PM departs for Copenhagen for Conference on Climate Change

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh departed for Copenhagen Thursday to take part in the ongoing Conference on Climate Change to keep his promise to US President Barack Obama to help in formulating a pact to combat climate change.

“I am leaving today to attend the 15th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen (UNFCCC),” said Dr. Singh.

His departure however delayed by about two and a half hours after a loader vehicle hit the door of the cargo hold of the aircraft, causing minor damage. Sources said that neither the Prime Minister nor any of the other passengers had boarded the Boeing 747-400 aircraft by the time incident occurred.

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, who rushed to the airport instantly, said later that an inquiry would be conducted into the incident by both Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). “A minor damage was caused by the loader vehicle to the cargo door of the aircraft," a statement from the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.

The UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol embody the international agreed regime for addressing the global challenge of climate change. The UNFCCC is founded on the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. At the 13th Conference of Parties in Bali, the Parties had agreed to launch an Action Plan to enhance the implementation of the UNFCCC. The Bali Action Plan seeks to ensure full, effective and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC through long term cooperative action of the Parties upto and beyond 2012.

It is India’s view that global warming is taking place and its adverse consequences will impact most heavily on developing countries like India. As a responsible member of the international community, India is therefore fully committed to working with the rest of the world to preserve and protect our environment. This is our common heritage, and this is what we must bequeath to our succeeding generations.

At the same time, climate change cannot be addressed by perpetuating the poverty of the developing countries. Every citizen of the globe has equal entitlement of the global atmospheric space. It is in keeping with this principle that I had earlier announced in Heiligendamm in 2007 that we will maintain our per capita emissions at a level lower than the average per capita emissions of developed countries.

We have, as a responsible member of the international community, announced that we will reduce the emissions intensity of our growth by 20-25% in 2020 as compared to 2005. India has also launched a comprehensive Action Plan on Climate Change and the eight National Missions have been set up. We are willing to do more provided there are credible arrangements to provide both additional financial support as well as technological transfers from developed to developing countries.

”I look forward to constructive deliberations in Copenhagen which meet the collective aspirations of all humankind and enable us to move forward in the global efforts to combat climate change,” Dr. Singh said.

India signs MoU on climate change

Taking a positive leap towards combating climate change India has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Governments of Italy, Canada, Denmark, Norway and China regarding cooperation on climate change including clean development mechanism projects.

The MoU is intended to stimulate development and bilateral cooperation in the field of clean development mechanism (CDM). While the agreement signed with China focuses on promotion of mutual understanding and coordination on climate change related issues, including international negotiations and bilateral cooperation in areas relating to energy efficiency, renewable, power, clean coal and other sectors of mutual interest.

It is to be noted here that no such agreements have been signed so far with the USA, Sweden and European Union, said Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Jairam Ramesh in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The MoUs will help build confidence between India and partner countries and promote development and implementation of CDM projects as well as coordination, mutual understanding and joint strategies on climate change related issues.

India has been advocating compliance of the provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which enjoins upon the developed countries to UNFCCC to provide finance and transfer of technology to developing countries to enable them to respond to climate change.

The current negotiations at Copenhagen are aimed, inter alia, at deciding institutional arrangements for development and transfer of clean technologies through technology cooperation and provision of financial resources to developing countries to enable them to adapt to and mitigate climate change.

Parties are currently engaged in negotiations under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol in order to reach agreed outcomes at the 15th Conference of Parties scheduled in Copenhagen in December 2009.

However, the intentions of developed countries into the process of combating climate change have not been encouraging so far. Advanced countries want to scrap the protocol. But developing countries are keen to have it continue, and are asking the rich countries to what extent they have complied with the protocol and what they are willing to commit under it. In fact, the fundamental difference over whether the Kyoto Protocol - the current treaty under which rich countries have to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) that are causing climate change - should continue or be scrapped remained.