Bridging the Gulf - Real or Imagined - Between India and the U.S. on Climate Change

If you read or heard about Secretary Clinton's visit to India earlier this week, you probably were convinced that there is a huge chasm between our nations in regard to climate change.  For example, The Wall Street Journal gleefully reported, "India Rejects U.S. Proposal of Carbon Limits," on its front page atop a photograph of what appears to be India's environment minister dismissing the entreaties of the U.S. Secretary of State.  (A version of the same photo appeared online at the Times of India.)  By the way, when was the last time that you saw a photo of an environmental minister on page one of the Journal?

Clearly posturing for a domestic audience, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh merely stated India's long-held, often-repeated view that it would not now accept a national cap on its greenhouse gas emissions in a post-Kyoto climate agreement.  This is not news nor was the United States asking the Indian Government to agree to such a cap.  Secretary Clinton plainly acknowledged the legitimacy of India's underlying concern, saying "no one wants to, in any way, stall or undermine economic growth that is necessary to lift millions more people out of poverty." 

It was not reported that Ramesh went on to acknowledge that though his country's focus would be on adapting to climate change, the government recognized the need to address its own emissions.  The Indian Government in fact put forward a number of specific proposals.  Ramesh proposed the creation of an Indo-U.S. Foundation for Climate Change Technology to focus on transformative technologies that can drive sustainable development.

He suggested collaborations in areas like solar and biomass energy and efficient electrical transmission.  Ramesh also suggested opportunities for cooperation in environmental planning and regulation, particularly important in light of plans for a new "independent, professional, science-based national environmental protection authority" in India.  Finally, the environment minister asked that India and the U.S. to continue to work together to research climate change and its impacts. 

The media turned what was really a spot of sunshine - with admittedly a bit of a drizzle in Delhi - into a monsoonal crisis with its talk of a "U.S.- India Split on Emissions" (The New York Times), a "Clash Over Emissions Reduction Pact" (Washington Post), and "India tells Clinton: No carbon cuts" (Washington Times).  The problem with the coverage is that it feeds those in the United States who are using China and India's growth as an excuse to prevent progress on reducing emissions and creating clean energy jobs here in the United States.

At the conclusion of her visit to India, Secretary Clinton was joined by India's External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna in a statement "committing to building an enhanced India- U.S. strategic partnership that seeks to advance solutions to the defining challenges of our time."  In the statement, the leaders agreed to intensify collaboration on energy security and climate change - seeking to accelerate the development and penetration of clean energy technologies through the India-U.S. Energy Dialogue, a Global Climate Change Dialogue, and bilateral scientific and technological collaboration.  There will be more opportunities for top U.S. and Indian leaders to make progress on climate change in the months ahead, including when Prime Minister Singh comes to Washington on November 24th for the first state visit of the Obama Presidency.  

The immediate challenge for the Secretary - and her climate envoy Todd Stern - is to better explain to Congress and to the media the progress that is actually occurring in India and other key developing countries on changing emissions pathways, and what the US is seeking to do to build on that forward movement.

 (Co-authored with Seth Sliverman, MAP Fellow)