Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said that industrialised countries need to shoulder equitable burden of mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

He cautioned that if the developing nations followed industrialised countries’ path in meeting their energy requirements through fossil fuels, the impact on global climate would be unsustainable.

“We can only meet the challenge by responding in two ways. First, we must contain the total growth in energy associated with the growth of GDP by improving energy efficiency. Second, we can work to shift from conventional to non-conventional or clean energy,’’ he said in his address to the fourth Clean Energy Ministerial here on Wednesday.

Both actions help to mitigate emissions and both involve costs, he said, adding that the costs were borne by the country taking action, whereas the benefits extended to the whole world.

“An optimal level of mitigation on the part of all countries can come only through globally co-ordinated action. An acceptable global strategy must be based on equitable sharing of the burden of mitigation and adjustments,’’ he reiterated.

Singh further said that on any principle of equity, the industrialised countries had to bear a large share of the burden.

“They are historically responsible for the bulk of the accumulated GHG emissions and this alone suggests a greater responsibility. They also have high per capita incomes, which gives them higher capacity to bear the burden. They are technically the most advanced, and to that extent best placed to provide workable solutions not only for themselves but for the whole world,” Singh added.

richa.mishra@thehindu.co.in

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