Poland climate summit fared much better than expected: Union Env Secy

The recent climate summit in Poland "fared much better than expected" and India has been able to present its successes and concerns at the global level, a top Environment Ministry official said on Monday.

Union Environment Secretary C K Mishra said India, which played a "positive" role, was able to get a "fair amount of applause" for its efforts and also recognition to the issues that it raised.

He also said the set of rules that was finalised by 200 nations at the summit is "robust, forward looking and from India's perspective embodies what we have been arguing".

Negotiators from nearly 200 countries Sunday finalised a set of rules that will make the 2015 Paris deal to curb global warming operational in 2020, after a two-week summit.

The outcome of the talks in the mining city of Katowice aims to limit the rise in global temperature to well below 2C.

"Katowice fared much better than what we had expected. There were successes. We now have a guideline in place to take things forward. By and large the outcome has been good.

"We have been able to, at the global forum, present both India's successes and concerns. We were also able to get fair amount of applause to what we have done (efforts) and recognition of what (concerns)we raised. We played a positive role," Mishra told reporters at a press conference here.

India had after the summit termed "positive" the outcome of climate talks as it sets nations on the path for successful implementation of the historic Paris Agreement, and had asserted it engaged in the negotiations "constructively" while protecting the country's key interest.

"As far as Conference of Parties (at Poland) was concerned, there were lot of apprehensions when we went. They were largely that we may not have an understanding and a document which is good enough. Fortunately those apprehensions have proven to be wrong.

"We got a document, which is robust, forward looking and from India's perspective embodies which we have been arguing. For us it is critical that whatever we have been arguing at various forums is part of it," Mishra said.

He said one of the things which came out sharply was the issue of mitigation and asserted that the agreement focussed on various aspects including information to facilitate clarity, transparency of understanding, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and its accounting system.

"One of the critical decision which came out was that developed countries will continue to support developing countries in achieving their NDC," Mishra said.

Another thing in the mitigation aspect was that it recognized differentiation which India has been standing for and we have been advocating support from developed countries in resource and technology and also been stating that differentiation should be the core argument.

"This is recognized in the final document," he said.

Mishra said on the issue of adaptation, there was an apprehension that mitigation will form the focus the discussion and adaptation may not be at the core.

"But the guidelines actually recognises the adaptation needs of developing countries which basically means adaptation is part of the global thought process," he said.

He, however, said the discussion on markets did not proceed very well and did not conclude. "It does not mean discussions are over. It will continue. It (discussions) will flow into 2019. That chapter is not yet been closed," he said, adding that some good decisions also came up on the issue of finance.

The Paris Agreement looks at an adaptation fund which will be funded by developed countries. The adaptation fund will function from Jan 1, 2019. This was also agreed, he said.

Mishra said on the issue of transparency, one of the critical elements that india was looking for was it was saying let countries report according their capacities and capabilities. "This has by and large been agreed to."