Poor cannot be sacrificed: Indian PM
To climate pact:
INDIA: India cannot accept a global warming treaty that would
stall its drive to lift millions out of poverty, Premier Manmohan Singh
said as he left for the final phase of UN climate talks in Copenhagen.
Singh is among the world leaders descending on the Danish Capital for
the final two days of a summit blighted by bitter wrangling that could
wreck efforts to draw up a sweeping pact to combat global warming.
Singh said he looked forward to “constructive deliberation” but
stressed that the developed world needed to address the concerns of
poorer nations over the impact of any proposed agreement on their
economic growth.
“Climate change cannot be addressed by perpetuating the poverty of
the developing countries,” he said in a departure statement released by
his office.
India went to the Danish capital with an offer to reduce its carbon
intensity by 20 to 25 percent by 2020, compared to 2005 levels.
“We are willing to do more provided there are credible arrangements
to provide both additional financial support as well as technological
transfers from developed to developing countries,” Singh said.
The fraught negotiations in Copenhagen received a shot in the arm
Wednesday when wealthy nations pledged some 22 billion dollars to fund
the fight against global warming.
India remains steadfastly opposed to binding emission cuts and has
refused to adopt a peak year when its emissions would have to stop
growing and start falling. NEW DELHI, Friday, AFP |