[SubuSS]

I mean India is doing it because it doesn’t have those billions today to sink into pure clean energy setups: as you’re saying they want their turn at easy growth that western countries have had and that’s understandable.

Why isn’t the west that’s able to be concerned with the earth and environment pooling its resources and providing India the subsidized billions now in the form of solar panels et al? (Not just India - all the developing nations). It is not like Indians like living in the smog and 50c temps.

[jillesvangurp]

Sounds a bit fatalistic. I don't think they can claim ignorance at this point. India might have its challenges but it is also a nuclear power with a space program and access to all sorts of technical solutions. Burning more coal when you are about to deal with mass casualties due to wet bulb heat events caused by global warming does not sound like it's a plan at all. IMHO those coal plants will cost them more than they are going to deliver in value to them.

I'm all for international collaboration on this. That was what cop 26 was about. India ended up blocking a more positive outcome there together with China. They have their reasons. But especially India is going to have a front row seat to the misery caused by global warming. This is a problem that they are going to have to deal with one way or another. Coal is not the answer. It's part of the problem, they need to lead not follow here.

Besides, India's GDP is getting there in terms of size. About the same size as the UK; bigger than Russia. They are not an impoverished nation anymore but a growth economy.

[stjohnswarts]

Yep the West and China have to lead the way on alternatives that are cheaper than coal/oil, India is decades behind them on GDP/capita . We need to quit pointing fingers and just do it. We'll spend trillions of dollars on unwinnable wars but won't do the same with energy research that could solve a much bigger problem, the demise of human civilization.

[hulitu]

There are also other countries (G7) which are doing it because: others should do it.