India has called on the developed countries to take action for reducing their emission of greenhouse gases with respect to the baseline of 1990 over a period of time besides providing technical and financial assistance to developing countries in order to facilitate cleaner development in these countries. So far the efforts of developed countries in this direction has been dismal and as such it is all the more essential for developed countries alone to take up GHG mitigation measures and demonstrate their commitments towards the global climate. In addition to mitigation measures, they should also take concrete steps for development, dissemination and deployment of cleaner energy technologies in developing countries. This was stated by Thiru A.Raja, Union Minister of Environment & Forests at the Consultative Committee Meeting of the Members of Parliament attached to his Ministry in Goa.
The Minister of Environment & Forests also informed the MPs present about the forthcoming summit of the Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC and the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol in November and December this year where a number of international initiatives related to climate change are under way. The Summit is likely to take a decision pertaining to a technology package for cleaner energy production, he added. India is also engaged with the USA and European Union discussing relevant issues of energy security and lowering carbon intensity of the global economy, he further informed.
Providing details of the Indian position as the supplier of carbon emission reduction (CERs) units under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol, the Minister informed that we have so far, accorded host country approval to 91 CDM projects in India envisaging a total investment of about Rs.7500 crores. Some of these projects had been registered with the Executive Board of CDM and many others are in the pipeline, he added.
RKJ/AM
(Release ID :10114)