CBD COP11 (9/10/2012) – Nandikesh Sivalingam, a forest campaigner with Greenpeace, explains that although internationally India is looking to be an environmental champion in the next two years, it has major domestic environmental issues that it needs to tackle.

Sivalingam is critical of India’s rapid expansion of coal mining into forested areas, which is having a major impact on the forest themselves and the megafauna inhabiting them, such as elephant and tigers.

Sivalingam argues that although coal has until now been important for India’s economic development, it is time to reassess the industry in light of India’s huge potential to generate renewable energy.