Down To Earth (16-31 October, 2025)

About the Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs)

• These are industrial formulations made mostly or entirely from substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugar, starch, protein isolates) or synthesized in laboratories (flavor enhancers, colorings, emulsifiers).
• The NOVA classification system, widely used in nutrition science, categorizes foods based on the extent and purpose of processing.
• UPFs fall into the fourth category, representing the highest level of processing.

• It is estimated that UPFs contribute to $7 trillion in hidden costs globally—stemming from healthcare burdens, environmental degradation, and reduced labor productivity.

India’s Growing Appetite for Junk

• India’s economic growth and changing lifestyles have accelerated the shift toward UPFs.
• Between 2006 and 2019, consumption surged from $900 million to $37.9 billion, growing at over 33% annually.
• The Economic Survey 2024–25 flagged the alarming rise in UPF consumption and emphasized the need for stringent labeling rules to protect youth health.
• According to the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2022–23, about 10% of urban and rural food budgets are spent on processed foods and beverages.
• Salty snacks, biscuits, chocolates, and ready-made meals dominate retail sales. Sweet biscuits alone account for over 43% of the chocolate and sugar confectionery category.
• The National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) reveal that obesity prevalence rose by more than 10 percentage points between 2005–06 and 2019–20.

Health & Environmental Impacts

• Obesity and metabolic disorders;
• Cardiovascular diseases;
• Type 2 diabetes;
• Mental health challenges like depression and anxiety;
• The Economic Survey 2024–25 and Nutritional Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPI) reports expose how major food corporations influence policymaking to delay or weaken health regulations.
• For example, India’s proposed front-of-package warning label (FOPL) system was stalled under industry pressure.
• Instead, regulators introduced a diluted ‘Health Star Rating’ masking the dangers of high-sugar or high-fat foods.

Why Are UPFs So Hard to Resist?

• UPFs are engineered to be hyper-palatable—high in sugar, salt, and fat—making them addictive and easy to overconsume.
• Their convenience, long shelf life, and aggressive marketing make them especially appealing in urban and rural settings alike.

Policy Measures Around the World

• Globally, more than 45 countries—including the UK, Mexico, and South Africa—have imposed taxes on sugary drinks.
• A smaller number, such as Chile, Israel, and Peru, have extended these to other UPFs and adopted front-of-package warning labels. These measures have been effective in curbing unhealthy food consumption and improving consumer awareness.
• In India, Kerala introduced a ‘fat tax’ in 2016 on fast foods like burgers and pizzas, but nationwide efforts remain inconsistent.
• The Economic Survey 2024–25 now recommends a broader ‘health tax’ on UPFs.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has formed a dedicated panel to address the challenges posed by UPFs. It includes:
• Reviewing safety standards for processed and ultra-processed foods;
• Developing rapid detection kits for food adulteration;
• Promoting front-of-pack labeling to inform consumers;

Way Forward: Recognizing Food Addiction

• To combat the growing epidemic of obesity and dietrelated diseases, policymakers must first acknowledge ultra-processed food addiction as a legitimate disorder. This recognition could lead to:
• Stricter advertising and marketing regulations, especially targeting children.
• Mandatory warning labels on unhealthy products.
• Reformulation of food products to reduce sugar, fat, and salt.
• Independent public health campaigns to counter industry influence.
• Formal classification of UPF addiction would mark a turning point—pushing governments to act decisively against one of the most pervasive and profitable health threats of our time.

About National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)

• It was established in 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act (BDA), 2002, was created to ensure equitable sharing of benefits derived from India’s biological resources.
• However, recent data obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, reveals a significant shortfall in the NBA’s performance.

Funds Collected vs. Disbursed

• Between 2008–09 and 2024–25, the NBA received a total of ₹224.28 crore from companies, institutions, and individuals as Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) payments.
• Shockingly, only ₹60.44 crore (less than 27%) has been disbursed to the rightful beneficiaries.
• ₹12.25 crore was transferred to Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs);
• ₹9.40 crore went to State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) (including administrative costs);
• ₹38.79 crore reached local communities and other beneficiaries;

How Benefit Sharing Works?

• The three-tier structure under BDA comprises:
• NBA (Central level);
• SBBs (State level);
• BMCs (Local/panchayat level);
• Companies using biological resources for commercial purposes must compensate the source communities. They can either:
• Pay 1 – 5% of the purchase price, or
• Pay 0.1 – 0.5% of the sale price, depending on their scale of operations.
• Of the total payment, 95% must go to local communities or BMCs, while 5% can be retained by the NBA or SBB for administrative expenses.
• If the ‘benefit claimers’ cannot be identified, the funds must be used to support biodiversity conservation and promote local livelihoods in the area where the biological resource was sourced.

Challenges in Identifying Beneficiaries

• Officials acknowledge that identifying the original source of biological resources is a major challenge.
• For instance, a company may report buying saffron from a Delhi trader, even though the crop originates in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Tracing the true source in such cases is often impossible, especially when resources are grown in multiple regions.
• Unutilized Funds and Interest Dispute: The undistributed funds are currently parked in fixed deposits. Companies that made payments are now requesting that 50% of the accrued interest be shared with them.
• The NBA has formed a committee to consider this request, and a decision is expected soon.

Case of Red Sanders

• A major portion—₹100 crore—of the collected ABS funds comes from the trade of red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), a valuable species endemic to Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool, and Nellore districts.
• NBA claims that beneficiary communities for about ₹33 crore have been identified, and efforts are ongoing to trace farmers who supplied the resource.
• Another ₹75 lakh has been received from a Maharashtra-based private entity, but beneficiaries are yet to be compensated.

Conclusion

• Despite its mandate to promote equitable benefit sharing and biodiversity conservation, the NBA’s dismal record—disbursing less than 27% of the collected funds—reveals systemic inefficiencies.
• Poor documentation, lack of transparency, and bureaucratic hurdles have kept local communities, the rightful custodians of India’s biodiversity, from receiving their due.
• Urgent reforms in traceability, data transparency, and community engagement are needed to restore faith in the benefit-sharing framework envisioned by the Biological Diversity Act.

About RTI and Founding Principle

• The RTI Act, 2005, was built on a simple democratic premise: information held by the government belongs to the people.
• The law presumed disclosure as the default, with only ten specific exemptions under Section 8(1).

The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023

• The DPDP Act, 2023 delivered a severe blow by amending Section 8(1)(j)—reducing its scope to a mere six words: ‘information which relates to personal information’.
• It eliminated the earlier public-interest test and broadened ‘personal information’ to include entities like firms, companies, and even the State.
• As a result, vital public data—loan defaulters’ names, officials’ asset declarations, or details of public contracts—can now be withheld on privacy grounds.

Administrative Paralysis

• Transparency has also been crippled by vacancies and delays in Information Commissions:
• 0.4 million cases are pending across the country.
• Seven State Information Commissions (SICs) were defunct in 2023–24.
• The Central Information Commission (CIC) operates with barely a fraction of its sanctioned strength.
• Some states, such as Chhattisgarh and Bihar, take over four years to hear appeals—rendering “information delayed” effectively ‘information denied’.

Amendments Undermining Independence

• The RTI (Amendment) Act, 2019 empowered the Union government to decide the tenure, salary, and post-retirement benefits of commissioners.
• This move compromised their autonomy, potentially influencing decisions against government interests.
• By demoting commissioners’ status from that of Election Commissioners to that of secretaries, the amendment signaled a shift towards central control and weakened institutional independence. 

Erosion of Transparency

• RTI has historically exposed scams such as Vyapam, Adarsh Housing, and Commonwealth Games, but recent years have seen a surge in opacity:
• Ministries deny crucial data citing privacy or ‘nonavailability’.
• The Election Commission and Ministry of External Affairs have refused disclosures not covered by Section 8 exemptions.
• Even powerful entities like the BCCI remain outside RTI’s ambit despite functioning as quasipublic bodies.
• Moreover, over 100 whistleblowers have been killed since 2005, and the Whistle Blowers Protection Act (2014) remains unimplemented—further discouraging transparency.

Privacy vs. Transparency

• While privacy is essential, the DPDP Act has made it absolute, overriding public interest. Earlier, Section 8(1)(j) balanced privacy with transparency by allowing disclosure if public interest justified it.
• Now, information crucial to public welfare—loan defaults, election funding, recruitment irregularities—is shielded as ‘personal’, contradicting democratic accountability.

Restoring the Spirit of RTI

• Restore Institutional Independence: Reverse the 2019 amendment to ensure fixed tenure and transparent appointments of commissioners.
• Reinstate the Public Interest Test: Amend the DPDP Act to restore the right to access information with public relevance.
• Fill Vacancies Promptly: Appoint commissioners and digitise records to reduce the backlog.
• Strengthen Whistleblower Protection: Implement the 2014 Act and ensure safety for information seekers.
• Enhance Awareness and Accessibility: Replicate models like Gujarat’s user-friendly system and Maharashtra’s searchable RTI database.

Key Highlights

• The CMS report highlights that changes in temperature and precipitation are disrupting the breeding, foraging, and survival patterns of several Himalayan species.
• Shorter winters and unpredictable rainfall alter food availability, nesting times, and migration routes, threatening delicate ecological balances across the mountain range.
• Human Activity Compounds the Crisis: Beyond climate impacts, habitat loss due to human activities—including infrastructure expansion, tourism, and deforestation—has intensified the pressure on wildlife.
• These disturbances fragment ecosystems, restrict movement, and further reduce the chances for adaptation.

Urgent Need for Conservation Action

• The assessment underscores the urgent need for coordinated regional conservation measures.
• Strengthening transboundary habitat corridors, monitoring species movements, and integrating climate resilience into wildlife policies are vital to preserving the unique biodiversity of the Himalayas.

Rising Ocean Temperatures and Coastal Risks

• The report highlights a growing crisis for coastal regions, with NZ $80 billion (US $40 billion) worth of housing now at risk of flooding.
• Rising sea levels and warmer waters are increasing the frequency and severity of coastal inundation, putting thousands of homes and critical infrastructure in danger.

Threats to Marine Ecosystems

• The warming seas are endangering indigenous marine species, many of which are uniquely adapted to New Zealand’s temperate ocean conditions.
• Shifting ocean temperatures are disrupting habitats, altering food chains, and pushing some species toward extinction.

Intensifying Storms and Economic Impact

• The report warns of stronger and more devastating storms as ocean heat drives more intense weather systems.
• These climate-related events are expected to strain local economies, damage coastal communities, and increase costs for disaster response and recovery.

About the Great Green Wall (GGW)

• It is one of Africa's most ambitious environmental projects, and was launched by the African Union in 2007.
• Its goal is to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land across the Sahel region by 2030, combat desertification, and improve livelihoods through sustainable land management.
• In Senegal, where the GGW was expected to thrive, only one of 36 planted areas shows a measurable increase in vegetation.
• It indicates that despite over a decade of work, large-scale restoration remains elusive.

Key Challenges

• Inadequate Irrigation: The Sahel’s harsh climate poses a severe challenge. With low rainfall and extreme heat, many planted trees fail to survive.
• The lack of proper irrigation systems further reduces the survival rate of seedlings, undermining restoration efforts.
• Low Tree Survival Rates: High mortality rates among young trees—caused by drought, grazing animals, and poor soil conditions—have limited long-term gains.
• Without consistent maintenance and monitoring, many areas revert to barren land within years.
• Financial and Logistical Barriers: Although international donors pledged substantial funding, many financial commitments remain unmet.
• Insufficient funding delays planting, reduces training for local communities, and weakens coordination among participating nations.

Questioning Sustainability

• The limited vegetation growth raises questions about the GGW’s effectiveness and long-term sustainability.
• Experts argue that without a shift toward locally adapted agroforestry systems, community engagement, and sustained financial investment, the initiative risks falling short of its 2030 targets.

About Sukapaika River

• It is a distributary of the river Mahanadi in Odisha, branched off near Ayatpur village and rejoined it near Bankala.
• It has been largely cut off from its source due to embankments and development projects, leading to drying and ecological degradation.
• In the 1950s, a barrage constructed near Naraj led to the closure of Sukapaika’s mouth.

Restoration Efforts

• The National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti has listed polluted and degraded river stretches across India, including those in Odisha.
• CPCB has published guidelines for restoration of water bodies, which may be applicable to rivers like Sukapaika.

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

• The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was jointly awarded to two US researchers and one Japanese scientist for their groundbreaking discoveries revealing how the immune system safeguards the body against self-destruction.
• Their work provided crucial insights into immune regulation mechanisms, explaining how the body distinguishes between its own cells and foreign invaders.
• This research not only deepens scientific understanding but also opens new avenues for treating autoimmune diseases and improving immunotherapies.

Nobel Prize in Physics

• The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis, all from the US, for their exceptional work in unveiling the behavior of the quantum world.
• Their discoveries demonstrate quantum phenomena in real time, paving the way for next-generation digital technologies, including quantum computing, ultra-sensitive sensors, and quantum communication systems.
• The trio’s research marks a major step toward integrating quantum mechanics into practical, scalable technologies.

Recent Eruptions in the Andaman Sea

• While the Indian authorities classified these as minor eruptions, a recent event followed a magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck the region two days earlier — signaling renewed geological activity beneath the island.

History of Volcanic Activity

• The first recorded eruption of the Barren Island volcano occurred in 1787, with activity continuing until 1832. The volcano then remained dormant for nearly 159 years, before erupting again in 1991.
• Subsequent eruptions have been recorded in 1994– 95, 2005–07, 2008–April 2010, December 2010, 2013–14, 2017, and 2022, making it one of the most closely monitored volcanic sites in the Indian subcontinent.

What Makes Barren Island Unique

• Barren Island is India’s only active volcano and one of the few in the Indian subduction zone, where the Indo-Australian Plate dives beneath the Eurasian Plate.
• The island itself is uninhabited, characterized by steep slopes, ash deposits, and a central crater lake, offering valuable insights into plate tectonics and volcanic processes in the region.

Is Climate Change Increasing Volcanic Activity?

• Scientists are exploring whether global warming could influence volcanic behavior.
• One hypothesis suggests that melting ice caps reduce pressure on the Earth’s crust, allowing magma to rise more easily and potentially trigger eruptions.
• However, researchers emphasize that more evidence is needed to confirm any direct link between climate change and subsurface volcanic processes.
• In contrast, the influence of major volcanic eruptions on global climate—such as temporary cooling due to aerosol and ash emissions—is well established.

Solar Power Leads the Surge

• The first half of 2025 witnessed a remarkable expansion in renewable capacity, with solar power rising nearly one-third compared to the same period in 2024.
• It is combined with steady gains in wind energy, enabling renewables to outpace both coal and natural gas in meeting rising global electricity demand.

Asia Drives the Transition

• The momentum was primarily driven by China and India, where rapid renewable deployment reshaped national energy portfolios.
• China alone added more renewable generation capacity than the rest of the world combined.
• The country’s shift led to a 2% reduction in fossil fuel use in the first half of 2025 compared to the same months last year.
• Meanwhile, the United States and Europe maintained significant reliance on fossil fuels, showing slower progress toward clean energy goals.

Future Outlook: Renewables Set to Double by 2030

• A separate analysis from the International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that global renewable energy capacity could more than double by the end of the decade.
• Solar energy is expected to dominate new installations.
• Wind, hydropower, bioenergy, and geothermal will also play crucial supporting roles in diversifying the clean energy mix.