Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today pitched for transparent regulatory regimes to ensure that environmental and economic objectives are pursued in
tandem. Stressing that protection of the environment and promoting development need not amount to a zero sum game, Dr.Singh said what is required is regulatory regimes that are transparent, accountable and subject to oversight and monitoring.

Inaugurating the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit in New Delhi this morning, the prime minister said ,growing population, changing consumption patterns and the consequent pressure on precious natural resources are real challenges that India face in its pursuit of economic growth and the amelioration of poverty.

Hailing the industrialised world for adopting a second commitment period till 2020 under the Kyoto Protocol for
emissions reductions, Dr. Singh said real progress cannot be achieved if developed countries are not willing to enhance their ambition levels. He said, for its part, the country is committed to meeting its domestic mitigation goal of reducing the emissions intensity of our GDP by 20-25 per cent by year 2020 compared with 2005 levels .

Dr. Singh said that climate change has become the face of many challenges in the pursuit of sustainable development and this problem can only be tackled through coordinated global action and not by a single nation.