G20: New Delhi to nudge West into transferring green technologies to tackle climate change
By Pradeep Rana
Ahead of upcoming G20 energy summit in Goa on 21-22 July 2023, India as President of G20 has very adroitly clubbed Energy Ministerial (CEM) and Mission Innovation (MI) meetings on the sidelines.
But more than the main event, the G20 strategists at New Delhi are more excited about the sidelines. Because nothing could be more opportune to drive home the point to advanced economies of the West that success in climate efforts will not possible unless they agree to transfer cutting-edge green technologies to developing economies.
Without that, its will be same story, same stalemate, year after year as Earth gets warm and warmer. Without that, gridlock between developed and developing economies with not unlock.
Neither side is backing out. European nations in the West feels tight-hearted at the prospect of just giving away their green technological finesse, which their scientists have honed over years and decades. Developing economies like India and China are not ready to slow down their economic engines which are overheating and they think it is their turn to industrialize (and burn more fuel).
Now the moment has arrived for India as President of G20. It would not want to miss a chance making a case for green technologies transfer, on the occasion when all the climate and energy leadership world’s 20 most advanced economies will be present in person there.
Some of these mega economies have poisoned and polluted the earth for good 80 years of their Industrial Resolution from 1760 to 1840 while they colonized, enslaved and plundered the rest of the world, including India and China, whose time for economic growth through industrialization has now come.
Now these mostly European nations are getting jittery to see their ice caps melting, ski slopes vanishing – all because economic engines of developing countries like India and China are heating up. They are now desperate to stop it, but yet will not part with the green technologies to the developing countries which can ensure a sustainable economic growth without disrupting the climate. And quiet frustratingly for them, their time for bullying is up.
“We need to make sure that the trade is free and open, we can’t have protectionism if we want the whole world to go green, and the whole world will have to go green, since one or two countries alone going green will not make a difference,” the Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh has said.
The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and Mission Innovation (MI) meetings at Goa G20 will bring together governments, international organizations, private sector, academia, innovators, civil society, early career researchers and policymakers over a four-day programme featuring high-level ministerial dialogues, global initiative launches, award announcements, minister-CEO roundtables and a wide array of side-events cutting across diverse themes of clean energy transition.
The dual event will also feature a public-facing technology showcase demonstrating cutting-edge advances in clean energy from India and around the world.
Under the theme of ” Advancing Clean Energy Together”, high-level roundtables, side-events and technology showcases would enable stakeholders to accelerate the deployment of clean energy.
India is adding renewable energy capacity at one of the fastest rates in the world and that this growth is continuing to happen despite disruptions due to the Covid19 pandemic. It is making significant progress in reducing emission intensity as well. As a result, India has emerged as a leader in energy transition and aim to continue to be a leader in climate action.
The Clean Energy Ministerial will provide a forum to discuss issues such as adoption of green hydrogen towards Net Zero, formulation of common standards for international trade in green hydrogen and the motto of the whole world going green.
New Delhi’s Mission Innovation is all about moving on to a non-fossil fuel world. The energy transition requires innovation across a number of fields; innovation is required for green steel, green fertilizers, green aluminum, green electricity, green feed stock and round-the-clock renewable energy.
Innovation is tied up with our transition to a new world which is climate-friendly and planet-friendly. All have to work together to address these challenges, explore alternatives to Lithium Ion such as Sodium Ion.
Indian science minister Dr Jitendra Singh aptly sums up, “India is committed to a low carbon future and aims to transform the energy landscape of the country by accelerating clean energy innovation. We all have collective responsibility to work together for a more secure and sustainable future. The ever-growing challenges of climate change are beyond the control of one country, organization, company, or any individual effort.”
The bottomline is, climate change is everybody’s baby. And for the colonizers, historic perpetrators of climate destruction, giving away green technologies should be just a small part of reparations.
