Botswana has recently announced its decision to join International Solar Alliance.
The International Solar Alliance is an alliance of more than 120 countries, most of them being sunshine countries, which come either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
It aims to channel $300 billion in 10 years to promote renewable energy projects under a global mega fund for clean energy.
The framework pact was initiated by the Indian and French governments at the climate change summit held at Paris in 2015.
It opened ISA Framework Agreement for signature in Marrakech, Morocco in 2016, on the side-lines of COP-22.
After ratification by 15 countries, ISA became the first full-fledged treaty based international intergovernmental organization headquartered in India.
Till date, out of 121 prospective member countries that lie either fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, 68 countries have signed the Framework Agreement of the ISA.
In the first assembly of ISA, a resolution was passed for amending the framework agreement to open ISA membership to all countries that are members of United Nations.
Country in news - Botswana
It is the country in the centre of Southern Africa.
The country is named after its dominant ethnic group the “Tswana”.
It is bounded by Namibia to the west and north, Zambia and Zimbabwe to the northeast, and South Africa to the southeast and south.
The Zambezi River, Chobe River border in the north and Molpo River (part of the Orange River system) in the south.
The Limpopo River and its tributaries borders east.
The country is characterized by rocky hill ranges and Kalahari desertic region.
SECURE Himalaya
The SECURE Himalaya project was launched by the union government in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
It is a six-year project to ensure conservation of locally and globally significant biodiversity, land and forest resources in the high Himalayan ecosystem spread over four states in India.
The SECURE - securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems is meant for specific landscapes.
It includes Changthang (Jammu and Kasmir), Lahaul - Pangi and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh), Gangotri - Govind and Darma - Byans Valley in Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand) and Kanchenjunga - Upper Teesta Valley (Sikkim).
UNDP has recently launched a competition for tagline and illustration with the theme “Protecting Wildlife, Preserving Landscapes and Empowering Communities in the High altitude Himalaya”.
UNDP
UNDP, an UN organization formed in 1965, is to help countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable human development.
Sustainable human development is an approach to economic growth that emphasizes improving the quality of life of all citizens while conserving the environment and natural resources for future generations.
The status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General Assembly.
It is working to strengthen new frameworks for development, disaster risk reduction and climate change.
UNDP also encourages the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women in all of its programmes.
The UNDP Human Development Report Office also publishes an annual Human Development Report (since 1990) to measure and analyze developmental progress.
In addition to a global Report, UNDP also publishes regional, national, and local Human Development Reports.
MoU among BRICS Nations
BRICS is an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Union Cabinet has recently given its ex-post facto approval for the MoU among BRICS nations, regarding Cooperation in the Social and Labour Sphere.
The MoU provides a mechanism for cooperation, collaboration and maximum synergy with the common objective of inclusive growth and shared prosperity in the new industrial revolution.
The BRICS members are all leading developing or newly industrialized countries, but they are distinguished by their large, sometimes fast-growing economies and significant influence on regional affairs.
All five are G-20 members.
Since 2009, the BRICS nations have met annually at formal summits.
Recently, the 10th BRICS summit was held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
