Up against sustained pressure from developed countries, including the US, to settle for a political declaration at Copenhagen on climate change, India has made it clear that it will not pre-empt the negotiations at Copenhagen. It will continue to strive for a legally-binding outcome-based UN Framework for Climate Change and the Bali Action Plan.
This stands in contrast to more accommodating gestures from China which has indicated in its joint statement with the US that in case a legally binding document is not possible at Copenhagen it is open to a political outcome.
India, on the other hand, is not keen to reveal its hand before negotiations start at Copenhagen pointing out that it is only abiding by the decision taken at the recently-concluded Barcelona preparatory meeting.
?We do not want to pre-empt the negotiations at Copenhagen. After all, we have time until the high-level meeting which does not begin till December 17. Let me remind you that we agreed in Barcelona to continue negotiations at Copenhagen,? said the PM?s special envoy on climate change Shyam Saran when asked about the reasons for India holding back from a consensus being sought by major powers on a political declaration.
In fact, sources said, New Delhi is not very keen yet on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh traveling to Copenhagen. While this is still an issue under consideration, pressure is building on India after US President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao decided to participate in the Copenhagen deliberations.
Even at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet here, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is making a special appearance as an invitee and has specifically sought a meeting with Singh and is expected to discuss support for a political declaration at Copenhagen. Given the 53-strong membership of the Commonwealth, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen is also going to be here to discuss the Copenhagen outcome. UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon is the other senior leader marking his presence here.
?We believe that the issue will be discussed and a political message will be sent from the Chogm but we don?t see this as a forum for negotiations before the Copenhagen meet,? said Saran.
At the same, India is cautious not to project itself as an impediment to a political declaration. According to Saran, there are several smaller countries like the small island developing nations which want more concrete and legally-binding results at Copenhagen because the phenomenon has an existential impact on them.
In case there is a consensus on a political declaration, Saran said, India will not stand in the way but would insist that future discussions must be based on the existing UNFCC and in line with the Bali roadmap. This includes legally binding emission cuts by developed countries and ambitious commitments to transferring technology and providing finance. ?There can be no new treaty on climate change other than the UNFCC and there should be no dilution of the Bali mandate.?