Reuters Sustainable Switch : Droughts in India, Brazil, Bolivia, Tanzania and more...

 

Sustainable Switch Climate Focus

By Sharon Kimathi, Energy and ESG Editor, Reuters Digital Hello,   Droughts in India have sparked water-sharing protests in Bengaluru, while Brazil has established a task force to assist the severely water-scarce Amazon region.   Farmers in India's southern state of Karnataka, grappling with drought, initiated a day-long strike on Friday to oppose the sharing of water from a river that flows into the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu.   Police urged calm with all schools and public places staying shut, as thousands of farmers and trade union members prepared to hold rallies after protests began this week in the tech hub of Bengaluru, despite a court order to share the waters.   Over in Brazil, low river levels and hotter waters have killed masses of fish seen floating on river surfaces, contaminating the drinking water, Environment Minister Marina Silva said.   Some 111,000 people have been affected in a region where much of the population's protein comes from fish, with fishing having been suspended for some time, she added. The civil defense agency warned that the drought could eventually impact up to 500,000 people in the Amazon.   Elsewhere in South America, prolonged drought and record-breaking winter heat in Bolivia has jeopardized water supplies, especially in high-altitude El Alto at 4,000 meters. Residents now face limited daily water access.   Over in Tanzania, climate-related water shortages and maintenance problems have led to a 400 MW electricity deficit in the East African nation, prompting widespread power rationing.

Climate Buzz

1. Drought-hit Indian farmers protest against sharing of river water Farmers battling drought in India's southern state of Karnataka began a day-long strike on Friday to protest against the sharing of water from a river that also runs through the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu.

Farmer groups take part in a protest against the sharing of water from the Cauvery river with the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, in Bengaluru, India. REUTERS/Chandini Monnappa

2. Brazil sets up task force for unprecedented drought in Amazon, minister says Brazil's government is preparing a task force to provide emergency assistance to inhabitants in the Amazon region hit by a severe drought that has impacted the rivers that are their life support, Environment Minister Marina Silva said.   3. Bolivia faces water shortage as winter heat wave drives drought A prolonged drought in Bolivia and one of the hottest winters on record is threatening to leave parts of the South American country short of water, including in the high-altitude city of El Alto, some 4,000 meters above sea level.   4. Broken infrastructure, drought cause power rationing in Tanzania, official says Maintenance issues and climate change-induced water shortages have caused a 400-megawatt electricity shortfall in Tanzania, triggering power rationing across the East African nation, the state power supplier said.   5. Heavy rain hits north Vietnam, halting traffic in Hanoi Heavy rain from a tropical depression hit northern and north-central Vietnam, causing flooding that halted traffic in the capital Hanoi and sparked warnings of landslides on Thursday. Some Hanoi districts recorded up to 250 mm (10 inches) of rain, according to the national weather center.

What to Watch

Six young people from areas in Portugal ravaged by wildfires and heat waves waged a legal battle with 32 European governments, in the largest climate case ever to be heard by the European Court of Human Rights. Click here or on the image for the video.

Climate Commentary

Reuters Washington-based award-winning journalist covering agriculture and energy, Leah Douglas, writes an analysis on the series of permit rejections for two high-profile carbon pipeline projects in the U.S. Midwest. Click here for more. Reuters Events contributor Gavin Maguire, writes about the several major solar firms nursing stock price losses and the potential to bounce back. Click here for more. Darren Rabenou, head of food and agriculture in UBS Asset Management’s real estate & private markets, shares his take on the importance of investing in food security for Ethical Corporation Magazine.

Climate Lens

Reuters Breakingviews columnist Lisa Jucca shares her thoughts on how humble cable makers turn into green heroes. Governments and companies are falling behind in the green transition.    Annual investments to simply upgrade electric grids will need to more than double to $750 billion per year by 2030 to meet global decarbonisation goals, the International Energy Agency reckons. Click here for the feature.

Number of the Week

2,000   The White House warned a partial shutdown of the federal government that could occur this weekend would delay nearly 2,000 long-term disaster recovery projects.   A budget standoff in the Republican-led House of Representatives, which the White House blames on far-right Republican lawmakers, is pushing the government to the brink of a shutdown.