Daily Current Affairs | March 13 2025 |

1) World Air Quality Report 2024

• The World Air Quality Report 2024 which was published by Swiss air technology firm IQAir, gives a detailed analysis of global air pollution levels, bringing to light the alarming trends and some important information.

• The report is based on data collected from over 40,000 air quality monitoring stations across 138 countries.

Situation in India

• India’s average PM2.5 concentration in 2024 was 50.6 µg/m³, exceeding the WHO safe limit (5 µg/m³) by 10 times.

• 13 out of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India, with Byrnihat (128.2 µg/m³) and Delhi (91.6 µg/m³) ranking among the worst.

• Air pollution contributed to 2.1 million deaths in India in 2021, making it a leading cause of premature mortality.

• Stubble burning, industrial & vehicular emissions affects some states disproportionately

Global Air Quality Situation

• 99% of the world’s population breathes air that exceeds WHO’s PM2.5 limit (5 µg/m³), with only 12 countries meeting safe levels

• Chad (91.8 µg/m³), Bangladesh (78 µg/m³), Pakistan (73.7 µg/m³), Congo (58.2 µg/m³), and India (50.6 µg/m³) rank as the world’s most polluted nations.

• Air pollution caused 1 million deaths worldwide in 2021, making it 2nd largest global risk factor for mortality after hypertension.

• South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East face the highest pollution levels, while Europe and Oceania have the cleanest air due to strict regulations and renewable energy adoption.

2) PM-YUVA 3.0

• The Ministry of Education launched the third edition of the Prime Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors (PM-YUVA 3.0).

• The scheme is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which highlights the need to create a knowledge-driven ecosystem.

• The National Book Trust, India, will oversee its implementation.

About the Scheme

• PM-YUVA 3.0 builds on the participation of young authors in 22 Indian languages and English in its previous editions.

• Aim - Train young authors under age of 30 to promote reading, writing, and book culture.

• It provides mentorship and publishing opportunities to enhance Indian literature on a global platform.

• It focuses on 3 themes: role of the Indian diaspora in nation-building, the Indian Knowledge System, and makers of modern India from 1950 to 2025.

3) Mission Amrit Sarovar

• The Indian Railways will dig ponds as part of the Union government’s Mission Amrit Sarovar that aims to address the critical issue of water scarcity in the country.

• Railway’s Role :

  • Identify and excavate new waterbodies near railway sites.

  • Utilise excavated material for railway embankment construction.

  • Coordinate with State governments for implementation.

About the Mission

• Launched in April 2022, as part ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations, with the goal of constructing to rejuvenating 75 ponds in each district.

• The program is led by Ministry of Rural Development in cooperation with 8 other ministries.

• Objectives - Ensure community participation(Jan Bhagidaari), water sustainability, aquifer recharge etc.

4) Mycelium Bricks to Tackle Climate Change

• Fired clay bricks have been the mainstay of construction industry but their production emits 300 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, which could increase with more urbanisation.

• In the light of climate change, the construction industry is considering usage of Mycelium Bricks to reduce its carbon footprint and become more sustainable.

• Mycelium Bricks - It is an organic brick that is formed from organic waste and the mycelium of fungus.

Special Features

• Strength to Weight Ratio - High strength-to-weight ratio but weaker than concrete.

• Insulation - Effective heat insulator, reducing energy consumption.

• Carbon Footprint - Low carbon footprint as it does not require high-temperature kilns.

• Other Properties - Fire resistant, Biodegradable etc.

Global Usage

• In 2014, The Living Embodied Computation Lab, commissioned by Princeton University, created a building called the Hy-Fy in Queens, New York, using mycelium bricks, which won the 2014 Young Architects Program Competition at MoMA PS1.

• MycoHAB, a project in Namibia, built the world's first structural mycelium building, using mycelium technology developed for the US space agency NASA.

• NASA is exploring mycelium as a potential building material for outer space, launching the Myco-Architecture Project in 2020.

• Ecovative, founded by Eben Bayer and Gavin McIntyre, played a pivotal role in popularising mycelium as a biomaterial

5) ‘No Money for Terror’ Conference

• During the 4th NMFT Conference India advocated that unity amongst nations is essential in the fight against Terrorism and India stands steadfast with the global community in this fight.

• India said that Terror Financing now has cross-border linkages and due to digital technologies, the sources, methods and channels used for flow of assets by terrorists are becoming increasingly more complex.

About NMFT

• It is a global ministerial conference under the control of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and UN Counter-Terrorism Bodies.

• The 1st NMFT was held in Paris, France in 2018, while the current 4th NMFT is being held in Munich, Germany.

• It serves as a platform for intelligence sharing, legal cooperation, capacity building, strengthening financial oversight and digital transaction monitoring.

Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

• FATF is an intergovernmental policy-making and standard-setting body dedicated to combating money laundering and terrorist financing, with headquarters in Paris, France.

• It was established in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris to develop policies against money laundering. In 2001, its mandate expanded to include terrorism financing.

• FATF has 40 members, including 38 jurisdictions and two regional organizations (the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Commission)

• If a country repeatedly fails to implement FATF Standards, then it can be named in “Grey List” or “Black List”.