New Delhi: As he heads for crucial
negotiations at UN climate change meet, Environment Minister
Jairam Ramesh has said India has the potential to become a
world leader in green technology especially in nuclear energy.
Trying to put across the message at the global platform
that India need not always be seen as a recipient of
technology, Ramesh said, "I have been saying repeatedly that
challenge of climate change is god-sent opportunity to Indian
business to become world leader in green technology.
"Let us not always keep talking of technology transfer,"
the minister, who will leave on Friday for Cancun, Mexico to
attend the ongoing climate change meet, said.
Ramesh pointed out that in nuclear and clean coal sector
areas the country is doing exceedingly well and asserted that
India need not look towards developed countries to provide
technology but can be its major supplier.
Developed nations have been reluctant to transfer
technology and the thorny issue threatens to hamper the
climate change negotiations at Cancun as happened during last
year`s Copenhagen climate talks.
"I think we should shelve our defensiveness, we should be
bold, aggressive and pro-active. We need to take steps to be a
leader in green technology in our interest as no other country
will be affected (by climate change) as profoundly as India,"
he said at fifth Sustainability Summit here.
In the field of nuclear energy, he said, India within a
next couple of years would be the major supplier in the world.
"In fact two years from now world`s only operating fast
breeder reactor will be in India and the whole world will look
towards India for technology in the nuclear arena," he said.
Similarly, in the clean coal sector "no country in the
world is providing incentive as we are. We have the expertise
and capabilities."
However, Ramesh was of the opinion that more needs to
be done in the solar and wind sector where India continues to
lag behind countries like China, Japan and South Korea which
are excelling in green technology.
"Climate change brings an opportunity and this is the
fact that has been grasped by China, Japan and South Korea.
But we are still defensive in our approach in climate change.
"Those solution will not be only for the Indian market
but for the world market as well," the Minister noted.
The 193-nation meet is striving to conclude agreements
for mobilising funds for developing countries and giving them
green technology to help them shift from fossil fuels.
India along with other BASIC countries --China, South
Africa and Brazil-- has made it clear that they were
not keen on the short-term fast-track fund being offered by
the developed nations but it should be given to the Least
Developed Countries, African nations and island states.
PTI
