Current Affairs – March, 2019

Global Energy Transition Index 2019

The Global Energy Transition index 2019 report has been released by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The index compares the energy sectors of 115 countries and analyses their readiness for energy transition. The index benchmarks the countries energy systems based on an “energy triangle”, comprised of energy security and access, economic development and growth, environmental sustainability and how well they are set-up to succeed in the future.

The index takes into account six individual indicators: capital and investment, regulation and political commitment, institutions and governance, institutions and innovative business environment, human capital and consumer participation, and energy system structure.

Global Energy Transition Index 2019

• Sweden has topped the index and is followed by Switzerland and Norway in the top three.
• China is ranked even lower than India in the 82nd position.
• The United Kingdom (UK) is ranked seventh and Singapore has been ranked thirteenth, while Germany, Japan and the US have bagged the seventeenth, eighteenth and the twenty-seventh place respectively.
• Among the Asian Countries, Malaysia is ranked highest at 31st, Sri Lanka is 60th, Bangladesh 90th and Nepal 93rd.
• The report states that the world’s transition to secure, affordable and sustainable energy has stagnated, with little or no progress achieved in the past five years.
• The index notes that continued use of coal for power generation in Asia, increasing commodity prices and slower-than-needed improvements in energy intensity have contributed to this year’s stagnation in performance.
• Even though more people across the globe have access to energy, this has been offset by reduced affordability and almost no progress in making energy systems environmentally sustainable.

Where does India stand?

• India has moved up two places to rank 76th and the report states that India is amongst the countries with high pollution levels and has a relatively high CO2 intensity in its energy system.
• The report also acknowledges the significant strides made by India to improve energy access in recent years. India scores well in the area of regulation and political commitment towards energy transition.
• The report suggests a ground of optimism regarding India despite the current outdated energy system not being ready for the transition because an enabling environment is being built to support the future transition.
• India has ranked low in terms of system performance (ranking 97 and 86, respectively) and has been ranked considerably higher when it comes to readiness (45 and 61, respectively).
• India is the second best in the BRICS group of emerging economies, with Brazil being the best at 46th place globally. India is the only BRICS country to improve its rank since last year.

The Index considers both the current state of the countries’ energy system and their structural readiness to adapt to future energy needs.

ISRO opens registration for Young Scientist Programme

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has opened the registration for recently launched Young Scientist Programme.

The programme also referred to as “YUva VIgyani KAryakram” (Yuvika) is aimed at imparting basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Applications to the younger ones with the intent of arousing their interest in the emerging areas of Space activities. The Yuvika programme aims to catch them young by providing residential training of around two weeks duration during the summer holidays.

Selection for the Programme

The selection for the programme is based on their performance from 8th Std marks. Those who have just finished 9th standard (in the academic year 2018-19) and waiting to join 10th standard (or those who have started 10th Std just now) are eligible for the programme and selection is based on both academic performance and extracurricular activities with special preference given to students from rural areas. Those interested can register through the link https://yuvika.isro.gov.in/yuvika/