Economic downturn no excuse for developed countries not to cut

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) India Friday said global
financial crisis should not become an excuse for developed
countries to deviate from their commitment on green house gas
emissions cuts.

"The current economic and financial crisis should not
deter them (developed nations) from investment in tackling
climate change but redefine the strategy to deal with the
threats," Shyam Saran, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister for
Climate Change, told reporters here.

Action on climate change must enhance not diminish the
prospects for development. It must not sharpen the division in
the world between an affluent North and impoverished South,
and justify this with a green label, he said.

Making clear that India will not deviate from its
position at Copenhagen this year-end at a UN meet on climate
change, Saran said "we have already declared that even as we
pursue social, economic and development objectives, we will
not allow our per capital GHG emissions to exceed the average
per capita emissions of the developed countries."

"This effectively puts a cap on our emissions which will
be lower if our developed country partners choose to be more
ambitious in reducing their own emissions", he added.

Blaming the developed nations for global warming threats,
Saran said "climate change is taking place not due to current
level of GHG emissions but due to accumulated stock caused by
the industrial activity in developed countries over the past
two centuries and more." PTI AJ
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