Published on Thu 3rd Dec 2009 12:39:25
Source: Zopang.com
New Delhi, December 3 :
Following in China's footsteps, India has also decided to slow down the growth of greenhouse gas emissions.
Last week, China had claimed that it would cut carbon emissions up to 45 percent by 2020. India has decided to cut its carbon intensity by 24 percent by 2020.
India is at present under immense pressure to pronounce the details of how it would cut its carbon intensity. New Delhi's position will strengthen at the Copenhagen summit if it is successful in its aim.
Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said, "We now have taken on performance targets in energy, building, forestry and various sectors of the economy. We are not going to be taking any legally binding emission cuts. That is simply out of the question, but we can look at various alternatives. Incidentally, our carbon intensity is very low. The Chinese have just announced a carbon intensity decline by 2020 and according to that, they will be in the year 2020 where India was in 2005 as far as carbon intensity is concerned."
With this stand, India is under immense pressure to set emissions targets ahead of the Copenhagen summit. The western countries are imposing their pressure on India to quantify the cuts.
To add to that, the developed countries want India to draw out and state a plan that India will follow to cut its emissions.
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Many analysts, including some of India's own negotiators at Copenhagen have it all wrong. They incorrectly equate emissions to development.
ReplyDeleteWe need to clearly delink the two. Why should we not aim for clean and sustainable development. When we already have the technologies for pushing clean development why must we pollute the planet and bring it to the brink to develop?
In the last 30 years we have added so much CO2 belching coal power to our grid, but still nearly 800 million rural people barely get 12 hours of electricity.
The problem with coal is it is highly inefficient technology. Nearly 80% of energy generated from coal is lost before it reaches the consumer.
Why not provide them with small scale, decentralized solar, biomass and wind plants?
Why not improve energy efficiency of our devices?
Why not improve our public transport systems and reduce dependency on cars?
Why not improve fuel efficiency of vehicles?
These are all possibly with current technology, but industry does not want to make the move.
I think Jairam Ramesh has taken bold steps and pushed India into a leadership position.
When the British used violence to control the Indian freedom struggle did Gandhi refuse to talk to them unless they quit the violence? He continued to protest in a non-violent manner, thus showing them he was intellectually, politically and spiritually ahead of the so called "civilized" British.
We have to SHAME the "developed" world into seeing their folly just like Gandhi shamed the "civilized" British.
It's not use arguing about who created the problem. We should now get the US and other annexe 1 nations to commit to 40% emission reductions, as well as to provide funds and technology so we can make even better reductions on emissions.
We have taken a bold first step and shown leadership, now the developed world should follow.