India at odds with EU at climate talks

Durban, Dec 9 (PTI) As the climate talks in Durban come to a close, India remains at odds with the European Union, which wants a new legally binding treaty that will place all major emitters under an international obligation to reduce their carbon emissions. India has said that it will only consider being part of a treaty after 2020 provided developed nations fulfil "fundamental imperatives" in areas of mitigation finance and technology as well as address concerns of equity, unilateral trade barriers and intellectual property rights. It also wants a mid-year scientific assessment of the situation. "I have repeatedly said that I have come with an open mind and we would want to know the content of the binding agreement and in exchange if they are ready to give us a ratifiable Kyoto Protocol," said Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan. "I have a feeling that earlier they wanted to bury Bali Action Plan but now I think they want to bury Cancun agreement also," she said. "We want answer to our questions before we agree to anything." Natarajan was referring to previous decisions reached by the parties at climate talks that laid out steps and processes to combat climate change. Under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, 37 developed countries have been placed under international legal obligations to reduce carbon emissions during the first commitment period, which expires next year. Some countries like Japan and Canada are withdrawing from the treaty calling it ineffective because it leaves out the bulk of carbon emission produced by China, India and the United States. The EU is willing to sign up for a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol if emerging economies also agree to take binding carbon emissions cuts in the future. The European Union, the Alliance of the Small Island nations and the Least Developed Countries today issued a statement calling on all parties to begin work on a new treaty soon. "But higher ambitions on mitigation action are crucial. What we need is to effectively stop climate change," the statement said. "And that can only happen if all parties to the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) process will be committed to concrete efforts." "Under this instrument, all parties to the UNFCCC need to commit, respecting the principle of common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities," it said. Government negotiators and ministers from 194 countries have gathered to agree on the next steps for combating climate change. Developments over the past week, however, indicate deep divisions between developed and developing nations, especially on the obligations to reduce carbon emissions. Responding to whether Durban can be a success, Natarajan said, "If the Kyoto Protocol is extended that will be a great success." PTI