For the better part of a decade, I have upset many climate activists by pointing out that there are far better ways to stop global warming than trying to persuade governments to force or bribe their citizens into slashing their reliance on fuels that emit carbon dioxide.

It was a scene rarely seen in Indian politics. The Congress supported the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), BJP MPs held up the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI M)'s members hand aloft in a V salute and MPs from the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) hugged MPs from the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK).