Green Options

India has announced numerous changes in its climate policy signaling a renewed effort to cement its credentials as a global environment leader.

The developed countries are struggling to build national consensus for ambitious mitigation measures while the developing countries have gained the higher ground in the negotiations for the next climate deal by announcing voluntary sectoral emission reduction targets.

With so much going on at the international front the Indian government has struggled to chalk out official negotiations plan for the Copenhagen Summit. It must now decide if it wants to be a deal breaker or a major initiator at the climate talks.

With an international deal in doubt, India and China look to increase cooperation in areas like renewable energy, climate change research.

US has once again made unreasonable demands that developing countries adopt similar emission reduction targets as the rich countries. Such demands are against the Bali (Climate Conference) Action Plan and threaten to derail the climate negotiations.

After playing leader in global climate change negotiations, United States is now under pressure to respond to India and China’s announcements of mitigation measures.

After months of resistance against emission reduction goals the Indian government now seems willing to take proactive measures to reduce carbon emissions.

EU demands that advanced developing countries take more responsibility by partially funding their carbon emission reduction programs and contribute to the international adaptation fund to help developing and poor countries.

India is refusing to use its ‘low per capita emissions’ argument to dodge demands of emission reduction goals even as its carbon emission output continues to rise.

Lack of foreign investments owing to the global financial crisis and its own negotiating stance at climate talks could throw back India’s schedule to implement plans of setting up large scale solar energy projects.