India must be flexible without compromising the basic national interest at the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday (December 03, 2009).
India will aim to cut carbon intensity by 20-25 percent by 2020 compared with 2005 levels, the last major emitter to pledge targets that could boost chances of a breakthrough in next week's global climate talks.
Carbon intensity refers to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted for each unit of gross domestic product.
India has come under intense pressure to issue targets ahead of the UN Dec 7-18 talks in Copenhagen after the United States and China announced their plans on reducing emissions.
"We must be flexible without compromising on the basic national interest, basic national interest means no legal binding emission cuts, no legally binding emission peaking year and as far as possible distinguishing between supported mitigation action and unsupported mitigation action," Ramesh told the parliament, laying down for the first time the country's negotiating position ahead of the Copenhagen talks.
The carbon intensity goal still means that India's overall emissions will rise in coming years, just not as fast as its rapid economic growth needed to lift millions of its inhabitants out of poverty.
Ramesh, however, said that India would go to Copenhagen with a positive frame of mind and was ready to work with like-minded countries like China to ensure that there were equitable arrangements.
"We are going with a positive frame of mind, we want a comprehensive and equitable agreement in Copenhagen, I am realistic enough to know that such an agreement may not materialise but we will work overtime with like-minded countries, with China and other countries to ensure that there is comprehensive in equitable arrangements," he said.
Ramesh said India would accept international verification of its efforts to reduce emissions if those actions are supported by foreign finance and technology.
India, like other developing countries, has long made any major emission cuts dependent on aid from the developed world, which it sees as responsible for most of the problems of global warming.
India is especially in a difficult position as any significant adjustment to make its industry green without outside financial support would be very costly and crimp its economic growth.
"India of all the 192 countries of the world owes a responsibility not to the world but to itself to take climate change seriously, we are not doing the world a favour, forget Copenhagen, forget UN, we have to do it in our self interest, our future as a society in …on how we respond to the climate change challenge," Ramesh said.
Developing countries, under no obligation to make any cuts under existing global pacts, say they could make the shift to less polluting economies with a helping hand from the rich.
India ranks as the world's fourth highest carbon emitter, with 1.8 tonnes of emissions per thousand dollars of GDP compared to China's emission of 2.85 tonnes.
India is under pressure to announce details of how it will control its growing carbon emissions, and issuing targets will likely strengthen New Delhi's hands at the Copenhagen negotiations.
China and the United States, the top and second largest emitters in the world, have unveiled plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions, leaving India the only major polluter still to issue any targets.
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