Committed to climate change as per own requirements: India at G-20 summit

Speaking on the issue of the US' stance on climate change, Indian Sherpa at the G20 Summit, Arvind Panagariya, said that "there were differences but nobody was isolated, though Europeans had much stronger position".

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | Updated: July 9, 2017 04:02 PM IST

3 min read

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders during the family photo at G-20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany on Friday. PTI Photo / Twitter

India on Saturday joined 18 other G-20 members to strongly support the fight against global warming during the final agreement by the leaders of the Group of 20 economic powers at combating climate change. By terming the Paris climate deal as “irreversible”, India said that it remains committed on the issue of climate change “as per its own values and requirements”.

According to a PTI report, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said the focus of the Indian government is on International Solar Alliance (ISA) and other methods of renewable energy. He said that solar energy and other renewables are the areas that have been the prime focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s conversation with other global leaders at the Summit. “Our stand has been very very clear that what we are committed on climate change as per our own values and more importantly in terms of our own requirements,” Baglay said about the key takeaway for India on climate change at the Summit.

During the final agreement, an official G-20 communique announced the division between the United States and other G20 members on the Paris climate accord aimed at combating climate change as US stood against the Paris pact. US President Donald Trump in June announced that the US will withdraw from the Paris climate accord, saying the deal agreed by more than 190 nations unfairly benefited countries like India and China.

Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi arrives for a concert on the first day of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany, Friday, July 7, 2017. The leaders of the group of 20 meet July 7 and 8. AP/PTI photo

Speaking on the issue of the US’ stance on climate change, Indian Sherpa at the G20 Summit, Arvind Panagariya, said that “there were differences but nobody was isolated, though Europeans had much stronger position”. He also said that the US position on climate change “remained different” from that of other countries as it wants inclusion of fossil fuel.

While speaking about cleaning fuel, Panagariya said that India would need “more time” to process completely. “India’s position remains that we need more time to process completely to clean fuel. US position on climate change remains different from that of other countries and it wants inclusion of fossil fuel,” he added.

Earlier on Friday, speaking at the meeting of BRICS leaders on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that it was “mandatory” to implement the consensus of the Paris agreement on climate change. He also asserted that India will implement the accord in “letter and spirit”.

The main objective of the Paris Agreement ratified on November 4, 2016 is to prevent an increase in global average temperature and keep it well below 2°C. The agreement was adopted on December 12, 2015, by 195 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), replacing its predecessor Kyoto Protocol.

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