March 20, 2008 Blair Makes a Strong
Pitch
for Greenhouse Gas Reduction
New Delhi
Former British prime minister Tony Blair Thursday said if the
developed world was ready to take a "really strong and definitive
action" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, then it was "fair to ask
India and China" to do it.
"If the developed world is prepared to take a really strong and
definitive action for a substantial cut in emissions, then it is
fair to ask India and China to do the same," Blair said at the
launch of the climate initiative in India, Breaking The Climate
Deadlock, here.
Seeking a global consensus on the issue, Blair agreed that it was
absolutely true that the problem was created by the developed world
and that the situation needed the involvement of the developing
world.
"India has to play a great role. There is a need for substantial and
concerted efforts. India and China cannot have the same obligation
as the developed world," he said at the event organized by the Nand
and Jeet Khemka Foundation.
India is sticking to its position that it cannot make any binding
commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh recently said India would ensure that its per capita
emission of greenhouse gases never exceed those of developed
countries.
India is the world's fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases,
which many scientists think contribute to global warming. India has
repeatedly rejected demands for specific reduction targets, saying
that would hurt its economy. Along with China, India wants Western
countries to bear the burden of reducing emissions since they are
bigger emitters.
Blair said they are not asking the developing countries not to grow
economically. "We can't say that we grow and you don't. That is not
going to happen. It is not fair. The US, Europe, Japan are prepared
to take strong definitive action."
"The Western world is chiefly responsible. But it is also true to
say that the production of emissions in the future would be worse
off."
On how the developing world could strike a balance between growth as
well as cutting down emissions, Blair said technology and financial
support from the Western world would help.
He said it was also unfair to ask developed nations to curb
emissions when countries like the US had 10 times higher emissions
than the global average and hoped for a "global consensus".
"The debate has not moved beyond who is victim and who is villain."
Praising India's efforts, he said, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has
formed the Climate Change Council and was leading it and has asked
for an action plan.
"India has to play a great role on the issue. It is such a
progressive and developed nation. India and China have to do their
bit," he emphasized.
"There is a need for substantive transformative efforts and it has
to start with the developing world," he said.
Highlighting realistic and practical solutions, Blair said everyone
has to come together to do away with the problem.
In India, he said, climate change has been strongly linked to food
security, water and energy security. "It is a matter of fairness and
equality how we deal with this problem as we keep adding to it."
Noting that the situation was getting worse, he said: "The impact
would be of catastrophic dimensions. We have to take notice."
He said there is a need to think how to put the deal together and
break the deadlock. "We need a global deal and there should be no
half means."
Naming R.K. Pachauri, who heads the UN-body Inter-Governmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC), which received the Nobel Peace Prize, he
said the Indian environmentalist was among the scientists who
brought to his notice the catastrophic impact of climate change.
Emphasising that the situation is of "stark nature", he said, "there
will be irreparable damages and need for unilateral measures by each
country".
Greenhouse gas emissions come from burning fuels such as oil and
coal, and from deforestation.
Boloji.com is owned and managed by Boloji Media Inc Privacy Policy |
Disclaimer
No part of this Internet site may
be reproduced without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
