While the United Nations conference for climate change is just around the corner, India needs to be cautious when it comes to committing to emission cuts (“Preparing for Paris,” and “India to cut emissions intensity,” Oct.3). India needs to remind itself that we are still a developing nation. We need certain emissions leeway to make sure that the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Modi government is successful. Though the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) cannot be ignored altogether, we also need to enable a business-friendly environment. Hence, we should let large emitters like U.S. and China take the lead in emission cuts.
A. Rajpurohit,
Delhi
The time is ripe to take the issue of climate change seriously. The move to reduce the carbon emissions intensity by 33 to 35 per cent under the INDC is a welcome and positive step. As we are heading towards the Paris conference, we need to make some concrete commitments. Although per capita emissions of India are low compared to those of the First World countries, we should understand that our economy will be adversely affected in case of a global temperature rise as we are primarily a tropical country.
Sagar Gadkari,
Pune
