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Indian PM wants transparent regimes
February 1, 2013, 10:33 am

[AP]

[AP]

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says “transparent and accountable regulatory regimes” will help bridge the gap between environmental concerns and economic growth.

Inaugurating the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS), the Prime Minister emphasised that “protection of the environment and promoting development need not amount to a zero sum game”.

On the issue of reducing carbon emissions, Singh said it was time richer industrialised countries “moved decisively” and “enhanced their ambition levels.”

“What is required is regulatory regimes that are transparent, accountable and subject to oversight and monitoring,” Singh said.

“Indeed, regulatory regimes are often the basic necessary condition to ensure that environmental and economic objectives are pursued in tandem.”

The Indian Prime Minister outlined the challenges of curbing the disappearance of natural resources.

“Growing populations, changing consumption patterns and the consequent pressure on precious natural resources are real challenges that we face in our pursuit of economic growth and the amelioration of poverty,” he said.

“This…will demand re-engineering our economies in ways that are both frugal and innovative in their use of scarce resources.”

The theme of the Summit was “The Global Challenge of Resource-Efficient Growth and Development.”

The challenge of disappearing Groundwater reserves were also discussed, “We need to focus attention on water conservation and water efficiency with the sort of zeal that today drives energy conservation and efficiency in the use of energy,” he urged.

Also present were the Presidents of Kiribati and Guyana – island nations battling climate change for survival.

Source: Agencies