Tuesday, 23rd April 2002


The Hindustan Times

With India seriously considering ratification of the Kyoto protocol on reduction of greenhouse gases, experts feel the only options before the country lie in reducing fossil fuel consumption.

The 1997 Kyoto protocol will become legally binding only after it is ratified by at least 55 countries. “The question is whether India can cut down on the rate of growth of fossil fuel consumption,” Director of the School of Energy Studies of Jadavpur University, Prof Sujoy Basu, said here today. Trust Society, Basu said the major hindrances to the protocol were its short-term commitments as emission standards were set only for a period between 2008 and 2012. The United Nations had no teeth to enforce the legal and judicial aspects of the convention in member nations, he said. India must turn to renewable sources of energy, he said.