India's GDP is about the same size as the UK; if not bigger by now. They have a space program, they are a nuclear power, they have a lot of industry and healthy economic growth. They could step up and be better than their former colonizers rather than just bigger economically. Certainly, they should start leading and stop following. If they can invest in nuclear and going to space, they can invest in clean energy tech. It all boils down to choices and priorities.
India will be ground zero for a lot of global warming related misery. Sure, it's our problem but mainly their problem. Let's face it: it will be them shoveling corpses into mass graves when this goes wrong. We'll send help and best wishes and maybe some financial support. Sure. But they should be the biggest activist for tackling the issues related to that. But that's incompatible with their short term agenda of growing at all cost. So, they are not and are acting like they are in denial.
Coal is only cheaper if you consider Indian lives to be worthless. Wet heat bulb events and smog are going to be a likely combination. Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and other large cities all over India are going to have to deal with that. Potentially very soon and very regularly. That's going to be costly and disruptive. Who's accounting for that cost? India? Coal plant operators? Anyone? IMHO as soon as wet bulb heat events become a regular thing in India, they'll be shutting down coal plants in a hurry. Accounting for that now would make building new ones super expensive. The math does not add up if you only get to operate a plant for ten years or so. So they don't. The smart thing would be to adjust plans now and take into account future events.
India will be ground zero for a lot of global warming related misery. Sure, it's our problem but mainly their problem. Let's face it: it will be them shoveling corpses into mass graves when this goes wrong. We'll send help and best wishes and maybe some financial support. Sure. But they should be the biggest activist for tackling the issues related to that. But that's incompatible with their short term agenda of growing at all cost. So, they are not and are acting like they are in denial.
Coal is only cheaper if you consider Indian lives to be worthless. Wet heat bulb events and smog are going to be a likely combination. Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and other large cities all over India are going to have to deal with that. Potentially very soon and very regularly. That's going to be costly and disruptive. Who's accounting for that cost? India? Coal plant operators? Anyone? IMHO as soon as wet bulb heat events become a regular thing in India, they'll be shutting down coal plants in a hurry. Accounting for that now would make building new ones super expensive. The math does not add up if you only get to operate a plant for ten years or so. So they don't. The smart thing would be to adjust plans now and take into account future events.