Tuesday 9 October 2018

IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C is Released

Global Warming of 1.5°C: An IPCC Special Report on the Impacts of Global Warming of 1.5°C above Pre-Industrial Levels and Related Global Greenhouse Gas Emission Pathways, in the Context of Strengthening the Global Response to the Threat of Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Efforts to Eradicate Poverty
by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Geneva, October 2018. 

About this Report
Under the Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015, 197 countries agreed to aim to hold the rise in global average temperature to "well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels" and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 °C. As part of the decision to adopt the agreement, the world's governments invited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to prepare a special report in 2018 on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways. At a meeting in Nairobi in April 2016, member states of the IPCC decided to accept the UNFCCC's invitation. A few months later at the next meeting in Bangkok in October, the Panel agreed on the title, outline, and scope of the Special Report. 
The Special Report on 1.5 °C (SR15) is being developed under the joint scientific leadership of IPCC Working Groups I, II and III, with support from Working Group I Technical Support Unit. There are two other Special Reports underway as part of the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Cycle. These Special Reports on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL) and on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) will be published in August and September 2019, respectively.

What does it cover?
The Special Report on 1.5 °C consists of five chapters. The Summary for Policymakers (SPM) is based on the key findings from these chapters. A separate Technical Summary collates the Executive Summaries that appear at the start of each chapter into one document. A series of boxes contain case studies or themes that cut across the whole report, such as scenarios or cities. The Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C feeds directly into the Talanoa Dialogue. Taking place in December 2018, the Talanoa Dialogue (Talanoadialogue.com) is the international process to take stock of collective efforts towards the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement and to inform countries' pledges to reduce their own emissions, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). 
More information about what each chapter and section of the report covers is in the agreed outline. Alongside the main report, there is also be a glossary and a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). The FAQs are intended to provide concise, accessible summaries of key topics in the report for non-specialist audiences.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Framing and Context
Chapter 2: Mitigation pathways compatible with 1.5°C in the context of sustainable development
Chapter 3: Impacts of 1.5°C global warming on natural and human systems
Chapter 4: Strengthening and implementing the global response to the threat of climate change
Chapter 5: Sustainable development, poverty eradication, and reducing inequalities

Friday 5 October 2018

New Report | "Future of Work in India: Inclusion, Growth and Transformation – An Enterprise Survey" | by T Chapman, S Saran, R Sinha, S Kedia & S Gutta; ORF & WEF

Future of Work in India:  Inclusion, Growth and Transformation – An Enterprise Survey
by Terri Chapman, Samir Saran, Rakesh Sinha, Suchi Kedia and Sriram Gutta; the Observer Research Foundation and the World Economic Forum, 2018, ISBN: 9789388262323.

About the Report: The future of work in India is uncertain, but full of opportunities. This report answers key questions around the present and future of transformative technology in India and its impact on job creation, workplaces, employment trends, and the nature of work itself. This report outlines findings from the Future of Work, Education and Skills Enterprise Survey. Data was collected from 774 companies in India, from micro-sized firms to those employing more than 25,000 workers. It presents findings on the pace of technological adoption and digitization among Indian companies, and its impact on job creation, displacement and the nature of work. In addition to the effects of the changing nature of jobs on wages, contracts, protections and security. Finally, the report includes recommendations for policies, programmes and action needed for India to leverage the possibilities of technological disruption, manage the associated risks, and enhance its preparedness for the future of work in the digital age.  

Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The Vision
3 Methodology
4 Technology Adoption and Digitisation Among Indian Firms
5 Technology Driven Job Creation and Destruction
6 Enhancing Job Quality
7 Conclusion
Appendix / Industry Overviews: Textiles, Banking and Financial Services, Logistics, and Retail


Monday 1 October 2018

"Open Science India Report" is now online (draft version)

Open Science India Report
by CIIPC, National Law University Delhi Press, 2018. 
The digital version of the Open Science India Report was officially released on 28 September 2018 at the Global Congress on IP and Public Interest, Washington D.C. The current version of the report can be downloaded from this link - https://osf.io/aj9gw/. Please note that this is not the final version of the report. As a project on open science, the research team is also trying to practice open science principles in this project and so the team is taking feedback and suggestions on the report before finalising the report. Please download, read, and share your critical comments and suggestions on the report to arul.scaria@nludelhi.ac.in. 

Call for Nomination: NIAS-DST Training Programme on "Science, Technology and Innovation Policy" | 19-30 November | NIAS Bangalore

NIAS-DST Training Programme on Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 
19-30 November 2018
at National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore, India



Invitation for Nomination
The National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) has been organizing with support from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India training programmes to provide the orientation and planning skills required for scientists/ technocrats of the country, and in particular, to offer views of the broader scientific, economic, social and cultural milieu in which the Indian scientific enterprise could develop in this country. The large pool of scientific and technical manpower in many Indian institutions has not had the benefit of either induction training or a system of regular in-service training that are available to other cadre-based services. In order to bridge this gap, this Programme for scientist-administrators and technologists at the Senior Level with 15 years and above experience, from various scientific organizations in the country will focus on the theme Science, Technology and Innovation Policy. The Course will be conducted during November 19-30, 2018. Consistent with the mission of NIAS, its courses emphasize the development of leadership qualities through the integration of multidisciplinary knowledge.

About the Programme
This program will impart training to participants on how science policies are important and are evolved and what is the government's role in the science and technology innovation system. Given the challenges that lie ahead in India's S&T programmes, this training capsule will aim to equip those planning careers in science and technology and related areas. Similarly, the course will dwell on how S&T policies are formulated when government and the society public look increasingly to experts to do more for the society than conduct research and produce knowledge. This training program will impart sufficient knowledge to participants so that they can contribute to decision making related to S&T issues in public, private and civic settings.

Course Outline: The training programme includes lectures by eminent speakers, presentations by the participants, group discussions, project work, week end technical visits, public lectures, cultural programme, 'Yoga' practice from health point of view and feedback. The defining feature of lecture pattern in our courses consists of interactive sessions with distinguished faculty drawn from different organizations and occupations. The general format is a presentation for 45 minutes followed by lively discussions for 45 minutes. The participants would be encouraged to interact as widely as possible with the speakers.
The Course will address broadly the following topics: Origin, evolution and history of science policy; Role of government in regulating, promoting and financing science; Science and Ethics; Science and IPR; S&T in advancement of national goals; Science and Diplomacy; Science and gender; Influence of social, cultural and political forces on the production of scientific knowledge; Science Policy and Security; Science Policy, Education and Culture; Advocacy, Special interest or Action Groups in influencing science policies; Science policy in global context; India's Nuclear Programme; India's Space Programme: Moon Mission, Mars programme, Antarctica Expeditions, S&T in Defence and Security; Science and Agriculture, etc. 
More information about the lectures will be provided to the nominated participants.

Infrastructure: NIAS has unique infrastructural facilities like accommodation, dining hail, library, auditorium, lecture hail, browsing centre, campus with good ambience. Since the programme is residential, NIAS will arrange boarding and lodging facilities. In view of this, it is necessary that all the participants stay in the campus.

Nominations: For the training programme the Institute seeks nominations from the Government Organisations only, such as DST, DRDO, DAE, ISRO, ICMR, ICAR, CSIR, DSIR and Central/State Universities. No participation fee is involved for attending this essentially residential programme. Only the travel expenses from Headquarters to Bangalore and back are to be met by the nominating organizations as stipulated by DST. Participation in this course is limited to 25 based on a review and selection process as per the guidelines given by DST. Last Date for receiving your nominations is 22 October, 2018 in the Nomination and Biodata Formats. Both Nomination and Bio-data forms duly signed should be sent to niasdst.stip[@]gmail.com