Over the Barrel: Must Be Greener

Countries must end the many contradictions between energy policies and goals to reduce emissions and destruction of the environment and industries that rely on clean water and air. Vikram S. Mehta, chairman of Brookings India, writes specifically about India for the Indian Express, but his recommendations apply to all nations: reduce reliance on coal, shift from subsidizing carbon-based fuels to taxing them and developing a diverse supply of renewable energy. India is highly vulnerable to global warming, Mehta warns, with millions living along the coast and millions more and agriculture dependent on glaciers in the Himalayas. Mehta also recommends aligning the price of natural gas to trade parity levels; recognizing the full costs of fossil fuels, including health and environmental problems, and taxing them accordingly; standardizing and recording emissions measurements; upgrading power plants; decentralizing grid infrastructure; providing incentives to reduce use of private vehicles; encouraging efficiency and behavioral changes; and having the vision to leapfrog to new and improved technologies. – YaleGlobal