Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal questioned wealthy nations over their $100 billion annual financial pledge while criticizing EU import restrictions affecting the Global South

India has questioned Western nations for imposing climate-related trade barriers on developing economies despite Europe’s historical contribution to the climate crisis the world is facing now.

Wealthy countries built their economies using fossil fuels but are now imposing additional costs on poorer nations, Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told the Berlin Global Dialogue on Thursday.

“Who’s responsible for this mess in the first place?” Goyal asked, referring to the West’s carbon emissions, and challenged the European Union’s environmental trade restrictions.

India accounts for around 17% of the world’s population but has significantly lower per capita emissions than Europe, Goyal pointed out.

The minister questioned the $100 billion annual climate finance commitment made by wealthy countries to help…