22nd JUNE CURRENT AFFAIRS

1World Rainforest Day -22nd JUNE

World Rainforest Day 2026: The Forest Within You.

World Rainforest Day is observed globally on June 22 to raise awareness about the critical importance of rainforests.

It highlights their role in regulating the global climate, supporting over half of all known species, and providing essential daily resources.

Established in 2017 by the Rainforest Partnership in collaboration with global organizations.

Rainforests cover less than 10% of the Earth's land surface but house over 50% of all biodiversity.

Northeast India is a global biodiversity powerhouse. As part of the Indo-Burma and Himalayan biodiversity hotspots, the region's dense tropical rainforests, alpine meadows, and extensive river valleys harbor nearly 30% of India's total biodiversity.

2Tamil Nadu to set up five renewable energy zones.

Tamil Nadu is establishing five new renewable energy zones in key cities to streamline services and boost green power.

This move, part of administrative restructuring, aims to accelerate solar and battery storage projects, enhancing the state's commitment to clean energy development by 2030.

This would also help accelerate the implementation of battery energy storage system.

Key initiatives managed by the zones include:

Single-Window Clearances: Streamlined administrative services to accelerate approvals for new projects and the repowering of older windmills.

Infrastructure Coordination: Fast-tracking technical studies and the development of power evacuation infrastructure.

Green Programs: Oversight of key programs including PM-KUSUM 2.0, the PM Rooftop Solar Scheme, Model Solar Villages, and upcoming floating solar developments.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS): Managing the integration and monitoring of grid storage facilities.

3India Strengthens Global Ties: PM Modi's 7th G7 Summit Visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi successfully represented India as an invited outreach partner country at the 52nd G7 Summit, which took place from June 15 to 17, 2026, in Évian-les-Bains, France.

Addressing the economic growth session, India proposed the creation of IMPACT (International Mobilization Partnership for Accelerating Connectivity and Trade), designed to integrate G7 capital with India's talent and Global South ownership.

Frameworks like the POWERR Asia initiative underscored the summit's broader push toward securing clean energy transitions

Global South Advocacy: PM Modi championed the priorities of the Global South, urging international partnerships to shift away from traditional "donor-recipient" dynamics toward models based on equality, solidarity, and mutual respect.

4Uzbekistan Joins New Development Bank (NDB)

Uzbekistan officially became the 10th member of the New Development Bank (NDB) on June 5, 2026.

This milestone marks the first time a Central Asian nation has joined the BRICS-backed multilateral development institution.

Uzbekistan completed its final accession steps after President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the ratification law for the NDB's Articles of Agreement

The New Development Bank (NDB) is a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa)

It mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets and developing countries.

Headquarters: Shanghai, China (with regional offices in Brazil and South Africa).

Current President: Dilma Rousseff.

5The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) introduced BSE Saatvik

The BSE launched the BSE Saatvik 100 Index as India’s first standalone market benchmark for ethical and value-based investing.

Derived from the broader BSE 500, it filters out companies linked to intoxicants, gambling, and animal cruelty.

Launched on June 2026, the index has a base value of 1,000 with a historical calculation starting from June 20, 2005

The index consists of 100 companies selected from the BSE 500 that meet Saatvik principles focused on ethics, responsibility, and long-term value creation.

It is designed to serve as a benchmark for ETFs, index funds, PMS, mutual funds, and other value-based investment products.

Financials form the largest sector allocation, with major constituents including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, Infosys, and SBI.

The launch reflects growing investor demand for investment options that align financial goals with ethical and social values