The US proposed to re-define the basic categories of the Convention at the ongoing six-day talks of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) which is tasked with drafting a negotiating text for the next climate change meet in June this year.
The US wanted to replace the term 'developed countries' with 'parties in Annex X' and 'developing countries' with 'parties not included in Annex X' and with 'parties in Annex Y' for 'developed' countries when referring to countries providing support for finance, technology and capacity building.
At present, the developed countries are called Annex 1 and developing countries are called non-Annex 1 countries under the Convention which was scripted in 1992.
Ravi Shankar Prasad, head of the Indian delegation for the climate change negotiations, said, "You cannot change the basic categories of the Convention. The ADP mandate is to work under the UNFCCC. If you want to change the Convention, then have a separate forum for that but this is not the forum."
Bolivia, speaking on behalf of the Like Minded Developing Countries' (LMDCs) said in an opening statement that "concepts or approaches such as 'evolving common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR)' or 'parties in a position to do so' are not consistent with the Convention and are not acceptable."
Prasad said, "The text should not become mitigation- centric. We want a forceful implementation of the Convention which consists not only of mitigation but technology transfer, financing, capacity building and adaptation. The USD 2.5 billion per year for the capitalisation of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) promised by the developed countries has not started coming. There is time to 2020 and those also need to be implemented."
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