India submits to UN proposed emission cut targets

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) India has submitted to the UN its
proposed emission intensity cut targets by 20-25 per cent by
2020, a day before the expiry of the world body's deadline for
submitting the climate change mitigation steps under the
Copenhagen Accord.
However, the country, which submitted the proposed
targets Saturday, made it clear to the Secretariat of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
that its all domestic mitigation actions were entirely
voluntary in nature and not legally binding, a position it had
maintained at last month's Copenhagen Summit in Denmark.
"India will endeavour to reduce the emissions intensity
of its GDP by 20-25 per cent by 2020 in comparison to the 2005
level through domestic mitigation actions," said a statement
from the Environment Ministry here.
In view of the current debate in the international
climate change negotiations, India also made it clear that
"while these actions will be in the nature of its contribution
to the global efforts to address climate change...it will be
entirely voluntary in nature and will not have a legally
binding character."
The announcement came a day after the US and European
Union (EU) committed to the UN to cut green house gas
emissions. The US has pledged to cut emissions by 17 per cent
by 2020 from 2005 levels, although it said the target was
dependent on domestic climate change legislation being passed.
(MORE) PTI