U.S.-India Activities

(SeaWiFS-NASA)

Mr. Harlan Watson, U.S. Senior Climate Change Negotiator and Special Representative visited New Delhi on April 29-30, 2002. He called on Minister of Power, Mr. Suresh Prabhu, and Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, and met senior officials from Ministries of Environment and Forests, Power, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Non-Conventional Energy Sources and External Affairs.

Mr. Watson explained the climate change policy announced by President Bush on February 14, the steps that the United States is taking to achieve its national goals for mitigating projected greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade and its approach towards international cooperation on climate change issues. The Government of India reiterated its commitment to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on the basis of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities of Parties in addressing climate change. The Government of India further conveyed its plans to host the 8th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in New Delhi from October 23-November 1, 2002, and that it has initiated steps to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

The U.S and India agreed that they would continue to work together in the spirit of cooperation and partnership under the UNFCCC. In this context, the two sides announced their intention to enhance ongoing collaborative projects in clean and renewable sources of energy, energy efficiency and energy conservation. India also suggested acceleration of support in fuel cells, photovoltaic technology, weather early warning systems and climate modeling, and research and technology development. They recognized that these projects would supplement the existing cooperation between the two countries in energy and environment. The two sides agreed to continue their bilateral dialogue.