Developed nations should deliver on Kyoto Protocol, says Manmohan Singh

Manmohan-SinghCopenhagen, Dec. 18 : Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said that there is need for the developed nations to deliver on Kyoto Protocol and that there should be no dilution in the principle of equitable responsibility to share burden for climate change.

Addressing the Heads of State meet at the Copenhagen, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stressed that the nations should not try to replace the Kyoto Protocol with any new set of commitments and should continue negations in future as per Bali mandate.

“In our group, a very wrong message has emerged from this conference…. we should therefore reaffirm categorically that our negotiations will continue on the basis of Bali mandate. Secondly, the Kyoto protocol should continue to stand as the valid legal instrument,” said Dr. Singh.

Saying India will continue negotiations as per the Bali Action Plan, Dr. Singh appealed to all when he said: “We must stand by parameters of Bali Action Plan.”

On the Kyoto Protocol, Dr. Singh said: “Kyoto Protocol should deliver on the sovereign commitment under this protocol …It would go against international public opinion if we succumb in its replacement by and a new set of commitments…finally it is clear that any agreement on climate change should respect the need for growth and development in developing countries…Equitable and burden sharing should be underlined in any effective global climate regime,” said Dr. Manmohan Singh while adding that India had “a vital stake in the success of this [climate] summit,” Dr. Singh added.

“Developed nations must deliver on Kyoto protocol. There should be no dilution of principle of equitable responsibility of sharing burden,” he added.

Dr. Singh sought to draw attention of all at the Heads of State meet towards seriousness with which India looks at the climate change negotiations.

“India has a vital stake in the success of negotiations and we are among the counties most likely to be surely impacted by climate change…we have therefore adopted and started to implement a major national action plan on climate change relying upon our resources…our targets include installation of 20,000 megawatt of solar energy capacity by the year 2022…. And growing industrial efficiency of our economy by 20 per cent by 2020 and adding additional 6 million hectare of forest by several years…you will agree that the most affected by the climate change are the least responsible ones,” said Dr. Singh. (ANI)