On a recent visit to India for signing an MOU with CII-ITC Centre for Sustainability, Ricardo Young, President, Ethos Institute highlighted how renewable energy resources can change the life of generations to come. His Institute helps companies manage their businesses in a socially responsible manner. In an interview with Moumita Chakrabarti, Young shares his view on developing an economy in a environmentally sustainable manner. Excerpts:
Brazil has done a lot of work in bio fuels. What can India learn and adapt from Brazil?
The difference between Brazil and India is that Brazil has access to water for harnessing hydropower but India has a scarcity of water. However, India has a developed agricultural industry. Sugarcane waste can be used to get thermoelectric energy. Both India and Brazil face high levels of pollution. Alcohol has proven to be one of the most efficient fuels that you can have. It?s completely clean?of course it?s not clean for the ozone layer but as far as pollution in big cities is concerned, alcohol is perfect. Moreover, solar energy is amply available in India.
Given that the developing world requires more energy, how much emission cut can they take?
The major problem in the 20th century was that we believed that there was only one source of fuel, oil, and only one source of energy, which would come from thermal, nuclear or hydro projects. Technology is showing us that we have different matrix of energy depending on the resources we have in place?if you have water you can have PCH?the small hydro electric solution, you can use solar panels to run your computer, heating and lighting. If you are near the shore, you could produce hydro energy. We don?t need to go through that path of development. Can you ever imagine US becoming sustainable? They would have to deconstruct and rebuild.
What are your expectations in terms of a commitment on emission cuts from Copenhagen?
Copenhagen will not be a place for strong or definitive commitments, but it has a very symbolic role right now because for the first time the countries would come together to deal with a world problem. It?s a situation where the governments have to think about the world as well as realise their responsibility towards their people.
Are technology transfers from the developed world realistic?
Silicon Valley uses brains that come from India, China, Taiwan and Korea. I think their governments should work towards bringing back these brains.
How crucial an issue is funding?
Funding is an issue. What I think they can do is create world tax on non-renewable fuels and this fund should supply technology not only to the developing countries but to the whole world. The technology should not be copyrighted to anyone?they should be free to everyone to speed up the process of development globally.