Trust deficit may derail Durban climate meet

NEW DELHI: India's leadership efforts to put in place a responsive climate technology transfer and development mechanism have run into a roadblock. With industrialised countries stalling negotiations on the final shape of the technology mechanism, a successful outcome at the UN-sponsored climate meet in Durban appears to be elusive.

The lack of agreement on the technology mechanism will feed into the trust deficit between the industrialised rich countries and the developing countries.

The industrialised countries have been pushing developing countries to accept a legally binding emission cuts as their pre-condition to sign on continued binding emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol. Technology, along with finance, is a key pillar of an agreement on climate change.