The rise in temperature, high rainfall variability, and increased frequency of extreme events in recent decades are all evidence of climate change. In India, these trends are projected to worsen—temperature likely to increase by 4°C, frequent heat waves to persist over longer durations, heavy rainfall events to get more frequent, dry spells to extend, and the sea level to increase by about 3 metres by the end of the century.
 

A monthly newsletter featuring CSTEP commentary, publications, events, and other developments.

A monthly newsletter featuring CSTEP commentary, publications, events, and other developments.

A monthly newsletter featuring CSTEP commentary, publications, events, and other developments.

The Southern Region (SR) leads renewable energy (RE) deployment in India, having an installed capacity of about 43 GW as of December 2020. Recognising the immense RE potential of this region, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, has set an ambitious RE target of 59 GW for SR by 2022. However, the implications of injecting this additional power into the grid have to be understood. Because of the intermittent nature of renewables-based power, grid integration of RE has distinct technical implications.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are all set to play a critical role in India’s transition to a green economy. However, there are speed bumps along the road, especially with regard to manufacturing. The domestic EV manufacturing industry relies heavily on the import of a key supply-chain component—the traction motor—that houses permanent magnets made of rare-earth elements (REEs).

The near-death blow dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic to global economies notwithstanding, e-commerce companies have not just thrived but have witnessed a much higher growth rate. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, e-commerce companies registered a growth of 31 per cent in the third quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The consequent increase in demand for e-commerce deliveries has had an impact on the environment in urban areas and will inevitably lead to rise in emissions and air pollution.