Nov. 8: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked the world’s major econo-mies to put in place a technology regime where developing countries would have access to clean technologies at affordable costs, in an effort to bring down the effects of global warming. Dr Singh also said that developed countries should be prepared to create an environment in which larger capital flows become available for integration and for adaptation measures for developing countries.
"I would say although all of us are affect by the climate change, the historical accumulation of carbon dioxide is not as a result of anything that we have done. It is largely a consequence of 150 years of industrialisation in major developed countries of the world," Dr Singh said at 25th India Economic Summit jointly organised by the CII and World Economic Forum. "Therefore in recognition of common but differentiative capabilities, it is our hope that while all the countries will be required to contribute according to their capacity and their ability, the world major economies will be prepared to create an environment in which larger capital flows become available for integration and for adaptation measures," Dr Singh added.
Stressing that climate cha-nge is a "reality," Dr Singh further added that "It is today a global problem. We are some way more effected by it than other countries. We have an obligation to work with all like minded countries to ensure a purposeful respo-nse to the climate change at the Copenhagen Conference." World leaders would be meeting in Copenhagen next month to decide on the road-ahead after the Kyoto Protocol, whose deadline is ending in 2012. The protocol is an agreement under UNFCCC where countries have been given the task to bring down the emission levels of greenhouse gases.
The Prime Minister said that in anticipation of the Copenhagen Conference, India had put in place a national action plan for climate change to improve "our response mechanism meeting the challenge of climate change." He said that special attention will have to be paid to prevent degradation of land and water resources.
Dr Singh also asked for sustained co-opertion among international community to deal with the menace of terrorism. "I do expect that the international community would recognise we are victim of terrorism unfortunately coming from across our borders for the last 25 years. The world may have discovered it as a global problem only after 9/11 but we have lived with that for much longer period," said Dr Singh. He said that India is worried about the rise of terrorism in its neighbourhood, particularly what is going on in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. "We have a vital stake in peace, progress and stability of these countries and other countries of South Asia. I sincerely hope that among the processes, which require sustained international co-operation, dealing with terrorism will figures very high on the priorities of all civilised countries of the world," added Dr Singh.
