India Will Not Have Emission Reduction Targets, How About Renewable Energy Targets
India’s Environment minister has made it clear that his government will not agree to any demands for mandatory emission reduction goals. The minister, in a statement, said what a recent World Bank report had noted, that India could jeopardize its fight against poverty if it agrees to emissions reductions and increase economic burden on its people.
This is not the first time that India has made such statements, India’s climate negotiator Shyam Saran has made similar statements in the past but none have been so direct and for the first time it has been that a statement from the Environment minister has been issued. This ‘aggression’ is due to the fast approaching Copenhagen round of talks for the next climate treaty where developed countries will certainly put pressure on advanced developing countries like India, China, Mexico and others to agree to some kind of emission reduction goals. Adding teeth to India’s argument is the World Bank report.
India has clearly stated its negotiating stance which, most certainly, would include call for developed nations to provide greater monetary help to the developing and poor countries to acquire clean energy technology. India, along with China and Mexico, recently unveiled plans for expanding renewable energy infrastructure, quite possibly to see off any demands for mandatory emission cuts. So if these countries cannot agree to emission reduction targets why not agree to or set voluntary renewable energy targets?
As in India’s case government’s priority is to eradicate poverty which cannot be done without creating jobs and expanding industrial growth to new and poor regions of the country for which electricity would be required. Therefore expanding renewable energy infrastructure makes perfect sense. India is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism and could use the financial assistance to set up more clean energy projects.
India will certainly call for extra financial support for developing countries at the Copenhagen climate talks and thus it should also consider setting a renewable energy target for itself as it would serve two purposes - reduction in carbon emissions and increase in energy security. India is a major greenhouse gas emitter and must, therefore, take up some responsibility.
India currently generates about 10 percent of its electricity using renewable sources and while it has massive plans for expansion of clean energy projects, like the $100 billion solar subsidies and feed-in tariff scheme, it lacks the financial resources to implement those plans. The finances could (and most probably would) come from the developed countries and thus it is completely fair that India and other developing countries set up benchmarks for evaluating of the progress of the transition to clean energy sources. With investments in renewable energy set to increase rapidly especially in developing countries India can set a 15-20 percent target for the year 2020.
No developed country has so far pledged money for the Adaptation Fund agreed up on at Bali Climate Conference in 2007 understandably because of the economic crisis has stranded their economies and their governments are reluctant to put extra burden on their citizens. The developed nations can pass bold laws asking their citizens to shoulder the economic burden to fix the climate issue only when they assure them that developing countries are willing to invest in clean energy systems in order to reduce their carbon emissions. It is time that the developing countries take up responsibility and contribute in their respective capacities to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to cleaner energy sources.
Photo: Taylor Dundee (Creative Commons)
“It is time that the developing countries take up responsibility and contribute in their respective capacities to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to cleaner energy sources.”
India has strict anti pollution laws on the books. It also has virtually zero useful enforcement. I know this well from being there for many years. A few bucks and inspectors find a way to not notice anything.
India also has one of the dirtiest coal industries one could dream of with very low grade (high ash) coal. The industry is highly unionized and totally resistant to change.
Before the developing world gets too demanding they should at least do what they can ‘in house’. They get the hand out too soon and ask for too much.
The super wind project seems to be mostly smoke - just a few years back the entire western grid was only 20,000 mW - now that much wind - all at once?
Try to find a clean creek within 50 miles of Bombay - Mumbai - there are a few but damned few! The water comes in every color of the rainbow though tending toward stinky brown.
Mahim Creek in Mumbai, which the environmentalists were frantic to save just a couple of years back may well have the distinction of being the most polluted place in the world.