India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), eagerly awaited
by environmentalists, has been unveiled recently by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh.
1. India’s per capita GHGs emission would at no point exceed that of
the developed countries. Secondly, India has stuck to its earlier stand of
not committing to specific emission reduction targets or energy efficiency
targets. Thirdly, the plain would be implemented through eight missions, viz.,
(a) enhancing solar energy contribution in total energy mix, (b) introducing
energy efficiency steps, (c) Promoting sustainable habitats, (d) saving Himalayan
glaciers, (e) water resource management, (f) protecting mountain eco-system,
(g) improving eco-system services and (h) making agriculture more resilient
and adaptable to climate change. Regarding per capita emissions, that rich
countries have to take into account that India’s per capita emission
is just above one tonne compared to their average per capita emission of above
12 tonnes. This gives India enough headroom for development and industrialization,
which is very necessary to combat its poverty. It fact it is the OECD economies
which should undertake deep emission cuts, say 50%, as they are responsible
for emitting merely 70% of total global emissions. Since other fast developing
economies, viz., China, Brazil, Russia, south Africa and Mexico are equally
under pressure to accept emission reduction targets set by rich nations, joint
campaign in the direction is needed.
2. Talking about the second feature we face the risk of receiving flak from
western developed nations because our action plan does not ix any emission
reduction targets, even though we are right in doing so. A case in point is
the stern warning already issued by US Republican Presidential hopeful John
McCain, to both India and China, to accept “global standards”
on emissions, or else face sanctions. Only Germany, France and UK have showed
some appreciation of our position at he G-8 summit in Hokkaido.
3. At present nearly 80 per cent of our energy comes from burning of fossil
fuels - the greatest source of GHGs. The share of solar energy and this is
welcome. However, there is no mention of enhancing production of nuclear energy
which is 3 per cent (about 3, 100MW) of our total energy. Now, when the prospects
of the India – US nuclear agreement getting through are brighter in
the changed political scenario, the nuclear energy programme should be given
a boost. Wind energy is another source of renewable energy. In India, there
is ample of scope for tapping it as our gross wind energy power potential
has been assessed at 45,000 MW. At present, we have wind power installed capacity
of 7,200 MW only – most of which is in the private sector. To conclude,
the rich economies cannot shirk their responsibility of adopting emission
cuts to the extent of 50% by 250 as proposed at the G-8 summit in Japan. And
this needs to be done without forcing developing nations to do likewise.
