India not responsible for climate change: Union Environment Minister

New Delhi, April 14

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today said India would raise its climate ambitions but not under any pressure. At an international event “From Paris to Glasgow: Stepping up global action on Climate Change”, the minister said the country would not let anybody forget their historical responsibility.

Asking nations to provide finance and technological support they promised at Copenhagen in 2009, Javadekar said the world was suffering because of the mistakes of others. “What we are suffering today was caused 100 years ago. European and American countries and China, in the last 30 years, emitted (greenhouse gases) and therefore the world is suffering… India is suffering because of the actions of others,” he said, adding that historical responsibility was a very important aspect in climate debate. “We are not responsible for climate change. India is on the right path following the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR),” he said.

Country suffering because of others

European and American countries, and China, in the last 30 years, emitted (greenhouse gases).India is suffering because of the actions of others. —Prakash Javadekar, Environment Minister

The statement assumes importance amid international pressure on carbon neutrality/net zero targets commitments. Javadekar said India was the only G-20 country to walk the talk on the Paris climate agreement and had done more than it had promised. He said despite contributing only 3 per cent to historical emission, India had taken numerous ambitious measures for climate action, including reduction in emission intensity and increase in forest area. TNS/ Agencies