Beijing: India Saturday said it was not very
optimistic about reaching a legally-binding agreement on
emissions at the Cancun meeting, but maintained that there are
chances that leading countries could work out "building block"
agreements on subjects like forest and technology.
"Whether it is one agreement (at Cancun conference on
climate change) or a series of sub- agreements remains to be
seen. But I am not very optimistic of one overarching legally
binding agreement," Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, who is
here to attend a climate change conference hosted by China,
said.
Remember it is called the UNFCCC. The first c is Copenhagen,
the second is Cancun and the third is Cape Town. If we fail in
Cancun, we will achieve it in Cape Town," he said, addressing
the Conference.
He said India is opposed to any carbon tax "imposed by
any developed country" on imports from India and China.
"We think this is against the WTO. These carbon taxes
are not WTO compatible. They would in fact not only wreck
climate change but [also wreck] international trade. We are
completely opposed to the idea of an international carbon tax,
or a carbon tax at the border," he said.
Carbon tax as an instrument to regulate international
trade is a very bad idea, he said.
Earlier, addressing the conference, Ramesh said China
was on course to take leadership position in area of green
technology, not only in the fields of research and
development, but in the area of manufacturing.
"Whether it is renewable energy, clean coal
technology, and automotive technology. I am firmly of the
opinion that China is well on its way as emerging as a very
major technology generator and technology provider to the rest
of the world in the green economy," he said.
Like China, India too has announced "aggressive"
voluntary domestic actions.
"We have announced that we will cut our emissions
intensity of GDP by 20 to 25 per cent by the year 2020 on 2005
reference levels and this will call for a host of actions in
energy, forestry, industry, transportation and agriculture,"
he said, adding that India will not only achieve this target
but better it.
Terming the partnership between India and China as one
of the more prominent and significant development, he said
India looked to forge a closer partnership with China in the
area of technology.
PTI
