SHRI T.R. BAALU DISCUSSES CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEM WITH WORLD LEADERS IN UNFCCC SEVENTH CONFERENCE AT MARRAKESH

    India’s Minister for Environment and Forests, Shri T. R. Baalu alongwith Shri P.V. Jayakrishnan, Secretary, Environment and Forests, participated in the bureau meeting of the Seventh Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC at Morocco on 8.11.2001. The meeting discussed a number of outstanding issues of Climate Change and stressed the need for reaching global consensus. The meeting also discussed the possibility of India hosting the Eighth Conference of the Parties.

    Shri Baalu held discussions with the Chinese Minister of State for Planning Development and Planning Commission, Mr. Jhang Liu. Both the leaders shared the common concerns on the environment issues, especially on Climate Change. Need for South-South co-operation was emphasised during the meeting for building consensus on issues of common concern. Shri Baalu extended an invitation to the Chinese Minister to visit India to hold further discussions. The invitation was accepted and further consultations are likely to be held on 15^th November 2001 at New Delhi.

    Ms. Margaret Backen, the Minister of Environment, UK, also held discussions with the Minister in the afternoon. The outstanding issues of Kyoto Protocol that still needed to be resolved at Marrakesh were discussed. Both the delegations agreed to work together to bring about successful conclusion of the negotiations so as to facilitate early ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and its implementation. During the discussions, the Minister also spoke about India’s desire for prompt start of CDM and highlighted the fact that there was scope for enhancing co-operation between the two countries in the areas of CDM and adaptation-related activities.

    Earlier, speaking at the Seventh Conference, Shri Baalu assured India’s full cooperation with the world community to deal with the problem of climate change across the world. The Minister called for implementation of concrete measures to safeguard the climate. He highlighted the fact that the impacts of climate change will affect the developing countries more adversely than the developed countries. He called for greater attention to adaptation needs of the developing countries.

    Shri Baalu informed the Conference that India is considering the possibility of hosting the Eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.