Page 105 - Low Carbon Development in China and India
P. 105
time patterns of global warming, collective action at the global
level, uncertainty about technology development, behavioural
responses of the emitters, and the impact of global warming on
local ecosystems.
1.6 The Way Forward
Low carbon development means a new approach to and an
opportunity of continued economic growth while ensuring that
natural assets, the environment, and the interests of human well-being
are safeguarded. Embracing low carbon development can secure a
strong, stable, and sustainable future for both developed countries
and in particular, developing countries. Governments that place low
carbon development at the core of their socio-economic development
strategies can achieve sustainable economic growth and social stability,
protect the environment, and conserve resources for generations to
come. Balancing development with environmental protection and
sustainable natural resource management is crucial to avoiding natural
resource depletion, tackling climate change, and maintaining social
security. This is also particularly true for developing counties due to
their acute exposure and vulnerability to environmental risks, such as
climate change.
Both China and India are moving on the right track for low carbon
development with strong political willingness, fairly well-designed
domestic policies, and international engagement. The key to China’s
and India’s low carbon technology future is through innovation,
development, and commercialization of new technologies and
focusing on indigenous solutions. In addition, technology transfer
from developed countries and joint R&D with developed countries
can also help China and India leapfrog to cleaner development
patterns and become leaders in rapidly emerging economic sectors
like renewable energy. However, both China and India need to
overcome a series of social and economic barriers in order to achieve
a low carbon future, for instance, meeting poverty reduction needs,
expanding energy services, ensuring energy security, maintaining
and increasing employment rate, reducing environmental pollution,
protecting biodiversity, while moving themselves down a low
carbon development path. The difficulty for both China and India
as emerging economies in developing, deploying, and adopting low
carbon technologies is due mostly to the additional cost associated
with it and in some cases technical barriers to implementation. Besides,
collaboration and open stakeholder involvement from various sectors
70 Low Carbon Development in China and India
level, uncertainty about technology development, behavioural
responses of the emitters, and the impact of global warming on
local ecosystems.
1.6 The Way Forward
Low carbon development means a new approach to and an
opportunity of continued economic growth while ensuring that
natural assets, the environment, and the interests of human well-being
are safeguarded. Embracing low carbon development can secure a
strong, stable, and sustainable future for both developed countries
and in particular, developing countries. Governments that place low
carbon development at the core of their socio-economic development
strategies can achieve sustainable economic growth and social stability,
protect the environment, and conserve resources for generations to
come. Balancing development with environmental protection and
sustainable natural resource management is crucial to avoiding natural
resource depletion, tackling climate change, and maintaining social
security. This is also particularly true for developing counties due to
their acute exposure and vulnerability to environmental risks, such as
climate change.
Both China and India are moving on the right track for low carbon
development with strong political willingness, fairly well-designed
domestic policies, and international engagement. The key to China’s
and India’s low carbon technology future is through innovation,
development, and commercialization of new technologies and
focusing on indigenous solutions. In addition, technology transfer
from developed countries and joint R&D with developed countries
can also help China and India leapfrog to cleaner development
patterns and become leaders in rapidly emerging economic sectors
like renewable energy. However, both China and India need to
overcome a series of social and economic barriers in order to achieve
a low carbon future, for instance, meeting poverty reduction needs,
expanding energy services, ensuring energy security, maintaining
and increasing employment rate, reducing environmental pollution,
protecting biodiversity, while moving themselves down a low
carbon development path. The difficulty for both China and India
as emerging economies in developing, deploying, and adopting low
carbon technologies is due mostly to the additional cost associated
with it and in some cases technical barriers to implementation. Besides,
collaboration and open stakeholder involvement from various sectors
70 Low Carbon Development in China and India
