The world has been talking about the proactive measures announced by China in order to reduce its carbon emissions, increase renewable energy use and improve energy efficiency. But its neighbor, India, too is now is in a remarkable transition from an environmental underdog one who projected itself as a weak and helpless sufferer of the natural calamities that the changing climate threatens to bring in the future.

With changing international scenarios the domestic policies of India changed as well. With the change in Washington, many developing countries changed their stance and announced slew of proactive measures which they had fiercely opposed in the past. Even though they all are still opposed to mandatory emission reduction targets they have announced forest conservation plans as well as massive renewable energy projects.

Read more of this story »

In the see saw of that the international climate negotiations is the balance has now shifted towards the developing countries. The developed and developing countries argued vigorously over the one last year and both the parties have moved back and forth several times on their negotiation positions.

The United States under the leadership of President Barack Obama pursued a highly aggressive diplomatic effort which resulted in China agreeing to various mitigation measures including improvement in energy intensity. Taking cue from China various other developing countries too announced ambitious mitigation and clean energy initiatives.

The United States successfully planted seeds of division in the developing countries’ camp by singling out China for concentrated talks but what happened transpired throughout the developing world after that was completely unexpected. India, in addition to other developing countries announced several short and long term initiatives as an answer to the increasing international pressure to act on the rising carbon emissions.

Read more of this story »

In the recent few days the Indian government has struggled to clearly state its official stand on the issue of reducing carbon emissions. While the traditional stance has been to oppose any mandatory emission targets, their has been a drastic change in this policy with indications of a domestic emissions reduction law and other proactive mitigation measures. The situation worsened after the environment minister, in an informal letter to the Prime Minister, said that India needs to move away from its traditional stance accept a far more responsible role at the international arena.

Mr. Jairam Ramesh, while expressing his personal views, advised Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh that India needs to be more proactive in reducing its carbon emissions. He said that India needs to work beyond the issue of differential responsibility, which incidentally has been central to India’s opposition to mandatory emission cuts. The minister wrote that India should play the role of a deal maker and not a deal breaker. He added that by accepting greater responsibility India would gain strategic leverage at the international forums possibly paving way for India’s successful bid for an place in the UN Security Council.

Read more of this story »

With hope of the US Climate Bill being cleared before the Copenhagen Summit in December there are substantial doubts over the successful negotiation of an international climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol. However, the pressure on developing countries to do their bit has resulted in announcements of many national climate goals and regional cooperation deals. It would be interesting to see if these regional agreements infuse momentum into the negotiations for a global climate treaty.

The Indian and Chinese officials recently signed a memorandum of understanding which aims at increased cooperation in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. The two countries also agreed to jointly study the impacts of global warming and climate change in the Himalayan region. The deal is crucial since it is the first major deal between the two countries after China broke ranks from other developing countries and expressed intentions to take up voluntary sectoral emission cuts.

Pressure Tactics: In the recent months there has been virtually no significant activity on the part of the developed countries with regard to emission reduction goals being set up or announcement of financial aid to poor and developing countries. There is still no consensus on the technology transfer and intellectual property rights issue. These issues are central to the goal of reducing carbon emissions worldwide. The developing countries demand adequate funds and technology as they see mandatory emission cuts to be financially non-feasible for there growing economies.

With these regional deals the developing countries seek to increase pressure on the developed countries not only to agree to bold mitigation measures but also provide for adequate resources to the developing countries to reduce their own emissions.

Read more of this story »

Just as it seemed that differences over contentious issues regarding the next climate treaty were ironing out and all parties moving ahead with a common agenda, the developed countries, US in particular, threatened to stall negotiations until developing countries pledge equal emission reduction measures.

According to new reports, American negotiators demanded that there should be similar mitigation obligations for developed as well developing countries. The demand was strictly against the unanimous decision to draw distinction between capacities of developed and developing nations to reduce carbon emissions taken at the Bali Climate Conference in 2007.

Developing countries, led by India, opposed the demand in one voice and forced the American negotiators to back down.

United States’ stance came as a surprise given that officials from the Obama administration have been in constant talks with various developing countries and that these talks have resulted in many developing countries agreeing to voluntary emission reduction plans. It was that since the carbon output of most developing countries is much less than that of developed countries and that they are not technically and financially equipped to take up bold mitigation measures a clear differentiation between mitigation measures taken up by the two parties.

Read more of this story »

About ten weeks from now leaders from nearly 200 countries will meet in Copenhagen to discuss the next climate treaty. During the last two to three years governments around the world moved to and fro over contentious issues like funding, technology transfer, intellectual property rights and emission reduction targets. As the world started to look for a replacement of the Kyoto Protocol, the start was slow with no sign of urgency even as the UNFCCC recommended a 25 to 40 percent reduction in global carbon emissions by 2020.

But the change at Washington brought a colossal change in the pace of global climate negotiations. The United States had played a vital role in formalization of the Kyoto Protocol but never ratified the same which created a gapping hole in global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. With the failure of Kyoto Protocol acknowledged by almost all it is clear that the we cannot afford to repeat the mistake committed in the past. United States’ commitment to act boldly and swiftly has become the make or break issue for the next climate treaty.

Read more of this story »

After months of staunch resistance to mandatory emission reduction targets the Indian government has hinted that it is willing to consider a national legislation on voluntary emission reduction targets.

India’s environment minister Mr. Jairam Ramesh acknowledged for the first time that his country needs to take up bold responsibilities in order to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change. The proposed legislation could include emission reduction targets for the year 2030 for the most polluting and carbon intensive industrial sectors.

India has been against mandatory emission reduction targets putting forward two main arguments - one, its per capita emissions are among the lowest in the world and two, taking bold measures to reduce its carbon emissions would adversely impact its endeavor to eradicate poverty. The proposed bill would address both these issues and could serve as a path breaking legislation striking a balance between the economic and social costs and the mitigation measures.

Read more of this story »

The European Union has proposed a climate change funding of €2-15 billion every year for developing countries to help them make transition from fossil fuel based energy systems to clean energy based systems. However, EU does not see the advanced developing counties like India and China eligible for this financial help.

EU in its Global Finance Blueprint for Ambitious Action by Developing Nations paper stated that advanced developing countries should contribute to the climate adaptation fund instead of expecting funds for themselves. According to the paper, advanced developing countries posses ample financial resources to initiate and sustain emission reduction programs.

The Commission said that from 2013, it would depend on the carbon market to fund 40% of the money required for climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing nations. The emerging economies should be able to generate 20-40% of the proposed global fund, it said. The remaining—around $22-50 billion a year—will be paid for by the European Union and the rest of the developed nations.

Developing countries have been at loggerheads with the developed countries on the issue of funding for adaptation to clean fuel technologies. Decision to set up an adaptation fund for helping poor and developing countries was taken at the Bali climate conference in 2007. However, the developed countries are yet to act on their promises of aid as they find themselves constrained by the global economic crisis and objections by their own people.

Read more of this story »

The Indian government released a report recently which predicted a fourfold increase in carbon emissions output in the next two decades. According to the government report, India’s carbon emissions would increase to 4 to 7 billion tonnes from last year’s level of 1.4 billion tonnes by 2031.

India’s environment minister, however, preferred to point out another finding in the report. The report predicts almost 100 percent increase in per capita emissions but the minister noted that even with a 3.5 to 4 tonnes per capita output it would remain below the global average. The globally agreed limit of per capita emission for sustainable development is 2 tonnes.

That is the argument that the Indian government has put forward frequently in order to dodge international pressure to reduce its carbon emissions. India maintains that its per capita carbon emissions are way below those of the developed countries and thus it would be unfair to ask it to set mandatory emission reduction targets.

Read more of this story »

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.

India is looking to invest billions of dollars in setting to large scale solar and wind energy projects. These projects are essential for meeting the growing power demands and also for countering any demands from the developed countries to reduce carbon emissions.

India currently generates only 3 percent or 12,000 MW of its electricity from renewable sources, mostly comprising of wind energy while solar energy contributes only 2 MW. The government recently announced ambitious plan to boost electricity generation from solar energy to 20,000 MW by 2030.

Tapping solar energy is essential for India as it’s power plants are in short supplies of coal. Thus for various reasons ranging from energy security and international pressures to reduce its carbon emissions to environmental problems related to conventional energy sources, India has announced these massive plans to expand its solar energy infrastructure.

Read more of this story »

Are the developing countries struggling to stay together on a unified stand to oppose mandatory emission reduction targets? Recent developments indicate that they are.

Developed and developing countries have been at loggerheads for quite sometime on the issue of reducing carbon emissions. The developing countries urge the developed countries to heed to the recommendations of the International Panel on Climate Change and cut their carbon emissions by at least 25 percent by 2020. The developed countries on the other hand want the developing countries to make small but significant contributions in reducing the global production of carbon emissions.

Developed countries have failed to commit to bold emission reduction targets and have been struggling to pass legislations to initiate even modest steps towards reducing their carbon footprints. Developed countries presented weak emission targets as part of preliminary round of talks before the Copenhagen round of talks. Neither the developed countries nor the developing countries to want to put extra economic burden on their people as use of clean but expensive technologies will mean new taxes and bigger energy bills.

Read more of this story »

A week ago a leading Indian daily published findings from a government report which assessed the feasibility of providing $17 billion in solar subsidies over the next 30 years.

The report notes that the Indian government has complete financial resources to fund the highly ambitious goal of increasing solar energy production to 200,000 MW, from current 2 MW, by 2050. But many independent experts have found flaws in the report and people within the government are concerned about a specific finding of the report.

The report notes that India will be able to afford the complete expenses of the program which will make India one of the largest producers of solar energy, if not the largest.

(T)he solar mission document suggests that India would be able to fund the entire project on its own. Government officials have pointed out that it would be hard to demand additional funds from the industrialized countries if India claims it can afford to sponsor such a large subsidy off its own resources.

Read more of this story »

India’s environment minster has announced that his government plans to invest $200 million in the conservation of forests in the country. His ministry will also measure and report the amount of carbon the forests capture.

While announcing the scheme, the minister reiterated his government’s stance that conservation and protection of forests is one of the most important aspects in the global fight against climate change. In addition, stopping deforestation and reforestation are the simplest and one of the most cost efficient methods of offsetting carbon emissions.

The Indian government carefully timed the announcement of such plan given the increasing pressure from developed countries to commit of some kind of emission reduction goals. China is already in talks with the United States for a potential deal on reduction of sectoral carbon emissions and India, being the other major developing country, is feeling the mounting pressure.

Read more of this story »

During Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to China an agreement to boost cooperation in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy was signed. The climate change agreement will also ensure that two of the world’s largest polluters continue engage in dialogue and finally reach an agreement on reducing carbon emissions.

Secretary Clinton emphasized on the importance of the deal by pointing out that any positive decisions and policy agreements made during the subsequent talks between the two countries could significantly influence the pace of international climate deal negotiations.

The deal holds great significance since the developing countries are looking at the United States to take some bold measures in order to reduce its carbon emissions and promise climate aid to poor and developing countries at the December scheduled Copenhagen Talks. Developed countries, including the United States, maintains that China being the largest greenhouse gas emitter should agree to some emissions reductions too.

Read more of this story »

With the Copenhagen Climate talks just a few months away India has fallen back to its argument of its per capita carbon emissions being very low compared to those of the developed countries as it continues to resist mandatory emissions cut and push developed countries to own up to their historical responsibilities.

So why does India keeps coming back with this ‘low per capita emissions’ argument whenever there are demands that it takes steps to reduce its carbon emissions. One reason, quite obviously, is that they are really very low for a huge and booming economy like India. India’s per capita emissions are little less than 2 tonnes whereas those of the United States are more than 20 tonnes. The reason for that is the difference in the sizes of their respective economies and, as one of the Chinese official noted, the luxurious lifestyle that the United States (and developed countries in general) follow.

Still India is the fourth largest producer of greenhouse gases. The Indian government’s claims that any mandatory emission cuts would hamper its efforts to alleviate poverty got backing from a World Bank report. The World Bank report said that India is right in not excepting mandatory emission cuts. The Indian government maintains that it has every right to pursue an aggressive economic development path which would improve the standard of living of its people. Essentially they want to achieve economic equivalence with the developed countries using their abundant & cheap coal reserves without any obligations to slow down the economic growth in any way.

Read more of this story »

During Secretary Clinton’s visit, India once again made it clear that it will not agree to mandatory emission reduction targets since in doing so it could potentially jeopardize its endeavor to eliminate poverty. However, the Indian government reiterated its previous stance that it will pursue expansion of renewable energy infrastructure.

India’s minister for environment and forests, Mr. Jairam Ramesh, disappointed Secretary Clinton by saying that climate change and poverty alleviation are linked to each other and that his government was not willing to pass on the burden economic burden of the mitigation measures on to its poor and middle class which form more than 50 percent of the population.

India may have agreed to limit the rise in global temperatures to 2°C but like the developed nations it too failed to come up with plans on how to achieve that goal. The Indian government maintains that given its low per capita emissions it would be unfair if it is asked to adopt carbon emission reduction goals; developed countries, some which have per capita emissions almost 20 times that of India’s, should take far greater responsibility in cutting carbon emissions. Calling for an equitable deal on cutting carbon emissions, India frequently reminds the developed nations of their historical responsibility.

Read more of this story »

According to a new study, Scotland could shut down all its coal and nuclear power plants in the next 20 years and fulfill all its energy needs using renewable sources.

The study commissioned by a consortium of environmental groups and conducted by an independent engineering consultant will soon be presented to the Scottish government. The study hold significant importance as the government has set ambitious goals for cutting carbon emissions and switching to renewable energy sources for power generation. The research studies and evaluates five different scenarios to predict the energy demand and generation trends over the next 20 years.

Read more of this story »

India’s Union Budget for financial year 2009-10 did not contain any provision for expenditure in promoting clean energy and mitigating adverse effects of climate change. The Indian Finance minister failed to provide any concrete figures that his government would spend in increasing clean energy systems and moving to efficient and cleaner industrial processes including power generation.

Last year the Indian Prime Minister unveiled a National Action Plan on Climate Change just before the crucial G8 Summit in Japan which outlined eight priorities of the Indian government to increase the use of renewable energy. The action plan did not, however, include how the government intends to achieve the goals it had set up. Green groups had been waiting for the government to announce strategy to achieve these goals but the finance minister did not allocate any funds for these goals.

Read more of this story »

Los Angeles’ Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has announced that his city will not buy electricity produced in coal fired fired power plants from 2020 instead the city will switch to cleaner energy sources to fulfill its power demands.

California has no coal-fired power plants and Los Angeles will stop buying coal generated power that it buys from other states. The 40 percent power that comes from coal-fired power plants will be taken from power plants running on cleaner sources like natural gas, nuclear energy and hydro power. This is in addition to the city’s energy efficiency plans under which it seeks to reduce energy consumption by 1 percent every year for the next ten years.

Los Angeles has set a great example for the big cities which are busy economic centers with huge energy demands. Energy consumption in rapidly growing cities of the developing countries is growing at astronomical rates. Usually the simple solution is to produce more energy, set up coal-fired power plants since coal is easily available and cheap. However, long term solutions to this energy problem are often overlooked. Countries eying faster economic growth must explore such alternatives and work to develop them as they hold the key to the problem of not just energy consumption but rising carbon emissions and climate change as well.

Read more of this story »

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?

Read more of this story »