Question : ROME CONFERENCE ON GREEN HOUSE GASES

(a) whether in a meeting of Major Economies Forum held in Rome in June, 2010, the issue of accountability regime in efforts to reduce emissions of green house gases was discussed;

(b) if so, the details thereof including the countries which participated in the meeting;

(c) the details of other issues discussed and the outcome thereof;

(d) whether India made it clear in the meeting that industrialized countries must be held accountable for their emission reduction targets and the transfer of finance and technology to developing countries; and

(e) if so, the views of other countries in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)

(a) to (e) In the meeting of the Major Economies Forum held in Rome on June 30th and July 1st 2010, co-hosted by US and Italy, the issues relating to climate change mitigation, measurement, report and verification (MRV) of commitments and actions of countries, fast start funds for climate and expected outcomes at the Conference of Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC scheduled at Cancun later this year were discussed.

Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, EU Commission, EU Presidency, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States, Denmark, United Nations, Bangladesh, Barbados, Ethiopia, Singapore and UAE participated in the meeting.

During the discussion on mitigation commitments and actions of various countries and their transparency, India stressed that commitments and actions for emissions reduction of all developed countries including the United States and the Parties to Kyoto Protocol must be comparable in nature and bound by strong accounting rules for measurement, report and verification. India further stressed that a multilateral anchor should prepare and implement the guidelines for consultation and analysis of mitigation actions of developing countries.

Amongst other issues discussed in the meeting were the measures needed to facilitate early flow of fast start funds to small and least developed countries, the nature and legal form of outcomes at Cancun, equity in relation to the 2 degree long term goal, and the implementation of the Global Partnership for Technology Action Plans launched by the Major Economies Forum. India stressed the implementation and fulfillment of obligations of developed countries in accordance with the principles and provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol.