The Hindu : National : ‘India has a decisive role in climate change’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 12, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

‘India has a decisive role in climate change’

Aarti Dhar

— Photo: R.V. Moorthy

Danish Premier Lars Løkke Rasmussen

NEW DELHI: Appreciating its efforts in combating climate change, Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen on Friday said India “would and needed” to play a fundamental role in tackling climate change.

“India’s sheer size, vibrant democracy, and weight in international politics, and the impact that Indian business already makes on the world economy — an impact that is only bound to increase,” Mr. Rasmussen said, speaking on ‘What are the Opportunities for India in a Green Economy?’ organised by the Confederation on Indian Industry (CII) here.

He said the challenge today was how to make a low carbon path profitable and to reduce global warming without jeopardising wealth. “We all know that access to energy is one of the basic preconditions for development, particularly in India where hundreds of millions of people are still left without reliable access to electricity.”

Pointing out that poverty could not be combated without protecting the climate and vice versa, Mr. Rasmussen said economic growth did not have to lead to a corresponding increase in energy consumption, citing the examples of India and Denmark where carbon emissions were already growing at a slower rate than the economy.

He said the funding and promotion of green technology would be one of the key issues to be addressed in the upcoming possible global agreement at Copenhagen, in addition to appropriate answers to mitigation, financing, adaptation and monitoring.

Minister of State (independent charge) for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said India had taken voluntary and unilateral action on mitigation because it believed it was answerable to its people and not the international negotiators on climate change.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National