Tuesday, December 30, 2014

IPCC chief's take on future of the UN body on climate change ....Post-COP20 interview

http://t.co/2ZbbwxzhxC


Pachauri: IPCC future not tied to Paris climate deal

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Dec 30, 2014, 04.43AM IST
Text resize:

NEW DELHI: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the leading UN body for the assessment of climate change, will continue its work, no matter whether countries arrive at a global climate deal next year in Paris or not. Its successive science-based reports had always been key inputs for negotiators in the past over two decades.

The IPCC had come out with its last (fifth) assessment report in November ahead of the Lima climate talks. It is also most likely to come out with its sixth assessment report in future, bringing more scientific information to the table for policy-makers and general public on causes and impact of climate-damaging greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.

Amid speculation over the future of the IPCC once it submitted its 'synthesis' report, its chairman R K Pachauri said his expectation was that the body would also come out with the sixth assessment report (AR6) and a decision in this regard would hopefully be taken by member countries in February, 2015.

"Whether it is going to be structurally identical to the fifth assessment report (AR5) or whether it would be different would be clearer by the end of February when the next plenary of the IPCC takes place", he told the TOI.

Asked about future of this Nobel Prize winning UN body, Pachauri said, "I think the work of the IPCC will continue as there is also growing desire on the part of the scientific community across the world to contribute to the work".

The IPCC is a scientific body which reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change. It was established in 1988 to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts.

The body has since then come out with five successive assessment reports, telling the global community how human activities are playing havoc with environment and how it led to extreme weather events, melting of glaciers and acidification of oceans due to global warming.

Pachauri said, "It seems to me that the result of the fifth assessment report would perhaps only strengthen the need for carrying out updated assessment. Given the fact that we have a lot more information and knowledge in this report (AR5) than what we had in AR4 and similarly the AR4 had much more as compared to the AR3. This only strengthens the need for coming out with successive assessment".

It was the IPCC second assessment report (AR2) of 1995 that had provided important material and key inputs to negotiators in the run-up to adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

On its present task, the IPCC chief said, "We, in the immediate future, are going to ensure that the findings of the synthesis report are spread and made known to communities all over the world. This is going to be something which I personally will be focusing on in the next six to eight months".

---- http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Pachauri-IPCC-future-not-tied-to-Paris-climate-30122014014032#





Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

COP20: Interview of IPCC chairman R K Pachauri on outcome of the Lima climate talks, fate of GCF and future of the UN body on climate change

http://t.co/KeTlJDEkOG


AND




Rich nations would contribute to the Green Climate Fund once all the countries provide their INDCs: R K Pachauri

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Dec 23, 2014, 10.09PM IST
Text resize:

NEW DELHI: At the time when developing world is worried about the rich nations' reluctance for contributing to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the chairman of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) R K Pachauri believes that the developed world would come forward substantially with the finance once all the countries provide their 'Intended Nationally Determined Contributions' (INDCs) - a clear roadmap of their voluntary actions to fight the threat of climate change.

Pachauri, who is also member of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Council on Climate Change, in an interview to TOI spoke on a range of issues including the course of action India should take to go on low- carbon growth path, outcome of the Lima climate talks, future of the IPCC and the GCF that is meant for helping out developing countries for their mitigation and adaptation actions.

He said the countries in Lima had, at least, come up with a framework for a kind of agreement that the world would get in Paris in December next year in the form of a global climate deal. He said the rich nations would, hopefully, contribute to the GCF once all the countries provide their INDCs next year. The IPCC chairman also opened up on the future of the UN body on climate change, saying it will continue to work and there is a possibility of sixth assessment report.

Excerpts:

Q. How you see the outcome of the Lima climate conference?

A. Lima outcome has, at least, come up with a framework for a kind of agreement that we would get in Paris. I don't know whether this is enough or not, but now we have at least a concrete basis on which we will carry out our negotiations. Every country will provide their INDCs on certain basis (elements) and will see whether it would be enough to meet the goal of keeping the temperature rise below 2 degree Celsius this century. So, Lima to that extent is a beginning but we have to build on that.

I am glad, at least now we have an agreement or a sort of building blocks of any agreement with the INDCs. What these INDCs will turn out to be country by country is left to be seen and of course will also be left open to scrutiny because all of this is now going to be transparent.

Q. There has been reluctance on the part of rich nations to contribute to the GCF. Do you see any change of stand in future? Will more money come to the fund, beyond the existing sum of over 10 billion US dollars in the kitty? 

A. It seems to me that once you get the INDCs from all the countries and if they find that these INDCs don't add up to what is required then the next step would be to see how you can make it happen. In the developing countries, you have to provide resources to make it happen. I hope that will convince the developed countries that we are all in it together and if we have to stabilize the earth climate, this money has to be provided. Otherwise, we won't reach the kind of result which we want.

Finance would be required to take mitigation and adaptation measures. It is to be found out how those finances can be made available for enhancing the GCF. So, I think there lots need to be looked at and there is lot more attention that needs to be provided to it. I hope it happens once the INDCs come together and see the gap in terms of funding and the gap in terms of reducing emission.

Q. What would you like to suggest the PM council on climate change in India in view of rising demand to cut emission at the time when the country needs to develop to fulfill its obligation to poor citizens?

A. India has to do much more on adaptation to face the impact of climate change. We have not paid enough attention on it. We have many regulations but we are not sure whether these are being properly observed at local level. Therefore, local government has to be strengthened if we want to carry out adaptation measures.

There is a whole range of things. Even in agriculture, the impacts of climate change are going to be serious and therefore we have to start preparing for that and possibly to bring about shift not only in agriculture practices but even in crop patterns.

On the mitigation front, I would say that the India has a very serious challenge of energy security. We need to use energy more efficiently. That would require a major restructuring in many sectors specifically transport, industry and building. We should also start looking at the mix of energy supply that we need for the future.

Q. How can country meet its growing energy need?

A. India has abundance of renewable energy sources. We should go for it in a big way. It will also give us lower emission of greenhouse gases. It is time we should start shaping our policy in a way that renewable sources of energy, at least where it is economically viable, get utilized. Once the country moves on this path with clear policy, finance will, hopefully, not be a problem.

Q. What is the future of the IPCC as it has already submitted its report\findings? Will this UN body continue? If yes, then in what form? 

A. As far as the IPCC is concerned, we in the immediate future are going to ensure that the findings of the synthesis report are spread and made known to communities all over the world. This is going to be something which I personally will be focusing on in the next six to eight months. But over a longer period of time, the governments are now in a state of decision making discussion on what the next cycle of the IPCC should be.

My expectation is that there will be a sixth assessment report (AR6). Whether it is going to be structurally identical to the fifth assessment report (AR5) or whether it would be different would be clearer by the end of February when the plenary of the IPCC takes place.

It seems to me that the result of the fifth assessment report would perhaps only strengthen the need for carrying out updated assessment. Given the fact that we have a lot more information and knowledge in this report (AR5) than what we had in AR4 and similarly the AR4 had much more as compared to the AR3. This only strengthens the need for coming out with successive assessment.

In essence, I think the work of the IPCC will continue as there is also growing desire on the part of the scientific community to contribute.


Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

COP20: 'Goal of mobilizing 100 billion US dollars per year by 2020 is still a far cry'

http://t.co/zSUld5NNpB


Rich nations are penny-pinching: Prakash Javadekar

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Dec 23, 2014, 12.45AM IST
“This is especially relevant in view of the action of some countries, which had gone back on their Kyoto Protocol commitments. The Lima conference agreed that the contribution of countries has to be more than their current commitments”, said Javadekar.
Text resize:

NEW DELHI: A week after conclusion of the Lima climate talks, India on Monday lamented that rich nations have failed to deliver adequately on the issue of finance and said the "goal of mobilizing 100 billion US dollars per year by 2020 is still a far cry".

READ ALSO: Lima deal saves climate talks, India satisfied

The concern was expressed by the Union environment and climate change minister Prakash Javadekar in his suo moto statement in Parliament on the Lima climate talks and India's position during the crucial negotiating rounds in the Peruvian capital.

Though Javadekar, who had led the Indian delegation at talks, expressed his satisfaction over the broad outcome of the Lima climate conference, he underlined the difficulties involved on the issue of finance where rich nations did not come up to expectation of the developing countries.

READ ALSO: Govt shares outcome of Lima climate talks with Parliament

Referring to the pledge of only over $10 billion, made by rich nations, against the actual target of $100 billion per year by 2020, Javadekar said it was decided at Lima to "urge" contributors to confirm pledges in the form of "fully executed contribution agreements" so that at least 50% of promises made till November this year should be fully executed by April 30, 2015.

The minister of state for environment, forest and climate change, Prakash Javadekar speaks at a high-level segment of UNFCCC conference of parties in Lima. (PTI photo)
The finance issue had come up during the talks in the context of capitalization of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) that was created as a financial instrument to help developing countries for their ambitious mitigation (emission cut) and adaptation actions. The rich nations are supposed to contribute to the GCF for the purpose.

It was agreed in Lima that the new agreement will address all elements that are mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, capacity building and transparency of action and support in a balanced manner.

READ ALSO: Paris climate talks may have to pay for Lima compromise

Referring to the outcome, Javadekar in Lok Sabha said, "The recognition that all elements need to be addressed in a balanced manner is a key outcome of the Conference as there were efforts by some developed countries to undermine the basic tenets of the Convention".

Besides recognizing all elements as key ingredients of the future climate deal, it was decided that the countries should not backslide from current pledges.

"This is especially relevant in view of the action of some countries, which had gone back on their Kyoto Protocol commitments. The Lima conference agreed that the contribution of countries has to be more than their current commitments", said Javadekar.

Speaking about India's position, the minister said, "Our main task was to protect India's long term interests and emphasize the need for growth and development space to tackle the problem of eradicating poverty, providing energy access to all and address other developmental priorities.

"In this endeavour, we were guided by the vision of the government and Cabinet mandate. Our stand in the negotiations was also guided by the principle of 'Equity' and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDRs), which is the bedrock principle of the UNFCCC". 



READ ALSO: Saarc nations come as separate group at Lima climate talks


--- http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31810&articlexml=Rich-nations-are-penny-pinching-23122014006021#


Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, December 21, 2014

COP20: A tightrope walk to Paris

http://t.co/3SvIjrICtY


Paris climate talks may have to pay for Lima compromise

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Dec 21, 2014, 01.12AM IST
Text resize:

NEW DELHI: Is the outcome at Lima a recipe for a weak climate deal in Paris? Compromises on many key issues in the draft negotiating text that will serve as the basis for the next round of negotiations, beginning in February in Geneva, hint at such a possibility.

Countries from both sides - developed and developing - accommodated each-other's concerns in the agreed text, but it still left many loopholes in the draft that may allow rich nations to maneuver their positions in the run up to Paris.

The concerns are articulated by NGOs across the globe who found that the Lima outcome fell short of expectation as it was guided more by "political expediency" than the scientific urgency and need of vulnerable countries.

The views of NGOs' representatives, who attended the conference last week as observers, seem significant if one goes through the fine-print of the text.

The agreed text - Lima Call for Climate Action - shows that all countries will by October 1 provide the UNFCCC secretariat their INDCs (mitigation targets and adaptation measures) to achieve the goal of keeping the global temperature rise below 2 degree celsius this century. But a careful reading of the agreement belies the promises it sets out to make.

The text prefers to use "may" instead of "shall" while asking countries to provide their INDCs using various parameters and reference points like base year, time frame or periods for implementation. It, at the same time, remains silent on specifics of those references. Obviously, this was glossed over to save the talks from collapsing.



The agreement "urges" developed countries to enhance their ambition in the pre-2020 period. The developing countries, in fact, gave the rich nations enough concession by allowing them to escape without making any commitments. The rich group, on the other hand, agreed to have references of adaptation, financial support, technology transfer and 'loss and damage' mentioned in the text without providing a definite roadmap.

"Developed countries have not pledged to reduce their emissions from now till 2020. They have also not given any concrete assurances to provide finance and technology to the developing countries. Every country can now decide what they want to do to reduce their emissions", said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general of the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

He said, "The countries will not be asked to explain how their efforts are fair and ambitious. They will also not face any rigorous assessment process ahead of the Paris summit".

The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) reacted the same way saying, "Political expediency won over scientific urgency...Governments at the UN climate talks in Lima opted for a half-baked plan to cut emissions."

Samantha Smith of the WWF Global Climate and Energy Initiative said, "Governments crucially failed to agree on specific plans to cut emissions before 2020 that would have laid the ground for ending the fossil fuel era and accelerated the move toward renewable energy and increased energy efficiency".

Though the developing countries including India expressed their satisfaction over clear mentions of "Under Convention" and "CBDR" in the text, NGOs pointed out how the caveat in the form of "different national circumstances" will spare the rich nations from fulfilling their responsibilities despite being big historical emitters.

Referring to the finance issue in the agreed text, the Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) director Sanjay Vashist said, "On finance, the momentum provided by pledges to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) got lost. Ten billion USD in the GCF - over four years - is too little....The Lima outcome did not provide further clarity about the pathway to the USD 100 billion a year promised to support developing countries to take climate action. Finance was essentially kicked down the road to Paris".

--- http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Paris-climate-talks-may-have-to-pay-for-21122014015011#


Posted by at No comments:

COP20: Lima keeps the Paris hope alive

http://t.co/O15lK2Q7V7


Lima deal saves climate talks, India satisfied

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Dec 15, 2014, 05.18AM IST
COP20 president and Peruvian minister of environment Manuel Pulgar slams his mallet on December 14, 2014, to approve and close the discussion on a proposed compromise document handed out during the marathon UN talks in Lima. (AFP photo)
Text resize:

LIMA: A compromise draft on national pledges to cut global carbon emissions saved the UN climate talks from a collapse and kept hopes alive for a global deal in Paris next year to combat climate change. After a marathon 13-day conference of parties (COP), negotiators on Sunday adopted the draft that addressed India's concerns and set the roadmap for a new binding deal.

Though the outcome is not on expected lines, it somehow managed to keep red lines for all countries- developed and developing. The agreement — Lima Call for Climate Action — paves the way for all nations to submit their 'nationally determined' pledge for emission cuts and adaptation measures by October next year — not by June, 2015 that was expected after last year's Warsaw talks.

Though it doesn't give an ambitious roadmap for climate finance, it addresses the concerns of developing countries by keeping 'adaptation' clause intact and not diluting the basic principles — CBDRs — of the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol. The contentious issues will, however, come up again during the Paris talks ahead of the final agreement.

READ ALSO: Poor countries gear up to battle the rich at Lima climate talks

Commenting on the draft, environment minister Prakash Javadekar said, "All of India's concerns have been addressed." "We have achieved targets and we got what we wanted," he said after the delegates approved a broad blueprint for talks leading up to a deal in 2015 that is to come into effect after 2020.


The minister of state for environment, forest and climate change, Prakash Javadekar speaks at a high-level segment of UNFCCC conference of parties in Lima. (PTI photo)

Nations concluded by elaborating the elements of the new agreement, scheduled to be stamped in Paris in late 2015, while also agreeing to the ground rules on how all countries can submit contributions to the new agreement during the first quarter of next year.

These intended nationally-determined contributions (INDCs) will form the foundation for climate action post 2020 when the new agreement is set to come into effect.

READ ALSO: US rules out China-like climate deal with India in near future

During the two-week 20th COP, countries also made significant progress in elevating adaptation onto the same level as action to cut and curb emissions.
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, minister of environment of Peru and COP president, said: "Lima has given new urgency towards fast-tracking adaptation and building resilience across the developing world — not least by strengthening the link to finance and development of national adaptation plans. Meanwhile here in Lima, governments have left with a far clearer vision of what the draft Paris agreement will look like as we head into 2015 and the next round of negotiations in Geneva."


Activists wearing masks depicting (left to tight) Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper, China's President Xi Jinping, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russia's President Vladimir Putin are seen before they demonstrate to demand cuts in global emissions during the UN Climate Change Conference COP 20 in Lima December 12, 2014. (Reuters photo)

The Lima climate conference achieved a range of other important outcomes, decisions and "firsts" in the history of international climate process. Pledges were made by both developed and developing countries prior to and during the COP that took the capitalization of the new Green Climate Fund (GCF) past an initial $10 billion target.

Levels of transparency and confidence-building reached new heights as several industrialized countries submitted themselves to questioning about their emission targets under a new process called a "multilateral assessment".

READ ALSO: Saarc nations come as separate group at Lima climate talks

The Lima Ministerial Declaration on Education and Awareness-raising calls on governments to put climate change into school curricula and climate awareness into national development plans.

The discussions though had at times got heated as developed and developing countries bickered over who should bear responsibility for reducing carbon emissions and whether rich nations should reduce emissions faster and over the quantum of aid they should give to poor countries to check global warming.

---- http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=TOI-at-Lima-Deal-at-Lima-saves-climate-15122014010005#

Posted by at No comments:

COP20: The heat is on as climate talks reach final round

http://t.co/ra3lxO4De1


UN climate convention: Poor countries gear up to battle the rich

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Dec 12, 2014, 05.37AM IST
Text resize:

LIMA: The battle lines are being drawn at the climate negotiations with developing countries, including India, snubbing rich nations on Wednesday for their attempt to dilute the basic principles of the UN convention and its Kyoto Protocol.

Making a strong intervention during a key meeting, Indian environment and climate change minister Prakash Javadekar said, "We are here to enhance the implementation of the convention, certainly not to re-write it".

He referred to the attempt of EU and non-EU rich countries including the US (called Umbrella Group) to bring out a new phrase of "evolving CBDR" where they pitch for changing the "historical responsibility" clause and categorization of countries in terms of their wealth that actually make them accountable for emission cuts and burden sharing.

The CBDR (common but differentiated responsibility) clause makes it mandatory for rich nations (annex countries) to cut emissions because developing countries (non-annexe countries) are not the "historical polluters" nor they have the capacity to pay for the past sins of the developed world.

Javadekar said, "The decision on Durban Platform mandated that the new agreement shall be 'under the convention'. Therefore, the new agreement has to be in full accordance with all the principles and provisions of the Framework Convention. It cannot be in contravention with and cannot undermine the Convention.

"We believe that the developing country parties will put forth their best efforts in accordance with their resources and capacity. Fulfillment of commitments and promises to provide enhanced financial and technological support for developing countries is crucial and will enable them to scale up their efforts and help in realizing our global goal".

Emphasizing the role of rich nations, the minister in his intervention said, "It is important to ensure that there is no slackening of the mitigation ambition of the developed country parties in the pre- and post-2020 period".

India and other developing countries have, in fact, been asking the rich countries to fulfill their pre-2020 promise so that the rest of the world can trust them about their post-2020 commitment which would be reflected in the global climate deal in Paris late next year.

He said, "My negotiators have told me about a new phrase of 'evolving CBDR' that seems to have surfaced in their negotiations from certain quarters. There are other ideas floating as well. We also have our own ideas. But this is neither the right time nor the process to discuss these issues".

He said, "The need at this stage is to ensure that we have an ambitious, comprehensive, equitable and balanced agreement in 2015 that takes into account the huge development needs including access to financial resources and low carbon technological options for developing countries".

Referring to the suspicion among developing nations that the rich and influential groups may try to push their points through co-chairs of the meeting at the last moment, Javadekar made it clear that the countries would only be able to successfully negotiate a text that is "party driven and inclusive" (means the countries would not agree to something which will be imposed on them from the chairs of the negotiations).

--- http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=TOI-at-Lima-The-heat-is-on-as-13122014014041#


Posted by at No comments:

COP20: US rules out China-like climate deal with India

http://t.co/OOzrq0uW8T


US rules out China-like climate deal with India in near future

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Dec 11, 2014, 01.44PM IST
It is expected that India and US during Obama visit would announce some agreement in the field of clean energy financing. 
Text resize:

LIMA: A day before meeting Indian environment minister Prakash Javadekar for yet another round of bilateral meeting here on sideline of the climate conference, the US special envoy for climate change Todd Stern on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of a wide-ranging deal to cut greenhouse gas emission with India on the line of the recent US-China deal.

Responding to a specific question on the possibility of such deal during the US president Barack Obama's visit to New Delhi in January next year, Stern said, "We don't have that kind of process going on with India".

Stern, who had met Javadekar on Sunday, however said India was an important player and he expected it to be a constructive one in the ongoing climate talks.

READ ALSO: Saarc nations come as a separate group at Lima climate talks

India tells rich nations not to use disasters as tools to make profit

Won't allow progress review, India tells UN climate meet

Lima COP20: Deep divides on key issues

He also mentioned that the US had a lot of bilateral works with India on clean energy and will continue doing so.

Under the US-China bilateral deal that was signed in Beijing last month, the US will reduce emissions by 26-28% below the 2005 levels by 2025 while China intends to achieve the peaking of carbon emissions around 2030. Under the deal, Beijing also intends to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 20% by 2030.

Going into the background of the US-China deal, Stern said he was with Secretary of State John Kerry when he visited China last February. The idea for a deal was conceived of in his office and it was discussed with China's top leadership during the visit. The official deal was announced nine months later, he said, adding it was not something that was decided in two weeks.

Stern, who will meet Javadekar for another round of bilateral on Thursday said, "We don't have that kind of process with India but we have a substantial desire to work in a constructive and ramped up way with India on climate change and clean energy."

He said that Kerry would arrive in Lima on Thursday for a few hours since he was visiting the region and he would make some remarks on the US commitments on climate.

It is expected that India and US during Obama visit would announce some agreement in the field of clean energy financing. It would take froward the cooperation which both the countries had agreed upon during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in September.

The US had then promised to help India build nuclear power plants through civil nuclear cooperation agreement, increase support for renewable energy through sharing cost-effective technology and boost capacity for adapting to climate change.

The India-US joint statement had then enlisted many such measures. It included providing for up to $1 billion in helping India's transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient energy economy, launching a new US-India 'Partnership for Climate Resilience' to advance capacity for climate adaptation planning and a new programme of work on air quality aimed at delivering benefits for climate change and human health.

Both the countries had also agreed for a new US-India 'Climate Fellowship Program' to build long-term capacity to address climate change-related issues in both countries and to "explore opportunities for collaboration on national parks and wildlife conservation".

--- http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=TOI-at-Lima-No-China-like-deal-with-12122014014045#


Posted by at No comments:

COP20: A joint statement from SAARC at Lima climate talks .... common interest of South Asia

http://t.co/NpCa3Ch2ZS


Saarc nations come as a separate group at Lima climate talks

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Dec 11, 2014, 11.01AM IST
South Asia is particularly prone to climate change and related disasters.
Text resize:

LIMA: The SAARC group has finally come as a joint force at the ongoing climate talks with ministers and key representatives of all eight member countries formally sealing the existence of the South Asia as a common entity here as far as putting across their united stand at the UN forum is concerned.

Nepal has made a joint statement on behalf of the SAARC, bringing out the South Asia's common position which strictly adhere to the basic principles of the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol.

The countries - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Afghanistan - jointly asked the rich nation to fulfil their promise of emission cuts during pre-2020 phase (second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol) as this move only would convince the rest of the world about their intention and commitment post-2020 based on the next year's global climate deal.

As reported by the TOI last week about this move, all the member countries formally agreed to make a joint statement on behalf of the SAARC during a dinner meeting of ministers\representatives of eight countries on Monday. Indian side was led by the country's environment and climate change minister Prakash Javadekar who came here with a pre-planned move to revive the group after heads of all the countries had agreed for it during the November SAARC conference in Kathmandu.

Subsequently, Nepalese head of delegation for climate talks - the country's planning commission vice chairman Govinda Pokharel - made his joint statement on the first day of the high-level segment on Tuesday, revising the group that has been in hibernation for the last three years.

Not only that, all the eight countries also agreed to send their key representatives to New Delhi for a joint conference on climate change issues for South Asian countries for four days, beginning December 16.

Making the joint statement Pokharel noted that the SAARC leaders underlined the urgency for the global community to arrive at a Protocol, another legal instrument, or an "agreed outcome with legal force applicable to all by the end of 2015, based on the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR), Respective Capabilities and Equity under the UNFCCC".

Reflecting the group's common position, he said, "Any delay in action on climate change will only add to our costs and the requirement of Adaptation. Therefore, Pre‐2020 ambition and ratification of Kyoto Protocol 2nd Commitment Period is the urgent need of the hour".

He also emphasised, "We must work out a post‐2020 framework that is based on equity, CBDR‐RC and protects the poor and vulnerable people in South Asia from the disastrous impacts of climate change".

Though whatever he said has been a consistent position of all eight countries, the revival of SAARC is significant as it would not be easy for the rich and influential nations to ignore a united voice under the UNFCCC.

"Even if it is not the negotiating group, it may act as a strong pressure group in the run up to the Paris talks where the global deal is expected in late next year", said an Indian delegation member.

He said the group would always take a position keeping in mind concerns of each of the eight member countries.

Though all the eight SAARC countries are currently part of one or more groups for negotiations under the UNFCCC, the move is quite significant in view of pitching their joint stand at the time when China is no longer seen as the country which may be very forceful to put across common interests on board in the wake of its bilateral deal with the US.

The SAARC as a group had existed and represented these countries during three Conference of the Parties (COP) between 2010-12, but it went into cold storage specifically when India had become more active within another group - BASIC - along with Brazil, South Africa and China virtually at the cost of South Asian group.

Other countries of the SAARC including Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan too found themselves too comfortable in the group of 48-member least developed countries (LDCs). Similarly, Pakistan found it more suitable to be part of the like minded developing countries (LMDCs) group which also has India and China as members.

---- http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Saarc-stands-up-to-be-counted-as-one-12122014014054#


Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)