'Who did most harm to Ozone layer?': Piyush Goyal holds up the mirror to Europe on climate change

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: - The climate change is a serious thing. It's not something... - Where did this ozone layer get damaged? Who sent all that carbon up there? - All of us. - No, I'm sorry. I support 17% of the world's population. My contribution to that carbon up there is less than 3%. Even today, as we sit here, my contribution on a per capita basis to the carbon emissions is probably less than 10% or 15% of what you do, even today. The waste in Europe, the per capita damage to the ozone layer or carbon emission is probably say seven or eight times per capita what the Indian person has. - It's not per capita, isn't it? - It's always per capita. Well, I'm... - Okay, right to you if you want. - Yeah, I'm supporting 17% of world population and I am more conscious of waste, more conscious of circular economy, more conscious that I have to also meet the needs of 1.4 billion people. - The climate change is a serious thing. It's not something... So, we have to be, I'm saying this. So, maybe I'm not... - You're giving me the perfect opening for my comments, but it's complete. - Okay. - No, no, I complete in saying that. - I think she's completed already. - That C-back is coming from this. - Perfect. I love what you said. Fully endorsed it. - We can lean back. - Now may I? - Of course. I'm not saying that I'm in favor of C-back. - No, what's coming, I've heard many times before. Yeah, go ahead. - You're giving me the perfect opening for what I wanted to say. Who's responsible for this mess in the first place? - In the? - Where did this ozone layer get damaged? Who sent all that carbon up there? - All of us. - No, I'm sorry. - Not India. - I support 17% of the world's population. My contribution to that carbon up there is less than 3%. You support probably three or 4% of the world's population. And your contribution to that carbon of the mess... - Are you 6%? - Yes? - 6%. - I'm sorry, madam. - No, no. He's talking about cumulative. - Ah, cumulative. - But that's what matters. - It's humongous. - Okay. - Probably near 20%. So the problem was caused by you for good reasons. You were growing your economies. You wanted low-cost carbon-based energy. You blew coal day in and day out so that your energy cost remains low. - But you is not only Europe. - It's also the US, right? - Sorry? - It's not only us. - It's also the United States, right? - You, you, you, you, you, you, you, you. That way, right? - It's the US. - The fairness argument. - And it's a fairness argument. - And even today, as we sit here, my contribution on a per capita basis to the carbon emissions is probably less than 10 or 15% of what you do. Even today. - Even today, the waste in Europe, the per capita damage to the ozone layer or carbon emission is probably seven or eight times per capita what the Indian person has. - It's not per capita. - It's always per capita. - It's always per capita. - Well, I'm supporting 17% of world population and I am more conscious of waste, more conscious of circular economy, more conscious that I have to also meet the needs of 1.4 billion people. I have to meet their energy needs. I have to meet their food needs. I have to be secure as a nation. Despite all of that, we have one of the fastest growing clean energy program. We are cleaning our steel. We are supporting global efforts towards climate, to fight, address climate change. But in Paris, when 2015, all the world came together. By the way, it was Prime Minister Modi who collected the Global South, got them all to sign at COP21 to our collective intention to address the climate change problem. And what was discussed and decided? There will be common but differentiated responsibility. It was agreed that the developed countries who have enjoyed the fruits of messing up the climate for so many decades, that the countries will pay a greater price and will support the developing and less developed countries. The island nations, the Pacific Caribbean nations. You want to support them. And what? Only $100 billion a year. That was the only support that was promised. Eleven years later, we haven't seen a nickel or dime of that. It's all promises. And does CBAM recognize the common but differentiated responsibility? Does CBAM recognize that the less developed countries have a right to offer their children and their families and their people also a better quality of life? Yep. I think that's the larger question which European Union or CBAM have failed to answer. They have failed to respond to the needs of the less developed countries, to support them in their decarbonization efforts. And in any case, by the way, I don't mind all these regulations. The more regulations you put onto yourself, the faster will it become difficult to sustain these kinds of costs. Thanks. [00:06:05] Speaker ?: Thanks. [00:06:05] Speaker 1: Thanks. [00:06:06] Speaker ?: Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks.