The Hindu Business Line : Bali meet on climate

The Bali meeting on climate change has ended on a somewhat unhappy note, with the participating nations still to agree on many of the commitments in their efforts to counter global warming.

In the confrontation between developed countries and developing ones on the need for cutting down emissions, developing countries, China and India, in particular, insisting on exemption from committing to any quantum of cuts does not sound rational, especially in the context of a disproportionate rise, in the recent past, in the levels of greenhouse gas emissions in these two countries.

They also have a responsibility to contain greenhouse gases, since the effect of a rise anywhere in the world has global implications.

These will work as a check valve on indiscriminate actions to pollute the environment in the name of development and to strengthen the argument for transfer of technology and financial assistance from the developed countries.

When the next meeting takes place in 2009, along with post Kyoto Protocol steps to arrive at acceptable figures to limit pollution, it is all the more necessary to think over and discuss how to limit the lifestyles of the richer classes globally, and not restrict it to developed countries only..

C.R. Bhattacharjee Kolkata

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Bali meet on climate