We need better public transport, not bicycle paths

Hindustan Times: "This is not say that we should not demand better conditions for bicycle users. However, given prevailing social attitudes, this cannot be the answer to environmental problems. What we need is better  — far better — public transport facilities, and, to cast a challenge to the bicycle-as-leisure brigade to use these and become genuinely involved in public life.

This, however, will require a great change in the way we think about social life."

'via Blog this'

Coal supply problems in India show how fossil fuels require massive infrastructure

India and Coal Economy Collapse | The Energy Collective: "To understand the depth and extent of the Indian coal bubble you have to first understand the country's unique problem: Despite sitting on the world’s 5thlargest supply of coal it can't secure affordable coal supplies. That's because the country can't mine coal fast enough, and has failed to expand transportation infrastructure (largely railways) to move coal where it needs to be (the power plants). The resulting supply crunch is so acute that power plants operators and Coal India have fought for years over 'Fuel Supply Agreements' while scores of coal plant developers have moved to India's coastline to bypass domestic supply problems in favor of expensive imports. In sum, this supply crunch is structural, and it's not going away anytime soon."

Fossil fuels are only profitable with huge fixed asset investment in infrastructure to support them. This infrastructure locks us in to fossil fuel usage and creates a crash when they peak.

Global #climatechange punishes India. U.S. politicians still denying it.

(Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) phtograph shows Tropical Cyclone Phailin over the Bay of Bengal. Photo credit - AFP)

Bikas Das/Associated Press

NYTimes.com: "At least five people were killed in the coastal city of Gopalpur because of heavy rain and high winds before the storm made landfall, officials said. The storm was expected to drop up to 10 inches of rain over the next two days in some areas."