Anjali Jaiswal's Blog: Solving Global Warming

On Earth Day, A Warning Sign From India

2010-04-23T01:17:20Z

As people across the globe celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, India is experiencing its second warmest temperatures for this time of year since 1901 and suffering from reduced grain outputs as a result of these rising temperatures and inadequate rainfall. Developing nations like India are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This Earth Day we should acknowledge these alarming developments around the world and recognize that they are predicted to only become worse and more prevalent if we don’t take significant global action to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

In India, impacts from climate change include changes in average temperatures, rainfall patterns and monsoon timings. These changes affect the nation’s water resources, sea-levels, and biodiversity, with implications for a wide variety of sectors, especially agriculture.

With India’s economy so closely tied to natural resources, a large portion of the population is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. More than 56% of workers are engaged in agriculture and related sectors, according to the United Nations Development Program. Many others in India live in coastal areas and depend on fishing or tourism for their income. Also, the majority of India’s population lives in rural areas where they rely on natural resources for food, shelter, and their income.

India also depends on its annual monsoon for water and food. Last year’s monsoon proved to be significantly less plentiful than most years previous. Indian newspapers have reported that the country’s economy “cannot bear another successive year of inadequate rainfall.” Experts are predicting this year’s monsoon will be better despite prevailing El Nino conditions that contributed to the poor monsoon last year. However, Indian communities and farmers are increasingly distressed about the changing patterns of the monsoon and food shortages.

It’s true that India has taken significant steps to set national goals and put policies in place to support a transition to clean energy technology and developing a low-carbon growth strategy. But as the Major Economies Forum – a platform for ministerial discussions on energy and climate issues – ended earlier this week with a focus on preparing for the summit on climate change in Cancun in November 2010, we need action. The increasing temperatures and erratic monsoon in India alert us that there is a need to channel discussion into global action to support large developing economies, like India, into intensifying national action and expediting implementation of climate mitigation to drive a clean energy revolution and climate adaption to protect public health.

(Co-Authored by Melissa Donnelly, NRDC India Initiative Intern)

U.N. Report: “Sick Water?”

2010-03-23T02:08:04Z

A new United Nations report “Sick Water?,” released today on World Water Day, finds that “Globally, two million tons of sewage, industrial and agricultural waste is discharged to the world’s waterways.” As a result of this water pollution, more than half of the world’s hospital beds are filled with people suffering from disease caused by water related illness. In addition to disease, water-stressed and rapidly urbanizing communities around the world are grappling with the need for effective water management. Climate experts predict that the effects of climate change will exacerbate problems with droughts, flooding, and instability in food production. Without proper management, greenhouse gases linked to wastewater, methane and nitrous oxide emissions will rise by 25 and 50 percent, respectively, between 1990 and 2020.

To combat these global problems, “Sick Water?: The Central Role of Wastewater Management in Sustainable Development” provides six recommendations:

Countries must adopt a multi-sectoral approach to wastewater management as a matter of urgency, incorporating principles of ecosystem-based management from the watersheds into the sea, connecting sectors that will reap immediate benefits from better wastewater management.
Successful and sustainable management of wastewater requires a cocktail of innovative approaches that engage the public and private sector at local, national and transboundary scales. Planning processes should provide an enabling environment for innovation, including at the community level but require government oversight and public management.
Innovative financing of appropriate wastewater infrastructure should incorporate design, construction, operation, maintenance, upgrading and/or decommissioning. Financing should take account of the fact that there are important livelihood opportunities in improving wastewater treatment processes, whilst the private sector can have an important role in operational efficiency under appropriate public guidance.
In light of rapid global change, communities should plan wastewater management against future scenarios, not current situations.
Solutions for smart wastewater management must be socially and culturally appropriate, as well as economically and environmentally viable into the future.
Education must play a central role in wastewater management and in reducing overall volumes and harmful content of wastewater produced, so that solutions are sustainable.

The report’s recommendations exmphasize sustainable water management. In developing countries like India, the urban poor suffer the most from water scarcity and pollution. Indian megacities like Delhi and Hyderabad do not provide 24/7 water supply. Hyderabad, for example, only delivers water two hours every second day, which residents have to store by using energy intensive pumps. As experts from the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) emphasized to me last week, “It is not a water production problem, but a water management issue.”

While the U.N. report focuses on developing countries, the recommendations for effective water management are equally applicable to regions in developed countries facing water scarcity. For example, as my colleague Barry Nelson discusses, California faces serious water management problems, as it struggles to supply the agricultural industry and water-scarce southern California while protecting the environment and promoting water conservation statewide.

The report's recommendations underscore the need for action locally, nationally and globally. In India, groups like ASCI and The Energy Research Group, are advocating for efficient water management – a key element of India’s Water Mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. And, groups such as, the Center for Science and Environment are providing detailed blueprints on local water management and cleanup plans for Delhi’s central river, the Yamuna. Similarly, in Washington, my colleague Heather Allen discusses the need for the Obama Administration to reinforce the U.S.’s commitment to global clean water – by focusing on increased access to safe water and sanitation and improving the efficiency and management of water resources globally. Meeting these water challenges by implementing the six water management strategies discussed in the U.N. report is essential to ensuring the sustainability and health of communities around the planet.

India Formally Joins Copenhagen Accord

2010-03-09T23:54:47Z

Today, India agreed to join the world’s major emitters as one of the countries formally listed under the Copenhagen Accord. India submitted voluntary domestic actions to the United Nations in January, but it remained unclear if it would join the international agreement. India’s decision to formally join the accord is a clear and welcome indication that India is committed to a global solution to climate change.

India’s letter of support moves the accord forward and explains the accord’s role within the existing framework:

It may be recalled that India actively participated in the discussions on the Copenhagen Accord. India stands by the contents of the Accord. Our clear understanding is that the Accord is a political document. It is not legally binding. The Accord is meant to facilitate the ongoing negotiations in the two tracks in accordance with the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol and the Bali Action Plan.

The Accord was not adopted by the Conference of Parties but just taken note of. However, the Accord could have value if the areas of convergence reflected in the Accord are used to help the Parties reach agreed outcomes under the UN multilateral negotiations in the two tracks, i.e., the Ad-hoc Working Group on Long Term Cooperative Action and the Ad-hoc Working -Group on Kyoto Protocol. The Accord is only an input into the two-track negotiations. The Accord is not a new track of negotiations or a template for outcomes.

With India’s commitment and the commitment of other major emitters, the accord could serve as a solid foundation for further negotiations on climate change.

India played a vital role in the formation of the agreement in Copenhagen. And, Environmental Minister Jairam Ramesh reiterated to the Indian Parliament today that India’s support of the accord was consistent with its interests. He explained that being party to the political agreement “will strengthen our negotiating position on climate change.”

India is elevating its engagement and leadership on climate change like never before. It recently threw its hat in the ring to replace Yvo de Boer as the U.N.’s climate change chief. Prime Minister Singh just nominated Indian Environmental Secretary Vijay Sharma to be the next Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

This is a positive sign that demonstrates that India is committed to the ongoing U.N. process to work towards global solutions for climate change and to a low carbon development path. As one of the world’s largest emitters and fastest growing economies, India’s active participation is essential to the adoption of a global agreement. India’s position as an emerging-economy-bridge between the developed and developing worlds makes its leadership on this challenging issue especially valuable.

India has shown real initiative on the global stage and is backing up its elevated role with increased action domestically. Now it’s time to focus efforts to build on the accord for further global action and implement measures to combat climate change in the United States, in India, and internationally.

(Co-authored by Andy Gupta, NRDC Program Assistant)

India Increases National Action on Climate Change

2010-03-09T23:04:49Z

India recently announced both a “clean energy tax” on coal to create a national fund to support renewable energy projects and a “tax break” for imports on renewable energy equipment. The clean energy tax levies $1 per metric ton of coal, while the tax break reduces by 5 percent the import tax on renewable energy equipment. Both measures aim to bolster cleantech investments and innovation to meet India’s national target to reduce emissions intensity of its GDP by 20-25 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 as submitted to the United Nations on January 31 (as NRDC is tracking here). India continues to announce increased domestic action on climate change, while resisting international pressure to commit to binding targets in the lead up to Mexico.

Measures like the clean energy tax demonstrate India’s commitment to vigorous domestic action. As Prime Minister Singh emphasized during TERI’s 10th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, India “fully support[s]” the Copenhagen Accord.” He also provided India’s perspective as a developing country. “Climate action that delays or makes more difficult the basic task of poverty eradication will be difficult to implement. That is why in our National Action Plan on Climate Change, we have given priority to those activities that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and also deliver substantial collateral benefits by reducing poverty or by improving local environmental quality and human health.”

Prime Minister Singh, Delhi, February 2010. Photo: TERI

Prime Minister Singh and world leaders at the sustainable development summit also expressed their “full confidence” in Dr. Rajendra Pachauri and the IPCC. Recently, the IPCC announced that it would undergo independent expert review to strengthen the scientific integrity of its reports and defuse critics.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh also explained India’s new path, which may be moving away from the previous per capita emissions position to one of “common but differentiated responsibilities.” Minister Ramesh emphasized that India aims to play a productive role in global climate negotiations, “India may not have been part of the problem, but it must be part of the solution.”

In Monday’s Wall Street Journal, Minister Ramesh further discusses that as India continues to grow its economy, it will prioritize a sustainable development approach that focuses on mitigating emissions from India’s maturing energy sector. “What choices we make on fuel mix, on efficiency targets, on transportation, fuel efficiency standards, public-private mix. Railroad mix, very important. Industry.”

To continue the discussion on equity of carbon emissions, India will hold an international conference this June with international experts to discuss how the burden of emissions reductions can be shared by large emitting developed and developing countries in the near term.

In addition to the coal tax for the clean energy fund and tax breaks for renewable equipment imports, five climate actions that India announced recently are:

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced that the Indian government will exempt renewable machinery, such as solar equipment, parts for rotor blades used in wind turbines, and electric vehicles, from a tax on the production of goods.
The Indian Planning Commission will convene an expert group to prepare a roadmap for India’s low-carbon growth strategy as part of its National Communication to the UNFCCC.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests will create an Indian Network for Comprehensive Climate Change Assessment - a network of over 120 research institutes that will publish regular reports (the first scheduled for November 2010) on the impacts of climate change on different Indian sectors.
India will step up its national emissions report to the UNFCCC every other year, instead of every four years as it had done in the past.
India has set up a Global Advisory Network Group on Environmental Sciences (GANGES) consisting of the world’s leading environmental scientists of Indian origin, established to advise the Indian government’s environmental sciences agenda.

India’s 2011 budget, announced last week, supports its policies on energy efficiency and renewable energy. These measures show that India is working on implementing the target that it recorded under the Copenhagen Accord. These actions by the Indian government further undercut claims in the U.S. and elsewhere that India is unwilling to address climate change. In the meantime, the debate will likely continue on whether developed countries, like the U.S., should increase their climate actions or whether developing countries, like India, should increase their climate actions. As this debate continues, the need for the nations of the world – developed and developing – to work together to seize the opportunity to accelerate clean energy innovation and climate adaption becomes more pressing given the need for global action to fight global climate change.

Co-authored by Melissa Donnelly, NRDC India Initiative Intern

India Records Its Climate Actions by Copenhagen Accord Deadline

2010-02-01T17:05:00Z

India officially communicated its climate mitigation target to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat. It will voluntarily cut its emissions intensity by 20 to 25 percent by 2020 from 2005 levels. India and many other countries have reported their respective targets ahead of the January 31 deadline set in Copenhagen, and we’re tracking them here.

India’s restatement of its target from Copenhagen is significant both domestically and globally.

Domestically, India’s intensity target is a strong signal of its commitment to developing a low-carbon and less polluting economy. Prime Minister Singh’s administration has already listed 24 recent initiatives related to climate change. Because the target is based on India’s efforts in recent years and actions that India is already set to undertake, the formal target provides an opportunity to accelerate implementation of these domestic actions. India’s domestic actions include expanding solar generation capacity to 20 GW by 2020, stricter energy standards for buildings and commonly used appliances, and fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks by 2011. While the target excludes the agriculture sector, India will continue to address climate change related to food security through its national mission for sustainable agriculture. The target also increases the adoption of cleaner technologies on a broader scale, which is significant considering that 80 percent of India’s infrastructure of 2030 has yet to be built.

Globally, India’s climate actions create international momentum for greater action. While much more action by nations is undoubtedly needed, meeting this first deadline under the Copenhagen Accord is significant in increasing global consensus to fight climate change. By meeting the January 31 date, momentum can be built for global action, as urged by the BASIC countries, that developed countries contribute the promised $10 billion by 2010 to assist developing countries’ efforts to adapt to climate change impacts, such as increased droughts, floods, and disease. This momentum also increases investment in energy innovation and clean technology transfer. This momentum can also be an important driver for greater action in the U.S. to no longer delay and, instead, pass domestic climate legislation.

As the world begins to address the global crisis of climate change, India’s target of reducing emissions intensity by 20 to 25 percent comes at a vital time considering India’s tremendous development rate. This afternoon, I am heading to India for the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit to discuss post-Copenhagen steps and new approaches for sustainable development.

“India’s not waiting.”

2010-01-29T06:04:51Z

Advancing its pledge in Copenhagen and following up on the State of the Union Speech, the Obama administration officially announced it would cut greenhouse gas emissions in the range of 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. By the end of this month, many other countries are expected to outline their climate goals by 2020, including the much-anticipated pledges by India and the other BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, and China) nations.

Global reactions to the Copenhagen Accord have certainly been mixed. Many quickly branded Copenhagen a complete failure. While this reaction is understandable, it downplays the significance of the accord. In an interview with PBS following the Copenhagen discussion, President Obama admitted that Copenhagen “didn't move us the way we need to,” but that the global community “held ground” and moved forward.

As NRDC’s President Frances Beinecke explained, “This agreement is not all we had hoped for. There's still more work to be done. But it strikes a credible blow against the single greatest environmental ill of our time. It gathers all nations around the common goal of ending this scourge that imperils us all. And it sets the stage for further action in the months ahead.”

Copenhagen led to many promising developments. It brought together national delegations, thousands of civil society members, and clean technology entrepreneurs. No other conference has featured so many heads of state actively involved in the drafting of an agreement in recent history. The United States, after eight years on the sidelines, reasserted itself as a key player.

The BASIC countries were also elevated as essential players in the climate negotiations. India, in particular, positioned itself as a bridge between the developed and developing world and will play a pivotal role moving forward. Although much needs to be done in the coming year, the Copenhagen Accord holds the promise to be a trajectory-altering event in the effort to combat climate change.

India also moved forward as a global dealmaker in Copenhagen. In coordination with the BASIC countries, India challenged America’s and the EU’s position, and served as an emerging economy counter-balance to the Western economies’ negotiating bloc. Prime Minister Singh’s remarks at Copenhagen positioned India as a leader in the new decade: “We in India, too, are vulnerable, but nevertheless as responsible citizens of the globe, we have agreed to take on a voluntary target” of reducing carbon intensity between 20 and 25 percent by 2020 from 2005. “We will deliver on this goal regardless of the outcome of this Conference. We can do even more if a supportive global climate change regime is put in place.” India’s willingness to combat climate change is a refreshing development that ought to be fully recognized by the world’s other major emitters.

In the last year alone India has made great strides in detailing its climate strategy. India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change commits India to a low-carbon future (on issues such as solar power and energy efficiency) that will be implemented in this decade. India has also increased its cooperation with both the United States and China, forming bilateral partnerships to enhance clean energy.

India’s actions in Copenhagen signal a commitment to a low-carbon development path. This will help drive greater emissions cuts on the part of the United States and increase investments in clean technology innovation. It will also help quell the Senate from using “inaction” on the part of India as an excuse to delay domestic climate legislation. Last night, President Obama warned the U.S. of the dangers of delay, emphasizing “India’s not waiting” to revamp its economy.

The accord has also provided further motivation for U.S.-India collaboration. The run-up to Copenhagen, including Secretary Clinton’s visit to India and Prime Minister Singh’s state visit to the United States, demonstrated India’s growing influence. Copenhagen reinforced the importance of the U.S.-India relationship and their dual leadership on climate change. The two countries should utilize their relationship to build on the momentum to push climate negotiations forward and should strengthen their bilateral partnership on energy and climate change. Most importantly, it is vital that India and other countries match or exceed their earlier pledges when they announce national actions by January 31.

If India and other major emitters use Copenhagen as a platform to develop and satisfy detailed national level plans of action going forward, then the accord will truly have been a milestone. We all know the Copenhagen Accord won’t be enough to combat climate change. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be an important starting point.

(co-authored by Andy Gupta and Mihir Mankad)

US-India “Green Partnership”

2009-11-25T03:44:36Z

President Obama and Prime Minister Singh just announced a "Green Partnership" focused on energy security, climate change, and food security. This partnership is a significant step towards deepening US-India cooperation in unleashing clean-tech innovation and fighting climate change. This announcement comes at a critical time, when the world needs leadership, cooperation, and action - especially in the lead-up to Copenhagen.

While all 10 points outlined in the US-India Green Partnership factsheet are important to building a low-carbon future and sustainable development for both countries, three points standout as breakthroughs:

The US-India agreement to accelerate clean energy technologies is pivotal to lowering carbon emissions globally and creating green jobs in both nations. Both leaders committed to jointly develop and deploy green technologies and mobilization public-private partnerships to support investments in clean technology development and implementation. Although there isn't a dedicated monetary figure (as NRDC's President Frances Beinecke included in a set of recommendations in a letter to President Obama last week), the governmental support of such a fund builds the momentum for public-private partnerships that will drive green technology innovation. And, hopefully, as the discussions progress, President Obama and Prime Minister Singh will increase their commitment and allocate monies to the clean energy fund.
The US-India agreement to increase cooperation on climate health adaptation sets an example for the world. The emphasis on health adaption and food security recognizes that global conversations can no longer be restricted to how to prevent climate change. Instead, discussions must include health adaptation for climate change impacts. These impacts already threaten the lives of millions across the globe. Hopefully, this agreement signals greater cooperation on health adaptation in Copenhagen and beyond.
The US-India agreement to have the US Environmental Protection Agency work with India's Ministry of Environment and Forests to provide technical support for Indian efforts to establish a National Environmental Protection Authority are central to environmental compliance and governance. This new Indian agency could play an important role in India's efforts to regulate India's greenhouse gas emissions and in India's efforts to move towards cleaner energy, for instance setting cleaner standards for fuels and cars.

At the State Dinner, President Obama quoted India's first Prime Minister Nehru, stating:

"The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?"

Looking ahead to Copenhagen and the future as we face our climate change challenge, we ask our global leaders to ask themselves: "Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?"

Laying the Foundation for US-India Collaboration on Climate Change

2009-11-20T03:50:34Z

On Sunday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will embark on a five day trip to the United States for the first official state visit of the Obama administration. The visit will be highlighted with a state dinner with President Obama on November 24th, meant to celebrate growing cooperation between the United States and India.

In the spirit of such cooperation, Secretary of Energy, Dr. Stephen Chu met with the Indian Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah in Delhi earlier this week. The two officials discussed India's ambitious solar program and agreed to expand collaboration by promoting investment and research & development in clean-tech.

This was one example of how the United States and India are increasingly working together on climate and energy issues. Next week, the two democratic leaders have the opportunity to forge a true partnership to combat climate change. While, this meeting is a significant test for US-India relations, it is vital that the two nations work to make it a historic moment in the fight against global climate change.

Prime Minister Singh's visit is a key opportunity for the two nations to jointly commit both nations to finding energy solutions and moving us towards a green economy. US-India leadership will be necessary to negotiate an international climate treaty in Copenhagen and beyond, and this visit presents an opportunity to work towards consensus in reaching that goal. The two nations should also use this opportunity to expand bilateral cooperation on climate change and energy.

NRDC's India Initiative is dedicated to working with both governments to find clean energy solutions and combat climate change. Through extensive research and consultation with stakeholders and officials in both countries, we have identified key areas for collaboration.

In a letter to President Obama, Frances Beinecke, NRDC's President, outlined potential partnerships between the United States and India:

Increase U.S.-India cooperation on energy efficiency. India's infrastructure is rapidly expanding. It is estimated that 80 percent of the infrastructure that will exist in India in 2030 has yet to be built. India presents an extraordinary opportunity to develop while constraining emissions and creating clean-technology innovations. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have done very worthwhile work with their counterparts in India for many years. These efforts need to be expanded and broadened. USAID's Energy Conservation and Commercialization program (Eco-III), funded at approximately $2 million annually, has been instrumental in launching many high-impact energy efficiency projects, including India's first commercial building code. The U.S. Government should provide increased funding for ECO-III and should foster the development of a roadmap for an expanded ECO-IV program.
Assist in creating a new India "EPA". India's Environment Minister has announced very encouraging plans to create a new environmental agency in India with real enforcement powers. The proposed National Environmental Protection Authority could play a critical role in India's constraining greenhouse gas emissions and addressing India's serious air and water pollution problems in India's efforts to move towards cleaner energy, for instance in implementing requirements for cleaner transportation fuels and vehicles. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with its decades of experience with environmental regulation and enforcement, could help the Indian Government work through structural and technical issues.
Promote cleaner transportation fuels and vehicles. Black carbon particle pollution harms the health of India's poor people and may accelerate the melting of Himalayan glaciers. Vehicles and small dirty diesel generators are major sources of this pollution. Given that the number of vehicles in India is projected to quadruple by 2020, expanding U.S. EPA's work with the India Clean Fuels and Vehicles Program to implement the Euro IV standards in India's largest cities next year is a critical step towards addressing this issue.
Create a U.S.-India clean tech fund to accelerate technology scale-up. India presents a global opportunity for expanded clean tech innovation and implementation. The U.S. and Indian Governments should provide $150 million in total for the startup of a U.S.-India clean tech fund. The fund would provide capital for U.S.-India clean-technology cooperation, technology transfers, and licensing of patented technologies. A clean tech fund could be a stepping-stone to a more expansive U.S.-India trade agreement for clean tech goods and services.
Support India's effort to adapt to the anticipated impacts of climate change. India faces the prospect of significant stresses on its food and water resources, as well as on its physical and health infrastructure, as a consequence of the impacts of climate change. U.S. support for climate adaptation efforts in India can play a critical role in ensuring the success of Indian adaptation efforts and in ensuring the stability of the region. The support can take the form both of helping fund adaptation efforts in India and of sharing U.S. experience with disaster and emergency management and planning, especially with ensuring the security of food and water resources, providing adequate health interventions, and in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
Cooperate to reduce lead contamination in India. Initiatives aimed at reducing global carbon emissions are having the unintended consequence of increasing lead poisoning in India. The increased adoption of solar, wind power and electric/hybrid vehicles, especially in the United States, has increased the demand for lead batteries which often end up in India, one of the world's largest destinations for recycling and end-of-life disposal. We recommend that government agencies, industry, and non-governmental organizations in India and U.S. create a taskforce to address this problem, including the adoption of a third-party lead battery certification program to reduce emissions and increase used battery collection.

The letter concludes with the hope that the two nations "can lay the foundation for much expanded cooperation to address climate change and energy." A productive US-India partnership would be economically and environmentally beneficial for both countries - and to our global challenge in fighting climate change.

(Co-authored by Andy Gupta, NRDC Program Assistant)

U.S.-India Cleantech Cooperation: Energy Partnership Summit

2009-10-08T20:51:43Z

Last week, leaders from the world's two biggest democracies met in Washington D.C. to discuss opportunities to collaborate on catalyzing innovation in efficiency and cleantech. NRDC President Frances Beinecke and members of the NRDC India team participated in the US-India Energy Partnership Summit, a rare gathering of both Indian and American high level government officials, business leaders, and academics. The Energy and Research Institute (TERI) and Yale University convened dignitaries from both countries - such as former Vice-President Al Gore, Senator John Kerry, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Special Envoy Todd Stern from the U.S., and Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh, Renewable Energy Minister, Farooq Abdullah, and UN IPCC Director, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri from India.

Mitigating dangerous climate change was at the heart of the discussion on how we rise to meet the incredible challenge of satisfying our global energy needs. The tone of the day was both optimistic in terms of opportunities for cooperation and pragmatic in terms of the outcome at Copenhagen. Interestingly, some of the dynamic mirrored my colleague Jake Schmidt's experiences half way around the world in Bangkok, where world leaders are making strides towards an agreement in Copenhagen. At the Summit in D.C., Minister Ramesh and Minister Abdullah emphasized the welcomed breakthrough that India will commit to National Appropriately Mitigation Outcomes. The shift by developing countries like India and Indonesia belies the retort that the U.S. should not act since the developing world is not willing to take action to curb carbon emissions. This shift also focuses attention back on the U.S. to lead once again; this time in cleantech innovation.

Senator Kerry emphasized the need for U.S. leadership through the future passage of a climate bill and reaching agreement at Copenhagen. John Podesta, President of the Center for American Progress, stressed that U.S. and India cooperation is vital to the success of negotiations in Copenhagen. Cleantech entrepreneur Clay Nester highlighted prospects for both U.S. leadership and cooperation, given that over 400 million Indians still lack access to electricity and 80 percent of infrastructure in India will be built in the next two decades. NRDC's Frances Beinecke underscored that this rapid development provides a unique opportunity for innovation in energy efficiency - the fastest and cheapest way to reduce energy use and curb carbon emissions.

The Summit participants were equally engaged and determined to find ways to promote policies for rapid development and deployment of clean technologies and opportunities to advance efficient buildings and lighting designs, heating and cooling systems, and harness renewable energy sources like wind and solar. TERI's Lighting a Billion Lives initiative, as reported in On Earth, provided a sobering and moving model that addresses both development needs and carbon mitigation goals by providing solar lanterns to villagers who have never seen a light bulb - something that is hard to imagine here.

The Summit's high-level concepts of über-efficient homes and a distributed energy revolution, like India's cell phone revolution, certainly inspire cooperation. This inspiration is the first step toward actual innovation. The real hard work of forging effective partnerships between U.S. technology innovators and Indian entrepreneurs remains to be realized on a broad scale for efficiency, wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, and other clean technologies. The financing, policy, and technology to support these partnerships also need to be developed. America's willingness to lead in this innovation is critical to both creating the technology needed to combat global warming and rebuilding the U.S. economy.

Yesterday, hundreds of American companies echoed this call for U.S. leadership in Washington. CEOs and business groups such as Environmental Entrepreneurs urged Congress and the White House to get our country back in the business of exporting technology and at the same time creating jobs at home. The key to unlocking these opportunities, as implored by U.S. business leaders, is passing a climate bill and reaching a global agreement at Copenhagen.

The immediate need for U.S. legislation and a global agreement that accelerate mitigation of carbon emissions and adaption measures to climate change were again brought to real life by the recent devastating flood events in the southern India. Torrential rains claimed more than 250 lives, left 2.5 million homeless, and decimated countless fields of staple crops like corn and sugar. The Red Cross warned that the violent swing from drought to flood the region is experiencing will become more frequent, unless climate change is addressed rapidly. These climate disasters needlessly wreak human and environmental loss that jeopardizes our global economy.

The Summit's successful engagement in identifying opportunities for U.S. and India cooperation light a path for President Obama's first state visit with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's next month. Climate change will be high on the agenda for the two leaders, both of whom support a global agreement in Copenhagen and investments in cleantech. The state visit provides both leaders a chance to put actions to their words and announce a groundbreaking U.S. and India partnership on green energy to spur the global cleantech revolution of our century.

India: A Welcomed Breakthrough in International Climate Change Cooperation

2009-09-19T03:29:50Z

In a distinct shift in its position from earlier this summer, India announced, yesterday, that it agrees to pass legislation that would set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions based on national actions. This is a welcomed breakthrough and puts into action what NRDC's India initiative learned during discussions in New Delhi just last week.

Clean energy and climate change were central to our discussions with Indian leaders, clean-tech roundtables, and environmental groups during our recent trip. From these conversations, Dr. Kim Knowlton, Seth Silverman, and I learned more about the significant actions that India is already taking to address climate change. The legislation, announced by Minister Jairam Ramesh from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, underscores India's commitment to mitigating carbon emissions.

We also learned that there are even greater opportunities for enhanced US-India cooperation than initially thought. For example, as announced today, plans to build the world's largest solar power facility in Gujarat, valued at $10 billion and facilitated by the Clinton Climate Initiative, are well underway. This 3,000 megawatt project provides a tremendous opportunity for tech transfer by American companies and puts into action the new National Solar Mission set for release by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, led by Minister Farooq Abdullah.

Innovative agencies, like the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) led by Dr. Ajay Mathur, is continuing its impressive work of accelerating energy efficiency projects through the anticipated release of the National Mission on Energy Efficiency. For example, BEE recently released Energy Conservation Building Codes User Guide with USAID's ECO-III program and the energy efficiency labeling program for household appliances, including televisions, ceiling lamps, and air-conditioners. These are just the tip of the iceberg. There are massive opportunities for scale up of public private partnership and tech transfer between the US and India.

We learned that counterproductive misperceptions exist in both countries about the others domestic and international position on climate change. The news reports from this week seem to suggest that we are working to correct these misunderstandings to support clean tech and adaption funding in US climate legislation and an international agreement at Copenhagen. Success in domestic legislation - the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) and the new legislation that India is drafting - are critical to reaching an international agreement on climate change in Copenhagen. The domestic legislation and international agreement at Copenhagen are just the beginning in creating a clean energy future for the world.

We also learned that there are additional motivators for India to accelerate towards clean energy. India has a massive energy deficit - over 400 million people lack reliable electricity or have no electricity. India's robust economic growth is working to electrify these homes and bring millions out of poverty - a goal the international community should support. In some instances, India is making up these shortages by expensive and polluting endeavors such as importing vast amounts of coal from overseas and relying on and dirty diesel generation to meet ever increasing energy demands. Energy efficiency, solar, and wind stand as both economically attractive and environmentally smart alternatives to these approaches.

Another key driver for clean energy is that India faces enormous public health and food security threats resulting from climate change, as discussed by Dr. Knowlton in her blog last week. To avoid these climate health emergencies and to address illnesses and deaths related to floods, malaria, and diarrhea that India faces today, India needs an international agreement that would unleash opportunities for both adaption and mitigation.

We left the Delhi heat and monsoon rains encouraged by our discussions that India's actions for clean energy through energy efficiency and renewables will lead towards the welcomed shift in India's position that we are beginning to see this week. Returning to the US, the immediate challenge became even clearer: we need US climate legislation and together we must work towards an international agreement in Copenhagen.

India: Planning for Climate Change–Related Health Threats

2009-08-29T01:08:11Z

Last week, India's Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, spoke to environment ministers from all state governments within India. The "multiple environmental crises that confront our country have created an alarming situation," he said. More strikingly, he said, "Climate change is threatening our ecosystems [and] water scarcity is becoming a way of life." In short, the effects of climate change are being felt in India right now. Similarly, the United States and European Union released comprehensive reports on the present effects of climate change on their respective areas earlier this year. The global conversation can no longer be restricted to how to prevent climate change. Instead, discussions must include health adaptation plans for climate change impacts that already threatening the lives of millions across the globe. These health adaptation plans are ramping up in India. Next week, Dr. Kim Knowlton from NRDC and I, along with our partner, the Public Health Foundation of India, will work towards this goal at the Joint Indo-U.S. Symposium on Climate Change and Health, a cooperative venture by the U.S. Center Disease Control, the University of Michigan, and the Indian Council of Medical Research.

The symposium cannot come soon enough considering the environmental crises India has experienced in the past two years. The 2008 Bihar flood is considered India's worst flood in fifty years and occurred when the Kosi River in northern India broke out of its normal river channels due to heavier than expected monsoon rains. Over two thousand people died, millions of people in the flooded areas were trapped for weeks without food or water, fertile agricultural lands were submerged, and widespread food riots occurred over the limited aid given to the region. This area has just been hit again this week with more flooding and deaths. Mosquitoes, known to carry diseases such as malaria and visceral leishmaniasis in India, have spread to new areas and live longer now that India has gotten warmer. Just last week, researchers in China found that Northern India may also soon experience droughts due to changes in the intensity of the summer monsoons because the glaciers on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau are receding at an alarming rate and affecting ecosystem vitality.

As highlighted by Prime Minister Singh, India has the potential to leapfrog over the carbon-intensive development phase to a low-carbon, clean energy future. These leapfrogging efforts should extend to protect the millions of lives in India who at greater risk from devastating global warming health threats. Prime Minister Singh recognized this on Tuesday when he said, "Our growth strategy can be different. It must be different." International cooperation on issues such as technology transfer and health adaptation planning will be absolutely critical in the coming years. While the Symposium on Climate Change and Health is a strong start on the path of cooperation, more efforts will be necessary and should be a centerpiece of discussion for international climate negotiations.

(Co-authored by Kimi Narita, NRDC Intern)

Solar Power: Another Opportunity for US-India Cooperation

2009-08-20T04:06:12Z

Over the weekend, in his Independence Day speech, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, again highlighted India's commitment to promoting solar energy. Prime Minister Singh's call to invest in clean energy follows the Indian government's recent approval of an ambitious new plan to increase solar power capacity to 20 gigawatts by 2020, the National Solar Mission. The Mission is a comprehensive $19 billion plan that will provide lighting for 20 million homes and eliminate 42 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually - equivalent to taking 8.75 million US passenger cars off the road.

The Solar Mission has several innovative measures built into it. For example, the Mission plans to create a $1.1 billion government fund to jumpstart the project and to tax fossil fuels and the power generated by them to build up the fund. There are also several financial incentives to build solar projects including a 10-year tax holiday, priority bank loans, and grid connections which would allow producers to sell excess energy to utilities.

The National Solar Mission could make India a global leader in solar energy. Currently, India has only 5 MW of installed solar capacity. The Mission's 20 GW increase would be equivalent to an impressive 1/8th (or 12.5%) of India's currently installed power base. By comparison, in 2007, California, the biggest producer of solar energy in the United States, had only 404 MW of solar power capacity, or 0.6% of the state's total power capacity. Unsurprisingly, some are skeptical of India's ability to make the jump from 5 MW to 20 GW in only eleven years, especially when India's ten solar panel manufacturers have only 80 MW of solar panel production capacity among them.

The current limitation in India's solar panel production capacity is another prime opportunity for increased US-India cooperation. Nations such as Germany, Japan and the United States are world leaders in solar power technology. And, India is seeking the help of developed nations on its path towards a clean energy future. Some US-India collaborative efforts have already starting to take off. This week, New Jersey-based ZebaSolar was chosen to participate in India's first major allocation of solar farms in Gujarat. The project involves a 743 MW award of solar concessions - one of the largest allocations in the world to date by any government.

Unfortunately, opportunities for cooperation are often overshadowed by headlines of conflict between India and developed nations during climate talks. My colleague Jacob Scherr wrote about the contentious headlines in the media during Secretary Clinton's visit to India, and headlines of the recent Bonn climate talks are unfortunately no different.

Despite these hyperbolic reports of India's rejection of an emissions cap and the developed nations' insistence for a cap, India's Solar Mission shows that India is actually capitalizing on renewable energy. India has immense renewable energy potential that global businesses are quickly recognizing. India will host the next International Renewable Energy Conference in October 2010 with thousands of entrepreneurs and technical experts expected to attend. Another example of the spread of solar energy in India is Lighting a Billion Lives, a nation-wide campaign by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) to provide solar lanterns to rural communities where kerosene is the main fuel source. So while the path to agreement in these climate talks may be long, it's important to focus on the progress that's being made and the potential for cooperation as we make our way towards Copenhagen. A commitment to cooperation will serve both nations well in terms of creating clean energy jobs and curbing global warming emissions.

Co-authored by Kimi Narita (NRDC Legal Intern) and Seth Silverman (MAP Fellow)

The Nano, BRT and India's Transportation Future

2009-07-21T22:30:18Z

The long-awaited Tata Nano, the world's cheapest car, recently hit the streets of India. With the baseline model costing around $2500, the Nano has the potential to provide affordable mobility for India's burgeoning middle class similar to Henry Ford's Model-T in the United States a century ago. An estimated 50 million people currently make up India's middle class, and that number is expected to rise to 500 million by 2025.

Without widely-used and accessible public transportation systems, India's growing numbers suggest that, in a decade, it is very possible that there could be millions of Nanos and other cars in India that would further choke city streets already stifled with traffic gridlock. While the Nano's 56 miles per gallon is noteworthy, adding millions of cars to the streets of any country would not only add to traffic congestion and pollution, it would also add millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere per year. In his 2008 blog on the Nano, NRDC's Rich Kassel discussed this scenario and stressed the importance of public transportation in order to promote livable cities.

Some Indian leaders have apparently reached the same conclusion and launched Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems. Delhi has built a BRT system and over twelve other cities across India are in the process of establishing them. While the Delhi BRT has had its share of complications and accidents since its inception, the BRT holds promise for viable urban centers. A strong mass transit system is critical to reducing traffic congestion, mitigating air pollution and constraining carbon emissions.

In her visit to India this week, Secretary Clinton has prioritized the need for increased cooperation between the U.S. and India on climate change. While the Indian environment minister repeated the government's long-held view that India will still refuse any sort of legally binding emissions targets at this time in the current climate change negotiations in the U.N.'s Copenhagen talks, India has already adopted a National Action Plan which includes sound public transportation policies that are integrated into energy efficient urban planning. This is an area ripe for increased inter-governmental cooperation. Hopefully, Secretary Clinton's visit will spur both the U.S. and India to work together to scale up sustainable public transportation systems that provide livable cities and simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas pollution - so that city folks want to leave the car at home.

Kimiko Narita, San Francisco Intern, co-authored this entry.