President Obama Launches Secret Green Partnership With India

www.scientificamerican.com
December 2, 2009

President Obama Launches Secret Green Partnership With India to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions Despite Senate Boycott In a move sure to anger the "Let's-do-nothing-about-climate-change-till-China-and-India-do crowd", President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India launched a secret Green Partnership to do something about climate change.

The secret arrangement was made while the President was on his failed Asian trip resulting in pre-Copenhagen announcements from China and India; of 40% cuts, and 20% cuts respectively, in carbon emissions. (His secret Red partnership with China is another story) India and the US will launch partly publicly funded joint R&D centers in both countries, to accelerate technologies in the renewable energy innovations needed to reduce carbon emissions in both greenhouse gas giants; India and the US.

All green tech will be covered: solar energy, smart grid, second-generation biofuel, non-mined coal technologies, carbon capture and storage, waste energy, energy-efficient building, wave power, sustainable transportation, energy efficiency, wind energy, micro-hydro power and advanced battery technologies.

Two examples: The EPA will help India establish the first Environmental Protection Agency for India. Colorado's National Renewable Energy Lab will do a full solar mapping of India to show investors there where India's solar potential is greatest for large-scale utility-based solar developments. The two countries agreed on a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation on Energy Security, Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy, and Climate Change.

Through this Memorandum, both countries will work jointly to accelerate development and deployment of clean energy technologies and to strengthen cooperation on adaptation to climate change, climate science, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from forests and land use.

• Prime Minister Singh and President Obama agreed to encourage the mobilisation of public and private funds that would invest in clean energy projects in India. This represents a major step forward in U.S. – India partnerships to strengthen their economic growth and energy security, while also addressing the threat of global climate change.
• Prime Minister Singh and President Obama affirmed that the Copenhagen outcome must be comprehensive and cover mitigation, adaptation, finance, and technology. Moreover, it should reflect emission reduction targets for developed countries and nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing countries. There should be scaled-up finance, technology, and capacity-building support. There should be full transparency as to the implementation of their mitigation commitments and appropriate processes for review. Both leaders resolved to take significant mitigation actions and to stand by these commitments.
• In addition, the two leaders launched an Indo-U.S. Clean Energy Research and Deployment Initiative, supported by U.S, and Indian government funding and private sector contributions. This new Initiative will include a Joint Research Center operating in both the United States and India to foster innovation and joint efforts to accelerate deployment of clean energy technologies. The Initiative will allow the two governments to leverage expertise from both countries including government, private industry, and higher education to accelerate the development and deployment of new clean energy technologies. The Initiative will facilitate joint research, scientific exchanges, and sharing of proven innovation and deployment policies.
• The Initiative's work will be complemented by two Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) on Solar Energy and Wind Energy. Through the MOU on Solar Energy, the U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) will partner with India's Solar Energy Centre to develop a comprehensive nation-wide map of solar energy potential. More than two dozen U.S, and Indian cities will partner to jointly advance solar energy deployment. The MOU on Wind Energy between NREL and India's Centre for Wind Energy Technology will focus in particular on supporting efforts to develop a low-wind speed turbine technology program.
• The U.S, and India will increase cooperation on unconventional natural gas including on coal bed methane, natural gas hydrates, and shale gas The two countries will also work to reduce emissions from land use, including deforestation, forest degradation, enhanced sequestration, and sustainable management of forests.
• Working with India's Ministry of Environment and Forests, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will provide technical support for Indian efforts to establish an National Environmental Protection Authority focused on creating a more effective system of environmental governance, regulation and enforcement.
• In support of food security and climate change objectives, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will work with India's Ministry of Earth Sciences to more accurately forecast monsoons, and thereby reduce risks associated with climate change and to develop early warning systems to protect people and crops from the adverse effects of extreme weather.