India: US should cut more emissions than developing countries

As President Obama unveiled his core climate change rule on carbon emissions from power plants this week, countries across the globe watched closely.

While India is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, it is looking to the U.S. to lead the way.

{mosads}One of India’s environment ministry officials said that if the U.S. expects developing-country governments to make deep cuts in emissions, then the U.S. must show it is willing to make the tough calls as well.

“Carbon emissions in the U.S. are significantly more than emissions by India,” the official said in New Delhi, according to The Wall Street Journal. “The U.S. is a developed country and should do a 60 to 70 percent emission cut.”

After the administration proposed the cuts to carbon emissions from existing power plants Monday, reaction from global leaders was mixed.

While Japan called the move a bold step, the European Union’s climate commissioner, Connie Hedegaard, said the U.S. must do more.

In an interview with PBS the evening after the proposal was released, Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy said she is confident the rules will be seen as an action of strong presidential and global leadership on climate change.