India-EU Cooperation on Climate Change: Convergence and Divergence

Abstract

The Environmental Kuznets Curve¹ theory defines global warming as a phenomenon that has been borne out of the excessive industrialization of developed countries, thus leading to major environmental problems in the world. The issues of climate change and environmental pollution have dominated the realm of international relations, especially in the last two decades. Thus, this theory opines that developing countries must be provided with an opportunity to reach the levels of developed countries, in terms of income and economic progress. This will result in creating a balance between the developing countries and the developed ones. While the developed and the developing countries were both trying to justify their respective stands on climate change and emissions, the EKC (Environmental Kuznets Curve) theory emerged and proved to be a turning point in climate change negotiations. It discarded the notion that the economic development of any nation would harm the planet. Standing on this divergent path are two important partners i.e., India and the European Union. While India represents the developing country, European Union is the developed partner among the two. Both partners have recognized the seriousness of the issue of climate change and have been working towards a comprehensive international standards formulation to fight climate change. However, the main stumbling block to their cooperation has been the division of the developed and developing worlds, in terms of sharing responsibilities to mitigate the impact of climate change in the world. This paper analyses the history of India-EU cooperation on climate change. Individual policies and frameworks of both partners in fighting climate change and the issues of divergence and convergence in terms of dealing with their common goals vis-à-vis climate change.