Govt may announce emission targets today

Govt may announce emission targets today
The Times of India, December 03, 2009, Page 1

Nitin Sethi TNN

New Delhi: Seeking to match China in public diplomacy over climate change negotiations, the government is likely to announce on Thursday its plan to reduce the carbon/energy intensity of the Indian economy.

Environment minister Jairam Ramesh is likely to indicate in Parliament a broad target range for reducing either carbon or energy intensity by 2020 as a voluntary measure. The minister’s reply to a calling attention motion on India’s stand on climate negotiations will lay out its plan for a low-carbon economy.

An agency report said India has decided to reduce its carbon intensity by 24% from 2005 levels by 2020. However, government sources said no specific number has yet been worked out and the minister may merely indicate a range, as in China’s case, to retain flexibility.

Days before climate talks begin in Copenhagen, the PMO has moved towards putting a range of carbon emission numbers on the table to blunt any perception that it was lagging emerging economies like China and Brazil on climate commitment.

Government, however, is yet to hold widespread discussions on the issue that is bound to impact the economy at large.