India calls for strong 'will' to fight global warming

Reminding that huge bailout packages were being doled out by developed nations to rescue the corporate world in the aftermath of the global financial meltdown, India has called for a similar "will" to fight global warming.

Reminding that huge bailout packages were being doled out by developed nations to rescue the corporate world in the aftermath of the global financial meltdown, India has called for a similar "will" to fight global warming.

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At the UN annual climate change summit held recently, India also cautioned countries to guard against any hint of protectionism, which it added would dilute the commitment of developed countries.

"The financial crisis has shown and this has not escaped anybody, that huge resources can be mobilised in developed countries when there is a will," Environment Secretary Vijai Sharma, who had attended the 12-day summit beginning early this month in Poznan told reporters in New Delhi today.

He said the summit came at a time of global financial crisis.

"This should not retard our efforts at addressing climate climate change by dilution in commitments of developed nations. We should also guard against any hint of protectionism," he cautioned.

Rejecting the industrial countries insistence to take up binding cuts on Greenhouse gas emissions, Sharma said, "all four pillars of the Bali action -- adaptation, mitigation, research and technology -- are to be acted upon in accordance with the convention provisions and principles."

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change has calculated that greenhouse gas emissions from industrialised countries have continued to rise between 1990 and 2006 in violation of their commitment under the convention and the Kyoto Protocol.