Involve CMs in the climate report : Narendra Modi

Chief minister Narendra Modi has urged prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh to involve chief ministers of all states to define the country's national commitments for climate change, before they are submitted by the centre for international negotiations.

Quoting reports, Modi said in a letter to the PM that the centre's stand at the ongoing COP 16 summit at Cancun, Mexico, on measurement, reporting, verification, international consultations and analysis of India's domestic climate actions, was contrary to the earlier commitment given by it to the parliament.

Modi said that this was not only a compromise with respect to national sovereignty, but also raised serious issues regarding the country's federal structure.

The CM also said in the letter that about 70% to 80% of mitigation and adaptation work on climate change was being done at the state level.

However, so far no mechanism had been put in place to involve chief ministers of states in a consultative process before deciding on the country's national approach on climate change.

"This is contrary to the true spirit of the Indian federal system," he said.