UPSC QUIZ 3.04.2024

Explanation:

• 6 new sites from Madhya Pradesh have found place in the Tentative UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites (WHS).
• The sites included in the new list included Gwalior Fort, Historical Group of Dhamnar Bhojeshwar Mahadev Temple, Rock Art Sites of Chambal Valley, Khooni Bhandara, Burhanpur, and Gond monuments of Ramnagar, Mandla.

Gwalior Fort

• It is renowned for its formidable walls, stands atop a hill providing panoramic views of the surrounding city.
• Historically, it is believed that the fort's first foundations were laid in the 6th century AD by Rajput warrior Suraj Sen.
• Suraj Sen was the local chieftain who suffered from a severe leprosy but was healed by a hermit-saint named Gwalipa. In gratitude for this event, he established the Gwalior City named after him.

Explanation:

• Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, overseeing Petroleum and Natural Gas as well as Housing and Urban Affairs, dedicated 201 CNG Stations and India’s inaugural Small Scale LNG Unit of GAIL to the nation via video conferencing.
• The event, graced by numerous dignitaries, underscored the government’s pledge to elevate the share of natural gas in the primary energy basket to 15% by 2030.

LNG and SSLNG

• Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid state, about -260°F (-162°C), to make it easier and safer to store and transport.
• Natural gas is a cleaner and more economical alternative to conventional hydrocarbons like coal and oil, making it crucial in India's transition towards greener energy sources.
• The primary component of natural gas is methane, comprising 70-90% of its composition.
• According to the IEA, Natural gas accounts for about a quarter of global electricity generation.
• Presently in India the share of natural gas in the energy basket is 6.7%.
• The top natural gas producing countries are the United States, Russia and Iran.

Explanation:

• According to a study, the Earth's rotation speed is decreasing due to melting ice in Greenland and Antarctica. This study has been published in the journal 'Nature'.
• This research has been done by researcher Duncan Agnew and his team from the University of California, USA.
• According to this study, the Earth does not always rotate at the same speed, hence variations are found in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
• Based on a mathematical calculation, it was also found that the rate at which the Earth's liquid core rotates is slowing down due to the acceleration of melting of ice in Greenland and Antarctica.
• A leap second or one second, called a 'leap second', is added to Coordinated Universal Time to compensate for the slowing of the Earth's rotation and to keep UTC synchronized with solar time.

Explanation:

• United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released the 'Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction (Buildings-GSR) 2024'.
• This report has been jointly released by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (Global ABC).
• According to this, the building and construction sector is responsible for about 21% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
• The building sector was responsible for 34% of global energy demand and 37% of energy and process-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2022. The building sector in India is responsible for about 40% of total CO2 emissions.

Explanation:

• WHO launched a global laboratory to monitor emerging coronaviruses.
• ‘CoViNet’, a global laboratory for monitoring emerging coronavirus, has been launched by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Besides SARS-CoV-2, the new WHO Coronavirus Network, called CoViNet, will assess other coronaviruses.
• CoViNet has 36 laboratories from 21 countries in all six WHO regions, including three Indian laboratories.
• WHO COVID-19 reference laboratory network was set during the pandemic in January 2020. It will now have animal health and environmental surveillance and timely risk assessment to feed WHO policies and protective measures.
• CoViNet will support in creation of more laboratories to monitor MERS-CoV and coronaviruses of public health importance.
• On March 26-27, 2024, representatives of the laboratories from different countries have finalised an action plan for 2024-2025.
• The festival symbolizes the enduring friendship between India and Bhutan and highlights the cultural richness of the region.
• The local community organized the festival with the cooperation of civil authorities and the Indian Army.