Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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India’s World Press Freedom Index score declined from 36.62 to 31.28 in 2024, per Reporters Without Borders. This annual report assesses journalism freedoms across 180 nations. India’s rank improved from 161 to 159 due to others’ decline. However, India lags behind Turkey, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Despite a slight improvement in security, scores fell across other indicators, signaling challenges to press independence.

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The World Bank’s ‘Recipe for a Livable Planet’ report outlines strategies for achieving net zero emissions in the agrifood system. It defines the agrifood system’s scope from farm to table, highlighting its significant contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, with developing countries and China, Brazil, and India being major emitters. India’s emissions are mainly from livestock. Despite increased climate financing, agrifood projects receive only 4.3%. The report suggests doubling investments to $260 billion yearly by 2030 for emissions reduction.

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The International Organization for Migration (IOM) released its 2024 World Migration Report, highlighting conflict and climate change as major drivers of global displacement. There are about 281 million international migrants worldwide, with 117 million displaced, marking a record high. In India, climate impacts drive internal migration from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. India hosts the most international migrants (18 million), with top destinations being UAE, USA, and Saudi Arabia. In 2022, India led in remittances, exceeding USD 111 billion.

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The World Bank’s “State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2024” report highlights that CP revenues surpassed USD 100 billion in 2023, with 75 global CP instruments covering 24% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Brazil, India, and Türkiye have made significant strides in CP implementation, while China and India lead in carbon credit issuances. Carbon pricing attaches costs to greenhouse gas emissions, primarily through CO2 pricing mechanisms.

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The Coal Ministry’s report “Greening Initiative in Coal & Lignite PSUs” showcases efforts by Coal Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to reduce environmental impacts through reclamation and afforestation. Key initiatives include extensive ecological restoration, seed ball plantation, seed casting via drones, and Miyawaki plantation, which involves densely planting native trees, shrubs, and groundcover plants. These measures aim to increase green cover in coal mining areas.

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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issues an annual Global Climate Update (2024-2028), predicting a high likelihood (80%) of global temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for at least one year. There’s an 86% chance of a warmer year than 2023, the warmest on record. Reductions in sea-ice concentration are anticipated in the Barents Sea, Bering Sea, and Sea of Okhotsk, highlighting ongoing climate change trends and their potential impacts.

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UNICEF’s “Child Nutrition Report, 2024” highlights severe child food poverty (CFP) affecting 27% of children globally. In India, 40% suffer from severe CFP, the second highest in South Asia. Key issues include the prevalence of unhealthy foods, indicating that income alone isn’t the cause. Contributing factors are inequities, conflict, climate crises, and food marketing. Recommendations include improving data systems, transforming food systems, and enhancing health services for child nutrition.

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The GTRI released the “Building Better: India’s Path to Superior Quality Infrastructure” report, highlighting how India can enhance its quality infrastructure. Key components include Standardization, Quality Control Orders (QCOs), and Compulsory Registration Orders (CROs) led by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The BIS Act 2016 simplified notifying standards, leading to over 140 QCOs for 550+ products. Despite rapid QCO issuance, implementation challenges persist for firms, importers, and agencies.

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The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024, a flagship report of the FAO, analyzes global trends. In 2022, total aquatic production reached 223.2 million tonnes, with aquaculture surpassing capture fisheries for the first time. China led production (36%), followed by India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Peru. Inland fisheries, primarily in Asia and Africa, yielded 11.3 million tonnes. Finfish dominated inland aquaculture (89.7%), while exports grew at 7.2% annually, mainly to the EU and the USA.

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The World Bank, in collaboration with S&P Global Market Intelligence, launched the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), utilizing data from 405 global ports, the largest dataset of its kind. Visakhapatnam Port achieved a notable ranking of 19 in this index, reflecting its efficiency and infrastructure quality in handling container traffic. This assessment provides insights into global port operations, aiding in strategic improvements for enhanced trade facilitation and logistics management.