Kyoto Protocol should be sincerely followed: India

India on Wednesday asked all countries to "adhere and sincerely follow" the Kyoto Protocol which recognises principles of common but differentiated responsibility in dealing with the challenge of climate change.

Addressing the 9th World CEO Sustainability Summit organised by TERI in Delhi, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said "we have acknowledged the fact that countries across the world have different levels of development, have differing abilities in adopting mitigation and adaptation measures for climate change".

At the Durban Climate Conference in December last year, the countries had decided that the Kyoto Protocol would continue for another five years till 2017.

Kyoto Protocol is the only legally binding agreement which commits countries to reduce global warming pollution and in the Durban conference developing nations, including India and China, had pitched for a its second commitment period.

Sharma said India has made significant headway in ensuring sustainable development.

Pointing out that India has taken voluntary domestic mitigation actions following the Copenhagen accord, the minister said "it shall be our endeavour to reduce our emission intensity by 20-25 per cent within this decade, compared to 2005 levels."