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| Kerry Prods India to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Kerry Prods India to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions |
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| NEW DELHI — Secretary of State John Kerry urged India on Sunday to begin to address climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases even as it attempts to bring electricity to tens of millions of its citizens now living without it. | NEW DELHI — Secretary of State John Kerry urged India on Sunday to begin to address climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases even as it attempts to bring electricity to tens of millions of its citizens now living without it. |
| “I do understand and fully sympathize with the notion that India’s paramount commitment to development and eradicating poverty is essential,” Mr. Kerry said in a speech at the start of a two-day visit. “But we have to recognize that a collective failure to meet our collective climate challenge would inhibit all countries’ dreams of growth and development.” | “I do understand and fully sympathize with the notion that India’s paramount commitment to development and eradicating poverty is essential,” Mr. Kerry said in a speech at the start of a two-day visit. “But we have to recognize that a collective failure to meet our collective climate challenge would inhibit all countries’ dreams of growth and development.” |
| In an effort to prod the Indians to act, Mr. Kerry warned that climate change could cause India to endure excessive heat waves, prolonged droughts, intense flooding and shortages of food and water. | In an effort to prod the Indians to act, Mr. Kerry warned that climate change could cause India to endure excessive heat waves, prolonged droughts, intense flooding and shortages of food and water. |
| “The worst consequences of the climate crisis will confront people who are the least able to be able to cope with them,” he said. | “The worst consequences of the climate crisis will confront people who are the least able to be able to cope with them,” he said. |
| Mr. Kerry has long been active on the issue of climate change. His speech was part of a broader push by the Obama administration that includes a presidential address, scheduled for Tuesday, on steps the White House plans to take domestically, including establishing the first limits on carbon emissions from new and existing power plants. | Mr. Kerry has long been active on the issue of climate change. His speech was part of a broader push by the Obama administration that includes a presidential address, scheduled for Tuesday, on steps the White House plans to take domestically, including establishing the first limits on carbon emissions from new and existing power plants. |
| President Obama is also expected to pledge to lead a global effort to reduce climate-altering emissions and help both the poorest nations and newly industrializing countries like India adapt to the inevitable costs of a warming planet. | |
| India is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gases in the world, and it has consistently rejected efforts by developed countries to slow down its energy consumption, fearing that it would retard its economic growth and hamper its drive to reduce poverty. India now ranks third in the world in production of carbon dioxide, the most prevalent heat-trapping gas, behind China and the United States. | India is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gases in the world, and it has consistently rejected efforts by developed countries to slow down its energy consumption, fearing that it would retard its economic growth and hamper its drive to reduce poverty. India now ranks third in the world in production of carbon dioxide, the most prevalent heat-trapping gas, behind China and the United States. |
| When Mr. Obama and Xi Jinping, China’s president, met in California two weeks ago, they agreed to take steps to cut back on global production and use of hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, a component in coolants in refrigerators and air-conditioners. | When Mr. Obama and Xi Jinping, China’s president, met in California two weeks ago, they agreed to take steps to cut back on global production and use of hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, a component in coolants in refrigerators and air-conditioners. |
| Experts said at the time that such an effort would not be successful without the participation of India, where the use of refrigeration and air-conditioning is growing rapidly. | Experts said at the time that such an effort would not be successful without the participation of India, where the use of refrigeration and air-conditioning is growing rapidly. |
| Mr. Kerry, on his first trip to India as secretary of state, was joined here by Ernest Moniz, the secretary of energy, and other senior American officials. | Mr. Kerry, on his first trip to India as secretary of state, was joined here by Ernest Moniz, the secretary of energy, and other senior American officials. |
| In his speech, Mr. Kerry sought to make the case that protecting the environment could be consistent with India’s economic development by improving energy efficiency and spurring investment in green technology. The United States, he said, would announce an effort to improve the energy efficiency of India’s air-conditioners. | In his speech, Mr. Kerry sought to make the case that protecting the environment could be consistent with India’s economic development by improving energy efficiency and spurring investment in green technology. The United States, he said, would announce an effort to improve the energy efficiency of India’s air-conditioners. |
| But Mr. Kerry appeared to stop short of committing India to some sort of negotiated international regime to phase out HFCs, though he alluded to the possibility. | But Mr. Kerry appeared to stop short of committing India to some sort of negotiated international regime to phase out HFCs, though he alluded to the possibility. |
| “We can also work together to globally phase down hydrofluorocarbons,” he said, “and eliminate the equivalent of roughly two years’ worth of current global emissions by the year 2050.” | “We can also work together to globally phase down hydrofluorocarbons,” he said, “and eliminate the equivalent of roughly two years’ worth of current global emissions by the year 2050.” |
| Mr. Kerry also pleaded with India to commit to working constructively on a global treaty to be negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. India has shown some reluctance to fully engage in the negotiations, out of fear that a global regime would impose the greatest cost on countries least able to afford them. The 190-plus signatories to the United Nations climate convention have agreed to complete a new treaty with binding legal force by the end of 2015. | Mr. Kerry also pleaded with India to commit to working constructively on a global treaty to be negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. India has shown some reluctance to fully engage in the negotiations, out of fear that a global regime would impose the greatest cost on countries least able to afford them. The 190-plus signatories to the United Nations climate convention have agreed to complete a new treaty with binding legal force by the end of 2015. |
| Mr. Kerry tried to reassure India that any such pact would take its needs into account. “I am convinced that we can move toward a global agreement that puts us on track to avert the most dangerous climate change, that is sensitive to and respectful of the diversity of national circumstances and capabilities, and that is fair, pragmatic and can actually evolve with changing circumstances,” he said. | Mr. Kerry tried to reassure India that any such pact would take its needs into account. “I am convinced that we can move toward a global agreement that puts us on track to avert the most dangerous climate change, that is sensitive to and respectful of the diversity of national circumstances and capabilities, and that is fair, pragmatic and can actually evolve with changing circumstances,” he said. |
| The visit comes at a time of some tension on trade in relations between the United States and India. | The visit comes at a time of some tension on trade in relations between the United States and India. |
| In a letter to Mr. Kerry this month, the leading Democrat and Republican on the Senate Finance Committee asserted that the Indian government and courts had violated intellectual property rights by allowing India’s pharmaceutical industry to make a generic copy of a patented drug. | In a letter to Mr. Kerry this month, the leading Democrat and Republican on the Senate Finance Committee asserted that the Indian government and courts had violated intellectual property rights by allowing India’s pharmaceutical industry to make a generic copy of a patented drug. |
| The letter, signed by the committee’s chairman, Max Baucus of Montana, a Democrat, and Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, a Republican, also asserted that India was establishing barriers to American investment. Mr. Kerry urged the completion of an investment treaty. | The letter, signed by the committee’s chairman, Max Baucus of Montana, a Democrat, and Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, a Republican, also asserted that India was establishing barriers to American investment. Mr. Kerry urged the completion of an investment treaty. |
Michael R. Gordon reported from New Delhi, and John M. Broder from Washington. | Michael R. Gordon reported from New Delhi, and John M. Broder from Washington. |