Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) – India and China, two of the most polluting nations in the world, have signed a cooperation agreement in the field of climate change. The two Asian giants have decided to work together to develop technologies that cut polluting gas emissions.
Beijing and Delhi also agree to work together on climate talks next December in Copenhague, an agreement that provides for the participation of the United States. All three nations believe that a ceiling on pollution emissions will limit economic growth.
For China and India, industrialised nations must do more in this area.
“There is virtually no difference in Indian and Chinese negotiating positions,” India’s Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said during the signing ceremony, adding that he intends to hold more talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xia Zhenhua, to ensure a successful outcome in Copenhagen that protects the environment and “promotes the interests of developing nations.”
According to various analysts, yesterday’s five-year deal will give the two countries greater clout, but it will not necessarily help replace the Kyoto Protocol that ends in 2012.
The agreement emphasises the "United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol" as "the most appropriate framework for addressing climate change". However, since the Kyoto agreement was not accepted by the United States, it is virtually meaningless given US pollution levels.
Likewise, Washington is critical of the December meeting, and has opted to join China in trying to get a better deal, the White House announced yesterday.
Yesterday US President Barack Obama called his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, and the two “exchanged views on bilateral issues and climate change.”
“Both leaders acknowledged each is taking significant actions to confront climate change and reduce emissions. [. . . ] To that end, the two Presidents committed to having their teams redouble efforts to work with each other and other countries to achieve success at Copenhagen”.
An international agreement that cuts CO2 gases could threaten economic growth in Asia, still heavily dependent on coal burning. It is also likely to create an oil crisis since both Beijing and New Delhi are prepared to use their reserves to buy oil, something which will a negative impact on Western countries.
