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 […]
Category: Sustainability
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]