India backs 2 degree global warming limit

A handout photograph released by the Indian Press Information Bureau shows French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (left), during a meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi, India, on Nov 20, 2015 PHOTO: EPA

PARIS (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly backs the goal of limiting global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels, a source close to French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Saturday (Nov 21).

Leaders from 195 nations will meet from Nov 30 to Dec 11 in Paris to try to nail down an agreement after the last global climate change conference in Copenhagen in 2009 collapsed.

Fabius, who will chair the conference, has embarked on a three-day tour to make sure big emerging nations are on board. He was in India on Friday and will be in South Africa on Sunday before heading to Brazil on Monday.

"Narendra Modi said he wanted an agreement in Paris and that India shared without ambiguity the 2 degree goal" the French source said.

The aim of limiting average global warming to 2 degrees above pre-industrial times was agreed in 2010 in Mexico.

It was reaffirmed at meeting of G20 leaders in mid-November but only after tough discussions as France and other European countries lobbied for its insertion in the final G20 statement.

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