Rich countries asked to take the lead in cutting emissions

R

ich countries need to take the lead in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the leaders of India and China have said in an unusual joint statement.

Released at the end of two days of talks between Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping, it says developing countries need more finance and technological support to green their economies.

“The two sides urged the developed countries to raise their pre-2020 emission reduction targets and honour their commitment to provide US$100bn per year by 2020 to developing countries,” it says.

Nearly 200 countries are working on a global climate pact to limit warming to below 2C above pre industrial levels, with an outcome expected in Paris this December at a UN summit.

Read the Responding to Climate Change piece here: “India, China urge rich nations to cut carbon deeper”.