india

Updated: Sep 19, 2014 22:47 IST

India will play hardball at the United Nations climate summit in New York next week asking rich nations to deliver on their promise to capitalise Green Climate Fund to buy copy rights of clean technologies and have a new climate treaty on the cardinal principles enshrined in Kyoto Protocol and Rio plus 20 outcome document.

Kyoto Protocol is based on the principle that only the rich nations have commitment to reduce global warming causing carbon emission while others can take voluntary action whereas Rio plus 20 speaks of right of the development countries to grow for poverty eradication.

Environment minister Prakash Javadekar will represent India at the global summit in which 120 heads of the states including US President Barack Obama and Russian Premier Vladimir Putin will participate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had decided not to participate apparently to express India’s displeasure at the UN agreeing to rich nations to host a conference to push for a climate deal.

“We are against starting a parallel negotiating platform. Our stand is clear that all negotiations regarding climate change should be held under UN framework on climate change (called UNFCCC),” Javadekar said, in a oblique reference to the summit refusing to name it.

India and China will together express their displeasure of UN hosting a parallel climate talks and the two countries have decided to have a joint strategy for the meeting termed as an effort of the rich countries to get endorsement of heads of nations on broad framework of new climate deal.

Detailing India’s agenda for the conference, the minister said the government wants that the new climate treaty to be signed in Paris in 2015 and applicable from 2020 should ensure that it should not act as an impediment for the development countries right to grow economically.

The Indian delegation for the summit will also outline the achievements of India on adopting cleaner technologies and the renewable energy revolution happening in India. India has already set a target of saving 10,000 MW of power under its energy efficiency mission. The minister said he will also speak about the government’s mission to clean River Ganga and a sustainable growth model for industries.

This, according to Javadekar would mean that India’s overall carbon emissions would grow but our efficiency in using carbon emitting energy will also grow. The minister will also hold bilateral with 10 countries in the sidelines of the summit and participate at the meeting of Major Economies Forum, a group of 24 biggest carbon emitters.

In addition to attending the summit, Javadekar will also be over-looking the preparations for Modi’s rally at Madison Square in New York which would be attended by about 20,000 people.