Climate Change and Associated Issues - Insightsias
Climate Change and Associated Issues - Insightsias
Climate Change and Associated Issues - Insightsias
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ENVIRONMENT
Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century
humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth’s climate system and caused change
on a global scale
Climate change can make weather patterns less predictable. These unforeseen
weather patterns can make it difficult to maintain and grow crops, making
agriculture-dependent countries like India vulnerable.
It is also causing damaging weather events like more frequent and intense
hurricanes, floods, cyclones, flooding etc.
Due to the rising temperature caused by climate change, the ice in the polar
regions is melting at an accelerated rate, causing sea levels to rise. This is
damaging the coastlines due to the increased flooding and erosion.
The cause of the current rapid climate change is due to human activities and
threatening the very survival of humankind.
The largest driver of warming is the emission of gases that create a greenhouse
effect, of which more than 90% are carbon dioxide (CO2) and methan
Fossil fuel burning (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy consumption is the main
source of these emissions, with additional contributions from agriculture,
deforestation, and manufacturing.
Temperature rise on land is about twice the global average increase, leading to
desert expansion and more common heat waves and wildfires.
Climate change threatens people with food insecurity, water scarcity, flooding,
infectious diseases, extreme heat, economic losses, and displacement.
These human impacts have led the World Health Organization to call climate
change the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century.
Even if efforts to minimise future warming are successful, some effects will
continue for centuries, including rising sea levels, rising ocean temperatures, and
ocean acidification.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued a series of reports
that project significant increases in these impacts as warming continues to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F)
and beyond. Additional warming also increases the risk of triggering critical thresholds
called tipping points.
Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, nations collectively agreed to keep warming “well
under 2.0 °C (3.6 °F)” through mitigation efforts. However, with pledges made under the
Agreement, global warming would still reach about 2.8 °C (5.0 °F) by the end of the
century.
A: Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants
collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have
bounced off the earth’s surface. Normally this radiation would escape into space,
but these pollutants, which can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere, trap
the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. These heat-trapping pollutants—
specifically carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and synthetic
fluorinated gases—are known as greenhouse gases, and their impact is called the
greenhouse effect.
Factors that cause climate change
(https://www.insightsonindia.com/environment/climate-
change-and-associated-issues/factors-that-cause-
climate-change/)
A) Natural Factors:
There are numerous natural factors that cause the Earth’s climate to change. They
affect the climate over a period of thousands to millions of years.
Continental Drift: The present-day continents were not the same prior to 200
million years.They have formed millions of years ago when the landmass began
to drift apart due to plate displacement.This movement had an impact on
climate change due to the change on the landmass’s physical features and
position and the change in water bodies’ position like the change in the follow
of ocean currents and winds.The drifting of the landmass is continued today.
The Himalayan range is rising approximately 1 millimetre every year as the
Indian landmass is moving towards the Asian landmass.
Variation of the Earth’s orbit:The Earth’s orbit has an impact on the sunlight’s
seasonal distribution that is reaching the Earth’s surface.A slight change in the
Earth’s orbit can lead to variation in distribution across the world.There are
very few changes to the average sunshine. However, it causes a high impact on
the geographical and seasonal distribution.There are three types of orbital
variations – variations in Earth’s eccentricity, variations in the tilt angle of the
Earth’s axis of rotation and precession of Earth’s axis.These together can cause
Milankovitch cycles, which have a huge impact on climate and are well-known
for their connection to the glacial and interglacial periods.The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finding showed that the
Milankovitch cycles had influenced the behaviour of ice formation
Plate tectonics:Due to the change in the temperature in the core of the Earth,
the mantle plumes and convection currents forced the Earth’s Plates to adjust
leading to the rearrangement of the Earth Plate.This can influence the global
and local patterns of climate and atmosphere.The oceans’ geometry is
determined by the continents’ position. Therefore, the position of the
continents influences the pattern of the ocean.The location of the sea also plays
a crucial role in controlling the transfer of heat and moisture across the globe
and determines the global climate.The recent example of the tectonic control on
ocean circulation is the formation of the Isthmus of Panama about 5 million
years ago, leading to the prevention of direct mixing of the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans.
B) Anthropogenic Factors:
Scientists, since the beginning of the 20th century, have studied the impact of
climate change caused by human activities. Global warming, the long-term rise in
the average temperature of the Earth’s climate system, is a major aspect of climate
change. It is mainly a human-caused increase in global surface temperature. The
anthropogenic factors causing climate change are as follows:
Greenhouse Gases:The greenhouse gases absorb heat radiation from the sun.
Following the initiation of the Industrial Revolution, the emission of greenhouse
gases into the atmosphere has increased exponentially.This has led to more
absorption and retaining the heat in the atmosphere. This resulted in an
increase in Global Temperature.The greenhouse gases mostly do not absorb the
solar radiation but absorb most of the infrared emitted by the Earth’s surface.
Change in the land use pattern:Half of the land-use change is said to have
happened during the industrial era.Most of the forests were replaced by
agricultural cropping and grazing of lands.The increased albedo (reflectivity of
an object in space) in the snow-covered high altitude regions due to
deforestation led to the cooling of the planet’s surface. The lower the albedo,
the more of the Sun’s radiation gets absorbed by the planet and the
temperatures will rise. If the albedo is higher and the Earth is more reflective,
the more of the radiation is returned to space, leading to the cooling of the
planet.The tropical deforestation changes the evapotranspiration rates (the
amount of water vapour put in the atmosphere through evaporation and
transpiration from trees), causes desertification and affects soil moisture
characteristics.From the satellite imagery, it is seen that the clearing of forest
cover for agriculture and irrigated farming in arid and semi-arid lands can
increase solar energy absorption and the amount of moisture evaporated into
the atmosphere.
The greenhouse gases released due to human activities are increasing the
temperature of the Earth.
The last 6 years topped the list of hottest years ever recorded.
The increase in temperature is the major cause of the current increase in heat-
related deaths and illnesses, rise in sea levels and an increase in the intensity of
natural disasters.
The 20th century saw an increase in the Earth’s average temperature by 1°F. This
is believed to be the fastest rise in a thousand years.
Research estimates predict that if the GHGs are not reduced, the average surface
temperature could increase to 3-5°F by the end of this century.
Change in landscapes:
Increasing temperature and changing climate and weather patterns across the
globe led to the shift of trees and plants towards Polar Regions and mountains.
Other species like polar bears dependent on cold terrains will not have any
habitat due to the melting of ice, causing a risk to their survival.
Thus, the current hasty change in the landscape causes a considerable risk to the
survival of many species, including the human population.
An increase in the temperature across the globe is changing the weather and
vegetation patterns, causing the species to migrate to cooler areas for survival.
An increase in the temperature of the Earth leads to a rise in sea level due to the
thermal expansion (a condition wherein the warm water takes up more area than
cooler water). The melting of glaciers adds to this problem.
The population living in under-lying areas, islands and coasts are threatened by
the rising sea levels.
In the last 100 years, the sea level has risen to 4-8 inches and will continue to rise
between 4 and 36 inches in the next 100 years.
Ocean Acidification:
The increase in the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere has increased the CO2
absorption in the ocean. This makes the ocean acidic.
The increase in the acidification of the ocean can be harmful to many marine
species like plankton, molluscs, etc. The corals are especially susceptible to this
as they find it difficult to create and maintain the skeletal structures needed for
their survival.
The moisture from land and water is rapidly evaporating due to the high
atmospheric temperature.
This causes drought. Those areas that are affected by drought are highly
susceptible to the negative effects of flooding.
As this current condition, the droughts may become more frequent and more
severe. This may lead to distressing consequences for agriculture, water security,
and health.
Countries in Asia and Africa are already facing this phenomenon, with droughts
becoming longer and more intense.
The increased temperature is not only causing droughts but also increasing the
cases of forest fires across the globe.
Climate change is also causing increased and intensified hurricanes and tropical
storms, causing a devastating impact on human societies and the environment.
The cause of this is the rise in the ocean temperature as warm waters influence
the energies of hurricanes and tropical storms energies.
The other factors that cause intensified hurricane and tropical storms are rising
sea levels, disappearing wetlands and increased coastal development.
Health issues:
The high temperature across the globe can pose health risks and deaths.
The increased heat waves caused by climate change have led to the deaths of
many globally.
For instance, in 2003, the extreme heat waves led to the death of more than
20,000 people in Europe and caused more than 1,500 deaths in India.
Disease and pests that were once confined to the tropics may find it habitable in
the colder regions that were previously inhospitable.
The World Health Organisation estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate
change may cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year due to
malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and extreme heat.
Economic impacts:
It is estimated that if action is not taken to address the carbon emissions, climate
change could cost about 5 to 20% of the annual global GDP.
In contrast, the cost to lessen the most damaging effects of climate change is just
1% of the GDP.
Climate change can alter shoreline habitats. This may lead to the need for
relocation of ports and near-shore infrastructures and habitats, costing about
millions of dollars.
The increased hurricanes and other related natural disasters can bring forth
extreme economic losses caused by damaged properties and infrastructures.
Declining crop yields due to the lengthy droughts and high temperatures can lead
to a risk of starvation of thousands of people.
Coral reefs generate approximately $375 billion each year in goods and services.
Their very survival is currently under threat.
Agricultural productivity has increased due to the rise in CO2 in the atmosphere.
2. In the last two years, the country has been hit by at least one extreme climate
event every month.
4. There is no doubt that climate change is real and its implications are
disastrous.
One of the major areas that will be extremely vulnerable to climate change in the
future is South Asia.
India especially will be vulnerable to climate change due to its diverse terrain,
rapid use of natural resources due to the current trend of precipitous
urbanisation, industrialisation and economic growth.
Water and air quality are worsening each day due to environmental pollution.
Those that are especially susceptible to climate change are the country’s coastal
ecosystems, biodiversity and agricultural productivity.
The natural disasters’ increasing frequency and intensity are causing negative
effects to the already struggling Indian economy.
The changing rain patterns in India are predicted to leave many areas flooded
and others without water scarcity.
More than 60% of India’s agriculture is dependent on rain and the majority of
the population are dependent on the agriculture sector for survival. This makes
India more vulnerable to climate change.
Poor will be more vulnerable to climate change since many of them are
dependent on the rain-dependent agriculture.
An increase of 2°C by the 2040s is going to affect crop production and will
reduce the crop output by 12%, requiring more imports to meet the domestic
demands.
The melting glaciers and loss of snow can pose a risk to reliable water resources
in India.
Main rivers like Ganges, Indus, and Brahmaputra mostly depend on snow and
glacial meltwater. This makes them vulnerable to global warming.
Climate change can further increase the risk of flooding of low areas and
threatens agriculture.
The mean temperature of the Himalayas has gone up by 0.6°C in the past 30
years; the frequency of warmer days is also increasing
The northeastern states of India, particularly parts of Assam and Manipur, are
vulnerable
Flash flood due to glacial lake outbursts may lead to landslides and affect large-
scale food security
Productivity of apple has decreased by 2-3% over the past few years. This will
go down further
India is the world’s third largest economy and fifth largest greenhouse gas
(GHG) emitter, accounting for about 5% of global emissions. India’s emissions
increased 65% between 1990 and 2005 and are projected to grow another 70%
by 2020.
By other measures, India’s emissions are low compared to those of other major
economies. India accounts for only 2% of cumulative energy-related emissions
since 1850. On a per capita basis, India’s emissions are 70% below the world
average and 93% below those of the United States.
India is also at the frontlines of facing the impacts of climate change. Shifting
rainfall patterns, recurring floods, stronger cyclones and droughts or soil
erosion are exacerbating the challenge of poverty eradication and necessitate
the allocation of scarce national resources for preventing loss of human life.
India has doubled the Clean Energy Cess on coal, which very few countries have,
and the Clean Energy Fund already has over 3 billion US dollars to be used for
promoting clean technologies India’s National Solar Mission is being scaled up
five-fold from 20,000 megawatts to 100,000 megawatts.
This will mean an additional investment of 100 billion dollars and savings of
about 165 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
India has allocated about 200 million US dollars for the ‘National Adaptation
Fund’, setting-up of Ultra Mega Solar Projects, Ultra-Modern Super Critical
Coal Based Thermal Power Technology, and the development of Solar Parks on
canals.
Another initiative is “100 Smart Cities’ with integrated policies for adaptation
and mitigation to reduce the vulnerability and exposure of urban areas to climate
change and also to improve their energy efficiency for which 1.2 billion US
dollars have been allocated. India has put in place stringent norms for the cement
industry.
Our Action Plan for cleaning one of the longest rivers in the world, River Ganga
will bring multiple benefits of pollution reduction and climate adaptation. We
have also taken initiatives for protecting coastal, Himalayan, and forest areas.
India has initiated preparations to develop a National Air Quality Index and have
launched a National Air Quality Scheme. Setting-up of Ultra Mega Solar Projects
in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Ladakh to promote
renewable energy.
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
As a part of the NAPCC, the Indian government had launched 8 missions in
focused areas. They are:
The plan includes: specific goals for increasing use of solar thermal
technologies in urban areas, industry, and commercial establishments; a goal
of increasing production of photovoltaic to 1000 MW/year; and a goal of
deploying at least 1000 MW of solar thermal power generation.
National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem: The plan aims to
conserve biodiversity, forest cover, and other ecological values in the
Himalayan region, where glaciers that are a major source of India’s water
supply are projected to recede as a result of global warming.
National Mission for a “Green India” Goals: Goals include the afforestation of
6 million hectares of degraded forest lands and expanding forest cover from
23% to 33% of India’s territory.
State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC): State governments have drafted
climate strategies aligned with the eight National Missions under the NAPCC.
The strategies focus on issues ranging from climate mitigation, energy efficiency,
and resource conservation to climate adaptation.
FAME Scheme for E-mobility: Union Government in April 2015 launched Faster
Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME) – India
Scheme with an aim to boost sales of eco-friendly vehicles in the country. It is a
part of the National Mission for Electric Mobility.
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for Smart
Cities.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: The scheme provides LPG connections to five
crore below-poverty-line beneficiaries. The connections are given in the name of
women beneficiaries to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and conventional
fuel like cow dung for cooking food, thus reducing air pollution.
UJALA scheme: The scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi
in January 2015 with a target of replacing 77 crore incandescent lamps with LED
bulbs. The usage of LED bulbs will not only result in reducing electricity bills but
also help in environment protection.
India is of the opinion that the developing countries’ need for inclusive growth,
sustainable development, poverty eradication and universal access to energy
must be made the fundamental differentiation between them and the developed
nations. Currently, the Conventions recognise the historical emissions of the
developed nations as the basis for differentiation between the developed and
developing nations.
The 195 countries that have ratified it are called the Parties to the Convention.
The UNFCC is a Rio Convention, one of the three adopted at the Rio Earth
Summit in 1992. The others include the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
The Joint Liaison Group was established to ensure cooperation among the three
Conventions.
It also aims to achieve the said level within a specific period so that the
ecosystem is allowed to adapt naturally to climate change while also ensuring
food security and sustainable economic development.
Following its establishment, the COP1 (first Conference of Parties) was held in
Berlin, COP2 was held in Geneva and the COP3 was held in Kyoto to adopt the
“Kyoto Protocol” that ensures the implementation of the UNFCCC’s objective.
Kyoto Protocol:
Kyoto Protocols was adopted in Kyoto, Japan on 11th December 1997 and came
to force on 16th February 2005
COP 7 held in Morocco in 2001 saw the adoption of the detailed rules for the
implementation of the protocol. These are referred to as “Marrakesh Accords”.
This protocol holds the developed countries accountable for the current high
levels of GHG emissions into the atmosphere due to their role in the industrial
revolution.
Kyoto Mechanism, also known as Flexible Mechanism, is defined under the Kyoto
Protocol to lower the overall cost of achieving the emission targets. It includes
Emission Trading, the Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation.
In December 2012, the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol was adopted.
The changes made include:
A revised list of GHG that is to be reported by the Parties during the second
commitment period
Amendments were made to update several articles of the Kyoto Protocol to be
on par with the second commitment period.
The Kyoto Protocol is a significant step towards the reduction of global emission
regime that will allow the stabilisation of GHG emissions.
Paris Agreement:
It aims to:
Keep the global temperature well below 2°C above pre industrial times and
endeavour to limit them even more to 1.5°C.
Strengthen the nations’ ability to combat the adverse impacts of climate change.
The Paris Accord calls for a reduction of the GHGs emitted due to human
activities equal to that of the trees, soil and oceans so that they can be absorbed
naturally.
It also states that rich countries must help the poorer nations by providing them
with “Climate finances” to make them shift towards renewable energy usage.
The Paris Agreement necessitates all Parties to put forth their best efforts
through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and to strengthen these
efforts in the future.
This also includes the need for regular reporting emissions and implementation
by the parties.
REDD+
It creates financial value for the carbon stored in forests to offer incentives for
the developing nations to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in
low-carbon paths.
It is estimated that the financial flows for the GHG emission reduction from
REDD+ could reach up to $30 billion per year.
Forests are a vital carbon sink and thus, it is vital to increase its resilience to
climate change.
In order to limit global warming to less than 1.5 °C with a high likelihood of
success, global greenhouse gas emissions needs to be net-zero by 2050, or by
2070 with a 2 °C target .
To make progress towards a goal of limiting warming to 2 °C, the United Nations
Environment Programme estimates that, within the next decade, countries need
to triple the amount of reductions they have committed to in their current Paris
Agreements; an even greater level of reduction is required to meet the 1.5 °C
goal.
Although there is no single pathway to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2.0 °C (2.7
or 3.6 °F), most scenarios and strategies see a major increase in the use of
renewable energy in combination with increased energy efficiency measures to
generate the needed greenhouse gas reductions.
Wealthy nations like the U.S., and those of the EU argued that emissions from
developing countries are consistently rising and they need to commit to more
serious emission cuts. A consensus needs to be developed at the earliest.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Renewable energy, often referred to as clean energy, comes from natural sources
or processes that are constantly replenished. For example, sunlight or wind keep
shining and blowing, even if their availability depends on time and weather.
Wind
This takes advantage of wind motion to generate electricity. Wind motion is brought
about by the heat from the sun, and rotation of the earth, mainly via the Coriolis Effect.
Solar
It taps heat from the sun to produce energy for the generation of electricity, heating,
lighting homes and commercial buildings.
Hydropower
Utilizes moving water to produce electricity. Moving water creates high energy that can
be harnessed and turned into power.
Biomass
Organic matter that constitutes plants is referred to as biomass, which can be utilized to
generate electricity, chemicals or fuels to power vehicles.
Ocean
Geothermal
Key Points
India’s renewable power capacity is the fourth largest in the world and is
growing at the fastest speed among all major countries.
India is a big market and a lot of countries are attracted towards it in terms of
One Sun, One World, One Grid and International Solar Alliance.
The renewable energy capacity in India is currently 136 Giga Watts, which is
about 36% of its total capacity.
Target for capacity increase is 450GW by 2030, increasing 25GW every year as
we move forward.
Power sector, being primarily dependent on fossil fuels, is one of prime sources
of air pollution.
Market assurance: From the economy point of view, renewable sources provide
the market and revenue assurance which no other resources can provide.
Government Initiatives
The National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE) is one of the
eight national missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change
(NAPCC).
UDAY
Soubhagya
Ujala
UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All) – App provides real-time
updates on the LED distribution happening across the country.
Ash Track- linking fly ash users and power plants for better ash utilization.
Offtaker risk. This refers to the risk that the buyer may not fulfill the contractual
obligations or will delay or make incomplete payments. Offtakers are primarily state-
owned public-sector distribution companies. Given the poor financial health of India’s
distribution companies, there is a risk of lagged or incomplete payments. In 2015 the
total outstanding debt of distribution companies was approximately $64 billion.
Offtaker risk increases the overall risk of the renewable energy projects. To address this
issue, the government has implemented Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana, which aims at
reducing operational inefficiencies and improving the financial performance of
distribution companies. The program mandates to take over 75% of distribution company
debt and turn it into state-guaranteed bonds.
PATHWAYS FORWARD
According to a report by the Climate Policy Initiative, total investment needed for India
to meet its renewable energy targets by 2022 is $189.15 billion, 27% of which is required
to be invested in wind, 37% for utility-scale solar projects, 32% for solar rooftop projects,
and 4% for biomass and small hydropower projects. Several pathways are available for
India to overcome the four challenges outlined above and meet these investment needs.
These include foreign direct investment (FDI), domestic investment, and financial
incentives.
FDI. According to data from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal
Trade, cumulative FDI inflows in the power sector from 2000 to 2020 were around $15
billion, which is around 3% of total FDI inflows.
The government allowed 100% of FDI under the automatic route to the power sector in
2012, easing the approval process.
This included investment in the generation and transmission of electricity through
hydroelectric dams, fossil fuel–based thermal power plants, renewable energy
generation and distribution, distribution of electricity to households, industrial
commercial users, and power trading. There has been an increase in penetration of
nonconventional sources of energy in the Indian market, which have seen rising FDI
participation.
The potential investments that are available for renewable projects amount to $411
billion, double the required investment target.
Despite large government investments, India’s energy sector relies on the private sector
more than ever as public-sector resources are more directed toward public health and
sustaining livelihoods.
Green investment banks are government-funded entities that “crowd in” private
investment in low-carbon assets, provide debt for projects with existing capital reserves,
and raise funds through the issuance of bonds and creation of asset-backed securities.
Governments can issue green bonds through private or public banks, the World Bank, or
regional development banks to attract both domestic and international investors, which
expands the investor base and incentivizes private players interested in cleaner energy.
Indian green bonds are very much in demand overseas. With many countries aiming for a
green recovery from the recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, central banks may
induce liquidity in the markets, including through issuing green bonds.
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), also known as green energy certificates or tradable
renewable certificates are proof that energy has been generated from renewable sources such as
solar or wind power. Each REC represents the environmental benefits of 1MWh of
renewable energy generation. When you purchase RECs, renewable energy is generated
on your behalf.
Significance:
It is a market based mechanism which will help the states meet their regulatory
requirements (such as Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs)) by overcoming
the geographical constraints on existing renewable potential in different states.
Thus, RECs help in incentivizing the production of renewable energy over and
above the RPO state limit as tradable certificates are not constrained by the
geographical limitations of commodity electricity.
RECs are being charged GST, while bundled power (RECs plus electricity, irrespective of
source) or even just electricity are devoid of the same.
The hydrogen that is in use today is produced using fossil fuels, which is the
primary source.
Organic materials such as fossil fuels and biomass are used for releasing
hydrogen through chemical processes.
1. Green hydrogen energy is vital for India to meet its Nationally Determined
Contribution (INDC) Targets and ensure regional and national energy
security, access and availability.
3. In terms of mobility, for long distance mobilisations for either urban freight
movement within cities and states or for passengers, Green Hydrogen can be
used in railways, large ships, buses or trucks, etc.
Benefits:
It is a clean-burning molecule, which can decarbonize a range of sectors including
iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation.
Renewable energy that cannot be stored or used by the grid can be channelled to
produce hydrogen.
What are the steps the Indian government has taken in the production of green
hydrogen?
3. Recently, India and the US have set up a task force under the aegis of the
Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) to mobilise finance and speed up
green energy development.
The Twin Challenge: India has a twin challenge of providing more energy as well
as cleaner energy to the masses in India.
It should focus on getting into the manufacturing of the solar panels under the
Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative as the demand is to create jobs as well as
supply decentralised energy to all the households in India.
Look and develop the entire supply chain of all the components beside the
manufacturing sector.
Methanol and Biomass: Looking for other alternatives such as methanol based
economy and biomass.
Bio-CNG vehicles with 20% blending in petrol is also a target the government
has been chasing.
Integration with the Main Grid: Integrating the renewables with the main grid is
the area India needs to work upon.
To accelerate the uptake of renewables, storage and battery solutions is
needed in large quantities.
Cost factor: Renewable resources are slightly more expensive than conventional
sources.
24*7 Power Supply: Sustainable, round-the-clock power supply along with the
storage system is a big challenge ahead.
Way Forward
Hydrogen fuel cell based vehicles and Electric vehicles: These are the most
suitable options when it comes to shifting towards renewable sources of energy,
that’s where we need to work upon.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1)https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/09/18/what-are-the-implications-of-
changing-climate-on-various-aspects-of-indian-region-elaborate-upon-the-key-
actions-taken-by-india-towards-combating-and-adapting-to-climate-change/
(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/09/18/what-are-the-implications-of-changing-
climate-on-various-aspects-of-indian-region-elaborate-upon-the-key-actions-taken-by-
india-towards-combating-and-adapting-to-climate-change/)
2)https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/08/how-has-climate-change-emerged-
as-an-intergovernmental-political-issue-what-are-the-major-international-
agreements-related-to-climate-change-discuss/
(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/08/how-has-climate-change-emerged-as-
an-intergovernmental-political-issue-what-are-the-major-international-agreements-
related-to-climate-change-discuss/)
3)https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/09/29/whats-the-difference-between-
global-warming-and-climate-change-discuss-their-contributions-in-recent-extreme-
events-witnessed-across-the-world/
(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/09/29/whats-the-difference-between-global-
warming-and-climate-change-discuss-their-contributions-in-recent-extreme-events-
witnessed-across-the-world/)
4)https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/05/13/discuss-the-relationship-between-
climate-change-and-energy-security-in-the-context-of-india-explain-the-key-issues-
involved-and-suggest-solutions/
(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/05/13/discuss-the-relationship-between-
climate-change-and-energy-security-in-the-context-of-india-explain-the-key-issues-
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(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/12/12/recent-studies-have-revealed-that-
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(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/06/examine-the-new-challenges-and-
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(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/03/climate-change-actions-should-ensure-
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(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/26/give-an-account-of-current-status-
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renewable-energy-generation-capacity-of-india-elaborate-250-words/)
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of-mega-renewable-energy-projects-in-india/
(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/07/12/assess-social-and-ecological-impacts-of-
mega-renewable-energy-projects-in-india/)
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projects-offer-an-opportunity-for-india-to-meet-its-emission-reduction-targets-
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(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/07/24/what-do-you-understand-by-renewable-
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(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/14/why-the-renewable-energy-sources-
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achieving-the-targets-set-in-this-sector/)
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energy-discuss-the-prospects-of-it-for-india-while-highlighting-the-associated-
concerns/ (https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/07/02/what-do-you-understand-by-
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(https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/05/11/what-are-the-problems-being-faced-by-
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