Copenhagen: With nations engaged in tough
negotiations for a new climate treaty, India has said its
decision on voluntary reduction of carbon emission intensity
was not announced under pressure but was made to "facilitate
and promote a successful outcome at Copenhagen".
India decided to cut down its carbon emission intensity
by 20-25 per cent by 2020 in the run up to the Copenhagen
summit, shortly after a similar declaration by China.
Asked if the recent announcement on emission reduction
indicated flexibility in India's position, Prime Minister's
Special Envoy on Climate Change, Shyam Saran said: "We are not
required by the convention to do this but we are doing this in
order to facilitate and promote a successful outcome at
Copenhagen."
He also made it clear that India would stick to the
fundamental elements of its stated position on the issue.
"We should be aware of the fact that there are certain
fundamental elements that should not change. In terms of those
fundamental principles the Indian stand has been quite
consistent," he told.
On Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's late decision to
attend the summit's finale on December 18, that came after US
President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's
confirmation of their attendance, Saran denied India was
acting under pressure.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, December 08, 2009, 13:14