Date:17/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/01/17/stories/2006011700540700.htm

Back `India, China will be key in biosphere map'

Sankar Radhakrishnan

Thiruvananthapuram , Jan. 16

INDIA and China are shaping the global biosphere and are therefore central to whether the world succeeds in building a healthy, prosperous, environmentally sustainable future for the next generation, says the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute.

In its annual `State of the world' report released last Wednesday, the Institute points out the choices that India and China make over the next few years will lead the world either towards a future beset by growing ecological and political instability or down a development path based on efficient technologies and better stewardship of resources.

The two countries are joining the US and Europe as ecological superpowers.

The demands of these superpowers on the world's ecosystems will vastly outstrip those of other countries, the report adds.

However, both India and China are also positioned to leap ahead of today's industrial powers and become world leaders in sustainable energy and agriculture within a decade, the report says.

For instance, China has become a leader in developing new technologies such as super-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs and solar water heaters, which have been installed on approximately 35 million buildings in the country.

The report also points to the use of rainwater harvesting in India to improve the availability of water, especially in urban areas. Similarly, both India and China have made commitments to accelerate the development of new energy sources, the report adds.

The report calls for broader cooperation between India, China, the US and Europe to develop new energy and agricultural systems and maximise resource efficiency.

It also suggests that India and China be invited to key international bodies such as the G-8.