| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Captain Compassion" |
| Date: |
12 May 2007 10:40:38 AM |
| Object: |
China, India power plants may derail Kyoto |
Suman Layak
Mumbai, May 11, 2007
First Published: 22:54 IST(11/5/2007)
Last Updated: 23:11 IST(11/5/2007)
China, India power plants may derail Kyoto
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=48967d03-b74f-4e16-9af6-d4b29593e650
If all the proposed coal-fired power plants in India and China are set
up, the additional carbon dioxide emission will be many times the cuts
proposed by the Kyoto Protocol, according to a report by Standard &
Poor’s.
The Kyoto protocol envisages controlling atmospheric carbon dioxide at
the level of 500 parts per million.
The report by S&P’s Aneesh Prabhu from New York and Kim Eng Tan of
Singapore says that coal consumption is likely to grow by 3 per cent
every year in India and China over the next 30 years, which is far
higher than the 0.6 per cent increase likely in the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development countries.
The report says that the Indian stance on the issue is complicating
issues. "India believes that it has not significantly contributed to
the global stock of greenhouse gases that reside in the atmosphere."
Citing the ethical aspects of climate change’s economic impact, it
contends that uncompensated mitigation by developing countries would
slow economic growth and poverty reduction efforts.
Reacting to the report, Greenpeace’s energy expert K Srinivas said,
"We have submitted a proposal to reduce coal dependence for our energy
sector to 10 per cent by 2050. Right now coal accounts for 67 per cent
of our energy needs," he said.
"Currently India releases around 1,100 million tonnes of greenhouse
gases a year. In the next five years this level can double if India
goes ahead with the plan to achieve energy sufficiency based on
coal-based power," he added.
India is third at the moment in the carbon intensity sweepstakes,
which measures carbon dioxide emissions per $1000 of GDP. The S&P
report says that various energy efficiency measures can reduce
greenhouse gas intensity in India by a third. Srinivas of Greenpeace
feels that energy efficiency can, in fact, reduce our energy demand by
50 per cent.
The S&P report adds that coal-fired power plants remain the cheapest
and at the same time the dirtiest power source for India and China.
"The extent to which rapidly developing nations will be able to shift
away from coal-fired generation and towards low-carbon energy
investments is crucial to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
worldwide."
--
There may come a time when the CO2 police will wander the earth telling
the poor and the dispossed how many dung chips they can put on their
cook fires. -- Captain Compassion.
Wherever I go it will be well with me, for it was well with me here, not
on account of the place, but of my judgments which I shall carry away
with me, for no one can deprive me of these; on the contrary, they alone
are my property, and cannot be taken away, and to possess them suffices
me wherever I am or whatever I do. -- EPICTETUS
"Civilization is the interval between Ice Ages." -- Will Durant.
"Progress is the increasing control of the environment by life.
--Will Durant
Joseph R. Darancette
daranc@NOSPAMcharter.net
.
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