UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: TOPIC: CLIMATE CHANGE WITH SPEACIAL

REFERENCE TO GREEN HOUSE GASESCOUNTRY: INDIA

The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC), aimed at fighting global warming. The UNFCCC is an international

environmental treaty with the goal of achieving the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Signatories to the UNFCC are split into 3 groups Annex 1 countries are the industrialized countries Annex 2 countries are the developed countries which pay the costs for developing countries. India comes under the developing nations. Third group is rest of the world. Carbon reductions are legally binding on the Annex I countries, i.e. the developed nations. Developing countries are not expected to implement commitments under this convention unless the developed countries provide them with adequate funds and technology. Environment is a serious issue in the present era and requires immediate attention of all countries of the world. Hence to overcome this problem of environmental degradation and global warming and make world a better place to live in, India has ratified the Kyoto Protocol. India has long maintained the position

that developing countries should be allowed more flexibility in reducing greenhouse gases India being a developing country is exempted from the frame work of reduction of greenhouse gases in this treaty. It is rather expected to gain from this protocol in terms of technology and foreign investments and something important as CLEAN DEVELOPMENT MECHANISM (CDM). ARTICLE 12 OF KYOTO PROTOCOL DEFINES CDM: THE PURPOSE OF CDM IS TO ASSIST PARTIES NOT

INCLUDED IN ANNEX I IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF THIS CONVENTION. India is also an active participant in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol, with the second highest number of projects registered for any country and estimated to offset almost 10% of Indias total emissions per year by 2012. India has been assessed as the Best CDM Country in a recent independent study. During negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol, India and other developing nations were strongly opposed to any demands that they assume responsibility for an emissions target, because per capita incomes and emissions are significantly lower in developing countries, industrialized countries will be the major emitters for decades. INDIA IS NOT in Favor of Setting Near-Term Emissions Reduction Targets Not long after its ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, the President of India released an informal proposal, called The Delhi

Ministerial Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, HAVING ALL DETAILS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE. India is also strongly in favor of funding initiatives by the developed nations to help developing States reduce their global warming impact. India also succeeded in ending the production of CFCs by August 1, 2008, and will phase out the consumption of CFCs in the refrigeration servicing sector by January 1, 2010. India has also recently approved its National Solar Mission setting ambitious solar energy generation targets for the medium-term INDIA is one of the few developing countries in the world where the forest cover is increasing, by 0.8 million hectares a year, despite the pressures of population growth and rapid economic development. This is neutralizing 11% of Indias annual GHG emissions. India has more than doubled its budget for forestry this year to Rs 8,300 crores (USD 1.85 Bn) and this increase is going to be sustained every year. New programmes to increase the capacity of frontline forestry personnel, improve forestry infrastructure and control forest fires are also being implemented. India has been aggressively reducing the energy intensity of its GDP from 0.30 kgoe per $ GDP in PPP terms in 1980 to 0.16 kgoe per $ GDP in PPP terms now. INDIA HAS FINALIZED A NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON CLIMATE CHANGE (NAPCC)

 INDIA

ORGANIZED

MAJOR

CONFERENCE

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CLIMATE CHANGE: TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER. ACCESSION TO THE PROTOCOL HAS HELPED INDIA GET CLEAN TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS, THEREBY ADDING TO ITS SECTORS OF RENEWABLE ENERY GROWTH. COMPANIES INVESTING IN BIO-DIESEL, CO-

GENERATION, WINDMILLS, AND BIO-GAS ARE THE ONES THAT WILL GENERATE VARBON CREDITS FOR SELLING TO DEVELOPED NATIONS.