Details about the How Old is Moon, Pichwai Painting and Adaptation Gap report 2023

How Old is Moon

A recent research suggests that the moon is approximately 40 million years older than initially believed. This discovery, drawn from the analysis of lunar dust gathered during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, has implications for our comprehension of the solar system’s historical timeline

This information is crucial for understanding the Moon’s role in stabilizing Earth’s rotational axis and affecting tides, which, in turn, has influenced life on Earth

More about the research:

A recent study using crystals brought back by Apollo astronauts in 1972 has revealed that the Moon is approximately 40 million years older than previously believed.

• The research used these lunar crystals to pinpoint the Moon’s formation age, revising it to a minimum of 4.46 billion years old.
• These crystals, which are the oldest known solids to form after a massive impact, serve as a reference point for lunar chronology.
• The study utilized an analytical method called atom probe tomography to determine the age of the crystals and revealed that the Moon is indeed at least 4.46 billion years old

Earth-Moon Age Comparison:

• The Earth is estimated to be between 4.5 and 4.6 billion years old. That makes the moon only a fraction younger, at 4.46 billion years old.
• This comparison contributes to a deeper understanding of the early history of our solar system and the Earth-moon relationship

Pichwai Painting

• Pichwai art originated in Nathdwara, near Udaipur, and is traditionally created on cloth, typically khadi.

• Pichwai is a tradional style of painting from Rajasthan and usually depicts Lord Krishna and related stories.

• The paintings are made on the cloth and are used as a backdrop to the idol in the temple.
• They show various moods of Krishna and are executed in the miniature style.
• Other themes are also portrayed, such as the map of the Nathdwara, temple, cows (as symbols of Lord Krishna) among others and not very often, are also created on paper.
• The stunning art form is a 400-year-old art, one which was created depicting the beautiful life of Lord Krishna.
• This unique word Pichwai comes from the Sanskrit words, ‘pitch’ meaning back and ‘wais’ meaning hanging. It therefore means traditional paintings are hanging behind the idol of Shrinathji

Features:

• The paintings use stone pigments for gold and silver tones and vegetable dyes for vibrant colours like orange, red, chrome yellow, and kesari.
• The detailed work is meticulous and time-consuming, taking several months to complete a single piece.
• The art form has evolved over time, with modern themes and influences incorporated by artists.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence in Pichwai art, attracting younger buyers and encouraging artists to return to their hometowns in Rajasthan to learn and continue the traditional techniques

Adaptation Gap report 2023

United Nations Environment Programme releases Adaptation Gap Report 

What is an Adaptation Gap?

The Adaptation Gap is the difference between the funds needed to adapt to climate change in countries (generally developing and least developed countries) and the actual financial support received. For instance, developing countries require $215-387 billion annually for climate adaptation, but they are only receiving about $21 billion.

Major findings of the Report from the 2023 

• Adaptation Finance Gap:
  • The adaptation finance gap – the difference between estimated adaptation financing needs and costs and finance flows – has grown over the past.
  • The adaptation gap is likely 10-18 times as great as current international adaptation finance flows — at least 50% higher than previous range estimates.
  • The current adaptation finance gap is now estimated at USD 194-366 billion per year.
• Gender Equality in Financing:
  • Of the international public finance for adaptation that is also tagged with gender equality as a principal objective, only 2% is assessed as gender-responsive, with a further 24% considered gender-specific or integrative.
• Seven Ways to Increase Financing:
  • Private Financing:
    • Domestic expenditure and private finance are potentially important sources of adaptation finance where domestic budgets are likely to be a large source of funding for adaptation in many developing countries, ranging from 0.2 % to over 5 % of government budgets.
      • There is also fragmented evidence of increasing private-sector adaptation interventions all over the world and in most sectors such as water, food and agriculture; transport and infrastructure; tourism.
  • Internal Investments:
    • ‘Internal Investments’ by large companies, financial institutions’ provision of finance for activities that contribute to adaptation, and companies ’provision of adaptation goods and services are much needed.
      • Also the options of Corporate Social Responsibility can be explored in India for achieving climate financing and adaptation goals.
  • Reform of Global Financial Architecture:
    • Report calls for a reform of global financial architecture, to ensure greater and easier access to finance for climate-related purposes from multilateral agencies the WB or the IMF after it has become evident that current levels of international financial flows for fighting climate change are highly inadequate.

What is Climate Financing?

• It refers to local, national, or transnational financing—drawn from public, private and alternative sources of financing—that seeks to support mitigation and adaptation actions that will address climate change.
• It seeks to support mitigation and adaptation actions that will address climate change.

Common but Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capabilities (CBDR):

• The UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement call for financial assistance from Parties with more financial resources (Developed Countries) to those that are less endowed and more vulnerable (Developing Countries).
• This is in accordance with the principle of CBDR.

Conference of Parties-26 (COP 26):

• In UNFCC COP26, new financial pledges to support developing countries in achieving the global goal for adapting to the effects of climate change were made.
• New rules for the international carbon trading mechanisms agreed at COP26 will support adaptation funding.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2018:

• Climate finance is critical to tackle the issues posed by climate change and achieve the goal of limiting the rise in the earth’s average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels, something the IPCC report 2018 has predicted