The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has confirmed that 2023 is going to be the warmest year on record. By the end of October, the Earth was already 1.4 degrees Celsius (°C) warmer than pre-industrial levels (1850-1900) for the same period. This has happened because of the combined impact of global warming and the ongoing El Nino conditions.
This was part of the provisional State of the Global Climate in 2023 report released by WMO at the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The warming in 2023 has also brought with it many extreme weather events and other impacts such as record low sea ice extent in Antarctica. The extreme weather events have included devastating floods such as those in Libya in September which killed almost 4,000 people (official figures) and tropical cyclones such as Freddy in March
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India’s steel demand to touch 190 MT-mark in 2030
India’s steel demand is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7 per cent to touch 190 Million Tonne (MT) level by 2030, according to a report by SteelMint India. The demand will be largely fuelled by construction and infrastructure sectors, which contribute 60-65 per cent to the demand, the market research firm said.
In 2030, India’s steel demand is projected to reach 190 MT based on a 7 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR). “In the best-case scenario, it can also reach 230 MT by 2030,” the report titled ‘India’s Steel and Coking Coal Demand 2030’ stated. The demand will also be pushed by sectors like auto and engineering, and factors like population growth, growing urbanisation, various government initiatives will be its key drivers.
The demand is expected to touch 120 MT mark by 2023-end, and production will be at 136 MT, as per the report. India’s crude steel production is expected to be at 210 MT by 2030, 45 per cent higher from production levels of 2023. Many countries, including China, will show a fall in steel production as compared to their current production levels, the report said. On raw material demand scenario, SteelMint said.
India’s steel production growth via the Blast Oxygen Furnace (BOF) route, aiming for 140 MT of hot metal output in 2030, will require 116 MT of metallurgical coal. In times to come, India will emerge as the largest importer of sea-borne met coal, which has a market share of 30 per cent, it said, adding that the country will require around 350 MT of iron ore by 2030.
The year 2030 is significant for the domestic steel industry as the government has set an ambi-tious target to increase India’s installed steel making capacity to 300 MT. With approximately 80 MT of steel production capacity to be added in India by 2030, 66 per cent will be through the Blast Furnace-Basic Oxygen Furnace (BF-BOF) route. Currently, BOF and Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) contribute 46 per cent and 54 per cent, respectively, to the steel production in India.
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Tracking progress on health and Climate Change
Climate change is the greatest global health threat facing the world in the 21st century, but it is also the greatest opportunity to redefine the social and environmental determinants of health. In 2015, countries committed to limit global warming to “well below 20C” as part of the landmark Paris Agreement to limit the harm caused by climate change.
Published annually, the Lancet Countdown is an international, multidisciplinary collaboration, dedicated to monitoring the evolving health profile of climate change, and providing an independent assessment of the delivery of commitments made by governments worldwide under the Paris Agreement.
The Lancet Countdown tracks 47 indicators across five key domains: climate change impacts, exposures, and vulnerability; adaptation, planning, and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement
The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change is a collaboration involving over 114 leading experts including climate scientists, engineers, economists, political scientists, public health professionals, and doctors from 52 leading academic institutions and UN agencies across the world, including the World Health Organisation, World Meteorological Organisation, World Bank, European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and many of the world’s leading academic institutions. The work of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change is supported by the Wellcome Trust.
For further information about the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change, visit,
https://www.thelancet.com/countdown-health-climate/about
Drought-like conditions in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh
The Maharashtra state government on November 9, 2023 declared “drought-like conditions” in 959 revenue circles where the rainfall was 75% below normal. …The 959 revenue circles are located in 178 talukas in the state.
Once a drought is declared, the affected talukas are entitled to relief for crop loss as per the National Disaster Relief Fund norms, which provide compensation of Rs 8,500 per hectare for irrigated land, Rs 17,000 per hectare for irrigated crops and Rs 22,500 per hectare for horticulture crops. Impacted farmers will be entitled to relief in land revenue, restructuring of crops loans, an exemption from the payment of agriculture related loans and a 33.5% discount in the payment of bills of agricultural pumps.
Deficit rainfall creates drought situation in AP
The deficit rainfall during the southwest monsoon in Andhra Pradesh has led to drought situations and severe impact on paddy cultivation. This is a significant concern as AP is known as the rice bowl of India. The directorate of rice development has reported that 14 districts, covering a total of 32.56 hectares of land, are under high productivity for paddy cultivation. However, this year, the situation is different due to the lack of rainfall. Farmers are urging officials to sufficient water to save their crops, and some are resorting to drilling borewells…
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Himachal Pradesh worst-hit this monsoon; Maharashtra and Uttarakhand next
India recorded 544 events of floods and heavy rains during the four-month-long monsoon season this year (June-September). Himachal Pradesh, which witnessed massive rain-triggered devastation, emerged as the worst affected state across the country during the season with 123 extreme weather incidents, followed by Maharashtra with 69 such events. Uttarakhand was a close third, with 68 extreme weather event, according to data collated by India Meteorological Department.
According to IMD, Himachal witnessed three major intense heavy rainfall spells during monsoon….
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Mumbai turns a giant construction site, is adding 5 Nariman Points
The city has turned into a giant, suffocating construction site. The area of ongoing real estate construction activity in Mumbai is about 3.24 crore ft2, equivalent to roughly five times the built-up area of Nariman Point (70-80 lakh ft2), shows the data collected by the research firm Liases Foras……
“The annual incremental in BMC limit of Mumbai has grown 68% since 2022 and 142% from 2021. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region also shows a 36% growth since FY 22 and 98% growth since FY 21” the Liases Foras report says…..
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IIT Madras researchers develop power generation technology that can generate electricity from tidal and wind sources
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have patented a 'Combined Power Generation Technology' technology that can generate electricity from both Tidal and Wind sources. The innovation developed by the researchers is an energy converter system that can generate electricity in coastal areas to reduce electricity demand. The converter system can be deployed depending on the power requirements in the coastal area. This can be deployed as a mobile vehicle for power generation, transmission and storage.
The mechanism developed by the researchers are unique as compared to the current technology and have specialised features such as spring-assisted mechanism, adjustable guider structural support mechanism, main shaft with five converter gear shaft mechanisms, direction converter gear mechanism, floor level adjustable mechanism, and gear coupling mechanism.
This technology consists of five systems that aid in the conversion of wind and tide energy into electrical energy. To transform tide energy into electrical energy, the converter system employs a one-of-a-kind five-gear mechanism…
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How development buried safely in Himalayas
Mega infrastructure development projects in the Himalayas have come under the scanner, thanks to the recent glacial lake outburst in Sikkim that washed away the Teesta III hydropower project. The moot question is whether the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas can bear the brunt of hydropower projects, national highway expansions and railway connectivity initiatives. Experts say no lessons have been learned from the past disasters as no carrying-capacity study of the hills was conducted. Mindful development in the hills is the need of the hour.
India’s Himalayan states and UTs have 430 large hydropower projects. Add to this several new highway and railway projects crisscrossing the hills. But none undergo a disaster-impact assessment or a proper carrying-capacity study despite the fragility of the Himalayan ecosystem. Will the collapse of the Chungthang dam in Sikkim come as a sobering message?...
( Source :- ET Prime: Oct. 23, 2023 , newsletter@etprime.com )
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New Breakthrough in Energy Storage – MIT Engineers Create Supercapacitor out of Ancient Materials
Two of humanity’s most ubiquitous historical materials, cement and carbon black (which resembles very fine charcoal), may form the basis for a novel, low-cost energy storage system, according to a new study. The technology could facilitate the use of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and tidal power by allowing energy networks to remain stable despite fluctuations in renewable energy supply.
The two materials, the researchers found, can be combined with water to make a supercapacitor — an alternative to batteries — that could provide storage of electrical energy. As an example, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers who developed the system say that their supercapacitor could eventually be incorporated into the concrete foundation of a house, where it could store a full day’s worth of energy while adding little (or no) to the cost of the foundation and still providing the needed structural strength. The researchers also envision a concrete roadway that could provide contactless recharging for electric cars as they travel over that road.
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US weather agency predicts chances of 'Super El Nino' next year, what it could mean for India’s monsoon
The Northern hemisphere is likely to witness a "strong" El Nino from March-May 2024 with a 1 in 3 chance that the weather event could be "historically strong" (Super El Nino), according to the latest prediction by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's climate prediction centre…..
In India, El Nino is generally associated with weakening monsoon winds and dry weather, which can lead to reduced rainfall during the monsoon season. Super El Niño can disrupt typical weather patterns in India, leading to unusual and sometimes extreme weather events. These can include heavy rainfall and flooding in some areas and extended dry spells in others
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A new nano material converts 97% of sunlight into heat
Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, (IIT Bombay) have developed a new material that can convert sunlight into heat energy with unprecedented efficiency.
The material, called nanostructured hard-carbon florets (NCFs), is made by depositing carbon onto a substrate of amorphous dendritic fibrous nano silica (DFNS), using a technique called chemical vapour deposition. The resulting material absorbs more than 97 per cent of the ultraviolet, visible and infrared light, and converts this them into thermal energy. The heat produced can be transferred to either air or water for practical applications.
The researchers have demonstrated that hollow copper tubes coated with NCFs can heat the air flown through them to over 346K. They have also demonstrated its ability to convert water into vapour with an efficiency of 186 per cent, the highest ever recorded. NCFs have outperformed all other competition when it comes to efficient conversion of the sun’s energy…..
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EU bloc picture of contradiction as fossil fuel dependence continues despite ambitious climate goals
The 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that is to commence from November 30, 2023 in UAE will be crucial for climate action. Fasttracking energy transition and slashing emissions before 2030 will be the focus of the summit.
The European Union bloc, which claims to be among the most ambitious when it comes to climate change negotiations, are split on the agenda on phasing out all fossil fuels.
Only 10 countries in the group are demanding a total phase out of fossil fuels, according to a recent article in news agency Reuters. These include Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia.
On the other hand, countries like Malta, Slovakia, Italy, Hungary and Czech Republic lean towards phasing out ‘unabated’ fossil fuels and would continue fossil fuel burning in hard-to-abate sectors. This means burning of fossil fuels will be allowed if emission capturing technologies are in place.
Another article by Reuters also highlighted that the bloc is not agreeing over how soon they should phase out fossil fuel subsidies. Some countries proposed a 2025 deadline but others opposed and ultimately approved a “vague deal with no end date”.
There’s a clear lack of consensus among the countries in the bloc. EU’s climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told Argus Media Group in a recent article that they’d like the phase out to be “sooner rather than later”, giving no specific deadline. He also emphasised the need for coalition building with the EU bloc.
The recently approved EU negotiation mandate for COP28 underlined EU’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions, which will enable the bloc to reduce emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
The European Council further stated that other parties in COP28, particularly major economies, should have revisited their NDCs and long-term strategies to include their Net Zero targets. But the bloc failed to provide a deadline for itself when it comes to phasing out fossil fuels.
The story further gets complicated when countries like Germany and France, which are in favour of all fossil fuel phase out, decided to go a step ahead and restart their old coal-fired pow-er plants to meet their energy demands this year. Given these limitations in just setting out the first steps of a clear roadmap, one wonders how the bloc would achieve climate neutrality by 2050.