NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday said India was going to be affected "the most" by climate change, but it had made a provision of huge fund — to the tune of nearly Rs 25,000 crore — from different sources, including clean energy cess on coal, to mitigate its impact.
Replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on a private member's resolution for setting up a fund for dealing with climate change, minister for environment and forest Jairam Ramesh said the government would come out with a "discussion paper" on financing of adaptation and mitigation in the domestic context in the next Budget Session of Parliament (February-March, 2011).
"Climate change is a reality. It is a serious issue. We are going to be affected the most by climate change. But we are taking steps to mitigate it," he said in response to the resolution moved by JD (U) member N K Singh.
Referring to members' concern over India's international obligation to any financing mechanism, Ramesh said: "I want to make it absolutely clear that we are not going to be a contributor to any international financing mechanism in the short to medium term. I do not see the prospect of India on the basis of a defined contribution becoming part of any international financing arrangement".
Explaining how the fund is being raised, the minister said the money was being raised through the cess on coal at a nominal rate of Rs 50 per tonne and other financial mechanism called CAMPA.
