Government Introduces Bills to Pave the Way for “One Nation, One Election”

(Source: Indian Express; Section: Explained; Page: 17)

Analysis of News:   

Key Takeaways from the Bills

Scope and Timeline

• The Bills focus on Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, excluding municipal elections.
• Simultaneous polls can only realistically commence from the 2034 election cycle after the 18th and 19th Lok Sabhas complete their full terms.

Constitutional Changes Required

• Amendments to Articles 82, 83, 172, and 372 introduce Article 82A, facilitating the synchronization of elections.
• These amendments require a special majority in both Houses of Parliament.

Provisions for Simultaneous Elections

Article 82A:

• Aligns state Assembly elections with Lok Sabha terms, potentially curtailing the tenure of some Assemblies.
• Empowers the Election Commission to defer elections in exceptional cases, ensuring Assembly terms align with the Lok Sabha.

Mid-term Polls:

• If the Lok Sabha or a state Assembly is dissolved early, subsequent elections will only cover the unexpired term of the dissolved body.

Union Territories and NCT of Delhi

• The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, proposes changes to laws governing Union Territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi to align their elections with the “One Nation, One Election” framework.

Challenges and Implications

Legislative Hurdles

• Passage of the amendments requires bipartisan support, with challenges in ensuring ratification by at least half of the state legislatures for municipal elections.

Operational Complexities

• Curtailing Assembly terms and conducting synchronized elections pose logistical challenges.
• Mid-term poll provisions may lead to shortened tenures, disrupting governance continuity.

Potential Benefits

• Reduces election-related costs and frequent policy paralysis due to staggered polls.
• Enhances governance efficiency by aligning state and central electoral cycles.

Conclusion

• The “One Nation, One Election” initiative represents a significant shift in India’s electoral process, aiming for streamlined governance and cost efficiency.
• While ambitious, its successful implementation depends on overcoming constitutional, political, and logistical challenges.

2. Arctic Tundra Shifts from Carbon Sink to Source, Worsening Global Climate Crisis

(Source: Indian Express; Section: Explained; Page: 17)

Analysis of News:       

Significance of Arctic Tundra as a Carbon Storehouse

• The Arctic tundra, a frozen, treeless biome, has historically stored carbon in its permafrost for millennia, trapping over 1.6 trillion metric tonnes of carbon—double the atmospheric carbon.
• Due to the cold climate, decomposition of organic matter is significantly slowed, preventing carbon dioxide (CO2) release and maintaining a balance in the global carbon cycle.

Reasons for the Shift to a Carbon Source

Rising Temperatures:

• The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average.
• Thawing permafrost activates soil microbes, which decompose organic matter and release CO2 and methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas.

Increased Wildfires:

• The Arctic has experienced unprecedented wildfire seasons, with 2024 recording the second-highest wildfire emissions.
• Wildfires directly emit greenhouse gases and accelerate permafrost thaw, compounding the problem.

Implications of Carbon Release

• The shift of the Arctic tundra from a carbon sink to a carbon source exacerbates climate change, with cascading effects on global temperatures, sea levels, and weather patterns.
• This transformation could intensify the already visible adverse impacts of climate change worldwide.

Future Prospects and Mitigation

• Reversing this trend is possible but requires aggressive global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Lower climate change levels would result in reduced emissions from permafrost.
• However, current trajectories, including increased fossil fuel use and deforestation, suggest emissions are likely to rise, making mitigation increasingly difficult.

Conclusion

• The Arctic tundra’s transformation highlights the urgency for global climate action.
• Without significant emissions reductions, the feedback loop of warming and carbon release from the Arctic will continue to fuel global warming, threatening ecosystems and human life globally.

PRELIMS FACTS

1. Rare Sighting of Wroughton’s Free-Tailed Bat in Delhi’s Yamuna Biodiversity Park

(Source: Indian Express; Section: The City; Page: 04)

Analysis of News:   

Significant Sighting in Delhi

• The recent spotting of Wroughton’s free-tailed bat at the Delhi Development Authority’s Yamuna Biodiversity Park marks a rare and unique occurrence.
• Primarily known from the Western Ghats and small colonies in Meghalaya and Cambodia, this species is seldom seen beyond its usual habitats.
• This finding underscores the biodiversity park’s importance as a haven for rare and elusive species.

Distinct Characteristics of the Species

• Wroughton’s free-tailed bat is notable for its large size, prominent ears extending beyond its muzzle, and its bicoloured velvet-like fur.
• It typically roosts in caves or dark, slightly warm locations, forming moderate colonies.
• These bats play a crucial ecological role in regulating insect populations and assisting in pollination, contributing significantly to ecosystem balance.

Ecological Importance and Conservation Status

• Once deemed critically endangered due to its single known population in the Western Ghats, the bat’s status has been revised to “data deficient” by the IUCN after discoveries in Meghalaya and Cambodia.
• Despite over a century since its discovery, much remains unknown about its feeding ecology.
• Its powerful flying capabilities enable foraging over long distances, highlighting its adaptability and ecological role.

Delhi’s Rich Bat Biodiversity

• The sighting of Wroughton’s free-tailed bat enriches Delhi’s bat diversity, already home to 14 species, four of which were previously considered locally extinct.
• Ecological restoration efforts over two decades have created specialized niches in Delhi’s biodiversity parks, fostering unique habitats.
• For instance, the Aravali Biodiversity Park hosts the only known roosting site for Blyth’s horseshoe bat in the region.

This discovery reaffirms the success of biodiversity parks in urban conservation and their role in preserving species beyond their known habitats.