10 April 2024 : The Hindu Editorial Notes PDF
The Hindu EDITORIAL
10-April-2024
1. The climate crisis is not gender neutral
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Topic: GS2 – Social Justice – Vulnerable Sections GS3 – Environment – Environmental pollution and degradation This topic is crucial for UPSC as it addresses environmental sustainability, social justice, and gender empowerment in policymaking. |
| Context |
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●This article highlights the intersection of climate change and gender disparities, emphasizing how women, particularly in rural India, face disproportionate health risks. ● It also addresses increased vulnerabilities, and heavier burdens due to climate-induced challenges, urging for gender-sensitive climate action. |
Climate Crisis and Gender Disparities
- Women and girls face disproportionate health risks due to poverty, cultural norms, and existing roles.
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) states women and children are 14 times more likely to die in disasters.
- Indian Supreme Court recognizes the right to a clean environment, integral to the right to life.
Impact on Agriculture and Livelihoods
- Agriculture is crucial for rural Indian women, but climate-driven yield reductions exacerbate food insecurity.
- Small landholding households suffer; men face social stigma, while women endure heavier domestic burdens and health issues.
- NFHS data reveals drought-prone districts show higher rates of underweight women, intimate partner violence, and girl marriages.
Extreme Events and Gender-Based Violence
- 75% of Indian districts vulnerable to hydromet disasters; over half of women and children at risk.
- Correlation observed between natural disasters and gender-based violence.
- Climate-induced changes in water patterns affect safe drinking water access, increasing women’s burdens.
Health Impacts and Vulnerabilities
- Rising temperatures pose risks for pregnant women, children, and the elderly.
- Air pollution adversely affects women’s health and cognitive growth in children.
- More evidence needed to understand the intersectional vulnerabilities within women.
Role of Women in Climate Action
- Empowering women leads to better climate solutions and increased agricultural yields.
- Women, particularly tribal and rural, are at the forefront of environmental conservation.
- Providing resources and knowledge to women encourages local solutions to emerge.
Immediate Action Needed
- Priority groups, such as outdoor workers and pregnant women, need protection from heatwaves.
- Urban planning should prioritize green spaces and heat-resistant housing.
- Water scarcity requires societal action, including rainwater harvesting and storage improvements.
Community-Level Initiatives
- Convergence of sectors and services at the village level is crucial.
- Devolution of powers and capacity-building at the panchayat level can enhance resilience.
- Gender-sensitive approaches must be integrated into State Action Plans on Climate Change.
Conclusion
- Women can lead climate action and should not be portrayed solely as victims.
- Transformative gender strategies are crucial for comprehensive and equitable climate adaptation.
| How climate change disproportionately affects women? |
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Climate Change’s Disproportionate Impact on Women: ● Increased Vulnerability: Women, especially in developing countries, face higher vulnerability due to socio-economic disparities. ● Limited Access to Resources: Restricted access to education, employment, and property ownership limits women’s adaptive capacity. ● Role as Caregivers: Women often bear the brunt of climate-related disasters as primary caregivers for children and elderly family members. ●Health Risks: Women’s health is compromised by climate-induced changes, including increased incidence of vector-borne diseases and malnutrition. ● Economic Disparities: Climate change exacerbates existing economic inequalities, affecting women’s livelihoods in agriculture and informal sectors. ● Displacement and Migration: Women are disproportionately affected by displacement and migration, facing increased risks of exploitation and violence. ● Water Scarcity: Women bear the burden of fetching water for household needs, exacerbating their workload and health risks in water-scarce regions. Way Forward: ● Gender-Responsive Policies: Incorporate gender perspectives into climate adaptation and mitigation strategies to address women’s specific needs. ● Empowerment: Enhance women’s access to education, resources, and decision-making roles in climate action. ● Livelihood Diversification: Promote income-generating activities beyond traditional sectors, empowering women economically. ●Healthcare Access: Ensure women’s access to reproductive health services and nutrition programs to mitigate climate-induced health risks. ● Capacity Building: Provide training and skill development opportunities to enhance women’s resilience to climate change. ●Community Engagement: Facilitate women’s participation in community-based climate resilience initiatives. ● Legal Protections: Enforce laws and policies that protect women’s rights and ensure gender equality in climate action. Conclusion: Addressing the gender dimensions of climate change is crucial for building resilience and achieving sustainable development. Empowering women and integrating gender perspectives into climate policies are essential for equitable and effective climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. |
| PYQ: ‘Climate Change’ is a global problem. How will India be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India be affected by climate change? (250 words/15m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2017) |
| Practice Question: How does climate change exacerbate gender disparities, and what measures can be implemented to ensure gender-sensitive climate adaptation strategies? (250 Words /15 marks) |
2. Right to be free of climate change effects comes amid a conservation dilemma
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Topic: GS2 – Indian Polity – Judiciary , GS3 – Environment – Environmental pollution and degradation Critical for UPSC: Highlights legal recognition of climate change impacts, emphasizing environmental conservation and sustainable development. |
| Context |
| ● The article discusses the Supreme Court’s recognition of the right to be free from climate change effects and its implications on environmental conservation. |
Supreme Court Recognizes Right to be Free of Climate Change Effects:
- The Supreme Court of India has acknowledged the right to be free from the adverse impacts of climate change as a distinct fundamental right.
- This recognition aligns with the Court’s earlier acknowledgment of the right to a clean environment under Article 21 of the Constitution.
- The Court asserts that protection from climate change and a healthy environment are interrelated, emphasizing the need to treat them as separate rights.
- Climate change poses threats such as rising temperatures, storms, droughts, food shortages, and shifts in vector-borne diseases, impacting various aspects of life.
Impact on Equality and Vulnerable Communities:
- Climate change-induced environmental degradation can lead to acute food and water shortages, disproportionately affecting poorer and underserved communities.
- The right to equality is violated when these communities are unable to cope with the adverse effects of climate change, exacerbating socio-economic disparities.
Emphasis on Climate Change in Great Indian Bustard Case:
- The Supreme Court’s emphasis on climate change arose in a case concerning the protection of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard from collisions with solar power transmission lines.
- The Union Ministries of Environment, Power, and New and Renewable Energy sought modification of the Court’s earlier order to protect the bird.
- The modification was requested due to technical and financial constraints in converting power lines underground, adversely affecting the renewable energy sector.
Expert Committee and Recalled Orders:
- The Court formed an expert committee to determine the extent of underground and overhead power lines, recalling its previous directives.
- The conundrum arises from the conflict between reducing carbon emissions and protecting endangered species, necessitating a prompt resolution.
Need for Resolution:
- The clash between environmental conservation and renewable energy development highlights the urgent need for a solution.
- Balancing environmental protection and sustainable energy development is essential for mitigating climate change while safeguarding biodiversity.
Conclusion:
- The Supreme Court’s recognition of the right to be free from climate change impacts underscores the importance of environmental protection and sustainable development.
- Resolving conflicts between conservation efforts and renewable energy expansion is imperative for achieving climate goals and biodiversity conservation in India.
| Significance of recognising Right against climate change as a fundamental right: |
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● Environmental Protection: Recognizing the Right against climate change as a fundamental right underscores the imperative to safeguard the environment for present and future generations. ● Human Health: It acknowledges the direct impact of climate change on human health, emphasising the need for policies and actions to mitigate environmental risks and protect public health. ●Vulnerable Communities: Affirming this right prioritises the protection of vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by climate change, ensuring their access to resources, adaptation measures, and justice. ● Legal Accountability: Establishing it as a fundamental right strengthens legal mechanisms to hold governments and corporations accountable for their actions contributing to climate change, fostering transparency and accountability. ●Inter-generational Equity: It promotes inter-generational equity by recognizing the responsibility to preserve the environment and resources for future generations, urging sustainable practices and policies. ●International Commitments: Aligning with international agreements like the Paris Agreement, recognizing the Right against climate change reaffirms a nation’s commitment to global efforts in addressing the climate crisis. ● Social Justice: It promotes social justice by acknowledging the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalised communities and advocating for equitable solutions to mitigate environmental degradation and its consequences. |
| PYQ: Examine the scope of Fundamental Rights in the light of the latest judgement of the Supreme Court on Right to Privacy. (250 words/15m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-2 2017) |
| Practice Question: Discuss the significance of the Supreme Court’s recognition of the right to be free from climate change effects. (250 Words /15 marks) |
3. India is falling behind in efforts to control tuberculosis
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Topic: GS2 – Social Justice – Health Critical for UPSC: Highlights systemic challenges in India’s TB control program, impacting public health and healthcare delivery. |
| Context |
| ● The article discusses India’s struggle with recurring shortages of tuberculosis drugs, hindering efforts to eliminate TB by 2025. |
TB Drug Shortage in India:
- India, aiming to eliminate TB by 2025, is grappling with recurring shortages of drugs for drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).
- Critical MDR-TB drugs faced acute shortages seven months ago, lasting nearly a year, followed by a stockout of Delamanid in September 2021.
- The lack of drug availability exacerbates delays in diagnosis, treatment initiation, and treatment success, posing significant challenges in the TB care cascade.
Impact on TB Control Efforts:
- Non-availability of drugs contributes to treatment non-adherence, with studies showing that 8% of non-adherent patients miss treatment due to drug shortages.
- The shortage of drug-sensitive TB medicines, manufactured in India, reflects mismanagement within the national TB programme.
- Renaming the National TB Control Programme to the National TB Elimination Programme without addressing fundamental issues like drug availability suggests incompetence and lack of seriousness in TB eradication efforts.
Challenges and Consequences:
- Last-minute permissions for local drug procurement by States create logistical challenges at the field level, undermining effective TB control measures.
- A Health Ministry circular allows States to procure drugs locally for three months, with patients potentially bearing the cost if district health facilities fail to provide free drugs.
- This approach is criticized for its adverse impact on TB patients, especially those from poor socioeconomic backgrounds, who may struggle to afford medications.
Concerns and Criticisms:
- India’s inability to ensure continuous drug availability highlights deficiencies in TB control program management.
- The reliance on patients to procure medicines as a last resort is condemned as unacceptable, considering the financial constraints of most TB patients.
- The situation raises doubts about India’s ability to achieve the TB elimination goal by 2025 and suggests a lack of basic TB control elements.
Conclusion:
- Recurring drug shortages undermine India’s efforts to eliminate TB by 2025, highlighting systemic weaknesses in TB control program management.
- Urgent measures are needed to address drug availability issues and ensure timely access to TB medications for all patients, regardless of socioeconomic status.
- Effective TB control requires comprehensive strategies that prioritize drug availability, alongside other essential elements of TB care and prevention.
| Reasons for high prevalence of TB in India: |
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Tuberculosis (TB): ● Tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. ● It primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. Symptoms include coughing, chest pain, weight loss, and fatigue. ● TB is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, making it highly contagious. ● Treatment usually involves a combination of antibiotics taken over several months. Reasons for High Tuberculosis Prevalence in India: ● Population Density: India’s large population and high population density contribute to the spread of TB. ●Poor Healthcare Infrastructure: Limited access to healthcare facilities and diagnostic services hinder early detection and treatment. ● Poverty and Malnutrition: Socioeconomic factors such as poverty and malnutrition weaken immune systems, increasing susceptibility to TB. ● Limited Awareness: Lack of awareness about TB symptoms, transmission, and treatment options delays diagnosis and treatment initiation. ● Overcrowded Living Conditions: Overcrowded housing and poor ventilation increase the risk of TB transmission. ● Drug Resistance: Inadequate treatment adherence and misuse of antibiotics contribute to the emergence of drug-resistant TB strains. ● HIV/AIDS Epidemic: The HIV/AIDS epidemic exacerbates TB prevalence, as HIV weakens the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to TB infection. ● Migration and Urbanization: Rural-to-urban migration and urban slum populations facilitate TB transmission due to overcrowding and poor living conditions. |
| Practice Question: How do recurring shortages of tuberculosis drugs in India affect the country’s efforts to eliminate TB by 2025? (150 Words /10 marks) |
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