Paris Climate Pact must Seek 'Universal' but 'Not Equal' action: India

New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) India, seen as a key player in the Paris 2015 UN climate negotiations, Friday called for a "universal" but "not equal" green action in mitigating the challenges of global warming.

"The principle of CBDR (comprehensive but differential responsibility) has been diluted with the demand for a universal action (to combat climate change). Let there be a universal action but it cannot be an equal action," India's Additional Secretary, Environment, Sushil Kumar said at the 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit here.

Under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the principle of CBDR requires developed countries to recognize their historical responsibility as early industrialisers to ensure greater contribution in meeting the climate change challenge.

From the climate agreement at the UN Climate Conference in Paris later this year, "India and other developing countries are looking for retention and reiteration of the principles of CBDR, equity, and respective capabilities of each country... These have to be our guiding principles so that every country is on board," he said.

Sushil Kumar said the success of the agreement hinged on a comprehensive action that would counter balance mitigation with appropriate and equal measures for adaptation.

India reiterated its plea for a sustainable availability of funds in the Green Climate Fund that would enable developing countries to adopt ambitious mitigation and adaption action.

"That is a prerequisite otherwise the universal action will not gain much. The IPR cost is to be neutralized by some mechanism, so that each country is able to get new tech which increases its energy efficiency, increases adaptation and reduces carbon emission," he said.