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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | ‘Open mind’ on climate by Jayanta Basu

‘Open mind’ on climate by Jayanta Basu

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published Published on Dec 7, 2011   modified Modified on Dec 7, 2011

Environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan said she had come with an “open mind” as India showed signs of flexibility on accepting legally binding emission curbs, but wanted more assurances from developed countries before making further commitments.

The comments, at the UN climate change summit in this South African city, came days after China for the first time indicated its willingness to accept legally binding cuts after 2020.

The hint of a flexible stand also appears to have been influenced by the European Union’s proposal for a Durban “roadmap” for all countries even as scientists warned that existing pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions were too weak to stem dangerous climate changes.

Late on Monday, Natarajan said she was not against “any condition for the global goal of climate stabilisation”.

“I have come to Durban with an open mind. But I would like to know whether it would be binding only for mitigation and whether it will be the same for Annex-1 (developed) and non-Annex-1 (developing) countries,” she said.

After joining the talks this week, the minister met top negotiators from the US, the EU and the BASIC group alliance of Brazil, South Africa, India and China. “We are very optimistic that we will understand each other’s positions,” PTI quoted the minister as saying.

The Indian delegation has insisted on a three-point agenda for the talks — equitable sharing of atmospheric carbon space, technology sharing and intellectual property rights and unilateral trade barriers.

Natarajan linked any action on India’s part with that of Delhi’s long-standing demands when she spoke of “commitment for finance and technology”. “How will equity figure in such an agreement, how will IPR be handled…. (and) how will the ratification process of the Kyoto Protocol be resolved,” she said after an event on the summit’s sidelines.

Under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, 37 developed countries have been placed under international legal obligations to reduce carbon emissions during a first commitment period, which expires next year.

Natarajan repeated what she said on Monday at a BASIC meeting today, held apparently to put at rest rumours that the quartet don’t see eye to eye on several issues. The BASIC negotiators said the alliance was together and also making headway in discussions with other groups regarding important issues like operationalisation of the green climate fund.

Earlier on Monday, the EU had argued in favour of a Durban “roadmap” for all countries to accept legally binding emission cuts. “We would definitely like to sign the second commitment of the Kyoto Protocol, provided a roadmap for all countries to have legally binding emission cuts is prepared,” said Connie Hedegaard, the European commissioner for climate action.

Hedegaard said bilateral meetings with India were on. “We have a meeting today, will have another one tomorrow,” she said on Monday.

“Your country is one of the most vulnerable and people are suffering regularly. So it’s in your interest that such a roadmap is created soon,” she told The Telegraph.

EU officials indicated that a short second phase of the protocol might be acceptable for the sake of continuity till all the 190-odd participating countries agreed to accept legally binding curbs.

This has put pressure on India and the other BASIC countries which have so far taken a stand that they would only discuss legally binding cuts after the 2015 review of the Kyoto Protocol.

At the BASIC meeting, however, Brazil’s Luiz Alberto Figueiredo said they had no problem accepting legally binding cuts from the next phase of the Kyoto protocol if they were “meaningful”.

South African minister Edna Molewa said they would consider the EU proposal with due seriousness.When pointed out that India’s stand was no discussion before 2015, Hedegaard said: “How can we go out … and tell affected people that we will take another three or four years to act (on legally binding cuts)…even three or four years are too distant.”


The Telegraph, 7 December, 2011, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1111207/jsp/nation/story_14848883.jsp


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