Warning on warming
The latest IPCC report, while being gloomy, is elusive on some inevitable questions. With the club of emerging markets expanding and the global population booming, it is inevitable that the demand for energy and resources will skyrocket. As per the International Energy Agency (IEA), India’s energy consumption is pegged to double by 2040. While the developments in green energy, including the Indian-led International Solar Alliance, offer some respite, the fact remains that renewables alone may not cater to this massive demand. In order to avoid a difficult trade-off between development and climate change, our leaders need to be pragmatic and kinder to other solutions.
Paul Jom,
Thiruvananthapuram
In the absence of national or international climate policy direction, cities and local communities around the world will have to and have been focusing on solving climate problems on their own, like ‘working to build flood defences, installing water-permeable pavements to better deal with floods and storm water, and improving water storage and use’. We must think globally and act locally.
R. Sivakumar
Chennai
White Paper
Fiscal management is going to be difficult for the Tamil Nadu government as tough measures would make the new government unpopular. It should concentrate on “extravagant expenditures”, incurred by the State. Measures to promote fiscal discipline must not restrict the operational efficiency of the government.
Rameeza. A. Rasheed,
Chennai
