Dubai: The culmination of the Just Transition in South Asia press conference, which took place on December 11 at COP-28 in Dubai, has illuminated the pressing need for immediate action to confront the i mpending climate crisis. The event delivered a stark call for decisive decisions and collaborative endeavors by major economies to ensure an equitable and just transition in South Asia.

Key insights from the conference include a global south's call for urgent action, emphasizing concrete decisions to curb excessive emissions and meet the 1.5-degree goal by 2050, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. The conference underscored that 83% of the carbon budget has already been exhausted, leaving a precarious 50:50 chance of achieving the Paris Agreement goals by 2030.

Further, the Climate Risk Index revealed that six South Asian nations, including Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, are among the top 10 most vulnerable countries impacted by climate change. The region bore witness to the devastating impact of seven cyclones in 2023 alone, resulting in loss of lives, destruction of homes, and severe economic repercussions.

Hasan Mehedi from CLEAN (Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network), Bangladesh, firmly stated, "The people of South Asia are bearing the brunt of climate change impacts, and their plea for urgent action is a call to the global community. The decisions we make today will determine the fate of vulnerable communities and the sustainability of our planet."

Recognizing the challenges faced by South Asian countries, representing a quarter of the global population and nearly a third of the world's poor, the conference shed light on the intricacies of energy poverty. The imperative to decarbonize the energy sector is acknowledged, yet challenges persist in meeting basic electricity needs and overcoming economic crises, particularly in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

A positive development emerged with the signing of the Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge (GREEP) by 123 countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan and Maldives. However, concerns were voiced about the adequacy of the target, considering the escalating global electricity demand and the need for more ambitious goals to achieve a just transition by 2030.

The event underscored challenges such as the concentration of renewable energy technologies in specific countries, giving rise to a form of 'Climate Colonialism'. The dominance of large corporations in renewable energy projects, notably hydro-power, raised serious environmental and human rights issues, with indigenous communities facing the imminent threat of displacement.

Hemantha Withanage from the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), Sri Lanka, shared, "South Asian nations face a delicate balancing act: meeting the basic electricity needs of their citizens while navigating economic challenges. Big economies must acknowledge and support our transition efforts, ensuring a just and equitable pathway towards sustainability."

Opposition was against false solutions like hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. The conference emphasized the need for proven, affordable and sustainable alternatives, rejecting the promotion of unproven technologies.

In the aftermath of the conference, key demands were outlined to address the climate crisis in South Asia. Organizers called for an ambitious target to generate at least 60 per cent of global electricity demand from renewable sources, a cut-off date for using coal, gas, and petroleum in the power sector, cessation of financing for liquified natural gas (LNG) as a transition fuel, and support for South Asian countries in building national renewable energy institutions.

"The concentration of renewable energy technologies in specific countries is a form of 'Climate Colonialism.' We must shift focus towards community-owned decentralized systems to ensure not just environmental sustainability but also uphold the rights of local communities," says Vidya Dinker of Growthwatch, India.

Furthermore, the demands included financing for community-owned distributed renewable energy systems, ensuring local communities' human and environmental rights during the energy transition and discontinuing the promotion of false solutions like hydrogen, ammonia and CCS technologies.

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Guwahati, May 15: Skipper Sam Curran played the lead act hitting a well-paced fifty and taking two wickets, as Punjab Kings consigned Rajasthan Royals to a five-wicket defeat in their IPL match here on Wednesday.

The target was a mere 145, but Kings made heavy weather of it on a sluggish track here but Curran (63 not out, 41b, 5x4, 3x6) had a calm head and skills to lift them to their fifth win of the season. PBKS made 145/5 in 18.5 overs.

The Englishman received good support from Jitesh Sharma (22, 20b) as the pair added 63 runs in a fluent fifth wicket partnership.

For Royals, it was their fourth defeat on the trot, but they remained second on the table with 16 points with a qualification to the playoffs to boot with.

The Kings’ chase began on a shaky note as they lost Prabhsimran Singh in the first over itself to Trent Boult.

But bigger jolts were in store as an impressive Avesh Khan (2/28) scalped two wickets in the fifth over.

The right-arm pacer first plucked the important wicket of Rilee Rossouw, who played some strong shots in his 13-ball 22, and then jettisoned in-form Shashank Singh for a two-ball naught.

Shashank failed to connect a fuller, straighter one from Avesh while attempting a flick, and the 141 kmph delivery thudded on his bat. Shashank did not even bother to use DRS as he walked away.

Punjab gained some ground through the alliance between Curran and Jitesh, who smoked R Ashwin for two sixes.

Curran too gave a dose of punishment to the veteran offie, lofting him for a wonderful six over extra cover.

But the blossoming stand was snapped by Yuzvendra Chahal (2/31), leaving PBKS at 111 for five in the 16th over.

However, Curran and Ashutosh Sharma (17 not out, 11 balls) knocked off the remaining runs without further drama.

Earlier, despite a well-tuned 48 from local hero Riyan Parag, RR struggled against an array of accurate bowlers on a rather slow pitch, meandering to a sub-par 144 for nine.

R Ashwin (28, 19b, 3x4, 1x6) and Parag (48, 34, 6x4) tried to accelerate during their 50-run stand for the fourth wicket but it could only bring in a temporary momentum for RR.

In fact, lethargy had set in very early in the Rajasthan innings after the early loss of Jaiswal, who chopped a Curran (2/24) delivery back on to his stumps.

Sanju Samson (18), who went past 500-run in a season for the first time in his IPL career, and Tom-Kohler Cadmore (18, 23b) stitched 36 runs for the second wicket but took six overs for it.

But with Curran and Arshdeep finding a hint of swing and maintaining a good line, scoring was not an easy proposition for the RR batters.

Eventually, Samson, who tried a hopping cut off pacer Nathan Ellis, gave a simple catch to Rahul Chahar at point in the seventh over.

Cadmore too returned to the dugout in the next over, as his almighty heave off leg-spinner Chahar (2/26) could not progress beyond Jitesh in the deep.

Those twin dismissals actually paved the way for the best phase in the Royals’ innings as Ashwin and Parag pressed their foot on the right pedal.

Ashwin displayed his batting skills, smashing Chahar for 17 runs in the 12th over that included a sequence of 6, 4, 4 and the first four was a stunning reverse scoop over backward point.

But he could not further extend his innings, lofting Arshdeep to Shashank.

Parag, usually a free-flowing batter, had to curb his flair in front of a hugely adoring home crowd because of the regular fall of wickets at the other end.

But a late cut off Curran that sped to third man stood as a testament of his ability and timing as he also moved past the 500-run mark for the season, before getting trapped in front of the wicket by Harshal Patel.

However, apart from conquering those little peaks the RR batters failed to slip into the top gear consistently.