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Poor countries in addition to rich countries should try to cut their carbon emissions, says President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives.
He branded the idea that equating a need for development with a right to emit high levels of carbon as quite silly.
Mr Nasheed spoke to the BBC during the launch of a report which outlines countries vulnerability to impacts of climate change. Authors of the report suggest that every single nation will be affected.
His speech was controversial given that it is unusual for the top leader of a developing country to promote their fellows to cut their carbon footprint. The president also spoke out about money which had been pledged to developing economies by Western governments as part of the fast-start initiative during last years climate talks. He said that The Maldives was yet to receive any of it.
The developing nations that make up the powerful G77/China bloc believe that Western countries should be made to cut emissions, whilst developing countries are allowed to continue to develop whilst cutting the rate that carbon emissions grow.
The President of the Maldives is among a number of leaders of developing nation who believes that it is not just to develop by expanding the use of fossil fuels and do not want to be in the same negotiating bloc as those who are unwilling to commit to a global agreement which will see them reduce their emissions.
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