He said that the climate change has drawn the world’s attention due to rising concentration of green-house gases in earth’s atmosphere since the industrial revolution. The present debate on climate change is not so much about whether human activities are leading to climate change but how much and at what rate. We all need to do something about it. The recently concluded Marrakesh Accord was a positive development in the context, as it exhibited the resolve of the global community to do something about one of the most important environmental problems of our times. He hoped that the accord will lead to early ratification of the Koyoto Protocol. He asserted that India is willing to play its role in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. He added that in today’s world, it is not possible to look at environmental problems without the active involvement of the corporate sector, as it happens to be one of the key stakeholders. The Marrakesh Accord creates opportunities for participation of the corporate sector, especially through the Clean Development Mechanism, he said.

    The Minister said that India would be hosting the Eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in October-November this year. It is just an expression of the seriousness with which the country is today looking at the environmental problems. India has taken a number of measures that contribute to its environmental well-being. The wide-ranging reforms in the past decade have accelerated the economic growth and lowered the barriers to efficiency. Energy and power sector reforms, for instance, have helped to enhance the technical and economic efficiency of energy use. The last few years have witnessed introduction of landmark environmental measures like cleansing of rivers, enhanced afforestation, significant capacity addition of renewable energy technologies and introduction of one of the world’s largest urban fleet of CNG vehicles in Delhi. The programmes and institutions to promote energy efficiency, conservation and renewable technologies were initiated early. For instance, the renewable energy programme in India dates prior to such response in most industrialised countries. The reforms in the energy and power sectors have resulted in improvements in fuel quality, technology, infrastructure and management practices.

    In his address, the Special Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Shri Roy Paul said that reducing polluting wastage and better utilisation of resource materials should be among the prime motives of the Industry. He said that the Industry should strive to achieve zero effluence and zero emission. The Industry must also adopt its own agenda for the society and nature to see that a green industry is coming up.