Articles & Op-Eds

The year 2023 has witnessed significant upheavals in the Himalayas. The Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Sikkim that swept away humans, houses, bridges and a dam was the latest in a series of unsettling reports throughout the year. First came the sinking of Joshimath but it was soon overshadowed [...]

In a world marked by the rivalries of great powers and the urgent need for collaborative action, the G20 has become a stage where realpolitik unfolds in real time. And yet, this forum—which accounts for 85 per cent of global GDP, 75 per cent of trade and an overwhelming majority [...]

Cities get flooded by heavy rain mostly because authorities don’t do a few simple things. Delhi’s plight last weekend was thanks to the state government rejecting a drainage plan from IIT. As deluges subside and our cities revert to normal chaus, we ask ourselves how we got here. Like in [...]

El Nino is likely affecting rains. From colonial times, this weather phenomenon has strongly shaped India’s political-economy. How it will impact 2023-24’s many elections will depend on govt response: As forecasts from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the US and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) signal the arrival [...]

Chandra Bhushan’s Radio Show with All India Radio (AIR) on Green Growth and Green Jobs.

We shouldn’t panic about summer extremes, because there are well-understood solutions. The trick is to implement them smartly Dear Sir, I write to you from Lucknow, hoping you could answer some of my questions. 1. Are we inevitably headed towards an unlivable India due to heatwaves? 2. Do you believe [...]

It’s them or us, not all of us: Ukraine war showed rich countries can find money for diversifying their own energy supply but not for global climate finance. It also showed how fossil fuel companies exploited governments’ energy security concerns   The war in Ukraine has killed thousands, displaced millions [...]

Joshimath is a symptom, the disease is the uncontrolled growth model. What is unfolding in Joshimath is a tragedy. But this tragedy is not due to climate change; climate change-linked extreme events may have exacerbated the situation, but the sinking of Joshimath is our doing. The fact is this disaster [...]

Coal-rich states in the country can take a cue from Odisha’s new renewable energy policy, which is geared to ensure a just energy transition for the state. By Nikunja B Dhal and Chandra Bhushan Odisha has been playing a central role in meeting the country’s growing energy needs. The state [...]

This article originally appeared in Manorma Malyalam

Two changes: accepting that biggest polluters will pay poor nations & pressure on China, India to contribute The 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which wrapped up in the early hours of Sunday at the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, set [...]

Even a good policy with the best intentions can have unintended and adverse consequences. The Freight Equalization Scheme (FES) was one such policy meant to promote balanced industrial development throughout the country but ended up impeding the industrialisation of the mineral-rich eastern states. From 1956, consumers across the country got [...]