Pakistan Ranks Among World's Top 3 Nations For New Hydroelectric Capacity Added in 2018

Pakistan ranked third in the world by adding nearly 2,500 MW of hydropower in 2018, according to Hydropower Status Report 2019.  China added the most capacity with the installation of 8,540 megawatts, followed by Brazil (3,866 MW), Pakistan (2,487 MW), Turkey (1,085 MW), Angola (668 MW), Tajikistan (605 MW), Ecuador (556 MW), India (535 MW), Norway (419 MW) and Canada (401 MW).

New Installed Hydroelectric Power Capacity in 2018. Source: Hydrowo...


Pakistan's Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) says commissioning of the 108-MW Golen Gol 2, 1,410-MW Tarbela 4th Extension and 969-MW Neelum Jhelum hydropower projects in 2018 boosted its hydroelectric generating capacity of 9,389 MW, an increase of 36% in just one year, according to Hydro Review. Hydropower now makes up about 28% of the total installed capacity of 33,836 MW as of February, 2019.   WAPDA reports contributing 25.63 billion units of hydroelectricity to the national grid during the year, “despite the fact that water flows in 2018 remained historically low.” This contribution “greatly helped the country in meeting electricity needs and lowering the electricity tariff for the consumers.”

Top 20 Countries by Newly Installed Hydropower Capacity. Source: IHA


Pakistan has the potential to generate 59,000 MW of hydropower, according to studies conducted by the nation's Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). Currently, it's generating only 9,389 MW of hydroelectric power, about 16% of the estimated potential. Media reports indicate that China is prepared to finance and build another 40,000MW capacity as part of the development of the Northern Indus Cascade region which begins in Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan and runs through to Tarbela, the site of Pakistan’s biggest dam, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistan Power Generation Fuel Mix. Source: Third Pole
Pakistan has made only a small contribution to climate change through carbon emissions.  And yet, it counts among the dozen or so nations considered most vulnerable to its damaging effects. These include rising temperatures, recurring cycles of floods and droughts and resulting disruption in food production.

One of the ways Pakistan can help reduce carbon emissions is by realizing its full hydroelectric potential by building more dams. The development of the Northern Indus Cascade region to generate 40,000MW of hydropower is a significant part of this effort.

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Comment by Riaz Haq on June 22, 2019 at 6:26pm

Energy-short Pakistan moves to power up solar manufacturing
by Imran Mukhtar 

http://news.trust.org/item/20190129014107-j2o45/

Pakistan today imports more than 95 percent of the solar panels and other renewable energy systems it uses, largely from China, said Aamir Hussain, chief executive officer of Tesla PV, one of the largest manufacturers of solar energy products in Pakistan.

"As long as the government will not impose duties on the import of finished products, the local market cannot grow," he said.

Amjad Ali Awan, chief executive officer of the Alternate Energy Development Board, said the aim of the new policies was for renewable energy to supply 28 to 30 percent of the country's national electrical grid by 2030.

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PAKISTAN TO SET 30% PLUS 30% RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGET BY 2030

https://wwindea.org/blog/2019/04/02/pakistan-to-set-30-plus-30-rene...

The new government in Pakistan plans to increase the share of renewable energy in total power generation to 30% by 2030, referring to power from wind, solar, small hydro and biomass. In addition, there is a target of 30% large scale hydropower (more than 50 MW). Currently, the share of renewable energy stands at meagre 4% which is quite negligible despite the fact that the country holds huge renewable energy potential particularly wind and solar. Large hydro provides currently around one fourth of the country’s electricity supply.

During the last week of February, The Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE), chaired by the Finance Minister, approved proposals from the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) for all future renewable energy projects to be treated under the Renewable Energy Policy 2019. The new policy, whose guiding principles have already been approved by CCoE, is being reviewed by different stakeholders and will be formally taken by CCoE later.

CCoE decided to permit renewable energy projects that have letter of support issued by Alternative Energy Development Board to proceed towards achieving their required milestones in accordance to Renewable Energy Policy 2006. The decision marks a positive effort by the government which seems to favour renewable energy deployment in the future. In addition, the Power Minister last week announced to take the share of renewable energy at 30% in the total power mix of Pakistan by 2030. Similarly, the government plans to take the share of hydro power to 30% by the same period that would translate into 60% overall share of renewable energy in the total power mix of the country. Targets set by the government are quite remarkable and in line with international climate change commitments. Such a practice sets example for other developing countries to follow. 

Air Marshall Shahid Hamid (Retd.), Honorary Vice President of WWEA and Chair of WWEA Pakistan: “It is quite encouraging to observe that the government plans to set higher targets for renewable energy deployment for which we have been advocating for over a decade now. The main mission of WWEA Pakistan Office is to create a bridge between the efforts of the government, the private sector and development partners to advance renewable energy development in the country and beyond. WWEA will play its part in establishing concrete roadmap for smooth transition towards achieving the target of 30% renewable energy in Pakistan by 2030.”

Comment by Riaz Haq on June 23, 2019 at 5:22am

#WorldBank: #Pakistan among the world’s top 20 counties for #renewableenergy. WB Energy Progress Report 2019 says renewable share in Pakistan exceeded the global average of 17.5 percent in 2016 due to traditional uses of #biomass for cooking. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/476288-pakistan-s-renewable-shares...

Share of renewable energy has surpassed the global average in Pakistan – one of the world’s top 20 counties accounting for three quarters of the global energy demand, but with more than a quarter of the population without access to electricity, the World Bank said on Saturday.


The World Bank in the Energy Progress Report 2019 said renewable share in Pakistan crossed over the global average of 17.5 percent in 2016 due to traditional uses of biomass for cooking.

The World Bank said Pakistan was among the top 20 energy consumers globally that represent only two-thirds of renewable energy consumption. Of them, six countries have renewable shares crossed the global average, according to the World Bank’s report covering the 2010-2017 period. Traditional uses of biomass too dominated the renewable consumption in India, Indonesia and Nigeria. Modern uses of biomass were most prevalent in Brazil and hydropower in Canada.

The World Bank said Pakistan has seen a rapid increase in annual access to electricity and clean fuel between 2010 and 2017, though it is still one of the countries with the lowest electrification rates.

The World Bank said the country saw more than one percent increase in electrification during the period, which was one the “rapid annual access gains” among the world’s top 20 access-deficit countries. Comparatively, Vietnam and Indonesia recorded more than three percent growth in access between 2010 and 2017, while Sudan, Afghanistan, and Myanmar registered over two percent increase in access of their populations to electricity.

“In a majority of the top 20 access-deficit countries, the electrification rate between 2010 and 2017 did not keep pace with population growth during the same period,” the World Bank said. The top 20 energy consumers account for three-quarters of global energy demand.

The World Bank said the total access rate in Pakistan’s urban centres was 100 percent, but it was 54 percent in rural areas. More than 58 million people are living without access to electricity in the country compared with 99 million in India and 20 million in Bangladesh. Together the three countries have un-served population less than four million of 181 million in the rest of the world.

“Some of the countries with un-served populations of over 50 million in 2017—like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and Pakistan—have electrified less than 1 percentage point of their population annually since 2010,” the World Bank said in the report prepared in collaboration with the International Energy Agency, the International Renewable Energy Agency, the United Nations Statistics Division and the World Health Organization.

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 4, 2019 at 9:50am

Steep decline in #nuclearpower threatens energy security and #climate goals. , At 10% of all #electricity generated globally, #nuclear is the 2nd largest source of low-#carbon #energy after #Hydro which produces 16% of electricity. https://www.iea.org/newsroom/news/2019/may/steep-decline-in-nuclear... via @IEA

With its mission to cover all fuels and technologies, the IEA hopes that the publication of its first report addressing nuclear power in nearly two decades will help bring the topic back into the global energy debate. The report is being released during the 10th Clean Energy Ministerial in Vancouver, Canada.

“Without an important contribution from nuclear power, the global energy transition will be that much harder,” said Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s Executive Director. “Alongside renewables, energy efficiency and other innovative technologies, nuclear can make a significant contribution to achieving sustainable energy goals and enhancing energy security. But unless the barriers it faces are overcome, its role will soon be on a steep decline worldwide, particularly in the United States, Europe and Japan.”

The new report finds that extending the operational life of existing nuclear plants requires substantial capital investment. But its cost is competitive with other electricity generation technologies, including new solar and wind projects, and can lead to a more secure, less disruptive energy transition.

Market conditions remain unfavourable, however, for lengthening the lifetimes of nuclear plants. An extended period of low wholesale electricity prices in most advanced economies has sharply reduced or eliminated profit margins for many technologies, putting nuclear plants at risk of shutting down early.

In the United States, for example, some 90 reactors have 60-year operating licenses, yet several have already retired early and many more are at risk. In Europe, Japan and other advanced economies, extensions of plants’ lifetimes also face uncertain prospects.

Investment in new nuclear projects in advanced economies is even more difficult. New projects planned in Finland, France and the United States are not yet in service and have faced major cost overruns. Korea has been an important exception, with a record of completing construction of new projects on time and on budget, though government policy aims to end new nuclear construction.

A sharp decline in nuclear power capacity in advanced economies would have major implications. Without additional lifetime extensions and new builds, achieving key sustainable energy goals, including international climate targets, would become more difficult and expensive.

If other low-carbon sources, namely wind and solar PV, are to fill the shortfall in nuclear, their deployment would have to accelerate to an unprecedented level. In the past 20 years, wind and solar PV capacity has increased by about 580 gigawatts in advanced economies. But over the next 20 years, nearly five times that amount would need to be added. Such a drastic increase in renewable power generation would create serious challenges in integrating the new sources into the broader energy system. Clean energy transitions in advanced economies would also require $1.6 trillion in additional investment over the same period, which would end up hurting consumers through higher electricity bills.

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 4, 2019 at 10:24am

Pakistan to set 30 percent plus 30 percent Renewable Energy Target by 2030

The new government in Pakistan plans to increase the share of renewable energy in total power generation to 30 percent by 2030, particularly power from wind, solar, small hydro and biomass, with an additional 30 percent from large scale hydropower.

https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/panorama/pakistan-to-set-30...

Currently, the share of renewable energy stands at a meagre 4 percent, despite the fact that the country holds huge renewable energy potential particularly wind and solar. Large hydro currently provides around a fourth of the country’s electricity supply.

During the last week of February, The Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE), chaired by the Finance Minister, approved proposals from the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) for all future renewable energy projects to be treated under the Renewable Energy Policy 2019. The new policy, whose guiding principles have already been approved by CCoE, is being reviewed by different stakeholders and will be formally taken by CCoE later.

CCoE decided to permit renewable energy projects possessing a letter of support from the Alternative Energy Development Board to proceed towards achieving their required milestones in accordance with the Renewable Energy Policy 2006. The decision marks a positive effort by the government, which favours future renewable energy deployment. The Power Minister announced last week that the country will raise the share of renewable energy in the total power mix to 30 percent by 2030. The government also plans to increase the share of hydro power to 30 percent by the same period. This would translate into 60 percent overall share of renewable energy in the total power mix of the country. The targets set by the government are significant and in line with international climate change commitments, setting an example for other developing countries to follow.

“It is quite encouraging to observe that the government plans to set higher targets for renewable energy deployment for which he have been advocating for over a decade now” said Air Marshall Shahid Hamid (Retd.), Honorary Vice President of WWEA and Chair of WWEA Pakistan. “The main mission of WWEA Pakistan Office is to create a bridge between the efforts of the government, the private sector and development partners to advance renewable energy development in the country and beyond. WWEA will play its part in establishing concrete roadmap for smooth transition towards achieving the target of 30 percent renewable energy in Pakistan by 2030.” 

The announcement comes against the backdrop of WWEA’s successful 17th World Wind Energy Conference that was organised in November 2018 in Karachi where more than 600 participants from 30 countries participated. The conference objectives included, inter alia, reviving blocked renewable energy projects in Pakistan and asking the government to set a fresh trajectory for renewable energy development in the country to meet its growing energy demands without aggravating climate change risks.

The government’s plan to generate around 18,000 MW of renewable energy by 2030 could hit a roadblock in the shape of a pipeline of more than 5 GW of coal fired projects. The previous renewable energy policy of 2006 provided multiple incentives to the private sector to develop renewable energy projects. However, the policy stopped short of achieving desirable results due to the absence of an action plan complementing the policy framework. The new policy should follow a strategic plan of action by creating a favourable environment for coordination mechanism between various departments dealing the renewable energy sector. 

WWEA Secretary General Stefan Gsänger added that the groundbreaking decision to increase the renewable energy share to 30 percent plus 30 percent will bring Pakistan to the forefront of renewable energy countries. Such focus on a renewable energy based economy will be very beneficial for the country, its citizens, its industry and its environment.

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 4, 2019 at 10:24am

Pakistan Nuclear Power Profile

https://cnpp.iaea.org/countryprofiles/Pakistan/Pakistan.htm



Energy supply statistics are given in Table 2. During the past decade (2007–2017), indigenous oil production has been at a level of about 64 000–95 000 barrels per day (equivalent to about 17–21% of the country’s oil consumption). Pakistan’s natural gas production in fiscal year 2016–17(1) was 4 032 million cubic feet per day.

In 2016–2017, coal production was 4.2 million t, while 7 million t of coal was imported to meet the industrial requirements of the country. The development of the coal mining industry in Pakistan, particularly for power generation, is hampered by constraints relating to the quality of coal, mining difficulties and other organizational constraints.

In 2016–2017, hydropower provided 26% of the electricity in Pakistan. Additional hydro projects varying in size, ranging from medium to micro, are under construction and the capacity of some existing hydro projects is being extended. Meanwhile, there are medium and large hydroelectric projects, awaiting official decision, are either proposed or are being planned.

Nuclear power generation contributed 6.2% to the total electricity generation of Pakistan in 2017. At present, the country has five operational nuclear power plants that have a cumulative generating capacity of 1 430 MW, while two reactors are under construction.



-------------------



Pakistan started construction of its first nuclear power plant, KANUPP, in 1966 in Karachi. The plant was connected to the national grid on 18 October 1972. KANUPP, a pressurized heavy water reactor of 137 MW gross capacity was constructed by Canadian General Electric under a turnkey contract. In 1976, vendor support for spare parts and fuel was withdrawn. The PAEC undertook the task of indigenously manufacturing the required spare parts and nuclear fuel on an emergency basis and, since 1980, KANUPP has successfully operated using fuel manufactured by the PAEC.

Despite the keen interest of Pakistan in building additional nuclear plants, it took more than two decades before the second nuclear power plant started construction. This delay was due to Pakistan’s lack of access to international nuclear technology coupled with a lack of indigenous industrial infrastructure. The construction of Pakistan’s second nuclear plant, C-1, a pressurized water reactor (PWR), was made possible in 1993 with the help of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). The plant was connected to the national grid on 13 June 2000 and has a gross capacity of 325 MW. A third nuclear power plant, C-2, with 325 MW gross capacity started commercial operation on 18 May 2011. The fourth unit, C-3, started commercial operation on 6 December 2016. It has a gross capacity of 340 MW and a similar plant, C-4, sited beside C-3, was connected to the grid on 25 June 2017. The first concrete pours to mark the start of construction of Karachi Coastal Power Project, a project containing two nuclear units, K-2 and K-3 (1100 MW each), based on an improved PWR design, were 20 August 2015 and 31 May 2016, respectively. 

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 7, 2019 at 7:46am

Hydropower accounts for more than 18% of all renewable energy employment worldwide

https://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2019/06/hydropower-accounts-for...

Worldwide, the renewable energy technologies sector employed 11 million people at the end of 2018, according to the Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2019 from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Leading markets like China, the U.S. and the EU hosted the greatest concentration of jobs in renewables, IRENA says.

The report says hydropower has the largest installed capacity of all renewables, accounting for almost 50% of renewable energy in the world, but is now expanding slowly. The sector employs 2.05 million people, directly, nearly three quarters of whom are in operations and maintenance. Construction and installation represent 23% of the total. Manufacturing is characterized by lower labor intensity and contributes 5%. Employment in the hydro sector has grown from 1.66 million in 2012.

By country, India accounts for 17% of the total employment, followed by China at 15%, Brazil at 10%, Vietnam at 6%, Pakistan at 5%, the European Union and Russian Federation at 4% each, and Iran and the U.S. at 3% each.

IRENA points out that previous editions of this report provided separate employment estimates for small and large hydropower. However, this edition combines both as “differentiating between them is difficult because of the scarcity of data and for lack of a universally agreed threshold.”

With regard to trade and supply chain dynamics, the report says that for hydropower, China represented a quarter of global exports, while European firms commanded a 46% share and the U.S. and India contributed just under 5% each.

The report also covers tide, wave and ocean energy, with 1 million jobs in 2018.

IRENA is an intergovernmental organization that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future and promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, including bio-energy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy.

Comment by Riaz Haq on April 2, 2020 at 11:22am

World Bank to provide additional $700m for #Pakistan’s Dasu #hydropower project. It will produce 4,320 MW of #electricity at $0.03/kWh (down from current $0.08/kWh) and the power generated will mostly be supplied during the summers when the demand is high

https://www.power-technology.com/news/world-bank-to-provide-700m-mo...

The World Bank has agreed to provide additional financing for the Dasu Hydropower Stage I project in Pakistan.

The $700m loan will fund the transmission line for the first phase of the Dasu hydropower plant. Situated along the main Indus River, the plant will have an installed capacity of 2,160MW.

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) will finance the project.

The Dasu Hydropower Stage II expansion plan is expected to increase the project’s capacity to 4,320MW.

World Bank Pakistan country director Illango Patchamuthu said: “Pakistan’s energy sector is aiming to move away from high-cost and inefficient fossil fuels towards low-cost, renewable energy to power the national grid.

“Along with reforms in the tariff structure, the Dasu hydropower project will result in fewer imports of fossil fuels, alleviating the stress on the country’s current account balance.”

The Dasu hydropower station will produce electricity at $0.03/kWh and the power generated will mostly be supplied during the summers when the demand is high.

The low-cost, renewable energy will supply affordable electricity to households as well as the manufacturing and agriculture sectors.

Currently, the average cost of electricity generation in the country stands at $0.08/kWh.

World Bank projects task team leader Rikard Liden said: “The Dasu hydropower plant has a low environmental footprint and is considered to be one of the best hydropower projects in the world.

“It will contribute to reducing Pakistan’s reliance on fossil-fuels and producing clean renewable energy.”

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 9, 2020 at 9:24am

Azad #Kashmir: 102 MW Gulpur #hydropower plant starts production. The project financing has been provided by Korea Exim Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Finance Corporation (IFC), Islamic Development Bank and ECO Bank.https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/07/08/102mw-gulpur-hydropo... via @Profitpk

Gulpur Hydropower Project has achieved certified commercial operation and has started producing cheap electricity for the national grid, said NESPAK Managing Director Dr Tahir Masood in a press communiqué on Wednesday.

NESPAK, in a joint venture with MWH Inc USA, has provided consultancy services as ‘owner’s engineer’ to Mira Power Limited, a subsidiary of KOSEP South Korea, for the 102MW Gulpur Hydropower Project.

“NESPAK has played a very vital role in the successful completion of Gulpur Hydropower Project, as it provided complete technical support to Mira Power Limited in getting approvals from different government agencies as well as supporting the EPC contractor in resolving complex issues that arose during construction,” said a statement issued by the company.

The successful completion of this project has added another feather in NESPAK’s cap, as the company had recently played a major role in the development and completion of 84MW New Bong Escape Hydropower Project.

Gulpur Hydropower Plant is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric generation project located on Poonch River, a major tributary of Jhelum River near Gulpur in Kotli District of Azad Kashmir. The project financing has been provided by Korea Exim Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Finance Corporation (IFC), Islamic Development Bank and ECO Bank.

The project is developed under the federal government’s ‘Policy for Power Generation Projects 2002’ as adopted in Azad Jammu & Kashmir.

The project has the capability of generating average annual energy of 102MW. It was developed in the shortest possible time and would play an important role in Pakistan’s national vision.

The project was completed at a total cost of Rs52 billion.

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 16, 2020 at 7:57am

#CPEC Re-Emerges In #Pakistan With Flurry Of Major #China Deals: 2 #hydropower projects costing $3.9 billion, and another to revamp Pakistan's colonial-era railways for $7.2 billion -- the most expensive #Chinese project yet in Pakistan. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/belt-and-road-re-emerges-in-pakista... via @ndtv

China's Belt and Road program has found new life in Pakistan with $11 billion worth of projects signed in the last month, driven by a former lieutenant general who has reinvigorated the infrastructure plan that's been languishing since Prime Minister Imran Khan took office two years ago.
The nations signed deals on June 25 and July 6 for two hydro-power generation projects costing $3.9 billion in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir region, and another to revamp the South Asian nation's colonial-era railways for $7.2 billion -- the most expensive Chinese project yet in Pakistan.

Khan's government appointed Asim Saleem Bajwa last year to run the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority, which oversees more than $70 billion in projects from power plants to highways.

He also joined Khan's cabinet in late April, becoming one of more than a dozen former and current military officials in prominent government roles as the army expands its influence in the country.

The Chinese financing has helped rid Pakistan of an electricity deficit that left exporters unable to meet orders and major cities without electricity for much of the day. Still, the implementation of some investments appeared to stall since Khan came to power, with no new projects announced in 2018 and very few in 2019.

Since Chinese President Xi Jinping launched the initiative in 2013, the World Bank estimates about $575 billion worth of energy plants, railways, roads, ports and other projects have been built or are in the works across the globe. Its progress has slowed recently, dogged by accusations that China is luring poor countries into debt traps for its own political and strategic gain.

"The reality is that much of CPEC, like the Belt and Road more broadly, has been paralyzed," said Jonathan Hillman, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Pakistan "is a flagship for China's Belt and Road, so the need to show progress is even more important."

In a tweet last month, Bajwa said some detractors had given the "false impression" that CPEC had been slowed. Not only has the pace of work on projects picked up recently, but a great deal of ground work has been done to launch phase two of the project that also includes special economic zones to lure Chinese manufacturers, agriculture, science, technology and tourism, he wrote.

"The prime minister pushed very hard on this," said Abdul Razak Dawood, Khan's adviser on commerce and investments said by phone. "We feel that we have to get more and more hydro in our energy mix."

A spokesman in Bajwa's office said he was not immediately available to comment.

Little Progress

Pakistan's army is already responsible for securing every single Beijing-funded project scattered across the country, from the mountains near the Chinese border to the desert in Gwadar where the Chinese operate a port. Its role has become even more important following terrorist attacks on three Chinese-related projects in the past year.

"There is no doubt that PM Khan's arrival slowed the pace of CPEC projects," said Mosharraf Zaidi, a senior fellow at Islamabad-based think tank, Tabadlab, and a former principal advisor to the foreign ministry. "The renewed energy and approval we are now seeing is almost entirely likely due to the chairperson having settled in, and being added to Prime Minister Khan's cabinet."

Comment by Riaz Haq on December 2, 2020 at 9:55am

#UN Chief calls on humanity to end war on nature, go carbon-free. Says “Apocalyptic fires and floods, cyclones and hurricanes are increasingly the new normal". #climatechange #fossilfuel #carbonemissions #GlobalWarming https://lasvegassun.com/news/2020/dec/02/un-calls-on-humanity-to-en... via @LasVegasSun

Governments in the Group of 20 major and emerging economies have so far committed more money to prop up fossil fuel sectors than to boost the rollout of renewable energy, the report found.

Co-author Ivetta Gerasimchuk of the International Institute for Sustainable Development said investing in oil, coal and gas no longer makes economic sense because renewable energy is becoming cheaper than fossil fuels. But, she said, “We see that instead of governments letting these fossil fuel projects die they resurrect them from the dead.”

The WMO’s report found global warming is worsening in all seven key climate indicators, but the problem is increasing human suffering in an already bad year.

“In 2020, over 50 million people have been doubly hit: by climate-related disasters (floods, droughts and storms) and the COVID-19 pandemic,’’ the report said. ”Countries in Central America are suffering from the triple-impact of hurricanes Eta and Iota, COVID-19 and pre-existing humanitarian crises.”

Among the dozens of extremes the report highlighted:

-- A record 30 Atlantic named tropical storms and hurricanes.

--Death Valley, California, hit 129.9 degrees (54.4 degrees Celsius), the hottest the world has seen in 80 years.

--Record wildfires struck California and Colorado in the western United States, following a major fire season and record heat in Australia.

--The Arctic had record wildfires and a prolonged heat wave culminating in a 100-degree mark (38 degrees Celsius) in Siberia in June.

--Record low Arctic sea ice was reported for April and August and the yearly minimum, in September, was the second lowest on record.

--More than 2,000 people died in record summer rains and flooding in Pakistan and surrounding nations.

While these events can’t solely be blamed on climate change, “these are the types of events scientists fear will increase due to climate change,” said Cornell University climate scientist Natalie Mahowald, who wasn’t part of the report.

“Human activities are at the root of our descent towards chaos,” Guterres said. “But that means human action can solve it.”

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