Durban talks: India’s gains and losses

December 15th, 2011 - 4:42 pm ICT by IANS  

The UN climate change talks in Durban arrived at a four-pronged Durban Package to save the planet by controlling emission of greenhouse gases. The gains and losses for developing countries like India:

Gains

* Principle of equity: Every person in the world should have an equal carbon space in the atmosphere.

* Gets nine years of economic growth without any emission cuts.

* Principle of common but differentiated responsibility: Recognising that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity; hence, there is a heavier burden on developed nations to cut emission.

Losses

Durban package doesn’t mention:

* Technology Transfer: Developing countries like India have been demanding that rich countries provide them technologies that are more energy efficient and help them in reducing emissions. The intellectual property rights issues are a bone of contention as rich countries do not want to do away with the IPRs.

* Unilateral Trade Measures: India had objected to countries levying taxes like aviation tax by the European Union that will come into effect from 2012 in the name of cutting emissions.

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