 "Commonwealth wants legally-binding & durable deal at COP21")
The Commonwealth has vowed to work towards an ambitious, durable and legally-binding deal at the Paris Climate Summit and sought adequate financial assistance to poor countries to help them cut green house gas emissions, a view strongly supported by India.
After lengthy deliberations at its biennial summit here, the 53-nation bloc which represents around a third of the world's population, also agreed to make concerted efforts in fighting extremism and radicalisation and formed a separate unit to deal with the challenge. The unit will help finance programmes to counter radicalisation.
On climate change, the Commonwealth leaders called for urgent global response in checking global warming and said they were "deeply concerned" about the disproportionate threat to its most vulnerable countries.
"We are committed to working towards an ambitious, equitable, inclusive, balanced, rules-based and durable outcome of COP21 that includes a legally-binding agreement," the Commonwealth said in a statement on Climate Action.
It said such an outcome, joined and implemented by all parties, should put the global community on track towards low-emission and climate-resilient societies and economies.
The grouping, where India is the biggest member in terms of population, agreed to work towards a legally-binding outcome at the Paris climate conference and said the climate change challenge could only be met by a deep cut in global green-house gas emission.
It also agreed to abide by the target to hold the increase in global average temperature below 2 degrees Celsius or 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. An unnamed country expressed reservations about this as well.
The statement said Commonwealth countries will work together to achieve an outcome at the Paris summit that will stimulate sustainable economic growth, give a clear signal of the need for deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions and support vulnerable states.
"We are deeply concerned by the threat posed by climate change, which continues to put at risk the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of our member states and citizens. Many of our most vulnerable states and communities are already facing the adverse impacts of climate change," it said.
The Commonwealth statement said reservations were expressed on certain clauses by one country, indicating that achieving a deal at Paris would not be easy. Commonwealth secretary general Kamalesh Sharma refused to name the country.
The session on climate change was attended byUN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon and French President Francois Hollande besides leaders of major Commonwealth members including Britain, Canada, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
India was represented at the summit by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
Before the statement was issued, the Commonwealth leaders held talks yesterday at a retreat session in Fort St Angelo where they discussed possible road blocks in arriving at a deal in Paris besides other issues.
As part of efforts to help vulnerable countries, a climate finance access hub was also unveiled which will be located in Mauritius.
It will give vulnerable countries the ability to access climate financing to make the necessary changes to develop clean energy and combat the effects of climate change.
Earlier, Commonwealth countries pledged billions to fight global warming with Canada topping the list announcing a $2 billion assistance to help poor countries limiting green-house gas emission.
India pledged to provide $2.5 million for the Commonwealth small states to help them combat climate change.
During negotiations, Indiatook the lead in articulating concerns of the developing countries in finalising approach of the Commonwealth in dealing with climate change. It argued that any ambitious statement emanating from the Commonwealth should be tempered with realism as the discussions in the run up to the COP 21 at Paris have been complex and difficult.
Indian officials argued that the Commonwealth must not pre-judge outcome of the negotiations leading to Paris summit and that commitment of the rich nations towards small islands and poor countries must go beyond the current level.
Sharma said the financial assistance would help some of the most vulnerable countries in the Commonwealth.
"Thirty one of our 53 members are small states and 25 are small island developing states, which are most vulnerable to Climate change."
The Paris summit aims at achieving a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, and keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. Heads of State of around 140 countries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will attend the summit.
It was decided that the next Commonwealth summit will be held in Britain.
The Commonwealth leaders also discussed ways to combat radicalisation and corruption.
"We need to expose this extremism for what it is: a belief system that divides our communities and glorifies violence," British Prime Minister David Cameron said.
"We've committed to do more to counter extremist propaganda on the Internet and to share expertise on prevention," he said, adding that tackling corruption was another major challenge.
After lengthy deliberations at its biennial summit here, the 53-nation bloc which represents around a third of the world's population, also agreed to make concerted efforts in fighting extremism and radicalisation and formed a separate unit to deal with the challenge. The unit will help finance programmes to counter radicalisation.
On climate change, the Commonwealth leaders called for urgent global response in checking global warming and said they were "deeply concerned" about the disproportionate threat to its most vulnerable countries.
"We are committed to working towards an ambitious, equitable, inclusive, balanced, rules-based and durable outcome of COP21 that includes a legally-binding agreement," the Commonwealth said in a statement on Climate Action.
It said such an outcome, joined and implemented by all parties, should put the global community on track towards low-emission and climate-resilient societies and economies.
The grouping, where India is the biggest member in terms of population, agreed to work towards a legally-binding outcome at the Paris climate conference and said the climate change challenge could only be met by a deep cut in global green-house gas emission.
It also agreed to abide by the target to hold the increase in global average temperature below 2 degrees Celsius or 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. An unnamed country expressed reservations about this as well.
The statement said Commonwealth countries will work together to achieve an outcome at the Paris summit that will stimulate sustainable economic growth, give a clear signal of the need for deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions and support vulnerable states.
"We are deeply concerned by the threat posed by climate change, which continues to put at risk the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of our member states and citizens. Many of our most vulnerable states and communities are already facing the adverse impacts of climate change," it said.
The Commonwealth statement said reservations were expressed on certain clauses by one country, indicating that achieving a deal at Paris would not be easy. Commonwealth secretary general Kamalesh Sharma refused to name the country.
The session on climate change was attended byUN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon and French President Francois Hollande besides leaders of major Commonwealth members including Britain, Canada, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
India was represented at the summit by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
Before the statement was issued, the Commonwealth leaders held talks yesterday at a retreat session in Fort St Angelo where they discussed possible road blocks in arriving at a deal in Paris besides other issues.
As part of efforts to help vulnerable countries, a climate finance access hub was also unveiled which will be located in Mauritius.
It will give vulnerable countries the ability to access climate financing to make the necessary changes to develop clean energy and combat the effects of climate change.
Earlier, Commonwealth countries pledged billions to fight global warming with Canada topping the list announcing a $2 billion assistance to help poor countries limiting green-house gas emission.
India pledged to provide $2.5 million for the Commonwealth small states to help them combat climate change.
During negotiations, Indiatook the lead in articulating concerns of the developing countries in finalising approach of the Commonwealth in dealing with climate change. It argued that any ambitious statement emanating from the Commonwealth should be tempered with realism as the discussions in the run up to the COP 21 at Paris have been complex and difficult.
Indian officials argued that the Commonwealth must not pre-judge outcome of the negotiations leading to Paris summit and that commitment of the rich nations towards small islands and poor countries must go beyond the current level.
Sharma said the financial assistance would help some of the most vulnerable countries in the Commonwealth.
"Thirty one of our 53 members are small states and 25 are small island developing states, which are most vulnerable to Climate change."
The Paris summit aims at achieving a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, and keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. Heads of State of around 140 countries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will attend the summit.
It was decided that the next Commonwealth summit will be held in Britain.
The Commonwealth leaders also discussed ways to combat radicalisation and corruption.
"We need to expose this extremism for what it is: a belief system that divides our communities and glorifies violence," British Prime Minister David Cameron said.
"We've committed to do more to counter extremist propaganda on the Internet and to share expertise on prevention," he said, adding that tackling corruption was another major challenge.