Chief economic advisor Nageswaran calls out rich nations' climate hypocrisy

India's Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran has criticised developed countries for their "double standards" on climate action, highlighting the G7's commitment to ending the use of unabated coal power plants only in the first half of the 2030s, despite their high carbon emissions.

In the annual economic survey, Nageswaran said it is morally wrong to ask developing countries to abandon their aspirations for better living standards to allow developed countries to maintain their lifestyles in cleaner environments and cooler climates.

He argued that economic growth would empower developing countries to better address climate change.

Nageswaran said the UN convention on climate change and its Paris Agreement mandate that developed countries provide resources and take the lead in mobilising finance to tackle the global problem.

"However, much of the climate action by developing countries has been done through domestic resources, and the emphasis of the developed countries has mai