India should act to lessen impact of global warming: Ramesh

NEW DELHI: India needs to play a leadership role to adapt and mitigate the adverse impact of global warming as it is the most "vulnerable" country to climate change, Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh said.

"We cannot afford to ignore the threats of climate change as four areas of vulnerabilities exist only in India and nowhere in the world. For instance, if monsoon fails our economy will come to a standstill," Ramesh said at a function to launch the "Climate Change Agenda for Delhi 2009-2012."

Similarly, he said the vast stretch of coastal lines, himalayan glaciers in the Northern regions and thick forests in Central India were under threat.

"Without being told by the world what we should do, we have to be very proactive and take a leadership role and show the global communities how to adapt and mitigate the adverse impact of climate change," the minister added.

Appreciating the Delhi Government's effort in becoming the first State to prepare the domestic action plan to tackle global warming caused by green house gas emissions, he said, it is in keeping with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's call all the States to come out with such points.

He also appreciated the government's 'green initiatives' such as taking solar energy in the households through power tariffs, preparing a map for carbon footprints of the city and greening the capital by setting up urban forests across the city.