The India Climate Observatory

Commentary, action and research on climate and development in India

Climate, Kyoto and National Security: the Outlook for Durban- 07 December 2011,IIFL

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Kyoto’s first commitment period expires at the end of 2012, and no agreement has yet been made to renew it.
South Africa’s busiest port, Durban, will get busier than usual in November and December when thousands of lobbyists, climate negotiators, green campaigners and the world’s press converge on the city. Heads of state and their top negotiators will once again gather under the UN umbrella in an attempt to thrash out an accord to protect the world’s climate from rising greenhouse gas emissions.
 

“Big Three” polluters oppose binding climate deal- 07 December 2011, Reuters

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(Reuters) – The world’s three biggest polluters China, the United States and India refused to move towards a new legal commitment to curb their carbon emissions on Tuesday, increasing the risk that climate talks will fail to clinch a meaningful deal this week.
The European Union is leading efforts to keep alive the Kyoto Protocol, the world’s only legal pact to tackle climate change, with a conditional promise to sign a global deal that would force big emitters to change their ways.
 

Vedanta Aluminium eyes coal play- 07 December 2011,DNA

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Vedanta Aluminium says it’s keen on acquiring coal mines next, and intends to bid for them in India.
“We will certainly be looking at coal assets subject to government policy. India has ample coal reserves. Coal can be mined here at as low as $10 per tonne — and for $15 if it’s underground. We will look at the coal blocks that are put up for auction first,” SK Roongta, managing director, said.
 
 

Going green the smart way- 06 December 2011, The Times of India

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As climate change negotiations continue at Durban, it is becoming increasingly clear that finding a perfectly democratic and equitable burden-sharing framework is not going to be easy. Views are still too sharply polarised to be amenable to any comprehensive agreement. In such a situation, it would be quite apt on the part of the negotiators to take a fresh look at all possible emission reducing ideas in the light of the evolving technological rea-lity around us. Time is clearly running out.
 
 
 

‘Himalayan region faces grim future’- 06 December 2011, The Times of India

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Remember the embarrassing controversy a few years ago about whether or not Himalayan glaciers are retreating due to global warming? Finally, the foundation for a thorough scientific study and monitoring has been laid, with the release of three key reports on the sidelines of the Durban climate change summit.

 ‘Himalayan region faces grim future’