MEDIA ADVISORY: WRI to Host Panel on India-US Collaboration on Climate and Energy

WHAT:

In advance of the summit between President Obama and Prime Minister Singh as well as the United Nations climate change negotiations in Mexico, the World Resources Institute (WRI) will co-host a public panel on India-US relations on climate change and energy with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The panelists, leading experts from both countries, will share ideas on the major opportunities for collaboration between India and the United States. The world’s two largest democracies are strong allies with shared values, and as major greenhouse gas emitters, increased cooperation could lead to technology or diplomatic breakthroughs with global benefits for tackling climate change. At the same time, the bilateral relationship on climate and energy issues suffers from a lack of trust on such themes as equity, financing and the verification of country commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Journalists will learn from panelists about how the two countries can overcome such barriers and heighten Indo-US collaboration. A Q & A session will follow.

WHEN:

Wednesday, September 22, 2010
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
(Light lunch will be served)

WHERE:

World Resources Institute
10 G Street NE Suite 800, Washington, DC 20002
(Metro: Red Line to Union Station)

WHO:

Manish Bapna, executive vice president and managing director, WRI
Frank Wisner, foreign affairs adviser, Patton Boggs LLP; former U.S. ambassador to India
Jamshyd Godrej, chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry Climate Change Council; chairman and managing director, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd.; and board member of WRI
Suresh Prabhu, member of parliament and former cabinet minister for industry, energy and environment, Government of India
Rick Duke, deputy assistant secretary for climate policy, U.S. Department of Energy

RSVP:

Jessica Forres, WRI media officer, +1(202) 729-7736, jforres@wri.org