Cement, Energy and Environment

climate actions with development agenda," said Sanjay Vashisht, director of Climate Action Network of South Asia, a coalition of NGOs dealing with climate change issues. The clear mandate given to the environment ministry on the issue of climate change also signals an acknowledgement that climate policy needs to be approached in the context of development. There has been a tendency to view eli mate change policy as something that comes in the way of development. While the signal given by the Narendra Modi administration is a welcome one, there is some cause for caution. "If the renaming leads to de-emphasis of local environmental issues then it is not good. But if it leads to better understanding of the linkages between climate change and pressing domestic issues around energy, water, and forests. then the move is a positive one," said Navroz Dubash, senior fel low at the Centre for Policy Research and the lead author on national and sub-national policies for the IPCC report. The recognition of the clear and present danger that climate change poses to the government's efforts to ensure a high growth path and alleviate poverty is in line with the recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The reports released earlier this year, highlighted the adverse impact that rising global temperatures would have on water avai lability and food production. For civi l society activists and experts who have long argued on the urgent need to address climate change as a domestic issue without jeopardising Ind ia's position and stance in the global negotations , the new government's move is seen as a welcome first step. "By formally includ ing cl imate change in the nomenclature, the government has indicated it recognises the importance of the issue. We now look forward to the minister coming out with a road map to address the needs to adapt to climate change and reduce the adverse impact of global warming," Srinivas Krishnaswamy, CEO Vasudha Foundation . Experts also expect that the clear mandate for climate change would mean a more proactive role for India in the international climate change negotiations. Courtesy: The Economic Times, 28.05.2014. Pg. No. 18 BALANCING GROWTH WITH CLIMATE CONCERNS TO BE A KEY CHALLENGE Climate Change Worries For New Govt IPCC report highlights the need to formulate climate policies without compromising growth Among the challenges that will face India's new government, when it takes office in May, is how to address climate change while ensuring high economic growth and increased urbanisation. A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), released on Sunday, which. stressed the urgent need to reduce emissions to avert catastrophic cl imate change also made it clear that such actions will not have to sacrifice economic growth. "The high speed mitigation train would have to leave the station soon and all of global society would need to get on board ," said IPCC chairman RK Pachauri. The report, which deals with human interventions to reduce carbon emission, is the third installment of IPCC's fifth assessment report, reviewing scienti fi c and other relevant literature, research and stud ies on climate change. For countries like India. the IPCC Working Group Ill report is of great significance as it stresses on the sustainable development and equity in the context of climate policies. The report has also stressed on the importance of the co– benefits approach- an acceptance that climate policy intersects with other goals such as health, food security, local environmental quality, energy access and livelihoods. "The big message from the IPCC is that locating climate pol icy in the context of development. This is an important message for India-that climate policy doesn't have to be at the cross hair of development," said Navroz Dubash , the lead author on national and sub-national policies for the IPCC report. The report suggests that loss to economic growth on account of measures taken to address 30 [ r