Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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The Fraser Institute released the 2024 Economic Freedom of the World Report, ranking 165 countries based on economic choice. The top five most-economically free countries were Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, New Zealand, and the United States. India ranked 84th in the report. The report uses 42 variables, including government size, property rights, monetary policy, and trade freedom.

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The UN Emissions Gap Report is released annually by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The UN Emissions Gap Report tracks the gap between current emissions and the 1.5°C target. It highlights the urgent need for a 42% reduction in emissions by 2030 and 57% by 2035 to stay on target. The report links rising emissions to increased climate disasters, stressing the need for immediate action, especially from G20 nations, to support developing countries in transitioning to clean energy and addressing the impacts of climate change. The upcoming COP29 conference is crucial for setting new national climate action plans and increasing financial support.

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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, first published in 2004.
The bulletin analyzes greenhouse gas concentrations from the WMO Global Atmosphere Watch Programme. Global average CO2 reached 420 ppm, methane at 1934 ppb, and nitrous oxide at 336.9 ppb, significantly above pre-industrial levels. Methane and nitrous oxide levels increased, contributing to global warming. Drivers of the rise include high CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, vegetation fires, and reduced carbon absorption. The report urges immediate action to meet Paris Agreement goals and curb rising greenhouse gas levels.

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Singapore has the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 195 countries, as per the Henley Passport Index (October 2024). France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain rank second, with visa-free access to 192 countries. The United States ranks 8th, allowing visa-free access to 186 countries. India ranks 83rd, providing visa-free access to 58 countries. Asian countries like Japan, Singapore, and South Korea often lead the rankings, showing their strong global diplomatic ties.

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The Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7) is a crucial report being drafted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It aims to offer policymakers a comprehensive assessment of environmental changes and effective solutions to combat pressing ecological issues. Scheduled for launch at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in December 2025, GEO-7 will cover a broad spectrum of environmental topics, emphasizing the interconnectedness of environmental health with economic and social stability, thereby influencing decisions across various sectors for sustainable development.

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Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released the State of Food and Agriculture 2024 (SOFA) report. FAO’s “State of Food and Agriculture 2024” report focuses on transforming agrifood systems for sustainability. It highlights hidden costs, which are external costs or economic losses from market and policy failures. The report emphasizes unhealthy diets, contributing 70% of global hidden costs, including non-communicable diseases. Industrial agrifood systems contribute the most to hidden costs, around $5.9 trillion. India’s hidden costs are approximately $1.3 trillion annually, ranking third globally, mainly from unhealthy dietary patterns. The SOFA report is an annual overview of FAO’s key topics. It focuses on emerging areas like agrifood systems and digital agriculture technologies.

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World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has published the World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) 2024 report. It shows global trends in IP filings, highlighting growth in patents, trademarks, and industrial designs. India ranks in the global top 10 for patents, trademarks, and industrial designs. India had a 15.7% growth in patent applications in 2023, with 64,480 filings, marking a record in resident filings (55.2%). Industrial design applications grew by 36.4%, with textiles, tools, and health sectors leading. India ranks fourth globally in trademark filings, with a 6.1% increase, and holds the second-largest number of active trademark registrations globally.

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The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) published the Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas, 2024, building on the 2022 Global Peatlands Assessment and Global Peatland Map 2.0. The UNEP Global Peatlands Initiative was formed at the 2016 UNFCCC COP in Marrakech, Morocco. Peatlands are wetland ecosystems where waterlogged conditions prevent plant material from fully decomposing, leading to the accumulation of peat, which is dead and partially decomposed plant matter. Peatlands play a crucial role in organic matter production, with decomposition rates being slower than accumulation.

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International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Institute for Human Development (IHD) jointly published the India Employment Report 2024. The report shows an improved employment scenario in India. Global youth unemployment decreased from 15.6% in 2021 to 13.3% in 2023. India’s youth unemployment rate (ages 15-29) was 10.2% in 2023-24, lower than the global average. The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) for youth increased from 31.4% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24, indicating more employment.

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United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Climate Club recently launched the Global Matchmaking Platform (GMP) to accelerate decarbonization in heavy-emitting industries in emerging and developing economies. The platform connects countries with global technical and financial support to reduce emissions in energy-intensive sectors. Launched in December 2023 at COP28, GMP connects nations with delivery partners for policy development, technology transfer, and investments. It helps countries tailor decarbonization efforts and access resources for achieving zero and low-emission industrial practices. The GMP is part of the Climate Club, with support from OECD, IEA, and UNIDO.