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Tag Archives: India

US-India Collaboration & Obama’s Climate Crusade

26 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by vositha in Climate Change, Environment, Features, UNFCCC

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climate change, energy, India, india-US Climate Deal, Modi, Nuclear, Obama, Paris Climate Summit, South Asia, USA

(C) Creative Commons

(C) Creative Commons

Following a successful visit to China in November that resulted in the US-China joint statement on climate change, President Obama is India. On Sunday, he achieved further success through bilateral cooperation between India and the US countries that focused on addressing climate change and energy issues. Both countries concluded negotiations on a five-year MoU on energy security, clean energy and climate change and an agreement to this effect expected as early as possible at a mutually agreed date.

India Not Pressurised by the US-China Agreement

Prime Minister of India negated the assumption that US- China statement on climate change pressurised India to collaborate with the US. While refuting the assumption he also added that his country’s decision to collaborate with US as a rightful duty to the future generations, bringing the focus back to the famous and India’s (probably) favourite element of climate negotiations for India – equity. In this case inter-generational equity.

He also pointed that the need for a global deal on climate change as the reason to move onto a collaboration with US. The PM of India at a news conference on Sunday said, “When we think about the future generations and what kind of a world we are going to give them, then there is pressure”. “Global warming is a huge pressure,” he added.

For a Global Deal on Climate Change

A key element of collaboration between the two countries is bilateral climate change cooperation. This includes not only US and India working together, but also working with other countries on climate change. This in turn would give hope that the expectation is to cooperate closely this year to achieve a successful and ambitious agreement in Paris.

Speaking on the Paris climate talks, the President of the US highlighted the need for India’s voice to be raised in a positive manner if a global deal is to be achieved in 2015. During the Conference to be held in Paris 196 countries will meet and negotiate on a course to address climate change. If urgent and ambitious actions are not made the global average temperature will be on track to levels that will be threatening for human survival on the planet. Given these reasons, the negotiations in Paris will play a decisive moment for all, especially for the most vulnerable states and communities of the world.

Collaborating on Climate and Clean Energy Goals

India and USA also pledged to enhance cooperation on the energy sector. While welcoming India’s intention to increase the share of renewable energy in electricity generation consistent with its intended goal to increase India’s solar capacity to 100 GW by 2022, USA intends to support India’s goal by enhancing cooperation in clean energy and climate change. The two countries already has a U.S.-India Partnership to Advance Clean Energy (PACE) umbrella program, and highlighted its willingness to expand policy dialogues and technical work on clean energy and low greenhouse gas emissions technologies. US-India deal also provides for the expansion of Partnership to Advance Clean Energy Research (PACE-R) a $125 million program jointly funded by the U.S. and Indian governments and private sector. The renewal includes extending funding for three existing research tracks of solar energy, building energy efficiency, and advanced biofuels for five years and launching a new track on smart grid and grid storage technology. Further, this includes accelerating Clean Energy Finance.

The US will also work on demonstrating clean energy initiatives on the ground including additional pilot programs and other collaborative projects, as well as developing an innovative renewable energy storage project and hosting a smart grid workshop. However this collaboration is not restricted to energy, but also includes fields of science, technology, innovation and agriculture.

Developing India, Polluting India

A developing country, India is also world’s 3rd largest emitter of green house gases. Although the need for cutting down emissions remains vital, the need for economic growth and reduction or poverty also plays a key role in India’s economy. In order to address the issues of development, while putting the country on a low carbon emitting trajectory, India needs to move for a rapid expansion of renewable energy. In this venture, the country needs investment and technology, and improving energy efficiency. It is to fill this gap that further US will provide financial support for India’s solar program.

“We very much support India’s ambitious goal for solar energy and stand ready to speed this advancement with additional financing,” said President Obama at a news conference in Hyderabad.

For developing countries, a fact that remains important in the shift to a low carbon trajectory is the price of renewable energy. This would be the reason as to why one of the requests from the Indian PM to Obama has been to ensure that renewable energy more accessible and affordable.

PM Modi has shown interest in the expansion of renewable energy as a way to mitigate country’s large-scale emissions. This shift could be seen as a sign that India is becoming positive towards achieving a global climate deal in Paris, end of 2015.The Prime Minister is reported stating that his nation along with all others has an obligation to act on reducing the fossil-fuel emissions blamed for damaging the climate.

US-India Nuclear Deal

The two countries also succeeded in forming a pact on nuclear energy allowing American companies to supply India with civilian nuclear technology. The nuclear deal which was held up for six years amid concerns over the liability for any nuclear accident has been finalised by setting up a large insurance pool allowing the deal to move forward without further need for legislation.

In the words of PM Modi, this marks a “new journey” of co-operation, with stronger defence and trade ties between US and India. The question is whether shifting to clean energy could be interpreted as a shift to nuclear energy, which is without carbon emissions yet equally dangerous as an energy source due to threats that it poses. If the assumption that cutting down emissions and shifting to renewable energy equals introducing nuclear energy as the solution, and other countries take heed and adopt the trend, it will not be a solution to the threats posed by climate change but another situation that needs to be dealt with caution.

“Bitch!”

02 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by vositha in Uncategorized

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Tags

Abusive relationships, Bollywood, cheating, Drowning, Hate, India, love

She immersed in the water, the ripples forming around her. It was warm, and she let her whole body submerge as she blocked his screams that resonated in her head.

He was back in one of his moods, and this time with another woman in the picture. It was tiring, very tiring to be listening to the stories, reliving them, and then trying to make sense. His I-love-yous made no sense, nor did his i-miss-yous.

She dipped her head in the water, her hair clinging to her scalp, her fingers holding onto whatever she could. She was grasping for what was left, if there be anything left, while her fingers lingered in the emptiness, in a vacuum that she felt within.

“Bitch! Fucking bitch! Slut!”

His voice echoed, once, twice, thrice, a million times.

She was under the mass of water which blocked his voice. It was warm, unlike the coldness that prevailed around her the moment she emerged. Stay in, keep her head low, let the waters block her existence.

Love had turned null, dead and an irritation. She hoped he would leave her in peace, she wished both of them would stop messing with her peace, and let her drown in her little solitary being, in the waters that calmed her, soothed her, and made her feel her being from within.

Her legs kicked harder, waves forming with the anger and the helpless that gushed out.

“Slut! Slut! Slut!” he continues.

She dived deeper, while his voice faded into the Bollywood music that surged out piercing her ears.

A VERY brief Summary of the AWG- KP at UNFCCC, Bangkok 6th April 2011

07 Thursday Apr 2011

Posted by vositha in UNFCCC

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AOSIS, EU, Gambia, India, LCA. Kyoto Protocol, LULUCF, Marshall Islands, Switzerland, Tuvalu, Uganda, UNFCCC

Having been unable to find myself a seat due to the large number of people within the conference room, and having to rush out of it a few times thanks to the lag of plug points that facilitate the civil society connections to the outside world, I am able to put up a blog with the limited statements I was able to get a hearing of.

I make my daily entrance to the conference room, and thus commences my recital of what goes inside those UNFCCC discussions..

It’s Tuvalu taking the floor, which is a common occurrence, in many of these negotiations. It is a good thing unlike many states that stay mum at what is happening around them, some countries do take a stand and do voice their opinions. (hint hint!) The negotiator of Tuvalu went on to highlight that “once we establish the political commitment the technical issues will fall in place” and stated that “some parties see the outcomes of this process is contingent on the LCA process, we do not see that. We think it’s important that the Kyoto protocol continues. I would encourage us to consider how we are going to establish that political commitment this period. I think we have to elevate the political significance of our discussion. It is pointless to go into endless technical issues without political commitment.”

The speaker for the AOSIS group expressed that all left Cancun with a fundamental issue and that there is need to clarity. “It’s not possible to work on LULUCF rules…Once we have clarity on the second commitment period then the rest of the questions can be addressed…To get the technical issues to be resolved the political issues need to be resolved.” The negotiator also highlighted that the need for political clarity by June which would be a valuable focus for this session of discussions.

Switzerland in their turn highlighted the need to be committed to what was decided in Cancun and went on to state “we should not try to undo Cancun…This group should aim to complete the work on Kyoto”. The speaker continued “we have to understand what the numbers mean and we cannot agree to numbers without knowing what they are..We cannot look at the cancun agreement in isolation”

Marshall Islands in their expression stated that “no doubt that Cancun was a step forward but a very dangerous one with regards to emission..We need much more clarity..Once there is clarity then we can finalise rules” They also requested the possibility of enhancing the discussion with Q&A session.

The Ugandan negotiator for his part stated , “we will talk about the numbers for ages, I can assure you. I am convinced that we cannot progress in this process talking about taking a second commitment without us making a bold decision” and requested the others to “take a little bit of courage”. He also added when people “see us gathering here frequently more and more of those vulnerable people are dying and we are here saying that we need to decide rules!”

Egypt highlighted that two ingredients for successfully moving forward are clarity and sense of urgency and provided that they support the idea of a political process based on the documents tabled. Added that the outcome of this process should be adopted.

Saudi Arabia in their speech supported the statement of the G77 and mentioned that there is need for clarity as to the work here on Kyoto Protocol. Also added that if there is the political will that lot of things can be achieved. “The willingness to commit will help us move forward” and added that Saudi Arabia supports a “real” political willingness for giving clarity.

The speaker for the European Union stated “I have a feeling this debate we have had several times” but added that “there is always room for improvement to make things better” He questioned the parties “what’s the reason we are sitting here?” The EU provided that they “have the intention to continue with Kyoto and not to have a gap.” And also added that he does not think that the discussions were “going around in circles” He quoted a statement made earlier in the discussion “someone told that we have beaten those questions to death..Yes everyone has told what his or her opinion on those question is..But we have not found a compromise..I have been hearing the same questions from the new faces to which i have answered to the old faces…I think we need to find real compromises…What I would hope for during the last days of these sessions is to take these technical discussions forward and explain to the new comers what we have been doing over the years” and concluded that the EU “want to come to a conclusion by Durban”.

Venezuela stated “we think there is a way to deal with climate change and that is the Kyoto protocol. We wish to see all countries state loud and clear that they are committed to a second commitment period. Without a political decision we cannot move forward…this is otherwise a waste of time and resources of all the people of the countries who are paying for us to be here…We need to make a decision because otherwise it is because of you that we have failed.”

Bolivia speaking “we are not really addressing the real question..We cannot play hide and seek!” (I think this negotiator has a way of putting things into words. Some might hate him, I do not believe I am one of them) He further added “If we want to move ahead, let’s put all the numbers on the table…We need to clarify rules but we don’t want rules to turn into loopholes..Let’s come to an agreement where we want the strongest rules to achieve the 2 C margin” But I think the best statement of the day was “at the end of the day we cannot play around with nature”. He also stressed that “if there is no second commitment by Durban then what we are going to have is nothing”

Gambia in their speech stated “we cannot work on rules that would be used for another process” and India in a very brief and possibly a somewhat nervous statement expressed their support towards the statement of Brazil and emphasised the need to ensure no gap in the Kyoto Protocol’s commitment periods.

With those words from the South Asian State, my lap top shifts to non active mode. A possible reaction of the development of artificial intelligence?

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