CONTENTS

1. GSAP SKILLS Platform
2. National Crisis Management Committee

GSAP SKILLS Platform

Context:

Recently, the GSAP SKILLS Platform was launched at the Fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation, Convention on Biological Diversity.

Relevance:

GS II: Government Policies and Interventions

About GSAP SKILLS Platform

Overview

• GSAP SKILLS Platform: The Global Species Action Plan (GSAP) utilizes the Species Conservation Knowledge, Information, Learning, Leverage, and Sharing (SKILLS) platform to make GSAP content accessible online, allowing real-time updates of technical tools and resources.
• Aim: Facilitates global collaboration and partnership, connecting decision-makers, species conservation practitioners, and experts at all levels.

Features:

• Real-time Updates: Provides up-to-date technical tools and resources.
• Global Biodiversity Framework: Each target is accompanied by a summary, rationale, and detailed actions, facilitating implementation efforts.
• Management: Managed proactively by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to meet the needs of governments and stakeholders for species conservation actions.
• Support: Developed with principal support from the Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea, and additional resources from the Tech4Nature Initiative by IUCN and Huawei in 2020.

What is the Global Species Action Plan?

• Implementation Support: Developed to support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
• Addressing Biodiversity Loss: Aims to tackle increasing biodiversity loss worldwide.

Strategic Interventions

• Conservation Actions: Outlines strategic interventions and actions to conserve and sustainably manage species.
• Equitable Benefits: Ensures actions provide equitable benefits to all stakeholders involved in biodiversity conservation.

National Crisis Management Committee

Context:

Union Cabinet Secretary chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review preparedness to deal with heat waves and forest fires.

Relevance:

Facts for Prelims

About NCMC

Overview:

• At the national level, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) are key entities in high-level decision-making related to Disaster Management (DM).
• The NCMC addresses significant crises with serious or national implications.

Key Functions:

• The NCMC is pivotal in managing natural disasters, reviewing preparedness measures, coordinating relief efforts, and providing logistic and financial support to state governments.
• It ensures that all necessary preventive and precautionary measures are implemented to minimize damage and loss of life.

Composition:

• The NCMC is chaired by the Cabinet Secretary and includes Secretaries of Ministries/Departments and agencies responsible for specific disaster management roles.