India sets target on carbon emissions

In its statement announcing the target, the environment and forests ministry did not spell out what measures India, the world's fifth largest polluter, would take to meet the goal. The statement also said the targeted cuts will not be not legally binding.

An accord agreed at the Copenhagen climate conference in December had set the Jan. 31 deadline for developing countries to present their nonbinding, voluntary carbon-curbing actions, and for rich nations to submit economy-wide emissions targets for 2020.

India's pledge, which it publicized earlier, means that it will adopt cleaner technologies to slow the rate at which emissions are growing — reducing the intensity of emissions per unit of GDP.

However, it does not cover the agriculture sector, a move aimed at ensuring food security for the country's growing population of 1.2 billion.

China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has pledged to cut carbon emissions intensity by 40 to 45 percent by 2020, compared with levels in 2005.

U.N. scientists warn of dire consequences for the planet if action is not taken to fight climate change. They say any temperature rise above 3.6-degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) could lead to a catastrophic sea level rise threatening islands and coastal cities, the killing off of many species of animals and plants, and the alteration of agricultural economies of many countries.

Officials from India, China, Brazil and South Africa met in New Delhi last week where they urged developed countries to act on their pledge made in Copenhagen to contribute US$10 billion to help poor countries deal with the effects of climate change.

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