BJP, Left slam Jairam Ramesh on shift in climate stand

Cancun: The BJP and the Left have slammed the Environment Minister for saying that India can look at legally binding emission cuts in the future.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, in a major shift from India's stated policy on climate change, indicated that India could look at taking on binding commitments on emissions in the future.

Accusing Ramesh of exceeding the mandate given by Parliament, the BJP and Left are now demanding that the government explain Jairam's statement in Cancun.

The BJP says Jairam has acted unilaterally, and the government must come clean on this.

"There is nothing but a foot in the mouth disease. What Jairam Ramesh told here was different and what he is telling there and again, every time he is twisting and he is changing his statement. This is going to harm the country's interest, and the way he is presenting India's case there is simply self-defeating," said Tarun Vijay, BJP Spokesperson.

"The position of the Indian delegation in Cancun led by Jairam Ramesh in which they have succumbed to pressure primarily by the US led developed countries to agree to legally binding limitations on emission can be described only in two words - this is a sell out, and it is extremely unfortunate that this should have happened. We strongly condemn it and demand that the government should come clean on this issue," said Brinda Karat, CPM Politburo member.

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"I have nothing to hide. I stand by it. Everything is being done transparently. This is being done to strengthen India's stance. India at Cancun has come out looking more proactive," said Jairam defending his stand.

"We are not the bad guys. It is very important for India not to be isolated in the world. We have a larger stake in the world economy than we had 25 years ago. Negotiations are all about flexibility, it is about seeing what is happening. I have not changed the goal post, I have nuanced our goal post. We will not take on a legally binding agreement at this stage, as we have no idea is the content of this agreement and the penalties of non compliance and what the system of monitoring will be," Jairam added.

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So far India has maintained that while it will make all efforts to cut back on green house gas emissions and even report about this to its own Parliament, these would be voluntary.

India has always maintained that it cannot take on emission cuts as this will impact the pace of economic development.

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The US has been putting pressure on India and China to take on legally binding cuts. It has also used this as an excuse not to sign up on legally binding cuts saying that India and China - both fast growing economies are also increasing their gas emissions.