Page 18 - Low Carbon Development in China and India
P. 18
FOREWORD BY
HELEN CLARK
China and India have followed similar trajectories of rising
energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Both
have been going through economic transformations as their
economies have shifted to stronger reliance on the manufacturing
and service sectors. In terms of energy consumption, both countries
rely heavily on carbon-based fuel sources—largely as a result of their
natural endowment.
Moving to a low-emission, climate-resilient, development
pathway can have enormous societal and development benefits
in both countries, while also making a major contribution to global
efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen the impacts of
climate change.
Both governments are now guided by forward-looking, national
development plans which encompass low-emissions economic growth.
The lessons learned from these experiences will be informative for
many other developing countries embarking on similar pathways. It is
this desire to engage in South-South knowledge sharing on low carbon
development that has prompted both governments, with the support
of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to work jointly
on this China-India Low Carbon Study.
The study examines two key factors in low carbon development—
financing and low carbon technologies—as well as opportunities for
future collaboration. The study also provides concrete examples of low
carbon development efforts at the provincial level in China and the
state level in India.
Existing financial mechanisms in both countries which are relevant
to low carbon development were studied, and recommendations have
been provided on how to refine fiscal instruments to promote low
carbon development and incentivize green investment behaviours.
For instance, the study proposes a stimulus package in India which
is targeted to developing its low carbon industries to strengthen
economic development. Greenhouse gas emissions reduction would
be a co-benefit.
For China, it is recommended that revenue-sharing arrangements
between Central and local governments are revised, so that local
Foreword by Helen Clark xvii
HELEN CLARK
China and India have followed similar trajectories of rising
energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Both
have been going through economic transformations as their
economies have shifted to stronger reliance on the manufacturing
and service sectors. In terms of energy consumption, both countries
rely heavily on carbon-based fuel sources—largely as a result of their
natural endowment.
Moving to a low-emission, climate-resilient, development
pathway can have enormous societal and development benefits
in both countries, while also making a major contribution to global
efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen the impacts of
climate change.
Both governments are now guided by forward-looking, national
development plans which encompass low-emissions economic growth.
The lessons learned from these experiences will be informative for
many other developing countries embarking on similar pathways. It is
this desire to engage in South-South knowledge sharing on low carbon
development that has prompted both governments, with the support
of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to work jointly
on this China-India Low Carbon Study.
The study examines two key factors in low carbon development—
financing and low carbon technologies—as well as opportunities for
future collaboration. The study also provides concrete examples of low
carbon development efforts at the provincial level in China and the
state level in India.
Existing financial mechanisms in both countries which are relevant
to low carbon development were studied, and recommendations have
been provided on how to refine fiscal instruments to promote low
carbon development and incentivize green investment behaviours.
For instance, the study proposes a stimulus package in India which
is targeted to developing its low carbon industries to strengthen
economic development. Greenhouse gas emissions reduction would
be a co-benefit.
For China, it is recommended that revenue-sharing arrangements
between Central and local governments are revised, so that local
Foreword by Helen Clark xvii
