Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India would fulfil all its responsibilities with regard to climate change as he met U.S. President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the climate summit in Paris.
Mr. Modi, in his meeting with Mr. Obama, also appreciated the openness with which the U.S. President addressed issues with him and said it would help in developing a better understanding.
“India will fulfil expectations from it and its responsibilities... the country is working to take forward development and (protecting) environment together,” Mr.Modi said at a joint press event with Mr.Obama.
The Prime Minister also mentioned India’s ambitious target of producing 175 GW of renewable energy.
The Prime Minister’s comments came in the backdrop of India’s strong resentment over U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s statement that India would be a “challenge” at the climate conference. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar described the comments as “unwarranted”.
Mr.Javadekar and Mr.Kerry accompanied Mr.Modi and Mr.Obama along with other senior Ministers and officials.
Mr.Modi also talked about the solar alliance initiative, saying it would help in fulfilling the dreams which had brought the countries together here.
Ahead of his talks with Mr.Obama, Mr.Modi had said that there was an urgent need to craft a comprehensive, equitable and durable agreement to limit global warming.
Later, speaking at the Mission Innovation event hosted by Mr.Obama, Mr.Modi said, “Our innovation initiative should be driven by public purpose, not just market incentives, including on intellectual property.”
“We must come together in a partnership to bring clean energy within the reach of all. The world has assembled in Paris to change the course of our planet to a sustainable path,” Mr.Modi said.
“This partnership will combine the responsibility of government with the innovative capacity of the private sector,” he said.
Mr.Modi began his address by saluting French President Francois Hollande and the French people for their courage and resolve in the aftermath of the horrific Paris attacks.
“We will restore the balance between ecology and economy, and between our inheritance and obligation to the future,” Mr.Modi said.
As it happened:
6-15 pm IST: PM closes speech: To the people of India and our friends, I call you to live with the commitment of ‘Lokah Samastah Sukhinau Bhavantu’
6-10 pm IST: Our commitment to tackle climate change arises from our timeless traditions and beliefs, says PM
6-05 pm IST: PM outlines the changes taking place in India as it adapts: By 2030, 40% of our installed capacity will be based on non-fossil fuel.
6-01 pm IST: ' Climate change is not of our making. It is the result of global warming that came from an industrial age powered by fossil fuel.' Yet, we face its consequences today, and that is why the outcome in Paris is so important and we are here today, says Modi
6-00 pm IST: We approach the negotiations under UNFCCC in a spirit of partnership, based on the principles of equity & common but differentiated responsibilities, says Modi
5-55 pm IST: Mr. Modi releases Parampara — a book on India's climate friendly and sustainable practices. He is now addressing the Indian pavilion:
* Climate change is a major global challenge.
* Climate change is not of our making. It is the result of global warming that came from an industrial age powered by fossil fuel.
* Yet, we face its consequences today, and that is why the outcome in Paris is so important and we are here today.
* We want the world to act with urgency. Agreement must lead us to restore balance between humanity and nature.
* We want a comprehensive, equitable and durable agreement in Paris.
* Our commitment to tackle climate change arises from our timeless traditions and beliefs.
* PM outlines the changes taking place in India as it adapts: By 2030, 40% of our installed capacity will be based on non-fossil fuel.
5-43 pm IST: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates India Pavilion at COP21. Mr Modi said, "India pavilion also seeks to demonstrate the strong belief that the world needs to look beyond climate change & focus on Climate Justice."
5-19 pm IST: Obama, Xi tout close U.S.-China climate coordination
President Barack Obama touted close U.S. cooperation with China on climate change as vital to world efforts for slowing global warming, even as he acknowledged persistent differences with China’s President Xi Jinping over cyber-security and maritime security. >More...
4-50 pm IST:Modi meets Sharif
Mr. Modi meets his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. In September, the two leaders were present at the U.N. peacekeeping summit but their interaction was limited to wave. >More...
4-00 IST:'India will have a positive mindset'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met French President Francois Hollande and said that India will have a “constructive and positive” mindset at the summit. In his meeting with the French president, Mr. Modi asserted that “credibility of commitments” to combat climate change by nations will be the key to a successful climate agreement during the ongoing summit.
Nearly 150 world leaders have gathered in Paris to craft a long-term deal to limit carbon emissions. Photo: @UNFCCC/Twitter 4-20 pm IST The international Red Cross is calling for delegates at the Paris conference to make a priority of helping poor and vulnerable people to deal with the impact of climate change.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called Monday on negotiators to ensure that money is provided for communities that will face, or already face, fallout from rising temperatures.
The federation’s secretary general, Elhadj As Sy, said that “the consequences of climate change are already being felt by the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities.” He added- “It is crucial that any new global agreement emphasizes the need to support these communities to become more resilient and reduce the climate risks they face.”
4-15 pm IST The French football federation says it wants to reduce the impact the sport can have on climate change.
In a partnership with the French agency in charge of environmental and energy—related issues, the soccer federation has issued guidelines for its members aimed at reducing pollution and carbon emissions.
“With one million matches played every year, 3 millions of kilometers (1.9 million miles) traveled every weekend, it is also football’s responsibility to contribute to limit the impact of this activity on the environment,” it said in a statement.
The federation has published an electronic guide available to its 18,000 clubs stressing for instance the need to resort to carpools at weekend matches across France or to save energy by using a reasonable amount of light on football pitches.
4-05 pm IST French President Francois Hollande is urging a strong, binding global agreement to fight climate change.
“What is at stake with this climate conference is peace,” he said at the opening of two weeks of talks.
“The fight against terrorism and the fight against climate change are two major global challenges we must face,” he said.
4-00 pm IST One of the worst spells of air pollution in recent years is hitting Beijing as negotiators meet in Paris to combat global warming.
The city reported extremely hazardous levels of the tiny, poisonous matter PM2.5 on Monday afternoon, 25 times more than what the World Health Organization considers safe.
The pollution, the worst in 2015, prompted Beijing authorities to issue a rare orange alert the second—highest in the four—level urgency system. Schools have suspended outdoor activities, and factories must reduce production.
The warnings came as the U.N. climate conference opened in Paris, aiming to create a landmark agreement to fight global warming.
3-50 pm IST World leaders gathered for a critical climate conference are holding a moment of silence in honor of people killed in recent attacks in Paris, Beirut, Baghdad, Tunisia and Mali.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki—moon declared the moment of silence as he launched two weeks of talks in Paris Monday aimed at a long—term deal to slow man—made global warming.
Organizers sought a high—level kickoff to the talks in hopes of providing impetus for a strong agreement. They say 151 world leaders are expected to attend.
Some leaders have visited the sites of the deadly Nov. 13 attacks in Paris. President Barack Obama laid a flower at a concert hall where dozens of people were killed.
3-15 pm IST The European Union’s environment agency says air pollution remains the single largest environmental health risk in Europe, causing more than 430,000 premature deaths in 2012.
The agency says the data, based on monitoring points across Europe, shows that people living in cities are still exposed to air pollution of “levels deemed unsafe by the World Health Organization” and resulting in serious illnesses, including heart disease, respiratory problems and cancer.
The annual air quality report was released Monday as the U.N. climate conference opened in Paris, which aims to create a landmark agreement to fight global warming.
2-40 pm IST Peruvian Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar Vidal, who played host to the last U.N. climate conference in Lima, declared this year’s meeting open Monday morning.
A total of 151 world leaders have converged on Paris to launch the two—week talks in hopes of giving an impetus for an ambitious agreement.
Vidal said a deal would show the world that countries can work together to fight global warming as well as terrorism. The talks are occurring just two weeks after deadly attacks in Paris by Islamic State extremists.
2-35 pm IST President Barack Obama says nowhere has coordination between the United States and China been more fruitful or critical than on climate change.
Obama says 180 nations followed the lead of the U.S. and China on climate change. He says “our leadership on this issue has been absolutely vital.”
Obama is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the climate conference.
Xi says climate change is a huge challenge. He’s calling for the U.S. and China to build a new model of cooperation, using diplomatic language long preferred by Beijing.
China emits about 30 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases and the U.S. about 16 per cent.
1-40 pm IST Paris police say 317 people were detained after an unauthorized protest seeking to call attention to climate change, which ended with police firing tear gas at protesters throwing bottles and candles.
The Paris police department had said Sunday night that 174 were detained in the protest, then said Monday morning that the figure had grown to 317. It did not give a reason for the growing number.
France is under a state of emergency after Nov. 13 attacks that killed 130 people. It banned protests ahead of landmark climate talks opening Monday, citing security concerns.
But thousands of people formed a human chain along the route of a long—planned environmental march Sunday. It was largely peaceful.
President Francois Hollande denounced the violence as “scandalous.”
12-50 pm IST U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and French President Francois Hollande are greeting heads of state and government from around the world for high-stakes talks aimed at fighting global warming.
One by one, some 150 leaders are arriving at the conference center near the Le Bourget airfield just north of Paris. Ban, Hollande, the head of the U.N. climate change agency Christina Figueres, and French Environment Minister Segolene Royal are standing in front of the conference center to greet them.
Afterwards, each leader will give a speech laying out their countries’ efforts to reduce man—made emissions and cope with climate change.
The event opening Monday lasts through Dec. 11 and is under extra-security after Nov. 13 extremist attacks in Paris.
CoP 21 leaders observe minute's silence
The leaders event of the Conference of Parties (CoP) 21 climate summit started here with a minute’s silence in memory of those killed in the November 13 terror attacks in this French capital.
12-00 noon IST Wide Paris—area highways usually packed with commuters are cordoned off to clear the way for President Barack Obama and 150 other world leaders joining critical talks about fighting global warming.
Riot police vans and plainclothes officers are stationed around the capital and the northern suburb of Le Bourget, where the U.N.-led climate conference is being held Nov. 30-Dec. 11.
The security measures are especially tight after Islamic extremists killed 130 people two weeks ago in Paris and targeted the national stadium Stade de France, near the climate conference venue.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and French President Francois Hollande will greet each of the leaders Monday morning then each will give a speech about what their countries are doing to reduce emissions and slow climate change.
