The book subjects India’s policy and negotiating position to a critique, analyses the National Action Plan on Climate Change and its eight Missions, and also proposes alternative equitable approaches to climate change.

Instead of hiding behind the poor, and refusing anything other than a per capita emissions norm for burden-sharing, India can and should take far-reaching mitigation and adaptation measures while focussing on raising the living standards of its poor and defending global equity, Mr. Bidwai suggests.

Pointing out that climate-responsible development is both possible and necessary, the book analyses the climate negotiations process, North-South and rich-poor fault-lines, flaws in market-based approaches, and various burden sharing proposals focussed on developmental equity.

North-South effort

It argues the rich in the South should be brought into the mitigation net and ‘emerging economies’ like China and India must join the global climate mitigation effort even while maintaining the principle of North-South differentiation in responsibility.