energy intensity

India’s Carbon Target: Why, How?

Insight into India's options for energy and emissions policies may be gained from a review in the December 13, 2009 issue of the Business Standard entitled, "Climate policy options in East-west squeeze".

The following is an Op-Ed that appeared in the December 13, 2009 Deccan Chronicle

By Anshu Bharadwaj & Shuba V. Raghavan

As world leaders deliberate over global warming in Copenhagen, there is considerable acrimony at home on the recent statement by Jairam Ramesh, minister for environment, articulating a 20-25 per cent cut in India’s “carbon intensity” by 2020. Opposition staged a walkout, there was a reported rift in the Indian negotiating team and several people questioned the basis for the Indian position. The general feeling is that India surrendered too much ground to the West without anything in return and that this policy would seriously undermine development and growth.