Don't abandon Kyoto protocol, PM urges at Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN: With last-minute negotiations on to rescue the Copenhagen climate summit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday pushed for "a balanced and equitable outcome" and asked the world not to abandon the Kyoto protocol.

"We will all play a positive and constructive role so that we can bridge the differences to achieve a balanced and equitable outcome," Manmohan Singh told world leaders on the last day of the global climate summit here.

"India will not be found wanting," Manmohan Singh stressed.

Singh said a majority of the countries do not support any renegotiation or dilution of the principles of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), particularly common but differentiated responsibilities.

Addressing the summit, the PM stressed that parties to Kyoto Protocol should deliver on their commitments for emission cuts.

India has vital stake in the success of negotiations as we are likely to be among the most affected by climate change, he said.

The Prime Minister also said India will deliver on its voluntary target of reducing the emission intensity of GDP growth by around 20% by 2020 as compared to 2005 regardless of the outcome of Copenhagen Conference.