Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change chairman Rajendra Pachauri called on President Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to commit to working together to tackle climate change and develop clean energy technology on the president’s upcoming trip to India next month.
Pachauri’s comments come as observers expect little progress in the upcoming United Nations climate change talks in Cancun; some have suggested that bilateral agreements between countries will help lay the foundation for a future binding climate treaty.
“I think it’s very difficult to predict what’s going to happen in Cancun,” Pachauri said, adding, “The last thing anybody should do is come up with grandiose predictions. … All of this will be facilitated if we can work on a bilateral basis.” Pachauri, speaking to reporters on a conference call set up by the Natural Resources Defense Council, said he hopes to see a “very clear plan of action” from the two leaders after the meeting that focuses on extending an already-established clean energy partnership between the countries. Pachauri called for collaborative research and development as well as increased investments in green energy technology.
NRDC Director of Global Strategy and Advocacy Jacob Sherr, also on the call, said the leaders should commit to helping the countries adapt to the affects of climate change by establishing a “green hotline” that would allow India and the United States to share resources.