Impasse

It is not the same as accepting a binding cap on emissions but there is intention behind a pledge! The US has just joined the other G-8 industrialized nations in pledging to halt the increase of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, and to keep the worldwide temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius.

No commitment, no plans on how it will be done. So does it constitute anything?

The draft was drawn up by government officials from the G-8 nations, which are to meet in Italy this week.

Meanwhile, the new Indian environment minister Jairam Ramesh has said that India won't accept binding caps on its emissions of greenhouse gases. “India will not accept any emission-reduction target--period,” Ramesh said. “This is a non-negotiable stand.”

This is also the Chinese stand that sees historic responsibility as the precursor for action.

Unless developing nations accept some target, US has indicated its non-inclination to do the same. This has led to discussions whether the climate talks will have to change track from emission targets.

After all the modest targets set under Kyoto protocol have not been achieved. Under Kyoto, participating nations promised to reduce emissions below 1990 levels by 2012--instead, their emissions have been rising steadily.

From 1990-2006, emissions increased in Japan by over 5 percent; in the US by 14 percent; in Canada by 20 percent; and in Australia by 30 percent.

Could investment in clean energy be the better option? The Indian government plans to invest $100 billion in solar energy production over the next decade, with a target of 20 GW by 2020. In China, officials will soon unveil a massive ten-year renewable energy investment plan on the order of $440-660 billion.

But can the climate wait for the outcome of these plans to take fruit in some years? Already there is enough evidence of the process having already started to impact. Not only on crop productivity, but on health, water availability, etc. The time to act is very short, less than a decade.

Can we wait?