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India asks developed nations to finalise pre-2020 action plan

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
India today appealed to developed countries to present their ambitious pre-2020 action plan to reduce emissions well before the crucial global climate conference to be held in Paris later this year.

India also pitched for a "balanced and realistic" Paris agreement that is not "full of pious statements".

The UN climate conference, to be held in Paris from November 30 to December 11 this year, is tasked with finalising a global agreement designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Addressing the Sixth Petersberg Climate Dialogue at Berlin today, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said: "India has emphasised that developed countries should present their ambitious targets for pre-2020 action and roadmaps for the same, well before Paris (meeting)."
 

Ambitious pre-2020 actions of developed countries will create the carbon space required for the developing world, as every poor person has the right to equitable access to the atmospheric resources, he said in a statement issued by the Environment Ministry.

"It will be ironical that we formulate post-2020 architecture without finalising pre-2020 action plan," he said and suggested the ADP should be directed to come up with the draft decision text on pre-2020 actions.

The Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP), a subsidiary body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is tasked with drafting climate agreement document.

That apart, India demanded that the Warsaw International mechanism, set up in 2013, for loss and damage due to climate change should be operationalised by 2016.

"This mechanism should provide for specific commitments from developed country parties and Annex-II parties to provide support for the financing and operationalisation of this mechanism," the Minister said.

Stating that India would like to see a "balanced and realistic" Paris Agreement that is based on trust, Javadekar said, "Let us not create a document full of pious statements.

"Let us also not complicate it further and bring in newer elements and ideas at this stage. If Paris is to succeed, let us welcome a new beginning where all countries take actions on their own," he added.

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First Published: May 18 2015 | 7:57 PM IST

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