October 29, 2007 (Times of India) – Climate change and energy will be key elements of discussions between Germany and India when German chancellor Angela Merkel makes her maiden visit to the country between October 29-November 1. The two countries will also sign an MoU on energy efficiency and renewable energy with Germany committing 150 million euros.Germany has a pact with India on energy effiency under which it provides support to the Indian government on industrial and building energy efficiency.
But Merkel’s visit gains importance with Germany holding the presidency of the G-8, which had recently held parleys on climate change with five emerging economies — India, China, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico.
The G-8 formation and EU have been pushing for developing countries, such as India, to take on some form of commitments on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to mitigate climate change.
As of now, only rich countries have fixed targets for reducing their GHG emissions. But the Kyoto Protocol, under the international convention on climate change, is up for review in the UN meeting of countries in December.
Sources in the government pointed out that there was very little chance that EU or US may get serious on target-based reduction of absolute emissions for developing countries.
But, they said, another way of pushing for curtailing emissions could be by asking India and other developing countries to increase the efficiency with which they use energy in different sectors.
Asia Cleantech 