‘India ready to be part of solution to fight climate change’

Ahead of the crucial climate change summit in Paris, India has said that it is ready to be part of the solution for tackling climate change.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has stressed on the need to look at the ‘polluter pays’ principle as one of the ways of tackling climate change. He said India would urge rich nations to deliver climate justice for developing countries at the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Paris.

Javadekar said India expects an “equitable and just” climate agreement in Paris and does not want the Paris summit to repeat the outcome of previous summits. 

He added that PM Narendra Modi had always stressed on “climate justice” and sustainable lifestyle by developed countries to help combat the threat of climate change. For the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations, the Paris conference aims to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.

The Paris conference is expected to attract close to 50,000 participants including 25,000 official delegates from government, intergovernmental organisations, UN agencies, NGOs and civil society.

Meanwhile, India will strongly contest any attempt by developed countries to dilute their responsibilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, government sources said on Wednesday, while outlining India’s key strategies at the Paris summit. India will also strongly “pursue lack of commitment” of developed countries in providing finance and green technology to developing nations to tackle the challenge of climate change and adopt clean energy pathways.

“Down-playing of developed countries’ commitments and enhancement of developing countries contributions will be contested while the lack of commitment of developed countries on finance and technology will be pursued,” a top government source said.

India will also challenge attempts to cite its large economy to preclude it from being eligible for climate finance. “Attempts to enlarge the contributor base and shrink recipient base for climate finance will be contested,” the source pointed out.

India made it clear that the agreement should be based on basic principles of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in which equity common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) will form the parts of its elements and historical responsibility will also be factored in.