The Communist Party of India on Monday described the outcome of the climate change talks in Copenhagen as a “damp squib.” What had emerged was a backdoor deal and a political statement worked out by the U.S. and BASIC, a grouping of Brazil, South Africa, India and China.
In a statement, the party said the apprehensions of the poor nations that the U.S. would impose a deal proved correct.
The party said the accord did not lay down any binding target for the industrialised countries beyond 2012 as demanded by the Kyoto Protocol, which the U.S. had refused to ratify, and which Washington was trying to kill.
Criticising the summit’s failure to broker an agreement on technology transfer or additional resources to fund mitigation in developing countries, the CPI said that even the voluntary actions taken by countries such as India and China to cut emissions would now be subject to international consultation and analysis. The voluntary pledges made by developing countries meant more than the commitments of the developed countries, including the U.S. the world’s largest polluter.
The party said the accord could not be adopted because the ranks of the G-77 or the G-192 were broken by a smaller group, and this helped the United States emerge victor. “Most of the developing countries are disappointed and angry.”
Attempts were now being made to portray the accord as an important beginning and the one that saved the talks from collapse. Talks were kept open for the next round in Berlin, where the poor and developing countries should remain united, the party said.
