Kalpakkam fast breeder reactor

India's Fast Breeder Reactor: A Civilisational Bet on Nuclear Self-Reliance and Sustainability

The reactor that has now gone critical at Kalpakkam, on the Bay of Bengal coastline in Tamil Nadu, is not the end of that journey. It is, more precisely, the end of the beginning. The real test is whether India can now scale fast breeder capacity rapidly enough to make a material difference to its energy-mix building on the Kalpakkam template, the industrial supply chains it has validated, and the engineering confidence it has earned. 

Dying Rivers, Disappearing Species: Zoological Cost of Pollution in Pakistan and India

The Indus and the Ganges are dying slowly, and with them disappear species that evolved over thousands of years within these waters. If current patterns continue, future generations may inherit rivers that exist geographically but are biologically empty. South Asia still has an opportunity to reverse this trajectory, but only if environmental protection becomes a shared regional priority rather than an afterthought.

Climate Migration: The Next Global Humanitarian Crisis?

Climate migration isn’t just about the loss of land. It is about the loss of memory, culture and home. When people are driven out of the places where they were born, few things that matter are merely economic. Over the next decades, the world will confront a fundamental dilemma. Can humankind handle the climate crisis in a surer way? Or will the future consist of millions searching for a new place to call home?

India Should Scale up its Fast Breeder Reactor Program to Meet Rising Energy Needs

The constraint on India’s expansion is fissile inventory, particularly between 2035-2045. At present, the breeder program depends on plutonium from a limited set of eight unsafeguarded reactors. Meanwhile, India has accumulated spent fuel from uranium imported for its safeguarded reactors. This significant plutonium is lying idle because we lack safeguarded reprocessing facilities. 

More on Climate, Sustainability and Energy

UNICEF to deliver first shipment of COVAX vaccines to Sri Lanka

UNICEF will deliver the first shipment of 264,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on 7 March as part of the first allocation of the 1.44 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX Facility to the Ministry of Health

UN rights chief urges transparent probe into Bangladesh writer’s death

The UN's top human rights official on Monday called for transparent investigation into the death in custody of a writer in Bangladesh, who was held in pre-trial detention for nine months for publishing an article and sharing social media posts critical of the Government’s COVID-19 response

UNHCR, Japan sign $10m deal to improve water supply for Rohingya communities in Cox's Bazar

The Japanese government and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, have signed an agreement to provide around $10 million to support the improvement of water supply and distribution systems for Bangladeshi host communities and Rohingya communities in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar

China backs Sri Lanka, calls UNHRC resolution 'interference' in 'internal affairs'

Backing Sri Lanka in the ongoing 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), China strongly criticized the “politicization” of human rights, and lashed out at the UNHRC for, what it called, the 'open interference' in countries’ internal affairs

Myanmar’s envoy to UN dramatically defies military regime, denounces coup

In a dramatic show of defiance Myanmar's Permanent Representative Kyaw Moe Tun has denounced his country's military regime before the UN General Assembly and declared he would fight for democracy

Indian environment expert Ligia Noronha appointed UN Assistant Secretary-General

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Indian environment and economics expert Ligia Noronha as an assistant secretary-general and the head of the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) New York office

UN charter doesn’t allow use of force: Pakistan to UNSC

Hours before India and Pakistan issued the joint statement announcing strict observance of the 2003 ceasefire agreement, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN Munir Akram conveyed a message to UNSC reminding that the UN charter doesn’t allow the use of force to prevent ‘future’ and ‘anticipatory attacks.’ 

UK expresses concern over reversal of human rights progress in Lanka

The United Kingdom expressed concern over the reversal of human rights progress in Sri Lanka and also welcomed and endorsed the detailed report of the UNHRC high commissioner, already tabled in the ongoing session, Colombo page reported

UN leaders welcome India, Pakistan ceasefire commitment

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir have welcomed the joint statement by India and Pakistan reaffirming their commitment to upholding the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Kashmir

UN rights commissioner, Sri Lankan foreign minister spar at 46th UNHRC

The ongoing 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council is proving one of the toughest sessions that Sri Lanka has ever faced in more than a decade

Pakistan raises Kashmir issue at 46th UNHRC session

Pakistan lamented to the international community for, what it called, the “ politically driven double standards” when it came to holding India responsible for human rights violations in Kashmir

Resolution against Sri Lanka tabled at UNHRC; Lanka asks members to reject

A draft resolution titled ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability, and human rights in Sri Lanka’ was tabled on Tuesday in the ongoing 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to which Sri Lanka reacted strongly, and called the member states to reject any country-specific resolution

Human rights agenda faces challenges due to terror: India at UNHRC

India on Tuesday said that the human rights agenda faces severe challenges mostly due to Pakistan's cross-border terrorism

UN chief lists four priority areas to address climate crisis

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday listed four priority areas for the international community to address the risks that climate crisis poses to peace and security, including putting a greater focus on prevention through strong, ambitious climate action

Sri Lanka all sets to face resolution at UNHRC session

The  Sri Lankan government expressed its readiness to face a resolution against it before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, reported Colombopage