Global Warming and Air Pollution Driven Energy Transition in South Asia

Light, heat and electricity are common types of energy demands at domestic level. Mankind uses food, fuel and electric energies to survive on the planet earth. Sun is the ultimate source of energy, which drives water, wood, wind and wave energy cycles and generates light and heat energy. Solar energy lives in vegetation in the form of hydrocarbon chemical bonds. Fossil fuels are also a form of old times stored solar energies. Anaerobic combustion of plants in subsurface under high temperature and pressure converts buried wood into coal, gas and oil. Burning of coal, gas and oil in power plants and vehicles causes air pollution and climate change due to massive 40 Gt CO2/y GHG emissions. Global warming is accelerating meltdown of midpole glaciers supplying fresh water to entire Asia. Geopolitics has decelerated efforts slowing down climate change by walking out of Paris Accord. Humankind, since last 200,000 (Nature) to 315,000 (Morocco) years, has been facing global cooling but first time faced the global warming. Global warming is acutely upsetting global food supply chain, transport and ecosystems worldwide. We are already late in starting GHG emission reductions and developing adaptive strategies to cope with global warming, which should no more be delayed to take action. Combustion of coal and GM crops stubble causes air pollution in South Asia. Rice crops stubbles burning in Punjab increases Air Quality Index (AQI) more than 1000 points every year in October and November. Transboundary air pollution laws similar to water and carbon particles as smog melt glaciers, cause heat waves, choke filters in thermal power plants and deteriorates dielectric strength of high voltage insulators. Scientists and environmentalists propose gradual transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy systems. This paper analyzes air pollution causes and overviews long journey from mire to fire and wave to wire.