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`India should play a key role in fight against global warming`

London, Jan 20: India should play a major role in bringing about a new deal on global warming and avoiding the pitfalls of the developed countries while developing its own economy, Britain's Scretary of State for Environment David Miliband said today.

"It is very important India plays a strategic role in the battle against global warming and in that it should get necessary help from every one," Miliband told on the eve of his four-day visit to India commencing in Delhi today.

"Global warming is a challenge to all countries and I am interested in learning how India is coping up with it.

"25 per cent of the Indian population live in coastal areas and 27 per cent of the Indian economy is agro-based and climate change and rising sea levels are desperately dangerous for the Indian people and the Indian economy," he said.

Most scientists concur that temperatures would rise by two to six degrees celsius this century, mainly because of carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels for power and transport, putting millions of lives at risk from flood and famine.

"The British government wants to have a real partnership of equals with the Indian government in coming to terms with climate change and global warming. We feel there is a moral and economic responsibility for the industrialized countries to show that they are willing to take the lead in cutting carbon emissions.

"But there is also a requirement that all countries are part of a global emissions reduction deal," Miliband said.

Bureau Report

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