India this week rejected calls to announce a net zero carbon emissions target, and said that it was far more important for the world to lay out a pathway to reduce emissions.
India is the third–largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the United States, and has come under pressure from climate activists to more aggressively restrict the development of coal-powered power stations and industry.
Indian environment secretary R.P. Gupta told reporters that announcing net zero was not the solution to the “climate crisis”.
The United States and the European Union have declared their intention to reach net zero emissions by the year 2050, whilst China and Saudi Arabia have promised to do the same by 2060.
The calls for more climate regulation have been made as many world leaders meet for discussions on climate change at the COP-26 conference in Scotland.
The conference is already facing serious problems in achieving its goals, not just from India. Chinese leader Xi-Jinping will not be in attendance, in what is being seen as a snub.