Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Focus on renewable energy for sustainable development
India on June 30 unveiled national plan to deal with the threat of global warming, focusing on renewable energy for sustainable development while refusing to commit to any emission targets that risk slowing economic growth.
The National Action Plan identified harnessing renewable energy, such as solar power, and energy efficiency as central to India's fight against global warming and said a climate change fund would be set up to research "green" technologies.
The national policy reflected India's current stand on climate change and would not please rich western countries asking for more commitment from one of the world's top polluters, experts said.
"Our vision is to make India's economic development energy efficient," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on releasing the national plan. "Our people have a right to economic and social development and to discard the ignominy of widespread poverty."
In spite of its pledge to clean technology, coal remains the backbone of India's power sector -accounting for about 60 percent of generation -with the government planning to add some 70,000 megawatts in the next five years.
In a report released this month, Goldman Sachs said climate change could deplete India's cultivable land area and productivity, reduce labor productivity and increase the threat of toxic and chemical waste in the environment."
Although such dire prognostications are premature, urbanization, industrialization and ongoing global climate change will take a heavy toll on India's environment, if not managed better," it said.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
The National Action Plan identified harnessing renewable energy, such as solar power, and energy efficiency as central to India's fight against global warming and said a climate change fund would be set up to research "green" technologies.
The national policy reflected India's current stand on climate change and would not please rich western countries asking for more commitment from one of the world's top polluters, experts said.
"Our vision is to make India's economic development energy efficient," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on releasing the national plan. "Our people have a right to economic and social development and to discard the ignominy of widespread poverty."
In spite of its pledge to clean technology, coal remains the backbone of India's power sector -accounting for about 60 percent of generation -with the government planning to add some 70,000 megawatts in the next five years.
In a report released this month, Goldman Sachs said climate change could deplete India's cultivable land area and productivity, reduce labor productivity and increase the threat of toxic and chemical waste in the environment."
Although such dire prognostications are premature, urbanization, industrialization and ongoing global climate change will take a heavy toll on India's environment, if not managed better," it said.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: chemical waste, climate change, environment, global warming, india, industrialization, National Action Plan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, reduce, renewable energy, solar power
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