It is forecast that carbon emissions from developing countries will exceed those of developed countries in the coming half century … yet the rules are different for large developing countries and as such a global reduction benchmark isn’t considered appropriate. Driving down the coast of India in an autorickshaw is, bizarrely, a great way to see the developing world in action and to appreciate their specific issues.

The problem is two-fold. Firstly, there are 800 million Indians living on less than $2 per day and it’s not feasible or reasonable to place additional expenses on them to lower carbon output. Secondly, the country is developing rapidly and the appetite for energy, more food, and better transportation won’t go away.

Sustainable development in such a country therefore needs to be cheaper than alternatives and support development needs. There are a few examples – solar panels may be more efficient than power lines in getting energy to remote villages, and the Southern tip of India is now blanketed with kilometres of wind turbines. But in a country that currently has little to no formal rubbish collection system, there are many huge issues to address. It requires some careful global policy, but also provides some huge business opportunities for those that can develop and apply the right green technologies – food for thought for the Deloitte Sustainability Initiative?

On a related note, read up on urban planning in the Brazilian city of Curitiba if you get the chance - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curitiba#UN_Convention_on_Biodiversity. In a country plagued by deforestation and rapid development, Curitiba stands as the third greenest city in the world.

And that’s enough from me about India! Back to the world of consulting in the next blog.