We are not 'spoilers' of climate talks: India

Brushing aside accusations that India was acting as a bully and "spoiler" during climate talks, its negotiators here are firm that New Delhi will not accept any new legally binding carbon emission cuts, saying its policy is "clear, consistent and compassionate" on the issue.

As the first week of the annual UN climate change conference in Durban, South Africa comes to a close, the buzz in the corridor is whether India will give in to pressure to enhance its climate change obligations at an international level.

India, along with other BASIC countries have "emphasised that the Kyoto Protocol is the cornerstone of the climate regime and its second commitment period is the essential priority for the success of Durban Conference."

The BASIC countries are a bloc of four large developing countries — Brazil, South Africa, India and China — formed by an agreement on November 28, 2009 formed to work jointly on the issue of climate change.

India's stance not to accept legally binding carbon emission cuts has been described as "hard line" and there is also talk that India could be getting the "Fossil of Day" award. International civil society organisations are describing India as a "spoiler".

Indian negotiators, however, here dismissed accusations that India was a "spoiler" and it was trying to bully other countries to push for a second commitment period for developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol, the only legally binding treaty on climate change, after its first term expires in 2012. The Indian delegation described India's position as "clear, consistent and compassionate".

The survival of the Kyoto Protocol remains the main bone of contention at the climate talks. While Japan and Canada have backed out of the treaty, the EU says it will take on a second commitment period if emerging economies like China and India also take on more ambitious cuts.

Despite growing pressure from developed nations and small island nations (AOSIS) for India to commit under a legal treaty, New Delhi refuses to give in to international obligations to reduce carbon emissions on the grounds that its overriding priorities remain poverty eradication and sustainable development.

As Indian Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan gets ready to attend her first COP, the questions here India will make any further compromises. Far from being "consistent," experts here noted that under the leadership of former environment minister Jairam Ramesh, India had already given away too much in the Cancun Agreement reached at the previous talks in Mexico. Others defended Ramesh by saying his approach had provided flexibility of moving the talks forward.

"In the last few months statements made by the minister (Natarajan) seems to show a noticeable change in the position," said Martin Kohr, head of South Centre.

"Let's wait and see," Kohr added on whether India would show any more flexibility.

To undo some of the lost ground in Cancun, India injected agenda items of equity, trade barriers and intellectual property rights into the talks here. Some countries and civil society organisations have seen this as another tactic by India to reopen closed doors.

"India is not concocting new issue," objected Kohr.

"India is trying to reverse the trend from retreating on three critical issues."

So far, India also refuses to give into agreeing to "legal form" that will bind it to carbon emission cuts in the future. Here it faces pressure from both developed countries and AOSIS. On a post-2020 treaty, the US also says that "content" of the treaty should come before "form".

Despite the lack of progress, a senior negotiator here noted that a spirit of compromise seemed to be in the air in Durban where 194 countries have gathered to agree on the next steps to combat climate change.

In that spirit, the negotiator noted that EU was now talking of "reassurance," which is a less stringent way of saying legally binding cuts. In that case, he warned, India wants "mutual reassurances" that EU will sticks to ambitious carbon emission reduction commitments without shifting the goal posts further.

The Indian negotiator further noted that while the climate talks were difficult and complicated, like the last thing to come out of Pandora's Box, "hope" was still alive.