The UN conference on climate change began here today with Environment Minister and new president of the eighth Conference of Parties COP-8, T.R. Baalu, making a plea to the developed world to take a lead in checking green house gas emissions and pave way for the enforcement of the Kyoto protocol.Kyoto protocol is a formula by which the developed world is to cut down on their emissions in a phased manner.Making his presidential remarks at the plenary session, attended by 4000 delegates from 186 countries, Baalu said: ‘‘Let us press for the entry into force, the Kyoto Protocol, for which the developed countries hold the key.’’One of the largest gathering to be ever held in India on climate change and just two months after the World Summit on Sustainable development in Johannesburg, linkages were made between between eradication of poverty and the issue of the adverse impacts of climate change.COP-8 is expected to give priority to adaptation rather than reducing climate change, which is a long-term plan. ‘‘It should be kept in mind that those with least resources are the most vulnerable,’’ he said.The proposed ‘‘Delhi Declaration’’ at the end of the conference is expected to concretise the way vulnerable stakeholders could be helped. Dissemination of innovative technologies should be taken up in key development sectors like energy. The UN conference is scheduled to finalise operating rules for Clean Development Mechanism amongst other technical issues.
