Don’t look to government for green technology innovations, Ramesh tells India Inc

Environment minister Jairam Ramesh asked private corporate sector not look up to the government for innovations in technology for transition towards a green economy.

Addressing leaders of Indian business at the CII Conference on 'Building a Green Economy' in New Delhi yesterday, Ramesh said that the role of the government was to design fiscal policy and set standards.

Urging the private sector to leverage their capabilities to effect a change, he said the private sector would be better off with greater freedom from government procedures rather than depending on the government.

In the context of countries like Japan, South Korea, China and Germany emerging as green technology leaders, Ramesh urged the business community to step up to the challenge. He said it was high time India realised its potential in the renewable energy sector, after having  lagged behind. He added it was time to look at global leadership now apart from the domestic sector.

Meanwhile, at a different event, 'Green Haat', yesterday, held in New Delhi to mark the launch leading up to the  World Environment Day 5June, Ramesh said there was no
alternative to commercial energy - nuclear and thermal - if India aimed to continue developing annually at a rate of 9 per cent.

He added, a country of 1.21 billion would not be able to fulfill its energy demands from renewable sources alone and would need commercial sources like nuclear and thermal energy. 

Regarding Germany's decision to shut down all its nuclear plants, Ramesh said every country had to decide for itself whether it wanted commercial or renewable energy to develop depending on its growth rate.