India must revamp energy taxation, show world it seeks to cut emission: Montek

Advocating a complete revamp of the country's energy taxation system, economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia today said the world should not get the impression India was emerging as the second largest emitter of pollutants but was doing little to tackle emission levels.

At a conference here on India's energy and climate policy hosted by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), the former deputy chairperson of the Planning Commission (now Niti Ayog) said revamped energy taxation could discourage the use of coal.

Referring to India's position on future climate change negotiations, Ahluwalia said New Delhi should have a clear strategy that envisaged more action on its part if other countries committed to do more.

"We need to go into forthcoming negotiations with a clear strategy which says that we know this is not enough, we are going to do more. We are willing to do even more if you are willing to do more," he said at the dialogue initiated by the policy research institute.

"I think the world should not get the impression that India is becoming the second largest emitter in the world and does not want to do anything. I do not mind people saying that India is willing to do more if we do more."