SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan (Reuters) -Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation called for a “balance” between reducing carbon emissions and allowing poorer states to catch up with economically developed countries in a joint statement on climate change adopted on Friday.
In the statement, the heads of some of the world’s biggest emitters – including China, India and Russia – said they unanimously recognised the negative consequences of climate change and the need for urgent action, but called for increased investment in oil and gas production and exploration.
The group also slammed “coercive measures” to force countries into reducing emissions at a set pace, saying countries “have the right to independently set national goals in the field of climate change prevention”.
“Unilateral coercive measures violate multilateral principles, seriously undermine multilateral cooperation and collective and national efforts to address climate change, and weaken the ability of countries to address climate change,” the leaders of the SCO member states said in their joint statement.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
