India’s views on
the controversial Asian Brown Cloud (ABC) have found wide support
at a crucial meeting of the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) held in Nirobi, Kenya last week. The Indian delegation
led by Shri K.C.Misra, Secretary in the Ministry of Environment
and Forests succeeded in having a draft decision on ABC deleted
from the consideration of the Governing Council of UNEP. The
draft decision proposed a policy decision on further research
and studies on the Asian Brown Cloud. ABC is reported to be
a thick cloud of aerosols and particulate matter over the Indian
ocean region resulting from burning of biomass and fire wood.
At the meeting
of the Governing Council of UNEP, India has taken the view that
the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX) which threw light on ABC
was not based on the decision of the Governing Council and such
research studies are being undertaken as a part of the ongoing
scientific inquiry. Also, ABC is actually a haze prevailing
over a short period of winter months and is neither regionally
exclusive nor scientifically appropriate. The Indian delegation
during discussions with their counterparts from other countries
and in the G-77 meeting highlighted the scientific uncertainties
in the UNEP study on ABC and argued that the Governing Council
of UNEP could not take any policy decision based on the findings
of such a study. Several countries including USA, China, Brazil,
Mexico, Argentina, Morocco, Egypt, Iran etc. and subsequently
the G-77 supported India’s contention. Consequently, the draft
decision on ABC, the most contentious item on the agenda of
the Governing Council of UNEP was dropped from consideration.
On the issue of
setting up of an Inter-Governmental Panel on Global Environmental
Change also, India’s views were upheld and a decision was deferred.
Indian delegation took the view that given the presence of large
number of international bodies on environmental issues, it was
necessary to avoid duplication of effort and the existing mechanisms
required to be thoroughly reviewed before setting up one more
body. India’s views were widely supported and it was decided
to seek views of various governments and also to review the
existing arrangements before a decision in this regard is taken.
In support of the
concerns of the developing countries, the Governing Council
of UNEP decided to strengthen UNEP’s role in support of programmes
to reduce vulnerability of developing countries to climate change
and to undertake programmes related to adaptation to climate
change and the transfer of technology to meet their special
needs arising from the adverse effects of climate change. The
Council recalled the Delhi Ministerial Declaration on Climate
Change and Sustainable Development which stated that adaptation
to adverse effects of climate change is of high priority and
the developing countries are particularly vulnerable to climate
change. The Council also called for effective and result oriented
measures in this regard.
