The basic issue at Copenhagen was whether an adequate global response to climate change should be achieved, through enhanced implementation by all countries of their commitments under the existing agreements, or whether a new agreement should be negotiated to reduce the commitments of the developed nations, by shifting a large share of their responsibilities to the shoulders of the developing nations. The developed nations were pressing for replacing the Kyoto Protocol with a new agreement, designed to impose new legally binding commitments on developing nations.
The two existing international agreements on climate change - the Framework Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, are said to be based on concepts of equity and environmental justice. Developed nations are said to be primarily responsible for causing climate change, and moreover, they have a much greater financial and technological capability to respond to respond to climate change. It is thus attributed to them that, in accordance with the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities”, they are required to implement time bound emission reduction commitments, and contribute financial and technological support, to the developing nations to enable them address climate change.
Developing nations, as per some section of the opinion, should have no legally binding commitments. Their mitigation actions should be of a voluntary nature and should be conditional on receipt of adequate financial support to cover incremental costs. And of course, since these actions are of a voluntary nature, they should not be subject o any form of review or verification.
Leaving the merits/demerits of the above for the time being, certain facts which merit or immediate attention of every nation in the world cutting across categorizations/blocs are :
a) When the climate change ultimately threatens the very survival of millions in both the developing and the developed nations, notwithstanding the fact that the latter are relatively better positioned as of now, to meet such challenges, is it worthwhile and wise now to waste more time by insisting upon shifting the burden and responsibilities mainly on the developed nations, to undertake the necessary mitigation actions, irrespective of the merits/demerits of the case ? None of the developed nations have really absolved themselves of their own share of responsibilities to meet the challenge of climate change, and
b) Have all the nations across the world including the developing ones undertaken such basic steps within their limited resources and capabilities, such as developing super critical technologies to drastically reduce emissions from thermal power plants and other highly polluting industries, enactment and strict compliance of laws to keep over polluting vehicles off the roads, due encouragements to the private sector to innovate environment friendly technologies and products, strict ban on the use of plastics and other environmentally hazardous materials ( where ever feasible as of now), extensive use of algae and other bio organisms to prevent waterbodies from getting polluted, due encouragement to the use of non conventional sources of energy, increasing the green cover by making it mandatory for every residential and commercial unit to have ‘X ‘number of trees/plantations per unit of open space available , and last but not the least making appropriate rainwater harvesting structures mandatory and non negotiable at each and every building etc etc ?
Such measures do not call for any significant financial and technological support, and the developing nations especially, can do the needful on their own as part of their moral commitment to save our planet from unmitigated disasters. And all this without in any way jeopardising their overall growth prospects. Needless to add, the same apples to the developed nations as well.
These critical minimum efforts taken voluntarily by nations across the world , including the developed ones, would be that first Giant Milestone in ensuring sustainable development , besides of course significantly reducing the threats posed to mankind due to climate change, and environmental degradation.
Once such a Giant Milestone is reached by every nation which considers its moral obligation to do its best to save our planet, without in any way compromising on its growth prospects and sovereignty, could the debate on legally biding emission targets, financial and technological assistance, from the developed nations merit any significance.
This may sound utopian, but its practical too given the kind of nerve wrecking deliberations which took place at Copenhagen.
In this context, the suggestion by the US at Copenhagen that all countries should take domestic actions as they like, and then pledge them together, in an international accord, and have a common level of international scrutiny of their work on mitigation assumes significance and relevance.
And of course, the Copenhagen accord which has agreed to cuts in emissions and hold increase in global temperature below 2 degree celcius, doing away with any binding commitments on emissions reduction, making it incumbent upon the emerging economies to monitor their efforts and report the results to the United Nations every two years with some international checks to meet the transparency concerns of the West, but ensuring the national sovereignty is respected, is adequate and appropriate as of now.
But in the interests of mutual trust and confidence between the nations, let this applicable to all the nations cutting across categorization and blocs.
Once this stage is reached, perhaps it would be time to reflect upon the need to fix emission targets, as well as determining the extent of financial and technological support required to reach the next Giant Milestone, which is bringing the global temperatures back to what existed in the pre industrialization era.
Till then, its time now for each nation to set its house in order, and do its best within its capabilities and resources, to save our planet and millions of our fellow citizens of the world, from unmitigated disasters.
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