Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Notice (8): Undefined variable: urlPrefix [APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp, line 8]latest-news-updates/durban-climate-talks-end-new-global-climate-change-regime-from-2020-by-nitin-sethi-11945.html"/> LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Durban climate talks end, new global climate change regime from 2020 by Nitin Sethi | Im4change.org
Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

Durban climate talks end, new global climate change regime from 2020 by Nitin Sethi

The Durban climate talks finally ended more than 36 hours after the scheduled closure on Sunday early morning. The world agreed to a new global climate change regime that will come in to force starting 2020. India took over centre-stage as a force to reckon with, regained its position as the leader and moral voice of the developing world as the EU and the US were forced to address its demands. 

The principle of equity founds its place back on the table at the climate talks. Life was resuscitated back into Kyoto Protocol, which will continue to be in force beyond 2012. 

Beginning next year the 195 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change shall start negotiating a new global regime that will be finalised by 2015 and become operational from 2020. The decision came after the EU was forced to go into a huddle with India at the wee hours of the morning, when talks seemed at the brink of collapse, and address its concerns even as the developing world, including China backed the latter on its demand for an equitable future deal. 

India had gone into Durban with two major demands - that the principle of equity remain intact in any new climate regime and that this new global deal be launched after 2020. It went in to the talks with the EU demanding that equity be set aside and the world kick-start a new deal from 2015 with all countries, regardless of their historical responsibilities, be forced to take legally binding obligations. 

Ultimately, India achieved its objectives with the Union environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan becoming the voice and leader of the developing world, gaining unflinching support from its ally, China and the respect of many other developing countries in the G77+China group.

When the EU backed by the small island states demanded that China, India and other developing countries stop objecting and accept a globally binding agreement, Jayanthi Natarajan took on the inflexible developed world, "Am I to write a blank cheque and sign away the livelihoods and sustainability of 1.2 billion Indians, without even knowing what the EU roadmap contains? I wonder if this is an agenda to shift the blame on to countries who are not responsible (for climate change). I am told that India will be blamed. Please don't hold us hostage. We will not give up the principle of equity." 

China's minister stood up in support and slammed the EU. Xie Zhenhua, said, "What qualifies you to tell us what to do? We are taking action. We want to see your actions." Other developing countries got behind too. Countries like Pakistan, Phillipines and Egypt came out in support demanding a more equitable deal that would secure the development space for the poorer nations even as their obligations under the new regime increase after 2020. 

The host and chair of the meeting was forced to adjourn the main meeting and ask the EU and India to find a compromise. Other key countries, including China and the US huddled around the Indian minister and her team to find the right language that would be acceptable to all. 

Showing leadership and flexibility, India agreed to phrases for a final decision that ensured that the world could transit to a new regime post 2020 but not be locked into commitments that had not even been tabled so far. 

The countries decided "to launch a process to develop a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force," that would increase the emission reduction targets to reach a level that keeps global temperatures in check. The meeting decided that this would be done after a review of the existing deliverables under the UN convention and the UN IPCC's report on climate change science due in 2015. 

At the end of an unprecedentedly long and hard-fought meeting India had put equity back on table, gained another decade of space for unfettered but responsible economic growth and moved from becoming a dealmaker to a leader at the climate talks.