Growth for All with Sustainable Use of Resources

Growth for All with Sustainable Use of Resources

Today the main challenge in front of international community is to sustain and accelerate the process of poverty eradication and ensure food and energy security, particularly to developing countries while shifting gradually to a Green Economy. A green economy approach to development holds the potential to achieve greater convergence between economic and environmental objectives. Agriculture plays a critical role in determining food, water, ecological and livelihood security. Integrating the strategies and policies for a green economy into agriculture has to proceed with an absolute imperative of ensuring these and not forgetting the differentiated needs of subsistence agriculture and market-oriented crops.



Also, transitioning to a greener model of agriculture will depend on the expeditious provision of green technologies and financial support to developing countries for productivity enhancement, improved resilience and diversification of production systems.



Sustainable development and management of agriculture would benefit from sharing of best practices including farm and non-farm development, improved post-harvest management, integration of supply chains and strengthening of public distribution systems. Eradicating poverty is an indispensible requirement for sustainable development. A major cause aggravating poverty is the unsustainable pattern of consumption and production. Poverty eradication remains an overriding objective of governments in developing countries, and efforts to build green economies should contribute substantially to realizing that objective.



Integrating green economy strategies and policies into poverty eradication, food security and energy security is an imperative for sustainable development.Food security and access to affordable clean energy are both crucial to eradicating poverty and promoting social development.The issue of energy security and universal energy access is intricately linked with economic development and growth, and rising energy needs to meet it. Energy poverty coexists with inefficient energy use in much of the world, which – given continued heavy dependence on fossil fuels – has been a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Understanding the flexibility or lack of flexibility of each country to change this energy mix and devising innovative methods to secure energy security are the need of the hour without compromising on the need for high economic growth to meet the aspirations of the people, especially in developing countries.



Energy security is a multi-faceted concept. In the current context, the primary focus is on poor people’s securing adequate energy supplies to raise their living standards, including through improved income generation, health and education. Renewable energy should be considered as an integral part of the solution to the energy needs of the poor, but that will only be feasible if it is affordable and technologically accessible. As affordability is a function in part of large-scale deployment and learning, the strategy to address energy poverty needs to be linked to a broader alternative energy strategy as part of a green economy.With respect to energy security, rural energy access remains seriously deficient in many developing countries, with well over a billion people lacking access to electricity and clean cooking and heating fuels. At the same time, even in urban areas, electricity is often underprovided and unreliable, especially for urban poor communities. This exacerbates poverty and closes off escape routes by limiting income generation opportunities as well as educational opportunities especially for girls.



What is Green Economy?

A green economy is typically understood as an economic system that is compatible with the natural environment, is environmentally friendly, is ecological, and for many groups, is also socially just. These attributes are the conditions that must be imposed on an economy from the perspective of many green economy advocates. This conventional concept of a green economy may be alternatively described as “the greening of an economy”.

Some fundamental criteria for meeting these conditions have been established since Rio, such as using renewable resources within their regenerative capacity, making up for the loss of non-renewable resources by creating their renewable substitutes, limiting pollution within the sink functions of nature, and maintaining ecosystem stability and resilience. A Green Economy is a system of economic activities related to the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services that results in improved human well-being over the long term, whilst not exposing future generations to significant environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Conditions for social justice may include: 1) not compromising future generations’ capability to meet their needs; 2) the rights of poor countries and poor people to development and the obligations of rich countries and rich people to changing their excessive consumption levels; 3) equal treatment of women in access to resources and opportunities; and 4) ensuring decent labor conditions. A green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.



A green economy is a economy or economic development model based on sustainable development and a knowledge of ecological economics.Its most distinguishing feature from prior economic regimes is direct valuation of natural capital and ecological services as having economics value and a full cost accounting regime in which costs externalized onto society via ecosystems are reliably traced back to, and accounted for as liabilities of, the entity that does the harm or neglects an asset.



Green Economy defined by Karl Burkart is based on six main sectors,which are as follows:



•Renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal, marine including wave, biogas, and fuel cell)



•Green buildings (green retrofits for energy and water efficiency, residential and commercial assessment; green products and materials, and LEED construction)



•Clean transportation (alternative fuels, public transit, hybrid and electric vehicles, carsharing and carpooling programs)



•Water management (Water reclamation, greywater and rainwater systems, low-water landscaping, water purification, stormwater management)



•Waste management (recycling, municipal solid waste salvage, brownfield land remediation, Superfund cleanup, sustainable packaging)



•Land management (organic agriculture, habitat conservation and restoration; urban forestry and parks, reforestation and afforestation and soil stabilization)



UNEP Green Economy Initiative (GEI)

The Green Economy Initiative launched by the United Nations Environment Programme in October 2008 is aimed at seizing the opportunities this modern concept of a green economy has to offer. It seeks to accomplish two tasks. First, it tries to make a “beyond-anecdotal” macroe-conomic case for investing in sectors that produce environ-mentally friendly or environmentally enhancing products and services (“green investment”). By a “macroeconomic case”, it mainly refers to the contribution of green investment to output and job growth. Second, the initiative tries to provide guidance on how to boost pro-poor green investment. The goal is to encourage and enable policymakers to support increased green investment from both the public and private sectors.



The UNEP GEI activities include providing advisory services to countries interested in greening their economies; producing research products, such as The Green Economy Report, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) series of reports, and the Green Jobs Report; and engaging partners to effectively promote and implement green economy strategies.



Concept of Inclusive Growth

Rapid and sustained poverty reduction requires inclusive growth that allows people to contribute to and benefit from economic growth.Inclusive Growth refers both to the pace and pattern of growth, which are considered interlinked, and therefore in need to be addressed together. Inclusive growth by its very definition implies an equitable allocation of resources with benefits accruing to every section of society, which is a utopian concept. But the allocation of resources must be focused on the indented short and long terms benefits and economic linkages at large and not just equitable mathematically on some regional and population criteria.Utopia it is because it dreams of an ideal state which we all strive towards.The inclusive growth approach takes a longer term perspective as the focus is on productive employment rather than on direct income redistribution, as a means of increasing incomes for excluded groups. The inclusive growth definition is in line with the absolute definition of pro-poor growth, but not the relative definition.

By focusing on inequality, the relative definition could lead to sub-optimal outcomes for both poor and non-poor households. Inclusive growth focuses on ex-ante analysis of sources of, and constraints to sustained, high growth, and not only on one group – the poor.



Key components of Inclusive Growth (IG)should be as follows:-



•IG focuses on economic growth which is a necessary and crucial condition for poverty reduction.



•IG adopts a long term perspective and is concerned with sustained growth.

(i) For growth to be sustained in the long run, it should be broad-based across sectors.

(ii) It should also be inclusive of the large part of the country’s labor force, where inclusiveness refers to equality of opportunity in terms of access to markets, resources and unbiased regulatory environment for businesses and individuals.



•IG focuses on both the pace and pattern of growth.



•IG focuses on productive employment rather than income redistribution.



•IG has not only the firm, but also the individual as the subject of analysis.



•IG is in line with the absolute definition of pro-poor growth, not the relative one.



There are important lessons to learn from this approach including that development policy is country-specific, may involve just a few reforms that can be optimally sequenced to relax binding constraints, and it may lead to large positive welfare impacts.The main instrument for a sustainable and inclusive growth is assumed to be productive employment.The ability of individuals to be productively employed depends on the opportunities to make full use of available resources as the economy evolves over timeThe analysis distinguishes between self- or wage-employed, and further looks at employment by sector, size of firm, rural/urban, formal/informal, and other.The inclusive growth approach takes a longer term perspective.With this longer term perspective, it is important to recognize the time lag between reforms and outcomes. Inclusive growth is about raising the pace of growth and enlarging the size of the economy, while leveling the playing field for investment and increasing productive employment opportunities. Policies for inclusive growth are an important component of any government strategy for sustainable growth and the frameworks for inclusive growth analytics are eclectic in spirit.



Delhi Ministerial Dialogue, 2011

The Ministerial Dialogue on “Green Economy and Inclusive Growth” has taken place in New Delhi on 3-4 October. The event, organized by UN DESA and the Indian Government, is focusing on sustainable development initiatives in the lead up to next year’s UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro.The issues addressed at the two-day 2011 Delhi Ministerial Dialogue on ‘Green Economy and Inclusive Growth’ include sustainable management of sectors like agriculture, industry, energy and transport, urgent adoption of sustainable life styles and consumption patterns through reduction in per capita ecological footprint, appropriate population policies, equity concerns, poverty eradication and developmental imperatives. Designed properly, green economy policies and programmes can directly contribute to poverty eradication.

The Delhi Dialogue is a step forward in preparations for the UNCSD, also known as Rio+20, scheduled to take place in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It aims to provide a platform for international deliberations on the integration of green economy architecture and global challenges of poverty eradication, food security, and energy security. Eradicating poverty is an indispensible requirement for sustainable development. A major cause aggravating poverty is the unsustainable pattern of consumption and production. The Delhi Dialogue will be an opportunity for high level government officials and UN agencies to explore in depth the linkages of a green economy for poverty eradication and broad-based, inclusive growth. Integrating green economy strategies and policies into poverty eradication, food security and energy security is an imperative for sustainable development.



Objectives of the Ministerial Discussion were:-

(i) To obtain a comprehensive update on the recent green economy developments within major international policy forums and through the UNEP-led green economy initiative;

(ii) To discuss how the concept of the green economy can be further implemented at the country level;

(iii) To build on existing policies and processes that are supporting the shift to sustainable consumption and production and a green economy;



Conclusively we can say,designed properly, green economy policies and programmes with inclusive growth mechanism can directly contribute to poverty eradication. Successful examples can offer lessons and possible models for replication. For instance, India’s rural employment guarantee programme is at one and the same time an anti-poverty programme and an ecosystem restoration programme.



Understanding the flexibility or lack of flexibility of each country to change this energy mix and devising innovative methods to secure energy security are the need of the hour without compromising on the need for high economic growth to meet the aspirations of the people, especially in developing countries.

Durban Climate Meet: Bye Bye Kyoto

Durban Climate Meet: Bye Bye Kyoto


The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, was held from 28 November - 11 December 2011. The conference involved a series of events, including the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 7). In support of these two main bodies, four other bodies convened: the resumed 14th session of the Ad hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWGLCA); the resumed 16th session of the Ad hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP); and the 35th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). The Conference drew over 12,480 participants, including over 5400 government officials, 5800 representatives of UN bodies and agencies, intergovernmental organizations and civil society organizations, and more than 1200 members of the media. The meetings resulted in the adoption of 19 COP decisions and 17 CMP decisions and the approval of a number of conclusions by the subsidiary bodies. These outcomes cover a wide range of topics, notably the establishment of a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, a decision on long-term cooperative action under the Convention, the launch of a new process towards an agreed outcome with legal force applicable to all parties to the Convention, and the operationalization of the Green Climate Fund.



The negotiations were driven by a series of interdependent linkages—some constructed to drive the negotiations forward, some integral to the field of climate change politics, and some based decisively on an understanding that 21st century global challenges need global solutions. This brief analysis examines some of the defining interdependencies that help tell the story of the Durban Climate Change Conference and the launch of a new phase of climate change negotiations. At the outset, expectations were modest with many countries feeling that “operationalizing” the Cancun agreements was all that could be achieved. Others wanted a balanced and interdependent package within a year that resolved the Kyoto Protocol question, moved to a new legallybinding treaty and operationalized the Green Climate Fund.



In Durban early informal consultations helped to clarify the technicalities of the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, especially the two-stage approach that defers the definition of quantified emission limitation and reduction objectives (QELROs) and their adoption as amendments to Annex B to the eighth session of the Kyoto Protocol Meeting of the Parties, proved very useful in keeping prospective participants on board.This core demand drew legitimacy from Bali and helped frame the Durban negotiations. Indeed it is arguable that the EU drafted the script for the central plot in Durban by setting out their stall early in the process and offering to do the heavy lifting to save the Kyoto Protocol within the context of a roadmap that put up a challenge to other parties—developed and developing.



The package agreed comprises four main elements: a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, the design of a Green Climate Fund and a mandate to get all countries in 2015 to sign a deal that would force them to cut emissions no later than 2020, as well as a workplan for 2012. Progress on each element of the Durban Platform unlocked other elements. For example early in the second week, delegates made headway on the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the Convention; a fund expected to mobilize US$100 billion a year by 2020. Reports of early progress on the GCF—a priority deliverable for the South African hosts and the region, proved to be a major contributor in raising the stakes. A fragile sense of possibility emerged as Ministers arrived, although there were increasing concerns about the diplomatic management of the process by the South African Presidency.



India and China: Role redefined

The intensity of the negotiations was highlighted by an impassioned speech by India's Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan that capped the finale of the UN climate summit which concluded with a Durban Package, after she warned that India "will never be intimidated by any threat or pressure". "Natarajan's speech ensured that India's main concern – the inclusion of the concept of equity in the fight against climate change – became part of the package,". The COP17 plenary session came to a halt following row between Natarajan and European Union (EU) Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard after objection over agreements reachedbehind closed doors. India had wanted a "legal outcome" as the third option, but Hedegaard said this would put countries' sincerity in doubt. That set off Natarajan, who roared: "We have shown more flexibility than virtually any other country. But equity is the centrepiece, it cannot be shifted. This is not about India. Xie Zhenhua, the vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, who headed the Chinese delegation, pointed out that the developing countries like India and China were "already doing much more than developed countries" against global warming. "U.S. and Chinese chief negotiators joined the huddle too. More frenzied applause indicated an agreement had finally been reached. When the session reconvened, Natarajan announced that India had agreed to a change of wording in the third option 'in a spirit of flexibility and accommodation'. Hedegaard thanked India." Commenting, the Chinese delegation said the conference had produced "progressive and balanced outcome." Xie Zhenhua, head of the Chinese delegation, told Xinhua that the outcome is fully in accordance with the mandate of the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol and the Bali Roadmap. The outcome, he added, is also in line with the two-track negotiation process and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. "The conference made decisions on the arrangement of the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, which is the most concerned issue of developing countries," Xie noted. "Also, there is an important progress on the finance issue, the establishment of the Green Climate Fund," he added. However, Xie said, the Durban conference did not accomplish the completion of negotiations under the Bali Roadmap. "The implementation of the Cancun Agreements and the Durban Outcome will not be achieved in a short run," Xie said. "A heavy load of work ahead on the post-2020 arrangement needs to be done in order to enhance the implementation of the Convention." Xie also cautioned that some developed countries are reluctant to reduce emissions and support developing countries with financial and technical aid. "The lack of political will is a main element that hinders cooperation on addressing climate change in the international community," he said. "We expect political sincerity from developed countries next year in Qatar." Xie stressed that China will make further contributions to the global cause of tackling climate change by taking stronger domestic actions and continuing to play an active role in relevant international talks.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY- NORTH AMERICA

World Geography General
North America (MCQ - 1)

1. Consider the following statementsi) North America is surrounded by Atlantic Ocean in the East.
ii) It is surrounded by gulf of Mexico in the west
iii) Pacific ocean lies to its south
Which of the above are true?
a) i and ii
b) ii and ii
c) i only
d) ii only

2. North America is separated from the eastern most tip of Siberia by thea) Hudson strait
b) Florida strait
c) Belle isle strait
d) Bering strait

3. Match the following Locationi) Baffin bay a) North of Canada
ii) Hudson bay b) Between Greenland and Baffin island
iii) Chesapeake bay c) West of Costa Rica
iv) Coronado bay d) Between Virginia and Maryland.
a) i- b, ii- a, iii-d, iv- c
b) i.-a, ii-b, ii-c, iv-d
c) i-d, ii-b, iii-c, iv-d
d) i-c, ii-d, iii-a, iv-b

4. Match the following Gulfs Location1) Gulf ofMexico a) East ofMexico
2) Gulf of Campeche b) Between Central and South America
3) Gulf of Darien c) East of Central America
4) Gulf of Panama d) Between Panama and South America
a) 1- a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d
b) 1- c, 2- a, 3- d, 4- b
c) 1-d, 2-b, 3-c, 4-a
d) 1-a, 2-d, 3-b, 4-c

5. Consider the following statements1) Baffin Island is a type of continental glacier.
2) Cape Breton Island is known for its coal fields.
3) Florida Keys are small islands of Coral origin.
Which of the above are true?
a) 1, 2
b) 2,3
c) 1,2 and 3
d) None of the above.

6. Match the followingSeas Locationi) Bering Sea a) East of Labrador
ii) Labrador Sea b) East of Central America
iii) Caribbean Sea c) West of Alaska
iv) Beaufort Sea d) North of Canada
a) i-a, ii-b, iii-c, iv-d
b) i-d, ii-c, iii-b, iv-a
c) i-c, ii-d, ii-a, iv-b
d) i-c, ii-a, iii-b, iv-d

7. Match the following
Straits Separatei) Nares strait a) Baffin Island and Quebec
ii) Davis Strait b) Labrador and New Found land
iii) Hudson Strait c) Greenland and Ellesmere Island
iv) Belle Isle strait d) Greenland and Baffin Island
a) i-c, ii-d, iii-a, iv-b
b) i-d, ii-b, iii-c, iv-a
c) i-a, ii-b, iii-c, iv-d
d) i-b, ii-d, iii-a, iv-c

8. Match the following
Strait Separate
i) Florida strait a) Florida and Cuba
ii) Yucatan Strait b) Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba
iii) Juan de Fuca c) Washington and Vancouver
iv) Bering Strait d) Chukchi peninsula, Russia and Alaska
a) i-a, ii-b, iii-c, iv-d
b) i-b, ii-d, iii-c, iv-a
c) i-d, ii-c, iii-b, iv-a

9. Consider the following statements
i) Great Salt Lake is the reservoir of Hoover and Boulder dam of Colorado River.
ii) Lake Mead is Remnant of Fresh Lake called Bonneville.
Which of the above statements are true?
a) i
b) i i
c) both i and ii
d) None of the above.

10. Consider the following statements
i) Lake superior is the world’s second largest lake after Caspian Sea
ii) Lake Michigan is smallest among the Great Lakes, about four times smaller than Lake Superior.
iii) Lake Ontario is the only great lake that is entirely within the United States.
Which of the above are false?
a) i and ii
b) ii and ii
c) i and iii
d) iii only

11. Match the following
Rivers of Canada Source
i) Mackenzie a) Rocky Mountain
ii) Nelson b) Stikine Mountain
iii) Peace c) Head of Finlay River
iv) Saskatchewan d) Head of Bow River
a) i-c, ii-d, iii-b, iv-a
b) i-b, ii-c, iii-a, iv-d
c) i-d, ii-b, iii-c, iv-a
d) i-a, ii-b, iii-c, iv-d

12. Consider the following statements
i) St. Lawrence is the busiest inland waterway in North America
ii) Imperial Valley of Colorado River is an important region for cotton cultivation.
iii) Mississippi-Missouri River is the largest watershed which includes at least 25 states.
Which of the above are true?
a) i and ii
b) ii and iii
c) iii only
d) all of the above

13. Consider the following
i) Snake river is the largest tributary of the Columbia River
ii) Columbia is the largest river in the USA which drains into the Pacific
iii) Grand Coulee, Bonneville and Chief Joseph are the main dams of Columbia River.
Which of the above are true?
a) i and ii
b) ii and iii
c) all of the above
d) iii only

14. Consider the following
i) San Joaquin river forms the natural boundary between USA and Mexico
ii) Friant Damis built on Rio Grande River
iii) Sacramento River flows through Central valleys and Shasta and Keswick are main dams.
Which of the above are incorrect?
a) i and iii
b) ii and iii
c) i and ii
d) iii only

15. Consider the following
i) Mount McKinley is the highest peak of North America in the Alaska Range.
ii) Mount Logan in Canada is the second highest peak of North America
iii) Mount Whitney is the highest peak of USA
Which of the above are correct?
a) i and ii
b) ii and iii
c) i, ii and iii
d) i and iii

16. Match the following
i) San Andreas fault a) Active volcano
ii) Aniakchak in Alaska mainland and islands b) Depression between
iii) Puget sound. c) Worlds largest transform vault.
manifestation of surface
a) i-c, ii-a, iii-b
b) i-b, ii-a, iii-c
c) i-c, ii-b, iii-a

17. Consider the following statements
i) Columbia snake plateau is a lava plateau or accumulation formed of basalt
ii) Great Basin is a basin and range type of topography
iii) Colorado plateau is an intermontane plateau
Which of the above are incorrect?
a) i and ii
b) ii and iii
c) I only
d) None of the above

18. Consider the following
i) Death valley lies west of the Rockies Mountain in California
ii) It is the deepest point of North America
iii) It has the highest diurnal range of temperature in the world.
Which of the above are correct?
a) i
b) i and ii
c) i ,ii and iii
d) none

19. Consider the following
i) Yucatan Peninsula is an example of Karst of Lime topography
ii) Ungava peninsula is known for petroleum resources
iii) Kenai Peninsula is surrounded by Hudson bay and Hudson strait.
Which of the above are incorrect?
a) i and ii
b) ii and iii
c) i only
d) Iii only

20. Consider the following
i) Hawaiian island lies in the Atlantic ocean
ii) It consists of 8 main and 15 small islands
iii) Island’s capital Honolulu is known as “ The crossroads of the pacific”
Which of the above are correct?
a) ii and iii
b) i i
c) i
d) i and iii