Category:

Eco/Invest/Demography

AM Best is the first rating agency to signs up to UN Principles for sustainable insurance

“AM Best and its major affiliates are pleased to become a signatory to the UN’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance. The principles ‘serve as a global framework for the insurance industry to address environmental, social and governance risk and opportunities,’” said Arthur Snyder III, chairman, president & CEO of AM Best Co.

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‘India facing high fossil fuel consumption challenge’

India is a signatory to the Paris Agreement. Under the agreement signed in 2015, India has committed to cut GHG (Green House Gas) emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35 per cent, increase non-fossil fuel power capacity to 40 per cent from 28 per cent in 2015, add carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes CO2 per annum by increasing the forest cover, all by 2030.

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Natural disasters occurring three times more often than 50 years ago: new FAO report

The least developed and low to middle income countries have fared worst of all. From 2008 to 2018, natural disasters have cost the agricultural sectors of developing economies more than $108 billion in damaged crop and livestock production.

Over the same period, Asia was the most hard-hit region, with overall economic losses of $49 billion, followed by Africa at $30 billion, and Latin America and the Caribbean at $29 billion.

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Over 20 mn kids in India facing extremely high water vulnerability: UNICEF

Extreme water vulnerability is the combination of the highest levels of physical water scarcity risks and lowest levels of drinking water service that affects a given population (surface water, unimproved or limited water service), it said.

“Women and girls are the most often burdened with fetching water long distances, which disrupts their education and opportunity for any work. This is exacerbated by the fact that India is particularly vulnerable to climate change, which exposes women and children to increasing environmental hazards.

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Scientist behind coronavirus shot says next target is Cancer

“We have several different cancer vaccines based on mRNA,” said Tureci, who is BioNTech’s chief medical officer.

Asked when such a therapy might be available, Tureci said “that’s very difficult to predict in innovative development. But we expect that within only a couple of years, we will also have our vaccines (against) cancer at a place where we can offer them to people.”

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Study discovers crucial step in formation of deadly brain diseases

The research concerned prion diseases- a group of brain diseases caused by proteins called prions that malfunction and ‘misfold’, turning into a form that can accumulate and kill brain cells. These diseases can take decades to manifest but are then aggressive and fatal.

They include Kuru, mad cow disease and its human equivalent Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), and a heritable condition called fatal familial insomnia.

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Covid-19 vaccination drive to be extended in coming days: Harsh Vardhan

it is not scientifically necessary to administer the vaccine to each and every person in the country. 

“Not each and every person in the world will be vaccinated. The prioritisation process is a dynamic process. 
India has vaccinated 3.5 to 4 crore people so far and side effects of the vaccines has been recorded at 0.000432 per cent.           

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