India at odds with EU at climate talks

As the climate talks in Durban come to a close, India remains at odds with the European Union, which wants a new legally binding treaty that will place all major emitters under an international obligation to reduce their carbon emissions.

India has said that it ill only consider being part of a treaty after 2020 providing developed nations fulfil "fundamental imperatives" in areas of mitigation finance and technology as well as address concerns of equity, unilateral trade barriers and intellectual property rights.

It also wants a mid-year scientific assessment of the situation.

"I have repeatedly said that I have come with an open mind and we would want to know the content of the binding agreement and in exchange if they are ready to give us a ratifiable Kyoto Protocol," said Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan.

"I have a feeling that earlier they wanted to bury Bali Action Plan but now I think they want to bury Cancun agreement also," she said.

"We want answer to our questions before we agree to anything."

Natarajan was referring to previous decisions reached by the parties at climate talks that lay out steps and processes to combat climate change.

Under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, 37 developed countries have been placed under international legal obligations to reduce carbon emissions during the first commitment period, which expires next year.