European Commission underlines India’s potential to reduce coal emissions
New Delhi, Oct 22 (EFE).- Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, European Commission, Frans Timmermans highlighted Friday India’s potential as well as the European Union’s commitment to developing green projects that contribute to reducing global coal emissions.
The country needs financial investment and defined plans to “redirect the money for the coal fuel to renewable energies,” something the Indian authorities have shown willingness towards, the EC vice president said at a press conference in New Delhi.
In this regard, he emphasized the willingness of the EU to cooperate with the Asian country in ensuring a feasible transition to end carbon emissions.
“I believe there is a huge potential in this country to be part of this transition. There is a strong commitment of the authorities to go into this direction,” he added.
Timmermans also explained that since India was going through a process similar to the one the EU had long gone through in terms of reducing environmentally harmful particles, “our experience for this transition would be useful.”
“India came late on the development, and therefore it has a less responsibility in terms of the historic responsibility we have. But at the end of the day we need to exit from carbon-based economy,” he said.
The vice president stressed that there was no future for coal, but to stop relying on it was “extremely complicated” because of the social and economic implications that it entails for India, the third largest producer of coal, behind the United States and China.
Hence, he said it was important that the Asian country had alternatives and new opportunities that allowed the economy to be “decarbonized” little by little.
He also said India could benefit from wind and hydraulic energy, which has benefited Europe in reducing polluting gases as well as economically.
Timmerland’s visit comes just 10 days before the start of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
At this summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to present – with the other participating countries – a new environmental plan in line with the 2015 Paris Agreements, whose mission is to reduce the CO2 emissions on the planet to zero. EFE
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