Global Energy Efficiency Alliance

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance at the Conference of Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC).

Global Energy Efficiency Alliance

• This move aims to double global energy efficiency by 2030 and contribute to significant emission reductions.
• It aims to promote knowledge sharing, build capacity, and standardise policies that encourage investments in energy efficiency projects.    
• The alliance will focus on compiling and disseminating best practices, with a particular emphasis on assisting African nations.
• The alliance aims to encourage strategic public-private partnerships and bolster investments in energy efficiency initiatives.

Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor

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India has activated the Vladivostok-Chennai shipping route and plans to connect at least two other east coast ports, Paradip and Vizag, with this maritime corridor.

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On the inaugural edition of ‘Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue’ the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said that India is aiming to be the best maritime nation in the world in all indices, under ‘maritime vision 2047’.

• Sagarmanthan is South Asia’s largest maritime thought leadership forum for global leaders, policymakers, and visionaries to share insights and shape the future

Paradip Port became India's largest major port by cargo volume in FY24, handling 145.38 million tonnes.

Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor 

• The Chennai-Vladivostok route covers a distance of about 5,600 nautical miles while connecting India's southeastern port to Russia's far east. It is a strategic alternative to the more commonly-used Red Sea route. 
• Vladivostok is the largest Russian port on the Pacific Ocean, which is located about 50 kilometres from the China-Russia border.
• This corridor is estimated to reduce the time required to transport cargo between the Indian and Russian Ports of the Far East Region by up to 16 days.
• The establishment of this new sea route holds promise for enhancing trade opportunities for facilitating easier trade with countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Thai Sacbrood Virus

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The Thai Sacbrood Virus (TSBV) is posing a threat to the Asian Honey Bee (Apis Cerana) in South India.

Thai Sacbrood Virus

• It is a variant of sacbrood virus (SBV), a viral disease affecting honey bee colonies. It was first observed in Thailand in 1976. 
• The disease kills bee larvae, thereby reducing the population of bee colonies.
• Sacbrood virus that attacks western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is less virulent when compared to TSBV.
• In 1991-1992, a Thai sacbrood virus outbreak devastated around 90% of Asiatic honey bee colonies in South India. It also reemerged in 2021 in Telangana. 

Honey Bees 

India hosts more than 700 bee species, including four Indigenous honey bees: 

• Asiatic honey bee (Apis cerana indica)
• giant rock bee (Apis dorsata)
• dwarf honey bee (Apis florea)
• stingless bee (sp. Trigona)

Western honey bees (Apis mellifera) were introduced in India in 1983 to increase the country’s honey yield.