Zee Media Bureau/Ritu Singh

New Delhi: Prakash Javadekar, India`s Environment minister has taken a bold stand on the carbon emissions issue and stated a stark and inevitable truth.Though he emphasised on the fact that India is committed to reduce carbon emissions, it may increase in the process of development and poverty eradication.

Speaking at a function on the occasion of the "World Day to Combat Desertification" he stressed on the fact that India, as a developing nation, needs to grow and prosper and in that process there is no denying the fact that carbon emissions will substantially increase. World`s climate is being ravaged by these carbon emissions, but it is a necessary evil for the nations that want to develop. Economic development and carbon emissions go hand in hand.

“We have to reduce our carbon emissions. But I have not created the carbon emisssion problems, which have been done by others. But I am not into any blame game. The issue is that I have a right to grow. India and developing countries have the right to grow. These are the emerging economies``, he said at the ongoing function.

Calling poverty an "environmental disaster", Javadekar further said, "Unless we tackle poverty, unless we eradicate poverty, we cannot really address climate change." "To that end, we need to grow. Our net emissions may increase".