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📝 Revision Notes
Key takeaways from today’s quiz to strengthen your preparation
Environment & Wildlife
IBCA — International Big Cat Alliance HQ Agreement
IBCA was launched by PM Modi on April 9, 2023 (50 Years of Project Tiger, Mysuru). It covers 7 species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma. India signed the HQ Agreement on April 17, 2025. Became treaty-based in January 2025 (Framework Agreement: India, Nicaragua, Eswatini, Somalia, Liberia). India committed Rs 150 crore for 5 years.
Culture & GI Tags
UP — India’s No. 1 GI State with 77 Tags
PM Modi awarded 21 GI certificates to UP products at Mehndi Ganj, UP, taking UP’s total to 77 GI-certified products — surpassing Tamil Nadu (69). Notable additions: Banarasi Shehnai, Banarasi Tabla, Banarasi Bharwan Mirch. The Varanasi region alone holds 32 GI tags. GI of Goods Act, 1999 came into force in 2003.
Climate & International
World’s First Global Carbon Tax — Shipping (2028)
63 countries including India voted at the IMO, London to create the world’s first global carbon tax on commercial shipping. Formally adopted October 2025; effective 2028. Applies to vessels over 5,000 gross tonnage (85% of shipping CO₂). Ships must use low-emission fuels or pay USD 100–380 per tonne. Shipping = 3% of global GHG emissions; tax projected to raise USD 30–40 billion by 2030. IMO SG: Arsenio Dominguez.
Energy & Technology
CEA’s STELLAR — Indigenous Power Adequacy Model
STELLAR (State-of-the-art, Totally indigenously developed Electricity Resource Adequacy model) was launched by CEA in April 2025. Developed with The Lantau Group (Hong Kong) and ADB (Manila). Distributed free of cost to all Discoms and Load Despatch Centres. Supports India’s 24×7 reliable power goal and aligns with MoP’s Resource Adequacy Guidelines (June 2023).
Banking & Finance
S&P Global Top 100 Banks 2025 — SBI 43rd, HDFC 73rd
SBI ranked 43rd (up 4 places) and HDFC Bank ranked 73rd (up 1 spot) in S&P Global’s Top 100 Banks by Assets 2025 — the only two Indian banks in the list. Global top 3: ICBC (1st), Agricultural Bank of China (2nd), China Construction Bank (3rd). Ranking based on total assets, year-end 2024.
Business & Regulation
CCI — Patanjali Acquires 98% of Magma General Insurance
CCI approved Patanjali Ayurved Limited (PAL) and five related entities acquiring a 98.055% stake in Magma General Insurance (MGIL), Mumbai for Rs 4,500 crore via the Green Channel route (Section 6(4), Competition Act, 2002). Green Channel applies when there is no horizontal, vertical, or complementary business overlap. Stake held by Adar Poonawalla’s Sanoti Properties LLP and Rising Sun Holdings.
Governance & Water
Mission Amrit Sarovar — 68,000+ Completed
Mission Amrit Sarovar was announced by PM Modi on April 24, 2022 (National Panchayati Raj Day, Palli Gram Panchayat, Samba, J&K). As of March 2025: 68,000+ Sarovars completed (46,000 under MGNREGS). Each Sarovar: minimum 1-acre area, 10,000 m³ water capacity. Target: 75 Sarovars per district. Groundwater recharge from water structures: 13.98 BCM (2017) → 25.34 BCM (2024).
Awards & Personalities
TIME 100 (2025) — Reshma Kewalramani in Leaders
The TIME 100 Most Influential People 2025 (22nd edition) featured Reshma Kewalramani (CEO, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Boston) in the ‘Leaders’ category — the sole Indian-origin personality; no Indian nationals featured. Six categories: Leaders, Icons, Artists, Innovators, Pioneers, Titans. Youngest: Leon Marchand (France, 22); Oldest: Muhammad Yunus (84). Covers: Demi Moore, Serena Williams, Demis Hassabis.
Culture & Heritage
World Heritage Day 2025 — 60 Years of ICOMOS
International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDMS/World Heritage Day) is observed on April 18. 2025 theme: ‘Heritage under Threat from Disasters and Conflicts: Preparedness and Learning from 60 Years of ICOMOS Actions’. ICOMOS (est. 1965; HQ: Paris) established IDMS in 1982; UNESCO approved it at its 22nd General Conference (1983). President: Teresa Patricio (Belgium).
Agriculture
Dr. Mangi Lal Jat — New DG of ICAR
Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, former Deputy DG of ICRISAT (Hyderabad), was appointed DG of ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi; est. 1929) and ex-officio Secretary, DARE (MoA&FW). Assumed office April 21, 2025 for a 3-year tenure, succeeding Dr. Himanshu Pathak (who joined ICRISAT as DG after voluntary retirement).
🎴 Revision Flashcards
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Which 7 big cat species does IBCA cover, and how much has India committed to it?
Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, Puma; Rs 150 crore for 5 years
Launched April 9, 2023, Mysuru; HQ Agreement signed April 17, 2025; treaty-based since Jan 2025
Tap to Reveal
How many GI tags does UP now hold, which state did it surpass, and how many tags does Varanasi alone have?
77 tags; surpassed Tamil Nadu (69); Varanasi holds 32
21 tags awarded at single event at Mehndi Ganj; includes Banarasi Shehnai, Tabla, Bharwan Mirch
Tap to Reveal
When does the IMO global shipping carbon tax take effect, and what is the penalty range per tonne?
2028; USD 100–380 per tonne of emissions
63 countries including India; adopted Oct 2025; applies to 5,000+ GT vessels; projected USD 30–40 bn by 2030
Tap to Reveal
What does STELLAR stand for, and who developed it with CEA?
State-of-the-art, Totally indigenously developed Electricity Resource Adequacy model; The Lantau Group + ADB
Distributed free to all Discoms; supports 24×7 power goal; aligns with MoP Resource Adequacy Guidelines 2023
Tap to Reveal
What are SBI’s and HDFC Bank’s ranks in S&P Global’s Top 100 Banks 2025, and who tops the list?
SBI: 43rd; HDFC: 73rd; ICBC (China) tops
Top 3 all Chinese: ICBC, Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank; ranked by total assets year-end 2024
Tap to Reveal
When was Mission Amrit Sarovar announced, on what occasion, and how many have been completed by March 2025?
April 24, 2022; National Panchayati Raj Day; 68,000+ completed
Palli Gram Panchayat, Samba, J&K; 46,000 under MGNREGS; each: min 1 acre + 10,000 m³; 75 per district target
Tap to Reveal
Which Indian-origin personality featured in TIME 100 (2025), in what category, and what is her role?
Reshma Kewalramani; Leaders category; CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Boston
22nd edition; 6 categories; no Indian nationals; youngest: Leon Marchand (22); oldest: Muhammad Yunus (84)
Tap to Reveal
Who is the new DG of ICAR, where did he come from, and who did he succeed?
Dr. Mangi Lal Jat; from ICRISAT (Deputy DG, Hyderabad); succeeded Dr. Himanshu Pathak
Assumed office April 21, 2025; 3-year tenure; also ex-officio Secretary, DARE; ICAR est. 1929, New Delhi
Think & Discuss
The World’s First Global Shipping Carbon Tax: Climate Justice or Economic Burden on Developing Nations?
Context from today’s quiz: In April 2025, 63 countries including India voted at the IMO to create the world’s first global carbon tax on commercial shipping — to be formally adopted in October 2025 and effective from 2028. Ships over 5,000 gross tonnage must switch to low-emission fuels or pay USD 100–380 per tonne of emissions. Shipping contributes 3% of global GHG emissions, and the tax is projected to raise USD 30–40 billion by 2030.
🤔 Your Perspective Matters
The global shipping carbon tax is a landmark moment in climate governance — the first time a carbon price has been agreed multilaterally for an entire global industry. But developing nations, including many in Asia and Africa, depend heavily on maritime trade and often lack the infrastructure to rapidly transition to low-emission shipping fuels. A per-tonne charge could disproportionately raise the cost of imports for poorer nations while the benefits — green shipping technology, alternative fuels — are developed and controlled primarily by wealthy countries.
Is the global shipping carbon tax a genuine step toward equitable climate action — or does it risk embedding a new form of economic inequality where developing nations pay for a problem primarily created by industrialised countries?
Is the global shipping carbon tax a genuine step toward equitable climate action — or does it risk embedding a new form of economic inequality where developing nations pay for a problem primarily created by industrialised countries?
- The USD 30–40 billion projected to be raised by 2030 is significant. Who should control this revenue, and how should it be distributed — should it prioritise green shipping infrastructure in developing nations, or climate adaptation funds for the most vulnerable countries?
- India is a major maritime trading nation. How should India position itself in IMO negotiations to ensure that the transition to low-emission shipping does not disproportionately increase import costs for essential goods like food, medicines, and energy?
- The shipping carbon tax applies to vessels over 5,000 gross tonnage — covering 85% of emissions but exempting smaller vessels. Is this threshold fair and effective, and does it risk creating a loophole where shipping companies restructure to avoid the levy?
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your perspective in the comments.
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