As Paris COP 21 enters the crucial high-level segment to thrash out an acceptable-to-all climate deal, India today re-asserted that any attempt to “rewrite” the UNFCCC (United National Framework Convention on Climate Change) “will not be acceptable to anybody”.
A statement issued by Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar ahead of the talks beginning Monday said: “UNFCCC is a global climate constitution. It is fundamental. Any attempt to rewrite or to overwrite will not be acceptable to anybody. Our collective decision should be based on Science, CBDR (Common But Differentiated Responsibility) and Collective Conscience.”
The high-level segment will see countries contesting each and every word and statement in the draft prepared through various meetings of the ADP. As far as India is concerned, it has already stated that the transparency and accountability regime that developed nations want to include in the deal should not treat rich and poor nations alike.
“However, the real negotiations and hard bargaining, point by point, on the draft will begin tomorrow. Each country will assert its point and view. The minister is reasserting India’s long-held stand. While it is not possible to predict the shape of the draft at this point in time, most developing nations are on the same page as India on key points like finance, technology, mitigation and adaptation,” officials say.
Arguing on the status of current emissions of developing nations like India and China, the US in particular is believed to be pushing for doing away with the concept of “historical responsibility” for once and all.
Contrary to the requirement under the UNFCC, it wants the Paris text to specify the concept of “collective” responsibility and also wants developing nations to contribute to the climate funds in future.
Apart from CBDR, finance and technology transfer issues, there are several other points India is contesting like whether individual countries climate actions should be subject to uniform scrutiny and assessment. According to India, here also a different set of principles should govern developed and developing nations.
Significantly, as per Javadekar, India was “ready and committed to work with French Presidency which has done a monumental job over the last one year to build political momentum.