India, China clash with EU
Over UN climate package :
INDIA: India and China clashed angrily with the European Union
over a planned “roadmap” towards a new pact on curbing greenhouse gases
at the UN climate talks here on yesterday. Indian Environment Minister
Jayanthi Natarajan told a plenary of the talks, running more than a day
and a half into overtime, that her country was being threatened with
demands to surrender the principle of burden-sharing between rich and
poor.
“India will never be intimidated by threats or intimidation or any
kind of pressure like this,” she warned.
China’s chief delegate, Xie Zhenhua, gesticulating fiercely, said it
supported the Indian position.
“We should maintain the principle of common but differentiated
responsibility,” Xie said, referring to one of the pillars of the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCCC).
He accused developed countries — which he did not name — of hypocrisy
in demanding that poorer countries shoulder too much of the load in
reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. “We are doing things that you are not
doing. What qualifies you to say these things?” he asked. “We are taking
actions — we want to see your actions.”
The talks were scheduled to end on Friday after 12 days, but
staggered on into the early hours of Sunday in the hope of an agreement.
On the table is a Europe-backed “roadmap” towards a new worldwide
pact on carbon emissions that would be completed by 2015.
For the first time, it would bring all the major emitters — including
China and India — unto the same legally-binding roof.
Until now, developing giants have had no such constraints on their
carbon pollution.
AFP |