Just a day to go before the climate meet ends, CoP 8 president T.R. Baalu today circulated the second draft of the Delhi Declaration. But going by the initial reactions in the corridors of Vigyan Bhawan, it seems the draft will have few takers in its present form.Though the draft mentions the Kyoto protocol, made after the EU raised a hue and cry, it was termed as a ‘‘cut and paste exercise from the Johannesburg declaration’’.The world is divided into three groups: the EU, the G-77 and the umbrella group (Japan, US, Canada and Australia). EU, which calls itself the driving force behind the climate change debate, had rejected the first draft, saying it did not mention the Kyoto protocol and linked climate change to sustainable development.In the second draft, India has managed to stress on the adaptation and link to sustainable development. The draft has paid heed to the EU also, putting in a paragraph on commitment to increased access to renewable and energy efficiency technology.The Kyoto protocol requires the developed countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per cent of the 1990 levels. It requires the developing countries to take on commitments post-2012. The discussions to this effect are to begin in 2005. The EU says that the process of discussion should begin now, considering ‘‘negotiations take a long time.’’The Delhi Declaration is important because it will show the way for the implementation of the Climate Change Convention. It is on the ‘‘future action’’ that the world is polarised at the moment. India, on behalf of the developing countries, has stressed through the Prime Minister’s speech and in all its negotiations that it is not going to accept commitments in any form.‘‘Climate change is a common problem but the responsibilities have to be different,’’ said Suresh Prabhu, representing the Indian delegation. Prabhu insisted on more resources and technology transfer from the developed world to cope with the already visible impacts of climate change.The G-77 group has been insisting on technology transfer, capacity building in all sectors including energy, transport, industry, health and agriculture.
