India working with developing nations to push for climate deal

Lima, Dec 9 (PTI) India today said the developing nations, including China, are on the same page on several issues regarding climate and they will work together to push for the conclusion of a historic agreement to be signed next year in Paris to curb potentially disastrous global warming. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, who held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of a climate summit at the Peruvian capital here, said Brazil, South Africa, India, and China - the BASIC countries - have decided to meet frequently throughout this week to resolve their differences. "The countries are all on the same page on several issues," he told reporters. He noted that today's meetings went well. On Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), or the domestic climate action plans of countries to be included in the overall Paris 2015 agreement, he said the countries agree that the structure of INDCs should include more adaptation focus. "What carbon space have you released for us to grow?," Javadekar asked rhetorically when noting that adaptation needs to be an essential part of developed countries' INDCs. Referring to the Kyoto Protocol of 1992 standard of categorising countries into Annex 1 and 2 and determining contributions based on those terms, Javadekar said, "Differentiation should remain as is." The US and EU representatives said earlier today that they do not want to continue with that distinction of countries, but Javadekar said India "is not in favour of re-writing the Convention" in order to change that categorisation. In terms of financial contributions, the BASIC countries all feel that developed countries must put their words into solid action through more meaningful financial contributions. Javadekar also noted that in negotiating the draft elements of INDCs in Lima, India does not support an ex ante-review process because countries need the "internal freedom" to determine their climate action needs. The Minister also described the "new climate legislative regime" to come with India's review of laws on forest, wildlife, environment, water, and air and subsequent drafting of proposed amendments to make the laws and rules more clear and transparent. PTI