‘Rich World’ Powered Its Way To Prosperity When Nobody Knew About Global Warming: Indian PM

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the “rich world” not to burden developing countries like India by asking for reduction in emissions. He said it would be “morally wrong” to do so.

The prime minister of one of the “world’s fastest-growing economies” made the comments in an opinion piece for the Financial Times on Monday. He said India will play its part to reduce emissions by at least 33 percent in the next 15 years, compared to what it was in 2005.

According to Modi, developed nations and developing ones cannot share equal responsibilities on the climate issue. “Some say advanced countries powered their way to prosperity on fossil fuel when humanity was unaware of its impact,” Modi writes.

“Since science has moved on and alternative energy sources are available, they argue that those just beginning their development journey bear no less responsibility than those who have reached the zenith of their progress.”

Modi believes advanced countries should assume more responsibility.

Two weeks of climate talks started in Paris on Monday with 151 world leaders. While the talks are about global warming and other related climate issues, the leaders have taken this opportunity to come to a common measure to deal with extremist violence in the wake of recent attacks around the world.

"We can show to the world that we can work together against climate change and against global terrorism," the Associate Press quoted Peruvian Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal as saying.

U.S. President Barack Obama paid a late-night visit to the concert hall in Paris where dozens had been killed in a terrorist attack earlier in November and placed a single flower outside the building.

U.N. climate change agency chief Christiana Figueres called Paris, which witnessed the terror attack that left 130 people dead and hundreds injured, “a beacon of hope for the world.”