India, July 24 -- We stand at a cross-roads. Unsustainable growth is driving us towards climate catastrophe, while inequitable growth is fuelling increased poverty, increased marginalisation and increased anger. Our learning in India is that growth that is not affordable or, in other words, equitable, cannot be sustainable.

Consider air pollution. Delhi has become synonymous with toxic air. This is not for want of action. All coal plants have been shut; pet coke import (incidentally which the US exports because it is too toxic for local use) has been banned; and we are moving towards the cleanest fuels and vehicle technologies. But it is not good enough. Each winter, pollution returns with a vengeance. My colleagues estimate that air pol...