Identify problems for climate funding, India urged

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New Delhi, February 6:: India and other developing countries should first identify their own problems caused due to the impact of global climate change and formulate suitable strategies to combat the challenge and then ask for international assistance, said the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Yvo de Boer.

He urged for identifying the specific sectors and said that in February 11 and 12 the UN body would initiate thematic discussions on the ways for tackling climate change.

Addressing the mediapersons in Delhi on Wednesday, De Boer said : "We are aware that India and other developing countries have said that they would not accept any measure that would constrain economic growth. Therefore a balanced path of sustainable growth with regard to environmental concerns is necessary."

He said that the national governments need to act within two years with appropriate policy measures or else the matter would turn worse. "Climate experts have cautioned that emissions are likely to increase by 50%. We, therefore, face the challenge of cutting down the emissions by 50% by the middle of this century."

De Boer mentioned a couple of concerns relating to rising energy prices eroding industrial competitiveness, energy security, use of coal and maintenance of air quality, need for economic growth and poverty eradication.

He said that it was essential to actively involve India, Brazil, South Africa and China in the process of climate negotiations.

When asked whether the industrialised countries were doing enough to cut their emissions, he said, "I do not think enough is being done." He said that the European Union was ready to cut its emissions by 30% by 2020 if US agrees to bring down its level of emission. Otherwise the EU on its own would cut their emissions by 20%, he said.

De Boer, however said : "Bush Administration is increasingly engaging itself on the issue. It has launched $ 3 billion technology facility fund." He said that nuclear energy has a role to play, but its application can differ from country to country.

He said that the Adaptation Fund agreed upon at the recent Bali conference was not enough, but an unique instrument and the fund can increase if more CDM projects were taken up. Germany has initiated auctioning of emission rights, out of which they are going to fund CDM projects in developing countries. He said that the UNFCCC was examining the proposal for funding countries which conserve their natural forests.