Copenhagen – A Beginning for Global Consensus
(Madan Menon Thottasseri)
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When India came forward to put forth a tough position and immediately became vigilant against insatiable attempts in disguise to inhibit the pace of economic development of the nation, developing nations suspect India that it will downgrade participation in Copenhagen. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has been specially invited to attend the CHOGM climate change session, made an appeal to Man Mohan Singh to attend the summit. Clarifying India’s perceptions, Man Mohan Singh had said that India is willing to sign on to an ambitious global target for emission reductions or limiting temperature increase but this must be accompanied by an equitable burden sharing paradigm. Climate Change action based on the perpetuation of poverty will simply not be sustainable. Man Mohan Sing had not planned to attend the summit.
Only few days are left for the crucial Copenhagen climate talks, there was a divide between developed and developing nations while the British P.M Gorden Brown put forth a proposal at the recently held Commonwealth leaders in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting’s (CHOGM) special session on climate change in Trinidad and Tobago to mobilize $100 billion by 2020 need for developing countries to adapt to climate change. India’s tone was set early on by the Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh.
He said . “It is unfortunate that the global discourse on climate change has become enmeshed with arguments about maintaining economic competitiveness or level-playing fields,” India is of opinion that the Climate change should not be clamped on the pretext for pursuing protectionist policies under a green label. Then it will become contrary to the UN Framework Convention (UNFC) on Climate Change and a violation of the WTO as well. India will lead a group of developing countries who share India’s stand .‘This finace is market-based and hence subject to unpredictability’. He dismissed the attempt to link climate change with arguments on maintaining economic parameters.
"Right now, there is no commitment of the magnitude that is required. ... We need close to 1 percent of global GDP, $300 billion, to address this problem," Guyana's president, Bharrat Jagdeo, who heads the economic task force of the 15-nation Caribbean Community, or Caricom, told reporters.
Developed countries in the Commonwealth led by Britain backed an initiative to establish a Copenhagen Launch Fund, starting in 2010 and building to $10 billion annually by 2012 arguing that such financing should be made available as early as next year, well before any new climate deal takes effect. The idea was backed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who also attended the Commonwealth summit as a guest. Jagdeo welcomed what he called the $10 billion offer of "interim financing."
While December first week’s U.N. talks are not expected to result in the immediate approval of a detailed climate treaty, the wording of the Commonwealth climate declaration made clear its leaders expected any deal reached in Copenhagen would be "operationally binding" and lead fast to a definitive treaty.U.N Chief Ban Ki-Moon has said an agreement to lay the foundation for such a legally binding accord is now "within reach."
The deal the United Nations is aiming for Copenhagen to offer cover for tougher emissions targets, climate financing for poorer nations and transfer of clean-energy technology. The climate treaty, expected to be adopted as a final text next year, will replace the Kyoto Protocol expiring in 2012.
Leaders of developing nations under the initiative of India, in the Commonwealth have suggested that 10 percent of the proposed $10 billion-a-year Copenhagen Launch Fund should be channeled to small island states prone to rising sea levels caused by global warming.
Nearly half of the Commonwealth's members are small island states and the group put at the forefront of the climate debate the cases of nations like the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and Tuvalu and Kiribati in the Pacific, whose existence would be threatened by swelling ocean levels.
Earlier, Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed welcomed the backing of the Commonwealth's developed countries -- Britain, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand -- for the proposed "fast- start funding" seen as essential for any climate deal. "I believe the Commonwealth understands our predicament more than the others ... they have put concrete things on the table"
There is blooming prospects for achieving a broad political framework pact in Copenhagen next month by public promises of greenhouse gas curbs by China and the United States, the world's the world's biggest emitters.
Indian P.M reiterated that there is no justification to club the developed nations with developing nations like India as historically industrial nations were responsible for the present crises on climate change affairs. It will not be acceptable to India to stunt the economic development or the considerably reduce the competitiveness by imposing legally binding emission reduction guidelines at par with that of the developed nations.
India is cautious of measures construed to bracket developing countries like India and China as per the 2007 Bali Action Plan to implement the UNFC Convention on Climate Change. Man Mohan Singh said that the Bali Action Plan required enhanced implementation of climate change requirements like mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology. It is important that finance and technology should be made available to developing nations. Access to finance has to be concessional for developing countries and not to be dictated by market considerations.
(Madan Menon Thottasseri)
___________________________________________________________________________
When India came forward to put forth a tough position and immediately became vigilant against insatiable attempts in disguise to inhibit the pace of economic development of the nation, developing nations suspect India that it will downgrade participation in Copenhagen. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has been specially invited to attend the CHOGM climate change session, made an appeal to Man Mohan Singh to attend the summit. Clarifying India’s perceptions, Man Mohan Singh had said that India is willing to sign on to an ambitious global target for emission reductions or limiting temperature increase but this must be accompanied by an equitable burden sharing paradigm. Climate Change action based on the perpetuation of poverty will simply not be sustainable. Man Mohan Sing had not planned to attend the summit.
Only few days are left for the crucial Copenhagen climate talks, there was a divide between developed and developing nations while the British P.M Gorden Brown put forth a proposal at the recently held Commonwealth leaders in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting’s (CHOGM) special session on climate change in Trinidad and Tobago to mobilize $100 billion by 2020 need for developing countries to adapt to climate change. India’s tone was set early on by the Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh.
He said . “It is unfortunate that the global discourse on climate change has become enmeshed with arguments about maintaining economic competitiveness or level-playing fields,” India is of opinion that the Climate change should not be clamped on the pretext for pursuing protectionist policies under a green label. Then it will become contrary to the UN Framework Convention (UNFC) on Climate Change and a violation of the WTO as well. India will lead a group of developing countries who share India’s stand .‘This finace is market-based and hence subject to unpredictability’. He dismissed the attempt to link climate change with arguments on maintaining economic parameters.
"Right now, there is no commitment of the magnitude that is required. ... We need close to 1 percent of global GDP, $300 billion, to address this problem," Guyana's president, Bharrat Jagdeo, who heads the economic task force of the 15-nation Caribbean Community, or Caricom, told reporters.
Developed countries in the Commonwealth led by Britain backed an initiative to establish a Copenhagen Launch Fund, starting in 2010 and building to $10 billion annually by 2012 arguing that such financing should be made available as early as next year, well before any new climate deal takes effect. The idea was backed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who also attended the Commonwealth summit as a guest. Jagdeo welcomed what he called the $10 billion offer of "interim financing."
While December first week’s U.N. talks are not expected to result in the immediate approval of a detailed climate treaty, the wording of the Commonwealth climate declaration made clear its leaders expected any deal reached in Copenhagen would be "operationally binding" and lead fast to a definitive treaty.U.N Chief Ban Ki-Moon has said an agreement to lay the foundation for such a legally binding accord is now "within reach."
The deal the United Nations is aiming for Copenhagen to offer cover for tougher emissions targets, climate financing for poorer nations and transfer of clean-energy technology. The climate treaty, expected to be adopted as a final text next year, will replace the Kyoto Protocol expiring in 2012.
Leaders of developing nations under the initiative of India, in the Commonwealth have suggested that 10 percent of the proposed $10 billion-a-year Copenhagen Launch Fund should be channeled to small island states prone to rising sea levels caused by global warming.
Nearly half of the Commonwealth's members are small island states and the group put at the forefront of the climate debate the cases of nations like the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and Tuvalu and Kiribati in the Pacific, whose existence would be threatened by swelling ocean levels.
Earlier, Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed welcomed the backing of the Commonwealth's developed countries -- Britain, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand -- for the proposed "fast- start funding" seen as essential for any climate deal. "I believe the Commonwealth understands our predicament more than the others ... they have put concrete things on the table"
There is blooming prospects for achieving a broad political framework pact in Copenhagen next month by public promises of greenhouse gas curbs by China and the United States, the world's the world's biggest emitters.
Indian P.M reiterated that there is no justification to club the developed nations with developing nations like India as historically industrial nations were responsible for the present crises on climate change affairs. It will not be acceptable to India to stunt the economic development or the considerably reduce the competitiveness by imposing legally binding emission reduction guidelines at par with that of the developed nations.
India is cautious of measures construed to bracket developing countries like India and China as per the 2007 Bali Action Plan to implement the UNFC Convention on Climate Change. Man Mohan Singh said that the Bali Action Plan required enhanced implementation of climate change requirements like mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology. It is important that finance and technology should be made available to developing nations. Access to finance has to be concessional for developing countries and not to be dictated by market considerations.
Since U.S and China, the biggest emitters of the planet have already promised for a deal of greenhouse gas curbs, India will be put on pressure to quantify the actions that will be taken to reduce global warming. R.K.Pachauri, Chief of the Panel on Climate Change (PCC) predicted this two days back and he advocated for the importance of Prime Minister to attend the final days of the summit, at a time India’s presence and presentation will be widely acknowledged as a ‘deal maker’ and not a ‘deal breaker’. US President Barack Obama's announcement that his country would cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 17 percent by 2020, compared to 2005, and China's announcement that it would reduce the GHG-intensity of its economy by 40-45 percent by 2020, compared to 2005, and naturally put more pressure on India to come up with similar quantitative commitments.
The situation warranted India to quantify a unilateral emission cuts despite that fact that our ‘per capita’ emission is very low, thanks to our size of population! India has to prove that we are really committed to lead all developing nations without adversely affecting or compromising on its’ economic and industrial growth. Just rhetoric skills or the attitude of escapism will not help India in the issue of India’s participation in the summit of Climate Change. India is poised to surge forward in all spheres of economic development should have to gets pace and participate with the latest improvement of all righteous causes for the international community without any bias or favour.
When on Friday December 04, 2009 Just four days ahead of the Climate summit, Union Minister for Environment Jairam Ramesh announced in the Parliament that India will voluntarily reduce emission intensity by 20-25 percent by 2020, BJP blamed the UPA Govt. for making a departure from India's known stand.
Climate change was high on agenda where U.N Chief Ban Ki- Moon, French President Nicholas Sarkoyzy and Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen were also attended the 60th anniversary of the Common Wealth Heads of States(CHOGM)at Port of Spains.
Around half of Common Wealth members are island nations. Out of 53 nations, there inhibit a total of around 2 billion people, in other words around one-third of the planet’s population. The leaders of these nations met after the pledges by U,S and China to limit their greenhouse gas emissions in the midst of concerns that the Copenhagen summit could fail to agree substantial cuts.
Around half of Common Wealth members are island nations. Out of 53 nations, there inhibit a total of around 2 billion people, in other words around one-third of the planet’s population. The leaders of these nations met after the pledges by U,S and China to limit their greenhouse gas emissions in the midst of concerns that the Copenhagen summit could fail to agree substantial cuts.
The Commonwealth Climate Change Declaration pledged the group's backing for Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in his efforts to secure wide attendance and commitment from world leaders at the Copenhagen climate talks.
The Copenhagen summit will help us to an opportunity to position India's long-term plan for combating global warming. Making a strong pitch for the country to shift towards renewable energy sources from fossil fuels, India must bargain at Copenhagen for large-scale resources to finance its “Solar Mission”. India being a tropical nation can consider the optimum utilization of scorching sun-light available for a period of 8 to 12 months through-out the nation at various levels, right from the peninsular tip of Kanyakumari to Northern boarder states of Rajastan and Punjab. The technology has to be made less costly prompting entrepreneurs to venture for Solar Projects at large industrial establishments, universities, Airports, Railway terminals, big hospitals, Pilgrim centres, tourist locations etc.
The Climate change threat will be real. There is drastic reduction if crop yields through-out the world, ranging from 20 – 40 percent when more and more areas of land becomes less fertile and more prone to diseases .New varieties of crops are to be developed which can get adept to extremes of weather. Otherwise the world has to encounter serious issues to feed the population. Shortage of water resources will be one of the intensive problem the world is going to face due to climate change, as commented by Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the U.N International Fund for Agricultural Development.
The Climate change threat will be real. There is drastic reduction if crop yields through-out the world, ranging from 20 – 40 percent when more and more areas of land becomes less fertile and more prone to diseases .New varieties of crops are to be developed which can get adept to extremes of weather. Otherwise the world has to encounter serious issues to feed the population. Shortage of water resources will be one of the intensive problem the world is going to face due to climate change, as commented by Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the U.N International Fund for Agricultural Development.
There could be 200 million of climate refugees by 2050, according to a new policy paper by the International Organisation for Migration, depending on the complexity of climate displacements. Apart from the South Pacific, low-lying areas likely to be worn out first include Bangladesh and nations in the Indian Ocean, where the leader of the Maldives has begun seeking a safe heaven for his 300,000 people. Landlocked areas may also be affected; some experts call the Darfur region of Sudan, where nomads battle with villagers in a war over shrinking natural resources, the first significant conflict linked to climate change.
In the coming days, the United Nations General Assembly is expected to adopt the first resolution linking climate change to international peace and security. The hard-fought resolution, brought by 12 Pacific island states, says that climate change warrants greater attention from the United Nations as a possible source of upheaval worldwide and calls for more intense efforts to combat it. While all Pacific island states are expected to lose land, some made up entirely of atolls, like Tuvalu and Kiribati, face possible extinction.
“For the first time in history, you could actually lose countries off the face of the globe,” said Stuart Beck, the permanent representative for Palau at the United Nations. “It is a security threat to them and their populations, which will have to be relocated, which is the security threat to the places where they go, among other consequences.”
The issue has inspired intense wrangling, with some nations accusing the islanders of both exaggerating the still murky consequences of climate change and trying to expand the mandate of the Security Council by asking it to take action.
Prime Minister Mohan Singh who has not scheduled to the Climate Change summit has now decided to attend the final day of the summit. It is interesting to note that U.S President Barack Obama who had slated to be there only on December 09, 2009 en-route to Oslo for getting his Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, 2009 has amended the itinerary and he too will be at the summit only on December 18, 2009 the last day.
In the coming days, the United Nations General Assembly is expected to adopt the first resolution linking climate change to international peace and security. The hard-fought resolution, brought by 12 Pacific island states, says that climate change warrants greater attention from the United Nations as a possible source of upheaval worldwide and calls for more intense efforts to combat it. While all Pacific island states are expected to lose land, some made up entirely of atolls, like Tuvalu and Kiribati, face possible extinction.
“For the first time in history, you could actually lose countries off the face of the globe,” said Stuart Beck, the permanent representative for Palau at the United Nations. “It is a security threat to them and their populations, which will have to be relocated, which is the security threat to the places where they go, among other consequences.”
The issue has inspired intense wrangling, with some nations accusing the islanders of both exaggerating the still murky consequences of climate change and trying to expand the mandate of the Security Council by asking it to take action.
Prime Minister Mohan Singh who has not scheduled to the Climate Change summit has now decided to attend the final day of the summit. It is interesting to note that U.S President Barack Obama who had slated to be there only on December 09, 2009 en-route to Oslo for getting his Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, 2009 has amended the itinerary and he too will be at the summit only on December 18, 2009 the last day.
Arun Jaitly, the most sagacious leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, respected and liked by one and all should have restrained himself in unnecessarily slamming UPA govt. and the Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh who is equally respected for his vision and intelligence.
The Opposition have to delink politics from issues like India’s participation in global warming and should have come out with viable options and suggestions during all these days,right from the recently held CHOGM summit with a Special Session on Climate Change which was used to bolster a diplomatic offensive seeking wide consensus on how to fight global warming before climate talks takes place at Copenhagen, the Danish capital city. In fact this subject is being discussed by people of all walks of life, in developing countries!. The dynamic minister is to be complimented for enabling India to rise to the level of a responsible state with a concerted action plan on the issue of global warming. Of course, while presenting India’s stand in the Parliament, he remained unwavering that India that India will never agree for any legally binding emission cuts or peaking year for emissions. The Minster had unveiled a five-step action plan o achieve the reduction Plan. The measures primarily include mandatory fuel efficiency for vehicles by 2011 through legislation.
The Opposition have to delink politics from issues like India’s participation in global warming and should have come out with viable options and suggestions during all these days,right from the recently held CHOGM summit with a Special Session on Climate Change which was used to bolster a diplomatic offensive seeking wide consensus on how to fight global warming before climate talks takes place at Copenhagen, the Danish capital city. In fact this subject is being discussed by people of all walks of life, in developing countries!. The dynamic minister is to be complimented for enabling India to rise to the level of a responsible state with a concerted action plan on the issue of global warming. Of course, while presenting India’s stand in the Parliament, he remained unwavering that India that India will never agree for any legally binding emission cuts or peaking year for emissions. The Minster had unveiled a five-step action plan o achieve the reduction Plan. The measures primarily include mandatory fuel efficiency for vehicles by 2011 through legislation.
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