India and United
States of America have identified certain areas concerning climate
change for bilateral cooperation. A broader understanding in
this regard has emerged at a meeting of an American delegation
with an inter-ministerial delegation of India led by Shri K.C.Misra,
Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, here today.
Ms. Susan Gordon of the US Department of State and leader of
the visiting American delegation suggested adaptation to climate
change, communication technologies for dissemination of climate
related information for rural development, hydrogen technology,
renewable energy, energy efficiency improvement, carbon assessment
in forestry, alternative fuel vehicles, economic and environmental
modelling, integrated environmental strategies for cooperative
effort.
Shri Misra said
while India is keen for cooperative action in the suggested
areas, specific programmes and projects will be finalised in
tune with the national priorities and the spirit of Delhi Ministerial
Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. The
American proposals include a project to assist India in increasing
its adaptive capacity to change in climate across timescales
and improve resource management of climate affected sectors.
The cooperative effort in this regard will include assessment
of potential consequences of climate variability and evaluation
of adaptation strategies to increase resilience to climate variability
and change. The Delhi Ministerial Declaration adopted at COP-8
conference accorded high priority to enhance adaptive capacities
of developing countries to climate change.
India expressed
keen interest in the US proposal for a pilot project to foster
dissemination of agro-meteorological information and monsoon
research to rural areas through development of RANET (Radio
and Internet Technologies for Communication of Climate Related
Information for Rural Development). Both the sides agreed to
hold workshops in respect of identified areas of cooperation
for information exchange and capacity building and evolving
specific programmes.
Senior officials
from the Ministries of External Affairs, Science & Technology,
Petroleum & Natural Gas and Department of Ocean Development,
Indian Meteorological Department, Central Pollution Control
Board etc. participated in the delegation.
