Ahead of the global climate talks at Copenhagen, the Government will announce its position on the climate change on Thursday in the Lok Sabha to take the members of the House into confidence over the critical issue.
India is under immense pressure from the U.S. and China after both the countries recently quantified their targets on carbon emissions. While China has announced to cut the carbon intensity in the range of 40 to 45 per cent, the U.S. has pledged to reduce emissions by 17 per cent.
In this background, India might be compelled to announce its decision regarding carbon emissions at the Copenhagen conference which starts from December 7, though it is not likely to quantify the targets given that its National Action Plan on Climate Change is yet to be firmed up.
A special discussion has been scheduled in the Lower House on Thursday where Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh will spell out various steps, including the legislative ones, which the Government is taking to tackle the climate change.
India is the world’s fifth highest emitter of greenhouse gases.
New Delhi has, however, already made it clear that it will, at no cost, take any binding emission cuts as envisaged in the U.N. Framework on Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) keeping the need of its millions of people living Below the Poverty Line.
India at various fora has maintained that its approach to the climate change negotiations is based on the principles of equity and common, but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities to achieve the objectives of the convention.
Pointing out that India is most vulnerable to global warming, Mr. Ramesh during calling attention motion in Rajya Sabha last month had stressed the need for a domestic legislation to meet specific performance targets in sectors such as power, transport, industry, agriculture, building and forestry to tackle the challenge.
Mr. Ramesh will represent India at the ministerial level talks at Copenhagen on December 14 while the Danish Prime Minister has extended an invitation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to participate in the plenary on December 18.
He will be accompanied by six other MPs from various political parties including Murali Manhoar Joshi (BJP), B. Mehtab (BJD) and Sitaram Yechury from CPI(M).
