The nations of the world will meet in Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, better known as COP21. The conference will be from 30 November till 11 December, 2015.
Take a look at India’s climate change achievements and objectives
Compare India’s climate commitments from COP20 to COP21
India’s INDC is based on the 1992 convention. In terms of the provision on Article 3.1 and 4.7, this submission by India represents the utmost ambitious action in the current state of development. Both in terms of cumulative global emissions (only 3%) and per capita emission (1.56 tCO2e in 2010), India’s contribution to the problem of climate change is limited but its actions are fair and ambitious.
India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution
India and climate change
Cop-out at COP21 by Rajni Bakshi
COP21 is a reality check for those who like to believe that geopolitical power is shifting from West to East. The just-concluded Paris Climate Summit was essentially about the early-to-develop Western powers continuing to exercise almost complete control over global governance structures, largely through the dominance of markets.
COP21 doesn’t harm India’s growth by Amit Bhandari
COP21 could have spelled doom for India’s growth push if it had insisted on a peak emissions year for all participants, or spelled out explicit restrictions on coal. It has done neither, and continues to recognize the principle of differentiated responsibilities.
COP21 battle: from Paris to Nairobi by Rajrishi Singhal
December 13 will bring curtains down on climate change talks at Paris, but the sharp ideological divides between rich countries and developing nations will continue to play out at World Trade Organisation’s 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi, beginning on December 15
COP21: unspoken India-U.S. war by Amit Bhandari and Rajni Bakshi
An unspoken war has been waged between India and the U.S. at the COP21 Summit in Paris. If the West wants India to opt for more expensive energy options, then they must also reciprocate by sharing technology.
‘Technology will show the way’ by Nadir Godrej
Nadir Godrej, Managing Director of Godrej Industries and Chairman of Godrej Agrovet read out this statement at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) event in Paris, France on 7 December 2015.
COP21: “we mean business” by Rajni Bakshi
The first week of Paris climate talks came to an end on Friday 4 December, 2015. The road ahead to reach an agreement seems difficult as multinational companies have aligned themselves more with the agenda of the developed world. Is sense going to prevail in the coming week and ‘differentiated nature of responsibility’ find acceptance?
If COP 21 Summit in Paris is to play a decisive role in warding off climate havoc, it must strengthen efforts to resolve the greatest market failure in history. Efforts to reconfigure market culture are part of a larger civilizational process of treating profit as the means not the goal of business
Cheap finance to fight climate change by Amit Bhandari
The Climate Conference in Paris offers the globe a chance to arrive at a firm action plan—and underpinning this chance are advances in solar and electric vehicles technology. If the Paris talks focus on making such technology and related finance available to countries like India, we can move closer to achieving climate goals
Quiet burial for the nuclear deal? by Amit Bhandari
Solar power developers have offered to sell electricity in India at less than Rs 5/unit. This makes solar competitive with traditional forms of energy, and makes new nuclear power plants financially unviable. India must register the changed reality, and discard the idea of expensive Western reactors. Time to scrap the India-U.S. nuclear deal?
How technology can cap oil prices by Amit Bhandari
Developments in electric vehicles, battery technology, and renewable energy can make oil, coal, nuclear power interchangeable, if the appropriate technology is developed and marketed well. And since the benefits include a permanent cap on energy prices, India must promote its own industries in these areas and not remain a passive beneficiary
India’s climate change leadership by Rajni Bakshi
On 1 October 2015, India submitted its INDCs to the UN. The ambitious goals set by the Narendra Modi government have no doubt silenced its critics. However, to achieve these lofty goals, India needs a paradigm shift in the kinds of business and development models it encourages
SDGs: Look beyond GDP by Rajni Bakshi
Attaining higher GDP remains primary economic policy across the globe. However, the answer to achieving Sustainable Development Goals lies not in the crudity of economic numbers but in a holistic measure of both economic dynamism and social-environmental well-being
Germany’s energy model for India? by Jivanta Schöttli
In Germany in June 2015, G7 countries made major commitments towards decarbonisation and reduction in greenhouse gases, which will lead to binding decisions at the COP-21 conference in Paris in December. Germany pushed for these outcomes, and as one of the most energy efficient countries in the world its technology and expertise can help India’s targets of alternative energy and sustainable industry.
A plan for India’s ‘energy independence’ by Amit Bhandari
It is time for India to become autonomous on the energy front, even though it is, and will remain, a large importer of petroleum and coal. A combined strategy of diversification by using other forms of energy, and acquisition by buying oil fields, can help India reach this goal.
Modi’s global quest for clean energy by Amit Bhandari
A common thread during Modi’s recent visits to China, Mongolia, and South Korea—as well as on his visits to other countries over the last year—is an attempt to move India away from coal and towards cleaner forms of energy such as solar power, natural gas, and nuclear energy. This signals a more responsible approach to development.
India-Canada: partners on nuclear energy by Stewart Beck
Canada’s nuclear energy sector has a lot to offer India—the sale of uranium, joint development of technology and best practices on regulations. Nuclear energy co-operation is also an area in which Canada and India can make substantial advancements quickly. We should not let this opportunity slip by.
India’s inconsistent solar aspiration by Marisha Dolly Singh
Even though the Indian government is reformulating policies in order to increase investments in the clean energy sector, challenges such as a lack of policy consistency and poor implementation of established rules, are hampering the country’s renewable energy initiative.
Climate Change: glimmers of hope? by Rajni Bakshi
With the weaker-than-expected agreement at the recent Climate Change Conference at Lima, there is an urgent need to replicate innovative green endeavours in civil society and business for a sustainable global economy with grassroots empowerment.
The Lima agreement by Rajni Bakshi
The agreement signed at the Climate Change conference at Lima should be a triumph of diplomacy but the reality is quite the opposite. Although the agreement means there is now global unanimity on the need for climate action, the text in the agreement falls short on nearly every indicator.
India and the UN Conference on Climate Change by Rajni Bakshi
Rajni Bakshi, senior Gandhi peace fellow at Gateway House, comments on the significance of the world climate talks in Lima, Peru, for India.
Challenging the climate change deal by Rajni Bakshi
The U.S.-China deal on climate change and clean energy is too little too late. Instead of radical transformation, it is business-as-usual, setting a sub-standard benchmark for others to follow. Will the Indian government play within this framework, or challenge it?
A case for nuclear power by Amit Bhandari
India’s power sector is currently facing a coal shortage with Coal India unable to keep pace with demand. Nuclear power is a cheaper and more reliable alternative for generating electricity as compared to coal.
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