Legal Current Affairs for 21 January 2026

Origin: Notified by the Union Ministry of Power in 2023 under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
Objective: CCTS laid the foundation for the Indian Carbon Market (ICM) by establishing the institutional framework.
Structure:
Administrator: Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) sets targets and issues CCCs.
Regulator: Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) regulates trading of CCCs.
Registry: Grid Controller of India Limited.
Operational Framework: Functions through a Compliance Mechanism (obligated entities meet GHG Emission Intensity targets; overachievers earn credits) and an Offset Mechanism (non-obligated entities voluntarily register reduction projects to seek credits).
Mechanism: It operates on a ‘Cap and Trade’ model.
Obligated entities that reduce emissions beyond their target earn CCCs (1 CCC = 1 tonne of CO2 equivalent), which can be traded on power exchanges.

Legal Basis: Constituted under Section 16 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, in the Public Account of India.
Corpus: Accumulates fines under Air (1981), Water (1974), and Environment (1986) Acts.
Allocation: 75% of funds are remitted to States/UTs, while 25% is retained by the Centre.
Utilization: Earmarked for monitoring networks, remediation of contaminated sites, and R&D in clean technology.
Oversight: Managed by a Project Management Unit and audited by the CAG.
Institutional Capacity: Finances the strengthening of regulatory bodies like CPCB and SPCBs.

Developed by the World Intellectual Foundation (WIF) with JNU and IIM Mumbai.
Framework: Global index evaluating 154 countries on responsibility.
Parameters: Assesses nations on ethical governance, social well-being, environmental stewardship, and global responsibility.
Methodology: 58 indicators from international data sources.
Top Rank: Singapore (1st), Switzerland (2nd), Denmark (3rd).
India’s Rank: 16th, ahead of US (66), China (68).

Aim: Provide long-term financing or refinancing with long tenors at low/nil interest rates to spur private investments.
Fund allocation: ₹1 lakh crore
Two-Tiered Funding Mechanism
Special Purpose Fund (SPF): Established within the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), acting as the custodian of funds.
Second Level Fund Managers: Funds from SPF are allocated here, in the form of long-term concessional loans or equity funding (for startups).

Political Features
Part of the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation.
Sparsely populated region (~3 lakh)
Geographical Features
Location: Between the Sea of Okhotsk on the west and the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea on the east.
Mountain ranges: Sredinny and Vostochny.
River: Kamchatka River
Climate: Mostly Tundra Climate.

WDs are large eastward-moving rain-bearing wind systems or extra-tropical weather systems that originate over the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and Caspian Sea.
They are low-pressure systems embedded in the Westerly Jet Stream. During winter, the jet stream steers these disturbances eastward toward the Indian subcontinent. While travelling across West Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, they accumulate moisture.
When they finally encounter the Himalayan barrier, the air is forced to rise, cool, and condense, producing rainfall over the plains and snowfall at higher altitudes.
Due to this west-to-east progression, Kashmir typically receives snowfall first, followed by Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and occasionally Nepal and parts of Northeast India.

About: A cooperative is a voluntary and democratic organization that fulfills the shared economic, social, and cultural needs of its members through a jointly-owned enterprise, operating on the principle of “one member, one vote.”
Constitutional Recognition: The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011 gave cooperatives constitutional status by introducing key provisions:
Article 19(1)(c): Grants citizens the right to form cooperative societies.
Article 43B: Directs the State to promote cooperative societies as a part of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs).
Part IXB (Articles 243ZH–243ZT): Establishes a governance framework for cooperatives.
Legal Structure and Regulatory Oversight: India’s cooperatives are regulated under a dual constitutional and administrative structure.
State-level cooperatives fall under the State List and are governed by individual State laws under the supervision of State Registrars.
Multi-state cooperatives fall under the Union List and are regulated by the central Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 under the supervision of the Central Registrar.

About: ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to advancing social and economic justice through the promotion of internationally recognized human and labour rights.
Foundation & Mandate: Established in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles post-World War I. It became the UN’s first specialized agency in 1946 and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969.
Objective: Formulation of international policies to promote fundamental human and labour rights, better working conditions, and employment opportunities.
Unique Tripartite Structure: The ILO uniquely brings together representatives from 187 member states’ governments, employers’ organizations, and workers’ organizations (trade unions), ensuring policies reflect all social partners.
Principal Governance Bodies:
International Labour Conference: The annual highest decision-making body.
Governing Body: The executive council that sets policy and budget.
International Labour Office: The permanent secretariat in Geneva, led by the Director-General.
Key Reports: Employment and Social Trends, World Employment and Social Outlook, Global Wage Report, World Social Protection Report, and Social Dialogue Report.

About: It is an extension of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) into the Arctic, aiming to develop shipping routes, access resources, and enhance its geopolitical influence by capitalizing on climate change-driven melting arctic ice.
BRI is a global infrastructure and connectivity programme launched by China in 2013, aiming to build roads, railways, ports, energy pipelines, and digital links across Asia, Europe, and Africa to boost trade and investment.
Origin & Objective: It was jointly announced by China and Russia in 2017. China’s 2018 Arctic Policy labelled China a “near-Arctic state” and promoted cooperation on Arctic shipping, resources, and science.
China’s 2030 goal is to be a “polar great power”, recognizing the Arctic’s rising strategic and economic value.