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Arunabha Ghosh

Articles by Arunabha Ghosh

The key to achieving sustainable growth

A string of crises is going to impact poor people disproportionately. To fix this, focus on solving three market failures and three political ones

A flooded area of Malappuram district, Kerala, 2019 (AP)

opinion

Updated on Apr 12, 2023 07:38 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Balance energy needs with climate action

Focus on channelling greater finance at lower costs, building resilience, securing clean sources of energy, and bringing this transition closer to people. As G20 president, India is uniquely placed to do this

The largest polluters and economies have a responsibility — not just because of the actions of the past but also for what we build in the future. (Shutterstock)

opinion

Published on Mar 22, 2023 01:12 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Without rules, green industrial policy will see trade wars

India’s sustainable industrial future depends on applying rules for all, rather than a free for all dash to tech monopolies.

IMF managing director, Kristalina Georgieva noted that the EU or US plans would not work for emerging economies, “unless technology transfer is part of [their] plans”. (Reuters)

opinion

Updated on Feb 14, 2023 07:31 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

For India’s G20 presidency, three priorities, five pillars

As the world’s fastest growing major economy, with the intention of being the voice of the Global South, India is well positioned to leverage its G20 presidency to demonstrate that a different pathway is possible.

The G20 can be a wish list, but India’s presidency can grant a few key wishes. (PTI)

opinion

Updated on Dec 06, 2022 06:40 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

The five games in the fight for climate justice

With inequity widening among the developed and developing world, equitable action through partnerships remains elusive. Fix this now

Climate action can happen by creating finance and tech partnerships sector by sector. But the principle of climate justice matters. Whoever games the rules, wins the game. At COP27, the rules of engagement must change. (Shutterstock)

opinion

Published on Nov 06, 2022 07:27 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Mission LiFE hopes to restore our planet

LiFE can evolve as both mission and a moveme-nt. India needs to promo-te cooperation to battle the planetary crises and create global solidarity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has envisioned LiFE as a mission that makes everyone a ‘trustee of the environment’. United Nations Secretary General António Guterres sees a sense of agency in this approach (AFP)

opinion

Updated on Oct 27, 2022 11:35 AM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

A robust plan to tackle heightened heat stress

Heat stress in India is no longer a surprise, which is why it demands an all-hands-on-deck response

Humidity, scant rain, and high temperatures have pushed up discomfort levels, making the lives of those without cooling facilities tougher. 2022 forewarns us about more difficult times ahead. Prepare for worse. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

opinion

Updated on Jul 20, 2022 08:50 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

A fellowship between people and the planet

The past decade yielded several commitments toward sustainability. Yet, the share of renewables barely budged. Biodiversity loss continues. Land degradation persists. Why?

We have collectively failed to bridge the here and now and a future that is also already here. (AP)

opinion

Published on May 03, 2022 08:01 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

A plan for India’s Energy Vision 2047

India’s primary energy demand will more than double by 2047. Fulfilling it will need telescopic vision, attention to challenges, and a spider web to weave together technologies, finance and institutions

Energy geopolitics will change. From current worries about rising oil prices due to supply constraints, attention will shift to new energy sources and growing centres of demand(ANI)

opinion

Updated on Mar 14, 2022 11:20 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

A people-centric agenda for clean air

Set more aggressive targets; act on available information on polluters; expand focus to rural areas; build institutions to operate across an airshed; and make air quality a poll agenda

Demand for clean air will grow when citizens experience a palpable change in quality of life. (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

opinion

Updated on Dec 21, 2021 08:17 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh and Tanushree Ganguly

COP26: A tale of five stories

The Glasgow climate meet was marked by a hard push for the interests of rich countries, soft wording for those of vulnerable countries

Delegates talk during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, November 13, 2021 (REUTERS)

opinion

Updated on Nov 17, 2021 01:23 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

COP26: Play both the good and bad cop

India is a climate leader that delivers and can ramp up its ambitions. But it must also point to the utter hypocrisy of the developed world

Rather than wordsmithing language only negotiators understand, their political masters must send a different memo: Invest in the building blocks of collective action, namely ambition, action, financial contributions, technology collaborations, insurance cushions, and development orientation. If the trust equation is undermined, there is little hope that the integrity of the carbon equation will be maintained. (AP)

opinion

Updated on Oct 13, 2021 04:44 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Next month, air pollution will be back

Authorities must take pre-emptive action, help farmers tackle farm fires and support the poor with cleaner fuel. Citizens have a right to breathe

The past year has been a stark reminder about the links between environment, health and prosperity. Climate action — cleaner power, industries and transport — will greatly help with air quality. (HT archive)

opinion

Updated on Sep 13, 2021 06:04 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Climate crisis: No one will be spared

The biggest lesson from the IPCC report is that the distant is here, the future is now, and the time to act was yesterday

Representational Image. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

opinion

Updated on Aug 11, 2021 01:26 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

The potential of India’s circular economy

Tech innovation, finance, policy and behavioural change can create markets where none existed. Leverage it

Responsibility requires that, by understanding the impact of our choices, we reduce our footprint. Recognising business opportunities could drive efforts that go beyond individual action towards wealth creation from recycling. (Representational image/REUTERS)

opinion

Updated on Jul 13, 2021 05:39 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

On climate, our hubris is the problem

Unless we move beyond techno-centrism, discuss a fair development deal, and change lifestyles, summits won’t yield outcomes

opinion

Updated on Jun 14, 2021 03:37 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Climate crisis: Be the Indian elephant

Like the virus, the climate crisis doesn’t recognise borders, occurs in waves, and affects some more than others. Draw up a plan

Representational Image. (Vipin Kumar /HT photo)

opinion

Updated on May 10, 2021 06:47 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Imagining a climate-resilient economy

Should India commit to eliminating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by a certain date in future (net zero)? This is an important but a partial question

environment

Updated on Apr 15, 2021 07:02 AM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Save the Himalayan river systems

They are under stress. It’s time to devise a new development pathway and decentralise water governance in the region

The Himalayas-Hindu Kush region (known as the Third Pole because of the amount of water stored as ice) is home to 10 major river systems (SHUTTERSTOCK)

opinion

Published on Mar 17, 2021 08:54 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Aligning growth, politics and climate

India continues to witness the wanton destruction of biodiversity and fragile ecosystems from ill-planned and poorly executed infrastructure projects.Crises, external pressure, economics, and internal disasters are converging. India must step up

For systemic change to be environmentally and politically sustainable, the interests of the elite and the climate-vulnerable must converge. (REUTERS)

opinion

Updated on Feb 16, 2021 06:30 AM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Commit to a decade of climate resilience

India’s vulnerability to climate risks, growing experience with handling disasters, and new initiatives to strengthen infrastructure position it at the forefront for an adaptation action agenda

Every year, floods and droughts affect 97.5 million and 140 million people, respectively (UDAY DEOLEKAR)

opinion

Published on Jan 12, 2021 07:58 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

A manifesto for the climate summit

Summits serve three purposes. High-level participation allows leaders to negotiate knotty issues, building on personal rapport and the promise of grand bargains. Alternatively, leaders could set a new agenda, drawing others to their cause

If we could earn cents for every climate speech made, we would all be rich and resilient by now(AFP)

analysis

Updated on Dec 11, 2020 07:45 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Environment Day: Create a new social contract

Build local capacity and resilience against risks; boost a low-carbon economy for jobs, growth and sustainability

With $13 billion in estimated damage, the costliest cyclone in the northern Indian Ocean (Amphan) underscores why the tail risks of today could become the norm tomorrow(PTI)

columns

Updated on Jun 04, 2020 06:47 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

In a slowing economy, the quest for sustainability

India needs a new consensus on its energy and economic transition for a sustainable future. Time is running out

Clean tech developers must find niches in the economy that will drive growth(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

columns

Published on Feb 23, 2020 10:32 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

It’s time for a democratic demand for clean air

Air pollution affects our health (there were 1.24 million related deaths in 2017) as well as economic growth. Using a 2013 World Bank estimate that the health cost of air pollution is 3% of the GDP, this amounts up to $80 billion as of 2018.

Last Thursday, Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, which is currently in session, debated air pollution.(Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

india news

Updated on Nov 26, 2019 04:30 PM IST

New Delhi | ByArunabha Ghosh

The missing link in the climate battle

Distinction between climate mitigation and adaptation are passe. Both are crucial to growth

Vulnerability is exposure to physical harm from climate stresses and the financial consequences of not having a safety net(Santosh Kumar / Hindustan Times)

columns

Published on Oct 27, 2019 10:53 PM IST

New Delhi | ByArunabha Ghosh

The stepchild of the Rio Earth Summit may finally get its due

Desertification ended ancient civilisations. The world is facing the same threat. The Delhi meet offers a plan

'Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Greater Noida, September 9, 2019(AFP)

columns

Updated on Oct 13, 2019 07:18 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

India’s energy transition is now the world’s energy transition

This unfolding revolution is, however, hemmed in by legacy issues and overconfidence with short-term policy successes.

Residents of Dheeraj Dreams complex installed solar panel at Bhandup, Mumbai, April 14(Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

columns

Published on Jul 16, 2019 06:46 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

Our cities need sustainable mobility

We must see the growth of electric vehicles as an opportunity to create more liveable cities

Growth in EVs in India is not just a question of pushing one technology over another(Pradeep Gaur/ Mint)

columns

Updated on May 21, 2019 12:22 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh and Karthik Ganesan

Systemic transformation in agriculture must put the farmer at the centre

Farming must become sustainable since agriculturists are struggling to build resilience against many threats

Decades of intensive agriculture has added to water stress and declining soil health(PTI)

columns

Updated on Apr 02, 2019 08:36 PM IST

ByArunabha Ghosh

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Arunabha Ghosh

A string of crises is going to impact poor people disproportionately. To fix this, focus on solving three market failures and three political ones

Focus on channelling greater finance at lower costs, building resilience, securing clean sources of energy, and bringing this transition closer to people. As G20 president, India is uniquely placed to do this

India’s sustainable industrial future depends on applying rules for all, rather than a free for all dash to tech monopolies.

As the world’s fastest growing major economy, with the intention of being the voice of the Global South, India is well positioned to leverage its G20 presidency to demonstrate that a different pathway is possible.

With inequity widening among the developed and developing world, equitable action through partnerships remains elusive. Fix this now

LiFE can evolve as both mission and a moveme-nt. India needs to promo-te cooperation to battle the planetary crises and create global solidarity

Heat stress in India is no longer a surprise, which is why it demands an all-hands-on-deck response

The past decade yielded several commitments toward sustainability. Yet, the share of renewables barely budged. Biodiversity loss continues. Land degradation persists. Why?

India’s primary energy demand will more than double by 2047. Fulfilling it will need telescopic vision, attention to challenges, and a spider web to weave together technologies, finance and institutions

Set more aggressive targets; act on available information on polluters; expand focus to rural areas; build institutions to operate across an airshed; and make air quality a poll agenda

The Glasgow climate meet was marked by a hard push for the interests of rich countries, soft wording for those of vulnerable countries

India is a climate leader that delivers and can ramp up its ambitions. But it must also point to the utter hypocrisy of the developed world

Authorities must take pre-emptive action, help farmers tackle farm fires and support the poor with cleaner fuel. Citizens have a right to breathe

The biggest lesson from the IPCC report is that the distant is here, the future is now, and the time to act was yesterday

Tech innovation, finance, policy and behavioural change can create markets where none existed. Leverage it

Unless we move beyond techno-centrism, discuss a fair development deal, and change lifestyles, summits won’t yield outcomes

Like the virus, the climate crisis doesn’t recognise borders, occurs in waves, and affects some more than others. Draw up a plan

Should India commit to eliminating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by a certain date in future (net zero)? This is an important but a partial question

They are under stress. It’s time to devise a new development pathway and decentralise water governance in the region

India continues to witness the wanton destruction of biodiversity and fragile ecosystems from ill-planned and poorly executed infrastructure projects.Crises, external pressure, economics, and internal disasters are converging. India must step up

India’s vulnerability to climate risks, growing experience with handling disasters, and new initiatives to strengthen infrastructure position it at the forefront for an adaptation action agenda

Summits serve three purposes. High-level participation allows leaders to negotiate knotty issues, building on personal rapport and the promise of grand bargains. Alternatively, leaders could set a new agenda, drawing others to their cause

Build local capacity and resilience against risks; boost a low-carbon economy for jobs, growth and sustainability

India needs a new consensus on its energy and economic transition for a sustainable future. Time is running out

Air pollution affects our health (there were 1.24 million related deaths in 2017) as well as economic growth. Using a 2013 World Bank estimate that the health cost of air pollution is 3% of the GDP, this amounts up to $80 billion as of 2018.

Distinction between climate mitigation and adaptation are passe. Both are crucial to growth

Desertification ended ancient civilisations. The world is facing the same threat. The Delhi meet offers a plan

This unfolding revolution is, however, hemmed in by legacy issues and overconfidence with short-term policy successes.

We must see the growth of electric vehicles as an opportunity to create more liveable cities

Farming must become sustainable since agriculturists are struggling to build resilience against many threats

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