Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh stated that India, now the third largest emitter of carbon after China and the United States, cannot sustain high economic growth while also experiencing a rapid increase in carbon emissions. Ramesh made these remarks during negotiations in Tianjin involving representatives from nearly 200 governments, aimed at determining the next steps after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. Despite India's relatively low per-capita emissions, the country's energy demand is on the rise due to an expanding middle class purchasing more cars, TVs, and improved housing, with much of this energy coming from coal, oil, and gas - all major sources of carbon dioxide emissions. Ramesh emphasized that India's pursuit of wealth should not come at the expense of the environment. According to officials, his remarks mark the first time a government minister has acknowledged that India has surpassed Russia as the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Ramesh stated that India will proactively transition to a low-carbon growth trajectory, rather than pursuing high-carbon growth alongside GDP growth of 8-9 percent. He outlined the objective of achieving 8-9 percent growth while maintaining low carbon emissions. Less wealthy countries are currently the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions, and many major developing nations are taking measures to limit the increase of their emissions. However, they are reluctant to agree to absolute reductions, fearing negative impacts on their economies. India managed to weather the global financial crisis better than most countries and aims for almost 10 percent economic growth in the upcoming years, despite currently growing at around 8.5 percent. India is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally, following China and the United States. Transitioning to a low-carbon economy was previously considered politically risky in India due to the associated economic costs. In January, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh requested a panel to begin working on a plan for a more environmentally friendly economy, with the report expected by the end of the year. Despite India's new climate plan emphasizing renewable energy like solar power, coal remains the main source of energy in a country where almost half of the 1.1 billion population lacks electricity. Ramesh noted the significant gap in emissions between the top two and third highest emitters, but stressed the importance of India's contribution. The UN climate talks have faced challenges due to a lack of trust between wealthy and developing nations regarding climate funds, calls for more transparency on emission reduction commitments, and dissatisfaction with the emission cuts offered by wealthy nations. The United Nations has decided to stop encouraging nations to make stronger commitments to reduce carbon emissions due to the significant risk of the talks coming to a standstill. This decision was made out of fear that additional discussions could disrupt the already tense negotiations for a more ambitious climate agreement.