A woman examines a giant globe at the Bella Center in Copenhagen on the 10th day of the COP15 UN Climate Change Conference. India labelled developed world offers at the Copenhagen climate change summit "disappointing" on Wednesday as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh prepared to fly to the Danish capital for the talks.(AFP/Attila Kisbenedek)
NEW DELHI (AFP) - India labelled developed world offers at the Copenhagen climate change summit "disappointing" on Wednesday as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh prepared to fly to the Danish capital for the talks.
"We have stressed that developed countries need to come up with ambitious emission reduction numbers," Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told reporters in New Delhi.
"This is at the heart of the outcome at Copenhagen and will be critical to its success," she said
Rao added: "The numbers put on the table so far unfortunately are disappointing."
Nine days of negotiations in the Danish capital have resulted in deadlock, with limited progress on the key issue of financial aid for poor countries seeking to limit carbon emissions blamed for global warming.
The summit's goal of a comprehensive accord on curbing carbon emissions is expected to be replaced by a simpler political statement and a framework for more talks next year.
A political statement "certainly wouldn't measure up to our expectation (from the talks)," said Rao.
"What we want and we have stressed this all along is an effective and equitable outcome at Copenhagen and we are playing a constructive role in these negotiations," she said.
India, which has positioned itself as a leader in the G-77 bloc of developing nations, has pledged a reduction in carbon intensity of 20 to 25 percent by 2020, compared to 2005 levels.
But it says binding emission cuts are out of the question and has refused to adopt a peak year by when its emissions would have to stop growing and start falling.
India also says it will reject any international verification of its carbon mitigation strategies unless it receives funding from developed nations to stem emissions.
It argues binding emission curbs would impose unacceptable costs on the national economy and would dampen the expansion the government says it needs to lift millions out of poverty.
Premier Singh was expected on Thursday to join the Indian negotiating team in Copenhagen, which includes Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, for the crucial final session of talks.
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