Ramblings of a 70-year old: germany

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Tuesday, October 18, 2022

A cyclonic circulation developing over the Andaman Sea threatens Kolkata with rains during Diwali

Kolkata might have to face rains during Diwali to be celebrated on October 24. This could be because of a fresh weather system developing over the Andaman Sea. The Met forecast says the cyclonic circulation could get stronger. The director-general of India Meteorological Department provided details. He explained - “A cyclonic circulation has formed over the central and adjoining north Andaman Sea and its neighbourhood. It is expected to move west-northwestwards. Around October 20-21, it is expected to be over the central Bay of Bengal as a low-pressure area. By October 22, it will become a depression.” He cautioned the people against jumping into a premature conclusion that the system would turn into a cyclone. He admitted that - “What happens after the system turns into a depression is still not clear. The IMD is constantly monitoring the system.” Bay of Bengal system threatens rain in Kolkata on Diwali. He concluded that it might be a rainy Diwali in Kolkata.

The deputy director-general of IMD, Kolkata informed that the Met office would soon issue a detailed forecast for Diwali. It would cover the expected spread and intensity of the rain. According to a Met official, the months of May and October-November are the pre-and post-monsoon months. These are favorable for cyclonic storms because the sea surface temperature is on the higher side. Incidentally, a weather system draws on the heat and moisture to gain strength on the sea. The IMD radar system atop the New Secretariat building on Strand Road is under repairs. IMD and ISRO are involved in the work and it would be complete by year-end, or the beginning of next year. It was imported from Germany in 2002 and two more radar will arrive in Kolkata in a couple of years.

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Greece depended entirely on renewable energy for five hours on a single day and used solar, wind and hydroelectric power

It was a fantastic achievement for Greece when it depended entirely on renewable energy like solar, wind and hydroelectric power for five hours on a single day. IPTO, the country's independent power transmission operator, confirmed production of adequate electricity for five hours beginning at 9am local time (7am UK time). It was a first in the history of the Greek electricity system when renewable energy sources covered 100 percent of the demand. The country has ambitious plans to more than double its green energy capacity and hopes renewables will account for at least 70 percent of its energy mix by 2030. Tilos, part of the Dodecanese group of islands, is also progressing on similar lines. It plans to run entirely on renewable energy under a project funded by the European Union and private investment. For five hours last week Greece ran entirely on electricity from solar, wind and water. Nikos Mantzaris is a partner at think tank the Green Tank. He says the performance was important. This was because "it shows that a 100% renewable electricity system is within reach in Greece, a concept that was considered impossible by most opinion and decision makers in Greece before."

Nikos Mantzaris goes on to add that the road for the deployment of renewables in Greece during the last decade has not been smooth. However, it is possible to have an electricity system with increasing shares of renewables. Only, it has to get the support of an infrastructure comprising energy storage technologies and adequate grids. Moreover, it is economically preferable when compared to electricity produced by lignite or gas, even if one includes the cost of storage. Incidentally, Greece is serious about reining in renewable energy in place of fossil fuels. According to electricity data from Ember, an independent think tank, Greece generated 39.4 percent of its electricity from renewables last year, including 19.8 percent from wind, 9.9 percent from hydro and 8.9 percent from solar. The Renewable Target for 2030 is 70 percent renewable electricity for the whole year. The aim of Portugal by 2030 is 100 percent, the Netherlands 97 percent and Germany 80 percent.

Saturday, September 3, 2022

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive in Britain minus their children

The last time Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle visited the UK was in June. The occasion was to attend the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The couple has now returned after flying commercial and dispensing with their private jet. This time their children Archie and Lilibet are not accompanying them. A spokesperson for the couple had confirmed the visit in August. The information was - "Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are delighted to visit with several charities close to their hearts in early September." Travel plans of the couple include Manchester on September 5 for the One Young World Summit. This is an event that helps to bring together young leaders from more than 190 countries. The Duchess of Sussex is a counsellor for the organization. She has with her Justin Trudeau, Sir Richard Branson, and Jamie Oliver. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive in the UK – all the details. Other engagements of the couple during their stay are a visit to Germany for the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 One Year to Go event. They also plan to attend the WellChild Awards on September 8 prior to returning to the UK.

Their visit is brief and it is not known whether they will get an opportunity to spend time with the Queen. At present, the monarch is on her summer break at Balmoral. She had travelled to Scotland in July. Incidentally, the return of the couple comes on the heels of another of Meghan's wide-ranging interviews. In it she mentioned that it takes "a lot of effort" to forgive and hinted that she can "say anything." In the interview to a media outlet, she had said that “just by existing" she and Harry were "upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy.” That was prior to their stepping down as senior working royals.

Monday, August 29, 2022

Meghan Markle says she and her husband were "happy" to leave the UK

In another tell-tale interview to a New York magazine, Meghan Markle admits she and her husband Prince Harry were "happy" to leave the UK. The main reason was apparently adjustment. In her words - "just by existing, we were upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy." She went on to add that the two of them were prepared to go anywhere in the Commonwealth. They wanted to move out of their life in Britain and relocate to Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. That was before deciding on a home in California. The Duchess of Sussex explains that she did make efforts to patch up with both her in-laws and members of her own family and she is “still healing" from the ordeal. . Meghan’s interview comes amid speculation she and Harry might noit be able to visit the Queen at Balmoral during their forthcoming visit to Britain next week due to security issues.

Meghan recently launched her Archetypes podcast on Spotify. In it, she reveals that in spite of her son Archie narrowly escaping a fire in his bedroom, she and Harry had to go ahead with their visit to South Africa. The couple now live in Montecito. This is a small coastal village north of Los Angeles. On the subject of her relationship with Prince Harry, she said they were like "salt and pepper." This is because they "always move together." The couple has made some plans related to their upcoming trip to the UK. They will make appearances to "support several charities close to their hearts." Their itinerary includes a trip to Manchester on 5 September for the One Young World Summit. Later they will visit Germany for the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 One Year To Go event.

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Nearly half of the European Union faces worst drought in a 500-year record

Countries in the European Union are in a crisis. Severe drought is affecting agriculture, energy production and water supply. The picture is grim. France is handing out water; Serbia faces death of fish while Germany sees an evaporating river. In addition, Spain and Italy watch olive trees withering. This is the scenario of the EU as it suffers from the worst drought in a 500-year record. According to the EC's European Drought Observatory (EDO), nearly 47 percent of its land is now under drought conditions. Insufficient rainfall is the prime factor that led to drying out of the soil and consequent loss of plants and crops. In case dry weather continues, the situation could deteriorate. Climate crisis: Drought hitting nearly half of Europe - and it could last for months. Water levels in rivers, lakes and reservoirs across Western Europe are running low. Some have even dried up. As a result, there is stress on supplies of drinking water. This, in turn, hampers tourism and threatens the yield of crop. These have cascading effects.

These are the ill effects of global warming. Reasons of drought are many and the most serious one is lack of rainfall due to climate change. When rainfall comes in shorter and more intense bursts, the soil is unable to retain it. The result is flash floods and mudslides that wash away the soil. Moreover, the dry weather can and often does result in forest fires. These mean loss of greenery in the form of trees. The rise in temperatures lead to evaporation of water. Heatwaves are linked to global warming, and increase the demand of water as people seek to cool off. Right now, high temperatures and scant rainfall have drained the water levels of the Rhine. This is the commercial artery of Germany. Low water level is leading to delay in transporting the goods. These are pushing up freight costs several times. Moreover, low water levels in reservoirs lead to lower output of hydropower. Some countries that face this issue are Italy, Serbia, Montenegro and Norway.