Climate connections: Kolkata

The BBC is visiting eight areas of the world to find how people are preparing for climate change. BBC Hindi correspondent Brajesh Upadhyay reports from the Indian city of Kolkata.

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9 DECEMBER 2009

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8 DECEMBER 2009

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7 DECEMBER 2009

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BACKGROUND

"You want us to cap or cut carbon emissions - then you pay for it." That is the uncompromising argument from Indian climate change negotiators.

How much do slum dwellers in India contribute to climate change? Virtually nothing.

Per capita, Indians contribute 1.8 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year – compared with 19 tonnes by the average American. And many still live in absolute poverty.

So far, India - a key negotiator at Copenhagen - has been adamant: development and poverty reduction remain the top priority.

It expects its energy needs to treble within 25 years.

But South Asia is also suffering the effects of climate change. Kolkata is threatened by rising sea levels.

In Nepal, the River Ganges is drying up. In Bangladesh, millions may have to leave the Ganges Delta. New deserts are emerging in Pakistan.

And there are signs that India may be softening its attitude - if the developed world offers deep emissions cuts at Copenhagen, then India might reciprocate.