Developing nations call upon developed nations to cut their emissions by up to 40 percent

L'aquila, July 10 (ANI): The developing countries criticised the G-8 nations for not taking enough steps to curb global warming, dubbing the proposed long-term targets as meaningless. he larger developing nations said they wanted to see more credible mid term targets than long-term ambitious targets.

The developing nations said the rich must first set far steeper cuts in their own emissions by 2020 and agree billions of dollars in funds to help the developing world move to renewable energies and cope with more frequent droughts, floods, heat waves and rising sea levels.

"Sometimes I think an issue is raised that the developing countries were not willing to sign onto a more ambitious document but the fact is that was a very big sticking point, that we said that we need to see a very credible mid term target. And the developing countries themselves have put forward a proposal that there should be at least 40 percent reduction in the emission of the developed countries by 2020," said Shyam Saran, India's Special Envoy on Climate Change.

A U.N. panel of scientists has outlined cuts of 25-40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 to avoid the worst of global warming by developed nations, with developing countries making a "significant deviation" below projected rise in emissions.

"We would need to follow science, we agree with that. But we also believe that one needs to be consistent throughout because science is also saying that unless you make 25 to 40 percent cut in your developed country emissions, by 2020, we may not be able to avoid irreversible climate change. So in terms of science, again, it is very important that there should be interim targets," Saran added.

"One very important step forward is the recognition that there should be every effort made to keep the temperature rise within two degrees centigrade by 2050. That is something new. We do not regard this as an arithmetical target, we regard this as a political decision because there is a great deal of uncertainty with respect to what would be the actual rise in temperature which may take place what would be the consequences of that rise in temperature. IPCC itself has infact self stated that there is an uncertainty about this. But nevertheless we believe that it is worthwhile in recognition of the IPCC report it is worthwhile reflecting this as something, which we should aspire towards," Saran said.

By refusing to set a 2050 goal, which would imply cuts by the developing world, they may want to keep back a bargaining chip before Copenhagen.

G-8 nations have so far promised cuts in emissions that total about 10-14 percent below 1990 levels -- far short of the "at least 40 percent" demanded by developing states. By Naveen Kapoor (ANI)