India: US Should Aim At Reducing Carbon Emissions By 40%

India’s climate change envoy Shyam Saran has said that his country would like the United States to set ‘high-end’ emission reduction goals. Leading the Indian delegation into a gathering of largest polluting nations in Washington, Saran said that United States should aim to emissions targets between 25 to 40 percent.

In comparison, President Obama has called for a 14 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 while the European Union has set a 20 percent reduction target. China and India, world’s largest and third largest polluters respectively, have set no reduction targets and are not expected to agree to even lower targets at the Copenhagen meeting to discuss the next climate treaty.

Calls for the United States to recognize its historical responsibility and take bold actions to reduce its carbon emissions have risen significantly in recent times. Countries around the world have realized that President Obama intends to go the extra mile as far as environmental and climate change reforms are concerned and they various governments are pressing the Obama administration to transform his promises into real actions.

Secondly, there have been calls, especially by the EU, that India and China agree to some kind of emission reduction. It has proposed that advanced developing countries should agree to implement less stricter targets than the developed countries but they must exhibit the intent to act on the issue of rising carbon emissions from their industries.

India Obligates Power Utilities to Buy Energy Produced From Renewable Sources

As a part of the national action plan on climate change the Indian government has obligated the power utilities to buy 5 percent of their grid purchase from renewable energy sources from 2009-10 onwards. The power companies are required to achieve this minimum standard by 2009-10 after which it will be increased by one percent every year for ten years.

This is one of the major steps taken by the Indian government to encourage the use of clean energy and reduce rising carbon emissions. As the date for the new international climate treaty nears,  has moved to announce various plans to tap renewable energy sources and cap the carbon emissions which have made it the fourth largest polluter in the world.

Last year the Indian government announced a nation-wide plan to boost use of solar energy. Although those plans are yet to see any implementation it demonstrates the government’s clear intent to do as much as it can to show the world community that India is serious about reducing its carbon emissions and is doing whatever could be done. India seems to be hankering for some concessions in the new climate treaty.

World’s Third Largest Emitter, India, Wants Europe To Cut Emissions

At the Asia Europe Meeting, held at Beijing this week, the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh called up on his European counterparts to do more to reduce the carbon emissions of their countries. Talking about the per capita emissions he once against reiterated that the citizens of the developed countries need to reduce their emissions and do more to fulfill the promises that their governments made under the Kyoto Protocol. 

It is ironic that these statements are coming from the leader of a country which is expected to become the third largest emitter in the world. The Indian leaders always seem to fall back on the cushion of per capita emissions as India has some of the lowest per capita emission rates in the world. The Indian Prime Minster didn’t feel hesitant to remind Europe of its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol but somehow India couldn’t support the mandatory emissions cut goal for 2050. Both India and China opposed a compulsory emissions cut target when the G8 nations met in Japan earlier this year. 

Indian PM’s remarks clearly show the difference between India’s intent and actions on this sensitive issue. 

China’s Objection Signifies The Importance Of Indo-US Nuclear Deal

During his visit to China in January this year, the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was given assurance by high-ranking Chinese leaders that it would back India’s case at the NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group) meeting. However, China came out as one of the major opponents of the proposed nuclear deal which, now, gives India an opportunity to trade in civilian nuclear technology something it wasn’t entitled to for the last 33 years.

Indian government claims that it was disappointed by the last-minute change in stance by the Chinese but it is hard to believe that the Indians wouldn’t have expected such a move. This very move shows how important this deal is and why the US administration is so keen to see it through even as some think of it as a one-sided affair, with India getting much more than it is giving back. 

When first announced the deal was ‘gift wrapped’ in order to project it as a dividend for India’s clean record as far as nuclear proliferation is concerned and President Bush went one step ahead claiming that the deal would eventually help reduce the carbon emissions as the trade of nuclear technology would help India move to nuclear power plants from coal fired plants.

Political Drama In India Nears Its Climax

After nearly an year since the terms of the Indo-US nuclear deal were concluded the Indian government will be facing a no-confidence motion on 22nd July. The Indian Prime Minister was forced to prove his government’s majority in the Parliament after the Left parties withdrew their support to the government on 9th July. The Left parties are of the opinion that the deal would undermine India’s freedom to take crucial foreign policy decisions which includes the decision on Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.

The current political scenario is like a puzzle whose solution evades everyone; most aren’t even sure about the number of votes the government requires to stay in power – 271 or 272 – it’s just a single vote that can change the fortunes of the government and potentially the future of the country. Each and every single MP is invaluable and thats forcing the government – and the opposition – to fix a ‘rate’ for the MPs – the fence sitters. Small parties with even one MP or independents who hardly make their presence felt during the business of the Parliament will decide on Tuesday whether the government stays or falls.

How India Can Use The Nuclear Deal To Its Advantage

As the Congress struggles to hold on to power it is surprising to see how little it has done to take the deal to the common people. Even those who support the deal accuse the government of being lethargic in putting the features of the deal in front of the Indian public. A Gallup poll recently found that a big majority of the Indians have no clue what the nuclear deal is about. One has to wonder what’s stopping the government. Could it be the fear of backlash from the public which is seething under the load of record inflation or is there something more to it.

It was only during the recent public rallies that the Congress leaders started associating the deal with the Aam aadmi (common man) emphasizing on the prospects of cheap electricity. But power generation is merely a small flower in the strategic and technological bouquet that the nuclear deal is. No doubt that the US administration has given away ‘too much’ in this deal. But by intelligently formulating the energy and foreign policies India can get even more than what the US is offering.