Big setback for India at Cancun climate summit
Cancun: In a huge setback for India at the climate summit in Cancun, the four BASIC countries including India, China, Brazil and South Africa, which have so far been united in their stand on the issue of emission cuts, are now deeply divided.
Brazil and South Africa now say they are open to the idea of legally binding emission cuts. Till now, both countries were one with India and China wanting developing countries to only accept voluntary emission cuts.
And it's not just the divide among BASIC countries that India has to contend with. Several G-77 countries are now saying that all developing countries should accept legally binding emission cuts.
India and China are hence getting increasingly isolated among the Group of 77 developing countries.
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh is in Cancun, Mexico for the two-week climate summit, which is in its final phase now.
PROGRESS AT CANCUN 'INSUFFICIENT': BAN
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said the progress at the climate conference in Cancun has been
"insufficient"
"Business as usual cannot be tolerated, for it would condemn millions no, billions of children, women, and men around the world to shrinking horizons, and smaller futures," Ban told delegates of 194 nations at the climate change conference.
Kicking off the high-level segment of the climate conference as the two-week talks entered the final four days, he said: "Cancun must represent a breakthrough. The status quo will not do".
"However, I am deeply concerned that our efforts so far have been insufficient...that despite the evidence, and many years of negotiation, we are still not rising to the challenge, he said, adding "Determination must be our watchword."
There final few days of the meeting are expected to achieve significant outcomes on issues like reduction of greenhouse gases, providing money to developing countries and saving forests.
Big setback for India at Cancun climate summit
