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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Opting for coal-based energy ‘wasteful approach’: IPCC
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Opting for coal-based energy ‘wasteful approach’: IPCC

IPCC chairman presses for the use of renewable and nuclear energy sources to satisfy India's power needs

R.K. Pachauri says huge losses are involved in transmission and distribution of electricity generated from coal-based power plants. Photo: MintPremium
R.K. Pachauri says huge losses are involved in transmission and distribution of electricity generated from coal-based power plants. Photo: Mint

New Delhi: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chairman R.K. Pachauri on Saturday called the government’s decision to opt for coal-based power projects a “wasteful approach" and pressed for the use of renewable and nuclear energy sources to satisfy the country’s power needs.

“...We would need to decarbonize electricity generation. Renewable energy technologies are an option, nuclear energy could be an option," he said while speaking about the threat posed to climate by carbon-emitting coal-based power sector.

Noting that major investment and time goes into coal-based energy generation in the country, Pachauri said by that time 300 million people, who are electricity deprived, can be served power using renewable energy sources.

Speaking at the United Nations Public Lecture here, he said huge losses are involved in transmission and distribution of electricity generated from coal-based power plants. “There is a huge amount of loss at various stages...to my mind that is clearly very wasteful approach. And today we have the benefit of renewable energy technology, which if you take all the costs and all the benefits into account, is clearly a winner in economic terms," Pachauri said.

He said the world emitted around 49 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent of green house gas in 2010 as against 39 gigatonnes in 2000, adding that “in 10 years, we have increased 10 gigatonnes of CO2 emission." “Each year we have added an average of 1 gigatonnes of emission. This all happens despite the fact that it was in 1992 the world accepted the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change," he said.

As per the latest IPCC report, India’s high vulnerability and exposure to climate change will slow its economic growth, impact health and development, make poverty reduction more difficult and erode food security. United Nations resident coordinator, Lise Grande, said energy has to be accessible, available and affordable for all people, most importantly poor people. “There also has to be accountability in the system so that people know their needs are being met and can do something about it if they’re not," she said. PTI

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Published: 28 Jun 2014, 07:02 PM IST
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