India, China want rich nations to further curb emissions

India, China climate change
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi giving his statement to the media, at the Joint Press Statement with the Chinese Premier, Mr. Li Keqiang, at Great Hall of People, in Beijing, China on May 15, 2015.

India and China have issued a joint statement in which they have asked rich countries of the world to step up their efforts to reduce their carbon emissions. They have, however, not made any commitment of their own regarding carbon emissions.

The statement has been issued during the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China.

Both China and India have been facing global pressure to reduce emissions even as they step on the gas to maintain their growth rates. A United Nations study ranked China as the top greenhouse gas emitter and India as the third biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The US ranked second in the list.

The countries have asked wealthy nations of the world to provide finance, technology and other necessary support to emerging countries to help reduce emissions, Reuters has reported.

Both countries urged developed nations to raise their pre-2020 targets for cut in emissions. They also asked the countries to adhere to their commitment to provide developing countries with the $100 billion toward implementing emission reducing measures by 2020.

Although the statement does not spell out any specific commitment from China or India regarding reduction of emissions, it states that the respective plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions would be submitted before global climate talks in Paris later this year.

India had agreed to new limits on carbon emissions starting 2025. The country has also been taking initiatives to enhance renewable energy capacity by setting the target of 175 gigawatt of renewable energy capacity by 2022.

In recent times China has also taken measures to control greenhouse gas emissions, including closure of coal fired power plants.

The statement says that both countries will continue to work together toward developing clean energy technologies, energy conservation and renewable energy.

However, given that both nations will need to further industrialize in their efforts to lift large sections of their burgeoning populations out of poverty, emissions cut and reduced dependence on conventional energy sources will be a difficult ask.

Ajith Kumar S

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