India reiterates opposition to binding carbon targets
Earthtimes | 31 Jan 2010
New Delhi - India has informed the United Nations that it will undertake voluntary cuts of its emission intensity by 20 to 25 per cent by 2020 but asserted that this would not be applicable to its agriculture sector, officials said Sunday. In a message sent to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Indian government made it clear that all domestic mitigation actions were voluntary in nature and not legally binding, a position it had taken at last month's Copenhagen Summit.
The government tabled its plan a day before the UN deadline for submitting the climate change mitigation steps under the Copenhagen Accord expired Sunday.
"India will endeavour to reduce the emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product by 20-25 per cent by 2020 in comparison to the 2005 level through domestic mitigation actions," a statement from the Environment Ministry released late Saturday.
In view of the ongoing debate in the international climate change negotiations, Delhi made it clear that "while these actions will be in the nature of its contribution to the global efforts to address climate change ... it will be entirely voluntary in nature and will not have a legally binding character.
"The mitigation actions will be taken in accordance with the principles and provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention, which require developing countries like India take these actions in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibility and respective capability," it said.
The announcement comes after the United States and European Union committed to the UN to cut green house gas emissions.
The US has pledged to cut emissions by 17 per cent by 2020 from 2005 levels, although it said the target was dependent on domestic climate change legislation being passed.
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