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The White House statement says on this new Economic Corridor agreed on at the G20 Summit in New Delhi yesterday September 10, 2023, says-

"We aim to ensure a new area of connectivity with a railway, linked through ports connecting Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The United States and our partners aim to link both continents to commercial hubs, and facilitate the development and export of clean energy; lay undersea cables and link energy grids and telecommunication lines to expand reliable access to electricity; enable innovation of advanced energy technology; and connect communities to secure and stable internet. Across the corridor we envision driving existing trade and manufacturing, and strengthening food security and supply chains."

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Putin's visit to India is intended to continue India Russia dialogue. One of the topics is trade. New trade deals are planned to take pre-pandemic trade from $11 billion to $30 billion by 2025. Trade would go beyond energy to include education, cybersecurity, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, railways, clean energy. By comparison US India trade for the same time period is $146 billion.

Afghanistan is a source of concern for both Russia and India and this will be part of the talks. Russia also participates in several forums with India including BRICS. 

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The needs of AI where the energy to power a city the size of Manhattan is needed leaves America short of meeting such supply with renewable solar, wind and natural gas. Nuclear had become dormant as the cost of natural gas and solar produced energy declined. With increasing need for clean energy the Biden administration considered reviving nuclear energy and included funds for this in its legislation.  In the last year Constellation which owns the Three Mile Plant in decommissioning status changed its plans under CEO Dominguez after attending AI meetings realizing that this was an opportunity. Dominguez had research done to match energy projects in the US with the demand including AI data centers to be convinced it made sense to invest, and meetings with Governor Shapiro. It is moving forward with $1.6 billion investment after a deal with Microsoft for energy from Three Mile Nuclear plant, delivery in 2028, at $115 per megawatt hour. It costs $142 per megawatt hour for new nuclear energy construction.  State and federal regulatory approvals are needed, and the risk of underestimating the cost of restoring nuclear at decommissioned plants are high. ...

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Instead of a jinx much to the contrary the US economy outlook for 2030 in Feb 2026- a surge in investment spending in 2026-2030, new manufacturing investments and lower energy costs, moderating inflation, are likely to propel the US economy ahead to 2030.The effect of tariffs as a policy making tool has been muted because of exemptions, reversal of tariff rates once key objectives were secure for tariffs as a way to get action on foreign policy as with Indian purchases of Russian oil, deals with Japan, South Korea and China, India, UK and the EU. Some sources such as the Philadelphia Fed see price rises reaching 3% in some inflation guages more than the moderate 2.5% in the consumer price index for January 2026. These sources see the hiring slowing down just as layoffs begin to happen in the latter part of the year which is a possibility but less likely. At this point in Feb 2026 there is a tendency not to layoff and to hang onto employees, and hiring has been slow in 2025. January's report of 130,000 jobs added is the first sign of strengthening of the jobs market. Overall a cautious view would be to call it a soft landing after the inflation surge of the covid period. Another way of looking at is is more in line with the strategic direction of the US economy- freeing up the economy with investments in energy,  reducing the key costs of production, tax policy of Bessent's complete one shot depreciation of equipment increasing business investment, tariff policy making the world trading system fairer and now more attuned to US interests, all creating an investment and jobs surge in 2026-2027. There is an added benefit from US efforts to free up the world trading system from the stranglehold placed on it by China with its control over world manufacturing. A dominance and unwise concentration gained from the serious mistakes of the Bush-Clinton period of not putting in safeguards for US factories and jobs (that form the backbone for families in neighborhoods towns and regions across the US), and US business interests growing indifference to the very communities they were based in by outshoring to China destroying whole regions in America. Even where it is criticized or seen as negative there are huge benefits when the US acted. Tariff increase on India is a clear example- it built Indian resilient attitude in June-Feb 2026, and during this period it cut funding Russia's war in Ukraine by sourcing energy from other sources, the US policy led to India and EU+ Germany signing trade agreements to double their effort and double trade and scientific cooperation ( a goal secured for the US as it reduces concentration in China), was followed by US signing its own trade agreement with India within days, and increases world trade of US and EU and Germany in ways that will bring 2.5 billion people into a strong partnership that overshadows anything that happened in China in the Clinton-Bush-Obama years of failure. ...

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The Modi administration's plans for clean solar energy and renewable energy production to reach 220 gigawatts by 2022, nearly doubling the capacity in 2 years from 135 gigawatts today. The message was conveyed at the inaugural address for the recent World Solar Technology Summit by the prime minister. The premier said that ISA is part of the "One World, One Sun, One Grid" project, which would be transformational for humanity.

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The rapidly changing situation in energy is shown by the $15 billion German government rescue of Uniper, which contains the legacy fossil fuel assets of Germany's E.ON electricity maker. The war in Ukraine has made energy security a priority, leaving fossil fuel assets at risk of getting stranded. This is what happened at Uniper as Germany moves quickly to develop renewable sources to replace Russian fossil fuels. Clean energy investment is increasing rapidly as many green energy options are cost effective. Two thirds of electricity is generated in countries where it is cheaper to build new solar or onshore wind facilities than to run existing gas or coal powered facilities. Offshore wind with newer technologies will soon be cheaper also. Higher fuel and emissions prices, the cost of running older facilities in extreme weather, also increase risk of stranded assets.   To understand how quickly the situation is changing and can lead to stranded assets - solar energy is now half the cost of energy from coal or natural gas at today's prices as shown in the graphs in this WSJ article. Large investment in research and new technology will only decrease the cost of solar and wind energy to 2025 and 2030, increasing the investments in renewable energy and speeding up the curve for transition to renewable sources, with the added impetus of government support to achieve COP26 targets. ...

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The largest holder of America's debt is not China. It is Japan with holdings by banks, insurers and pension funds of $1.1 trillion of US debt. This is important with the growing borrowing of the US government to fund infrastructure and clean energy, services. This investment is growing after slowing during the pandemic. Much of it is done not for earnings gains but with hedging in financial markets to reduce exchange rate risk.

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Senator Manchin of West Virginia secured a transitional use of coal, oil and natural gas in the Biden legislation including Inflation Reduction Act. The Biden team eventually accepted the need for use of oil and natural gas in the transition to clean energy. During the first Trump term the support for fossil fuels was tempered by the fact that industries looked at the situation in the long term as administrations can change every 4 years, and continued the transition to clean energy. The combination of these factors means that the transition to clean energy continues in some form.

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The southern Spanish city of Seville collects 5.6 million kilos of oranges deposited on city streets by 48,000 trees. Thirty nine tons of oranges are picked up from the streets by 200 workers and used in a pilot scheme to produce clean electricity. If all of the oranges on the streets are processed the energy could power about 73,000 homes.

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BBC environmental correspondent points out that the climate change executive order from U.S. president Trump reversing Obama's clean energy policies is designed to change the narrative to job creation. This follows approval for building the Keystone pipeline from Canada to bring oil from oil sands production to the U.S. The pipeline was also presented as a job creation effort. Environmental groups oppose the president's action. Court action and challenges are seen as helping Republican policy of delaying implementation of Clean Power Plan policy setup to control carbon dioxide emissions under the Obama administration. 

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Ivan Penn , Tim Gruber of NYT show how Tim Walz's Minnesota is taking Climate Change Action to be 100% Clean Energy by 2040.  Hovering over Becker, Minnesota, along the Missisisippi river is a coal powered electric plant. Next to corn and potato farms are acres of solar panels intended to pass solar energy to the Sherco solar energy plant in the neighboring area for transmission. It will replace 3 coal powered units at Becker's electric plant. Becker is only one of seven such Municipal areas called Coalition of Utility Cities that will make he shift to solar. What happens to 240 workers at the coal plant owned by Xcel Energy? They will not be layed off says Xcel and the state provides funds to retrain workers. Some will be employed at anuclear plant owned by Xcel. The state provides 4.75 million for retraining, and $20 million for a new industrial park that will generate new jobs. Additional jobs created at Form Energy in Massachusetts that makes the battery storage systems for Sherco/Xcel. It is a culture change for workers and for sceptics. A 1.9 million ton coal pile sits outside Becker to last 100 days- coal related pollution will decline and improve health.      ...

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Even with corruption existing in the system the efforts to root it out of president Xi Jinping are generally recognized in China with 80% of the population respecting these efforts. Government officials in China are seen as much more well behaved than before. And in areas such as pollution control, climate change, renewable energy major efforts by Xi Jinping. This compares to the general lack of confidence in 2012 when corruption was at its highest level after twenty years of free marketism with lax government regulation even in enforcing clean air and water laws.

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The global stocktake was set for 2023 at the 2015 Paris Climate Accords. This measures the progress towards limiting climate change warming to to 1.5 degrees rise in temperatures. The 2023 stocktake at COP28 Dubai shows the goal is elusive and the earth is at warming by 2.5 degrees Celsius, with the climate change action of industry and public participation flagging. The pandemic has worsened the financial ability of poorer countries to handle the transition to clean energy, even as it has caused serious floods and fires. The major oil companies are also not investing as needed.

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Prime minister Modi's 5 commitments to get closer to net zero by 2030 will require making ambitious efforts starting from 2021. Modi cited Indian Railways as an example to be followed by the rest of industry and transportation, and homes, for the conversion to clean energy. Indian Railways, he told the COP26 conference, had set ambitious goals to achieve net zero emissions by 2030, cutting carbon emissions by 60 million tons from the 1 billion tons reduction of carbon emission Modi promised by 2030. The ambitious 2030 target of 500 gigawatts of renewable energy, mostly solar using new technologies, is another promise.  This Bloomberg report looks at India's energy mix today which is 44% coal, 25% oil, 6% natural gas, for a total of 75% fossil fuels, and the promise of 50% fossil, 50% renewable and other non fossil fuels hydroelectric, nuclear, that Modi made at COP26 Glasgow. Just as US and Europe, Japan, China have huge challenges ahead to make a massive transformation in record time, India faces the equal need to think clearly and embrace new technologies with speed and scale, and make the investments early for transformation. This is good for India to take on the challenge and venture out to seize the opportunities in new technologies that transform whole industries and a way of living that must be left behind. ...

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The title should be- "Eos Electric Battery Plant Pittsburgh region reviving old Westinghouse Plant Turtle Creek." The old Westinghouse Plant closed leading to deindustrialization. $386 million from the Inflation Reduction Act of president Biden is used to reindustrialize around zinc-halide Electric batteries that are produced by Eos with federal government support at this location, once a old Westinghouse plant that was closed. This report in Politico shows the investments in clean energy in the Pittsburgh region. Its not about helping Harris it is about reindustrialization of America, and competing with Chinese made electric batteries with newer technologies using Made in the USA.

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Increasing cooperation in fast rail, clean energy, semiconductors and defense manufacturing between India and Japan following the visit of prime minister Kishida of Japan to India. The plans for Japanese investment in India will be accelerated with this visit. PM Modi will visit Hiroshima for the G-7 summit. As India's development accelerates it is likely to make the G-7 the G-8 summit in coming years. The unity of purpose shown by Biden and Trudeau in Canada is seen today between Kishida and Modi in India. This follows the close relationship Modi had with prime minister Abe of Japan. Kishida was foreign minister in Abe's government.

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Pakistan faces severe environmental problems says this report in DW.com. In addition to the heat wave, climate change, air pollution, degradation of natural resources, deforestation and soil erosion, there is the problem of access to drinking water. About 80% of Pakistan's population lack access to clean drinking water. By 2040 experts say Pakistan could be the most water stressed country in the region. A big problem is the lack of financial resources to tackle climate change with the buildup of debt. Another problem is the lack of a master plan for development that takes into account the need for protecting the environment and makes investment in renewable energy.

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Extreme drought affected Minnesota cattle farmers leading to elimination of many cattle herds.               Wildfire smoke from Canada settled down over the cities of St Paul and Minneapolis for days.                 Lack of enough snow and ice in winter led to losses in ice fishing and cross country skiing making winters unnatural in Great Lakes Region that also includes Wisconsin and Michigan. Walz acted, and his plain spoken communication style made a difference clearing misperceptions. Pew Research shows 67% of Americans favor clean energy but misperceptions abound.          Minnesota during his two terms now produces 50% of its energy from wind, solar and nuclear. Minnesota is now likely to be ahead of California in getting to 100% wind solar and nuclear for all its energy. Walz set the date 2040 into law for this to happen with 40 climate initiatives. A bill signed into law speeds up the permits for renewable energy projects. Walz’s communication style shows that when people understand the benefits and specifics you get things done. “The surest way to get people to buy in is to create a job that pays well in their community. All of us are going to have to be better about our smart politics, about bringing people in.”        ...

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India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar visits Sri Lanka. He says-  "We felt strongly that Sri Lanka's neighbors must take proactive steps to facilitate its recovery. India decided not to wait for others but to do what we believe is right. We extended financing reassurances to IMF to clear the way for Sri Lanka to move forward."  He emphasized the enormous renewable energy potential of the island nation which India supports. The larger region provides new possibilities for Sri Lanka to get the benefits of scale for energy development. He pointed out that India is " prepared to go the extra mile when Sri Lanka feels the need." India and Sri Lanka share a long history from the period of the first conversion by Mahinda from India of the island to Buddhism.

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US president Biden points out in his letter to the US Congress- "When I was elected President, a pandemic was raging and our economy was reeling, and trickle-down economics had undermined our nation’s growth long-term. I was determined to rebuild from the middle out and bottom up, not the top down, because when the middle class does well, we all do well. We can give everyone a fair shot and leave no one behind. Our plan has brought transformational progress." "Along the way, we’ve achieved one of the most successful legislative records in generations, bringing new opportunities to communities of all sizes nationwide. We’re tackling years of underinvestment in public infrastructure, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing, making sure the future is made in America by American workers. We’re making the biggest investment in American infrastructure in generations, including over $400 billion for 46,000 projects in 4,500 communities to date. These projects are rebuilding the nation’s roads, bridges, railroads, ports, airports, public transit, water systems, high-speed internet, and more, in every part of the country. We’re also making the most significant investment in fighting climate change in history—advancing breakthroughs in clean technology, boosting energy independence, lowering electricity costs for hardworking families, and revitalizing fence-line communities smothered by a legacy of pollution. At the same time, we’re working with the private sector to strengthen America’s semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries as well, empowering workers and small businesses to share in the benefits. Already, my Investing in America agenda has attracted $650 billion." ...

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$700 million loss on a clean beauty brand during the pandemic by Carlyle taking money from investors. During the pandemic Carlyle private equity invested $700 million of investor's money in Beauty Counter, a direct seller of a clean beauty brand started by Mrs Renfrew. The product and concept failed. This is $700 million that could have been invested in much needed nation's infrastructure projects, in climate change action, in renewable energy, in healthcare, in education, with reasonable returns. Capital market misallocation is a huge problem for the last 2 decades, with hundreds of billions of dollars lost or wasted in dubious products such as $100 million for a new golf ball with hundreds of such projects and products that are not vital needs for the American people. Tax benefits for such dubious projects and ideas lead to more revenue that is diverted away from the essential needs of the Nation and the American people. Over two decades this adds up to huge losses which would mean a lot of the Nation's infrastructure could have been replaced by now using this money. The capital allocation system needs to be rebuilt from the ground up to meet the vital needs of the Nation and the American people. ...