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Friday, January 18, 2008

Action plan on climate change by 2008: Sibal

India's national action plan on mitigation of climate change will be ready by 2008 and will focus on industries shifting to a low-carbon economy.

Addressing a press conference, Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said India was committed to a reduction of greenhouse gases emission and the domestic road map was aimed at mitigating climate change. "However, we want to give more time to industry to shift to a low-carbon economy." The action plan, being formulated at the prime ministerial level by a high-power council set up earlier this year, would ensure a sustainable India and give time to industry to adopt green technology.

To a question how the private sector would be brought on board to adhere to clean technology, Mr. Sibal said once discussions took place on transfer of technology, private companies would also be involved. If India eradicated poverty, half the battle against global warming would be won. The coming two years would be hectic and crucial, till the next meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), he said. The national action plan would be in place whether or not the Bali conference was a success and whether or not the developed countries ratified the Kyoto Protocol. India was totally opposed to any kind of tariff barrier on trade and commerce. During discussions, most developing countries agreed that nuclear energy was inevitable to achieve low carbon emission. The Bali conference decided to launch a comprehensive "process" to enable full, effective and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC through a long-term cooperative action, now, up to and beyond 2012, in order to reach an agreed outcome and adopt a decision at its next session.

The Hindu, December 15th 2007

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