Resistance from India continues at the UN’s climate change talks with Prakash Javadekar, Minister for Environment, saying the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change does not need to be changed.

“We are here to enhance the implementation of the Convention, certainly not to re-write it,” he said in Lima, Peru, referring to the concept of ‘evolving CBDR (common but differentiated responsibility)’.

He added that there is a need to ensure “an ambitious, comprehensive, equitable and balanced agreement in 2015 that takes into account the huge development needs, including access to financial resources and low carbon technological options for developing countries.”

India has been resisting certain changes to the UNFCCC being attempted by the developed countries, such as review of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) that will be declared by developing countries by June, 2015.

Besides, several developed countries are also pushing to change the definition of CBDR to bring more accountability on countries that were earlier identified as developing, but have since become economically stronger — such as China and India.

Javadekar further said that besides mitigation of climate change, the focus also needs to be on adaptation measures for the effects of climate change.

“Developing countries are allocating significant portions of their scarce national resources on adaptation, which remains an immediate and urgent global priority… We therefore completely share the view of developing countries that the INDCs must not be limited to mitigation alone,” he said.

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