Reject protectionism in climate talks: Jairam Ramesh

While the West had pledged $30 billion in the next three years as “fast start” projects, no money had, as yet, been distributed. He said India and China had both voluntarily withdrawn their claims to climate finance, so that the money would benefit Small Island States, Less Developed Countries and African nations.

“I don't think the West is playing cricket with a straight bat,” he added. “Frankly, the moral and political authority of the West has been eroded by their inability to put fast start finance on the fast track. If they haven't even been able to do this much, there is no credibility left.”

He also hit out at the failure of the U.S. to take on greater targets as the main stumbling block in the talks. Its commitments so far, he said, were “laughable”, and that the U.S. was not the only country that faced domestic hurdles against climate legislation.