"NO NEW COMMITMENTS SHOULD
BE INTRODUCED FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN CLIMATE CHANGE CONVENTION"
: L.K. ADVANI
NEW
DELHI SEEKS EARLY OPERATIONALISATION OF SPECIAL CLIMATE CHANGE
FUND
4-DAY
CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY BAZAAR AND CONFERENCES OPEN IN NEW DELHI
India today made
it clear that no new commitments should be introduced for developing
countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC). Inaugurating the International Technology Bazaar
and Conferences on climate change here today, the Deputy Prime
Minister, Shri L.K. Advani said that it’s time for taking stock
of the progress made in this regard. "Let’s repose our faith
in multilateralism and bear in mind that the present equilibrium
of commitments and differentiation has to be maintained between
developed and developing countries in various aspects, with no
new commitments to be introduced for developing countries. Since
climate change is already under way, we need adaptation policies
to complement mitigation policies. Efficient implementation of
adaptation strategies can significantly reduce adverse impacts
of climate change. Adaptation measures usually will have near-term
as well as future benefits, by reducing the impacts of current
climate variability," he said.
Shri Advani said
that adaptation is not only a critical component of the UN Convention
but also a pathway to sustainable development. Observing that
adaptation to Climate Change by developing countries will not
be automatic, he called for the early operationalisation of Special
Climate Change Fund and the Fund for Least Developed Countries.
" Adaptation to climate change by developing countries will
not be automatic. It entails considerable costs to them. The moot
question is who pays for such costs. The UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol
as well as various decisions of past Eight Conferences of Parties
enjoin the developed countries to assist the developing ones with
financial and technological resources for their impending adaptation
needs"’ Shri Advani said.
The Deputy Prime
Minister said, successful technology transfer is highly dependent
upon the involvement of a wide variety of stakeholders. In this,
governments have, and must play a crucial role in creating favourable
conditions. Mr. Advani said that a crucial area where governments
and the private sector have to work together is in promoting development
of cost- effective environmental technologies. The declining trend
in Official Development Assistance from the developed to the developing
countries is adversely affecting technology transfer in several
situations, which need to be addressed.
Listing various measures
taken by India for long-term ecological and environmental security,
Mr. Advani said that an enabling policy and regulatory environment
to promote clean technologies in energy, industry and transport
had already been created.
In his Presidential
address, the Minister for Environment and Forests, Shri. T. R.
Baalu described the Technology Bazaar and related conferences
are India’s initiative to global response to combat climate change
and said that it will serve as a gateway for investors and recipients
for clinching collaborative projects as well as a platform for
promoting transfer of clean technologies. " Sound technology
choice is the backbone of any strategy for international Technology
Transfer. Unless developing countries have proper knowledge to
choose amongst various technological options, there is a risk
that the efforts to promote international technology transfer
may become overwhelmingly Supplier Driven. This might result into
transferring technologies that are available rather than technologies
that are required by the developing countries", Shri Baalu
said.
Emphasising the need
for capacity building in developing countries to augment adaptation
capabilities, he said that such activities should take into account
the need to develop both institutions and human capital.
Shri Baalu said that
the Technology Bazaar and the Conferences on Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM), Adaptation and Technology Transfer are inter-related.
He hoped that all these events will generate a lot of interest
amongst stakeholders, both in the developed and developing countries
and will provide a common platform for furtherance of the multilateral
process as envisioned under the Convention and its Protocol. The
Bazaar and the Conferences would also offer an excellent networking
opportunity for the delegates and business from various countries,
providing a fillip to business development and expansion plans.
Others who spoke
on the occasion included Prof. Klaus Topfer, Executive Director
of UNEP; Ms. Joke Waller-Hunter, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC;
Dr. Pradipto Ghosh, Secretary, M/o Environment & Forests;
Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Director General, TERI and Shri S.K. Munjal,
President –Elect CII.
Earlier in the morning,
the Deputy Prime Minister, Shri L.K. Advani inaugurated the Technology
Bazaar in which about 100 firms from 12 countries are participating.
The Bazaar is expected to encourage manufacturing and industrial
operations to use such technologies that minimize greenhouse gas
emissions and thereby reduce their environmental "footprint".
There would also be a Carbon Bazaar, where companies and countries
interested in greenhouse gas reduction projects would find a meeting
point for working together.
