
Asia Pacific May 26, 2022
As heat cuts power in India's 'coal capital,' locals seek fair energy share
Jharkhand locals say the lack of power is unfair on their state, whose coal reserves light up big cities and power the nation's industries.
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Jharkhand locals say the lack of power is unfair on their state, whose coal reserves light up big cities and power the nation's industries.
Located on the Arabian Sea, a particularly fast-warming part of the Indian Ocean, Mumbai has experienced unseasonal rains, cyclones and extreme heat in the past five years.
The plan for a socially fair shift away from coal in areas where mines have been shut will include alternative jobs and efforts to protect basic services from the effects.
Climate campaigners said the project contradicts Japan's commitment, made with other wealthy G7 nations last May, to end funding for "unabated" coal power overseas by the end of 2021.
Investing in green technology can help economies recover, but governments are spending more on carbon-heavy industries to spur growth lost during lockdowns.
With a dense population of 1.3 billion, India is vulnerable to human-animal conflict as people encroach on wildlife habitats.
Tens of thousands of Indians are facing the triple burden of bereavement, joblessness and debt after a brutal second wave of COVID-19.
India began vaccinating front-line workers and over 60s against COVID-19 in January but hit a hurdle in May when all adults became eligible for a jab, amid major supply shortages.
India is a major producer of COVID-19 vaccines, but by Monday it had fully vaccinated only 34.8 million people — about 2.5% of the population, government data shows.
The pandemic crisis has forced both authorities and local people to rethink sanitation and public health issues.