CHENNAI: The Durban climate conference that was on the brink of collapse, was rescued to seal a landmark deal to save the planet. Countries agreed to launch a process to develop a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force, that would be prepared by 2015, and begin being implemented from 2020.India, meanwhile, championed the cause of developing countries by pressing for equity in the deal. In layman terms, equity stands for the historical emissions by the developed countries ever since industrial revolution and the right of the developing world and emerging economies (whose emissions increased much later) to grow and continue to alleviate more citizens out of poverty. When translated into action, equity would mean that developed countries would be expected to undertake deeper emission cuts than developing nations and emerging economies, which have high levels of poverty. A major crisis had erupted on the final day when the European Union clashed with India and China over the legal form of a potential new treaty. However, Indian Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan’s passionate speech at the summit ensured that India’s main concern — the inclusion of the concept of equity in the fight against climate change — became part of the package and has been included in the work plan for the next conference.However, experts say that industrialised countries may prefer to negate the principle of equity and sidestep it so that they can shift the burden of transition to emerging economies who need their right to development. The challenge, according to experts, will be to ensure that equity remains the foundation of future negotiations as well. The Durban Conference is a turning point in the climate change negotiations as even though the developing countries have won victories, these have come after much acrimony and fight, says Sunita Narain, director general of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). It is clear from this conference that the fight to reduce emissions effectively in an unequal world will be even more difficult in the years to come. But the conference has put the issue of equity back into the negotiations. It is for this reason an important move ahead, she added.The conference also agreed on the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol, the only legal instrument in force to combat climate change. This is a big victory for the developing countries, which wanted the protocol to continue. According to Nick Nuttall, spokesperson of United Nations Environment Programme, the second phase of Kyoto Protocol has set a clear target of reduction of 25-40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 for Annex 1 parties. This second commitment period would begin on January 1, 2013 till December 2017-2020. Durban also made progress on various other decisions taken at last year’s UN climate convention meeting in Cancun, Mexico, including plans to establish a Green Climate Fund, and on adaptation and transfer of technology to developing nations. Durban reconfirmed the commitment of mobilising US$100 billion to support developing countries by 2020. Governments also agreed to establish an Adaptation Committee and a process that will lead to the establishment of a Climate Technology Centre and Network with likely funding from the Global Environment Facility, according to UNEP spokesperson.
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