Nuclear Liability Law Reform: Balancing Accountability and Energy Security

India’s reconsideration of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA) marks a pivotal shift in its nuclear energy strategy. Enacted in 2010 after the Chernobyl disaster and inspired by the Bhopal gas tragedy, CLNDA uniquely holds equipment suppliers liable for accidents under Section 17(b) – a provision absent in global frameworks like the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC). While operators like NPCIL bear primary responsibility (capped at ₹2,300 crore), foreign suppliers hesitate due to open-ended liability risks under tort law (Section 46). This has stalled projects like Jaitapur (France) and Kovvada (US), leaving only Russia’s Kudankulam operational under pre-CLNDA terms. As India aims to expand beyond its 22 reactors, the proposed amendments seek to align with CSC norms by limiting supplier liability to contractual agreements or intentional misconduct. Resolving this impasse is critical for energy security and international partnerships.

Cooking Oil Innovation: Green Chemistry for E-Waste Recycling

Finnish researchers have pioneered an eco-friendly method to extract silver from e-waste using linolenic and oleic acids from sunflower and olive oils. Combined with hydrogen peroxide and ethyl acetate, this solvent dissolves silver under mild conditions, replacing toxic cyanide-based processes. For India – the world’s third-largest e-waste generator – this innovation addresses a critical gap: 95% of its 3.2 million tonnes of annual e-waste is processed informally through hazardous acid leaching and open burning. National initiatives like the 2022 E-Waste Management Rules and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) portal aim to formalize recycling, but challenges persist, including grey-market imports and sparse collection centers in Tier-II cities. Integrating this green technology could revolutionize resource recovery while supporting the “Viksit Bharat” vision of sustainable industrialization.

Seed Sovereignty Crisis: Preserving India’s Agricultural Heritage

A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study reveals alarming erosion of traditional seed conservation knowledge, threatening India’s agro-biodiversity. Community Seed Banks (CSBs) – where farmers borrow indigenous varieties and return double post-harvest – safeguard climate-resilient crops like Odisha’s millets and Uttarakhand’s “Barah Anaj” (12-crop system). Yet, policy neglect and youth migration toward hybrid seeds endanger this legacy. The pending Seed Bill 2019 fails to recognize CSBs, enabling biopiracy where corporations patent community-owned varieties. Grassroots efforts like Nagaland’s women-led seed banks and Bharat Beej Swaraj Manch festivals promote conservation, but urgent steps are needed: fast-tracking documentation under the Protection of Plant Varieties Act, integrating seed-saving into education, and establishing cluster-level CSBs. Preserving 100,000+ traditional varieties is vital for food security amid climate volatility.

SIPRI Report 2025: Escalating Arms Race and Nuclear Risks

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s 2025 report documents a dangerous surge in global militarization:

• Nuclear arsenals grow with 12,241 warheads worldwide. China accelerates expansion (100+ warheads/year), aiming for 1,000 by 2032, while India (180) and Pakistan (170) modernize delivery systems.
• Military spending hits $2.7 trillion (9.4% YoY increase), led by the US ($997B) and China ($314B). India ranks second in arms imports (8.3% share), sourcing primarily from Russia and France.
• Critical concerns: New START treaty expiration in 2026 could unleash unchecked US-Russia stockpiling, while debates on nuclear proliferation intensify in East Asia and the Middle East. SIPRI warns that arms control erosion combined with AI-integrated command systems heightens catastrophic risks.

Disaster Tech Upgrades: Real-Time Response Ecosystems

Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched three transformative platforms to bolster India’s disaster resilience:

1. ICR-ER: Unified control room integrating satellite data for real-time emergency coordination.
2. NDEM Lite 2.0: National database mapping vulnerabilities across 58.6% earthquake-prone and 12% flood-risk zones.
3. Assam Flood Atlas: Hazard zonation using AI to predict inundation patterns.
   These innovations build on India’s improved response metrics – zero deaths during Cyclone Biparjoy versus 10,000 in the 1999 Odisha super cyclone. However, gaps persist in long-term community resilience, evidenced by Uttarakhand’s 2021 floods. The National Landslide Risk Mitigation Programme (₹1,000 crore) and Aapda Mitra (100,000 trained volunteers) must prioritize nature-based solutions like mangrove restoration and local capacity building.

Concise Updates: Geopolitics, Ecology, and Global Governance

Arabian Peninsula’s Green Past: New research confirms humid phases over 8 million years, transforming deserts into migration corridors for early humans, with implications for climate adaptation.
Cyprus Question: PM Modi backed unity talks amid the 50-year division between Greek Cypriot (EU-recognized) and Turkish Cypriot (Turkey-backed) regions.
Rinderpest Containment: India’s Bhopal lab joined an elite 6-nation group safeguarding the extinct cattle plague virus, crucial for biosecurity.
FATF on Pahalgam Attack: For the first time, FATF cited “state-sponsored terrorism” financing after the Kashmir attack, highlighting grey-list impacts.
India-Suriname Cooperation: Final machinery shipment for passion fruit processing under the $1M SEEDS initiative boosts Caribbean ties.
Trade Deficit Narrowing: Fell 30% to $6.6B in May 2025, driven by service exports ($32.4B) and lower oil imports.
Big Cat Alliance: IBCA’s first assembly appointed India’s Environment Minister as President, uniting 95 range countries for 7 species conservation.
Bonn Climate Talks: Focused on Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) framework ahead of COP29, emphasizing finance for vulnerable nations.

Synthesis: Interlinking Energy, Ecology, and Security

Today’s themes reveal a world grappling with interconnected vulnerabilities. India’s nuclear liability debate underscores the tension between accident accountability and clean energy access, mirroring global struggles to balance technological progress with ethical safeguards. Similarly, e-waste innovation and seed conservation represent two fronts in the resource sustainability battle – one reclaiming value from digital waste, the other preserving biological heritage against corporate appropriation. The SIPRI report’s warnings of nuclear escalation and record arms spending expose a paradox: even as disaster management tech advances, geopolitical fractures amplify existential risks. For UPSC aspirants, these narratives converge on governance imperatives: adaptive legislation (CLNDA reforms), community-centric ecology (seed banks), and cooperative security (IBCA/FATF). As climate talks in Bonn seek unified adaptation goals, India’s role becomes pivotal – bridging local resilience and global responsibility in an era of compounding crises.