Op-ed
Heatwaves & Cool Heads
This article originally appeared in The Times of India We shouldn’t panic about summer extremes, because there are well-understood solutions. The trick is to implement them smartly Dear Sir,I write to you from Lucknow, hoping you could answer some of my questions.1. Are we inevitably headed towards an unlivable India due to heatwaves?2. Do you …
It’s them or us, not all of us
This article originally appeared in The Times of India Ukraine war showed rich countries can find money for diversifying their own energy supply but not for global climate finance. It also showed how fossil fuel companies exploited governments’ energy security concerns The war in Ukraine has killed thousands, displaced millions and damaged the region’s economy. …
Why India’s hills must stop copying the plains
This article originally appeared in Times of India Hills, stop copying the plains: Joshimath shows we need a radically different growth model for Himalayan states Joshimath is a symptom, the disease is the uncontrolled growth model. What is unfolding in Joshimath is a tragedy. But this tragedy is not due to climate change; climate change-linked …
Green energy and just transition
This article originally appeared in Financial Express Coal-rich states in the country can take a cue from Odisha’s new renewable energy policy, which is geared to ensure a just energy transition for the state. By Nikunja B Dhal and Chandra Bhushan Odisha has been playing a central role in meeting the country’s growing energy needs. …
മുറവിളിക്ക് മറുപടി; ലോകത്തിനു കാലാവസ്ഥാ ഉച്ചകോടികാലാവസ്ഥാ ഉച്ചകോടി
This article originally appeared in Manorma Malyalam
Weather shifts in climate talks
This article originally appeared in Times of India Two changes: accepting that biggest polluters will pay poor nations & pressure on China, India to contribute The 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which wrapped up in the early hours of Sunday at the Egyptian resort town of …
Don’t Delhi and Punjab govts breathe the same air? There is much AAP can do to cut stubble burning and pollution, if it chooses to do so
This article originally appeared in Times of India If some Delhiites believed that the AAP government in Punjab would resolve the national capital’s air pollution woes, they couldn’t have been more wrong. Not only has Arvind Kejriwal, the national convener of AAP and CM of Delhi, refused to take responsibility, he is now blaming all …
India’s Renewables Disparity
This article orriginally appeared in Financial Express ‘Price-equalisation’ policies, mirroring some pre-liberalisation schemes, are distorting spatial distribution of renewable energy generation Even a good policy with the best intentions can have unintended and adverse consequences. The Freight Equalization Scheme (FES) was one such policy meant to promote balanced industrial development throughout the country but ended …