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With the clock ticking closer to Copenhagen there is a sense of urgency to clinch a deal. The high level conference on ‘Climate Change: Technology Development and Transfer’ was concluded on 22 October 2009 at New Delhi and it came in the backdrop of rumours that India was keen for a new deal and ready on a fresh slate. In this context, a Symposium was organized by Centad with the title ‘To Cut or not to Cut; Does development have a chance?’ with the key note address by Dr. Martin Khor, Executive Director, South Centre ,on Saturday, 24 October 2009, at the Constitution Club, new Delhi. The other speakers were Angelika Navarro, Bolivian Ambassador to the WTO and UNFCCC, Dr. Prabir Purkayastha, Director, Delhi Science Forum and Mr. Soumya Dutta, National Convenor, BJVJ. The event was chaired by Prof. Ramgopal Agarwala, Senior Fellow, RIS.
Martin Khor was critical of the design in which some countries are trying to put pressure to coerce poor and developing countries to sign a deal. He cautioned that countries like India should not fall into the sweet talk and support wrong solutions in the name of trade and environment. According to him ‘climate crisis has been caused by unprecedented unsustainable industrial development by the developed countries’ and the primary responsibility rests on them. He referred to the partnership strategy by the developed countries as a sweet song and cautioned that “The sweeter the song the dangerous its effects are” says Dr. Khor. He strongly advocated that developed countries should not be misled by the shared vision and wanted a hard stance by the developing countries to bargain for a just and equitable deal.
Dr. Khor criticized the current ‘cuts’ proposed by the developed countries wherein, the world should cut CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2050, with the industrialized countries reducing their emissions by 80 percent. This would be tantamount to sharper cuts by the developing countries on a per capita basis. “An 80 percent emissions cut sounds good, when you first hear it”, However, if developing countries accept this target, there will be no space left for further development in these countries. Martin reiterated that developed countries should take more responsibility in this respect, and need to compensate for their historical responsibilities.
Junking the Kyoto Protocol would mean paradise for developed countries with low cut, no legally binding commitments, with no aggregate figures, with developing countries having their schedule for commitments. Also the target for overall emission reduction is 50% from the base year 1990 but the developed countries are committing to only17-18% from the base year 2005, which comes to literally “No Emission cut”, added Dr. khor. The developing countries therefore should not agree to any unfair deal and if there should be a deal, the basic principles of historic responsibilities and CBDR principles must be followed. If the Copenhagen meet resulted in total collapse in terms of any deal it should result in some form of basic principle on which further negotiations can take place, concluded Martin Khor.
Speaking on the unjustified demands made by developed countries the Ambassador from Bolivia, Ms. Angelika Navarro, who is the official negotiating Climate Change on behalf of Bolivia, emphasized the notion of the ‘historical responsibilities’ of the developed countries and stated that developed countries should pay all incremental cost for reducing the emissions. “We are not beggars, but we are asking for the ambitious cause for reducing our emissions” added the ambassador from Bolivia.
Mr. Saumya Datta, National Convenor, BJVJ, stressed the issue of domestic equity vis a vis carbon emissions, caused by an imbalance in economic and social equity, resulting in inequitable consumption. He sought a focus on policies which will bring equity among communities within nations. He also added that the voices of poorer, marginalized communities should be brought in to international climate negotiations.
Dr. Prabir Puryakastha, Director, Delhi Science Forum, in his speech mentioned that all developing countries’, including India’s, emission to peak at some point of time and to go down. Therefore, basic historical responsibilities of emissions will be at the level lower than today. He mentioned that the problem was created by developed nations but we are asked to bear the burden. Equitable responsibility is to be shared among nations and all developing countries should stand united and raise a voice against any bad agreement.
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