Climate deal imposed by US, says CPI

The Communist Party of India said on Monday the Copenhagen Accord has shown that the will of the US on climate change has prevailed as the agreement does not lay down any binding target on developed nations to cut emissions.

"Whether it is George Bush or Barack Obama, the narrow self-interests of America must prevail over the interests of the world community. The apprehensions of all poor nations that ultimately a deal will be imposed by the US has proved correct. It is a sorry spectacle of succumbing to US pressure," the CPI central secretariat said in a statement.

The accord "does not lay down any binding target for the rich industrialised countries beyond 2012 as demanded by the Kyoto Protocol which the US has all along refused to ratify. Their attempt now is to kill the Kyoto Protocol."

The CPI said there was neither any agreement over technology transfer nor any commitment for additional financial resources to fund adaptation and mitigation in the developing countries. In a similar statement, the Communist Party of India-Marxist Politburo said on Sunday: "The political leaders who gathered in Copenhagen have failed their people by not delivering an effective and equitable climate change agreement."

The CPI-M said it had warned the government that 'unilateral concessions before the negotiations, and without conditional linkages to deep cuts by developed countries, would not yield results. This is indeed what has happened.'

On this count, the CPI said voluntary concessions made by India, China and others to cut emissions would "now be subject to 'international consultation and analysis', an euphemism for review and international scrutiny."

Maintaining that the ranks of G-77 have been 'broken by a smaller group from which the only clear victor is the US', the CPI said most of the developing countries were 'disappointed and angry' and urged them to remain united for the next round of negotiations in Berlin.

The CPI-M asked the government on Sunday to 'ensure that in future negotiations, the red lines committed by the government in Parliament, are adhered to'.

"India must also press for deep and immediate emission cuts by the US and other developed countries and work with other developing countries to ensure sustainable development and equitable terms in any final treaty," it had said.