Rich nations have duty to lead climate change action: Modi

“This new alliance is a sign of India’s leadership on the global stage. But it is not of our making”, Mr Modi said as he inaugurated a unique India Pavilion at the summit venue showcasing the country’s commitment to combat greenhouse gas emissions.

“Justice demands that, with what little carbon we can still safely burn, developing countries are allowed to grow. But we must also lead in combating climate change”. “This is the moment that we finally chose to save our planet”, he said. Even as the developed world focused on the post-2020 voluntary emission cuts, Modi called their bluff by reminding them of their binding targets under the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol that began in 2012. It is the result of global warming that came from an industrial age powered by fossil fuel.

Around 40 billion tonnes of Carbon dioxide has been emitted into the atmosphere.

But thousands of people in Paris gathered to create a two-kilometre (1.2-mile) human chain.

The prime ministers of Pakistan and India met and shook hands at the climate change summit on Monday, igniting hopes for melting of ice between the two nuclear neighbors.

French President Francois Hollande joined Modi in launching the International Solar Alliance which is his government’s effort to bring together nations for an exchange of ideas on how to make solar energy available cheaply. We will provide land and contribute approximately 30 million USA dollars to build the Secretariat infrastructure. PM Narendra Modi at COP21.

22 countries took part in the meeting. “And our work here in Paris together represents one of the greatest areas for deeper cooperation – and that’s on the issue of climate change”. We will cooperate on training and building institutions.

The prime minister also mentioned India’s ambitious target of producing 175 GW of renewable energy.

“We would also need to ensure transparency in support provided to the developing countries”.

He also held meetings with his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif and US President Barack Obama.

The prime minister said Pakistan believed that a comprehensive and meaningful climate change agreement must be anchored around the principle of “Common but Differentiated Responsibilities” (CBDR).

In his speech, Obama insisted that “strong economic growth and safer environment” are not antithetical.

A connection between a warming planet and migrant-related instability has in recent years been cautiously cited in several places as an additional rationale for cutting back on carbon emissions, and has drawn more attention in recent weeks after comments by both U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. We have broken the old arguments for inaction.

Pakistan premier said he reciprocated the same sentiment to Modi but added that the tricky issues can’t be resolved in such a short time interaction.

Note: COP 21 reporting has been funded by CANSA (Climate Action Network – South Asia) and PAIRVI.