Narendra Modi: Developing Nations Unfairly Blamed for Emissions - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said developing countries are unfairly held responsible for carbon emissions despite their comparatively low per-capita output.

Modi made the remarks on Saturday as he inaugurated a two-day international conference on environmental and climate governance in New Delhi, organized by India's National Green Tribunal.

Speaking at the opening of the "Future of Environment and Climate Dynamics" conference at Vigyan Bhawan, Modi said, "We know that often the responsibility for carbon emissions is wrongly placed upon developing countries... the historical truth is that India's contribution per capita carbon emission is less than half of the global average."

"In developed countries, per capita carbon emissions are six times higher than in India." 

He said India has consistently raised this point at global forums, including at the 2015 Paris climate summit, adding that India is the only G20 nation to have met its Paris commitments ahead of schedule.

The remarks come weeks after devastating floods hit India's northern neighbor, Nepal, killing over 1400 people. Nepal contributes roughly 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it what the World Bank calls a "negligible contributor to climate change."

The conference, which ends Sunday, brings together judges and environmental officials from 17 countries as well as Indian Supreme Court and High Court judges, senior bureaucrats, and representatives of state environmental authorities, according to the Prime Minister's Office.