Life cycle assessment of electric vehicles: a systematic review of literature.

This study addresses the pressing need to evaluate the life cycle assessment (LCA) of electric vehicles (EVs) in comparison to traditional vehicles, amid growing environmental concerns and the quest for sustainable transportation alternatives. Through a systematic four-stage literature review, it strives to provide essential insights into the environmental impact, energy consumption, and resource utilization associated with EVs, thereby informing well-informed decisions in the transition to more sustainable transportation systems. The study's findings underscore a compelling environmental advantage of EVs. They emit a staggering 97% less CO2 equivalent emissions when compared to petrol vehicles, and a significant 70% less compared to their diesel counterparts, rendering them a crucial instrument in the battle against climate change. These environmental benefits are intricately linked to the adoption of clean energy sources and advanced battery technology. Furthermore, the study highlights the potential for additional emissions reduction through the extension of EV lifespans achieved by recycling and advanced battery technologies, with Li-ion batteries enjoying a second life as secondary storage systems. However, challenges remain, most notably the scarcity of rare earth materials essential for EV technology. The study's policy recommendations advocate for a swift shift towards clean energy sources in both EV production and usage, substantial investments in advanced battery technology, and robust support for recycling initiatives. Addressing the rare earth material shortage is paramount to the sustained growth and viability of EVs, facilitating a greener and more sustainable future in the realm of transportation.

Realigning India's Vietnam Policy Through Cooperative Sustainable Development: a Geostrategic Counterbalancing to China in Indo-Pacific.

Vietnam is a key player in India's Act East Policy and is distressed due to China's overarching position in the South China Sea. China's expanding infrastructural investments in India's periphery have led to a regional security dilemma in Indian Ocean Region. India is steered to pursue opportunities to counter China in the latter's periphery, to which Vietnam fits as an apt ally. Hence, this paper examines the heightened need for realigning India's Vietnam policy in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and explains how bilateral cooperation through sustainable trade, renewable energy production, and green investments can offer a "counter" to Chinese expansion in Indo-Pacific and its Belt and Road Initiative. This paper uses the theoretical framework of Balance of Power to enumerate how geostrategic policy decisions in India-Vietnam bilateral relations can create a "counterbalance" to the Chinese investments in India's neighborhood, especially in Pakistan.

Is geopolitics a threat for offshore wind energy? A case of Indian Ocean Region.

The aim of this paper is to drive the discourse towards the increasing shift to renewables, especially offshore wind energy generation, in the emerging international energy order. The Indian Ocean Region (IOR), despite its increasing contribution to onshore wind energy generation and impending policies on offshore wind energy, is reluctant to invest in the latter. Hence, this paper highlights four important aspects that challenge IOR's offshore wind energy development: Indian Ocean's strategic location, environment impacts, blue economy and maritime terrorism. In the background of the geopolitical rivalry existing in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), with the increasing presence of China and the USA in the Indian Ocean, this paper aims to study if these geopolitical challenges are hindering offshore wind energy generation in IOR. The key findings of the paper include the necessity of addressing the geopolitical rivalry in IOR as an important hindrance in huge investments needed in OWE farms, so that a regional cooperative mechanism is arrived at especially from the point of view of policies towards OWE generation.