New Delhi: Regretting that the responses of countries were not adequate to combat climate change issue, environment minister Prakash Javadekar said on Saturday that the time has come to “incentivize” action. “We are at a very critical stage in our effort to combat climate change. While science prompts towards greater action, we find that response of countries is not adequate. “We must incentivize action—the first step in this regard is enhanced action by developing countries,” the minister said, addressing the 18th BASIC ministerial meeting on climate change here attended by ministers of Brazil, South Africa and China. Stating that the issue of climate change and global warming is not country-specific but is interdependent in nature and requires cooperation among nations, the minister said India has voluntarily taken a number of steps in pursuance of a sustainable development strategy. “India has announced a voluntary 2020 mitigation goal of reducing emissions intensity of its GDP BT 20-25% over 2005 level by 2020,” he said. India has formulated its national climate change action plan with eight missions that are being strengthened, he added. Javadekar also said that the country has designed a low carbon strategy for growth and has set up ambitious renewable energy targets. “We have also encouraged the states to prepare their own state action plan on climate change to take the fight to local level... Twenty-seven states and four UTs have already done it,” he underlined. Noting that the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to the cause for a clean and green environment, he said the Union budget this year has underscored initiatives to tackle climate change. Clean energy cess on coal has been increased from Rs.50 per tonne to Rs.100 to reduce more revenue for clean energy and cross subsidising solar and other renewable energy. A sum of Rs.100 crore has been allocated for national adaptation fund for climate change while Rs.100 crore has been allocated for new ultra modern super critical coal based thermal power technology, he said.