By Vijay Jayaraj Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo recently made headlines with its record-breaking order of Airbus passenger jets. The deal, worth an estimated $50 billion, is the largest single order in Airbus history. While the order for 500 of the A320neo aircraft is a major coup for Airbus, it is being termed a “setback” for… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj As an Indian, I don’t know whether to be more annoyed by Al Gore’s condescension or his hypocrisy when he describes my country as “the world’s third-highest emitter” of carbon dioxide in a tweet congratulating it for pausing investments in coal-fired power plants for five years. As the world’s most populous nation, India’s CO2… Continue Reading
Despite intense news coverage of issues surrounding the U.S. southern border, it is rare to see headlines about the energy policy of Mexico and the rest of Latin America. Nonetheless, much as in other regions, energy is a major concern inextricably tied to economic well-being. Poverty remains pervasive in Mexico and various countries to its… Continue Reading
Ranked 12th in per capita energy consumption in 2021, South Korea uses more than three times the global average. The country’s industrial sector accounts for 40 percent of total energy consumption. Particularly energy-intensive are large industrial cities such as Ulsan and Gwangyang, which is home to what claims to be the world’s largest steel manufacturing… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj Since an earthquake and tsunami severely damaged nuclear reactors at Fukushima, Japan has struggled with powering its economy. While the country’s initial reaction to the 2011 disaster was to abandon a once robust nuclear program, a decade later Japan is not only returning to splitting atoms and but also seeking to burn… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj On May 14, Cyclone Mocha made landfall near Myanmar and Bangladesh. It was not surprising to see many mainstream media blame climate change for it. The pattern has now become common. Every time there is a major cyclonic event, the media fan fear of climate change and argue that human-induced emissions of… Continue Reading
by Vijay Jayaraj Polar bear populations remain healthy in the Arctic irrespective of the once popular images of bears somehow suffering from a warming planet. Nevertheless, native people’s freedoms are being restricted by impractical government policies inspired by an irrational adherence to a doomsday vision. Canada is home to approximately two-thirds of the global polar… Continue Reading
by Vijay Jayaraj India’s unconstrained use of coal for electricity generation is helping 1.4 billion people adapt to intense heat waves that registered 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on thermometers. However, I’ve not seen a single story from the mainstream media highlighting why coal is essential to the comfort – and even survival – of… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj Reports from the mainstream media that climate change will lead to food shortages – along with all manner of other calamities – have it exactly backward. The changing climate of the last couple centuries or so is in fact a big reason why the world is fed better than ever. Warming temperature… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj Nuclear energy offers humanity the safest, most efficient approach to harnessing natural resources for its use. As the densest energy source available, nuclear fuel requires the least amount of material and land for electricity production. This is sufficient reason to support the technology. Yet, some promote it as a means to address… Continue Reading
by Vijay Jayaraj More than half the population of sub-Saharan Africa lives without reliable electricity, hindering the region’s development and economic growth. Even basic services in hospitals are a rarity due to insufficient power supplies. Offers of off-grid wind and solar energy as a solution demonstrate a lack of both a long-term vision and a proper understanding… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj To those who have been misled to believe that a warming planet is dangerous, prepare to have a myth shattered: Data from hundreds of scientific journals across major publishing platforms and policy reports from major governments say cold is responsible for more deaths than hot weather worldwide. Nonetheless, many people find it… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj It is well known that green enthusiasts in government and big business are seeking to divert financing away from the use of fossil fuels in the U.S. and other developed countries. However, the draconian pressures of this movement are now being applied in Vietnam and other members of the Association of Southeast… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj Countries around the world are imposing on agriculture outlandish taxes and restrictions on emissions of greenhouse gases. Farmers are being forced to return to primitive forms of agriculture and even to reduce the numbers of their livestock. These policies have been met with growing opposition over their negative effects on the productivity… Continue Reading
Last October, the U.S. climate envoy John Kerry suggested that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) should abandon some oil blocks that it had put up for auction. However, for the people of the DRC — some of the poorest in the world — this could mean more years of pollution and ill-health from dirty cooking fuels… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj Vietnam of the 21st century is completely different from the war-ravaged country of the last century. An industrial hub, Vietnam now is a major exporter of finished goods and has cities that are thriving with economic activities. The major reason for the economic transformation is the country’s energy sector. However, this is… Continue Reading
by Vijay Jayaraj This week, the UK scrambled to ready its coal plants as wind turbines froze in extremely cold weather. It is no surprise as coal is one of the most reliable, affordable and abundant energy sources in the world. In fact, coal is still the largest contributor to global power generation. Leaders of… Continue Reading
Copyright free pic: Photo by Callum Shaw on Unsplash By Vijay Jayaraj It is easy for anyone to say that they are against fossil fuels. Opposition to coal, oil and natural gas is fashionable and will prompt heads to nod and even hands to applaud in most places. But are people aware of the extent… Continue Reading
by Vijay Jayaraj Countries all over the world are surpassing previous records for production of food crops. This is good news that stands in stark contrast to the apocalyptic picture that the media paints daily in reports on climate and weather. Because food is fundamental to human survival, even a slight increase in its price… Continue Reading
Featured image: Iberian lynx Worldwide, the evidence is that Earth’s 8 million species are doing well. By Vijay Jayaraj As a young graduate student, I was thrilled to have my first hands-on experience in conservation on Portugal’s pristine grassland steppe, a paradise for avian life. It was during this visit that I came to understand… Continue Reading
Cold, which is often accompanied by disease, is a bigger killer than heat By Vijay Jayaraj OPINION: It is not uncommon to witness freezing temperatures in winter in Europe and North America. However dangerous the cold can be in higher latitudes, such weather is even more so where people and infrastructure are ill prepared for… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj At 39 degrees Fahrenheit, India’s capital of Delhi experienced one of the coldest winter nights this year on December 27. The region is home to 32 million people, with millions of them having no access to heating in their homes. Neighboring states recorded below-freezing temperatures. In contrast, nearly all of metro New… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj An Arctic bomb cyclone dropped a sudden chill on the U.S., delivering the coldest Christmas in decades. The nationwide death toll was reported to be more than 60, with at least half of the fatalities in upstate New York. Some of the dead did not have heating. Power outages put millions of… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj Spare a thought for millions who will be living through an uncertain winter due to unaffordable heating prices. The situation is worse this year because of the energy crisis in Europe, where fuel is scarce and expensive. In the U.S., a bomb cyclone that suddenly chilled much of the country sent power… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj The dictionary definition of grinch is a grumpy person who spoils the pleasure of others. For millennials like me who watched a lot of Hollywood movies, the Grinch is a funky-looking green creature who kills Christmas joy. Now we have the environmentally “green” grinches – climate activists and politicians among them –… Continue Reading
