Speaking at an international workshop on Equity and Climate Change, held on April 12, the minister for environment and forests, Jayanthi Natarajan, sought to build a consensus on the inter-relationship between equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities in the Climate Convention, and the nature of the obligations they entail in the new arrangement that is to be negotiated. By focusing on a technical definition of equity the approach continues to be to tweak a failing system arrived at in 1992 rather than develop a global vision for 2032.

New Delhi: A tectonic shift in the global climate negotiations got underway with the African group of nations siding with India in demanding that equity and ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ be embedded in the talks for a future climate regime. The re-alignments became evident with several key groups of nations submitting their views on how countries should increase their ambition levels for cutting emissions in the coming years.

New Delhi As part of its submissions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), India has sought an increase in the level of ambition by the developed or Annex-I countries, in line with the principles of equity and common – but differentiated – responsibility. The environment ministry has also categorically stated that the increase in the ambition level can be achieved only if the Annex-I countries clarify that their commitments and targets between 2012-2020 are without any conditions.

Speakers at an international seminar organised by the British Council, Association of British Scholars (ABS) and the TKM Institute of Management (TIM) here on Monday stressed the need for the international community to join hands to combat the growing threat of climate change without stunting the growth of developing countries.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who inaugurated the seminar said it was unreasonable to expect developing countries to cut the rising demand for energy and match the reductions by the developed world, when the levels of per capita energy consumption were so different.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday stressed the need for “equity” in global climate change negotiations and said economic growth should not harm the environment. At his meeting in Delhi with the environment ministers of the BASIC countries, Brazil, South Africa, India and China, Singh is learnt to have said that the principle of equity should be the goal of future negotiations. Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan had described “equity” as a non-negotiable principle for India in global climate talks during the conference of parties in Durban, South Africa.

New Delhi Underlining the principle of “equity” in climate talks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said growth should take place in a way which does not harm the environment.

During his meeting with Environment Ministers of BASIC countries, that is Brazil, South Africa, India and China, Singh said the principle of equity — equal per capita rights to the atmospheric space — should be the goal of future negotiations on climate change, sources said.

Growth should take place in a way that does not harm the environment, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Monday.

During his meeting with Environment Ministers of BASIC countries — Brazil, South Africa, India and China — Dr. Singh said the principle of equity - equal per capita rights to the atmospheric space - should be the goal of future negotiations on climate change, sources said.