My husband @neuracap is an avid reader. 60 must-know terms for UPSC Prelims 2023 from him. Topics from economics, international affairs, environment, tech, etc
A thread.๐
A thread.๐
1. Blue Economy
-sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem
-sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem
2. Climate refugees
Term โclimate refugeesโ was coined to describe the increasing large-scale migration and cross-border mass movements of people that were partly caused by weather-related disasters.
Term โclimate refugeesโ was coined to describe the increasing large-scale migration and cross-border mass movements of people that were partly caused by weather-related disasters.
3. Debt-trap diplomacy
Debt-trap diplomacy is when a richer country lends to poorer countries โ that are resource-rich or strategically placed โ overwhelming them with debts that are not sustainable.
Lead them to give up their strategic assets or give in to political leverage.
Debt-trap diplomacy is when a richer country lends to poorer countries โ that are resource-rich or strategically placed โ overwhelming them with debts that are not sustainable.
Lead them to give up their strategic assets or give in to political leverage.
4. Digital Silk Road
-term introduced in 2015 by an official Chinese government white paper, as a component of BRI.
-DSR aims to improve digital connectivity in participating countries, with China as the main driver of the process
-term introduced in 2015 by an official Chinese government white paper, as a component of BRI.
-DSR aims to improve digital connectivity in participating countries, with China as the main driver of the process
5. Greenwashing
Greenwashing happens when a company makes an environmental claim about something the organization is doing that is intended to promote a sense of environmental impact that doesn't exist.
Greenwashing happens when a company makes an environmental claim about something the organization is doing that is intended to promote a sense of environmental impact that doesn't exist.
6. Dobson Unit
-most common unit for measuring ozone concentration
- One Dobson Unit is the number of molecules of ozone that would be required to create a layer of pure ozone 0.01 millimeters thick at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 1 atmosphere
-most common unit for measuring ozone concentration
- One Dobson Unit is the number of molecules of ozone that would be required to create a layer of pure ozone 0.01 millimeters thick at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 1 atmosphere
7. Polar Vortex
Stratospheric polar vortex is a large-scale region of air that is contained by a strong west-to-east jet stream that circles the polar region.
Stratospheric polar vortex is a large-scale region of air that is contained by a strong west-to-east jet stream that circles the polar region.
8. Regenerative agriculture
An approach to farming that seeks to rehabilitate and enhance the entire ecosystem of the farm by placing a heavy premium on soil health with attention also paid to water management, fertilizer use, and more.
An approach to farming that seeks to rehabilitate and enhance the entire ecosystem of the farm by placing a heavy premium on soil health with attention also paid to water management, fertilizer use, and more.
9. Seasteading
The concept of creating permanent dwellings at sea, called seasteads, outside the territory claimed by any government.
The concept of creating permanent dwellings at sea, called seasteads, outside the territory claimed by any government.
10. Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN)
A state where the amount and quality of land resources necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhance food security remain stable or increase within specified temporal and spatial scales and ecosystems.
A state where the amount and quality of land resources necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhance food security remain stable or increase within specified temporal and spatial scales and ecosystems.
11. Thwaites Glacier
A large, rapidly changing glacier in Antarctica, currently responsible for approximately 4% of global sea level rise.
- also called the 'Doomsday Glacier'
-part of the Amundsen Sea
A large, rapidly changing glacier in Antarctica, currently responsible for approximately 4% of global sea level rise.
- also called the 'Doomsday Glacier'
-part of the Amundsen Sea
12. Vertical Farming
The practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers, often integrated into other structures like skyscrapers, used warehouses, or shipping containers.
The practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers, often integrated into other structures like skyscrapers, used warehouses, or shipping containers.
13. Wolf Warrior Diplomacy
A term referring to the assertive approach of Chinese foreign policy, characterized by confrontational responses to criticisms from foreign nations.
A term referring to the assertive approach of Chinese foreign policy, characterized by confrontational responses to criticisms from foreign nations.
14. Zero-Waste Cities
Cities implementing strategies to eliminate waste, typically through a circular economy model where waste is reduced, reused, and recycled.
-without burning, and with no discharges to land, water or air that threaten the environment or human health.
Cities implementing strategies to eliminate waste, typically through a circular economy model where waste is reduced, reused, and recycled.
-without burning, and with no discharges to land, water or air that threaten the environment or human health.
15. Transboundary Pollution
Pollution that originates in one country but, by crossing borders through pathways like water or air, can cause damage in another country.
-Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, often abbreviated as Air Convention or CLRTAP
Pollution that originates in one country but, by crossing borders through pathways like water or air, can cause damage in another country.
-Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, often abbreviated as Air Convention or CLRTAP
16. AI Ethics
A set of values, principles, and techniques that employ widely accepted standards of right and wrong to guide moral conduct in the development and use of artificial intelligence technologies.
A set of values, principles, and techniques that employ widely accepted standards of right and wrong to guide moral conduct in the development and use of artificial intelligence technologies.
17. Sentient AI
-A form of artificial intelligence that has the capacity to have subjective perceptual experiences, or "feel" things.
-Google engineer Blake Lemoine said LaMDA AI was sentient.
-A form of artificial intelligence that has the capacity to have subjective perceptual experiences, or "feel" things.
-Google engineer Blake Lemoine said LaMDA AI was sentient.
18. ChatGPT
An artificial intelligence text generation model
-developed by OpenAI
-that can generate human-like text based on the input it receives.
- GPT stands for generative pre-trained transformer
- Fine-tuned process -> reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF)
An artificial intelligence text generation model
-developed by OpenAI
-that can generate human-like text based on the input it receives.
- GPT stands for generative pre-trained transformer
- Fine-tuned process -> reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF)
19. LLMs
- Stands for large language model (LLM)
-is a language model consisting of a neural network with many parameters (typically billions of weights or more), trained on large quantities of unlabeled text.
- ChatGPT, Bard, GPT3 etc are LLMs
- Stands for large language model (LLM)
-is a language model consisting of a neural network with many parameters (typically billions of weights or more), trained on large quantities of unlabeled text.
- ChatGPT, Bard, GPT3 etc are LLMs
20. AGI
Stands for Artificial General Intelligence,
-a type of artificial intelligence that has the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide range of tasks at a level equal to that of a human being.
Stands for Artificial General Intelligence,
-a type of artificial intelligence that has the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide range of tasks at a level equal to that of a human being.
21. Food Sovereignty
The right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.
The right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.
22. Right to Repair
Refers to legislation that allows consumers the ability to repair and modify their own consumer electronic devices.
-Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MCA) has set up a committee to come up with a Right to Repair framework.
Refers to legislation that allows consumers the ability to repair and modify their own consumer electronic devices.
-Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MCA) has set up a committee to come up with a Right to Repair framework.
23. Zero-Day Vulnerability
A software security flaw that is unknown to those who should be interested in its mitigation (including the vendor of the target software).
A software security flaw that is unknown to those who should be interested in its mitigation (including the vendor of the target software).
24. Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
An ambitious infrastructure development and investment project led by China, aimed at improving regional cooperation and connectivity on a trans-continental scale.
An ambitious infrastructure development and investment project led by China, aimed at improving regional cooperation and connectivity on a trans-continental scale.
25. Blockchain Technology
A decentralized and distributed digital ledger technology that securely records information across multiple systems, making it difficult to change, hack, or cheat the system.
A decentralized and distributed digital ledger technology that securely records information across multiple systems, making it difficult to change, hack, or cheat the system.
26. DeFi
- Decentralized Finance
-A blockchain-based form of finance that does not rely on central financial intermediaries such as brokerages, exchanges, or banks.
- Decentralized Finance
-A blockchain-based form of finance that does not rely on central financial intermediaries such as brokerages, exchanges, or banks.
27. ESG
An acronym for Environmental, Social, and Governance, three central factors in measuring the sustainability and societal impact of an investment in a company or business.
An acronym for Environmental, Social, and Governance, three central factors in measuring the sustainability and societal impact of an investment in a company or business.
28. Geostrategic Competition
The political, economic, and military rivalry between major powers that occurs in geographical areas of strategic importance.
The political, economic, and military rivalry between major powers that occurs in geographical areas of strategic importance.
29. Gig Economy
-A labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts
- Eg: cab drivers of Uber, delivery personnel of Zomato etc
-A labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts
- Eg: cab drivers of Uber, delivery personnel of Zomato etc
30. Global Minimum Tax
A proposed system where multinational corporations are required to pay at least a minimum level of tax on their profits, regardless of the country in which they operate.
- OECD, 15% tax
A proposed system where multinational corporations are required to pay at least a minimum level of tax on their profits, regardless of the country in which they operate.
- OECD, 15% tax
31. Negative Emissions
Technologies or methods that remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they emit.
-Other terms include Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR).
Technologies or methods that remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they emit.
-Other terms include Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR).
32. One Health Approach
A collaborative, multisectoral approach โ working at local, regional, national, and global levels โ to achieve optimal health and well-being outcomes recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.
A collaborative, multisectoral approach โ working at local, regional, national, and global levels โ to achieve optimal health and well-being outcomes recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.
33. Regenerative Economy
An economic system that works to renew, replenish, and restore its own sources of energy and materials, promoting sustainable and resilient societies.
An economic system that works to renew, replenish, and restore its own sources of energy and materials, promoting sustainable and resilient societies.
34. Neuralink
A neurotechnology company, co-founded by Elon Musk, that develops implantable brainโmachine interface technology.
A neurotechnology company, co-founded by Elon Musk, that develops implantable brainโmachine interface technology.
35. Algorithmic Bias
The systematic and repeatable errors in a computer system that create unfair outcomes, such as privileging one arbitrary group of users over others.
The systematic and repeatable errors in a computer system that create unfair outcomes, such as privileging one arbitrary group of users over others.
36. Bioprospecting-
The exploration of natural sources for small molecules, macromolecules and biochemical and genetic information that could be developed into commercially valuable products for the agricultural, bioremediation, cosmetics, nanotech, or pharma industries
The exploration of natural sources for small molecules, macromolecules and biochemical and genetic information that could be developed into commercially valuable products for the agricultural, bioremediation, cosmetics, nanotech, or pharma industries
37. Differential Privacy
A system that allows companies, governments, and organizations to share aggregate data about users while maintaining the privacy of individual users.
A system that allows companies, governments, and organizations to share aggregate data about users while maintaining the privacy of individual users.
38. Exascale computing
Computing systems capable of at least one exaFLOP, or a billion billion calculations per second, representing a thousandfold increase over the first petascale computer.
Computing systems capable of at least one exaFLOP, or a billion billion calculations per second, representing a thousandfold increase over the first petascale computer.
39. Flygskam (Flight Shaming)
A Swedish term that refers to the feeling of being ashamed or embarrassed to take an airplane because of the environmental impact.
A Swedish term that refers to the feeling of being ashamed or embarrassed to take an airplane because of the environmental impact.
40. Green Ports
-Ports that adopt and implement green policies and regulations to reduce environmental impacts from their operations.
-ministry of ports, shipping and waterways launched the โHarit Sagar" Green Port Guidelines, aimed at achieving zero carbon emissions
-Ports that adopt and implement green policies and regulations to reduce environmental impacts from their operations.
-ministry of ports, shipping and waterways launched the โHarit Sagar" Green Port Guidelines, aimed at achieving zero carbon emissions
41. Light Fidelity (Li-Fi)
A wireless communication technology which uses visible light to transmit data at very high speeds.
A wireless communication technology which uses visible light to transmit data at very high speeds.
42. Ocean Conveyor Belt
A global-scale circulation process that occurs in the world's oceans where cold, salty water sinks in the North Atlantic, driving a global flow of ocean currents.
A global-scale circulation process that occurs in the world's oceans where cold, salty water sinks in the North Atlantic, driving a global flow of ocean currents.
43. Re-wilding
The restoration of an area of land to its natural uncultivated state (used especially with reference to the reintroduction of species of wild animal that have been driven out or exterminated).
The restoration of an area of land to its natural uncultivated state (used especially with reference to the reintroduction of species of wild animal that have been driven out or exterminated).
44. Social Impact Bonds
-A contract with the public sector, where it pays for better social outcomes in certain areas and passes on the part of the savings achieved to investors.
-Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporationsigned an MoU with UNDP India to co-create Indiaโs first SIB
-A contract with the public sector, where it pays for better social outcomes in certain areas and passes on the part of the savings achieved to investors.
-Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporationsigned an MoU with UNDP India to co-create Indiaโs first SIB
45. Digital Twin Technology
A digital replica of a living or non-living physical entity that can be used for various purposes.
A digital replica of a living or non-living physical entity that can be used for various purposes.
46. Genetic Privacy
The concept of a personโs right to control the acquisition, disclosure, and use of his or her genetic information.
The concept of a personโs right to control the acquisition, disclosure, and use of his or her genetic information.
47. Feminization of Poverty
A phenomenon referring to the widening gap between women and men caught in a sequence of economic deprivation and scarcity.
A phenomenon referring to the widening gap between women and men caught in a sequence of economic deprivation and scarcity.
48. Microbial Fuel Cells
A bio-electrochemical system that drives an electric current by using bacteria and mimicking bacterial interactions found in nature.
A bio-electrochemical system that drives an electric current by using bacteria and mimicking bacterial interactions found in nature.
49. Peak Oil
-point in time when the maximum rate of global oil production is reached, after which it is argued that production will begin an irreversible decline
-forecasts of the year of peak oil range from 2019 to 2040
- King Hubbert introduced the term in 1956
-point in time when the maximum rate of global oil production is reached, after which it is argued that production will begin an irreversible decline
-forecasts of the year of peak oil range from 2019 to 2040
- King Hubbert introduced the term in 1956
50. Deep Learning
A subset of machine learning in artificial intelligence (AI) that has networks capable of learning unsupervised from data that is unstructured or unlabeled.
In news, because of LLMs like ChatGPT etc
A subset of machine learning in artificial intelligence (AI) that has networks capable of learning unsupervised from data that is unstructured or unlabeled.
In news, because of LLMs like ChatGPT etc
51. Cap and Trade
An approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing the emissions of pollutants.
An approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing the emissions of pollutants.
52. Internet of Behaviors (IoB)
-concept that brings together the best of data analysis, behavioural analysis, and technology
-a form of IoT dedicated to gathering and analyzing data on human behavior that can then be applied to reflect or influence behavioral patterns
-concept that brings together the best of data analysis, behavioural analysis, and technology
-a form of IoT dedicated to gathering and analyzing data on human behavior that can then be applied to reflect or influence behavioral patterns
53. Volcker Disinflation
-: Refers to the policy measures taken by Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker to combat inflation in the 1980s, leading to a period of slowed economic growth.
- In news coz of current inflation episode in US
-: Refers to the policy measures taken by Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker to combat inflation in the 1980s, leading to a period of slowed economic growth.
- In news coz of current inflation episode in US
54. Phillips Curve: The graphical representation of the short-run relationship between unemployment and inflation.
55. SWIFT
-SWIFT payments are transactions made through an intermediary bank that allows you to send/receive electronic payments internationally.
-Principal function - to serve as the main messaging network through which international payments are initiated
- Context: Ukr-Russia
-SWIFT payments are transactions made through an intermediary bank that allows you to send/receive electronic payments internationally.
-Principal function - to serve as the main messaging network through which international payments are initiated
- Context: Ukr-Russia
56.Dedollarisation
- refers to countries reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency, medium of exchange or as a unit of account.
- Context: INR payments for Russian trade
- BRICS working on common currency to replace USD - idea initiated by Russia, China
- refers to countries reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency, medium of exchange or as a unit of account.
- Context: INR payments for Russian trade
- BRICS working on common currency to replace USD - idea initiated by Russia, China
57. Nord Stream 2:
-This is a natural gas pipeline that was built to transport gas from Russia to Germany.
-The pipeline was completed in 2021, but it was not put into operation due to the Ukraine-Russia war.
- Baltic Sea
-This is a natural gas pipeline that was built to transport gas from Russia to Germany.
-The pipeline was completed in 2021, but it was not put into operation due to the Ukraine-Russia war.
- Baltic Sea
58. NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens):
-A type of digital asset
-created to represent ownership or proof of authenticity of unique items or content, using blockchain technology.
-A type of digital asset
-created to represent ownership or proof of authenticity of unique items or content, using blockchain technology.
59. Stablecoin:
- A type of cryptocurrency that attempts to peg their market value to some external reference like the U.S. dollar.
-claim to be backed by fiat currencies
-unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, stablecoins' prices remain steady
- A type of cryptocurrency that attempts to peg their market value to some external reference like the U.S. dollar.
-claim to be backed by fiat currencies
-unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, stablecoins' prices remain steady
60. Yield Curve Control:
-A monetary policy operation where a central bank uses its powers to control bond interest rates by pledging to buy or sell as many bonds as needed to maintain the yield at a specific target level.
- Bank of Japan has been following this
-A monetary policy operation where a central bank uses its powers to control bond interest rates by pledging to buy or sell as many bonds as needed to maintain the yield at a specific target level.
- Bank of Japan has been following this
Best of luck for the exam! Hope 3-4 questions come from these :)
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