In News:

• Chile and the United Kingdom have prepared a proposal to recognize fungi as an independent kingdom, termed "Funga", alongside flora (plants) and fauna (animals).
• This will be presented at the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to be held in Cali, Colombia in October 2024.
• Why Funga?
• Fungi (e.g., mushrooms, moulds, yeast, lichen) play crucial ecological roles, but have historically been overlooked in conservation strategies.
• Fungi contribute significantly to decomposition, forest regeneration, carbon sequestration, and the global nutrient cycle.
• The recognition aims to strengthen fungal conservation by integrating fungi into global legislation and policies.
• Ecological Importance of Fungi:
• Decomposition: Fungi break down organic matter, facilitating nutrient recycling in ecosystems.
• Symbiotic Relationships: Many fungi form crucial symbiotic relationships with plants (e.g., mycorrhizal associations) and animals.
• Climate Mitigation: Boreal forest fungi absorb large amounts of carbon through symbiosis with plants, playing a role in mitigating climate change.
• Pollution Remediation: Fungi can help clean polluted soils by breaking down toxins.
• Food Production: Fungi are essential for producing common foods like bread, cheese, wine, beer, and chocolate.
• Health: Fungi produce antibiotics (e.g., penicillin) and aid in mammalian digestion.
• Scientific Recognition:
• In August 2021, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognized fungi as one of the three kingdoms of life, alongside plants and animals.
• The 3F initiative (Flora, Fauna, and Funga), led by Giuliana Furci, aims to promote the international recognition and protection of fungi.
• Diversity and Research Gaps:
• Only 8% of the estimated 2.2 to 3.8 million fungal species have been formally described.
• Approximately 2,000 new fungal species are discovered annually, indicating the vast underexplored diversity of fungi.
• Threats to Fungi:
• Fungi face significant threats from deforestation, climate change, pollution, overharvesting, and fungicide use.
• These threats disrupt the symbiotic relationships fungi share with plants and animals, leading to ecosystem instability.
• Nitrogen enrichment in soils and habitat loss further exacerbate these risks.

Key Facts About Fungi

• Biological Characteristics:
• Fungi are eukaryotic organisms with rigid cell walls made of chitin (distinct from the cellulose found in plant cell walls).
• They are heterotrophic, meaning they absorb nutrients from their environment through external digestion (secreting enzymes to break down organic material before absorption).
• Reproductive Strategies:
• Fungi reproduce both asexually (via spores) and sexually, ensuring their proliferation across ecosystems.
• Growth Form:
• Fungi grow primarily as mycelium, a network of hyphae (filamentous structures) that helps in nutrient absorption and environmental interaction.
• Symbiotic Relationships:
• Fungi form mycorrhizal relationships with plants, enhancing nutrient exchange, and lichen associations with algae, providing mutual benefits in extreme environments.

In News:

• Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, represented India at the G20 Joint Finance-Health Task Force meeting during the 79th UN General Assembly.
• Focus: The session emphasized the importance of investing in health and addressing social determinants of health (SDH) through initiatives like debt-for-health swaps.

Key Highlights:

• Role of SDH: Underscored how social determinants such as housing, sanitation, water access, and income security are crucial for health investment priorities.
• Flagship Programs: India’s notable initiatives include:
  • Ayushman Bharat: The world’s largest health insurance scheme.
  • Swachh Bharat Mission: Aiming for a cleaner India.
  • Jal Jeevan Mission: Ensuring water access for all.
  • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana: Promoting housing for all.
• Impact of PM-JAY: Highlighted improvements in access to healthcare and outcomes, especially for non-communicable diseases.

Data and Policymaking

• Importance of Data: Stressed the need for enhanced data availability and standardization on SDH indicators to support effective policymaking.
• Unified Approach: Called for G20 nations to collaborate on data collection and analysis for better health systems globally.

Exploring Debt-for-Health Swaps

• Potential Mechanism: Discussed debt-for-health swaps as a means to relieve financial pressure while promoting health equity.
• Next Steps: Emphasized the need for stakeholder engagement and pilot programs to ensure effective implementation.

Conclusion

• Global Leadership: India reaffirmed its commitment to health equity through evidence-based policies and partnerships.
• Shared Vision: Advocated for a unified effort towards achieving “Health for All,” highlighting the significance of investments in social determinants of health.

About Social determinants of health (SDOH)

• SDOH are non-medical factors that affect a person's health, well-being, and quality of life. They include the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age. 
• SDOH also include the broader systems that shape everyday life, such as economic policies, social norms, and political systems. 
• Some examples of SDOH include:
  • Safe housing, transportation, and neighborhoods
  • Racism, discrimination, and violence
  • Education, job opportunities, and income
  • Access to nutritious foods and physical activity opportunities
  • Polluted air and water
  • Language and literacy skills

Why is it in the News?

India has voted in favour of a draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that expressed deep concern over Israel not withdrawing from the Syrian Golan.

About the Syrian Golan/Golan Heights:

• Location: Situated in south-western Syria, the Golan Heights is a rocky plateau sharing borders with Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan.
• The elevated terrain overlooks the Jordan Rift Valley, housing the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River, with Mount Hermon as a dominant feature.
• Demography: Over 40,000 people reside in the Israeli-occupied Golan, with a majority being Druze, an Arab minority practicing a distinct form of Islam.
• Although Israel offered Druze residents citizenship after annexation, most identified as Syrian and declined.
• Additionally, about 20,000 Israeli settlers live in the region.
• History of Conflict: Originally part of Syria, Israel captured the Golan Heights in 1967 during the Six-Day War and formally annexed it in 1981.
• Syria attempted to reclaim the area in the 1973 Middle East war but was unsuccessful.
• While an armistice was signed in 1974, international recognition of Israel's annexation is lacking, and Syria insists on the territory's return.
• Significance of Golan Heights: Israel argues that maintaining the Golan as a buffer zone is vital due to the Syrian civil war, protecting Israeli towns from neighboring instability.
• Concerns also include the fear of Iran, an ally of the Syrian president, establishing a permanent presence near the border for potential attacks on Israel.
• Both nations value the Golan's water resources and fertile soil.