Six changes after Paris climate deal: How the new global pact could affect your life

THE PARIS Agreement on climate change, which India ratified on Sunday, is close to becoming a reality now. In terms of its scope and impact, it is probably the most far-reaching international agreement ever. From here on, countries would strive to make every economic activity, anywhere in the world, compliant to climate change objectives. In India, as in the rest of the world, what this will lead to is change in where we live, how we travel, what we eat or wear, and even what we do in our personal and professional spaces. But while all of these may not be visible to the common people, some certainly will. So what will change, and what could?

Solar photovoltaic panels and, to a lesser extent, large wind mills will become one of the most familiar sights representing the fight against climate change. India plans to install as much as 100 GW of electricity generation capacity through solar energy by 2022, of which 40 GW would be through individual rooftop systems. India had initially announced plans for setting up 60 GW of wind energy by 2022. A number of villages are already powered solely through solar or wind energy. But decentralised production and consumption of electricity, through solar, wind, biogas or small hydro initiatives, is likely to become more prevalent as efforts are made to take electricity to 200 million people still in the dark. Read more…