India Fights Back on UN Carbon Cut Recommendations

The United Nations report was criticized by India for the recommendation that the developing countries should cut greenhouse gas emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2050.

The U.N. Development Programme released on Tuesday the Human Development Report which included some warnings regarding a collective action in order to avoid a catastrophic climate change. This will affect the poor.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, India's national policy making body said: "Its recommendations look egalitarian, but they are not. This is the first time I have seen a United Nations report talk of developing nations to take up commitments. I challenge the research team to supplement their research," Reuters reports.

His statement comes ahead of the U.N. climate summit due to be held next month in Bali, Indonesia. Nations invited at the summit will discuss cutting the carbon emissions which are seemed to be the cause of climate change.

According to the U.N. report, an agreement without any implication of the developing countries would “lack credibility.”

Still, India thinks that this request is unfair and doesn’t want to commit to binding cuts. They will hamper country’s efforts to help millions of people to escape poverty.

India also pointed out that the rich countries reached their present level after 150 years of burning large amounts of fossil fuels, and thinks that they should be the ones to make the cuts.

India is responsible for about a twentieth of total carbon emissions, even though holds about a sixth of the world's population.

Almost 500 millions Indians live in the countryside and are burning cow dung, wood and kerosene for fuel. This is one of the reasons why India is developing so slowly.  

Many people think that India could both develop and reduce emissions if more investments are made in renewable energy sources instead of increasing its dependence on coal.