08/01/2020 - Environment | Mainstorming

IAS Parliament 5 years

KEY POINTS

· Clearly, as a consequence of the bushfires, the debate on global warming, climate change and fossil fuels is going to intensify while scientists grapple with the new evidence.

· Environmental activism has gained ground throughout the country, and while the Indian Ocean Dipole may have triggered the drought that is related to the fires, the campaign against fossil fuels and the export of coal is sure to intensify.

· As two economies with a great stakeholding in fossil fuels, it is critical for India and Australia to ensure that their dialogue on energy acquires momentum.

· This will require a joint scientific task force to disinter the latest evidence linking climate change and extreme climatic events with fossil fuels and to study the promise and potential of “clean” coal technology.

· In addition, Indians are today the largest source of skilled migrants in Australia and the economic relationship, already robust, could potentially be transformed.

· In Canberra, there is considerable sensitivity to India’s concerns over the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership while there is still hope that there is an early conclusion of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement.

An important partner

· While Australia postponed his visit to India because of the bushfires, it will be missed at the Raisinia Dialogue, one hopes that one immediate decision that be will taken by New Delhi and Canberra is to elevate the ‘two plus two’ format for talks from the secretary level to the level of foreign and defence ministers. That should signal that New Delhi recognises Canberra as important a partner as Washington and Tokyo.