Developing countries not main culprit in global warming: PM

‘‘Developing countries do not have adequate resources to meet their human needs,’’ he told delegates from 185 member states of the UN Climate Change Convention here. The need, according to him, was to pay attention to the concerns of the developing countries on vulnerability and adaptation issues in the convention process.

‘‘Climate change mitigation will bring additional strain to the already fragile economies of the developing countries and will affect our efforts to achieve higher growth rates to eradicate poverty speedily.’’

He said the suggestion to take on commitments was ‘‘misplaced’’ in view of lower green house gas emissions and per capita incomes in the third world.

Ministers from more than 80 countries began two days of talks at what is likely to be the last major climate change meeting before the Kyoto protocol on reducing greenhouse gas emissions is expected to take effect next year. Russia has promised to ratify the treaty soon and with that the protocol will become a legally binding document.

The protocol aims to cut greenhouse emissions from the developed world, which account for the overwhelming bulk of the gases, to 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. But it does not set emissions restrictions for developing countries and some industrialised nations, specially the EU, have been clear they would like developing countries to talk of a ‘‘future scenario’’ where they might have to shoulder a greater share of the burden.

‘‘Our per capita greenhouse gas emissions are only a fraction of the world average,’’ Vajpayee said, ‘‘and in order of magnitude below that of many developed countries. ‘‘This situation will not change for decades to come.’’ he added.

Reacting to Vajpayee’s address, EU spokesperson Thomas Becker said they want to start discussions on the future but they mean that developed countries have to also take on further cuts in their emissions in the next phase.

‘‘It was incorrect to think that we are asking only the developing world to share the burden,’’ he said.