. Spain has stepped in and offered to host it on the same dates, December 2-13.
Chilean protests: 2019
- Chile has been witnessing largescale demonstrations that started with protests against suburban train fare hike two weeks ago. It quickly developed into a mass movement demanding greater equality and better public services, and a change in dictatorship-era Constitution.
- The trigger was a modest 4% increase in subway fares announced on October 1. On October 7, the day after the new fares came into effect, school students launched a campaign to dodge them and trended #EvasionMasiva, or ‘Mass Evasion’ on social media.
COP25:
- The signatories to the 1992 UNFCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) meet to discuss and decide on steps that countries need to take to fight climate change.
- The year-end conference, called COP (Conference of Parties to the UNFCC), have been held since 1995, and never been postponed. This will be the 25th edition of the meeting, hence COP25.
- The venue for the COP meeting is rotated among the five UN-identified regions — Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Caribbean, and Western Europe and Others.
India and Germany jointly fight against terror
Why in news?
- German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel visited India from 31 October – 1 November 2019 for the fifth round of Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC).
About:
- Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Modi reiterated that the Indo-German Strategic Partnership is based on the common values and principles of democracy, free and fair trade and rules-based international order.
- They welcomed the success of the ‘Make in India Mittelstand’ (MIIM) Programme which has helped facilitate over 135 German Mittelstand and family-owned companies.
- They acknowledged the successful work under the German Indian Startup Exchange Program (GINSEP) and welcomed the introduction of a new German Accelerator (GA) programme “Next Step India”, which could lead to a full programme for German Startups in India.
List of MoUs/Agreements signed during the visit:
- Joint Declaration of Intent on: Consultations for the period 2020-2024; Indo-German Partnership for Green Urban Mobility; Cooperation in R&D on Artificial Intelligence; cooperation in the field of prevention of marine litter and Cooperation within the International Smart Cities Network.
- MoU for Cooperation in Inland, Coastal and Maritime Technology.
- MoU on Establishment of an Academic Collaboration in Ayurveda, Yoga and Meditation.
- MoU between National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management MANAGE and the German Agricultural Academy DEULA in the city of Nienburg on collaboration in agricultural technical and professional training.
- MoU on the Extension of Indo-German Partnership in Higher Education.
- MoU between All India Football Federation (AIFF) and DeutscherFußball-Bund e.V (DFB).
Electoral bonds
Why in news?
- The State Bank of India has sold electoral bonds worth Rs 6,128 crore since their introduction in March 2018, according to the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR).
About
- Announced in the 2017 Union Budget, electoral bonds are interest-free bearer bonds that are used to donate money anonymously to political parties.
- The bonds are issued in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore; SBI is the only bank authorised to sell them.
- Buyers can donate the bonds to a party of their choice and these can then be cashed by the party through its verified account within 15 days.
Key highlights
- At the time of its announcement in 2017, then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the scheme was aimed at protecting the identity of donors who fear adverse consequences for contributing to one political party.
- However, the Election Commission and civil society have opposed the scheme and the opacity it has brought into political funding. A petition challenging the scheme is pending with the Supreme Court.
- According to ADR figures, the largest value of electoral bonds (Rs 4,444 crore) was sold during the quarter coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections. The highest sale (Rs 2,256 crore) happened in the month of May.
- Among the cities, Mumbai topped the list with a sale of bonds worth Rs 1,880 crore, followed by Kolkata (Rs 1,440 crore) and New Delhi (Rs 919 crore).
UNESCO network of creative cities
Why in news?
- UNESCO has designated Mumbai as a member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of FILM and Hyderabad in the field of GASTRONOMY.
- UCCN now counts a total of 246 cities.
About:
- UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), created in 2004, is a network of cities which are thriving, active centres of cultural activities in their respective countries.
- The member cities that form part of the Network come from all continents and regions with different income levels and populations.
- It placing creativity and the creative economy at the core of their urban development plans to make cities safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The 7 categories for recognition under UCCN are as follows-
- Crafts and Folk Arts
- Design
- Film
- Gastronomy
- Music
- Media Arts
- Literature
Previously, 3 Indian cities were recognized as members of UCCN, namely-
• Jaipur-Crafts and Folk Arts(2015)
• Varanasi-Creative city of Music (2015)
• Chennai-Creative city of Music(2017)