India not ready to join world’s first climate deal

India is not ready to join the world's first climate deal to curb pollution from commercial flights because it fears that talks beginning on Tuesday may not lead to a fair agreement, the civil aviation minister said.

“(We’ll decide) once the nuts and bolts become clearer,” Ashok Gajapathi Raju told Reuters on the sidelines of an aviation forum. “Until then, our fears are that it is not equitable.”

The proposed landmark deal, backed by the United States and China, aims to limit rising airline pollution to 2020 levels after it takes effect in 2021, but has been watered down by being made voluntary for the first five years. Countries with a high growth in the sector want more latitude to produce emissions than developed countries, which are growing more slowly but were responsible for generating the bulk of greenhouse gases.