Europe, US top carbon emitters historically; India a sufferer: Govt

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 19

The government on Friday said India was a sufferer, not a perpetrator of climate change with the European Continent and the US being top carbon emitters over the past two centuries.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday shared historical carbon emission data by major regions and nations between 1751 and 2017 and said the European Continent contributed 514 billion tones to overall global carbon emissions during the period, which makes 33 per cent of the entire carbon footprint burden.

“I have data from 1751 to 2017. The European continent has contributed 33 per cent – 514 billion tons -- of historical emissions over this period. The US has contributed 25 per cent, which is 400 billion tons; China has contributed over 13 per cent, which comes to 200 billion tons while India has contributed only 48 billion tones. Our net emissions are much lower than these regions and we are absolutely not responsible for climate change,” Javadekar said answering questions on the Paris Climate Change Agreement of which India is a signatory.

The minister firmly stated that India was a sufferer, not a perpetrator of the climate change problem.

“We are the sufferers. That is why our stand has been that the developed nations should reduce their carbon emissions, and transfer technology at low costs to developing nations to help them further reduce their emissions,” Javadekar said adding that not every major environmental event was taking place due to climate change.

He was speaking in context of the recent Chamoli floods and forest fires.

“Every such natural incident is not related to or caused climate change alone. These events have a history and over hundred to 1,000 years we see recurrence of such events,” he said.

The minister informed the house that the government had developed an efficient system of forest fire alarms which was helping it avert major disasters even in areas with tough terrains.

Javadekar also said plans had been developed with states to reduce pollution in India’s top 100 polluted cities in the next five years. He also took a swipe at the AAP led Delhi government for taking credit for marginal reductions in pollution in the capital city noting that the reduction was a result of steps taken by the Centre.

“But some people love to rush to take credits,” he said.