India bats for adequate, predictable climate finance

India on Wednesday batted for easy access to adequate and predictable climate finance to developing countries to meet their commitments to reduce carbon footprint under the Paris Agreement.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Anil Madhav Dave, in his address at the high-level segment at the ongoing 22nd session of the Conference of Parties (COP22) here, said it is needed to ensure that the intended nationally determined contributions are nationally determined, country driven and comprehensive.

"The contributions should include all pillars of action, including adaptation, mitigation and means of implementation.

"Access to adequate and predictable climate finance, especially from funds under the convention, in both pre-2020 and post-2020 period remains an overriding concern for developing countries," he said.

Propagating India's vision of promoting renewable energy, Dave said: "Despite our serious resource constraints and developmental priorities, India is undertaking ambitious adaptation and mitigation actions, by increasing energy efficiency across sectors and making greater use of renewables."

Noting India has already achieved about 45 GW of grid connected renewable energy capacity, about 10-fold increase in over a decade, he said: "Our airports are using solar energy and will move towards becoming carbon neutral. We are working on greening of India's extensive railway routes and highways."

Dave said the Indian government is mobilising domestic funds through various schemes, including a cess of $6 per tonne on coal.

Tracing the historical ties between India and Morocco, the host of the COP22 that saw delegates and head of states of nearly 200 countries, Dave said the relations between both the countries dated back to the 14th century when famous Moroccan traveller and writer Ibn Batuta came to India.

"Over the years, we have always enjoyed cordial relations, with significant growth in our bilateral relations," he added.

(Vishal Gulati is in Marrakech at the invitation of the Global Editors Network to cover COP22. He can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

--IANS

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