Thread by @PKashwan

India wants richer countries to adopt “net negative” emissions targets. Indian energy minister "launched a broadside against the climate goals of big emitters in the EU and China, in a sign of how climate negotiations are heating up ahead of a UN summit this year." A thread. 1/n

The Indian minister is correct about the lack of ambition among the industrially advanced countries, esp. the U.S., which is creating hurdles against the EU-led effort to introduce a carbon border tax, which would go a long way in curbing consumption. 2/n ft.com/content/d31ec6…

Let's be clear, nothing can replace the need for reducing luxury emissions linked to profligate consumption. The environmental impacts of net-negative are unknown – where are we going put all that carbon with what other environmental & social consequences (unknown unknowns!)? 3/n

Over a quarter of India lives in conditions of food insecurity, unsafe sanitation, w/o access to clean water, and reliable & affordable energy. So, the need for India to address its developmental goals is urgent. Clean energy makes it possible to reduce emission intensity. 4/n

None of the above justifies Indian position to make these broadside comments about what India needs or what will best serve "India's interests" in global climate politics. Which India do you mean? Is it the India of filthy rich or the India of hundreds of millions of poor? 5/n

There is ZERO evidence thus far that India is taking meaningful actions to rethink its development trajectory, so that it can focus on poverty alleviation and human development needs of its poor, while trying to rein-in the emissions of the richest 10%. #ClimateAction #India 6/n

So, the minister must be joking when he says that "environment" is Indian govt's top priority. This government has yet to come up with a single meaningful law or executive order that strengthens India's environmental regulations. Env & climate activists have been jailed... 7/n

...for demanding that Indian govt enforce not weaken its environmental and climate action. Fridays for Future India was served an anti-terrorism notice for emailing a minister that he does not kill India's environmental impact assessment regulations. 8/n epw.in/engage/article…

So, no, you don't get to speak on behalf of the world's poor people. You've hid long enough behind India's poor. Now don't cynically bring up African countries and their aspirations to pursue your agendas in global politics. Put your house in order, be answerable to Indians. 9/n

+ It's irresponsible for EU to tout hydropower as the silver-bullet that will save the economies in transition. In many cases, hydro is environmentally dangerous & socially risky, as seen in the loss of more than 200 lives in Indian Himalayas recently 10/n aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/…

The global community must tackle luxury emissions, as if it were a socioeconomic pandemic. The economies in transition must also heavily tax “luxury emissions” (e.g. private jets & obscene levels of energy consumption by the mega-rich) to provide for “survival emissions.” 11/n

These thoughts prompted by @AlexCKaufman's excellent @HuffPost report on this topic, which offers a variety of perspectives, including by @ESG_Climate colleague @AartiGupta17, @C2G2net wonk @sehric, & philosopher @OlufemiOTaiwo | #ClimateActionNow |12/12 huffpost.com/entry/india-cl…