India Unlikely to Agree To Reductions in CO2 Emissions

India will not support binding limits on its carbon dioxide emissions as part of a new global climate change treaty, an Indian climate change negotiator has told the Washington Post. Returning from climate talks last week in Bonn, the negotiator — whom the Post did not name — said, “It is morally wrong for us to agree to reduce when 40 percent of Indians do not have access to electricity.” The Indian stance, which resembles China’s, could be a major stumbling block at climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December, with developing countries refusing to limit their use of coal to drive their rapidly expanding economies. Last week, India’s special envoy on climate change, Shyam Saran, said in Bonn that he would oppose any effort by developed countries to impose “carbon tariffs” on industrial goods imported from countries that refused to limit CO2 emissions. Rajendra K. Pachauri, an Indian who heads the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said it is “highly unlikely” that India will change its opposition to limits on CO2 emissions.