Photo by Ferdinando Scianna/Magnum
ENERGY
There is a problem built into our relationship with energy itself. Even if we ‘solve’ global warming, we face an older, slower problem. Waste heat could radically alter Earth’s future.
Read More about Deep Warming
Mural by 'Green Flower'
Culture/Cognition
Most courses on energy deal with it in an instrumentalist manner, as if it were another substance that humans can tap and use for their benefit. Platform for Sustainability and Equity and Ecologise are pleased to announce an online course that places energy at the centre of all transformations— abiotic, biotic and in human society….
Read More about Ecologise Foundation course in Energy and Energetics of Nature and Human Society
Conflict/Dispossession
Nityanand Jayaraman writes in Dianuke.org: We do not need four more nuclear plants in Koodankulam. The need of the hour is to shut down the existing two risky units and to prosecute the ministers, technocrats and bureaucrats who led the nation up the garden path and wasted more than Rs. 35,000 crores of our money….
Read More about Koodankulam: The world’s most expensive pieces of useless machinery
Michael Safi
CLIMATE CRISIS
From The Guardian: Of all the most polluting nations –United States, China, Russia, Japan and the EU bloc– only India’s carbon emissions are rising: they rose almost 5% in 2016. India’s population and emissions are rising fast, and its ability to tackle poverty without massive fossil fuel use will decide the fate of the planet….
Read More about How India’s battle with climate change could determine the planet’s fate
Development/Growth
In a significant article in The Citizen, Dr A.Gopalakrishnan, the former Chairman of the India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, writes: An overall evaluation of the status of the Indian civilian nuclear power sector, and the government’s uncertain future plans, do cause a great deal of concern for the welfare of the country and the safety…
Read More about Former regulatory chief: India must freeze all plans for nuclear expansion
CLIMATE CRISIS
As India like the rest of the world shifts from fossil fuels to renewables, India should also launch a new initiative for this dramatic transition. One of the guiding principles for energy transition should be India’s civilizational value of “simple living and high thinking” and not to maximize gross national product as other countries do….
Read More about Global energy transition: Here’s why it’s India’s opportunity to leapfrog
Development/Growth
From Patna Daily: A nuclear power plant can be imported lock stock and barrel and all local people need to do is watch the plant and the fence around it get erected, charge their mobile phones to watch videos all day, stay out of trouble. They have no work in the creation of the asset….
Read More about Anandi Sharan: There are no pros; only cons to nuclear energy
ALTERNATIVES
Ecologise has consistently driven home that humanity needs to prepare for unprecedented environmental, economic and socio-political upheaval and uncertainty in the 21st century. In this new series, we showcase free short-duration online courses that focus on these various emerging crises and possible responses. Created by the world’s leading universities, they offer a good starting point to explore these complex challenges….
Read More about Module 2: Energy – Fossil Fuels And Our Future
ENERGY
From The Hindu: The government’s recent decision to approve the construction of ten 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors deserves to be scrutinised carefully. The government claims that this displays “India’s commitment to sustainable development”. But does the path to sustainable development run through a source of electricity that’s expensive, hazardous and antithetical to equity?…
Read More about Nuclear power: Expensive, hazardous and inequitable
CLIMATE CRISIS
Down to Earth reports: With his executive order, which lifts the ban on coal production and lifts restrictions on production of oil, natural gas, ‘clean coal’ and shale energy, U.S. President Donald Trump has literally started the process of dismantling the Paris Climate Agreement— the landmark international pact adopted in 2015 to fight climate change….
Read More about A black day for the planet: Trump sounds death knell for Paris pact
ALTERNATIVES
Somehow, most people seem to believe that our economy of 7.5 billion people can get along with a very short list of energy supplies. Given climate change, this short list cannot include fossil fuels, but we believe Wind and Solar can save us. Unfortunately, a transition to such alternative fuels can’t really work. Here’s why….
Read More about Gail Tverberg: The “wind and solar will save us” delusion
ALTERNATIVES
Phys.org reports: The climate friendly electricity generated by solar panels in the past 40 years has all but cancelled out the polluting energy used to produce them, a study said Tuesday. Indeed, by some calculations, the so-called “break-even point” between dirty energy input and clean output may already have arrived, researchers in the Netherlands reported….
Read More about New study says solar panels have repaid their fossil fuel debt
ALTERNATIVES
Robin Delobel writes: The issue is rarely raised, but renewable energies have a heavy environmental impact when the total production chain and overall product life-cycle is taken into account– particularly, the stage of mining the metals needed in their production. In addition, chemical products used in the mining operations often lead to severe long-term pollution….
Read More about Is renewable energy really environmentally friendly?
ALTERNATIVES
Post the Paris climate agreement, the world looks to solar energy more than ever to reduce carbon emissions and counter climate change, with multi-billion dollar solar programmes announced by just about every major country. But just how efficient, and environmentally sustainable is the celebrated solar photovoltaic technology? Here’s what some leading voices have to say….
Read More about How viable (and sustainable) are solar PV systems? A debateENERGY
Akhil Kumar reports: Citing an investigation conducted by the finance ministry’s Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Ashish Khetan, AAP member and vice-chairman of the Delhi Dialogue Commission, has written to PM Narendra Modi demanding swift action in what he says is a massive scam in which major Indian power companies have been siphoning off public money offshore….
Read More about Video: AAP Leader Ashish Khetan alleges “massive power scam” involving Adani, Ambani and EssarEducation/Awareness
Prayas (Energy Group) Prayas (Energy Group) or PEG is a leading energy policy research and advocacy organization based in Pune, known for its analysis based policy advocacy. Based on a rigorous analytical approach backed by policy and institutional innovation, PEG actively intervenes in regulatory and policy spheres in the energy sector with the objective of promoting public interest…
Read More about Prayas looking for Energy Policy Researchers at Pune
