Ramesh should make stand on climate change clear: BJP

BJP today accused environment minister Jairam Ramesh of speaking a different language abroad on the issue of climate change after buckling under international pressure and suggested that India should follow the policy of voluntary emission cuts.
    
"The environment minister should make his stand clear on the issue of climate change. He says something here and something else in China," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed.
    
The senior BJP leader maintained that the developed countries were raising the issue of climate change only after reaching high levels of development and at a juncture when India is on the threshold of becoming a developed nation.
    
"India should continue to follow the policy of voluntary emission cuts. It should not change its stand under international pressure," Prasad said.
    
Ramesh, who is on a visit to China, had said that India would come out with its own carbon emission targets based on its economic growth levels.
    
China has announced massive emission cut target of upto 45% by 2020.
    
The matter would come up for discussion at the Copenhagen climate summit scheduled for December.
    
The minister is believed to be of the view that India cannot ignore emission target levels fixed on their own by countries like China, Brazil and South Africa. But India's targets may not be as high as that of China.