KEY CONCLAVE: British Deputy High Commissioner Mark Runacres (second from left) discussing with Jed Jones of the Climate Change Projects Office at the UK-India Climate Change Business Seminar `Project Development, Technology and Finance for Indian CD M Projects' in Hyderabad on Thursday. At left are Cameron Davis of Alkane Energy and other delegates. Photo: P.V.Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: Mark Runacres, British Deputy High Commissioner to India, on Thursday said no country could afford to have an energy policy in isolation. Every country should look at it in the context of wider international landscape, increasingly dominated by multiplicity of players, multilateral processes and a dazzling array of technologies.

Core issue

Delivering a public lecture on "International energy security and climate change concerns", organised by the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), he said navigating through such a landscape was the key challenge faced by all countries.

Mr. Runacres said the UK had put energy sustainability and security at the heart of its international as well as its domestic agenda. Stressing on continuing efforts to address issues concerning climate change, he said there was need for ensuring security of energy supply in a cost effective manner, in an increasingly competitive market.

Responding to a question, he spoke of India's "resistance" in having bilateral collaboration agreements on research and developing cleaner fossil fuel technologies. The UK had entered into such agreements with US and China. "Indian Government is not taking decision to deepen the dialogue on this front. It was evident in policy discussions with European Union too. May be India prefers a gradual approach". To another question, he clarified that there was no change in UK's stand on Kyoto protocol.

No compromise

He said there could not be any trade-off between environmental protection and economic growth. "Our analysis shows that reductions can be made without any serious economic cost. We expect a 60 percent cut in our emissions by 2050 to put back economic growth by only six months". T. L. Sankar, visiting professor of ASCI and S. K. Rao, Director General of ASCI spoke.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Runacres inaugurated the United Kingdom - India Climate Change Business Seminar on "Project Development, Technology and Finance for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in India".

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail