Copenhagen outcome may fall well short of expectations: PM

Sagar Kulkarni and Betwa Sharma
Copenhagen, Dec 18 (PTI) Amid no signs of a breakthrough,
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday said the outcome
of the Copenhagen climate summit may fall short of
expectations and warned against any dilution of the principles
of UNFCCC, particularly of "common but differentiated"
responsibilities.

Addressing the crucial final day of the summit, the Prime
Minister emphasised that India will deliver on its voluntary
target of reducing the emission intensity of GDP growth by
around 20 per cent by 2020 as compared to 2005 regardless of
the outcome of the conference.
"We can do even more if a supporting global climate
regime is in place," he told a galaxy of world leaders who
have gathered to seal a climate deal in the Danish capital.
"The outcome (of the summit) may well fall short of our
expectations," 77-year-old Singh said and favoured "subsequent
negotiations towards building a truly global and genuinely
collaborative response to climate change being concluded
during the year 2010."
"We have a difficult task ahead of us. I hope we will
play a positive and constructive role so that we bridge our
differences and come out with a balanced and an equitable
outcome in the coming years. India will not be found wanting
in this," he said.
Singh also pointed out that majority of the countries do
not support any renegotiation or dilution of the principles of
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC),
particularly common but differentiated responsibilities.
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