Carbon debt: An unjust load on Global South
Business Standard|November 06, 2024
On the recommendation of Ed Conway, the author of the deservingly highly acclaimed book, The Material World, I purchased More and More and More: An all-consuming history of energy by Jean-Baptiste Fressoz.
V ANANTHA NAGESWARAN

On the recommendation of Ed Conway, the author of the deservingly highly acclaimed book, The Material World, I purchased More and More and More: An all-consuming history of energy by Jean-Baptiste Fressoz. At some level, it can be thought of as a book that provides the conceptual framework for The Material World, or as a sequel to, or an extension of, it.

Does the book provide an answer to the problem of de-carbonisation? No. Does that make the book useless? No. The negative responses to both questions attest to the book's honesty. The book aims to show that the concept of energy transition is fundamentally flawed because there is no sequential replacement of one energy source with another. Energy sources are symbiotic, and there are also rebound effects. It is not as though coal replaced wood to be replaced by oil and gas, and then in the future by renewable energy. It has never worked that way, and it is unlikely to work that way. According to the author, "the United States burns twice as much wood as it did in the Sixties and Europe three times as much as it did at the beginning of the twentieth century."

As the author writes, the belief that future innovations would bail us out is simply an exercise in procrastination. It prevents us from "basing climate policy on existing, available and cheap technologies, on the relevance of their use and the fair and efficient distribution of CO2 emissions." We take up the fairness and innovation arguments for further examination.

Bu hikaye Business Standard dergisinin November 06, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Business Standard dergisinin November 06, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

BUSINESS STANDARD DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Technology changes BFSI sector
Business Standard

Technology changes BFSI sector

Firms in the industry are undergoing a major digital transformation, with technologies - Cloud, Al, GenAI, RPA, and blockchain - leading the way, says a Business Standard-Everest Group report

time-read
7 dak  |
November 06, 2024
Making sense of India's real estate boom
Business Standard

Making sense of India's real estate boom

Growth drivers in real estate include urbanisation, disposable incomes, and demand for residential, commercial, and logistics spaces, according to a Business Standard-Knight Frank report

time-read
8 dak  |
November 06, 2024
Business Standard

THE BIGGEST BFSI SUMMIT IS EVEN BIGGER NOW

The largest financial sector event in the country - the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit - is back this year in a bigger form.

time-read
3 dak  |
November 06, 2024
Shares of Adani Ports anchor at 5-month low
Business Standard

Shares of Adani Ports anchor at 5-month low

Down 5% in two days after business update for October

time-read
2 dak  |
November 06, 2024
Business Standard

Markets rebound as investors cast wide net for value

In-demand financial stocks drive the rally

time-read
2 dak  |
November 06, 2024
Business Standard

Global mkt: Stocks, Treasury yields gain as US votes

World stocks rose and Treasury yields rebounded on Tuesday while an index of market volatility retreated, as markets awaited early indications of the outcome of a knife-edge US election, with only currency markets showing some jitters.

time-read
1 min  |
November 06, 2024
Business Standard

Upper-teens EPS growth likely for Gland Pharma in next two financial yrs

Gland Pharma's Q2FY25 results beat muted expectations, with upper-teens EPS growth projected over the next two financial years despite a slowdown in US sales and temporary issues at its Cenexi subsidiary.

time-read
2 dak  |
November 06, 2024
Sagility India IPO booked 22% on Day 1
Business Standard

Sagility India IPO booked 22% on Day 1

The initial public offering (IPO) of Sagility India Ltd, a technology-enabled services provider in the health care space, received 22 per cent subscription on the first day of bidding on Tuesday.

time-read
1 min  |
November 06, 2024
Record FPI exodus throws a shadow on stock markets
Business Standard

Record FPI exodus throws a shadow on stock markets

Foreign investors are souring on India's stock market, selling a record amount of shares amid signs the South Asian nation's post-pandemic economic boom is losing steam.

time-read
1 min  |
November 06, 2024
Govt may divest 2.5% in HZL through OFS
Business Standard

Govt may divest 2.5% in HZL through OFS

The Centre is planning to sell 2.5 per cent of the total share capital of Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) through an offer for sale (OFS) on Wednesday and Thursday for ₹505 per share.

time-read
1 min  |
November 06, 2024