India's interests met in Paris climate talks: Javadekar

Asserting that it has "secured" India's interest in the Paris agreement on climate change, government today said the pact meets its "broad expectations" and recognises the country's development imperatives.
"We feel vindicated that all our major requirements have been accepted and have become a part of the agreement," Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar told Parliament.
He made the statement in both the Houses amid the din due to noisy protests by members of Congress and some other parties over a host of issues.
Javadekar, who had led an inter-ministerial delegation that participated in the Conference of Parties in Paris, highlighted the major aspects of the agreement which, he said, recognised the imperatives of climate justice, the specific needs and special circumstances of developing countries, a point made by India.

"The agreement also explicitly recognises that the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in the light of different national circumstances will be respected.
"India has been a strong advocate of the principle of differentiation and operationalisation of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR)... I am pleased to inform the House that India has been able to secure its interest and that of the developing countries in this agreement. The Paris agreement meets our broad expectations," he said.

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Later talking to reporters, Javadekar reiterated the Paris accord is a "legally binding" agreement that covers both developed and developing countries with the aim of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change.

The minister said that India's presence was strongly felt at the Conference of Parties (CoP21) and that India's views were heard and accounted for in the Paris agreement.
"We were proactive, positive and friendly," he said.
Javadekar said the concepts of climate justice and sustainable lifestyle put forward by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been included in the Paris agreement.
He also said that the launch of the International Solar Alliance by Modi and French President Francois Hollande was well-received.
The minister said the Paris accord is a very successful agreement from the viewpoint of saving the earth.
"The climate agreement mandates developed countries to provide financial resources to developing countries. India's right to grow has been fully protected by the Paris agreement, which also provides for transfer of technology to the developing countries," he said.

He said the principle of differentiation has been maintained in the agreement which is a solemn promise made by the world community to seven billion people that "we will work together to mitigate the challenges posed by climate change".
Javadekar said that the agreement outlines the road map to achieve this target while stating that the accord is more "durable and ambitious".
"It reassures that the world community is coming together to provide a better earth to the future generations," he said.
Javadekar said the agreement maintains differentiation in mitigation actions of developed and developing countries.
"The agreement is based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). All the principles bedrocked in the UNFCCC have been anchored into the agreement," he said.

The Paris agreement acknowledges the development imperatives of developing countries. It recognises the right of the developing countries to development and their efforts to harmonise development with environment while protecting the interests of the most vulnerable, he said.