By NNN-Bernama,
Hua Hin, Thailand : Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh on Sunday said India was committed to the success of international efforts to combat climate change and sought a global mechanism to develop environment-friendly technologies and ensuring their availability to developing nations at an affordable cost, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
Addressing the fourth East Asian Summit (EAS) here, Singh noted that the issue of climate change is “a major challenge” facing the world, but it is particularly so for the developing and fast growing economies in Asia.
“The challenge before us is to find a global mechanism which, while safeguarding the incentives for innovation and development of environment-friendly technologies in the private sector, also simultaneously ensures the availability of such technology to developing countries at an affordable cost,” the Prime Minister said.
Later, addressing a press conference, Singh said he reiterated at the Summit “India’s commitment to the success of international efforts to combat climate change.
“…the urgent need to collaborate in the research and development of renewable energy technologies, the need for Asia to focus on food security and disaster management, all of which are key to finding a path to sustainable development.”
At the Summit, the Prime Minister said the East Asian Summit process should come up with a workable model of sustainable development. Financing and technology transfers are its key elements.
Ahead of the key climate change meet in Copenhagen in December, India has made it clear that it will not compromise on development in the fight against global warming and said all developing nations must do their bit to keep their emissions footprint within “sustainable and equitable” levels.
At the EAS meet on Sunday, the Prime Minister also pointed out that many Asian countries face the spectre of terrorism and said that there are growing threats from non-traditional sources, such as piracy, transnational groups and extremist ideologies.
At the press conference, the Prime Minister also said the summit also agreed that the issues of terrorism and non-traditional threats to security have to addressed with resolve and firmness.
The Prime Minister also said the countries will have to pay greater attention to issues of social exclusion and regional imbalances in development.
“The fight against pandemics and collaboration in disaster management are other areas which will need our attention,” he told the Summit.
The East Asia Summit holds great potential, he said, adding that “if we pool our collective wisdom and resources, there is little doubt that the EAS will emerge as an oasis of peace, stability and prosperity in a fast changing world.”