Developed world must 'walks the talk' on climate change: India

United Nations, Sep 24: India has told a high- powered summit on climate change convened by UN chief

that if the developed world "walks the talk", the international community can certainly achieve the targets it has set to tackle climate change.

India's Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar told the Climate Summit organised here yesterday that India remains committed to pursuing a path of sustainable development through eradication of poverty, both of income as well as energy.

He, however, stressed that it is "self-evident" that developing countries can do more if finance and technology support and capacity building is ensured.

"This must be a key focus of international cooperation," he said. "...If the developed world walks the talk, then we can certainly achieve the targets that we have set ourselves collectively," Javadekar said.

More than 120 heads of states and government, including US President Barack Obama, participated in the day-long climate change summit where the UN Secretary General warned that the "human, environmental and financial" cost of climate change is "fast becoming unbearable" and called on the world leaders to cut emissions so that by the end of this century the world becomes carbon neutral.

During the summit, countries have explained contours of their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), which he said is a "good beginning". Javadekar described as "worth noting" the global efforts displayed at the summit. He said India looks forward to a successful UN climate change conference in Peru in December.

Javadekar stressed that the UN climate summit was taking place under the umbrella of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is the original and the central pillar of negotiations on climate change and "all other efforts can only be complementary in nature."

He said India's new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attached "high importance" to action- oriented policies to bring development to its people while addressing climate change and has "shown that we have the political will to act."

Javadekar outlined the efforts taken by the Modi government towards achieving energy efficiency, improving forest coverage and cleaning India's rivers. He also spoke about Modi's "ambitious programme" of "Make in India" with "Zero Defect and Zero Effect".

The minister said that the new government has doubled the Clean Energy Cess from Rs 50 per tonne to Rs 100 per tonne of coal to raise more revenue for clean energy technologies and the fund has now close to USD six billion.

PTI