As part of its submissions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), India has sought an increase in the level of ambition by the developed or Annex-I countries, in line with the principles of equity and common – but differentiated – responsibility. The environment ministry has also categorically stated that the increase in the ambition level can be achieved only if the Annex-I countries clarify that their commitments and targets between 2012-2020 are without any conditions.
“The increase in ambition levels of Annex-I parties should be consistent with the findings of science, and the corresponding levels of emission reduction targets needed to stabilise the climate,” the ministry said in its submission document.
According to the Durban Platform — which was the result of two-week long negotiations in December last year — all countries had to submit their views on options and ways for further increasing the level of ambition (commitments) and possible further actions by February 28.
“This is important to ensure that the pledged actions are clear, ambitious and effective. The Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recommended that Annex-I parties should reduce their emissions at least by 25-40 per cent in the short term by 2020. As the current pledges made by Annex-I parties fall short of the required emission reduction levels, they should raise, in the minimum, their ambition to the level indicated by the AR4. This should be indicated timely and a decision taken thereupon at Doha,” the ministry added in the document.
The Durban talks led to the launch of a process to develop a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the UNFCCC, applicable to all parties to which India also agreed reluctantly as it wanted the basic tenet of equity to be a part of all future talks.
Sticking to its stance, India has said: “However, the efforts for increase in the level of ambition must be made, inter alia, in accordance with the principle of equity and the principle of common, but differentiated, responsibilities of the parties.”
