India to play proactive role on climate change, assures Javadekar

Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar has assured a French delegation about India's positive engagement in the climate change.

Javadekar, who met with six member France delegation led by Foreign Affairs and International Development Minister Laurent Fabius here yesterday, said part of Green Climate Fund could be utilized to finance differential cost of IPRs which would help developing countries adopt cutting-edge technologies and enable their transition into climate resilient development.

He also highlighted initiatives taken by Prime Minister in Gujarat by setting up a separate department of climate change at the state level and other initiatives on solar and renewable energy sources.

Signifying India's focus on climate change, Javadekar added that the new government had changed the nomenclature of the Environment Ministry by adding "climate change" to it.

Javadekar also emphasized on the Government's focus on poverty eradication and providing energy access to all which would ensure Sustainable-Balanced development.

Fabius appreciated the suggestions made by the Minister and hoped India would act as a bridge between developed and developing countries in the series of discussions on the 2015 Agreement.

The French Minister extended an invitation to the Minister to attend forthcoming meetings in Paris (Major Economies Forum) and Berlin (Petersberg Climate Dialogue).

The two Ministers also discussed global environmental problems, responsibilities of developed countries, need for sustainable and balanced development, need for poverty eradication and future road map for climate change.