Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

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The ILO’s report, “Ensuring Safety and Health at Work in a Changing Climate,” highlights alarming trends. Over 70% of global workers face rising temperatures, leading to 22.85 million annual occupational injuries and 18,970 deaths, primarily due to excessive heat. Chronic kidney disease is rising among manual laborers in hot regions like India. Excessive UV radiation increases cancer risk. Subsistence agriculture, pesticide exposure, and workplace pollution pose further threats, urging the need for updated legislation.

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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published the 2024 Global Education Monitoring Report: Gender report – Technology on her terms in France in 2024. The report examines the impact of technology on girls’ education opportunities and future technological development. It highlights ICT’s potential to overcome educational barriers for girls, citing the M-shule platform in Kenya. However, the digital divide persists, with fewer women owning mobile phones and having internet access compared to men.

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Nasscom’s recent release, the Patenting Trends in India report, coincided with World Intellectual Property Day. Celebrated annually on April 26, the day aims to highlight the importance of Intellectual Property (IP) rights in fostering innovation and creativity. Established in 2000 by WIPO, this year’s theme is ‘IP and the SDGs: Building Our Common Future with Innovation and Creativity’. The report revealed India’s significant patenting growth, with 83,000 patents filed in FY2023, a 24.6% increase, marking the highest growth rate in two decades.

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According to IQAir, Kathmandu is the most polluted city in the world as of May 2, 2024. IQAir is a Swiss technology company that monitors the pollution levels of 101 cities in real time. The Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal has advised residents to wear masks due to the alarming increase in air pollution in the Kathmandu valley. In 2023, IQAir’s World Air Quality report ranked India as the third most polluted country and New Delhi as the most polluted capital city.

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The Asian Development Bank’s report on Aging well in Asia highlights four vital aspects of older persons’ well-being: health, productive work, economic security, and social engagement. It reveals that developing Asia faces rapid aging, with the older population set to almost double to 25.2% by 2050. India’s challenges include low health insurance coverage (21%) for older individuals and heavy reliance (80%–90%) on private income and assets for retirement.

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In a milestone for India’s economic growth, Mumbai and Delhi debut in the world’s top 50 wealthiest cities, with Mumbai at 24th and Delhi at 37th in the Wealthiest Cities Report 2024. Compiled by Henley & Partners and New World Wealth, the report defines wealth based on liquid investable assets. New York City maintains its top spot with 349,500 millionaires and over $3 trillion combined wealth. The US claims 11 cities in the top 50, including three in the top 10.

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The World Bank unveiled “Water For Shared Prosperity” at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia, defining shared prosperity as equitable growth, especially for the poorest. It identifies four key pillars: human, social, and natural capital, and economic opportunities. The report highlights disparities in water access due to population growth, urbanization, and climate change. In 2022, 197 million lacked safe drinking water, 211 million lacked basic sanitation, with 450 million in high-poverty, low-water-access areas globally.

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The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) report, “Global Land Outlook Thematic Report on Rangelands and Pastoralists,” warns of the silent demise of rangelands, which cover half of Earth’s land surface. These vital grasslands, including prairies, shrublands, and tundras, are degraded by conversion to cropland, urban expansion, overgrazing, and policies promoting overexploitation, driven by rising demands for food, fiber, and fuel.

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The International Labour Organisation (ILO) released the 2024 Asia-Pacific Employment and Social Outlook report. Key highlights include an improved Employment to Population Ratio (EPR) in the region at 58.2% (2023), with Indian women contributing significantly. India faces an aging population, with the old age dependency ratio projected to increase from 0.10 to 0.22 by 2050. Accelerated productivity growth is crucial for India to achieve high-income status by 2050, with 76% of manufacturers reporting skilled labor shortages.

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The Coal Ministry’s report “Greening Initiative in Coal & Lignite PSUs” showcases efforts by Coal Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to reduce environmental impacts through reclamation and afforestation. Key initiatives include extensive ecological restoration, seed ball plantation, seed casting via drones, and Miyawaki plantation, which involves densely planting native trees, shrubs, and groundcover plants. These measures aim to increase green cover in coal mining areas.