Opinion
Price petro-products on trade-parity basis?
21 Feb 2006 |
| The Economic Times
The inability of oil marketing companies (OMCs) to pass on the burden of increasing international oil prices to domestic consumers has resulted in their profit levels eroding from nearly Rs 11,000 crore in 2003-04 to a negative of nearly Rs 3,000 crore in the first nine months of 2005-06.
Quicksand ahead
09 Feb 2006 |
| DNA
President George W Bush's State of the Union address surprised observers across the world for its reference to the US "addiction" to oil and his appeal to reduce drastically that country's dependence on oil imports. Other leaders round the world have been encouraged by this apparent shift in position by an administration whose energy policy appeared to be based solely on opening up virgin and ecologically precious areas of land in the US for oil exploration. The US has indeed been addicted to oil, and the love affair of that society with the automobile is the reality, which prompted Bush to say that the American way of life is not up for negotiation, when he summarily rejected the Kyoto Protocol.
Market-based approach has to be part of the strategy
06 Feb 2006 |
Dr Syamal Kumar Sarkar
| The Financial Express
Energy efficiency, in a holistic sense, covers all steps for efficient use of energy resources, resulting in reduced need for production of energy, and thus, enhancing energy security. Energy (namely, electricity, coal, oil and gas) is consumed in various sectors such as industry, power,transport, domestic, etc. Naturally, any energy efficiency policy option will have to deal with all these sectors.
Promote, do not stifle power trade competition
31 Jan 2006 |
Dr Leena Srivastava
| The Financial Express
In its statement of reasons for fixing the trading margins on electricity trading, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has emphasised the need for protecting the common man against price increases arising from retrograde profiteering. It has also stated that state utilities have welcomed the proposal for fixing trade margins. At the same time, it recognises that units available for trading constitute less than 5% (around 2-3%) of total units sold in the country.
Goals for our times: a world safe for liberal market democracies presupposes a world safer for the poor
30 Jan 2006 |
Mr Nitin Desai
| The Indian Express
A little over five years ago, the world leaders who had assembled at the UN for a Millennium Summit agreed on a Millennium Declaration that was truly an expression of a global social democratic consensus. It covered a lot of ground. Beginning with a statement of shared values, it formulated a set of goals covering a spectrum of issues. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are a part of this commitment. They set down eight broad objectives, the most important of which is the first one of halving absolute poverty by 2015. The other goals relate to universalising primary education, reducing infant/maternal mortality, combating AIDS, malaria and other diseases, promoting gender equality and environmental sustainability. To enable all this, there is a crucial eighth goal that seeks changes in trade, aid and debt policies to improve the ability of poor countries to reach these goals.
Chart out new sustainable development path
30 Jan 2006 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Hindustan Times
India needs to tap the abundant gas available in Iran, Myanmar and Central Asia and should quickly overcome the political compulsions to meet its energy requirements, says R K Pachauri, director general of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). In an extensive conversation with M Rajendran, he also stressed the need for India to give a clarion call to the world on the issue of climatic change.
Where's the cold light of reason? Didn't know it would get so chilly? Shockingly, neither did the Met
13 Jan 2006 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Indian Express
It's never been so cold in 70 years, the Met office has told us. Before that we were told that it's rarely been as rainy as it did get in Mumbai first and the southern cities later.
Kerosene, LPG pricing
24 Dec 2005 |
Dr Leena Srivastava
| The Financial Express
The petroleum ministry's proposal to phase in increases in the prices of LPG and kerosene to more closely reflect the cost of supply needs to be welcomed. If crude oil prices remain at today's level of less than $60 per barrel, approximately 35% of the subsidy burden would be eliminated by January 1, 2006 and another 35% by October 2006. There-after, it could take nearly a year more for the price to reflect current costs of LPG supply.
More than just hot air: The Montreal conference gives us a chance to recognize the threat of climate change
13 Dec 2005 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| Daily News & Analysis
The 11th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is currently taking place in Montreal. This session has special significance because it is also the first meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol, which came into existence on February 16 this year with Russia's ratification. There are expectations all round that this gathering would be able to bring about some movement towards defining what the world needs to do to meet the threat of climate change beyond 2012, when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol would end.
Can global warming be controlled? Enough resources available for mitigation
06 Dec 2005 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Economic Times
The scientific evidence on human induced climate change is now overwhelming and generally accepted across the world. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a credible body with objective processes, has so far brought out three major assessment reports and several special reports in the field of climate change. The fourth assessment report is to be completed in 2007 and will mobilize even larger numbers than ever before.