India, China and Saudi Arabia are “happy” with a planned 195-nation agreement to rein in global warming, a spokesman for a developing country bloc long at odds with the West, told AFP Saturday. French President Francois Hollande called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him of the latest status of negotiations after release of draft. India’s concerns are met and we are really happy that we could also achieve our national target, but more importantly our environmental target.
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According to the Paris deal, countries can submit more ambitious goals by 2018, two years before the agreement comes into force. He said he wants different rules for different countries “clearly stipulated” in a deal that may be finalized Saturday.
“India has consistently said that the path to climate ambition must be paved with equity”.
On another contentious issue of liability for any loss and damage, there seems to be a trade off with the United States as the loss and damage part is mentioned in the text with rider that it does not involve or provide a basis for any liability or compensation. “That is an important achievement for India. These two concepts were put up very forcefully by India in the last one year”, he said. This is an area of concern as developed countries have historically reneged on commitments of financial and technology transfers. He says “unfortunately, the developing world is accommodating and the developed world is not accommodating and is not showing flexibility”.
Former top climate negotiator of the country Ambassador C Dasgupta today described the Paris outcome as “far from the ideal” but said the Indian team led by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar had done a fairly good job in securing Indias interest. All eyes are now on World leaders to live up to the expectations of millions of people around the world who are vulnerable to the affects of Climate Change. The International Solar Alliance (mooted by India) was a great success. Earlier, the French president congratulated delegates from 196 countries, saying: “You have done it – reached an ambitious agreement, a binding agreement, a universal agreement. This is a victory of Modi’s leadership and India’s persistent efforts”, he said.
The Paris agreements aimed at containing the rise in the temperature of the earth well below 2 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial level so as to avoid cataclysmic change in the climate.
“All parties have made a correct choice that is beneficial for their own people, responsible for future generations and conducive to sustainable development around the world”, he said through a translator.
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Javadekar quoted Mahatma Gandhi’s words that “we have not inherited earth from our ancestors, but we have it on loan from future generations” and said, “we have today reassured our future generation that we all together will mitigate the challenge posed by climate change and we will give them a better future”.
