India not acting under pressure on climate change issue: Saran

With nations engaged in tough negotiations for a new climate treaty, India has said its decision on voluntary reduction of carbon emission intensity was not announced under pressure but was made to "facilitate and promote a successful outcome at Copenhagen".

With nations engaged in tough negotiations for a new climate treaty, India has said its decision on voluntary reduction of carbon emission intensity was not announced under pressure but was made to "facilitate and promote a successful outcome at Copenhagen".

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India decided to cut down its carbon emission intensity by 20-25 per cent by 2020 in the run up to the Copenhagen summit, shortly after a similar declaration by China.

Asked if the recent announcement on emission reduction indicated flexibility in India's position, Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Climate Change, Shyam Saran said: "We are not required by the convention to do this but we are doing this in order to facilitate and promote a successful outcome at Copenhagen."

He also made it clear that India would stick to the fundamental elements of its stated position on the issue.

"We should be aware of the fact that there are certain fundamental elements that should not change. In terms of those fundamental principles the Indian stand has been quite consistent," he told PTI.