More funds needed to cut carbon emissions: PM New Delhi: Friday is the last day of the Earth Summit at Rio and 191 member nations of the United Nations are expected to endorse the final draft proposal that lays down new mechanisms for eventual funding and technology transfer for sustainable development. On Thursday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh criticised the industrialised world for not doing enough to fund efforts to cut carbon emissions.

Manmohan also made a strong plea for finding new pathways for sustainable living since the current consumption patterns in the industrialised world are unsustainable.

The Prime Minister's remarks came even as a draft statement finalised at the Summit showed developing countries' failure to get any figures in paragraphs about financing sustainable growth for poorer economies. The Group of 77 and China bloc had demanded $30 billion a year.

Manmohan enunciated India's stand in his address during the plenary session of the Rio summit, which is officially known as the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. "Many countries could do more if additional finance and technology were available. Unfortunately, there is little evidence of support from the industrialised countries in these areas(reducing emissions intensity). The ongoing economic crisis has made matters worse," he said....more    
07:27 AM, Jun 22, 2012

US considers removing all tariffs for poor nations Washington: The US government said on Friday it is investigating the probable economic effects of eliminating all tariffs and quotas on goods from the world's least-developed countries (LDCs). The US International Trade Commission said it would report its findings to the US Trade Representative's office in February, two months after a key World Trade Organization meeting at which Washington will be under pressure to agree to a "duty-free, quota-free" package...  
01:10 AM, Jul 09, 2011

Indians happier than many developed nations: Survey The index is based on life expectancy, life satisfaction and ecological footprint. ...  
06:11 PM, Jul 28, 2009