Across the world, the common man has become less serious about global warming because vested interests have muddied the narrative. But India must stay focussed on developing alternative energy sources
The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change released its report last week. Prepared by Government representatives from 195 UN member states, the 1,000-page-long report presents a grim and pessimistic picture of the future.
The IPCC clearly states that mankind caused more than half the warming observed over the past 60 years by producing an incredible amount of carbon dioxide, which heats up the atmosphere. The report warns of fast-rising sea levels and continued global warming as a result of which global average temperatures could rise by 1.5 to four degrees Celsius, according to different climate change scenarios. Also, add to this the fact that the risk of droughts would increase manifold.
According to the IPCC report, greenhouse gases have been pumped into the atmosphere at an accelerating rate. Since the Industrial Revolution began, mankind has burned half a trillion tonnes of carbon from coal, oil and gas, and over the next few decades will continue to burn another half trillion.
But then again, reports such as these are released year after year. So, why does the international community not take them seriouslyIJ For instance, today in Germany only 39 per cent of the population fears climate change. A couple of years ago, it was over 60 per cent. This is pretty much the case around the world. It is attributable to the rapidly-eroding confidence in these reports, as confusing debates and strange controversies surround them.
A good part of the decline in seriousness towards these reports is because of the work that pressure groups associated with sectors that cause global warming, such as the fossil-fuel industry, have been doing to mitigate fears regarding global warming. These groups spread confusion and seek to discredit environmental reports. As a result, painstaking scientific research suffers and the message of a genuine threat to the environment is lost.
This failure to act on behalf of the climate is more pronounced in emerging nations such as India. Here, apart from the pressure groups, a general pre-occupation with politics and corruption takes the spotlight away from concerns such as climate change and its many consequences.
Still, some initiatives such as the National Solar Mission, launched in 2010, are slowly taking India onto the path of environment protection and reduction in emission of green house gases. In the process, India’s credibility in environmental protection is also growing. Over the last three years India has installed 1.8 gigawatts of solar power with another 2.3 gigawatts in the pipeline. This is helping slow the adverse effects of climate change.
Consequently, many multinational companies such as SunEdison, Welspun Energy limited and Azure Power have made their forays into the India market. Given the subsidies and incentives provided by the Government, the future of solar power in India looks good. However, growth will only be fortified if a robust project-financing structure is created and implemented.
While Western nations usually take the lead with bold initiatives for environmental conservation, developing nations such as India are forced to follow in their footsteps and adopt the models and mechanism of the developed world. It is imperative that this scenario changes. India must seek to set the pace and offer examples for the international community to follow.
India also needs to invest heavily in other alternate sources of energy, apart from solar. Strong Government resolve, reflected in the functioning of its concerned departments, and greater awareness among the public on the benefits of alternate power sources, will go a long way.
France, for instance, has set a remarkable example in this regard. From getting only one per cent of its energy from nuclear power in 1970, it now sources as much as 80 per cent of its energy requirements from nuclear power — all in just 30 years. This has resulted in the country reducing its harmful carbon emissions by over two per cent every year. It has been possible due to a cohesive resolve in the political as well as environmental corridors of the country.
Similarly, the United States is also making a rapid transition towards natural gas, which has already paid dividends in the form of a 6.7 per cent carbon dioxide emission reduction in 2009. As countries around the world build the IPCC findings into their action plans, Governments must also ensure that the observations made in other credible environmental reports are also taken into consideration during policy-making processes.
A creative mix of innovation, technology and public awareness will allow effective implementation. In India, this should help chart a clear course to fight climate change.