India and Global Climate Change

Though the impact of climate change will most likely be greatest with the already poor and vulnerable populations in the developing world, much of the writing about the costs and benefits of different policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is by Western scholars, working in advanced industrialized economies. India and Global Climate Change helps address the gap in the literature about climate change policy while acknowledging that India has already had a crucial role in international climate change negotiations. Drawing the majority of its contributions from authors based at Indian universities and other research centers, the book includes diverse approaches toward policy issues such as the energy-economy and forestry relationships that drive GHG emissions; the options and costs for restricting GHG emissions while promoting sustainable development; and the design of innovative mechanisms for expanded international cooperation in GHG mitigation. With a population of over one billion, and an economy that is undergoing substantial restructuring and greatly increased economic growth after a number of years of stagnation, India has an exceptional stake in the debate about climate change policy. The contributors to India and Global Climate Change hope that their scholarship will inform policymakers and scholars not only about the perspectives of India, but of the broader, developing world.