‘India won’t be forced to raise climate goals’

NEW DELHI: India will attempt to keep its climate commitments but will not act at the behest or under pressure from developed countries, Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday, underscoring the country’s prerogative to balance development goals with obligations on climate change.

Javadekar was speaking at an event organised at the Embassy of France to mark French minister Jean-Yves Le Drian’s visit to India. He reiterated that India will “over achieve” its commitments, a government spokesperson later said in a clarification to his remarks.

Le Drian, in his address, said countries must stop building new coal-based power plants

{ PRAKASH JAVADEKAR } UNION ENVIRONMENT MINISTER The historical emissions responsibility today is of China at 28%, USA 40%; Europe 10% and India only 3%.

and progressively move towards achieving carbon neutrality. Javadekar, who spoke after Le Drian’s address, offered some context. “Yes, we are suffering. We are seeing higher temperatures, unusual rain, hurricanes, frequency of such abnormal events has increased.”

But, he added, it should not be forgotten that this is not a new phenomenon. “For 150 years, this has been happening because carbon emissions remain in the atmosphere for more than 150

years, so what we are suffering today was caused 150 years ago. The countries [of] EU [European Union], US and in the last 30 to 40 years China, they emitted and therefore the world is suffering, India is suffering,” he said

Javadekar underlined that historic responsibility is a very important aspect. “We cannot just forget, and we will not allow anybody to forget it. The historical emissions responsibility today of is China 28%, USA 40%; Europe 10% and India is only 3%. We are not responsible for the climate change that is happening.”

He added India is a responsible nation and will do the right thing to deal with climate change. “Principle of common but differentiated responsibilities [CBDR, a principle under the Paris Agreement requires richer countries to lead and take historical responsibility for emissions caused in the past by them] is important. Yes, as we are facing a grave common threat, we all will have to act but those who have polluted will have to act more.”

The minister pointed out that the commitment of 100 billion dollars per year by 2020 to be transferred from developed countries to developing countries for mitigation and adaptation to climate change now adds up to 1.1 trillion dollars but most of it has not come through. “Where is the money? There is no money in sight. You have polluted, destroyed the world, and brought climate change. And now you are saying do not use coal. The alternative technology has to be much cheaper than coal only then people will do away with coal. India is not a major emitter. People say in a sequence that we are the fourthlargest emitter. How? The coal consumption of China is 4 billion tonnes this year. Ours is not even 1 billion tonnes. How are we comparing apples with oranges?”

Javadekar urged developed countries to deliver on finance commitments. “They should make technology at an affordable cost. Climate change is not a business. Fighting climate change is our duty. The world has agreed to supply anti-AIDS drugs at a lower cost because AIDS is a disaster. We should not profit from a disaster…therefore, we will walk the talk, raise our ambition but not at the behest or [under] pressure from other countries.”

Gaurav Khare, the environment ministry spokesperson, later issued a clarification saying: “Mr Prakash Javadekar had only said that India will ‘Over Achieve’ its commitment made in Paris and not said that India will “raise its ambitions”.

In his address, Le Drian referred to the objective of the 2016 Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 2°C or even 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels. “If we do not succeed in doing so, the consequences will be disastrous…That’s why it is absolutely indispensable that all countries increase their climate commitments by the time the COP26 [2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference] takes place in Glasgow, as required by the Paris Agreement,” Le Drian said.

He said this increase in ambition must include setting new nationally determined contributions by 2030 and also long-term strategies to achieve carbon neutrality. “We must stop building new coal-based power plants and it is essential that we progressively stop this mode of electricity production at a global level.”

John Kerry, the American Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, met Javadekar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week regarding increasing climate ambition ahead of COP26 in Glasgow this November. Kerry and Modi agreed that India and the US will work closely on the technology and finance for the deployment of 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030 to make way for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

France is co-chair of the International Solar Alliance—an alliance of 121 countries initiated by India to promote solar energy.