india

Updated: Sep 11, 2019 01:22 IST

With 13 days to go for the start of the UN Climate Changesummit in New York, it can only be hoped that world leaders will recognize the urgency of the need to keep global warming below 2 degrees Centigrade over pre-industrial levels, Ovais Sarmad, deputy executive secretary of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said in an interview to Jayashree Nandi on the sidelines of COP14 on desertification.

Q. How many countries have promised to enhance nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in the run-up to the Climate Change Summit?

A sizeable number. On September 18, the UNFCCC is releasing a report with a list of countries and the commitments they have made on enhancing their targets.

Q. Has India promised or indicated that it will improve its NDC? What role does India play in the Climate Change summit?

I heard the Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday at COP14. There were several positive messages which will have to be translated to action. India’s NDC is on track to achieve the global target of keeping global average temperature rise below 2 degrees as specified in the Paris agreement.

Q. Are you optimistic about countries enhancing their NDCs in line with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45% over the next decade and net-zero emissions by 2050?

Personally, at this time I can’t be anything but optimistic. It’s not about one organisation, climate change is affecting all of us, including you. We have to live up to the challenge.

Q. But the US is not engaging, some Middle Eastern countries also have reservations.

That’s a concern we all share. The beauty of the Paris agreement is that everyone is onboard, including cities and industries;100 cities have signed up to the Paris Agreement, so have 100 companies on the New York Stock Exchange. The US is still part of the agreement till next year. Youth in most parts of the world are demanding action. I am travelling to Doha to meet the Arab Youth Climate Movement. Yes, their economy is based on fossil fuels but transition has to happen.

Q. What is next after the Climate Change Summit?

The 2020 COP26, which is likely to be in the UK, will be very important because that’s when the Paris agreement will be fully operational and new NDCs will be submitted by countries.

Q. The IPCC {Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change} 1.5 degree was not taken on board in COP24 in Poland.

The science on climate change is very clear. The findings of IPCC are undisputable. There is only a question on the process. It’s not a serious issue.

Q. Why is the UNCCD {United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification} COP important?

Until recently, the desertification COP was not as prominent, this COP has raised its profile. It’s very clear that in order to address climate change you have to address land. The decisions taken in this COP will figure into the Climate COP25 in Chile.