India plans to control rainfall in the next five years

The Indian government has ambitious plans to start and stop rainfall, and control it to small extents when needed, in the next five years, through the project Mission Mausam, reported The Times of India. Such measures of suppressing and enhancing rain are already deployed in Western countries, through seeding using aeroplanes. The Indian government has allocated ₹2,000 crore for this project as of now, and plans to improve weather forecasting and artificial intelligence to send out quick updates. 

New patent for protecting transformers bagged by Tata Power-DDL

Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power-DDL) has come up with a novel way to protect transformers from moisture. It received a 20-year patent for its ‘Self-Regenerating Transformer Breather’, according to a report by ET Energy World. Current technology uses silica gel to keep away moisture, but they need to be replaced four to six times in two years, which increases cost, and reduces efficiency. The patented technology uses waste heat from the transformer’s top plate to minimise moisture in the air inlet, which elongates the life of the silica gel, achieving greater efficiency. 

Biden plans to ban Chinese cars and tech in USA, can face wider retaliation

Citing national security concerns, the incumbent Biden administration in the USA has plans to stop Chinese software being used in any vehicles in the USA, and completely ban the import of Chinese electric vehicles, reported news agency Reuters. Effectively, this could prohibit nearly all Chinese cars from entering the USA, and compel major auto manufacturers from using Chinese components. However, this harsh move may not be taken so kindly by China, and could lead to wider outcry and retaliation against all kinds of US-owned businesses operating in China, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Chinese carmaker turns to Pakistan for assembling cars after India’s rebuff

After India blocked Chinese investment in India, and barred Chinese EV maker BYD from setting up shop in the country, the automaker has turned to Pakistan, reported The Financial Times. BYD has entered a partnership with Pakistan’s biggest electricity provider to set up an assembly plant by 2026. This could well mean that Pakistan could become an export hub for electric vehicles.

Social media owners pose the greatest risk in spreading misinformation

International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) modelled a study on the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and found that social media owners are at the top of global surveys of misinformation concerns, as they can have unchecked power. While no owners are specified, Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, had raised concerns including reports of excessive promotion of Musk’s own tweets. This can be used for spreading misinformation for political gains. There are also concerns that misinformation about climate change can delay immediate action, and impede the awareness about the crisis.

AI market can grow as big as $1 Trillion by 2027, sparking fears of water shortage

There are concerns that a surging boom of the AI industry might lead to a shortage of computers and chips, found a report by Bain. According to it, the AI industry will grow to around $1 trillion by 2027, while the market for AI services will grow 40-55% every year. But AI consumes huge amounts of freshwater. Its projected water usage could be as high as 6.6 billion m³ by 2027, according to a report by Forbes. This means humans will have less water, especially when two-thirds of the global population experiences severe water shortages for at least one month a year, according to the United Nations Environmental Report, nearly. While tech companies like Meta, Microsoft and Google promise to mitigate their water footprint, there just isn’t weight behind it, as there isn’t that much water in the world.

Swedish battery company to cut 1/5th of workforce amid EV sales slowdown

Northvolt, Europe’s leading battery maker, has been dealt a hard hand. Not only is it being forced to cut 1,600 jobs in Sweden, but also stop expanding its factory, reported The Financial Times. The main culprit is the slowdown in EV sales in Europe, which has led to a cutback in orders from electric automakers. This has also tempered investors’ keenness in the industry.

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A team of handpicked and dedicated writers committed to fact check each climate-related statement. Go to the roots and intent of each policy implemented, internationally and at home to help you understand climate better

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