Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Monday made a scathing attack on the United States’ “commitment to climate change”.
Speaking to Headlines Today Ramesh said that the US has failed to provide political leadership on climate change. He said the US commitment on the issue was not up to the mark.
“The real problem is the United States. It’s not in a position to provide political leadership. It does not have the legislation in place. Its commitments are not up to the mark,” Ramesh told Headlines Today.
“The fast-track finance out of $30 billion that was promised for 2010, 2011 and 2012 only about $6-7 billion we have clarity on. So all in all the inability of the developed countries to meet their part of the grand bargain at the Copenhagen has made the road to Cancun somewhat rocky, somewhat troublesome,” he added.
Ramesh’s strong comments are likely to resonate in the meeting between Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton later on Monday.
But sources in the government told Headlines Today that for once the outbursts of Ramesh might have been a calculated move to build pressure on the US. His statement might have been deliberately timed to build pressure on Washington.
US President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit India in November and the US has been putting pressure on India to cut its emissions.
