Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh stated that India cannot sustain high economic growth while also experiencing a rapid increase in carbon emissions, especially now that the country is the third largest emitter after China and the United States. Ramesh made these remarks during a meeting of negotiators from nearly 200 governments in Tianjin, China, as part of the UN talks to determine the next steps after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. Despite India's low per-capita emissions, the demand for energy is on the rise due to the middle-class purchasing more cars, TVs, and improved housing, with much of this energy being derived from coal, oil, and gas, which are major sources of carbon dioxide emissions. Ramesh emphasized that India's pursuit of wealth should not harm the environment. Government officials confirmed that his remarks marked the first time a minister had acknowledged India surpassing Russia as the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Ramesh stated that India would proactively transition to a low-carbon growth trajectory, rather than achieving high economic growth at the expense of high carbon emissions. He reiterated this commitment during a conference in Nepal, emphasizing the goal of achieving 8-9 percent GDP growth with low carbon emissions. Less wealthy countries are now the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, and many major developing nations have made efforts to limit the increase of their emissions. However, they are hesitant to agree to absolute cuts as they believe this would harm their economies. India, which fared better than most during the global financial crisis, aims for nearly 10 percent economic growth in the near future. Currently, its economy is growing at approximately 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 start planning a transition to a more environmentally friendly economy. The report is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Despite India's new climate plan focusing on renewable energy like solar power, coal continues to be the primary source of energy in a country where almost half of the 1.1 billion population lacks access to electricity. Minister Ramesh emphasized the importance of acknowledging India's contribution to emissions despite the significant gap between the top two emitters. The UN climate talks have been hindered by a lack of trust between wealthy and developing nations regarding climate funds, calls for greater transparency in emission reductions, and frustration over the limited cuts proposed by wealthy nations. The United Nations has decided to stop pushing nations to make stronger commitments to reduce carbon emissions out of concern that the talks could come to a standstill, potentially risking the progress of ongoing discussions for a more ambitious climate agreement.