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India can lead battle against climate change: Blair
The Hindu; March 21, 2008
Special Correspondent
Summary/Excerpts
The former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday said India had an important role to play in mitigating the impact of climate change.
As a powerful, developing nation with the right response to the issue, India could assume a strong leadership role, he said at the launch here of an initiative, “Breaking the Climate Deadlock.”
As “India would face the worst consequences of climate change that would involve its food security, water and energy security also,” it was the right place to strike a right global deal, Mr. Blair said. He appreciated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for setting up a separate council to look into climate change-related issues and come up with an action plan.
Pointing out that unless the world changed course by the middle of the century, irreparable damage would be caused, Mr. Blair said it was important that the global community came together to deal with the problem.
Calling upon the developed world to take “strong, definitive” action for checking emissions and offer incentives by way of technology and funds, Mr. Blair said only then it would be fair to ask the developing nations—including India and China—to make commitments to mitigate climate change. “The world has a common but differentiated responsibility and we all have an obligation. Those who have grown [industrially] and those who are growing.”
© 2008: The Hindu
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