Explore the Daily Current Affairs 17 October 2025, relevant for UPSC exam. Also download quick REVISION NOTES.
Carbon Market
What is a Carbon Market?
A carbon market is a system designed to help reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by putting a price on carbon emissions. It allows countries, companies, or organizations to buy and sell “carbon credits”.
A carbon credit is a permit or certificate that allows the holder to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide (CO₂) or equivalent greenhouse gases.
These credits are generated by projects that reduce or remove emissions, such as:
- Renewable energy (solar, wind)
- Reforestation / afforestation
- Biochar / sustainable farming
- Methane capture from landfills
Major concerns:
- The traditional growth model post-Industrial Revolution has breached planetary boundaries, necessitating a shift towards low-emission development pathways. “Degrowth” is not viable for countries like India that still struggle with poverty and hunger but, India’s solar energy and micro-irrigation successes exemplify “green growth”.
- Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of indigenous and local communities before launching a carbon project is crucial.
- The lack of transparency and accountability in benefit-sharing mechanisms increases the risk of exploitation.
Case Studies to Use:
- India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS): A real-world, current policy move towards incentivising low-carbon practices.
- Kenya’s Northern Rangelands Carbon Project: Shows how poor implementation and lack of community involvement undermine both environmental and social goals.
- Lake Turkana Wind Power Project: Illustrates the conflict between infrastructure development and pastoralist rights.
Keywords for Mains answer writing:
- “Decoupling growth from environmental degradation”
- “Carbon colonialism”
- “Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)”
- “Just Transition”
- “Climate Justice”
- “Participatory carbon governance”
Mains practice Question:
Q1. “While carbon markets present a promising mechanism for climate mitigation, they risk becoming tools of exploitation without adequate safeguards.” Critically examine this statement in the context of India’s emerging carbon credit framework. (250 words)
C2S-Scale – AI model
Context: Google has unveiled an AI model called Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B (C2S-Scale) that proposed a drug combination for detecting cancer that human experts did not know. Here AI is being used in the process of scientific discovery to design practical drug candidates.
What is C2S-Scale?
Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B (C2S-Scale) is a 27-billion parameter foundation AI model, that significantly advances the use of AI (Artificial intelligence) in scientific discovery and drug development.
Significance:
1. AI as a Scientific Collaborator, Not Just a Tool: Traditionally, AI models process data or make predictions. Here, AI generated a new scientific hypothesis, shifting its role from assistant to scientific co-discoverer.
2. Accelerating Drug Discovery: Traditional drug discovery is time-consuming and expensive (often 10–15 years).
- AI can simulate thousands of drug interactions, as this model did with over 4,000 drugs, to identify potential treatments faster and at lower cost.
3. Precision Medicine & Immunotherapy:
- The model focused on a very specific immune state (low interferon levels), showing the power of AI to support precision-targeted therapies.
4. Foundation Models in Science:
- Like ChatGPT is a foundation model for language, C2S-Scale is a foundation model for cell biology, a cutting-edge concept with wide applications in biotech and healthcare.
Prelims practice Question:
Q. In the context of Artificial Intelligence in biomedical research, which of the following best describes the significance of Google’s Cell2Sentence-Scale (C2S-Scale) model?
A. It is an AI model developed for predicting protein structures using genomic data.
B. It is a chatbot designed to assist medical practitioners in patient diagnosis.
C. It is a large AI model that generates hypotheses about cellular behaviour and identifies potential drug candidates.
D. It is a digital twin model used for simulating organ transplants in real time.
Correct Answer: C. It is a large AI model that generates hypotheses about cellular behaviour and identifies potential drug candidates.