Climate business needs an impetus

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: The final round of negotiations before the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen begins in Barcelona today.

Apart from the issues of adaptation, mitigation, financing and technology transfer, the agenda lists a discussion on the next phase of commitments of industrialised countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2012 under the Kyoto Protocol. Since even the UN has scaled down the expectations of a comprehensive deal, negotiators are looking for a broader agreement with details to be worked out later.

While the Indian government is keen to be seen as playing a constructive role in international climate change negotiations and not as a deal breaker, industrialist-politicians cutting across party lines believe that India should stick to its stand of not taking on emission reduction targets and at the same time take actions at the national level.

Says Milind Deora, a Congress MP, who owns plastic and chemical businesses, “Though developing countries like India can’t be held responsible for the past mistakes of developed countries, we must look at the future and take responsibility as a country, individuals and the corporate sector in our own interest and move forward domestically.”

The 2009 Congress Manifesto itself acknowledges the party’s responsibility of taking credible actions within the overall UNFCCC and Kyoto framework of meeting the development aspirations of the people for higher economic growth and higher standard of living. The manifesto calls for the implementation of the Congress-led UPA government’s National Action Plan on Climate Change in its true spirit.

It’s not surprising that the Congress Party has distanced itself from the letter written by environment minister Jairam Ramesh suggesting the need for radical changes like overlooking the Kyoto Protocol, dissociating from developing countries, and allowing external monitoring of greenhouse gas emission reduction.

Even parliamentarians from the main Opposition, BJP, believe in sticking to the stated government position. Says Suresh Chanabasappa Angadi, BJP MP and businessman from Belgaum, “We should continue on our sustainable development path and not bow to the pressures of the industrialised countries to take on commitments on emission cuts.”