Watching a greening Canada with observant Indian eyes

For anyone snoozing over the newspapers last fortnight, Canada has just voted in a new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, from the Liberal Party.

Unlike the previous government, this one energetically supports climate change action. It has promised to fund state plans for emission reductions, including by reducing dependence on coal-based energy. And, as many international observers state, it matters that Trudeau (also the son of the flamboyant former Canadian PM Pierre Trudeau) will attend the climate talks in Paris, even though without tangible plans. It symbolises his commitment, they feel, after Canada pulled out of environmental treaties previously, sulking and whining.

What does this mean for India? Of course, it is important that Canada commits to reducing its own emissions — it is a developed country that grew by putting carbon dioxide into the air, for which Indians are also paying a price. The new government’s statements are to be applauded.

Like other wealthy countries, the acid test for Canada will be its engagement with its emission-rich past. How will it enable those currently still fighting poverty to do this with fewer emissions? But how productive it would be if Canada, which plans a shift to renewable energies, in sync with India’s similar plans, made some available funds for India’s shift while advocating other countries to do the same.

As the world keenly awaits the inevitable foreign policy shift in Canada, it is precisely such action that indicates the intent of its global leadership.