The battle for scoring PR points at the climate change talks has been joined in right earnest. India dramtically announced that it could consider voluntarily reducing its carbon intensity by 20-25% on a purely domestic level.

This measure will extend to the entire economy rather than be restricted to specific sectors as is the case now.

In the recent past China had announced its willingness to bring down its energy intensity by 40-45% from 2005 levels in the next decade. The Chinese announcement was itself a response to the US offer to reduce its emissions by 17% below 2005 levels by 2020.

China already has a high-energy intensity level because of its greater reliance on the manufacturing sector. India, in comparison, is more dependent on the service sector for its economic growth

The US and other developed economies have asked India, China and other emerging economies to put their domestic targets up for international scrutiny even if they do not fund such actions.

Moves like these have allowed India and China to ramp up domestic action in order to reduce the clamour from industrialised countries for international commitments.