Low-Carbon Future
✅Why in news: In the recently organised Leaders‘ Climate Summit, there is a debate whether India should announce net-zero emissions target.
▪️What should be India’s approach?
✅ IPCC 1.5°C report called for global carbon emissions to reach net-zero by 2050.
✅ India being a climate-vulnerable country, it must contribute to limit the global temperature rise ideally below 1.5°C.
✅While doing so, it should not lose sight of the history of global climate negotiations and its own developmental needs.
✅By announcing net-zero commitment, India risks taking a heavier burden of decarbonisation than many wealthier countries.
✅ Hence focused near-term sectoral transformations through aggressive adoption of technologies can be adopted.
▪️How can we de-carbonise the power sector?
✅Electricity sector is the single largest source (about 40%) of India‘s greenhouse gas emissions.
✅De-carbonising the electricity sector would require transformational changes in urbanisation and industrial
development.
✅For example, electricity should be used for transport and integrating electric systems into urban planning.
✅Till now electricity sector is focussing on expanding renewable electricity capacity- 175GW of renewable capacity by 2022.
✅It now needs a comprehensive shift going beyond expanding the renewable energy targets.
✅This can be done by limiting the expansion of coal-based electricity capacity.
▪️How can this be done?
✅ First India can pledge that it will not grow its coal-fired power capacity beyond what is already announced and reach peak coal electricity capacity by 2030.
✅It should also strive to make existing coal-based generation cleaner and more efficient.
✅Second, multi-stakeholder Just Transition Commission can be created to represent all levels of government and affected communities to ensure decent livelihood opportunities to people in the India‘s coal belt.
✅This is necessary because the transition costs of a brighter low-carbon future should not fall on the backs of India‘s poor.
✅Third, existing problems of the sector such as the poor finances and management of distribution companies needs to be addressed.
✅Finally, India will need to work hard to become a leader in technologies of the future such as electricity storage, smart grids and technologies that enable the electrification of other sectors such as transportation.
▪️How can we improve energy services?
✅Growing urbanisation and uptake of electricity services offer a good opportunity to shape energy consumption
within buildings through proactive measures.
✅Air conditioners, fans and refrigerators together consume about 60% of the electricity in households.
✅India could set aggressive targets- 80% of air conditioner sales and 50% of fan and refrigerator sales in 2030-
should be most efficient.
✅This will reduce green house gas emissions and benefit the consumer by lowering their electricity bills.
✅ India can leverage this transition too as an opportunity to become a global leader in production of clean appliances.
✅Such a sector-by-sector approach can be developed for other sectors which can set a path towards net zero emissions and achieve the Paris Agreement targets.
✅India can also come out with timelines for achieving climate targets.
▪️How can timelines be formed?
✅India can also consider committing to submit plausible pathways and timelines to achieving net-zero emissions as part of its future pledges.
✅ It can undertake detailed assessments of its development needs and low-carbon opportunities, the possible pace of technological developments.
✅ It can also assess the potential geo-political and geo-economic risks of over-dependence on certain countries for technologies or materials.
✅It can use interim period to develop a strategic road map to enhance its own technology and manufacturing competence as part of the global clean energy supply chain.
#environment
#climate_change
#GS3
JOIN @CSE_EXAM
@UPSC_4_ENVIRONMENT
✅Why in news: In the recently organised Leaders‘ Climate Summit, there is a debate whether India should announce net-zero emissions target.
▪️What should be India’s approach?
✅ IPCC 1.5°C report called for global carbon emissions to reach net-zero by 2050.
✅ India being a climate-vulnerable country, it must contribute to limit the global temperature rise ideally below 1.5°C.
✅While doing so, it should not lose sight of the history of global climate negotiations and its own developmental needs.
✅By announcing net-zero commitment, India risks taking a heavier burden of decarbonisation than many wealthier countries.
✅ Hence focused near-term sectoral transformations through aggressive adoption of technologies can be adopted.
▪️How can we de-carbonise the power sector?
✅Electricity sector is the single largest source (about 40%) of India‘s greenhouse gas emissions.
✅De-carbonising the electricity sector would require transformational changes in urbanisation and industrial
development.
✅For example, electricity should be used for transport and integrating electric systems into urban planning.
✅Till now electricity sector is focussing on expanding renewable electricity capacity- 175GW of renewable capacity by 2022.
✅It now needs a comprehensive shift going beyond expanding the renewable energy targets.
✅This can be done by limiting the expansion of coal-based electricity capacity.
▪️How can this be done?
✅ First India can pledge that it will not grow its coal-fired power capacity beyond what is already announced and reach peak coal electricity capacity by 2030.
✅It should also strive to make existing coal-based generation cleaner and more efficient.
✅Second, multi-stakeholder Just Transition Commission can be created to represent all levels of government and affected communities to ensure decent livelihood opportunities to people in the India‘s coal belt.
✅This is necessary because the transition costs of a brighter low-carbon future should not fall on the backs of India‘s poor.
✅Third, existing problems of the sector such as the poor finances and management of distribution companies needs to be addressed.
✅Finally, India will need to work hard to become a leader in technologies of the future such as electricity storage, smart grids and technologies that enable the electrification of other sectors such as transportation.
▪️How can we improve energy services?
✅Growing urbanisation and uptake of electricity services offer a good opportunity to shape energy consumption
within buildings through proactive measures.
✅Air conditioners, fans and refrigerators together consume about 60% of the electricity in households.
✅India could set aggressive targets- 80% of air conditioner sales and 50% of fan and refrigerator sales in 2030-
should be most efficient.
✅This will reduce green house gas emissions and benefit the consumer by lowering their electricity bills.
✅ India can leverage this transition too as an opportunity to become a global leader in production of clean appliances.
✅Such a sector-by-sector approach can be developed for other sectors which can set a path towards net zero emissions and achieve the Paris Agreement targets.
✅India can also come out with timelines for achieving climate targets.
▪️How can timelines be formed?
✅India can also consider committing to submit plausible pathways and timelines to achieving net-zero emissions as part of its future pledges.
✅ It can undertake detailed assessments of its development needs and low-carbon opportunities, the possible pace of technological developments.
✅ It can also assess the potential geo-political and geo-economic risks of over-dependence on certain countries for technologies or materials.
✅It can use interim period to develop a strategic road map to enhance its own technology and manufacturing competence as part of the global clean energy supply chain.
#environment
#climate_change
#GS3
JOIN @CSE_EXAM
@UPSC_4_ENVIRONMENT
👍2
🔆Frequent occurrence of Cyclones
The severe cyclones, Tauktae and Yaas caused massive damage to infrastructure, the agricultural sector, and houses.
▪️More frequent in occurrence of Tropical Cyclones:
1. Increasing sea surface temperatures in the northern Indian Ocean and the geo-climatic conditions in India have led to a rise in the frequency of devastating cyclones in the coastal States accounting for 7% of the global tropical cyclones, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD), 2013 data.
2. Every year, around five to six tropical cyclones are formed in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea; of these, two to three turn severe.
3. The World Bank and the United Nations (2010) estimate that around 200 million city residents would be exposed to storms and earthquakes by 2050 in India.
4. Between 1891 and 2020, out of the 313 cyclones crossing India’s eastern and western
coasts, 130 were classified as severe cyclonic storms.
▪️Economic losses notified by various reports:
1. As stated earlier, cyclones led to an increase in the fiscal burden of governments through increased spending to implement effective cyclone preparation measures.
2. As a result, direct government expenditure on natural calamities increased 13 times.
3. The Asian Development Bank’s report in 2014 estimated that India would suffer a loss of around 1.8% of GDP annually by 2050 from climate-related events.
4. India lost around 2% of GDP and 15% of total revenue over 1999-2020.
5. According to the Global Climate Risk Index report 2021, India ranks the seventh worst-hit country globally in 2019 due to the frequent occurrence of extreme weather-related events.
▪️The economic costs of cyclones:
1. Among the natural disasters, cyclones constituted the second most frequent phenomena that occurred in 15% of India’s total natural disasters over 1999-2020.
2. Cyclones are the second most expensive in terms of the costs incurred in damage, accounting for 29% of the total disaster-related damages after floods (62%).
3. In addition, they are the third most lethal disaster in India after earthquakes (42%) and floods (33%).
▪️Case study for Disaster Preparedness: Measures in Odisha:
1. In the aftermath of the 1999 super cyclone, the Government of Odisha took up various cyclone mitigation measures which included installing a disaster warning system in the coastal districts, and construction of evacuation shelters in cyclone-prone districts.
2. Other steps were the setting up of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), conducting regular cabinet meetings for disaster preparedness, and building the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF).
3. All these activities have helped to minimise the toll from cyclonic storms such as Hudhud, Fani, Amphan, and Yaas.
✅Way Ahead: Essential steps
1. First, it is imperative to improve the cyclone warning system and revamp disaster preparedness measures.
2. Second, the Government must widen the cover under shelterbelt plantations and help regenerate mangroves in coastal regions to lessen the impact of cyclones.
A. In addition, adopting cost-effective, long-term mitigation measures, including building cyclone-resilient infrastructure such as constructing storm surge-resilient embankments, canals and improving river connectivity to prevent waterlogging in low-lying areas are important.
3. Third, installing disaster-resilient power infrastructure in the coastal districts, providing concrete houses to poor and vulnerable households, and creating massive community awareness campaigns are essential.
4. Finally, healthy coordination between the Centre and the States concerned is essential to collectively design disaster mitigation measures.
#environment
#climate_change
#GS3
JOIN @CSE_EXAM
@UPSC_4_ENVIRONMENT
The severe cyclones, Tauktae and Yaas caused massive damage to infrastructure, the agricultural sector, and houses.
▪️More frequent in occurrence of Tropical Cyclones:
1. Increasing sea surface temperatures in the northern Indian Ocean and the geo-climatic conditions in India have led to a rise in the frequency of devastating cyclones in the coastal States accounting for 7% of the global tropical cyclones, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD), 2013 data.
2. Every year, around five to six tropical cyclones are formed in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea; of these, two to three turn severe.
3. The World Bank and the United Nations (2010) estimate that around 200 million city residents would be exposed to storms and earthquakes by 2050 in India.
4. Between 1891 and 2020, out of the 313 cyclones crossing India’s eastern and western
coasts, 130 were classified as severe cyclonic storms.
▪️Economic losses notified by various reports:
1. As stated earlier, cyclones led to an increase in the fiscal burden of governments through increased spending to implement effective cyclone preparation measures.
2. As a result, direct government expenditure on natural calamities increased 13 times.
3. The Asian Development Bank’s report in 2014 estimated that India would suffer a loss of around 1.8% of GDP annually by 2050 from climate-related events.
4. India lost around 2% of GDP and 15% of total revenue over 1999-2020.
5. According to the Global Climate Risk Index report 2021, India ranks the seventh worst-hit country globally in 2019 due to the frequent occurrence of extreme weather-related events.
▪️The economic costs of cyclones:
1. Among the natural disasters, cyclones constituted the second most frequent phenomena that occurred in 15% of India’s total natural disasters over 1999-2020.
2. Cyclones are the second most expensive in terms of the costs incurred in damage, accounting for 29% of the total disaster-related damages after floods (62%).
3. In addition, they are the third most lethal disaster in India after earthquakes (42%) and floods (33%).
▪️Case study for Disaster Preparedness: Measures in Odisha:
1. In the aftermath of the 1999 super cyclone, the Government of Odisha took up various cyclone mitigation measures which included installing a disaster warning system in the coastal districts, and construction of evacuation shelters in cyclone-prone districts.
2. Other steps were the setting up of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), conducting regular cabinet meetings for disaster preparedness, and building the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF).
3. All these activities have helped to minimise the toll from cyclonic storms such as Hudhud, Fani, Amphan, and Yaas.
✅Way Ahead: Essential steps
1. First, it is imperative to improve the cyclone warning system and revamp disaster preparedness measures.
2. Second, the Government must widen the cover under shelterbelt plantations and help regenerate mangroves in coastal regions to lessen the impact of cyclones.
A. In addition, adopting cost-effective, long-term mitigation measures, including building cyclone-resilient infrastructure such as constructing storm surge-resilient embankments, canals and improving river connectivity to prevent waterlogging in low-lying areas are important.
3. Third, installing disaster-resilient power infrastructure in the coastal districts, providing concrete houses to poor and vulnerable households, and creating massive community awareness campaigns are essential.
4. Finally, healthy coordination between the Centre and the States concerned is essential to collectively design disaster mitigation measures.
#environment
#climate_change
#GS3
JOIN @CSE_EXAM
@UPSC_4_ENVIRONMENT
👍1
Forwarded from CSE EXAM upsc prelims mains CAPF CDS NDA
Low-Carbon Future
✅Why in news: In the recently organised Leaders‘ Climate Summit, there is a debate whether India should announce net-zero emissions target.
▪️What should be India’s approach?
✅ IPCC 1.5°C report called for global carbon emissions to reach net-zero by 2050.
✅ India being a climate-vulnerable country, it must contribute to limit the global temperature rise ideally below 1.5°C.
✅While doing so, it should not lose sight of the history of global climate negotiations and its own developmental needs.
✅By announcing net-zero commitment, India risks taking a heavier burden of decarbonisation than many wealthier countries.
✅ Hence focused near-term sectoral transformations through aggressive adoption of technologies can be adopted.
▪️How can we de-carbonise the power sector?
✅Electricity sector is the single largest source (about 40%) of India‘s greenhouse gas emissions.
✅De-carbonising the electricity sector would require transformational changes in urbanisation and industrial
development.
✅For example, electricity should be used for transport and integrating electric systems into urban planning.
✅Till now electricity sector is focussing on expanding renewable electricity capacity- 175GW of renewable capacity by 2022.
✅It now needs a comprehensive shift going beyond expanding the renewable energy targets.
✅This can be done by limiting the expansion of coal-based electricity capacity.
▪️How can this be done?
✅ First India can pledge that it will not grow its coal-fired power capacity beyond what is already announced and reach peak coal electricity capacity by 2030.
✅It should also strive to make existing coal-based generation cleaner and more efficient.
✅Second, multi-stakeholder Just Transition Commission can be created to represent all levels of government and affected communities to ensure decent livelihood opportunities to people in the India‘s coal belt.
✅This is necessary because the transition costs of a brighter low-carbon future should not fall on the backs of India‘s poor.
✅Third, existing problems of the sector such as the poor finances and management of distribution companies needs to be addressed.
✅Finally, India will need to work hard to become a leader in technologies of the future such as electricity storage, smart grids and technologies that enable the electrification of other sectors such as transportation.
▪️How can we improve energy services?
✅Growing urbanisation and uptake of electricity services offer a good opportunity to shape energy consumption
within buildings through proactive measures.
✅Air conditioners, fans and refrigerators together consume about 60% of the electricity in households.
✅India could set aggressive targets- 80% of air conditioner sales and 50% of fan and refrigerator sales in 2030-
should be most efficient.
✅This will reduce green house gas emissions and benefit the consumer by lowering their electricity bills.
✅ India can leverage this transition too as an opportunity to become a global leader in production of clean appliances.
✅Such a sector-by-sector approach can be developed for other sectors which can set a path towards net zero emissions and achieve the Paris Agreement targets.
✅India can also come out with timelines for achieving climate targets.
▪️How can timelines be formed?
✅India can also consider committing to submit plausible pathways and timelines to achieving net-zero emissions as part of its future pledges.
✅ It can undertake detailed assessments of its development needs and low-carbon opportunities, the possible pace of technological developments.
✅ It can also assess the potential geo-political and geo-economic risks of over-dependence on certain countries for technologies or materials.
✅It can use interim period to develop a strategic road map to enhance its own technology and manufacturing competence as part of the global clean energy supply chain.
#environment
#climate_change
#GS3
JOIN @CSE_EXAM
@UPSC_4_ENVIRONMENT
✅Why in news: In the recently organised Leaders‘ Climate Summit, there is a debate whether India should announce net-zero emissions target.
▪️What should be India’s approach?
✅ IPCC 1.5°C report called for global carbon emissions to reach net-zero by 2050.
✅ India being a climate-vulnerable country, it must contribute to limit the global temperature rise ideally below 1.5°C.
✅While doing so, it should not lose sight of the history of global climate negotiations and its own developmental needs.
✅By announcing net-zero commitment, India risks taking a heavier burden of decarbonisation than many wealthier countries.
✅ Hence focused near-term sectoral transformations through aggressive adoption of technologies can be adopted.
▪️How can we de-carbonise the power sector?
✅Electricity sector is the single largest source (about 40%) of India‘s greenhouse gas emissions.
✅De-carbonising the electricity sector would require transformational changes in urbanisation and industrial
development.
✅For example, electricity should be used for transport and integrating electric systems into urban planning.
✅Till now electricity sector is focussing on expanding renewable electricity capacity- 175GW of renewable capacity by 2022.
✅It now needs a comprehensive shift going beyond expanding the renewable energy targets.
✅This can be done by limiting the expansion of coal-based electricity capacity.
▪️How can this be done?
✅ First India can pledge that it will not grow its coal-fired power capacity beyond what is already announced and reach peak coal electricity capacity by 2030.
✅It should also strive to make existing coal-based generation cleaner and more efficient.
✅Second, multi-stakeholder Just Transition Commission can be created to represent all levels of government and affected communities to ensure decent livelihood opportunities to people in the India‘s coal belt.
✅This is necessary because the transition costs of a brighter low-carbon future should not fall on the backs of India‘s poor.
✅Third, existing problems of the sector such as the poor finances and management of distribution companies needs to be addressed.
✅Finally, India will need to work hard to become a leader in technologies of the future such as electricity storage, smart grids and technologies that enable the electrification of other sectors such as transportation.
▪️How can we improve energy services?
✅Growing urbanisation and uptake of electricity services offer a good opportunity to shape energy consumption
within buildings through proactive measures.
✅Air conditioners, fans and refrigerators together consume about 60% of the electricity in households.
✅India could set aggressive targets- 80% of air conditioner sales and 50% of fan and refrigerator sales in 2030-
should be most efficient.
✅This will reduce green house gas emissions and benefit the consumer by lowering their electricity bills.
✅ India can leverage this transition too as an opportunity to become a global leader in production of clean appliances.
✅Such a sector-by-sector approach can be developed for other sectors which can set a path towards net zero emissions and achieve the Paris Agreement targets.
✅India can also come out with timelines for achieving climate targets.
▪️How can timelines be formed?
✅India can also consider committing to submit plausible pathways and timelines to achieving net-zero emissions as part of its future pledges.
✅ It can undertake detailed assessments of its development needs and low-carbon opportunities, the possible pace of technological developments.
✅ It can also assess the potential geo-political and geo-economic risks of over-dependence on certain countries for technologies or materials.
✅It can use interim period to develop a strategic road map to enhance its own technology and manufacturing competence as part of the global clean energy supply chain.
#environment
#climate_change
#GS3
JOIN @CSE_EXAM
@UPSC_4_ENVIRONMENT
👍13