09 Jul 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

B. GS 2 Related

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E. Editorials

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. The shadow war between Israel and Iran

Syllabus: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries.

Mains: Geopolitical developments in West Asia and the evolution of Iran-Israel ties.

Context

This article talks about the evolution of relations between Israel and Iran.

Historical overview

• In 1977, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, sent his Deputy Minister of War and Armaments to Israel to have discussions with the newly formed government of Israel.
  • The Deputy Minister was entrusted with the task of making sure that the change of government in Israel would not affect the agreements that were signed earlier.
• Earlier, the Shah of Iran had signed six ‘oil for arms’ contracts with the previous government. 
  • This includes a contract, code-named ‘Flower’, which said that Israel would modify its advanced surface-to-surface missiles and sell them to Iran.
• The leaders of the two countries agreed to build a military co-production line in which Israel was supposed to share the technical know-how and Iran would provide funds and test sites. 
• Further, Israel made a commitment to provide ballistic surface-to-surface missiles to Iran which had a range of 700 kilometres and could carry a nuclear warhead.

Changes in West Asian geopolitics and Iran-Israel ties

• The Islamic Revolution or Iranian Revolution that took place in 1979 overthrew the pro-western Pahlavi dynasty under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
• This revolution changed the dynamics of the geopolitics in entire West Asia.
• This revolution made Iran (one of the region’s major powers in terms of resources, geography and population) an enemy of America from once being its ally.
• This Shia revolution also posed geopolitical and ideological challenges to the Sunni-dominated monarchies in the Gulf region.
• This revolution also severed the Iran-Israel ties and Israel which was the only nuclear power in the region now had a new challenger in the form of Iran.

Octopus doctrine

• Israel undertook secret operations inside Iran which targeted Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes and this was regarded as the “Octopus doctrine” by the former Prime Minister of Israel.
  • Octopus doctrine: hit the octopus at its head, not just at its tentacles. 
• Iran retaliated with drone attacks that targeted a compound used by Israeli operatives in northern Iraq. 
• Further, Israel resorted to airstrikes in Syria targeting Iranian supplies and proxies and there is also a naval conflict between the countries, where ships linked to them have been attacked by each other in the Gulf, Arabian and Mediterranean waters.
• The anti-Iran axis (the U.S., Israel and the Gulf kingdoms) believes that Iran’s nuclear programmes will help Iran achieve nuclear capabilities which have the potential to alter the balance of power in the region which is currently tilted towards Israel. 

Politics associated with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)

• The U.S. administration along with other P5 members and Germany signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement with Iran in 2015.
• This action practically cut off Iran’s path towards nuclear capability. 
• However, Israel and other Gulf monarchs expressed displeasure over JCPOA as it promised economic rewards to Iran for restricting its nuclear programme.
  • Israel felt that this could help Iran become a non-nuclear conventional power in West Asia.
  • Israel sought to restrict the rise of Iran as a regional power.
• In 2018, the U.S. administration decided to pull out of the JCPOA deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran. 
  • Through this move, the U.S. wanted to put pressure on Iran to accept concessions on its weapons programmes and regional activism.
• However, Iran showed resistance against the U.S. pressure by carrying out attacks in Saudi Arabia and in the Gulf waters, increasing its support to the Houthi rebels in Yemen and further enriching large amounts of uranium to higher purity and developing advanced centrifuges.
• There have been attempts to revive the JCPOA deal in recent times but the stalemate has not yet been resolved as Iran wanted “guarantees” from the U.S. that it would not pull out of its promises again. 

The demands of various stakeholders

• Iran: Demands for the lifting of sanctions imposed on the country to return back to its 2015 commitments as it wants to resolve its domestic economic crisis.
• The U.S.: Seeks to limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities enrichment programme through talks, and it also wants a “stronger and longer” deal that would address Iran’s nuclear programme and also its “destabilising” activities in the region. 
• Israel: Wants to restrict Iran’s nuclear capabilities, debilitate its military programmes, develop a stronger region-wide defence against Iran, and contain its rise.

Path ahead

• Israel has followed a multi-directional approach which includes escalating the shadow war with Iran and seeking stronger security partnerships with other Gulf countries which would help Israel in case of a full-scale war.
• This approach has helped Israel to advance its role as a new security provider in the region as the western powers are preoccupied with their priorities in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
• However, these efforts of Israel have not stopped Iran from pursuing its nuclear programmes and are now close to developing grade-level weapons and advanced centrifuges.

Nut graf: Changes in the geopolitics of West Asia have made the relations between Iran and Israel hostile. The ongoing shadow war between the two countries will have severe consequences on the peace and stability of the region if it blows out of proportion.
Category: ENVIRONMENT

1. A community and a health issue of concern

Syllabus: Conservation

Mains: Significance of forest landscape restoration and afforestation measures undertaken in India

Context

This article discusses the forest landscape restoration strategy and its significance.

Background

• As per International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), deforestation and forest degradation is the key cause of about 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions. 
• According to Global Forest Watch, the total area of humid primary forest in India had decreased by 3.6% from 2002 to 2021.

Forest landscape restoration approach

• Traditionally, various organisations and governments have depended heavily on afforestation and reforestation measures to grow trees on non-treed land.
• However as these measures have undergone changes, the focus is now on forest landscape restoration strategies.
• Forest landscape restoration is the process of recovering ecological functionality and enhancing human welfare in deforested or degraded forest landscapes.
• It satisfies multiple land uses and people’s needs both in the short and long term. 

Significance of Forest landscape restoration approach

• This approach involves the participation of local communities in the process of designing and executing mutually advantageous interventions for the upgradation of landscapes. 
• Over two billion hectares of degraded land in the world and about 140 million hectares in India can be restored as forest land.
• This approach also ensures that the diversity of the species is maintained as natural forests have diverse native tree species 
• As the tree species are more diverse, this approach helps in creating forests that are more efficient in carbon sequestration.
• Further, diverse species are also beneficial to the local communities and their livelihoods as studies reveal that diversifying species in forest plantations has a positive impact on the quality of the forests.
  • Example: In Punjab, local species like Jhand, Desi Kikar and Pharwan are extensively planted which are resilient and acclimatised to native conditions.

Benefits of planting trees

• The plantation of trees has several environmental and ecological benefits as they play a key role in carbon sequestration and mitigating the adverse impact of climate change. 
• Forests help in absorbing about 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
• Several lives and livelihoods across the world are also dependent on forests.
  • Forests act as a source of livelihoods to local communities and hence acts as a resource base for various goods and services.
• A study by the World Resources Institute points out that forest ecosystems improve soil fertility, water availability and prevent erosion thereby improving agricultural productivity and contributing to the rural economy. 
• Further, forests play a crucial role in ensuring food security and women empowerment by providing them nutritional diets and new income sources.

Initiatives undertaken in India

• Van Mahotsav Day –  it is a pan-India tree planting festival celebrated in July every year. 
• Bonn Challenge – was launched with an aim of restoring 350 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and India joined the Bonn Challenge in 2015 and pledged to restore 26 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030. 
• Compensatory Afforestation – It involves identification of non forest land or degraded forest land, work schedule, cost structure of plantation, provision of funds, mechanism to ensure the utilisation of funds and monitoring mechanism etc.
• National Afforestation Programme – It has been a flagship afforestation scheme. It was introduced in 2000 for afforestation in identified degraded forest areas with people’s participation and decentralised forest governance.
• National Mission for a Green India (Green India Mission) – this mission was launched in 2014 and aims to protect, restore and enhance India’s diminishing forest cover. The mission comes under the umbrella of the National Action Plan on Climate Change
• Nagar Van scheme – this scheme emphasises on urban forestry and nearly 200 urban forests are to be developed all over the country.
• Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme – is the only centrally funded program specifically dedicated to assist the states in dealing with forest fires.
• Green Skill Development Programme – This initiative helps youth who aspire to attain employment in the environment and forest sectors.
• Haritha Haram by Telangana government – It was launched in 2015 and it is a large-scale tree-planting program implemented by the Government of Telangana.

Way forward

• Considering the benefits of forest landscape restoration it has to be extensively implemented.
• There is a need for proactive involvement and coordination in the tree plantation drives among all the stakeholders such as the communities, governments and landowners. 
• The focus should be on the restoration, revival and strengthening of natural forest ecosystems.
• Communities that are extremely reliant on forest ecosystems and vulnerable to climate change are to be protected.

Nut graf: As countries across the world are seen pursuing various afforestation tactics to address the consequences of land degradation, the forest landscape restoration approach must be adopted as it bolsters forest ecosystems and ensures that they are durable and sustainable.

2. Beating the heat

Syllabus: Environmental pollution and degradation

Mains: Details about the increasing temperature in India and its consequences

Context

An analysis of weather conditions over the last 50 years by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reveals that the all-India average temperature during the monsoon months (June-September) is higher than in summer months (March-May). 

To read more about the issue refer to the following article:

UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis dated 08 Jul 2022

Q1. Which of the following statement/s is/are correct with respect to Monuments of 
national Importance? (Level – Difficult)

Q2. Consider the following statements with respect to the Kisan Credit Card Scheme. 
(Level – Medium)

Q3. Consider the following pairs of Vector Borne Disease and their respective vector.
(Level – Difficult)

Q4. Which of the following are features of the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing
 Policy? (Level – Medium)

Q5. On 21st June, the sun  (Level – Easy) PYQ (2019)

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

1. What factors have played a key role in boosting India’s defense exports over the past few years? Also enlist the stumbling blocks that still remain.(250 words; 15 marks)(GS III – Economy)
2. Development at the cost of environment is a bad deal. Elaborate in the context of emergence of various Urban Heat Islands in India.(250 words; 15 marks)(GS III – Environment)

CNA 09 July 2022:- Download PDF Here