India, China clash with EU over UN climate package

India and China clashed angrily with the European Union over a planned “roadmap” towards a new pact on curbing greenhouse gases at the UN climate talks here on Sunday.

Indian Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan told a plenary of the talks, running more than a day and a half into overtime, that her country was being threatened with demands to surrender the principle of burden-sharing between rich and poor.

“India will never be intimidated by threats or intimidation or any kind of pressure like this,” she warned.

China’s chief delegate, Xie Zhenhua, gesticulating fiercely, said it supported the Indian position.

“We should maintain the principle of common but differentiated responsibility,” Xie said, referring to one of the pillars of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCCC).

He accused developed countries — which he did not name — of hypocrisy in demanding that poorer countries shoulder too much of the load in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.

“We are doing things that you are not doing. What qualifies you to say these things?” he asked. “We are taking actions — we want to see your actions.”

The talks were scheduled to end on Friday after 12 days, but staggered on into the early hours of Sunday in the hope of an agreement.

On the table is a Europe-backed “roadmap” towards a new worldwide pact on carbon emissions that would be completed by 2015.

For the first time, it would bring all the major emitters — including China and India — unto the same legally-binding roof.

Until now, developing giants have had no such constraints on their carbon pollution.