India’s new environment minister hit out yesterday at US climate-change legislation that would allow import tariffs to be imposed on goods from countries not taking sufficient steps to control carbon emissions.
Jairam Rameshsaid New Delhi would not agree to binding emissions targets as part of global climate-change negotiations.
“India will not accept any emissions targets — period. It is the bottom line; a non-negotiable stand,” he said.
Binding emissions targets for developing countries are not part of United Nations negotiations. Instead, countries such as India are being asked to draw up “national action plans”. These set out how they will attempt to curb emissions and encourage clean energy.
But last week, the US House of Representatives backed a “border adjustment tax” to equalise carbon emissions charges between domestic production and imports from states that do not cap emissions. The legislation is likely to face tough opposition in the Senate.
Someone better rein in the arrogant, cowboy environmentalism of the Obama administration before we lose all our allies in Asia.