Comment by Riaz Haq on September 1, 2024 at 9:38am

Climate Change and Potential Demise of the Indian Deserts
P. V. Rajesh, B. N. Goswami
First published: 31 July 2023

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2022EF003459

Abstract
In contrast to the “wet gets wetter and dry gets drier” paradigm, here, using observations and climate model simulations, we show that the mean rainfall over the semi-arid northwest parts of India and Pakistan has increased by 10%–50% during 1901–2015 and is expected to increase by 50%–200% under moderate greenhouse gas (GHG) scenarios. The GHG forcing primarily drives the westward expansion of the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) and is facilitated by a westward expansion of the Indian Ocean (IO) warm pool. Mechanistically, the westward expansion of ISMR is a consequence of the episodic genesis over IO and the northward propagation of an expanded Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone on a sub-seasonal time scale. While an adaptation strategy to increased hydrological disasters is a must, harnessing the augmented rainfall would lead to a substantial boost in food productivity, bringing transformative changes in the socio-economic condition of people in the region.

Key Points
Global warming could potentially cause a westward expansion of the Indian monsoon

Rainfall in northwest India and Pakistan has increased and will continue to rise due to greenhouse gases

Increased monsoon rainfall can improve food productivity and socio-economic conditions in the region

Plain Language Summary
An apparent eastward shift of the Indian monsoon has led to the arid conditions in the west and north-west regions of India where monsoon was once active, and the Indus Valley civilizations thrived (5,300–3,300-year BP). A reversal of the process and a westward expansion of the present-day Indian monsoon would transform the west and north-west India to a humid “monsoonal” climate and provide food security to the expanding population of the country. The present study shows that the Indian monsoon is indeed expanding to the west with 10% decrease of mean rainfall in the northeast and 25% increase in the west and north-west during the historical period with a potential of 50%–100% increase in the north-west under SSP2–4.5. Harvesting the increased rainfall has the potential for significant increase in food productivity bringing in transformative changes in the socio-economic condition of people of the region.

Comment by Riaz Haq on May 26, 2026 at 6:33pm

Pakistan’s leading fertilizer manufacturer Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC) has signed the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) agreement with a Chinese company, for what it termed as Pakistan’s first coal-to-fertilizer project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) 2.0 framework.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/amp/40422885



Pakistan advances $1.1 billion Thar coal-to-urea project to cut fertilizer imports | Arab News PK

https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2633799/pakistan

Thar lignite to be converted into urea under Pakistan’s flagship Coal-to-Fertilizer plan
Sindh administration says the initiative will create thousands of jobs, generate exports
Updated 20 February 2026
NAIMAT KHAN
February 20, 2026 16:24

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has moved forward with a $1.12 billion coal-to-fertilizer project in the desert region of Thar, an official statement said on Friday, as it aims to use domestic coal to produce urea and reduce reliance on imported fertilizer and costly natural gas.

The initiative is part of Pakistan’s broader push to tap the vast coal reserves in Tharparkar district in southern Sindh province. Thar is home to one of the world’s largest untapped lignite coal deposits, discovered in the 1990s, and has in recent years become central to the country’s coal-based power generation expansion.


“This project is of immense importance not only for Sindh but for the entire country,” Shah said, according to the statement. “It will reduce reliance on imported fertilizer, create jobs, generate exports and add value to our indigenous coal resources.”

Pakistan traditionally produces urea using natural gas as feedstock. However, declining domestic gas reserves and rising liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports have increased production costs and placed pressure on foreign exchange reserves.

Under the Coal-to-Fertilizer (C2F) initiative, Thar coal will be converted into synthesis gas through a process known as coal gasification. The hydrogen extracted from that gas will then be used to produce ammonia, which is combined with carbon dioxide to manufacture urea.

The project is designed to produce around 717,000 tons of urea annually, with roughly half intended for domestic use and the remainder for export. Officials estimate annual export revenues of up to $260 million.

Once operational, the statement said, the project could create more than 3,500 direct jobs and about 7,000 indirect jobs, while generating royalties for the provincial government through coal extraction.

Comment by Riaz Haq on May 29, 2026 at 4:40pm

@SputnikInt

🇨🇳🇵🇰 China is powering Pakistan’s coal boom: Here’s what you need to know

Coal is now Pakistan's top source of electricity. In April 2026, it supplied 30% of the country's power – the highest ever. Why? Massive coal mining in the Thar desert, backed by Chinese investment under CPEC 2.0.

🔸More coal, less gas: Coal's share of Pakistan's electricity has more than doubled since 2018 (from under 10% to over 22% on average this year).

🔸Huge reserves: Thar holds 175 billion tonnes of coal – the 16th largest stash in the world. Experts say it could power 200,000 megawatts for a full century.

🔸China's investment: Nearly $1.9 billion through a joint mining venture. Six CPEC coal projects (totaling 3,300 MW) run purely on local Thar coal. Pakistan also wants to turn coal into liquid fuel, gas, and fertilizers.

🔸Climate downside: Water use for mining has created a salt lake and caused health problems. Pakistan is now asking China for a "just transition" – possibly retiring some coal plants early.

Can increased coal production help solve Pakistan’s energy security dilemma?


https://x.com/sputnikint/status/2060360763655757901?s=61&t=mgTx...

Comment by Riaz Haq on September 5, 2026 at 8:20am

Tree planting campaigns in Tharparkar are .

Major Initiatives and Organizations

• Thar Foundation & IUCN Pakistan: Collaborative projects have driven over a million tree plantations, established Pakistan's first desert-region Flora Conservation Station at Thar Coal Block II, and promoted saline agriculture and biodiversity. According to Dawn, “Over the past few years, it has become home to one of Pakistan's most ambitious community-driven biodiversity conservation efforts, led by Thar Foundation and IUCN Pakistan.”

• SECMC & Thar Million Tree Nursery: The Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company developed a massive nursery and used the dense Miyawaki forest technique across 100 acres in Thar Block-2.

• Local & Government Drives: Local authorities, including Additional Deputy Commissioner-I Hashim Masood, have led meetings reviewing monsoon tree-planting targets and survival rates across the district. Community groups like the Participatory Village Development Programme (PVDP) with their "Cool the Earth" initiative and the Young Social Reformers (YSR) continue local drives in areas like Mithi.

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 5, 2026 at 8:07am

Pakistan expands Thar coal mine as US-Iran war deepens energy import risks

https://www.arabnews.pk/pakistan/pakistan-expands-thar-coal-mine-as...

Phase III raises Thar Block II mine capacity by 47 percent to 11.2 million tons annually
Additional coal will supply 660 MW Lucky plant as Pakistan seeks to reduce fuel imports
KARACHI: Pakistan on Monday inaugurated a major expansion of its Thar coal mine, increasing domestic fuel supplies for power generation as the Iran war disrupts regional energy markets and sharpens the country’s exposure to costly imports.

The third phase of the Thar Block II mine in the southern Sindh province increases annual production capacity by 47 percent, from 7.6 million to 11.2 million tons, according to the provincial government. The additional 3.6 million tons will supply the 660-megawatt Lucky Electric Power Company plant near Karachi, which has historically relied largely on imported coal.

The expansion comes as Pakistan, a net energy importer with limited foreign-exchange buffers, faces higher fuel costs amid the US-Iran war and disruption to energy supplies and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Replacing imported coal and other fuels with domestic resources has consequently become increasingly important to Islamabad’s energy-security strategy.

Pakistan has already significantly expanded the use of coal from Thar, a desert region bordering India that contains one of the world’s largest lignite deposits. Six power projects with combined capacity of 3,960 MW used Thar coal either wholly or partly in the last fiscal year, generating 16,447 gigawatt-hours of electricity and consuming 13.8 million tons of the local fuel, according to government data published last month.

“Today, we are saving $1.6 billion of foreign reserves in Pakistan because of Thar coal,” Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party that rules Sindh and a former foreign minister, said as he inaugurated the expansion.

The Sindh government said the Phase III project, completed entirely through self-financing, was expected to save another $220 million annually in foreign exchange and Rs15 billion ($53 million) a year in power-generation costs.

The additional production will allow more Thar coal to be supplied to Lucky Electric, whose 660 MW plant at Port Qasim near Karachi has traditionally run on imported coal. During the last fiscal year, Thar coal accounted for 33 percent of the plant’s coal use, with imported fuel making up the remaining 67 percent, according to official data.

Regular supplies of Thar coal to the Lucky plant began on Sept. 1, data shows, underscoring efforts to substitute imported coal at existing power stations rather than add new generation capacity.

Three power plants with combined capacity of 1,320 MW were already supplied entirely by the Block II mine before the latest expansion. The addition of Lucky means the mine can support plants with combined capacity of 1,980 MW, according to the Sindh government.

Pakistan began commercial power generation from Thar coal in 2019 after decades of attempts to exploit the desert’s vast lignite reserves. Four plants with a combined capacity of 2,640 MW were classified by the country’s power regulator as local-coal generators in the previous fiscal year, while another 4,620 MW of installed coal-fired capacity was categorized as relying on imported coal, according to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority.

Bhutto Zardari said officials in Islamabad had once dismissed the resource as commercially unviable and called for its use to be expanded beyond electricity generation.

Pakistan in February advanced a $1.12 billion project to convert Thar lignite into urea, part of a broader effort to reduce dependence on imported fertilizer and natural gas.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said authorities were also working on converting Thar coal into gas and aimed eventually to raise Block II’s annual mining capacity to 20 million tons.

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 6, 2026 at 10:36am

118 households in Tharparkar, 22 in Ghotki receive solar home system Kits
As part of the ‘Roshan Ghar – Roshan Sindh’ initiative, 118 eligible households in District Tharparkar and 22 in District Ghotki have been provided with solar home system kits.

https://www.app.com.pk/sindh/118-households-in-tharparkar-22-in-gho...

SUKKUR, Jun 17 (APP): As part of the ‘Roshan Ghar – Roshan Sindh’ initiative, 118 eligible households in District Tharparkar and 22 in District Ghotki have been provided with solar home system kits.
Distribution ceremonies were held in Taluka Mithi and Mirpur Mathelo on Wednesday.
These activities are being carried out under the Solar Home System (On-grid/Off-grid) Project, which is financially supported by the Government of Sindh’s Energy Department and being implemented by the Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO).
The objective of the Solar Home System Project is to provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions through on-grid and off-grid solar technology to 275,000 households across 30 districts of Sindh, selected through a transparent process.
In this phase, solar home system kits were distributed to eligible beneficiaries after a transparent verification and validation process. All beneficiaries underwent prior survey, verification, and approval in accordance with the eligibility criteria set by the Government of Sindh’s Solar Energy Programme.
Prior to distribution, beneficiaries were given awareness training on the proper installation, use, and maintenance of solar home systems to ensure they derive maximum benefit from the facility and that the longevity and sustainability of the provided equipment is ensured.

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 8, 2026 at 9:39am

Pakistan's Thar coal project has crossed in cumulative foreign exchange savings by replacing expensive imported fuel with indigenous coal. [1, 2]

Key Savings & Financial Breakdown

• Foreign Exchange Savings: Over $1.7 billion total saved historically, with an additional $220 million in annual savings expected from the Phase-III expansion. [1, 2]

• Power Generation Costs: The Phase-III expansion of Thar Block-II reduces generation costs by Rs 15 billion annually. [1]

• Coal Tariff Reduction: Levelised coal tariffs are projected to drop from $36.72 to $32.01 per tonne as production scales up. [1]

• Mining Operations Savings: Shifting Thar mining operations (Blocks I and II) from diesel to national grid electricity yields another $25 million to $30 million in annual savings. [1, 2]

Production & Capacity Growth

• Block-II Expansion: Phase-III raises annual production capacity by 47%—from 7.6 million tonnes to 11.2 million tonnes. [1]

• Power Generation: Additional coal supplies Lucky Electric Power Company's 660-MW plant, bringing total combined generation capacity supported by Thar Block-II to 1,980 MW. [1, 2]

• Household Reach: The expanded power supply provides electricity to roughly 4.5 million householdsdaily. [1]

Would you like more details on specific Thar coal blocks (such as Block-I or Block-II) or data on upcoming industrial coal-to-gas/urea conversion projects?

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