Imagine a world where food, the most basic necessity, becomes a luxury. This isn’t science fiction, it’s the harsh reality facing millions due to a brewing food insecurity crisis. The war in Ukraine, a major global breadbasket, has given fuel to the fire, but the fire was already burning and is now pushing millions further into hunger and despair. As per the World Food Program’s Hunger Hotspots report, more than 30 million people in 22 countries and territories are experiencing severe food crises and are on the brink of famine. Around 83,000 people in three countries – South Sudan, Burkina […]
Animals in Diplomacy
The role of animals in diplomacy has often been underestimated, but if looked at carefully one will get a glimpse into a future where international relations may take a more compassionate and holistic approach.
India’s Food Policy
India’s food policy is a complex and multifaceted set of initiatives aimed at ensuring food security for its large and growing population. The policy has evolved over time in response to changing economic, social, and environmental conditions. Key Pillars of India’s Food Policy Food Production: Increasing agricultural productivity through various measures such as improved seed varieties, irrigation systems, and access to credit. Food Procurement and Distribution: Implementing the Public Distribution System (PDS) to provide subsidized food grains to eligible households. Food Storage and Transportation: Strengthening storage infrastructure and transportation networks to minimize food losses and ensure timely distribution. Nutrition and […]
Sustainability of Food Systems
In the face of a burgeoning global population, the sustainability of our food systems has come into sharp focus. As we grapple with the daunting task of feeding nearly 10 billion people by 2050, it is imperative to question the long-term viability of our current food production and consumption practices. The sustainability of our current food systems is a complex and multifaceted issue, encompassing environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Environmental Impact: Our current food systems are exerting a significant toll on the environment. Intensive agricultural practices, such as the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, are contributing to soil degradation, […]
Impact of Environment on Human Cultural Evolution
Across the vast expanse of human history, our species has demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for adaptation and innovation, shaping and reshaping the world around us. Yet, this remarkable journey has been inextricably intertwined with the environment, a dynamic force that has continuously influenced our cultural evolution. From the earliest hominin migrations to the rise of modern civilizations, the environment has played a pivotal role in shaping our cultural practices, beliefs, and values. The impact of the environment on human cultural evolution is multifaceted and profound. Physical landscapes, with their unique topography and resource distribution, have guided the development of diverse […]
Understanding Food Environment Dynamics
In a world grappling with rising food insecurity, nutritional imbalances, and environmental degradation, understanding the dynamics of the food environment is paramount. The intricate interplay between our food choices, the physical surroundings where food is acquired and consumed, and the broader social, economic, and political forces at play shape our dietary patterns and influence the sustainability of our food systems. Understanding the dynamics of the food environment is not merely an academic pursuit; it is an urgent call to action, a quest to unravel the complex interplay of factors that shape our dietary habits and determine the fate of our […]
Importance of Food Policy
Food policy is crucial for countries and global society as it plays a pivotal role in ensuring food security, promoting sustainable agriculture, and fostering economic development. It encompasses a wide range of measures and strategies aimed at regulating and guiding the production, distribution, and consumption of food. Effective food policies can contribute to addressing various challenges such as hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and environmental degradation. Importance of Food Policy for Countries Ensuring Food Security: Food security is a fundamental human right, ensuring that all people have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food at all times to meet their dietary needs […]
Preventing Food Waste for A Better Environment
Food waste is a global problem with serious environmental and social consequences. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), one-third of all food produced for human consumption is wasted each year. This wasted food could be used to feed the millions of people who go hungry every day. Food waste also has a significant negative impact on the environment. Food production requires a significant amount of land, water, and energy. When we waste food, we are also wasting these precious resources. Additionally, food waste that ends up in landfills decomposes and produces methane, a greenhouse gas that […]
Climate Change Debate Post G20 India Summit
Climate Change Debate Post G20 India Summit
Understanding Water Diplomacy
Water diplomacy recognizes that water is essential for life, economic development, and environmental sustainability, and that its equitable and sustainable management is crucial for social stability and peace. By fostering dialogue, building trust, and promoting joint problem-solving, water diplomacy seeks to find inclusive and sustainable solutions to water-related issues, ensuring that the needs of all stakeholders are considered and conflicts are minimized.
Protectionism, Migration and Environment
In recent times there has been a rise of protectionist policies and revisionist states. Democracies have increasingly being voting for nationalist leaders, in order to escape globalization and its extended upshots — increased immigration, unemployment, job competition, better revenues etc. However, one should remember globalization has been taking place for eons of centuries and it is here to stay. Simply closing your economy, enhancing tariffs or plugging the migration trend will not help. With technological advancements and innovations, the world is interconnected and interdependent more than ever. Established trade links, or formation of new ones for that matter, serve as […]
Globalization & Migration
Globalization, as Anthony Giddens has defined, is the intensification of the worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice—versa. Often perceived to be a present age phenomenon, globalization has been happening for centuries. It is intricately linked with trade dealings, whether in 1st century owing to the silk-road mechanism or in 16th century with the emergence of capitalism. It has encouraged free trade agreements between nations, development of multinational corporations, and a network for free flow of goods across the globe. This trans-national flow […]
Impact of Climate Change on Migration
Usually, migration is understood as a movement of people, in context of various social, economic or political developments. All of which though true, discount the role of environment in larger scheme of things here. From time immemorial, the dynamics of society have been deeply engraved by the climatic dispositions of the environment. Whether it is the way one dresses, what one eats or for that matter even the way a deceased would be put to rest— in other words, local culture is deeply influenced by the environmental forces. Often, migration is thought to have stemmed from the quagmire of non-development. […]
Migration & Geopolitics
Migration crisis has been trending across the continents today, with Europe being the most visible and calamitous to a certain extent. Migration as such in itself is deeply intertwined with geopolitics— an arena where it brings out the political and geographical factors at play. It also brings out the various ambiguities, inconsistencies in the ideologies or frictions in the very social fabric— which are well expressed through organizational outfits, States or individuals. The very idea of migration as a novel concept in contemporary times is at odds with the global history of colonization, trade, employment etc. This phenomenon can be […]
Opium and Geopolitics
Opium poppies have been of much value to the world since the neo—lithic age. Today though it acts as a gargantuan ulcer in the belly of the very earth, dismantling regimes and transforming the power dynamics. It has the ability to support both—State and Non-State actors. If earlier, they were cultivated for food, anesthesia, and ritual purposes today it is a powerful mechanism for the transfer and control of wealth, power, terror and governance. This is especially true in Asia and Europe with the famed drug—led “Opium Wars” between Britain and China. Back in the 19th century, the balance of […]
Space Race and its Geopolitical Bearings
The race to be first in any field has rendered the environment, earth or space, as a battleground for all nations. Space explorations have indeed created a possibility for States to colonize not just the earth but the entire solar system. As the human society advances so does its technological abilities. Earlier we had government space programs, but today we have large corporates investing and betting big on this industry. Whether its Cassini Orbiter, which gave us an ephemeral view of the Saturn, its rings and its moons or the latest —NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, which will be the first […]
Environmental Geopolitics in 21st Century
Globalization has rendered the mankind at a disjuncture between traditional geopolitical specifications— spatial or territorial— and the new age political landscape, which is more material than moral in context of economics, society and environment. This has led to rising concerns about natural resource depletion, global warming, climate change, wildlife extinction, space colonization, rising sea levels, droughts, floods, destruction of natural habitats like forests and coral reefs etc. Mankind has definitely taken the fate in his own hands- where gluttony has taken over governance. It is interesting then to see how modern school of thought on one hands promotes environment […]
Renewables and the Power Dynamics
The past few years in the world history have been marred with geopolitical volatility. A prominent risk to the geopolitical landscape is energy crisis (including the renewables landscape). It is a proven fact that every international regime, old or modern, is based on an energy resource. While coal and steam backed the British Empire in the 18th and 19th centuries, petroleum and natural gas served as the backdrop for American hegemony from the late 19th to early 21st centuries. With sustainable development and climate change having gained momentum in the last few years, the present times will certainly be looked […]
Energy: A Basic Human Right
Energy is the key element which connects society, politics, and economies to the environment. Without natural resources the mankind would cease to exist. In present times, it is an inalienable part required to run our day—to—day lives seamlessly, particularly in form of electricity. It serves as a catalyst for the growth story of developing societies and economies. This, accompanied by rise in advanced technologies and innovative practices, further adds value to the otherwise constantly evolving standard of living. It ensures upliftment of the society from the clutches of poverty, hunger, water crisis, diseases etc.; along with economic progress and an […]
The Times of ‘Anthropogenic’ Climate Change
In 2007, a team of climate experts presented a case for assuaging the global greenhouse gas emissions, in the Fourth Assessment Report of the International Panel for Climate Change. It elaborated on the impending threats: rising temperatures, change in rainfall patterns, melting of glaciers, rise of global mean sea level among others. 10 years later the reality is no different, albeit concerted efforts on part of global community have been made. Greenhouse gas emission, the primary anti-hero of the climate story, has heightened the global warming through natural or anthropogenic processes. The main sources being increased burning of fossil fuels, Deforestation […]
Oil Market in Climate Change Discourse
The Oil-Price Shocks of 1970s and 80s catalyzed the modern energy policy world over. This time yet again, with environmental concerns gaining prominence and change in geopolitical landscape, global energy space is experiencing a watershed moment. Earlier, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change set a comprehensive, long-tenure objective to control greenhouse-gas emissions and the anthropogenic climate change; and with old players giving strong competition post their comeback in the market- the sector has been subject to tough, if not tumultuous, fluctuations. Additionally, for long, environmentalists had hoped a reversal in natural resource extraction activities, by switching to renewables- but […]
Climate Security in Times of Energy Insecurity
There is a surge in energy demand world-over, which is increasingly still being met by conventional fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas. (Coal is the king in Asia-Pacific, at least till 2040). In last few decades, this has led to serious implications in form of increase in carbon dioxide, methane and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere, resulting in rise of temperature. With rise in global warming, the countries are now fast looking out for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, and most of them targeting their energy basket. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has in its […]
Changing Dynamics of Energy Sector
Energy is the key to socio—economic growth, environmental sustainability and human development in a society. The SDG 2030 Agenda clearly outlines the intrinsic importance of energy in such a holistic development. With approximately 1.1 billion people still lacking access to electricity and an estimated 2.8 billion without access to clean cooking facilities (IEA Energy Access Report 2017) — it is imperative for the world community to constantly innovate and create new mediums to increase the energy outreach. It is crucial to understand that energy issues are at the heart of achieving sustainable development goals and in overcoming issues such as […]
Enernet Critical for Smart City Foundation
Back in 1990s, the world witnessed a watershed moment with the IT revolution— followed by a stream of Tech giants like Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, Uber etc. transforming the world; helping us define the old and the modern world better. Today too, the world has reached a new horizon with the introduction of Enernet or Energy Internet and soon we all will be dependent on it. With internet—of—things guiding the way, there will be power plants, renewable power stations, electric cars, electrical appliances— all woven together in a bouquet of wireless communication and power lines. Enernet has the ability to […]
India’s Foreign Policy in the New Eurasian Discourse— Re-Connecting Central Asia
2018 has begun on a high note for India— with top diplomatic meets organized with key Eurasian State-Leaders. Be it Indian Prime Minister visiting West Asia or Iran signing a dozen MoUs with India or Jordan’s King Abdullah exploring India-Jordan relations in a three-day visit. All, in recent times, highlight India’s active persuasion of Eurasian nations— Russia, Central Asia and West Asia to be more specific. Given the abundance of hydrocarbons and their strategic location on the world map, it is natural for India, an emerging global power— albeit with scanty energy resources, to seek bilateral ties in the region. […]
Oil Externalities in Times of Geopolitics of Environment
Oil- bearing areas have been subject to environmental degradation, culminating sometimes into ecological catastrophes. The advent of oil production has resulted in mass destruction of ecological resources- be it forests, aquatic systems, wildlife displacement, endangering or extinction of species and wetlands and swamps among others. Few prevalent oil related geopolitical externalities resulting in environmental damage are: Oil Spillage: The Sanchi Oil spill, possibly the largest oil spill in the last 30 years, has been stealthily causing environmental catastrophe in South China Sea. Both China, in whose 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone the accident occurred, and Japan, in who’s otherwise claimed exclusive […]
ILR AND THE HIDDEN PRICE
The world in name of globalization and development is fast destroying the very environment it inhabits. With uncontrolled emissions, melting glaciers, frequent floods and hurricanes- climate change and societal damage are a very real threat. And yet the governments world over, despite signing landmark treaties, are either backtracking or giving catastrophic environmental clearances, such as Brazil allowing for mining in the world’s largest carbon Sink- the Amazon, thereby stimulating irreversible damage to local culture and endangered species. However, joining the league are other countries like the USA and now our very own India (with the ILR scheme). India’s ILR project […]
Environment and Society
We live in a world full of paradox- social ironies and economic enigmas. As discussed in my article Geopolitics of Environmental Issues, the regions where man first settled down, like the Fertile Crescent or the Indus Valley for instance, and initiated agriculture are today also the regions with greatest number of hungry people and range of other humanitarian crisis. Environment throughout history has been fundamental in shaping the society and the cultural practices. And yet today it has become the most vindictive antihero of the society. The challenge then lies in figuring out the balance between the anthropogenic and ecological practices. […]
Policy Advocacy for Climate Change Mitigation and Global Energy Mix
Policy advocacy plays a crucial role in deployment of renewable energy technologies. Be it wind, solar or geothermal, policy helps in mitigating the risks experienced when operating in the renewables sector. It helps in reducing the perils observed by the private players, through increased capital flow for R&D. However, the trouble does not end there, as organizations face significant challenges in the marketplace. Despite this, the industry has seen phenomenal growth in the last few years. The continued growth in renewables has been driven by several factors. Worldwide awareness of the role of renewable energy in alleviating the greenhouse gas […]
Suez: World’s Geopolitical Chokepoint
The geo-political academic landscape is currently dominated by China’s One Belt One Road initiative. Often viewed as part of the country’s expansionist policy, OBOR aims at reviving the silk routes, lost in the pages of history; and establishing new ones to reinstate commercial authority. Significant to this is mapping out the shortest trade routes around the world. In this regards then, OBOR is no different from what the world has been attempting to do since 19th century albeit at a larger scale; when the French and Egyptians together constructed the Suez Canal, and British partaking in exploiting this geographical chokepoint. […]
Environmental Lessons from Ancient Indian Literature….
At the 18th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit, when questioned about India’s stance on environment conservation and climate change, the honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a very emphatic answer resonating with the views of millions of Indians. He cited ancient Indian wisdom on the protection of environment and how the 5000 year old legacy still forms the core of India’s social fabric and sustainable policies. It is indeed intriguing to note that the ancient Indian literature serve as vast reservoirs of knowledge related to everything environment. Whether it is about maintaining ecological balance, weather cycles or simply protecting Earth- Vedic […]
Fossil Fuel Policy for Mitigating Climate Change
Climate change poses a glaring challenge for the present generation who fast needs to mitigate the causes of the same in order obtain a sustainable world. This definitely calls for complete phase out of fossil fuels which have been instrumental in enhancing the calamity. The social optimum by today’s standards requires an immediate aggressive renewable fuel intervention apart from a gradually rising carbon tax which falls in the long run. As more and more renewables are used in relation to fossil fuel, faster will be the advent of carbon free era. And as more fossil fuel will be locked up […]
Placing Indigeneity in Environment & Development Paradigm
Indigenous people have often been treated as burden on the ecosystem, impediment to development and worst of all as tourist spectacle. However, it only takes an all-inclusive attitude to understand the integral role played by the Indigenous people in conserving the environment and providing alternate route towards sustainable development. Given the pace of the current development, it is vital to recognize these native people as natural partners. For this, one needs to understand the way they respond to ecological and development challenges and how their cultures and knowledge systems contribute to the sustainable development agenda. The UN System Task Team […]
The Anthropogenic Climate Change
Climate is the centrifugal force which de facto is the lifeline of all things that exist- cultural practices, societies, commerce or political charters. It has for ages dictated the way mankind has functioned and the 21st century is no different. Climate has been altering the world map, catalyzing large scale migration and prompting immediate global climate action. With the Paris Treaty coming into force on November 4th, Marrakech defining the future action plan and Fiji being all set to host COP23 in Bonn- the bar has been set high. However the real question is how far-fetched is the idea of […]