Global warming: What can India do?

As India makes a transition from a developing country to a developed one, it must set a benchmark for the rest of the world in cutting down the green house gas emission. Urgent steps are required at the government and individual level. 

By Rohit Prakash

United Nations Conference on Climate Change is going to be held this year in Copenhagen, Denmark from Dec 7–18. The conference is a sequel to the Kyoto Protocol which runs out in 2012. The new agreement would aim to cut down the green house gas emissions by between 25-40 per cent from the 1990 levels starting 2012 to 2020.

27 countries in the European Union (EU) have already agreed to cut down their Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20 per cent of 1990 levels by 2020 which they claim may go up to 30 per cent if other countries start to contribute as well.

The United States which moved away from the Kyoto Protocol is now shifting directions and beginning to move towards a Green world under the leadership of President Barack Obama. On 26 June, 2009, the House of Representatives approved a bill which aims to cut down green house gas emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020. Though it is not a very high figure considering the significant contribution of US in green house gas emission, it is nonetheless, a step in the right direction and indicates a positive change in the mindset of the people, both in the government and the industry in the US.

However, experts claim that even though developed economies have promised emission cuts, it would still reach only two-thirds of the target and the world would miss the 25 per cent mark by a significant margin. It means that it is extremely important for countries like China, India, South Africa, Brazil, etc, which were exempted under the Kyoto Protocol, to start contributing to the task of environment protection.

The need of the hour is to define a framework under which emission cuts are planned out ensuring the involvement of all the parties involved including the government, the industry and the common people. As India makes a transition from a developing country to a developed one, it is important that we do not commit the mistakes made by developed economies like the US or the countries under the European Union.

Indian government should take the lead and take steps to make the people aware of the consequence of global warming and the steps needed to control the situation. Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) should be made mandatory for all types of industries and the government should ensure greater transparency in the process of EIA certification.

The government should speed up the process of infrastructure development and work at building a world class transportation network. This would reduce the dependence of people to use private vehicles thereby helping to bring down the level of green house gases.

Moreover, government can also look at capping the CO2 levels and ensure that the standards are strictly adhered to. All this would require immense dedication and discipline from the government. But if we have to surge ahead as a Green Economy, our government would need to take many such steps and set a benchmark for the rest of the world.

[We cannot achieve a significant reduction in the emission of green house gases unless each individual realizes the importance of going green; unless environment protection becomes a choice for all of us and not a compulsion. An individual can also contribute by making some very simple lifestyle changes which can go a long way in ensuring a “green tomorrow”. You can follow some of the Green Tips mentioned at http://www.simplygreens.com/green-tips.html. 
Some of the tips you may see here might seem very cliché or very often heard and some might be totally new to you. But what is important is that you follow these tips as much as possible and encourage others to do the same.
As we write this, we see someone there saying, “United Nations conference on Climate Change...huh! Kya farak padta hai? (How does it affect me?) It is not happening in my home anyways”.

As we say, MAKE YOUR OWN CHOICE]


courtesy..policyproposalsforindia.com