U.S should share burden of cleaning up environment: Hillary

New Delhi, July 19 (ANI): The visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday agreed with the Indian concerns on climate change and said that being one of the biggest emitters of Green house gases the US should share the burden of cleaning up the environment.

Addressing a meet on Climate Change held in Gurgaon, on the outskirts of New Delhi, Hillary Clinton said: "The challenge is to create a global framework that recognises the different needs and the responsibilities of developed and developing countries alike. And I not only understand but I agree with the concerns of countries like India. United States and other countries that have been the biggest historic emitters of Green house gases should shoulder the biggest burden for cleaning up the environment and we do sink our carbon footprint."

Clinton also said that the United States would never do anything to limit the economic progress of India.

"First the United States does not and will not do anything that would limit the economic progress of India. We believe that economic progress of India is in everyone's interest and not just India to lift people out of poverty and to give every child born in India a chance to live up to his or her God- given potential, is a goal that we share with you," said Hillary Clinton.

The United States wants India to agree to limit its carbon emissions ahead of the signing of a new UN climate treaty in Copenhagen in December, where over 190 nations will try to set emission cuts targets to 2020.

Clinton, however, told media that she had productive talks with Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh.

She expressed optimism that the United States and India could bridge their differences on the issue of reducing Greenhouse gases.

Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh on this occasion said that India would never allow its per capita emissions to exceed that of the developed countries.

In his opening remarks, Ramesh made it clear that India's position on the ongoing climate change agreement negotiations was clear, credible and consistent.

"Embedded in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Bali Action Plan, we are fully alive to our global responsibilities. Even with 8-9 percent GDP growth every year for the next decade or two, our per capita emissions will be well below that of developed country averages," Ramesh said.

"If this pressure was not enough, we also face the threat of carbon tariffs on our exports to countries such as yours," he added.

Talking about India's economic growth he said the Indian government was ensuring that its economic growth path was ecologically sustainable-GDP is increasingly Green Domestic Product, not just Gross Domestic Product.

In collaboration with the UN, the Government of India is hosting an International Conference on Climate Change and Technology on October 22-23rd, 2009.

The New Delhi Statement on Technology and Climate Change will be reflected in the Copenhagen Agreement.

Ramesh said that India seeks to engage the United States of America purposively in areas joint research, development, demonstration and dissemination of environmental projects. (ANI)