Experts report on low carbon economy by March 7

The expert group constituted by the Planning Commission a year ago to prepare a strategy for making the country a low carbon emission economy will submit its report in the first week of March.

"The expert group will submit its report to Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in the first week of March," the head of the expert group and prominent economist Kirit Parikh said addressing a conference on low carbon economies.

Parikh a former member of the Commission, said, "The report would focus on 4 broad areas, including electrical (appliances) efficiency."

The other areas that would be covered include the efficient supply, distribution and production of energy, Parikh said, adding that the report will look into the energy consumption of cement and steel plants.

Another major area where the report would give its insight is the transport sector, in view of increasing motorised transport. The number of people using motorised transport in the country is estimated at 200-300 million.

The group was formed keeping with the country's commitment to transform into a "low carbon" economy, for which it recently announced voluntary and unilateral targets to reduce the emissions intensity of the GDP by 20-25%.

The implementation of targets for reducing emission intensity will be built into the strategy for the 12th Five-Year Plan, consistent with the national objectives of poverty alleviation, sustainable development and inclusive growth.

The panel will review existing studies on low carbon growth/low carbon pathways prepared by various organisations and also analyse, as required, low carbon options for the economy and present a report outlining the roadmap for low carbon growth.

The panel has been mandated to evaluate some key alternative low carbon options with an analysis of their cost benefits and relative merits and demerits.

The panel will submit its report to the Commission in the first week of March, Parikh said, adding that the expert group will not include a cost analysis of these alternative low carbon options in its report. These would be provided later on.

The Commission had mandated that the expert group will present an interim report by end-April 2010 and a final report by end-September 2010 to the Planning Commission.