India Committed to Find Solutions to Climate Change: Environment Minister at Petersberg Climate Dialogue
India has reiterated its commitment to work with the international community to find practical, pragmatic and equitable solutions to climate change. Making an Intervention at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin recently, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar noted that every Climate Action has a cost and the world must think as to who would pay the cost and reiterated the Polluter Pays principle.
Following is the text of the Intervention made by Shri Javadekar:
“I strongly feel that the most important and cross-cutting issues for the 2015 Agreement are of differentiation and provision of finance. The principle of equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) must encompass all aspects of the 2015 agreement.
At the outset, I want to assure all that India will continue to play a constructive, proactive and responsible role in the international negotiations and will work with the international community to find practical, pragmatic and equitable solutions to the climate change problem. This is not out of any external pressure, but the pressure is of climate change and that of aspirations of future generations.
The international community must incorporate the concerns of developing countries in terms of their need for development and meeting their basic national priorities. This has already been accepted in Lima and we must incentivise the Parties specially the poor states to enable ambitious action on their part.
The immediate action is finalising the draft decision text for Pre-2020 actions by the developed countries in the Bonn session in June 2015.
In the context of finance, we have already discussed and mentioned the quick operationalization of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and provisions of support for adaptation activities and technology transfers as important milestones in this process.
The Copenhagen decision 2/CP.15 clearly mentions “SCALED UP NEW AND ADDITIONAL, ADEQUATE AND PREDICTABLE” funding to be provided to developing countries. There needs to be predictability sooner than later. As countries are preparing their INDCs, they must know the quantum of international financial assistance.
India is already taking its own actions. A huge amount of public and private funds are involved. But we are putting across this issue in the interest of the developing world.
As there are no free lunches, there won’t be free speeches either, if finance is not committed. Obviously, Official Development Assistance (ODA, pegged at 0.7 % of the GDP of developed countries) which were already committed, cannot be termed as new and additional.
Secondly, on the sources of fund – of course, it can be from a variety of sources, but the goal agreed to was $ 100 billion per year by 2020. The fact of the matter is that we are nowhere near it. We are below Fast start Finance targets too.
The reason why we want clarity on the flow of finance is because of these inaccuracies – there is no clarity as to how these goals will be reached. Moreover, it raises a question on the credibility of our commitments and the sincerity of the whole exercise.
Thirdly, the primacy of Public resources is very important in this scheme of things. For instance, do we expect private investment for Adaptation, which is a dire need of the developing countries? Where is the data? It does not happen in my country and I have heard this from many colleagues of developing countries also that private sector does not come forward for investment in Adaptation. Therefore, Public resources will have to address these concerns.
Where is the mention of leveraging, or creating conditions in the developing countries in the decision texts? Private sector in my country also makes investments – do we count it as international climate change assistance, or flows?
On the question of IPR, the suggestion is not to dismantle the regime, but to make climate-friendly technologies available to the developing countries at affordable costs by paying the costs through GCF.
Every Climate Action has a cost and the world must think, who would pay the cost. Instead of making the polluters to pay, we should not end up with a formula where we make the poor pay.
The principles of Equity & CBDR are the core principles of UNFCCC. It permeates all the provisions, commitments, actions, role and responsibilities under the 1992 Convention. During negotiations, it has been agreed that the new agreement will be under the Convention. Therefore, all the principles and provisions of the Convention should apply to the new architecture of 2015 Agreement.
We must discuss these issues in greater detail in the coming months to enhance our understanding and articulation of these problems.”
DEL/109/YR/PPK/2015 Aug 15,2015
Shri Prakash Javadekar
Environment Minister
Delhi India
Sub : ” PUSHPANJALI PRAWAHA KALASH ”
Esteemed Sir,
Greetings
Amid Your busy schedules, we are thankful that Your Good Self have spared few moments on the subject.
We take this opportunity to introduce YFF as a Registered Social Welfare Organization working on prevention of pollution in the major rivers as envisaged in the Article 51 -A(g) & 21 of the constitution of India.
It goes without saying that ours is highly religious and spiritual country.. In Delhi alone it takes 42000 Kg’s of flowers every day for people to convey their obeisance, gratitude, devotion, adoration, reverence, veneration etc to Gods as well as to their dear departed.
Then with the flowers comes statue figures of deities, paper, plastic, coconut husks etc which are thrown into the Rivers. Environmental damage caused is so high that NGT Chairperson Hon’ble Justice Swatanter Kumar [on 13th January, 2015] HAD TO issue a JUDGMENT imposing a fine of Rs.5000/- for throwing Puja Items into YAMUNA River.
The 42,000 kg’s of flowers that enter Delhi everyday adds up to.12 lac 60 thousand kg’s in a month.In addition to this Pooja materials such as derelict idols and images of Gods and Goddess, chunri, agarbathi and dhoop packets,etc.are thrown into the River’s. This is one Major factor contributing to about 30% of damage by polluting and choking of Yamuna and other rivers .
Youth Fraternity Foundation (YFF) has been working for the cause of Prevention & Controlling this pollution for the last ten years in various parts of India. In order to reduce the pollution of rivers, YFF has formulated a project ‘Pushpanjali Parwaha Kalash’ which consists of (a) to collect flowers and other worship- material from Temples, Mosques, Churches, Gurudwara’s, shops, colonies; and, (b) to send this material to the processing site where it is sorted out in different piles like paper, flowers, plastic, coconut husks, etc. The biodegradable waste is turned into compost and the rest is recycled.
During Navratra’s [October] this situation is most intense during which 1.2 Lakh people discard 8.5Lakh Kilogrammes of Samagries into the River’s..With your support and cooperation, we would like to take Pushpanjali Parwaha Kalash project to various parts in Delhi for gathering Puja samagri heading to the YAMUNA River. This will also generate employment for approx. 800 people, most of whom are from vulnerable and disadvantaged sections from all over Delhi.
In light of the Judgement and imposition of the Huge Fine, the Governing body at YFF feels Pushpanjali Parwaha Kalash Project or activity can be Your ideal gift for Your dear Delhites and at an ideal occasion. In this regard YFF humbly requests Your Good Self to spare a few minutes for further process of this project.
Yours Sincerely,
Gopi Dutt Aakash [ President :. YFF INDIA ]