Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Green crosshairs: On the impact of the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

Green crosshairs: On the impact of the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

A multi-pronged (बहु आयामी) counter is warranted (प्रमाणिक ठहराना) to tackle the European Union’s carbon tax plans

Starting this October, the European Union (EU) proposes to introduce a framework (संरचना, प्रणाली) for levying a carbon tax (a tax levied on the carbon contents used by the burning fossil fuels (gasoline, natural gas, coal and oil) so as to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) released into atmosphere) on imports of products that rely on (depend on, bank on; resort to, have recourse to) non-green or sub-optimally (in a way/manner that is below the optimal (best possible) level or standard of something) sustainable (दीर्घकालिक) processes and where carbon emissions are deemed (मानना, विचार करना) to have not been adequately priced. This Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will begin with an import monitoring mechanism (तंत्र, उपकरण) and culminate (come to an end with, finish with, conclude with, terminate with, lead up to) in the levy (impose, charge, collect (a tax, fee, fine)) of duties as determined from January 2026. The EU argues that the CBAM will ensure its climate objectives are not undermined (कमजोर करना, तोड़ना) by carbon-intensive (relating to a process that has a high carbon footprint) imports and spur (प्रेरित करना) cleaner production in the rest of the world. This poses (constitute, present, create, cause (a problem or danger or risk)) a significant threat to some of India’s biggest exports to the trading bloc (a type of intergovernmental agreement by a group of countries that has reduced or removed trade barriers between them), including iron ore and steel, with carbon levies estimated to range from 19.8% to 52.7%. During a visit to France in early April, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said it was too early to gauge (measure, calculate, compute, predict, estimate, reckon, forecast) the tax’s impact on Indian exports, as operational clarity was yet to emerge. By last Thursday, top trade officials were more assertive (निश्चयात्मक, निर्णायक) and termed tackling this risk as one of the top items on the government’s agenda, with several options being explored (अन्वेषण करना).

It is critical (आलोचनात्मक, महत्वपूर्ण) that the Centre reacts with greater alacrity (तत्परता, शीघ्रता) to what may be considered by some as a sophisticated (जटिल, नवीनतम) trade barrier doused (extinguish, put out, quench, blow out (a fire)) in ‘greenwashing (the misleading claim/act of companies/organisations that their products and services are environmentally friendly & energy-efficient without providing enough evidence)’ optics (the way in which something (political action/situation) is recognized by the general public), proposed by the EU. Last year, about a third of India’s iron, steel and aluminium exports, for instance (उदाहरण के लिए), were shipped to EU members. Engineering products, the largest export growth driver (a thing that is causing an increase in a company’s revenue) in recent years, would be impacted too. Larger players across sectors are gradually turning to greener technologies, but the transition (परिवर्तन, संक्रमण) needs time — even more so for smaller businesses — to move away from legacy (something received from a predecessor or from the past) carbon-heavy technologies (such as blast furnaces (an enclosed, industrial device used for heating) for steel making). The EU believes the carbon tax is compatible (agreeable, adaptable, appropriate, suitable) with World Trade Organization (an intergovernmental organization that is concerned with the regulation of international trade between nations) norms (standard, convention, regulation), but India is looking to challenge that. It may also flag (indicate, point out, identify; draw attention to something) the incompatibility (difference, inconsistency, contradiction, discrepancy) with the UN’s climate change (a long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth) framework which moots (put forward, introduce, present) common but differentiated responsibilities for developed and developing nations. But even if these arguments are upheld, these two avenues (method, way) lack (be without, require, be in need of) enforcement (imposition, implementation, execution, carrying out) options. So, a threat of retaliatory tariffs on EU imports is also being weighed (consider, contemplate, think about, look into, assess) even as plans are afoot (happening, ongoing, underway, going on, in operation, in progress) to quantify the various carbon taxes levied in India. Having positioned itself as the voice of the global South (the poor developing countries (of Asia, Africa, South America, amongst others)), India must play that part to the hilt (completely, fully, wholly, totally, entirely, utterly, unconditionally, in every respect, as much as possible, to the very extent/level/degree) while at the helm (in charge, in command/control/authority; in the driving seat) of the G-20 (The G20, formed in 1999, is a group of twenty of the world’s largest economies that meets regularly to coordinate global policy on trade, health, climate, and other issues. It brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies. The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, EU, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK and USA. The G20 Countries together represent around 90% of global GDP, 80% of global trade, and two thirds of the world’s population) this year and galvanise (to cause someone to take action by exciting or shocking them; stimulate, encourage, inspire, stir, arouse, prompt, shock/stun) other nations to take on (undertake, adopt, embrace, assume, accept, support, acquire) the EU’s carbon tax framework. This championing (support, promote, uphold, back, stand up for) need not revolve around its own concerns, but the far worse (much more of poorer quality) implications (consequence/outcome, ramification, repercussion) the CBAM entails (require, demand, call for, be grounds/reason for, warrant, involve) for poorer countries, many of whom rely more heavily on mineral resources than India does.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.multi-pronged (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बहु आयामी
English Meaning - having different aspects/elements.

2.warrant (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रमाणिक ठहराना
English Meaning - necessitate, justify, validate, uphold, endorse, call for.

3.framework (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संरचना, प्रणाली
English Meaning - structure, system.

4.sustainable (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दीर्घकालिक
English Meaning - supportable, acceptable, trustworthy, reasonable, sensible, reliable, dependable, well-founded (without disturbing the balance of nature and then without exhausting all of the natural resources).

5.deem (verb)

Hindi Meaning - मानना, विचार करना
English Meaning - consider, regard as, see, view.

6.mechanism (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तंत्र, उपकरण
English Meaning - apparatus, medium, agency, instrument, channel.

7.undermine (verb)

Hindi Meaning - कमजोर करना, तोड़ना
English Meaning - weaken, subvert, sabotage, damage.

8.spur (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रेरित करना
English Meaning - prompt, stimulate, encourage, galvanize.

9.assertive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - निश्चयात्मक, निर्णायक
English Meaning - decisive, confident, insistent, firm, determined.

10.explore (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अन्वेषण करना
English Meaning - consider, check out, examine, review, evaluate.

11.critical (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - आलोचनात्मक, महत्वपूर्ण
English Meaning - crucial, essential, important.

12.alacrity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तत्परता, शीघ्रता
English Meaning - eagerness, readiness, promptness, willingness, swiftness.

13.sophisticated (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - जटिल, नवीनतम
English Meaning - the latest, the newest, modern, advanced; complex, complicated, intricate, subtle, delicate.

14.for instance (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - उदाहरण के लिए
English Meaning - for example.

15.transition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परिवर्तन, संक्रमण
English Meaning - change, transformation.

16.green (adjective)

English Meaning - environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, energy-saving.

17.in the crosshairs (phrase)

English Meaning - be in a position/situation wherein someone or something is targeted/criticized (crosshairs - very thin crossed wires in the microscope/gun which are used to focus/aim at something precisely).

18.Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)(noun)

English Meaning - it is a climate measure that should prevent the risk of carbon leakage and support the EU’s increased ambition on climate mitigation, while ensuring WTO compatibility.

19.carbon tax (noun)

English Meaning - a tax levied on the carbon contents used by the burning fossil fuels (gasoline, natural gas, coal and oil) so as to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) released into atmosphere.

20.levy (verb)

English Meaning - impose, charge, collect (a tax, fee, fine).

21.rely on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - depend on, bank on; resort to, have recourse to.

22.sub-optimally (adverb)

English Meaning - in a way/manner that is below the optimal (best possible) level or standard of something.

23.culminate (verb)

English Meaning - come to an end with, finish with, conclude with, terminate with, lead up to.

24.levy (noun)

English Meaning - imposition, charging, collection (of a tax, fee, fine).

25.carbon-intensive (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a process that has a high carbon footprint.

26.pose (verb)

English Meaning - constitute, present, create, cause (a problem or danger or risk).

27.trading bloc (noun)

English Meaning - a type of intergovernmental agreement by a group of countries that has reduced or removed trade barriers between them.

28.gauge (verb)

English Meaning - measure, calculate, compute, predict, estimate, reckon, forecast.

29.douse (verb)

English Meaning - extinguish, put out, quench, blow out (a fire).

30.greenwashing (noun)

English Meaning - the misleading claim/act of companies/organisations that their products and services are environmentally friendly & energy-efficient without providing enough evidence.

31.optics (noun)

English Meaning - the way in which something (political action/situation) is recognized by the general public.

32.growth driver (noun)

English Meaning - a thing that is causing an increase in a company’s revenue.

33.legacy (noun as modifier)

English Meaning - something received from a predecessor or from the past.

34.furnace (noun)

English Meaning - an enclosed, industrial device used for heating.

35.compatible (adjective)

English Meaning - agreeable, adaptable, appropriate, suitable.

36.World Trade Organization (WTO) (noun)

English Meaning - an intergovernmental organization that is concerned with the regulation of international trade between nations.

37.norm (noun)

English Meaning - standard, convention, regulation.

38.flag (verb)

English Meaning - indicate, point out, identify; draw attention to something.

39.incompatibility (noun)

English Meaning - difference, inconsistency, contradiction, discrepancy.

40.climate change (noun)

English Meaning - a long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth.

41.moot (verb)

English Meaning - put forward, introduce, present.

42.common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) (noun)

English Meaning - The concept of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) was enshrined as Principle 7 of the Rio Declaration at the first Rio Earth Summit in 1992. a principle within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that acknowledges the differing responsibilities of individual countries in addressing climate change.

43.uphold (verb)

English Meaning - confirm, endorse/approve, vindicate/validate.

44.avenue (noun)

English Meaning - method, way.

45.lack (verb)

English Meaning - be without, require, be in need of.

46.enforcement (noun)

English Meaning - imposition, implementation, execution, carrying out.

47.retaliatory tariff (noun)

English Meaning - punitive tariff; an extra tariff/tax that a country charges on import goods from another country to punish the another country for charging tax on its own export goods.

48.weigh (verb)

English Meaning - consider, contemplate, think about, look into, assess.

49.afoot (adjective)

English Meaning - happening, ongoing, underway, going on, in operation, in progress.

50.voice (noun)

English Meaning - representative, spokesperson, agency.

51.The Global South (noun)

English Meaning - the poor developing countries (of Asia, Africa, South America, amongst others).

52.The Global North (noun)

English Meaning - the economically developed countries (of Europe, North America, Australia, amongst others).

53.play a part/role (phrase)

English Meaning - contribute to, be instrumental in, be a factor in.

54.to the hilt (phrase)

English Meaning - completely, fully, wholly, totally, entirely, utterly, unconditionally, in every respect, as much as possible, to the very extent/level/degree.

55.at the helm (phrase)

English Meaning - in charge, in command/control/authority; in the driving seat.

56.helm (noun)

English Meaning - in charge, in command, in authority, position.

57.G-20 (noun)

English Meaning - The G20, formed in 1999, is a group of twenty of the world’s largest economies that meets regularly to coordinate global policy on trade, health, climate, and other issues. It brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies. The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, EU, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK and USA. The G20 Countries together represent around 90% of global GDP, 80% of global trade, and two thirds of the world’s population.

58.galvanise (verb)

English Meaning - to cause someone to take action by exciting or shocking them; stimulate, encourage, inspire, stir, arouse, prompt, shock/stun.

59.take on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - undertake, adopt, embrace, assume, accept, support, acquire.

60.champion (verb)

English Meaning - support, promote, uphold, back, stand up for.

61.revolve around (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to have something as the most important subject matter.

62.far worse (phrase)

English Meaning - much more of poorer quality.

63.implications (noun)

English Meaning - consequence/outcome, ramification, repercussion.