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Dear readers,
The reality of climate change and its impacts was underlined yet again this week by new studies. Research led by the University of Leeds found that the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets were melting at rates which matched the “worst-case scenarios” of climate models; potentially exposing 16 million people to coastal flooding. Another study led by the same university predicted that climate change could transform the geography of malaria transmission in Africa.
Imaginative climate action offers hope. A new report by UNEP highlighted the oft-neglected importance of dietary change and reduction of food waste in mitigating emissions as well as in adapting to climate change. And local success stories of “going green” abound; Assam Don Bosco University’s campus for example has reduced its carbon footprint through agroforestry, energy efficiency and renewable energy.
However, such local initiatives are insufficient to brighten the somewhat bleak national picture of the state of renewable energy. The impressive growth in renewables over the last decade has been flagging due to a gamut of policy issues, and the country is not on track to achieve its ambitious target of 175 GW of installed renewables capacity by 2022. The shortfall in achieving that target is expected to be particularly substantial in the case of large-scale solar power projects, and our in-depth factsheet investigates the problems plaguing the sector.
But beyond the nitty gritty of targets and policy, humankind is faced with a larger philosophical question: Is it possible to have a planet that no longer uses fossil fuels, does not kill millions of farmed or wild animals, degrade wetlands, river or ocean, and wipe out hills and forests for industrialisation? |
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EXTREME WEATHER TRACKER |
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Antarctica, Greenland ice sheet melting matches worst-case climate change scenarios: Study| 01 September 2020
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Are hurricanes strengthening more rapidly?| 28 August 2020
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CLIMATE NEWS | SCIENCE| IMPACTS| POLITICS |
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Factsheets |
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ON THE TRACK:
Is India on track to meet its Renewable Energy target of 175 GW by 2022 |
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Download Factsheet >> |
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