US hoping for development in climate negotiations with India

Washington, Jan 22: The United States is hoping to make significant progress in climate negotiations with India ahead of a major UN conference taking place later this year in Paris, a senior White House official has said.

"President Barack Obama will have a chance to review with Prime Minister Narendra Modi what the US is committed to doing, what India is considering doing in this space...and how we can work together to bring about a successful conclusion to the (climate) negotiations," US Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes told reporters.

India is a very important player for arriving at any successful international climate negotiation, he said adding, "We literally cannot achieve our objectives without cooperation from India."

"You cannot achieve a successful international climate agreement through the Paris negotiations if the major emitters are not coming to the table with ambitious programs. The United States, China and India are at the front of that line," Rhodes said.

He lauded the initiatives of the Modi government to attain its ambitious objectives of improved public health and clean energy. Asked if India was under pressure to deliver on climate change after the US-China agreement on climate change inked during Obama's journey to Beijing.

"The pressure comes from the reality of climate change. Every country should feel that urgency. We want every country to be ambitious. There's no such thing as a successful agreement unless all the major emitters are doing their part," Rhodes said.

"In terms of our bilateral relationship, the cooperation on clean energy and climate change is critically important because the US and India are working together to develop clean energy sources and also because of the international climate negotiations that are leading into Paris this year," he said.

PTI