By Paul Homewood

 I’ve tracked down the official translation from Hindu of Modi’s speech at COP26, which gives some clarification:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1767814

Points to note:

• The 500 GW target is not for “renewable energy”, but “non fossil fuels”, which includes nuclear.
• Most significantly though is the section on “carbon emissions”:

“India will reduce the total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now onwards till 2030.”

Note the word “projected”. In other words, this is not a pledge to cut emissions, only to cut projected emissions, which could mean anything.

• There is mention of emissions savings from railways (presumably replacing old steam trains, and LED lightbulbs. All common sense stuff, which would have happened anyway. But there is no hint of anything more radical.
• Finally the money! The wording is pretty clear that India is tying its pledges to receiving $1 trillion. He uses the term “at the earliest”, suggesting that promises of money in a decade or two will not be enough.

In short, while renewable energy will expand, overall emissions will carry on increasing for many years to come.

There is no roadmap for what happens after 2030, and no targets set for emission cuts between now and 2070.

via NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT

https://ift.tt/3mK1lg0

November 4, 2021