Prelim Bits 05-04-2023 | UPSC Daily Current Affairs

HydroSOS

The World Meteorological Organisation’s Hydrological Status and Outlook System offered data analysis tools for simulations in UN Water Conference 2023.

• HydroSOS is a global operational mechanism of World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) for hydrological data.
• HydroSOS integrates hydrological status assessments and outlooks from, and for National Hydrological Services (NHS).
• It aims to provide an operational system capable of assessing the current hydrological status and its likely near-future outlook for all areas of the globe.
• The system offers simple, accessible hydrological information to users such as government bodies, UN bodies, aid agencies, and the general public.
• It provides hydrological products to National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) for its informed decision-making.

References

1. The Hindu - What was the U.N. water conference?
2. WMO - Global Hydrological Status and Outlook System (HydroSOS)

W12+ Blueprint

The W12+ Blueprint committed knowledge sharing for water security challenges at Un Water Conference 2023.

• The W12+ Blueprint is one of the W12+ programs for urban water challenges.
• The W12+ Blueprint is an online information tool for urban water solutions.
• It was launched by two NGOs (SOS and ECOCIV) in partnership with UNESCO IHP.
• The platform is dynamic, interactive knowledge-sharing database of case studies and best-practice water solutions at city-level.
• The W12+ Blueprint is an informational database for solutions to urban water challenges.
• It aims to create a tool that provides insight on how to address common urban water challenges through easy to read case studies.
• Two cities from India are listed in this Blueprint
  1. Bengaluru - Community Leadership for Water Source Rejuvenation.
  2. Chennai - Rainwater Harvesting Policy for Enhanced Supply.

References

1. The Hindu - What was the U.N. water conference?
2. W12+ Blueprint

Water for Women Fund

The ‘Water for Women Fund’ offered financial support mechanisms for more effective and sustainable water outcomes for women at UN Water Conference.

• Water for Women is supporting improved health, gender equality and wellbeing in Asian and Pacific communities through water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects.
• Water for Women is the Australian Government’s flagship WASH program.
• It is being delivered as part of Australia's development assistance program from 2018 to 2024.
• It ensures more equitable and inclusive processes with focus on Gender equality and social inclusion in its project.
• It aims to deliver more effective and sustainable outcomes in water, sanitation and hygiene for Asia and Pacific communities.
• Related Topics - WASH Initiative

References

1. The Hindu - What was the U.N. water conference?
2. United Nations - Water for Women Fund

High-Level Political Forum 2023

The High Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2023 is set to be held in New York in July.

• The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) established the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in 2012.
• The HLPF is the central United Nations platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs at the global level.
• The Forum meets annually under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), including a ministerial segment.
• Every 4 years at the level of Heads of State and Government under the auspices of the General Assembly.
• The HLPF also conducts regular reviews of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The second SDG Summit will be held in September 2023. The first SDG Summit happened in 2019.

• HLPF 2023 - The HLPF 2023 under the auspices of the General Assembly will be held in July 2023 in New York.
• The theme will be ‘Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels’.
• The HLPF in 2023 will review in-depth SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17.

• 40 countries will carry out Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at the HLPF 2023.
• The VNR countries are expected to submit comprehensive written reports that will be made available in the VNR database.
• India so far has submitted VNR twice (2017 and 2020).

References

1. The Hindu - What was the U.N. water conference?
2. UN - High-Level Political Forum 2023

Polymetallic Nodules

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) has decided to take permit applications in July from companies that want to mine the ocean’s floor.

• The deep sea mining will be conducted to extract key minerals from polymetallic nodules (PMN).
• Polymetallic nodules cover vast areas of the ocean floor (abyssal plain).
• They are found at depths of 4 kilometers to 6 kilometers (about 2.5 miles to 3.7 miles).
• They are more abundant in areas off the west coast of Mexico in the Pacific (known as the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone), the Central Indian Ocean Basin, and the Peru basin.
• They are composed mainly of Manganese, Iron, silicates and hydroxides.
• The nodules vary from micro-nodules to about 20 cm, the common size being 2 to 8 cm.
• The trace metal contents such as Ni, Cu, Co and Mn and rare earth elements

ISA entered into an exploration contract with the Government of India for the exploration of PMN in the Indian Ocean.

References

1. IE - UN to start allowing deep sea mining operations from July
2. International Seabed Authority - Polymetallic Nodules