India makes a strong case for adaptation measures at Lima climate talks

LIMA: With the countries here negotiating crucial points in the run up to the next year's global climate agreement, India on Wednesday made a strong pitch for giving more weight-age to "adaptation" measures in the new agreement at the time when rich nations are more obsessed with "mitigation" (cutting emission) efforts and goals.

India also made it clear that the "adaptation is critical to the country's development paradigm" in view of climate change — a narrative which gained prominence ever since new government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in New Delhi in May this year.

Without denying the importance of "mitigation" in the efforts to face the challenges of climate change, India sought including "adaptation" element in the new agreement in a "comprehensive and balanced" manner.

In his submission in a 'contact group' on adaptation here during the ongoing climate talks, one of the key members of the Indian delegation Susheel Kumar said, "When we say balance, it is not only political parity with mitigation. It is a total parity — be it financial flow or allocations, legally binding status, technology transfer or sense of urgency and commitments".

He emphasised: "We would like that to be there in the entire text. We would also like a long term global goal for adaptation to be clearly articulated in qualitative and quantitative terms".

As climate talks began in Lima in Peru, Greenpeace activists from seven countries projected a pro-solar message at the Temple of the Sun in Machu Pichu, Peru.
The remarks assume significance in view of India's current position where it wants the new climate treaty to focus more on "adaptation" than on "mitigation" as many poor and developing countries still need to grow which would lead to unavoidable emissions.

If one reads this statement in view of the country's long stated position where it doesn't want the new agreement to compromise on the principles of UNFCCC' and its Kyoto Protocol, it is clear that India wants the rich nations to play a major role in terms of mitigation whereas the adaptation efforts may compulsorily be made by each and every country of the world with the mandatory support of developed countries in terms of finance and technology transfer.

Referring to a certain para of the draft text which has provisions to enhance cooperation and support for developing countries, Kumar in his intervention said, "India would suggest to amend this para to show that adaptation is a global commitment to be discharged by each country party".

Kumar in his submission also elaborated on India's ongoing adaptation measures through various plans under its national missions to combat challenges of climate change.

He also referred to the Indian government's recent initiative of establishing a National Adaptation Fund for providing financial, technical and capacity building support at national and state level for implementation of adaptation activities in the country.

It is expected that India would present its points on adaptation more forcefully during the high-level segment of the climate talks next week.

Making it clear, Kumar said, "We reserve the right to give additional submissions on adaptation in the course of negotiations, because adaptation is critical to our development paradigm in view of climate change".