'Rich nations must help developing world fight climate change'September 25th, 2009 PITTSBURGH - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says developed nations would need to provide funding and affordable technology to developing nations in return for any commitments to fight climate change. "There is a broad, vague agreement that any agreement in which developing countries are also required to take any national action will have to be accompanied by credible action on the part of developed countries," he said at a post G-20 summit news conference Friday.
India declines to take absolute emission reduction targetsSeptember 25th, 2009 PITTSBURGH - Amid mounting pressure from the developed countries to take emission reduction target before December's Copenhagen climate change meet, India has stated that while its emission levels would not exceed those of developed countries, it is against any legally binding absolute emission targets. Speaking on the sidelines of the G-20 summit here, Prime Minister's Special Envoy on climate change Shyam Saran said that India would not be able to take absolute emission reduction targets of the kind which developed countries are obliged to take under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Obama puts climate on top of diplomatic agenda with India, ChinaSeptember 22nd, 2009 UNITED NATIONS - Warning that the global economic recession could hinder the ability of countries to take necessary steps to combat climate change, President Barack Obama Tuesday told world leaders "we are determined to act". "The journey is hard.
Climate change outcome must be rooted in equity: IndiaSeptember 22nd, 2009 UNITED NATIONS - Asserting that India has not caused the climate change problem in any way, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said New Delhi will be part of the solution, but the outcome must be rooted in equity.
'India gives breakthrough on climate change talks'September 18th, 2009 LONDON - Indian plans to set numerical targets for curbing greenhouse gas emissions were described Friday as a breakthrough that challenges the US and other rich nations over climate change action. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told The Times of London legislation was being drafted to limit India's carbon footprint ahead of a UN climate change summit in Copenhagen December.
Japan's new government seeks deeper cuts in greenhouse gasesSeptember 7th, 2009 TOKYO - Japan's premier-designate said Monday that his incoming government wants to make deeper cuts in the country's emissions of greenhouse gases. Yukio Hatoyama, who is slated to become the next prime minister after his Democratic Party of Japan won last week's parliamentary election, said the party wants emissions cuts of 25 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels.
Countries adopt climate data sharing agreementSeptember 3rd, 2009 GENEVA - The members of the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Thursday approved an agreement to set up a global mechanism for sharing information on the climate and weather. The Global Framework for Climate Services would be established in stages, coming into effect by 2011.
G8-G5 summit: World powers accept warming limitJuly 10th, 2009 L'AQUILA - Developed and developing nations have agreed that global temperatures should not rise more than two degrees Celsius above 1900 levels, a G8 summit declaration has said. That is the level above which, the UN says, the Earth's climate system would become dangerously unstable.
G8 non-committal on emission targets in L'Aquila declarationJuly 9th, 2009 L'AQUILA - The G8 or the world's most wealthy and developed countries have remained non-committal on setting targets for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, a demand being stressed by the emerging economies (G5) and other developing countries. Though the G8 and G5 came out with a joint declaration on various issues at this quake-hit Italian town, 100 km from Rome, the document neither set targets for reducing emissions nor any dateline.
Climate change: developed countries unwilling to commit to 2020 targetsJuly 9th, 2009 L'AQUILA - Developed countries comprising the G8 are unwilling to commit themselves to reducing greenhouse gas emissions drastically by 2020, despite scientists across the world and developing countries urging them to do so. With the issue of climate change becoming significant during the G8-G5 summit here, especially in the run-up to the UN climate change summit to be held in Copenhagen this December, emerging economies of the G5 are exerting pressure on the G8 to commit to earlier targets on reducing emissions.
Obama administration agrees that industrialized nations should reduce greenhouse gas emissionsJuly 8th, 2009 Obama administration agrees on greenhouse gas cutsL'AQUILA, Italy — The Obama administration says it agrees that industrialized nations should sharply reduce their greenhouse gas emissions over the next four decades. White House officials said Wednesday that the administration supports a goal of an 80 percent greenhouse gas reduction from industrialized nations by 2050.
Tackle climate change now, top scientists urge world leadersJuly 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - As leaders of the world's 13 major countries prepare to meet at the G8+5 summit in Italy this week, 24 leading scientists from these countries have appealed to them to take immediate action to combat climate change. "We come together to call on our government leaders to recognise both the unacceptable risks that climate change creates for our societies, and the unprecedented opportunities a clean energy, low-carbon transition creates for our economies," the scientists said in a joint appeal.
India vows cooperation on climate change but not at economic costJune 29th, 2009 PRAGUE - India is prepared to cooperate on curbing global warming - but not at the expense of its own economic development, Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna warned Monday.
ADB warns of carbon emissions from vehiclesMay 30th, 2009 MANILA - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) expressed concern Saturday over the unabated increase of carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles in the region's developing countries. The Manila-based bank said that while developed countries are still responsible for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector, emissions from developing countries in Asia are growing rapidly.
Global carbon emissions to increase 40 percent by 2030May 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The level of carbon emissions into the Earth's atmosphere will surge nearly 40 percent by 2030 if the governments can't force more limits on pollutants blamed for global warming, a US report said Wednesday. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) projected that energy consumption will increase 44 percent between 2006 and 2030, mainly because of higher demands from the developing world.