The Renewable Energy Law 2010

The lie our government hides behind.

Every time Greenpeace tells the government that it has to act on climate change, we are told “stop freaking out, our per capita CO2 emissions are lower than the developed world’s!”

What they conveniently neglect to mention is that a relatively small, wealthy class (1% of our population) already produces twice the sustainable global average CO2 emissions of 2.5 tonnes per capita!

Meanwhile, the remaining 823 million poor people in this country produce just one-fifth the amount of CO2 that the richest 1% produce.

Now, if these 823 million people started using energy like the top 1% Indians do – as is likely to happen if we really do manage to eradicate poverty – then our per capita emissions would go well over the sustainable 2 tons per capita and this would be disastrous for the planet.

We have a right to develop. However, we must choose the sustainable pathway and not one that will push us over the brink.

A Renewable Energy Law by 2010.

India cannot keep hiding behind the poor.. India has to take leadership in the global community of nations that are fighting a pitched battle against climate change. India needs to start taking progressive steps towards a low carbon economy and a step in that direction would be a Renewable Energy Law by 2010

The stakes are too high. We must have a Renewable Energy Law by 2010. And you can bring about that change.

What would this Renewable Energy Law look like?

[A] It will keep a check on future carbon emissions through an ambitious Renewable Energy policy.

[B] It will have ensured that at least 60% our electricity comes from renewable energy sources by the year 2050.

[C] Through a decentralized energy generation system, it will enable all of us to produce our own energy, and ensure that every village and city in India meets its own power needs in an environmentally sustainable way

Dr. Singh needs to take a stand at Copenhagen

The UN climate summit at Copenhagen in December may be our best chance to avoid runaway climate change. India needs to change its emissions growth trajectory and deviate from business as usual by 15-30 %,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh owes it not just to our reputation of innovation, but also to future generations of Indians.

Globally Greenpeace is pushing for some big, visionary measures to turn around the global trend towards runaway climate change. Our blueprint needs political will to make it happen and the opportunity is at the Copenhagen summit in December.

Why India needs a Renewable Energy Law.

India’s best selling point in key international markets is our ability to innovate. The biggest risk to this is the perception internationally that we’re not taking climate change seriously.

15-30% deviation from BAU! But How?

India has the ability and resources to become a ‘low carbon’ economy. All that’s missing is political will. Deviation from business as usual is easily achievable; this deviation is not something that Greenpeace pulled out of the hat. The science dictates that this is what’s required from developing countries. Only substantial action on part of India and the world will stop us from reaching the ‘tipping point’ of catastrophic climate change. We can’t merely point fingers at each other now, we all have to act together, and fast, if we are to give ourselves a fighting chance to avoid climate catastrophe.

There are many ways of reaching that target. To begin with, we can reduce the wastage of energy we already generate – by building more energy-efficient buildings and making it mandatory for electronic products to meet the highest efficiency standards. Just phasing out the ordinary incandescent light-bulb will save 12,000 MW of energy capacity, the equivalent of 3 mega coal power plants!

But more crucially, we can ensure that the energy we generate from now on comes from clean and renewable sources – such as the sun and wind – instead of highly damaging fossil fuels like coal. All of which will also give India lower energy bills – at home, at work, and on the road.