Indiens Energiepolitik im Lichte der Verhandlungen um eine globale Klimakonvention

Abstract The ongoing negotiations regarding global measures to tackle the greenhouse effect are proving to be difficult particularly due to severe conflicts of interest between North and South. The Government of India so far was among those not very enthusiastic about adopting substantial and legally binding reduction targets for global emissions of greenhouse gases. It referred to national development plans as well as financial constraints and emphasized that the main responsibility for expected climate changes lies with industrialized countries. However, this paper argues that India should review its stand particularly with regard to C02 emissions caused by fossil fuel consumption and deforestation. A look at India’s industrial, transport and household sectors clearly shows that a continuation of present energy-intensive trends would lead to severe financial, foreign exchange and ecological constraints. In the process of finalizing the 8th Five Year Plan there are opportunities to formulate new priorities towards delinking economic growth and energy use, as well as increasing energy efficiency and enhancing the use of renewable energy sources. Illustrative scenarios show that such a reorientation of India’s energy policy would substantially contain future increases of C02 emissions. From this point of view it would be rational for India to take a supportive stand towards a global climate convention and, at the same time, as one of the heavyweights within the G 77, use her influence to serve Third World interests in the negotiation process. This would be especially important as regards the manifold global distribution issues involved in the negotiations of a climate convention and the respective protocols.