By IANS,
New Delhi : With less than three months to go for the Copenhagen conference on climate change, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen comes here on a day-long visit Friday to enlist India’s support for a new global deal to slash carbon emissions.
Rasmussen, one of Denmark’s youngest prime ministers, will hold talks with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on a wide range of issues, including global financial crisis and issues relating to global warming and green technologies.
The two leaders will also discuss initiatives to expand economic and energy ties between India and the Denmark, which boasts of $54,000 per capita income — one of the highest in the world.
Manmohan Singh will host a lunch in honour of his Danish guest.
Rasmussen will speak to Indian business leaders and opinion-makers at a discussion on “opportunities for India in a green economy”.
Denmark’s Climate and Energy Minister Connie Hedegaard recently said that a new global treaty on climate change hinges on China and India agreeing to limit their CO2 emissions.
India is opposed to any legally binding targets for emissions cuts for developing countries as it holds developed countries more responsible for the increase of carbon emissions in the atmosphere.
New Delhi has consistently espoused the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities for developing and developed countries and made it clear that India will not undertake any commitments that may undermine its growth prospects.
World leaders will meet in Copenhagen in December to negotiate a new international accord to succeed the Kyoto protocol on climate change that expires in 2012.