IndiasPositiononClimateChange

MaiaCharleston

Climatechangeisanunavoidableissuethatisimpacting,notonlyIndia,buteverycornerofthe
globe.GlobalwarmingmustbeshiftedtoatoppriorityconcerninIndia,notingthatthe
impactsofglobalwarminghavenowresultedinadeclineinmonsoonrainfallandrisein
temperaturesthatevidentlyaffectsagricultureandwaterresources.Climatechangeisacurrent
andlongtermobstaclethattheworldshouldbepreparedtoprioritizeandactupon,which
requirestheundividedattentionandconcernofallcountriesaroundtheworld,asitisauniversal
dispute.Indiarecognizesthatitisourobligationtotakeactionandislookingforwardto
workingtowardsaresolutionthatwillbenefittheglobe.

ClimatechangehastakenasignificantblowonIndiaandwillcontinuetodosoifnotprevented
orstalled.ManyofthecurrentissuesoverwhelmingIndiaaredroughts,abateofmonsoons,
heatspells,andglaciermelts,whichthreatenagriculture,andgroundwater.Consideringthat
glaciersinthenorthwesternHimalayasandintheKarakoramrangearetheimmediatesourceof
themajorityofIndiasglacierfedriversandstreams.Therewillbeapotentiallyhighincrease
inwaterflowinthebeginningofspring,followingasignificantreductioninflowsinthelate
springandsummerwhichareIndia'shottestmonths.BetweenthemonthsApriltoJuneaverage
temperaturescanstretchanywherebetween32and40degreescelsius(90104degrees
fahrenheit).Themajorcontrastbetweenseasonsofplentifulwaterandseasonsofdroughtcould,
andhascausedsubstantialupsetstoagricultural.AspovertyisadominantissueinIndia,
agriculturaldestructionwoulddistresstheeconomicalincomeofmanycitizensandapossible
foodshortage.Asacountrycontainingapopulationofapproximately1267461849,andis
expectedtosurpassthepopulationofChinaby2020,andashortageofanyresourceswouldtake
asignificantimpactonIndia.Indiahastakenaninitiativeonclimatechangebydeveloping
nuclearpowerplantsandreactors.thoughthelargemajorityofIndiasnationalelectricityis
providedbycoal,Indiaintentionsaretofocusonmorerenewableenergy.Indiahassignedthe
KyotoProtocol(1990),andisismakingsignificanteffortstoreduceGHGemissions.The
prominentcommitmentofTheKyotoProtocolwasmainlydirectedatannex1countriestolower
GHGemissionsby5.2%oftheir1990level.Annex2countries,suchasIndia,wereprovided
moretimeandassistance,acknowledgingthatthereareavarietyofprioritiesthattheglobal
southmustalsoattendto.Indiaisresponsiblefor5.7%oftheworldsGHGemissions,but
takingintoconsiderationtheimmensepopulation,isnotanoutrageousnumber.Asfora
percapitapointofview,IndiaranksoneofthelowestproducersofGHGemissionspercapita.


Climatechangeandglobalwarmingisacommonlyknowngolableissuethatisundeniablya
currentreality.Indiasupportsthedevelopmentofnuclearenergy,andrenewableenergytoallow
forthereductionoftheuseoffossilfuelsandGHGemissions.Indiahastakentheinitiativeto
createTheNationalActionPlanonClimateChangewhichisdesignedtobeaccomplished
between2008and2017.TheNAPCCoffersmanygoalsandoptionsonhowIndiaintendsto
worktowardsasolutionforclimatechange.ProvidedtheinformationthatIndiasprimary
sourceofenergyiscoal,apossibleplanistoslowlydecreasetheratiobetweenfossilfuelsto
renewableenergy..Asanation,Indiahasloweredtheiremissionferocityby17.6%from
19902005,andhaspubliclyguaranteedtheUNtoloweremissionsbyanother20%25%
between2005and2020.AsthethirdlargestcontributorofGHGemissionsintheworld,India
canmakeamomentousimpactontheEarthsoverallcarbonemissions.Indiaencouragesother
countriestoworktowardsamoreenergyefficient,andgreenerworld.Itiseverynations
responsibilitytotakeaccountfortheirowncontributionofcarbondevelopment,andshouldbe
preparedtomakesacrificeswhileprioritizingclimatechange.

Citations

NuclearPowerSafetyConcerns.(2011,September23).RetrievedNovember28,2015,from
http://www.cfr.org/world/nuclearpowersafetyconcerns/p10534

WorldNuclearAssociation.(n.d.).RetrievedNovember28,2015,from
http://www.worldnuclear.org/info/CountryProfiles/CountriesGN/India/

India:ClimateChangeImpacts.(n.d.).RetrievedNovember28,2015,from
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/06/19/indiaclimatechangeimpacts

WhatcanweexpectfromIndia'sclimatechangeplan?|ClimateHomeclimatechangenews.
(2015,September21).RetrievedNovember28,2015,from
http://www.climatechangenews.com/2015/09/21/whatcanweexpectfromindiasclimatechangepla
n/

Summary:India'sNationalActionPlanonClimateChange.(n.d.).RetrievedNovember28,2015,
fromhttp://www.c2es.org/international/keycountrypolicies/india/climateplansummary

Honorablechair,fellowdelegates.WhatonEarthcansaveEarth?Asaglobalnationwe
proceedtocontemplateandbrainstormwhatisnecessarytosaveourplanetinawaythatwill
sustainhumancomfort.IndiaIseagertobeinvolvedwithcreatingasolutionforauniversal
problemandwouldbepleasedtoseefurtherdevelopmentofnuclearenergyasapossiblefix.
ThelivesofeverycitizenofEarthisdependantonthefutureofourplanetandthewellbeingof
itsconditionsanditiscrucialthatunderstandtheseverityofthesituation.Itisabsolutelyour
responsibilitytoguardourhomeandtakeactiontokeepitsafe.