Current Affair 1:

G20 Standards Dialogue

 

News:

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the aegis of India's G20 presidency, is hosting the G20 Standards Dialogue 2023. G20 Standards Dialogue 2023, is being organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and the Ministry of Commerce & Industry of the Government of India.

The theme of this G20 Standards Dialogue is ‘Zero Defect Zero Effect’.

The dialogue is engaging G20 member countries, alongside the World Standards Cooperation, consisting of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

As per BIS, the dialogue is providing a platform for industry leaders, government officials, standards professionals, regulators, and policy makers to congregate and foster advancements in standardization and global regulatory environments.

It seeks to align with the G20 vision of 'One Earth, One Family, One Future' and establish a foundation of standards to make this vision a reality.

About BIS:

How it came into existence?

The Indian Standards Institution (ISI) came into being on the 06 January 1947. To provide the advantages of standardization to common consumers, the ISI started operating the Certification Marks Scheme under the Indian Standards Institution (Certification Marks) Act, 1952. The Scheme, which was formally launched by ISI in 1955-56, enabled it to grant licences to manufacturers producing goods in conformity with Indian Standards and to apply ISI Mark on their products. While the product certification was being operated under the Indian Standards Institution (Certification Marks) Act, 1952, the formulation of standards and other related work were not governed by any legislation. A Bill with this objective was therefore introduced in the Parliament of 26 Nov 1986.

Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) came into existence, through an act of parliament dated 26 November 1986, on 1 April 1987.

Members:

The Bureau is a Body Corporate consisting of 25 members representing both Central and State governments, Members of Parliament, industry, scientific and research institutions, consumer organizations and professional bodies; with Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution as its President and with Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution as its Vice-President.

Current Affair 2:

New CO2-to-CO technology

 

News:

In a groundbreaking development, a team of researchers at the National Centre of Excellence in Carbon Capture and Utilization (NCoE-CCU) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has patented an innovative technology that promises to revolutionize carbon capture and utilization, particularly in the steel sector.

This energy-efficient method converts carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO) under electrocatalytic conditions at ambient temperatures in the presence of water, offering a green and cost-effective solution to reduce carbon emissions.

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is widely used in industries, especially in the form of synthesis gas (syngas). In the steel industry, CO plays a crucial role in converting iron ores into metallic iron within blast furnaces.

What are the advantages?

1. Traditionally, CO is generated through the partial oxidation of coke or coal, a process that results in substantial CO2 emissions. The breakthrough technology by IIT Bombay offers a circular economy solution, reducing the carbon footprint and associated costs.
2. The current method for converting CO2 to CO operates at high temperatures, ranging from 400 to 750 degrees Celsius, and requires an equivalent amount of hydrogen gas (H2) to drive the reaction forward. This results in an energy-intensive process that contributes to environmental challenges.
3. The newly developed process requires minimal energy and can occur at ambient temperatures (25-40°C) in the presence of water.
4. Significantly, the energy needed for this electrocatalysis reaction can be sourced directly from renewable energy, such as solar panels or windmills.
5. This carbon-neutral approach ensures a sustainable and environmentally friendly method for converting CO2 to CO.

 

Current Affair 3:

Venus had Earth-like plate tectonics billions of years ago

 

News:

Venus may once have had tectonic plate movements similar to those seen on the early Earth and that were essential to producing an environment conducive to the development of life.

This is the conclusion of a team of researchers led from Brown University who modelled our neighbouring planet’s thermal, atmospheric and tectonic evolution.

They found that Venus’ current atmospheric composition and surface pressure could only have been reached if the world had a basic form of plate tectonics about 4.5–3.5 billion years ago, just like Earth.

On our planet, this system developed to form new continents, raise mountains, and support chemical processes that stabilize surface temperatures, making our world suitable for life.

Venus, on the other hand, went the other way, and now has surface temperatures that are hot enough to melt lead and a surface locked as a single plate — what experts refer to as a “stagnant lid” regime — with minimal movement, give, and gas release into the atmosphere.

Significance:

1. This finding raises the possibility of early microbial life on Venus and highlights that both planets were once more alike than previously thought.
2. The study also suggests that planets may transition in and out of different tectonic states, impacting their habitability.
3. The research provides a proof of concept that atmospheres can offer insights into a planet’s ancient history and development.
4. The study’s findings may have implications for understanding other planets and moons, including Jupiter’s Europa, which shows evidence of Earth-like plate tectonics.

Current Affair 4:

Bletchley Declaration

 

News:

The United Kingdom hosted the first international AI Safety Summit Bletchley Park on November 1.

Twenty-nine countries such as the US, the UK, China, Australia, Brazil and India, along with the European Union have agreed to work together to prevent “catastrophic harm, either deliberate or unintentional” which may arise from artificially intelligent computer models and engines.

 

 

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