Going forward from Cancun
could amplify global warming, hold-
BHASKAR
BALAKRISHNAN
T
he Cancun climate
change summit narrowly
escaped a collapse,
thanks to the intensive ef-
forts of negotiators, including the
Mexican Chairman, Ms Patricia Es-
pinosa. Unlike Copenhagen, there
was better transparency and a
genuine desire to achieve results. Ja-
pan’s bombshell announcement, ef-
fectively resiling from the Kyoto
Protocol principles, virtually torpe-
doed the summit, after which nego-
tiators managed to salvage some
modest results and kept the process
from collapsing. The “Cancun
agreements” that came out of the
summit were basically some non-
binding, non-controversial but, nev-
ertheless, important issues.
ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION
There were some positives. All
states agreed on the need to limit
global temperature rise to 2 degrees
Celsius, and try for limit of 1.5 de-
grees Celsius, to agree on 2050 tar-
gets for deep cuts in emissions by
next year, to cooperate in achieving
at the earliest peaking of emissions
(with developing countries needing
more time for this). This is timely,
for a recent scientific report suggest-
ed that the influence of water vapour
ing out the prospect of a runaway
rise in global temperatures, as might
have happened on the planet Venus.
A plan of action for adapting to
global warming was agreed upon,
and an Adaptation Committee is to
be set up to help implement this
plan. All states have been asked to
submit proposals on adaptation-re-
lated matters by February 21, 2011.
On mitigation, the Conference
reaffirmed the basic principles of eq-
uity, and common, but differentiat-
ed, responsibility, recognising the
historic responsibility of industrial-
ised countries, calling on them to
increase emission reduction targets,
and increasing the reporting scope.
For developing countries, the con-
ference recognised that their first
priority was development, and
urged them to take national mea-
sures to reduce emission below the
“business as usual” levels in 2020.
It welcomed the voluntary emis-
sion reductions declared by devel-
oping countries in 2010, and agreed
on some monitoring and reporting
measures.
CREATING FUNDS
The Conference called for measures
to halt and reverse deforestation and
degradation of forests, and urged
countries to develop national action
plans and measures to monitor their
implementation. It called for incen-
tives and promotion of mitigation
measures in the shape of market and
non-market based mechanisms, and
invited countries to send their pro-
posals by February 21, 2011.
basic divide came out sharply — de- ternative energy sources is essential
Mr Jairam Ramesh… Cancun
throws up opportunities for India.
The section on finance, technol-
ogy, and capacity-building con-
tained some progress. Developed
countries are urged to provide new
and additional resources to the tune
of $30 billion during 2010-2012, for
adaptation and mitigation measures.
For assured long-term financing, de-
veloped countries have agreed to
mobilise jointly at least $100 billion
per year by 2020.
A Green Climate Fund is to be set
up, to handle and channelise these
additional resources, with a board of
12 members each from developing
and developed countries. The World
Bank has been invited to be the in-
terim trustee of this Fund for the
first three years. The details of the
Fund would be worked out by a tran-
sitional committee of 15 developed
and 25 developing countries. The
veloped countries no longer agree to and inevitable. Whether this comes
binding cuts in emission unless de- through an orderly plan of action or
veloping countries, especially large as a result of serious crises is in our
emitters, also do so. This amounts tohands. Ultimately for our national
overturning the Kyoto Protocol, and interest we will have to reduce car-
has been rejected by the developing bon intensity or face unaffordable
countries. import burdens. It is better to make
India’s Minister attempted to this change now than when it is too
bridge the gap by suggesting that alllate.
countries, including developing Kyoto is almost dead, and given
countries, that have over 1 per cent the economic situation, developed
share of global emissions might countries are unlikely to agree to
agree to binding reductions at some stuff the genie back into the bottle.
stage. This has caused widespread The international community will
consternation and controversy both have to find new and innovative
with the other BASIC members and ways of sharing the responsibility
within India as being a major depar- for emission reductions. One way
ture from the national position. would be for an emission charge to
In complex negotiations such as be paid by all emitting countries, the
the one on climate change, where proceeds of which could be
there are diverse stakeholders and ploughed back to developing coun-
interest groups, it is essential thattries through the Green Climate
the national platform should be Fund. The national emission charg-
worked out on the basis of broad- es could then be disaggregated and
based consultation among all stake- charged to the emitters within the
holders, including major political country. This will provide a natural
parties. Only then will negotiators and fair economic incentive to go in
have the confidence to stand firm for emission reductions in all coun-
against unreasonable demands and tries, based on the accepted princi-
pressures. The experience of the ple of “polluter pays”.
Trade negotiations in Marrakesh in Even the partial results at Cancun
1994, where India succumbed to can provide opportunities for India
pressures and agreed to modify its and its vibrant business sector to en-
patent laws in line with US de- gage with the green Climate Fund
mands, should serve as a warning. and the technology mechanisms be-
ing set up. The Government should
INDIA’S OPTIONS set up an effective mechanism to tap
India’s import requirement of fossil these opportunities at the earliest.
fuels will rise sharply as growth
gathers momentum and business as (The author is a former Ambassador
usual will be unsustainable in the to Cuba and Greece. blfeedback@
long term. Therefore, a shift to al- thehindu.co.in)