Hurdles to Paris deal on climate change

Ahead of the Paris conference, which begins on November 30, European Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete said there was much work to be done and the negotiating text was too long and complex.

“Participation in COP21 and associated climate negotiations advance our understanding and protection of our planet, which is one of our grand research themes at UC San Diego”, said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. Kerry, in an interview earlier this month to the Financial Times, had said India could pose “a challenge” at the upcoming Paris talks, but had added that the USA should be “careful not to be holier-than-thou or accusatory”. The world’s wealthiest nations also want to settle on financing to assist developing countries – a hard commitment for the Obama administration, which faces resistance in Congress from Republicans still skeptical of scientific consensus that humans are causing climate change.

With barely a few days remaining for the UN Climate Change Summit #COP21 in Paris, expectations from India to come on board and give in to the demands of the West- to reduce carbon emissions at the cost of development- are once again gaining momentum.

More than 120 heads of state and government, including South Korean President Park Geun-hye and U.S. President Barack Obama, will attend the climate conference with the hope of producing concrete steps against global warming. “I can understand what they’re saying, but we’re talking about our future survival”, Tong said. “We are very clear that the space for carbon emissions has to be vacated by the developed countries for the development needs of emerging economies”, said Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy.

To achieve the carbon emission reduction goal in 2050, Britain should commit to an emissions reduction of 57 percent by the period between 2028 and 2032, Britain’s Committee on Climate Change said on Thursday.

“As far as John Kerry’s comment is concerned, it is untrue, uncalled for”, said Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, who will be representing India at the meet.

There follows a section on bolstering global cooperation and assisting other countries in reducing emissions.

Mobilising finance for climate action will be essential too.

India has stressed that developed countries can not undermine the core principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities in arriving at a climate deal. “A new figure of 62 billion dollars is now being talked about but the pledge is only 10 billion dollars”. An estimated 70 million households across the country do not have access to steady or reliable electricity.