Mitigation of Global Warming: Policy Options for India

The increased volumes of CO2 and other greenhouse gases released by burning of fossil fuels, land clearing and agriculture, and other activities are the primary sources of the human-induced component of global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2001) endorsed that the average global temperature had raised 0.6oC ± 0.2 since the late 19th century and most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. Such changes may increase the frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, heat waves, hurricanes, and contribute to biological extinctions. Global warming may also cause unpredictable changes in agricultural yields. It may extend the range of vectors conveying infectious diseases such as malaria. The prime task is to control present and future CO2 emissions and agree upon building up an optimum level of CO2 concentration. There are several strategies for reducing emissions that are grouped into either technology or policy-oriented. This paper discusses some of the policy options for India to mitigate global warming. It also stresses the need for a careful and balanced approach based on technology and policy, as no single control measure is adequate.