Summary of #27 - Vijay Jayaraj on evil insanity of blocking fossil energy for people living in energy poverty

00:00:00 - 00:45:00

Vijay Jayaraj, an environmentalist, shares his journey towards climate realism and defending energy rights for people in developing countries. He highlights the issue of energy poverty, particularly in India, where power outages are common, and some families cannot afford to pay their monthly energy bills. Jayaraj emphasizes the importance of reliable and affordable energy sources, and he criticizes Western countries that are fighting against fossil energy for people in developing countries, unaware of the challenges faced by those in energy poverty. He also discusses the importance of fossil fuels and their byproducts in our daily lives, stating that they are necessary for technology access and sustainable conservation policies. Jayaraj believes that the best way to fight back against climate change is to communicate the truth precisely and talk more about ideas instead of people.

• 00:00:00 In this section, Vijay Jayaraj introduces himself as an environmentalist who began his life in India and did his Masters in environment from the UK. He also talks about his journey through conservation, climate impact on marine life, the use of renewable energy, and how Industries adapt to change in the energy sector. He talks about how growing up, he believed that CO2 was a hazard and the Earth was getting too warm because that's what he was taught in the media and in academia. However, after college, he came across non-profits and people in academia who did not share the same thought as the popular mainstream narrative, which contributed to his journey towards climate realism.
• 00:05:00 In this section, the speaker, Vijay Jayaraj, shares about his journey into becoming a climate researcher and defending the energy rights of those in developing countries. He works with the CO2 Coalition and the Cornwall Alliance for the stewardship of creation, aiming to inform the public of the benefits of CO2 and bring awareness to the reality of energy poverty that people in developing countries face. Jayaraj grew up in India with power outages being a regular feature, and he emphasizes the importance of understanding what policies people support and how it affects those living in energy poverty.
• 00:10:00 In this section, Vijay Jayaraj talks about the issue of energy poverty, which is when people do not have access to reliable and affordable electricity. He shares his personal experience growing up in India where he witnessed a lot of power cuts and where some families cannot afford to pay monthly energy bills. He also highlights the importance of electricity for farmers to power their electric motors to pump water to their fields. However, he notes that there is not currently a big push in India to transition away from coal and towards wind and solar power, especially among those below the poverty line. He attributes this lack of push to people trusting certain authorities and sources that believe fossil fuels are causing problems.
• 00:15:00 In this section, the speaker emphasizes the divergence of thoughts among policymakers and government officials in India regarding the use of fossil fuels for generating power and supplying transportation fuels to the people. Many non-profits give policy recommendations to reduce emissions, but the officials in charge of power generation understand the pressing need for fossil fuels in a country with a population of 1.3 billion people. Although there is a prominent push for renewable installations, there is no significant push for immediate coal cessation, contrary to what climate activists like Greta believe. Additionally, the government aims for more coal utilization, even during peak demand, to ensure a surplus of electricity.
• 00:20:00 In this section, Vijay Jayaraj discusses the coal industry in India, where they produce around 70-80% of the coal they need domestically. However, higher grade coal is imported from other countries, such as Indonesia, Australia, and South Africa. Due to the post-pandemic growth and economic demand, the government is now allowing coal plants closer to the sea to use imported coal to meet the high demand. India has a tender system in place to commission new coal mines and improve their production to be more self-reliant, but they still heavily rely on imported oil due to the lack of reserves.
• 00:25:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the challenges that India faces in terms of energy supply, including the high cost of fuel and the country's dependence on imports. Despite collaborations with governments in Africa and the discovery of oil in the Indian Ocean Basin, the anti-fossil fuel activism and protests in India have stalled hydrocarbon projects. The speaker is critical of Western countries that are fighting against fossil energy for people in India, pointing out that they are unaware of the reality in developing countries and the importance of reliable and affordable energy sources. He emphasizes the need to inform and educate people in the West about the connection between fossil fuels and the challenges faced by developing countries.
• 00:30:00 In this section, Vijay Jayaraj discusses the issue of energy poverty and the harm that comes from blocking fossil fuel projects in developing countries, particularly in Africa. The African Development Bank has stopped funding coal projects in Africa, which means people are left without reliable electricity, and this impacts access to nutritious food, medical facilities with functioning electricity, and much more. People need fossil fuels to build roads and run vehicles that transport food and supplies, and refrigeration for food. Fossil fuels are also needed for places like Arizona and California, where energy poverty is an issue for those who cannot afford air conditioning. Ultimately, cutting off the fossil fuel supply to developing countries is a cruel act.
• 00:35:00 In this section, Vijay Jayaraj discusses the importance of fossil fuels and their byproducts in our daily lives, stating that almost everything we use on an everyday basis is a petroleum or hydrocarbon byproduct. Even wind turbines and solar panel structures require energy from fossil fuels, and many environmentally-friendly products rely on hydrocarbons. Jayaraj argues that access to technology is necessary for people living in energy poverty, and cutting off our supply of fossil fuels would have negative effects on the environment, such as fewer forested areas.
• 00:40:00 In this section, Vijay Jayaraj discusses the importance of efficient conservation policies in sustaining forest areas and even growing new ones in countries like India. However, he emphasizes that climate discussions should not be mixed with conservation policies, and the truth about the history of climate change is not being told to the public. Jayaraj believes that the best way to fight back is to communicate the truth precisely and talk more about ideas instead of people. He also mentions that he is the only member of the CO2 Coalition currently based outside of the US in India.
• 00:45:00 In this section, Vijay Jayaraj discusses South Africa's energy crisis and the impact of corruption within the state utility. He explains that load shedding was not planned ahead of time, but rather due to the corruption within the state utility, which has led to a lack of maintenance and disappearing funds. South Africa is exporting coal, but the state utility doesn't want to use it and has sold out to the climate narrative, which is preventing the country from providing electricity to its people. Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa, also has unreliable electricity, and Jayaraj emphasizes that Africa as a continent has a lot of countries and people living in energy poverty.