When the first wave of the pandemic hit Pakistan, the economic policymakers were worried about the contraction in economic activities and uncertainties accompanying the closures and lockdowns announced by the government. Various incentives were provided to different sectors in order to ensure that the impact of the Covid-19 shock was minimised. Economic indicators turned favourable after the initial shock. The…
Read MoreYear: 2021
Heating Price Disparities
As winters go deep, the all-so-familiar natural gas crisis goes deeper. People are struggling to meet the heating requirements across the country. The national pipeline network serves no less than 12 million households. Save for two to three months of trouble, where some may have to rush for alternate arrangements to piped gas – natural gas to these 12 million…
Read MoreRenewable Energy
The recently announced World Economic Forum’s Energy Transition Index 2021 has ranked Denmark, Finland and the United Kingdom among the top 10 countries that are well on their way to transition from fossil-based energy mix of oil, natural gas and coal to renewable energy sources like wind, biogas, biomass, solar and renewable battery technology. The 50 top-ranking nations in this…
Read MoreEU to Provide 250m Euros for Elean Energy Initiative: PM’s aide
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said the European Union (EU) had agreed to provide 250 million euros to Pakistan for assisting its clean energy transition and nature-based ecosystem solution project. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a solar-based water filtration plant and later addressing a public meeting in Manoonnagar area of Hassanabdal, Mr…
Read MorePakistan–Russia Gas Stream: Opportunities and Risks of New Flagship Energy Project
Russia’s Yekaterinburg hosted the 7th meeting of the Russian-Pakistani Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation on November 24–26, 2021. Chaired by Omar Ayub Khan, Pakistan’s Minister for Economic Affairs, and Nikolai Shulginov, Russia’s Minister of Energy, the meeting was attended by around 70 policy makers, heads of key industrial companies and businessmen from both sides, marking a significant…
Read MoreEnergy Security
Pakistan is energy insecure. Our national security and our energy security are linked – deeply linked. To be certain, energy security continues to be the most neglected dimension of our national security. For the record, the energy sector will make or break Pakistan’s economy. For the record, the energy sector’s management, particularly the sector’s exploding circular debt, will make or…
Read MoreClimate change impacting health of women agriculture workers, says study
It was the key finding of a study, titled ‘Impact of Rising Temperature on the Health of Women Farm Workers’, recently conducted by the Sindh Community Foundation, a rights-based organisation. The study discusses initial evidence of the impact of climate change on human health, specifically women cotton pickers. According to the study, deforestation is one of the leading factors causing…
Read MoreFire Injures Four At Exxon Refinery
A fire broke out early today at the Baytown refinery operated by Exxon, injuring four people. Law enforcement has called the fire a major industrial incident, the Wall Street Journal reported. No fatalities were reported at the 561,000-bpd complex. “ExxonMobil’s emergency response teams continue to work to extinguish the fire that occurred in a hydrodesulfurization unit at our Baytown Refinery this morning…
Read MoreU.S. Looks To Ease Tensions With Russia
The United States and Russia will likely hold bilateral talks to discuss Moscow’s security proposals next month as the Kremlin ramped up is rhetoric by again warning it was prepared to take military measures if the West launched “unfriendly” actions with regard to Ukraine. “We will decide on a date together with Russia, and we believe that that will take place…
Read MoreA renewable energy transition is on the horizon
Around the world, momentum is growing behind the renewable energy movement. Nations are searching for solutions to power a cleaner, greener future, and bold plans are being set out to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The race is on to transition to a net zero energy system by 2050, and thus avert the crisis of global warming by limiting the…
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