Global community lacks will to tackle climate problem: India PM

New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) Noting that per capita emission in developed countries is 10 to 12 times that of those in developing countries, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said there appears to be a "lack of will" in the global community to tackle the problem of climate change. "...it is necessary to recognise that currently there appears to be a lack of collective global will to address this problem with the seriousness it deserves," he said inaugurating the 12th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS), 2012, in New Delhi on Thursday. The need for equity, he said, is starkly reflected in the fact that the emissions per capita in the "industrialised countries are 10 to 12 times that of those in developing countries". In this regard, he referred to the principles of UN framework convention on climate change which provide the basis of creating a workable framework based on a broad-based equitable and multi-lateral response to issues relating to climate change. Stressing on the need for a broad-based cooperation from developed as well as developing countries to address the issue, he said, "That cooperation must be based on the foundation of the right to development and the need for an equitable distribution of burden sharing". The Prime Minister said solving the problem should be in a way that it does not "deprive developing countries of their right to development", adding India which is in the frontlines of climate vulnerability, has a vital stake in the evolution of a successful response to climate change. Organised under the auspices of New Delhi-based The Energy Research Institute (TERI), the three day summit is being participated by leaders, environmentalists and experts from across the globe, including Finnish President Tarja Halonen, Kiribati President Anote Tong and Seychelles President James Alix Michel. Being held annually in New Delhi since 2001, DSDS this year is focusing on the theme, 'Protecting the Global Commons: 20 Years Post Rio'. PTI Caption for pic: India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (centre), Finland President Tarja Halonen (2L), Seychelles President James Alix Michel (L), Kiribati President Anote Tong (3R), and India's New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah (2R) and Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan (R) at the inaugural sesson of the 12th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) in New Delhi on Thursday. PTI Photo