Climate pact in Paris needs to be based on equity and differentiation: Javadekar

India and other members of the like minded developing countries (LMDC) grouping -- which includes China, Malaysia and Argentina, among others -- have called for text-based negotiations with a focus on equity as well as differentiation for reaching an agreement on mitigating climate change in Paris in December.

“The next session of climate talks in Bonn in October must produce a text that is equitable, pragmatic and not lopsided (favouring the rich countries),” said Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at a press conference following the conclusion of a two-day meet of LMDC countries in New Delhi.

Around 26 foreign delegates from 12 countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, China, Ecuador, El Salvador, Malaysia, Iran, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Venezuela and representatives from South Centre and Third World Network, participated on the first day of the meeting.

Javadekar said that in Paris, all countries would commit to take action for addressing climate change, but it needs to be recognised by all that the action has to be voluntary and nationally determined.

All countries of the LMDC, including India, would be finalising their goals for arresting climate change—called intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) — soon, but these should not be criticised by others, the minister said.

All countries have to submit their INDCs to the UN climate change secretariat ahead of the 21st climate conference in Paris (COP-21). The conference aims to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, with the aim of keeping a check on global warming.

“If we welcome INDCs without criticism and not enter into a blame game, Paris will be successful,” Javadekar said.

It is also important for the developed world to fulfil their commitment of financing the adoption of green and clean technologies and practices by developing countries for Paris to succeed, the minister said.

“It is not me, but the French President himself who asked the developed countries to walk the talk on financing,” he said.

The LMDC agreed that the Paris Agreement should not be mitigation-centric but must address in a balanced and comprehensive manner the six elements identified in the Durban mandate—mitigation, adaptation, finance, capacity-building, technology development and transfer, transparency of action and support, as well as loss and damage in a balanced manner

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