In a statement here on Tuesday, Mr. Ramesh said that while India was prepared to discuss and make public periodically the implementation of its National Action Plan on climate change, it would never accept internationally legally binding emission reduction targets or commitment.

The statement that comes in response to his letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says, “India will never accept any dilution or renegotiation of the provisions and principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In particular, we will never agree to the elimination of the distinction between developed and developing countries as far as internationally legally binding emission reduction obligations are concerned.”

“India will agree to consider international measurement, reporting and verification of its mitigation actions only when such actions are enabled and supported by international finance and technology. India like other developing countries, fully expects developed countries to fulfil their obligations on transfer of technology and financial transfer that they committed to under the UNFCCC and the Bali Action Plan for both mitigation and adaptation actions,” the statement said.

Further, he said his note had suggested the possibility of some flexibility in India’s stance, keeping the non-negotiables firmly intact and keeping India irrevocably anchored in the UNFCCC of 1992 and the Bali Action Plan of 2007. “I have never at any stage considered or advocated abandoning the fundamental tenets of the Kyoto Protocol.”

Letter to PM disturbing: CPI (M)

Special Correspondent writes:

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday demanded that Parliament lay down the basic principles for India’s stand in climate change negotiations. Any change must be decided only by Parliament.

Describing as “deeply disturbing” reports that Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh had written a letter to the Prime Minister calling for a U-turn in India’s negotiating position, the party Polit Bureau said there was a national consensus on the major elements of the country’s policy.

In a statement, it said these include convergence of per capita emissions by developed and developing nations, the principle of common but differentiated responsibility in tackling global warming, immediate and share cuts in Green House Gas (GHG) emissions to be undertaken by the rich industrialised countries that today have contributed to the bulk of GHG stock in the atmosphere and the provision, by the developed countries of technology and adaptation financing for the developing countries as a small measure for repayment of this carbon debt.

“The Minister’s letter is a complete move away from these basic positions and seems only to focus on strategically aligning India with the U.S. on climate policy and breaking ranks with this entire bloc of developing countries,” the statement said.