India is the second largest country in Southeast Asia and the second most populated in the world with over 1.2 billion people. It is known for facing problems such as poverty, corruption, poor public service and terrorism. But over the past few years, India is declared as one of the countries with the fastest rising economies. However, lately, the country gets some unwanted attention due to its stand on the issue of climate change.
During the United Nations Climate Change Conference, the Indian government has declared its intention to build even more infrastructures and industrial factories to provide jobs for its people. Although that may have sounded great, its little up to no concern about the environment caught the attention of many national leaders and it is being encouraged to change its plan.
Even India's own environmentalists are protesting to the government and stating the possibility that even though it might reach its goal, the price could be their entire nation. The Indian government insisted to push through with its plan because it will decrease the percentage of carbon used per unit of growth by 5 percent.
One of the main objectives of this year's U.N. Climate Change Conference is to bind all countries in an agreement to resolve the global issue once and for all, but India is not on the same page with them. It refuses to produce five yearly reviews of emissions reduction commitments that is an essential part of the Kyoto protocol.
The country's position in the Climate Change Associations and the talks has garnered mixed reactions from the entire world. The United States secretary to the state John Kerry even remarked that New Delhi will be a "challenge" once the U.N. summit starts. But India's Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar refutes his statement by saying that India cannot be bullied and that already developed countries should provide carbon space for the less developed ones to occupy. He further explained that they will not be opposing and they are merely explaining the changes that are needed to ensure a balance between economic growth and the environment.
