Environment Minister Prakash Prakash Javadekar said India has said it was ready to reduce its reliance on coal if the developed nations provide it with finance and technology to switch to clean energy sources. (Associated Press photo)
Dismissing Western media's criticism over its coal consumption to meet energy needs, India on Tuesday said that such reports will not deter the country from its stand at the crucial climate change conference.
"Certain criticism without attributing any motive to them, I take it as compliment. It does not deter me from my positions," Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said.
His comments came after India was targeted by the Western media for its expansion plans for usage of coal to meet its energy needs.
India has said it was ready to reduce its reliance on coal if the developed nations provide it with finance and technology to switch to clean energy sources.
India in its climate action plan has announced its ambitious plans to have 40 per cent of its electricity from renewables by 2030.
"When we are increasing our renewable by seven fold, definitely our coal consumption comes down. In absolute terms, US and many other countries, are much more than us," the minister said.
"If we are third largest emitter, we might be third in sequence but the smallest. India is burning 1/7th of coal that the first two (emitters) are doing," Mr Javadekar said on the first day of ministerial-level talks at the summit.
When asked about a US proposal to expand the donor base for climate financing, Mr Javadekar said that the $100 billion as committed by certain parties should be fulfilled first and mentioned the song 'jo wada kiya hai nibhana parega'.
"100 billions dollars is a commitment of certain parties...If you promise something you have to walk the talk. They need to fulfil the commitment. Climate action cost is not limited to 100 billion dollars. The annual cost of climate actions is in trillions of dollars which each country is going to bear," he said.
"Even the developing world will bear majority of cost of its mitigation and adaptation. 100 billion is a very important and symbolic gesture. One should not run away from it. We helped Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, African countries and many others." the environment minister said.
"If we are doing this, it is our bilateral voluntary action. That is additional. It does not become a part of 100 billion dollars. We are doing our actions bilaterally, it is not part of the 100 billion dollars. The commitment by some should come first," Mr Javadekar added.
"There should not be double accounting. That should be a clean exercise which will create a new confidence in the world. Let that happen," the minister added.