The Union Cabinet on September 28 approved the proposal for ratification of the "historic" Paris climate deal which will be formalised on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave on Saturday asserted that there was no link between India's bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership and ratification of the Paris agreement and the decision to ratify the deal on climate change was finalised after a number of internal consultations about its implications. He stressed that there was no pressure on the government and said earlier statements given by leaders at various forums were "in their own capacity".
"We do not like if somebody puts pressure on us (and) that is why we also do not pressurise anybody. But we believe in putting across our points very strongly. The subject of ratification is looked after by the Prime Minister and the Environment Ministry. And whatever happened, it is there in front of everybody. Rest, if different views have been expressed in different forums, they might have said that in their own capacity. There has been no pressure on us. We just wanted to check the opinions of our stakeholders," Dave told reporters. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that India does not pressurise others, nor takes any pressure and that India's interest is foremost.
"While taking the decision to ratify, this subject (NSG membership) was not there. There is no connection between ratification and (NSG) membership," the minister said. He said the Environment Ministry and the Prime Minister were concerned with the ratification process and before announcing the ratification, there were two important aspects which were considered by India.
"There were two things on our minds before we reached the decision to ratify. First we wanted to carry out internal consultations--how would this decision effect our laws etc. To complete this procedure, it took us time. After doing this, we came to the conclusion that we would not have to make much changes and we could ratify the deal. We did a large level of internal consultations. We also wanted to see whether our interests will be taken care of when we go forward with implementing the Paris deal in the future. These two things were very important which is why it took us time," Dave said.
The Union Cabinet on September 28 approved the proposal for ratification of the "historic" Paris climate deal which will be formalised on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, days after Modi announced this at BJP's National Council meet in Kozhikode.
Dave said India will strongly put forward its point of bringing lifestyle changes and adopting a "Gandhian" lifestyle as well as climate justice in the forthcoming Conference of Parties (CoP22) scheduled to take place in Marrakech in Morocco in November.
The minister said in Marrakech India will also raise issues like technology transfer and financing from the western world for green technologies and ensure that it does not remain just "verbal" but takes a practical shape as well. Noting that just USD 10 billion have come into the climate fund while USD 100 billion were committed, he said these issues will also be taken up during the negotiations.
Observing that the issue of technology transfer is crucial in various areas, whether it is the International Solar Alliance or the phasedown of harmful HFCs, India will take up the issue and also raise concerns of other small developing nations who need these technologies.
"Apart from these negotiations, the Prime Minister had talked about making lifestyle changes in Paris. We also want to tell loud and clear to the world to adopt a Gandhian lifestyle. If we do not adopt the Gandhian way of life, seminars and negotiations will keep on taking place," he said, adding, an Indian pavilion will also be created at Marrakech.
Noting that India has been vocal on the issue of climate justice, Dave said a powerful seminar on climate justice will also be organised by India in Marrakech, asserting that not only climate justice should be on time but it should be in the right way. He said India's interest will be strongly protected and the country will put across its views on raising finance under Green Climate Fund (GCF) at COP22.
India will also take up the issue of setting up of an action roadmap for 2016-2020 for raising ambition and achieving pre-2020 goals and will insist on a concrete roadmap from developed countries. Mobilising means of implementation that is finance, technology and capacity-building will also be taken up while negotiations on furthering the cause of adaption and loss and damage will be taken up as India is highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change.
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