Question : BALI CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE

(a) whether the Conference of parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in Bali recently;

(b) if so, the details of the discussions held and the outcome thereof; and

(c) the likely impact of the decisions of the conference on India?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS(SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)

(a)to(c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 28 BY SHRI SURAVARAM SUDHAKAR REDDY & SHRI C.K. CHANRAPPAN DUE FOR REPLY ON 27.2.2008, REGARDING “BALI CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE”.

(a)to(c) The thirteenth Conference of Parties (COP-13) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

(UNFCCC) and the third Meeting of Parties (MOP-3) to Kyoto Protocol was held in Bali in December 2007. The principal outcome of the Bali conference was to launch a comprehensive process called Bali Action Plan (BAP) that would enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC through long-term cooperative action, now, up to and beyond 2012. It is expected that an agreed outcome would be reached and a decision adopted regarding BAP, at the fifteenth Conference of Parties (COP-15) to be held in December 2009.

The Conference of Parties serving as Meeting of Parties at Bali also took crucial decisions in respect of the Kyoto Protocol, the Adhoc Working Group on further commitments of developed countries (beyond 2012) finally established a deadline of 2009 for the completion of its work and forwarding to COP-15 for a decision, its recommendations on quantified emissions limitation and reduction commitments of Annex I Parties (developed countries).

Several other significant decisions were also reached at Bali.These include operationalization of the Adaptation Fund to provide assistance to developing countries to adapt to climate change; agreement on guidance for the further implementation and improvement of the Clean Development Mechanism; policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries; “transfer of technologies”, including licenses to support the access to and transfer of low carbon technologies, and know how.

It is expected that the decisions taken at Bali would enhance the implementation of the UNFCCC and as a responsible country, India will engage constructively in these negotiations.