G77 blasts Danish draft

The leaked Danish draft at the crucial climate change summit has not only left developing nations fuming but Indian experts suggest that the document is a clinical way to differentiate between India, China and most many of the poor countries.

The controversial draft undermines the Kyoto protocol that had suggested emission cuts to be made by developed and industrialised countries, while the Danish document conceives that all measures should come under a single new agreement. Developing countries fear that rich economies could use pressure on them to push the new document.

According to the document, developing countries should agree to specific emission cuts and measures although these were not part of the original UN agreement. The document creates a new category of developing countries by dividing poor countries and also undermines UN’s role in climate change negotiations and finance. The Danish draft also suggests that poor countries would not be allowed to emit more than 1.44 tonnes of carbon per person by 2050, although the developed economies could emit 2.67 tonnes.

The talks at the summit were in complete disarray on the third day of the summit after developing nations complained that the proposed document allowed developed nations to emit twice as much per capita carbon by 2050 in comparison to people in the developing countries.

“We are not sure if the Danish draft is going to be the basis for negotiations but the talks have been suspended for now. This is a clear policy to differentiate between India, China and other poor countries,” said Sunita Narain, member of the prime minister’s climate change counsel.

Experts suggested that the leaked document was a typical counterplan set up by developed nations, especially the EU and the US, to put pressure on India and China to accept emission cuts.

“So far, India has always put developed economies on the back foot, because we have been asking them to take greater responsibility in reducing emissions, but this Danish document is an effort to switch this argument around and put pressure on developing countries,” said Uttam Kumar Sinha, an expert at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis.

Sinha further said that the document was an effort to divide G-77 nations between poor and developing countries targeting India, China, Brazil and South Africa to accept emission cuts and not just work to bring down intensity of carbon emissions.

“I fear that after the talks, more pressure would be put on these four countries, especially India, through WTO. India should now start thinking in terms of trade-offs and demand more money and better technology from developed countries, which have such resources,” said Sinha.