Developing world must be able to lift emissions: Nobel winner

NEW DELHI, Dec 8, 2007 (AFP) - Developing nations must be allowed to boost carbon emissions to lift millions out of poverty, says the head of the Nobel prize-winning climate change panel slated to formally get the award on Monday.

"If you have the case of India, a half a billion people who do not even have electricity, what mitigation (of carbon emissions) can you carry out?" said Rajendra K. Pachauri, who shared the prize with former US vice-president Al Gore

The scientist, who will accept on behalf of the panel, and Gore will receive the 10-million-Swedish-kronor (1.5-million-dollar, 1.1-million-euro) prize from Ole Mjoes, head of the five-member Nobel committee, on Monday.

"How can you deny them (poor Indians) electricity in the future?

" Pachauri said in an interview with AFP just before embarking on his trip.

"And if you have to supply them power it will have to come from coal for a substantial quantity," said Pachauri, the first developing country head of the influential Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

India and China must put pressure on developed countries to take the "first" and "meaningful steps" to cut emissions of greenhouse gases emission rapidly, said Pachauri.

So far, the wo