Is India in a right position to set a global example?

The 5th assessment report summary for policymakers by the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calls for an urgent need to tackle climate change. With 95% accuracy on the causes of climate change attributed to anthropogenic activities, world leaders and policymakers have to set the policy on climate change up and running.

The rising CO2 emissions being the biggest culprit in the global warming which is leading to climate change, both developed and developing countries should come together to set their act right. USA which is one of the biggest contributor of CO2 emissions have to participate in a bigger way in negotiating a proper, globally accepted deal on reducing emissions. Till now it is the lack of confidence and mistrust by the developed countries on developing countries led to very less funding efforts and technology transfer by them.

The report with very high confidence shows that CO2 emissions are the biggest contributor for global warming and that the average mean surface temperatures doubled since 1950s. Due to this the whole world is witnessing adverse climatic patterns. There is an overall increase in the precipitation which is mostly affecting the tropics and mid latitudes. Retreating snow cover in the arctic is raising the sea level which affects over 70% of coastal areas of the world. More carbon intake by the oceans is leading to increase in ocean surface temperatures and water at a depth below 700 feet. This in turn is leading to ocean acidification and killing the coral reefs.

Heat waves will be a common phenomena world over and reduction in the snow and ice cover in the northern hemisphere. The duration of Monsoon may be affected but there will be increased precipitation. Although there is a reduction in the global temperatures witnessed during 1998-2011. This is attributed to some large volcanic eruptions and increased emissions of sulfur from coal based thermal power plants in China and India. 

India is in a right position to set a global example in reducing carbon emissions by changing its emission policies. India should play a crucial role in brokering a deal with the developed countries in setting a global climate change agreement without undermining its developmental agenda and poverty reduction. Though India and China are largest emitters of green house gases currently, the developed countries should not deviate from the notion of ‘common but differential responsibility’ as they are once the biggest emitters of carbon into the atmosphere. Developing countries should tread cautiously on any binding agreement that favors the rich countries burdening the poor countries. 

Let us hope that the world leaders will sit together and bring out an amicable deal on reducing emissions and halting the process of global warming for the common good and sustainable living of species world over.