“Redress of the climate change crisis was a common and shared responsibility and countries should not argue on who has to contribute more or less to tackle the crisis,” UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon said at the Delhi Summit on Sustainable Development here on Thursday.

“We should not argue who is more responsible who is less responsible, who should do more and who less,” he asserted in an interactive session. The UN secretary general’s stand may not be found favour in India which always stated that since global warming was caused by the industrialised nations, it is their moral responsibility now to clean up the earth.

Ban’s sentiments were echoed by Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UNFCCC, as well.

When the world would meet at Copenhagen in December to decide a global climate change treaty after Kyoto, developing countries should come forward with ideas to limit their emissions, he told reporters here on Wednesday.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India would continue to follow the path of development while being sensitive to climate change.

Cutting down on emissions is not acceptable to India since it means a direct cut on industrial production and trade.

“India is determined that its per capita emissions would not exceed those of the developed countries, even as it pursues policies of development and economic growth. What could be a greater commitment than this?” asked Mukherjee.

The responsibility, therefore, lies with the developed world to set the direction and take the lead in bringing about reductions in emissions per capita, he said.