Admits to communication gaps

Admitting that there were communication gaps in the recently concluded climate talks in Copenhagen, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh today said that the Danish Presidency could have handled the larger consultation process in a better way.

“Yes, there were gaps in communications. The Danish Presidency did not handle the larger consultancy process very well. There is only one criticism, that from day one, there was a feeling of non-transparent procedural norms. There was a feeling that a cabal was going to dictate terms. The impression was that there was no transparency. The host country should have been able to make it more transparent,” he said, while addressing a conference here today.

When asked to comment on reports of discontent among many G-77 countries, Ramesh said it was unfair to say that India abandoned G-77, as he himself briefed the African group after the Copenhagen Accord was finalised late on December 18.

“The Accord was clinched at a meeting between US President Barack Obama and leaders of Brazil, South Africa, India and China — also called the BASIC group — late Friday, when chances of an outcome were almost nil. India’s attitude on negotiations is positive and we are not being blamed for failing to clinch a binding deal. In fact, the Brazilian President has invited Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to his country and the PM is thinking about it,” he added. Commenting on China, Ramesh said India needed to learn one lesson from its neighbour and should negotiate on the international front on the basis of what it was doing at the domestic level. “We, too, need to emphasise on domestic action and climate diplomacy,” said Ramesh. Moreover, Ramesh said that before the Conference of Parties (COP), 16, to be held in Mexico City in December next year, there would be a prelude to the negotiations in March when the BASIC group will meet in New Delhi.

Low-carbon growth path
The Ministry of Environment and Forests has asked the Planning Commission to constitute an expert group to draft India’s low-carbon growth path.

“Post-Copenhagen, our priority will be to cut emission intensity by 20-25 per cent by 2020 on the 2005 levels, which is not only eminently feasible but which can also be improved upon for the benefit of our own people. The expert committee will submit the report within the next three or four months, to be implemented in the 12th Five-Year Plan,” said Ramesh.