Harvard University professor Lawrence Summers. (Reuters file photo)
The climate has become warmer due to emissions from industrial countries and India is right in protesting against taking binding commitments that can keep it poor, an eminent economist has said.
"India should not be asked to take on binding commitments that can keep it poor, Harvard University professor Lawrence Summers said today.
"...Look, I think your Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) is right. The climate has gotten warmer and it is not because of India. Growth of emissions has been from industrial countries and not India. You're right in protesting against it," Mr Summers said during a session at the HT Leadership Summit.
Mr Summers, who is president Emeritus and Charles W Eliot professor at Harvard University, said so the idea that some common standard should apply to India and industrial countries seems to be a misguided idea.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been seeking "climate justice" arguing that India was a victim of global warming and is not responsible for the pollutants and massive development based on fossil fuel.
Having an ambitious path to development, India has been seeking from the developed world access to the environmental friendly technologies and funding for that. The developed world so far has been reluctant to offer technologies that can help India meet its developmental goals in an environment friendly way.
The ongoing Paris Climate Conference from November 30 to December 11 will, for the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations, aim to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, with the aim of keeping global warming below 2 degree Celsius.
Asked about Republican party candidate Donald Trump for the US presidential election, Mr Summers said, "Donald Trump isn't going to be the US president and that is really a good thing."