This is one battle where India has an upper hand over China. India was responsible for only eight per cent increase of the global energy-related carbon dioxide emission in 2000-10, while China represented 68 per cent, according to a Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) report.

"Though India is better placed, it needs some real policy level intervention from the government. It should focus more on renewable space," said David Nelson, senior director, CPI. However, the report adds that in India, as with China, most new power generation since 2000 came from conventional sources, though the past decade saw exponential growth in renewable energy generation. During the 10 years from 2000, India's wind energy capacity grew by 1,250 per cent.