Monday, July 20, 2009

The Politics of Energy #3 - India


Your agenda may not be their agenda... (photo: Associated Press)

Internal Global Warming politics do not necessarily translate into international cooperation. Emerging economies have dramatically different opinions regarding how to solve these issues. And no matter how “politically correct” our leaders may think they are domestically, it cuts little ice in India or China. RLW


India Rejects U.S. Proposal of Carbon Limits
Clinton Expresses Hope for Common Ground on Climate Change Despite Disagreement on Capping Greenhouse Gases

By
MATTHEW ROSENBERG
NEW DELHI -- India dismissed suggestions that it accept binding limits on carbon emissions, with a top official Sunday delivering a strong rebuke to overtures from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the two countries to work together to combat climate change.

Indian Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, in white, greets Hillary Clinton as she arrives at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi on Sunday. During her first visit to India as Secretary of State, Mrs. Clinton is focusing on climate change—where India rejected suggestions of emissions limits—as well as nuclear power, defense deals and counterterrorism.

The rejection of the U.S. proposal was made in the middle of Mrs. Clinton's first visit to India as secretary of state and came just as the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is gearing up to push for a new global pact on climate change.

"There is simply no case for the pressure that we, who have among the lowest emissions per capita, face to actually reduce emissions," Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told Mrs. Clinton and her delegation.

"And as if this pressure was not enough, we also face the threat of carbon tariffs on our exports to countries such as yours," he said, according to a written account of Mr. Ramesh's remarks to Mrs. Clinton in their meeting. Mr. Ramesh handed out copies of the account to reporters at a news conference afterward with Mrs. Clinton standing nearby.

Balnace of article: The Wall Street Journal

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