India’s environment minister Friday said his country is committed to the Paris climate accord irrespective of the position of other nations, after the US announced plans to pull out of the global pact.
“As far as the Paris accord is concerned… our government is committed irrespective of the stand of anyone, anywhere in the world,” Harsh Vardhan told reporters.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord and accused China and India of benefitting from the accord at the expense of the US.
His announcement triggered a furious backlash from global leaders, including the Chinese premier who said Beijing “will steadfastly” implement the Paris climate pact.
India accounts for 4.1 percent of global emissions and is the third largest carbon-emitting country.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided leadership at the Paris summit and we are committed to ensure that we will address the issues related to climate change and global warming,” added Vardhan.
China and the US, the world’s first and second biggest polluters, respectively, are together responsible for some 40 percent of the world’s emissions.
In his speech Trump repeatedly painted the pact as a deal that failed to “put America first” and was too lenient on economic rivals China, India and Europe.
India, the fastest growing major global economy, is investing billions in clean energy infrastructure to cut down on emissions as the country battles choking pollution across the second most populated nation.
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