Climate change is new 'NPT', used to put trade curbs: India

New Delhi, May 6 (UNI) Equating developed countries' stand on Climate Change with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), India today said under its garb the developed countries were trying to put trade restrictions and conditionalities on developing nations which are ''unacceptable.'' Talking to journalists at the Indian Women's Press Corps, Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Climate Change Shyam Saran said unless the developed countries fulfilled their commitment under the UN Convention to provide finance and technology to developing countries it would not be possible for the latter to limit their carbon emissions responsible for global warming.

Admitting that Climate Change would affect the economies of countries like India the most, Mr Saran said the government was planning to formulate a National Action Plan on Climate Change.

The Action Plan having adaptive strategies for sustainable development would be formulated by next month, he said. Already India was spending 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent of the GDP on adaptive strategies to fight the adverse impact of climate change on health of people and productivity of crops, he pointed out.

However, climate change is a global challenge and must be faced both at the national and international level, he said and blamed the developed countries for being reluctant in fulfilling their commitments made at Rio Summit in 1992 and instead trying to put trade restrictions under its garb. ''We are not prepared to accept conditionalities tagged to trade,'' he said.

Demanding a level playing field, he said for developing countries it was more difficult to curtail their emissions but ''We are ready to fulfil our obligations, provided developed countries fulfil their commitment regarding transfer of technology and funds otherwise it would be difficult for us also.'' More UNI AJ-AG MSJ BD1450