UNDP, ISA - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

ANSWER: Achim Steiner

Explanation:
UN chief Antonio Guterres has named a German with extensive experience at the world organization, Achim Steiner, as the new administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Steiner, who previously served at the UN Environment Programme and headed the UN office in Kenya, was selected to succeed Helen Clark, a former New Zealand prime minister, who has steered the UNDP since 2009.

Headquartered in New York City, the UNDP seeks to reduce poverty, improve social development and encourage women’s empowerment.

One of the candidates passed over for the post included French Environment Minister Segolene Royal, who said she was surprised because Guterres had promised a woman would take the job.

She intimated that Germany used its weight as a major UNDP donor to have Steiner chosen.

Headquartered in New York City, the UNDP seeks to reduce poverty, improve social development and encourage women’s empowerment.

Achim Steiner belongs to Germany who previously served at the UN Environment Programme and headed the UN office in Kenya.

ANSWER: International Seabed Authority

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing of 15 years contract by the Ministry of Earth Sciences with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for undertaking exploration and other developmental activities related to Polymetallic Sulphides in the allotted area of 10,000 sq km.

• It will be done in parts of Central and South - West Indian Ridges (SWIR), located in the Indian Ocean.
• By signing the 15 year contract, India's exclusive rights for exploration of Polymetallic Sulphides in the allotted Area in the Central Indian Ridge, and South West Indian Ridge in Indian Ocean will be formalised.
• Further, it will enhance India's presence in the Indian Ocean where other players like China, Korea and Germany are active. The program will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences with the participation from various national institutes and research laboratories/ organisations.

ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• Deep seabed Poly-Metallic Sulphides (PMS) containing iron, copper, zinc, silver, gold, platinum in variable constitutions are precipitates of hot fluids from upwelling hot magma from deep interior of the oceanic crust discharged through mineralized chimneys. PMS in the Ocean Ridges have attracted worldwide attention for their long term commercial as well as strategic values.
• The International Seabed Authority (ISA), under the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), earlier approved an application submitted by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, for allotment of 10,000 sq. km. area along with 15 years plan of work for exploration of Polymetallic Sulphide (PMS) along Central Indian Ridge (CIR) and Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) region of the Indian Ocean.
• Further, it will enhance India's presence in the Indian Ocean where other players like China, Korea and Germany are active. The program will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences with the participation from various national institutes and research laboratories/ organisations.
• ISA governs non-living resources of seabed lying in international waters.

ANSWER: Jamaica

Explanation:

• The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is an intergovernmental body based in Kingston, Jamaica, that was established to organize, regulate and control all mineral-related activities in the international seabed area beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, an area underlying most of the world’s oceans.
• It is an organization established by the Law of the Sea Convention (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)).
• The agreement between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) will allow India to undertake exploration and other developmental activities related to polymetallic sulphides in the allotted area of 10,000 sq km.

ANSWER: International Solar Alliance

Explanation:
PM of India Shri Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande laid the foundation of the International Solar Alliance headquartered at Gwalpahari, Gurgaon. GoI has dedicated a 5 acre land in NISE for the ISA Headquarters and contributed INR 175 crore for ISA corpus fund and meeting expenditure for initial 5 years. ISA is part of the PM’s vision to initiate clean and affordable energy for creating a sustainable world.

ANSWER: Any country can join ISA

Explanation:
International Solar Alliance is an Indian initiative. It is an alliance of 121 solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between the tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn. However the provisional members list also includes countries beyond the tropics. ISA was jointly launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30 November 2015 at Paris, France on the side-lines of the 21st Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Representatives from around 70 countries including more than 30 Heads of the States and Heads of the Government level participated in the ISA launch ceremony.

ANSWER: India

Explanation:
International Solar Alliance is an Indian initiative. It is an alliance of 121 solar resource rich countries. India offered to host ISA at the premises of National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) in Gurgaon. Interim Secretariat of ISA will be at NISE.

ANSWER: Gurgaon

Explanation:
International Solar Alliance will be the First International and Inter-Governmental Organization of 121 Countries to have Headquarters in India. ISA has been envisioned as a specialized platform and will contribute towards the common goal of increasing utilization and promotion of solar energy and solar applications in its member countries. The Paris declaration on International Solar Alliance states that the countries share the collective ambition to undertake innovative and concerted efforts for reducing the cost of finance and cost of technology for immediate deployment of competitive solar generation, financial instruments to mobilise more than 1000 Billion US Dollars of investments needed by 2030 for the massive deployment of affordable solar energy and to pave the way for future solar generation, storage and good technologies for countries’ individual needs.