21st June 2025

Explanation - The sources and processes by which hydrogen is derived, are categorised by colour tabs. Hydrogen produced from fossil fuels is called grey hydrogen; this constitutes the bulk of the hydrogen produced today. Hydrogen generated from fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage options is called blue hydrogen; Hydrogen generated entirely from renewable power sources is called green hydrogen. In the last process (green hydrogen), electricity generated from renewable energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. 

Explanation - The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) was launched in 2008 by the Government of India to outline its strategy to tackle climate change while promoting sustainable development. The NAPCC comprises eight national missions, which include the National Solar Mission, National Water Mission, National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, and others. These missions target various sectors to reduce the impact of climate change and enhance sustainability. The NAPCC addresses both mitigation and adaptation strategies. While it includes efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation), it also incorporates measures to cope with the effects of climate change (adaptation), such as water conservation and climate-resilient agriculture. 

Explanation - Croatia is located in the southeastern region of the European Continent, on the north western part of the Balkan Peninsula. Bordering countries — It is bordered by Slovenia in the northwest, Hungary in the northeast; Serbia in the east; Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro in the southeast. It is also bounded by the Adriatic Sea in the west. Croatia shares a maritime border with Italy. Its strategic location on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea positions it as a crucial maritime gateway to Europe. It is made up of fertile and mostly flat plains in the north, and low mountains and highlands along the coast. It is a member of both the European Union and NATO. The country's major ports—Rijeka, Split, and Ploce—are integral components of the European Union's core TEN-T network, supporting trans-European transport infrastructure. Mountain ranges: The Dinaric Alps and a few smaller mountain ranges (Velebit and Velika Kapela) slice through the country. Climate: Mediterranean climate. Rivers: Rivers like Drava, Krka and Save drains in Croatia. Capital: Zagreb – the capital and the largest city of Croatia. Zagreb is the country’s main administrative, cultural, industrial, economic and transport hub. 

Explanation - World Investment Report is an annual report published by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). It focuses on trends in foreign direct investment (FDI) worldwide, at the regional and country levels, and emerging measures to improve its contribution to development. Highlights of 2025 Report — Overall, global FDI fell by 11 percent in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of decline and confirming a deepening slowdown in productive capital flows. Although global FDI rose by 4 percent in 2024 to $1.5 trillion, the increase is the result of, among other factors, volatile financial conduit flows through several European economies, which often serve as transfer points for investments. When these are excluded, global FDI registered an 11% decline. The report also found that investment in sectors related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries fell by 25–33% across infrastructure, renewable energy, water and sanitation, and agrifood systems. Only the health sector saw growth, though from a small base. FDI flows to the digital economy grew 14%. But 80% of greenfield projects in digital sectors in the Global South went to just 10 countries, leaving most developing nations excluded from the digital transformation. The United States retained its position as the top FDI destination globally, with inflows rising to $279 billion in 2024 from $233 billion in the previous year. China fell to fourth place with a 29 percent decline in FDI inflows, dropping from the second position it held in 2023. FDI in Africa surged 75%, South-East Asia saw record greenfield levels, and momentum was seen in India, the Gulf, and parts of Latin America. In 2024, developing economies of Asia attracted $605 billion in FDI. Despite a 3% dip in value from the year before, developing Asia remained the world’s leading destination for inward foreign investment; overall in 2024, Asia received 40% of the world’s total FDI and 70% of inflows to developing economies. Within the South Asian region, India was the top FDI recipient. Despite a marginal dip in inflows at $27.6 billion, India climbed up to 15th place globally in 2024, from 16th position in 2023 when it received $28.1 billion in FDI. There was a notable increase in greenfield project announcements, where India ranked fourth with 1,080 greenfield projects announced in 2024. The country was also among the top five economies in terms of international project finance deals, securing 97 such transactions. India also climbed in the global ranking of FDI outflows, moving to the 18th slot with $24 billion in outward investments — up from 23rd in 2023, when outflows totalled $14 billion. 

Explanation - Germanium is a chemical element between silicon and tin in Group 14 (IVa) of the periodic table. It has the chemical symbol Ge and the atomic number 32. It is a silvery-gray metalloid, intermediate in properties between the metals and the nonmetals. It has a diamondlike crystalline structure, and it is similar in chemical and physical properties to silicon. Germanium is stable in air and water and is unaffected by alkalis and acids, except nitric acid. Although germanium was not discovered until 1886 by Clemens Winkler, a German chemist, its existence, properties, and position in the periodic system had been predicted in 1871 by the Russian chemist Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleyev, who called the hypothetical element ekasilicon. Germanium did not become economically significant until after 1945, when its properties as a semiconductor were recognised as being of value in electronics. It remains of primary importance in the manufacture of transistors and of components for devices such as rectifiers and photocells. It is widely distributed in nature but is too reactive to occur free. Germanium ores are rare. They are found in small quantities as the minerals germanite and argyrodite. Today, germanium is extracted as a by-product of zinc production and from coal fly ash. It is estimated that 75% of worldwide production of germanium is sourced from zinc ores, mainly the zinc sulfide mineral sphalerite, and 25% from coal. Major Producers — The major worldwide producer of germanium is China, responsible for around 60% of total production. The remaining production of germanium comes from Canada, Finland, Russia, and the United States.