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Securing Renewable Energy in India

How a Think Tank is Tackling India’s Energy Crisis India is the second most populous country in the world with 1.37 billion inhabitants and a population growth rate of 1.58%. By 2030, India is expected to add another 160 million people to the count. Simultaneously, the nation’s economy is growing so rapidly that it recently surpassed China as the world’s fastest growing large economy. To meet the demands of booming business and a growing population, India has turned increasingly towards imported oil, coal, and natural gas. Without a proper energy strategy, this swelling South Asian nation is headed straight for environmental and energy disaster. Load blackouts and shortages are a daily occurrence in India as energy demands skyrocket to meet the needs of industry and the population. Seventy percent of India’s oil is imported and their coal resources are depleting fast. If India hopes to meet these increasing demands, they must tap into their clean and renewable energy potential. Fortunately, the Center for Study of Science, Technology, and Policy (CSTEP) is working to ensure India’s renewable energy future, and to leave no Indian household behind, by conducting evidence-based research to provide suggested solutions to policy makers. CSTEP is an Indian not-for-profit research organisation and one of South Asia’s largest Think Tanks. They are a crucial player in securing wind and solar energy in India. Today, India has installed between 3 and 4 GW of solar and 20 GW of wind power. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has committed to a renewable energy target of 175 GW of renewables by 2022; an ambitious goal that, if achieved, will meet India’s energy needs sustainably, while also creating new job opportunities for the projected 1.6 billion people to inhabit India in 2030. CSTEP continues to provide the Government of India with focused research on […]

Exploring the link between globalisation and stress

A direct relationship exists between stress and globalisation – i.e. transnational corporations and transnational economics – according to a recent study published in the Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities. The study, by an international research team in Thailand and Canada, analysed the relationship between globalisation and stress in a sample group of Thai farm workers. Eight years ago, the Thai government began mapping social protection strategies for various occupational groups including rural agricultural workers. Earlier studies had shown that agricultural workers accounted for the highest percentage of all workers, and that more than 30% of them were in debt. Globalisation, also defined as global capitalism, is a well-known dynamic of the twenty-first century. Its effects on health are complex and depend on a variety of factors, including income distribution and the presence (or absence) of resources to support physical and mental health. In the study, the researchers developed a survey based on the hypothesis that a number of factors – including fewer landowners, increased control of scientific management, and increased integration of local and global markets impacting the prices of agricultural goods – has resulted in stress among Thai rural workers. The survey involved 600 rural workers from different areas of Nakhon Pathom province in central Thailand. All the workers were in transition from an existing production system to a new one. Levels of perceived stress were measured using a test developed by the Department of Mental Health in Thailand. The results showed a direct relationship between transnational corporations or translational economics (an umbrella term that broadly describes the economic clout of multinational companies) and stress. The survey also reported that 75% of the respondents had poor health, with stress appearing to be their most frequent illness. The researchers noted that transnational practices, which are associated with mass […]

Food Ingredients in Cosmetics: Sustainability Implications

London – A wide range of food ingredients are making their way into cosmetic & personal care products. Organic Monitor finds the trend is driven by consumer demand for health & wellness products, however it brings sustainability implications. As shown at the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit Latin America (www.sustainablecosmeticssummit.com/Lamerica), the move towards food ingredients is partly driven by innovation: product developers and formulators are looking to the kitchen table for inspiration. With many consumers associating food ingredients with health benefits, such cosmetic products are usually marketed on these ingredients. The Body Shop has been a frontrunner in this respect, having imagery of agricultural ingredients on product packs and store shelves for decades. A large number of cosmetic products are now marketed on these ingredients. Some raw material firms are developing novel actives from food sources. One example is ReGeniStemT Red Rice, which is derived from Himalayan red rice material. Produced by Lonza, the natural active is marketed as having anti-ageing qualities. The UK company Oat Cosmetics specialises in producing similar actives from oats. Some ingredient companies are using food ingredients as feedstock for new cosmetic materials. DuPont Tate & Lyle was formed as a joint-venture between the chemical company DuPont and the sugar company Tate & Lyle. It uses corn sugar to make the monomer 1,3-propanediol as a petroleum alternative for cosmetic applications. Other companies, such as Colonial Chemicals and Wheatoleo, are using sugar chemistry to create new green surfactants. Food ingredients have had most success with natural cosmetics. Some brands, such as Yes to Inc have developed entire ranges based on a core food ingredient. After its initial success with Yes To Carrots, the Israeli company has developed ranges based on blueberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, cucumbers, grapefruit and coconuts. The late Horst Rachelbacher (founder of Aveda) used to promote his new […]

World Bank updating social policies

The World Bank is in the process of reviewing, updating and strengthening its environmental and social policies that serve to protect vulnerable people and the environment in World Bank investment projects. On July 1, 2015, the Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE) of the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors authorized a third phase of consultations on a revised (second) draft of the proposed Environmental and Social Framework and requested the preparation of an accompanying document to outline certain issues that require further attention. The text of the entire revised framework, as well as the issue summary, was made publicly available today. Consultations will begin immediately. “This revised draft is the result of a robust – in fact, an unprecedented – consultation with World Bank shareholders and stakeholders,” said Hartwig Schafer, World Bank Vice President for Operational Policy and Country Services. “The level of engagement and the caliber of feedback has been excellent, which shows in the revised draft. The proposed Environmental and Social Framework would substantially expand the scope of coverage from our current policy, and would help to ensure that project risk is managed more consistently and effectively.” The proposed framework presents a risk- and impact-based approach to protecting the environment and people, and features a strong emphasis on risk management and achieving sustainable development outcomes over the life of projects; broadened social assessment and management of environmental and social risks; greater clarity of the roles and responsibilities of the World Bank and Borrower; increased harmonization with development partners and recognized good international practices; and renewed and strengthened partnerships with borrowers. “We are well on our way to having ‘leading edge’ environmental and social standards that are clear, stronger and more comprehensive than our current safeguards, and that support our goals of ending poverty and promoting shared prosperity,” said […]

Nestlé’s crisis in India

Nestlé has handled a product safety scare stunningly badly, appearing to have learnt little from its multinational experience over many decades Nestlé has found itself in hot water in India after the local food safety regulators said the company’s instant noodles contained unsafe levels of lead and traces of monosodium glutamate (MSG), contrary to the food’s labelling. Nestlé’s handling of the situation has created a new case study on how not to handle a crisis. First, let’s look at the potential and actual severity of the crisis and the damage. Maggi, Nestlé’s instant noodles brand, has been a household name in India for 30 years. According to market estimates, Maggi contributes more than 20% of the $1.5bn annual sales Nestle has in India. Maggi accounted for 60% of India’s noodle sales last year, according to a Euromonitor report. Maggi ranked among the top five most trusted brands last year in a survey-based ranking issued by India’s leading business newspaper the Economic Times. Nestle introduced instant noodles to India, where noodles were not previously part of the culinary culture and instant food was not common. An aggressive advertising campaign with a catchline of “two-minute noodles” proved so effective that Maggi became the breakfast of choice for parents struggling to get their children ready for school in the morning. The advertised idea of a delicious and nutritional meal that could be cooked in just two minutes appealed to millions. Maggi became a preferred snack for children, singletons and working couples. In more recent years, hundreds of thousands of Maggi stalls have opened across the country making it a popular street food. First signs of trouble ignored The first sign of trouble emerged on 30 April this year when the local food safety regulator in Lucknow, the capital of the most populous state […]

Championing “Innovation for Inclusive Development” in Southeast Asia

Philippines- Are you working on innovations to address poverty? Are you engaging grassroots communities, especially the poor and marginalised? Are you an expert on social innovation, community engagement, social change management or institutional innovation? If yes, then share your knowledge and expertise as teaching and learning packages, and reach a wider network of social innovators and grassroots communities. The Universities and Councils Network on Innovation for Inclusive Development in Southeast Asia (UNIID-SEA) – in cooperation with the ASEAN University Network (AUN) – is launching a new grants program that aims to recognise and connect “Innovation for Inclusive Development” (IID) advocates in the region. The IID Fellows Program will facilitate the development and sharing of teaching and learning packages on topics that help people understand and practice IID. In line with the integration agenda of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), this pioneering small grants program helps to reduce the internal development gap among its members by facilitating the sharing of knowledge and innovations that address common development issues in the region. The program supports the collaborative efforts of UNIID-SEA and the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs, through its Office of ASEAN Affairs, to push for the integration of inclusive development in the ASEAN agenda. What is innovation for inclusive development? “Inclusive innovation” and “inclusive development” are new buzzwords in the political and development arenas. As the United Nations, key donor agencies and governments promote more inclusive and sustainable development, current discussions and initiatives are looking into new technologies and ways of doing things that take into account not just strategic but also interdisciplinary innovation to address social needs, especially of the poor and disadvantaged. Inclusive innovation is at the heart of innovation for inclusive development, which is broadly defined as “innovation that aims to reduce poverty, and enables as […]

Commuter families: Analysis from Malaysia

Commuter families normally consist of dual-career marriages that choose to establish separate homes to fulfill their career commitments. Around the world, the numbers of dual-income, dual-household families is on the rise, fuelled by such reasons as the desire of spouses to improve their lifestyle, obtain a higher family income, or pursue better opportunities for career advancement. However, in Malaysia, the most common reason (44.4%) that married couples adopt a “commuter family” lifestyle is that they are required to by their employers, according to a recent study published in the Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. Conducted by researchers at the Universiti Putra Malaysia, this study is the first in Malaysia to investigate the challenges faced by long-distance commuters and their families. The study involved families based in Klang Valley that had one spouse working outside this region. Commuter families normally consist of dual-career marriages that choose to establish separate homes to fulfil their career commitments. However, life for these families can be challenging and difficult to manage due to such factors as the time spent travelling back and forth every week, increased expenditures and financial cost, as well as changes in the relationship dynamics with spouses, family and friends. According to the study, among commuter families, more men than women (60.2% versus 39.8%) work away from home in Malaysia. However, no gender differences were observed in terms of how commuting impacts personal wellbeing. Overall, the study found that most respondents have a negative perception of their commuting lifestyle (80.6% of males versus 96.5% of females). “This may be because the majority of these commuters not only did not choose to work away from home and their families, but also they did not receive any financial incentive or stipend to cover commuting expenses such as accommodation, transport or food while […]

The four global forces breaking all the trends

This article is an edited extraction from No Ordinary Disruption: The Four Global Forces Breaking All the Trends to be be published on May 12 by Public Affairs. -McKinsey. In the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, one new force changed everything. Today our world is undergoing an even more dramatic transition due to the confluence of four fundamental disruptive forces—any of which would rank among the greatest changes the global economy has ever seen. Compared with the Industrial Revolution, we estimate that this change is happening ten times faster and at 300 times the scale, or roughly 3,000 times the impact. Although we all know that these disruptions are happening, most of us fail to comprehend their full magnitude and the second- and third-order effects that will result. Much as waves can amplify one another, these trends are gaining strength, magnitude, and influence as they interact with, coincide with, and feed upon one another. [sam id=”1″ codes=”true”] [sam_block id=”1″] Together, these four fundamental disruptive trends are producing monumental change. 1. Beyond Shanghai: The Age of Urbanisation The first trend is the shifting of the locus of economic activity and dynamism to emerging markets like China and to cities within those markets. These emerging markets are going through simultaneous industrial and urban revolutions, shifting the center of the world economy east and south at a speed never before witnessed. As recently as 2000, 95 percent of the Fortune Global 500—the world’s largest international companies including Airbus, IBM, Nestlé, Shell, and The Coca-Cola Company, to name a few—were headquartered in developed economies. By 2025, when China will be home to more large companies than either the United States or Europe, we expect nearly half of the world’s large companies—defined as those with revenue of $1 billion or […]

Productivity across all sectors

Over the last couple of years I have been receiving information from Wal Mart workers in the USA about their conditions and terms of employment and salary. They have a very intensive campaign which continues their push for improved wages so they have a fair deal and can afford to pay their bills. So my ears pricked up here – naturally enough – when the plight of the takeaway workers became apparent with their employers over zero-hour contracts. At this time, let’s give some credit for the role of the trade unions doing the right thing by the above mentioned workers. Trade unions support workers, they want to see people getting a fair go and being able to feed their children and not left at the bottom of the pecking order. Trade unions are a compass to show the direction to better things. And even if you are not a member of a union you can still applaud their pro-activity for attempting to make life better for others. If we measure the take away worker on a low income as against, say, a tradesman the salary is miles apart. The take away worker is still productive, however, and through their efforts allows their employer to add to the nation’s GDP. Maybe less skilled but still a valued member of society, of a community and contributing in domestic and business environments. New Zealand is a high tech country. However, not all of our citizens are into hi-tech working at Fisher & Paykel or the Reserve Bank. We are all, though, the sum of parts that make up this country and contribute to our going forward. All countries are categorised as having blue and white collar workers. The colour of your collar is not what makes you a better person, is it? […]

Mapping Singapore’s urban heat island phenomenon

Researchers in Singapore are developing a microclimatic modelling tool to prevent further deterioration of the country’s urban heat island phenomenon. Mapping elements like wind flow patterns helps planners build better cities. Copyright: Chensiyuan An urban heat island (UHI) is an urban area that is warmer than the surrounding rural areas due to human economic development. A UHI is also characterised by increased air pollution and decreased relative humidity. In Singapore, where dense urban structures result in the UHI phenomenon, rapid population growth and the expansion of city development are expected to further worsen the quality of urban life. Led by Dr Poh Hee Joo, researchers at the A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) Institute of High Performance Computing are developing an urban microclimatic modelling tool specifically designed for Singapore’s urban landscapes to help city developers draw up UHI countermeasures. The tool provides mapping data for temperature, wind, solar irradiation and shading. It aims to hinder any further rises in temperature and ambient noise, thus improving the liveability of Singapore. “Our multi-physics urban microclimatic modelling tool is considered a pioneer work in the building and urban physics research field. It has great potential for breakthrough and innovation,” says Dr Poh Hee Joo. Three steps were involved in the development of the microclimatic modelling tool. First, the team used computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a fluid flow analysis and simulation method, to produce an urban wind flow and temperature map. Second, they produced a solar irradiance and shading map with daylight simulation. The team then combined the two maps to obtain more accurate urban microclimatic information. As a result, the new tool is capable of providing numeric values to Singapore’s urban microclimatic data. It can also produce high resolution and accurate wind and thermal distribution predictions to an actual urban built-up district, using […]

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