India not enthusiastic about Ban Ki-moon-convened Climate Conference

NEW DELHI: India is giving a lukewarm response to Ban Ki-moon-convened Climate Conference in New York next week insisting that parallel platforms add to confusion and negotiations should be held under the mandate of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change only.

Ahead of the UN Secretary General-convened Climate Summit in New York next week, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today said there was no issue on holding talks in different places but "we want to work the whole Climate Change negotiations under the madate of UNFCCC."

Javadekar, who is leading the Indian delegation to the New York Climate Summit, said "when we start so many parallel platforms, that adds to confusion sometimes. So, we will stick to the main line of UNFCCC and we will move on that accepted principles."

Asked whether India sees New York summit as a parallel process, he said "the agreement will be under always UNFCCC. So, the CoP Lima and CoP Paris-being organised under UNFCCC- are important. But if the world wants to discuss it in various places, no issue but the agreement and negotiations (can) happen under one umbrella and that is UNFCCC."

The UN Secretary General has invited world leaders from government, finance, business, and civil society to the Climate Summit 2014 on September 23 to galvanise and catalyse climate action.

He has asked these leaders to bring to the Summit bold announcements and actions which will reduce emissions, strengthen climate resilience and mobilise political will for a meaningful legal agreement in 2015.

Javadekar said India would raise the issue of Green Climate Fund in the conference.

"The real issue is Green Climate Fund. GCF has to materialise now. India will definitely bring this point on table in both the conferences," he said.

"The green climate fund, which was promised, has yet not started. Germany has started acting. We welcome that. But other developed countries need to follow," the Minister said.