Speech by Kapil Sibal

7/29/2019 Speech by Kapil Sibal

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KeynoteAddressby

HonbleUnionMinisterforScience&TechnologyandEarthSciencesGovernmentofIndia

ShriKapilSibal

attheINAUGURALFUNCTIONof

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95thIndianScienceCongressAndhraUniversityVisakhapatnam3rdJanuary,2008

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Dr.ManmohanSinghji,HonblePrimeMinisterofIndia;nisterofAndhraPradesh;ShriSubbramiReddy,HonbleMinisterofStateallamRaju,HonbleMinisterofStateforDefence;Dr.DasariNarayarofStateforCoal;Prof.RamamurthiRallapali,Presidentofthe95IndianScienceCmediatePastPresidentoftheIndianScienceCongress,Dr.T.Ramasami,SecretarmentofScience&TechnologyandthePresidentelectofthe96Indss,distinguishedmembersofthescientificcommunity,delegates,mediapetees,ladiesandgentlemen.thth

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Sir,IhavehadtheprivilegeofaddressingtheIndianScienceCongressthreetimes.Trth.TobewithIndiasbestandbrightestscientificmindsisagreathonourandakeepingitstrystwithdestiny.

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Sir,everygenerationconsidersthatitstimesareunparalleled,itsachievementsunsuems/challengesit

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confrontsinsurmountable.Sodowe.Science&Technologyhasenhancedhumanwelfaretontedlevels.Newmaterials,newtechnologies,newproduction/distributionarecontinuouslymadeandrefinedtorenderourlivesmoreleisurelyensome.S&TbecomespartandparcelofourlivesmuchthesamewspiderasthefamousphysicistHeisenbergsobeautifullyputit.Technologyenslitempowersus.Prodigiousconsumption,unbridledmonetization,

untrammeledenergyprofligacyarethreateningthesustainabilityofourion.Today,humancivilizationisfacedwiththechallengeofglobalwarming.temaychangefasterthanourabilitytoadapt.Climatechangeisthusanassaulton

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Foryearstheworld sleadingatmosphericscientistshavebeencautioninarmingofglobalclimatewasunderway,butwepaidnoheed.Asmostofyouknow,thcadeoftheentirecentury;perhapseventhemillennium,and1998,2001,and2hottestyearseverrecorded.Thegrowing

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scientificconsensusisthatthiswarmingislargelytheresultofemissionsofcahergreenhousegasesfromhumanactivitiesincludingindustrialprocesses,fossiln,andchangesinlanduse,suchasdeforestation.Thescientificcommunityhasadduceecreasegreenhousegasesemissions,mainlyCO2andmethane,by6070%fromtheprellrevolutionizethesupplyanddemandofenergy.Wemustdoourutmosttoforenergyproductionwhicharenot,oraretoamuchlowerdegrsionofgreenhousegases.Unluckily,inthepast,decarbonizationofthestructedbythefactthatCO2couldbeemittedatzeroprice.Theenergypriceoftheaybeingheavilysubsidizedbynature,bythecapacityoftheatmospheretoassimilatehasunequivocallyreiteratedthis.Asaresulttheinternationaldebatehasnowmovedtechangetowhatmustbedonetomitigateitandtoprepareproactivelyforitscoquiringglobalsolutionsbasedontheprincipleofcommonbutdifferentiatedresponsiolutionshouldbeinclusivebenefitingandencompassingall.Lowcarboalonecan5


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ensureglobalsustainability.Whatwedotoachievethisgloballyshouannedandactedupon.

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InIndia,thereislittledoubtthatclimatewillbecomemoreunstableinthenessmoreunpredictableandextremeweatherpatterns.Thisissoashousegasemissionshavealreadyenteredthehemispheretobringaboutsuchlittleresearchhasbeenconductedonhowclimatechangewillaffectdiaandwhatshouldbeourresponsetoitlocallyandnationally.Governments,ataldeffortstomeetthechallengeofglobalwarming.Wemustputinegulations,andmodifythemaswelearnmoreofthescience,andutionsbegintomanifestthemselves.Industryandbusinessmustinnovate,manrateunderanewparadigm.Climatechangemustdrivetheirdecisionmahtoamoreclimatefriendlypathinourchoices,purchasesandlifestyles.

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Sir,today,virtuallynothingismadewithouttheuseofcommercialrdableandreliableenergy6


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suppliesisanessentialingredientforoursurvival,progressandprosperity.Econominergy.Humanpovertyisdirectlyrelatedtoenergypoverty.TheavailabilityofaffonmentallyresponsibleenergysupplyiskeytoreachtheMillenniumDeve(MDG)andtodecreasethewelfaregapglobally.Sir,oureconomyhalrateofalmost9%.Wehopetoachieveagrowthrateofaround10%inthe11th

FiveYearPlanandforthedecadeahead.Thiswillrequireaminimumannualenergy%fortheforeseeablefuture.EnergyshortageshavehithertoplaguedIndiasgrsputtheshortageashighas10%.Thisenergydeficitwillworsenwithincreasingindustrialproduction,transportandgeneralriseinlivingstandards.

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Presently,weinIndiaconsumeamere0.19kgofoilequivalentpenpurchasingpowerparityterms.ThisisequaltotheenergyintensiforEconomicCooperationandDevelopment(OECD)countriesandcomparesfavo.21)andUSA(0.22)andtheWorldaverageof0.21.However,

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thereareseveralcountriesinEuropeatorbelowthefigure0.21kgofoilequivalent.Sir,weneedtobestrivingfortheselevelsasthegainsachencyinIndiaareonlythetipoftheiceberg.Weneedtoachievemuchlowerenergyi

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Thisshouldnotbedifficult.Ourtechnologyinefficienciesmakeussquanngamountofenergyeachday.Inourkitchens,lessthan25%oftheenergyusedinthd.Ourthermalpowerplantsdiscardmoreenergyinwasteheatthanisneededtoru.Inagriculture,barely15%oftheenergydeliveredtoapumpisactuallyusedtoressedproperly,technologyefficiencieswillcompletelyeliminatethepectricitypowershortagesinthecountry.Thereneedstobeanationaldriveont:first,intheshorttermtoconserveenergyandtoincreasethxistingenergyresources,andsecond,inthelongtermtoinvestforswitchingtheexistingfossilbasedenergyresourcestorenewablesthatarecleantfriendly.Indoingso,wemaybeabletoenhance

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nationalsecurity,personalsecurity,financialviability,humancomfortandenvironmeethrustthenshouldbeonconservationoffossilfuelresourcesandintheirplacetorenewableenergysourcesintotheenergystrategyofourindustrys.TheGovernmentonitspartisgivingspecialemphasisandinceionofgridqualitypowerfromnonconventionalandrenewableenergysourchescientificcommunitytoincreasinglyassistandpartnerindustrytodortheiroperationsalternateandrenewablesourcesofenergy.

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Globalenergyconsumptionhasrecordedmorethanasixfoldincreaseinthepast1,whentheglobalpopulationwasaround2.6billionandpercapittconsumptionofslightlyover1tonnetocurrentlywithapopulationof6lequivalentconsumptionofaround2.5tonnes.Oftheglobalenergyeenmetthroughfossilfuels.Theextensiveuseoffossilfuelshastwomajorconcernctanddepletionofresources.Avarietyofstressesimpactingtheenvironment,

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extractionanduseoffossilfuels.Someofthesehaveglobalimplications,likeglobaacthumanhealthandtheecology.Takethecaseofcoalminingradationthroughsubsidenceandminefires.Theimpactofmining,especiinforestareasisalsoofparticularconcern.Similarly,onshoreoilandgasdrillingwastefluidsandsolids,produceswaterandvolatileorganicsthatndingwaterbodiesandtheair.

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Wehaveplentyofreservesoffossilenergysourcesespeciallycohichliebeyondthereachofconventionalminingtechniques.But,alseriousproblemsintheirexploitation,namely,relativelylowerheatvalue,hightiesintransportationanddisposalofresiduesandlast,butnottheideemissions.Obviously,therearetechnologysolutionstoallofthese.Takfacegasificationtechnologiesforcoal.Thesehavebeenimprovedtoeduceemissions.Withundergroundgasification,theproblemofashdisposalandthegaseouspollutants,primarilyCO2,canbesequestered.Lowpressure

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methanesogeneratedcanbeusedforpowergenerationwithreasonablyhighefficieegratedGasificationCombinedCycle(IGCC)routeatthewellheadorpitheadasthdgasificationofferstheadditionaladvantageofcompleteconversionofcoalintogasoleaveoutconsiderablequantitiesasinconventionalminingprocesses.Thus,iontoIGCCpowergenerationtoHighVoltageDirectCurrent(HVDC)ndeliverclean,reliable,affordableelectricalpower.Amission,witinvestmentsinR&Danditsutilization,isneededforcoalgasificatowergeneration.AnotheradvantageofpursuingundergroundcoalbedgasifsandwhenGasHydraterecoverytechnologyismastered,wewillbeteparedforexploitinganewsource,asindicationsare,thatitisalmostesanestimatedgasreserveof40to120trillioncubicmetreingashydrateslocatedlongourExclusiveEconomicZone(EEZ).WhenwearesuccessfulinextcantakecareofIndiasenergyneedsforseveraldecades.Butwestillneedtofualimplicationsinutilizingthissourceachallengeforthescientificcomm11


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Butthereareotheroptions.Considerbiomass.Itisusedtodayfuels,suchasalcohol,byfermentation.Inthisprocess,therearenogrcausethecarbondioxideusedtomakethebiomasscomesfromthever,onlyafractionofthebiomassbecomesliquidfuel.Quantitieombiomasscanbedramaticallyincreasedifwecouldconvertallofthebiomassintoantainssignificantquantitiesofoxygen,itcouldthenbethoughtofaspartiallyoxidnergyvalueperunitofcarbonsignificantlyincreased.Thisapproachtobiomassutptripleliquidfuelproductionperunitofbiomassandalsoproducefuel.Ibelievethisiswhatthescientificcommunityandenergybestrivingfortogetherasashorttermsolution.

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Wealsohaveabout63millionhectaresofwasteland,ofwhichabouthalfhasbeeplantation.MultipurposetreessuchasJatrophacangrowwellinwastelandwitnt.Theplanthasfiftyyearsof12


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lifetimeandfruitingtakesplaceasearlyasintwoyearstoyieldupto5tedsthatcouldproduce2tonnesofbiodiesel.Presently,thecostctioniscomparabletothecostfromhydrocarbonsources.Butthiscanbesuthroughoptimizationofprocesstechnologyandusinghighyieldvari,biodieselplantsgrownevenononethirdofthewastelandfortreeplantationbiodiesel.Notaninsignificantcontributiontoourenergypool,equidfuels.ButweneedtodomoreR&Dondevelopinggeneticallyavarietieswithstillhigheroilcontentanddeviseoptimalprocessi.Thisiswhatweshouldstriveforinthemediumterm.Also,wehavethwritethegeopoliticsofoilifweensurethattheefficiencyoftransportationinallydieseltransportationisimprovedandbiodieselsubstitutiontakesing.

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Forusandforseveralothercountries,nuclearpowerprovidesanotherviablealtefuels.Lifecycleanalysisstudiesrevealthatnuclearpowerisequal,ifnot

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otherrenewableenergysourcesintermsofcarbondioxideemissions.Themissionsfornuclearpowerarisesfrommining,refiningandpreparingthefiromitsoperation.TheEarthhasinexhaustiblerawmaterialtopowernuclearplevelsofconsumption.Butweareshortofuraniumresources.Asaeareabletoaddamere4,000megawattscapacityofnuclearpowerinadecadewhereaegawattscapacityperdecadeifwearetocontinuewithourhigheconomicdevelopmenterallgreenhousegasemissions.

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Whatarethepotentialcostsofcuttinggreenhousegasemissions?Cansbereducedwithoutsacrificingeconomicgrowthorourstandardofliving?antlylimitgreenhousegasemissionswillrequirechangesinbehaviorandinlogyinshort,changesineconomicactivitythatcouldimposecostsonoursocietyionreflectthemagnitudeoftheemissionsreduction,thetimingofthesereductions,ation.Ofcourse,leftunaddressed,climatechangewillimposecostsonsocietyas

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wellandso,thebenefitsofundertakingclimatechangemitigationd.Effectivelyunderstandingthepotentialcostsandbenefitsofmitigatingclimatechcymakerstodeveloppoliciesthatachievethegreatestemissionsabatementforxpended,securegreaterparticipationandcompliance,andmaximizetheenffectivenessofthemitigationeffort.

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Theimpactofglobalwarmingisalreadybeingfelt.CropsinHaryanaandPunjabkofourwheatproductionhavefacedspellsofheatintheRabiseasonforsevepast.AfewpaddyproducingareasdofacescarcityofraininthemonsoonsofMadhyaPradesh,MaharashtraandKarnataka,thatearlierhadmarginalmonsooundanceofwaterforirrigation.Weallknowthatevenasmallincreaturecouldpushdowncropyieldsmuchfurtherfromwhattheyaretoday.Rainfedagreas,insemiaridandsubhumidregionsismostlyatriskandwecouldloseasrealproduction.Thisyearitselfitisestimatedthatfloodshaveaffectedion

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people.Morethan2millionhectaresofcroplandhasbeendamaged,awellingunitsdestroyedandnearly1500peoplefeareddead.

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Onceagainyouwillaskmewhetherthisisonlyonaccountofclimatechange.Myanswncreaseintemperaturecanreducecropduration,increasecroprespirationratessynthatepartitioningofeconomicproducts,affectthesurvivalanddisfpestpopulationstherebyalteringtheequilibriumbetweencropsanennutrientmineralizationinsoils,decreasefertilizeruseefficiencies,andincrspiration.Indirectly,theremaybeconsiderableothereffectsonlandsnowmelt,availabilityofirrigation,frequencyandintensityofintsonaldroughtsandfloods,soilorganicmattertransformations,soilerosistprofiles,declineinarableareasduetosubmergenceofcoastallanlityofenergy.Allthesecanhaveanadverseimpactonouragriculturalproductdsecurity.FurtherinIndia,thepoorestofthepoorpossessthenddependheavilyonclimatesensitivefactors.

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Theyarevulnerabletoflooding,soilerosion,droughtandcropfailure.Iftheseocntensityduetoclimatechangeaspredicted,theburdenwillfallheavilyonallthos,therefore,toprepareourselvesforanysucheventualities.

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Fortunately,oureconomicriseistakingplaceatatimewhencrucialtechnologicallinnovationsarerequiredforasustainedfuture;thesecouldhelptoovercometlytoresultfromdwindlingreservesanduseoffossilfuels.Theearlierwejointhettrajectories,thegreaterthechancesofsustainability.DevelopmentpatternsdoptforinnovationsawayfromtheenergyintensivenewworldpattedStates,Canada,Australia,andNewZealand.Indoingso,wecouldbecomeanimportaedresearchanddevelopment,asthemarketsfortheirapplicationshaveenorCleanDevelopmentMechanism(CDM),oneoftheflexibilitymechanismsincorporatedinto,offersgreatpossibilitiestoIndiainhelpingmobilizeforeigndirectovidingcommercialincentivesfortheprivate

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sectortoinvestinmitigationprojectsandprovidingopportunitiesfotificcommunitytoteamupwithIndianindustryforaffordableandmesticsolutions.IthereforebelievethatappropriatepublicprivateinckageswouldbenecessaryinordertobringtheCDMintofullplay.Tothisend,IdtocomplementprivateinvestmentviatheCDM,thusenhancingmarketfunctionsents.Butevenmoreimportanttousisthechallengeofcarbondioxidecaptureanfromourcoalbasedpowerplants.Severallargeexperimentsareundeldoverforgeologicalstorageofcarbondioxide.Ifeelthatwetooneedtomountasdirection.AnotherpossibilityforIndiaiscarbonsequestrationbyrdafforestation.

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Today,climaterelatedandenvironmentalaspectsareanintegralpartofolan.HoweverinmostofthePlanprojects,reductionofGHGemissionsoductbutnottheprimaryobjective.Butweneedtobedoingmoredtomakeconsciousanddeliberateeffortstomovetoalowcar

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economy.ForitseffectiveimplementationboththeCentralgovernmentanentsneedtotogetherreininlocalindustriesandenterprises.Thedegreeoflocalpotherwithoursizeandcomplexity,makesitdifficultfortheCentralgoourseofactionsatthelocallevel.Stategovernmentsalsofaceaomicandenvironmentalaims.Prioritytotheeconomicdevelopmentoftheirrsenvironmentalrecoveryforafuturedate.Asaresult,climatepolicyimplicatimuchbeyondcentralpolicymakingbodies.Thecoregroupofrelevanxpertsisquitesmall.ThereisalsoalargediscrepancybetweenregulationsanplementationattheStateandlocallevels.Responsiblelocalinstitutedwithsufficientresourcestomeettheirtasks,forexample,monitoring.Thedecouplingbetweenlocalandcentralenvironmentaladministrationsblemsforpolicycoordinationandimplementation.Strengtheningclimatecapacieenvironmentaladministrationatalllevelscouldhelptoimprovepolidcoordination.Canthescientificcommunitytakeuptheroleofadvocacyandcapacitytralgovernmentlevelsonclimatechange?19


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Structuralsystemicchangesinthepastfifteenyearshavefacilitatedimesevencreated,incentivesforthedevelopmentofclimaterelevantconomicliberalizationandopennesshavepromotedenormouseconomicgrowthonomic,technological,andscientificresourcestobuildupcapacitiestomanifoldcausesandconsequencesofclimatechange.Butithasalsoprovidednewthepositiveside,economicgrowthhassupplementedIndiasfinancialrwidenedthefinancialscopeavailableforclimaterelevantmeasures.Foriesandcompetitionhavebroughtwiththemtechnologyandknowledgethhaveenhancedproductivityandefficiencyandthusreducedtheenergyandreproduction,withcorrespondingeffectsonrelativeemissions.Withincreasednintocompetitiveglobalmarkets,Indiahashadtoadopthighenvironmentalstandardsinsectors,forexample,theautomobileindustry.Therefore,theopportuniationofnongovernmentalactorsinclimatepolicymakingandmonitoringllyutilizetheirpotential.Indiasreformprocesshashadastrongimp20


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economicsystem,butlittleonthepoliticalsystem.Publicawareneschangeisstilllowduetothelimitedinfluenceonnongovernmentalorga.Weneedtobuildonthisaspectthroughtheinvolvementofthescientificcommunit

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Also,thepresentmodelofeconomicdevelopmenttheworldoverisbasedonconcentratiesandpeopleincitiesbecauseoftheavailabilityofrelativelycheapfossilfuelsryandpopulationincitiesaremanytimesgreaterthanwhatcanbesupportedbythelfuelsbecomelessavailableandcostmore,citieshavetodiminishinsize,eventualheirsupportarea.SignsofthisarevisibleintheWestwhereafewindustriesandeaswherethereismorespace,cleanerairandwater,andland.Reintegratingcitiesnfluencemayalsohelpsolvethesevereurbanproblemsandleadtolessintensnlifestyles.Decisionsontheseissueswillhavetobemadejointlybygovernmedtransportindustriesworldwide.Theywillhavetoaddresstheproblemsofgrowin

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pollutioncausedbycontinueduseoffossilfuelsandmovetowardssolilitateasmoothtransitiontoanoncarbonbasedglobaleconomy.Governmentsoputinplacemechanismstofinanceandgiveeconomicincentivesnergyefficiencyandconservation,moreadvancedenergytechnologies,anentalcleanup.Theglobalcommunitywillhavetolookforwaysandmeanyfromfossilfuels.Energyresearchanddevelopmentandinvestmentsneedtobereorientedwithchangingconsumerpreferencesandgovernmeheglobalcommunitymustactquickly.Otherwise,thechoicesfordeliverityforfuturegenerationswillbefarmoredifficultandcostly.

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Sir,letmenowturntowhatweinthetwoMinistriesthatIhavetheprivilegetoheaaresettingupaGrouponClimateChangeAdaptationcuttingacrossdestriestoproactivelyprepareforprovidingtechnologyrequiredtocompreressissuesrelatedtoclimatechange.ACentreforClimateChange,initiallytobelo

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campusoftheIndianInstituteofTropicalMeteorology(IITM),PunewilladdressssuesrelatedtoGlobalWarmingandClimateChange.OursteadfastefnizeweatherforecastingfacilitiesintheIndiaMeteorologicalDepartmentftheartsystemwillcommencebearingfruitfromthisyearthroughthelaunchofanelandagroadvisoriesatthedistrictlevel.TheDepartmentofBiotechnologrentyear,theBiotechnologyIndustryResearchAssistanceCouncil(BIRAC),whichsaneffectiveinterfacebetweenacademiaandprivateindustryparticularlytailoMEsandstartups.TospurthearrivalandtofosterthegrowthoffuturisticBTtecyear,shallimplementanovelBiotechnologyIndustryPartnershipProg).Tofurtherstrengthpublicprivatepartnershipinitiatives,especiallyinarmark30%ofthewholebudgetoftheDBTforthisactivity.ThepresentdaycostofondthecapacityofmostIndianpharmafirms.AnovelinitiativeofopeoveryisbeingmountedbyCSIRtoaddresstheproblemandbringthecostofdrugdevelbringinnovationatthecentrestageofnational23


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consciousness,theDepartmentofScienceandTechnology(DST)ismountngingmultiprongedinitiativestofoster,nurtureandpromoteinclusiveinnovatncludingavailingassistancefromtheWorldBankandpartnershipofeUK.Sir,inourendevourtoinvolvetheprivatesectorinpoehaverequestedFICCItohelpusdraftanInnovationLawwhichIhopetobrioftheGovernmentwithinthisyearitself.

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Sirtoconclude,IwishtosaythatgiventheunprecedentedsupportthatwehavehadfconfidenceaccordedbythePlanningCommissiontoScience,Technologytioninthe11FiveYearPlan,weinthescientificcommunityresolvetoconndiainthecomityofnationsasaformidableplayer.th

ThankYou!JaiHind.

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Speech by Kapil Sibal

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