CPI-M calls Paris accord 'deeply flawed'

The CPI-M on Thursday called the Paris climate pact "deeply flawed", and accused the Indian government of bowing "to the US designs in imposition of huge constraints" on New Delhi.

The Paris Agreement "is deeply flawed as regards both bringing down emissions to safe levels as well as in the proposed international emissions control regime", the CPI-M said in a statement.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist said that contrary to the claims of Indian ministers, the Paris pact has actually negated equity between nations as regards sharing the burden of reducing emissions.

"Following the game plan of the US, the Paris Agreement has completely ignored past emissions, around 75 percent of which are the responsibility of the US and other developed nations.

"If past emissions are ignored and only future emissions are considered, then developing countries such as India, whose emissions are currently rising given the stage of development, would appear as the main culprits rather than the developed countries.

"The framework of the Paris Agreement is decisively shifting the burden on to developing countries," .

The CPI-M said the agreement also makes only unenforceable statements regarding the obligations of developed countries to provide finances and technologies to developing countries so as to assist in mitigation and adaptation of less environmentally damaging technologies.

"It is highly regrettable that the Indian government succumbed to the US designs in imposition of huge constraints on India's future economic growth and development.

"It is regrettable that the government of India, including the prime minister, have hailed the agreement as a great success.

"In years to come, India would have to pay a heavy price for this surrender to US interests," the CPI-M said.