The crucial climate talks in Durban are set to witness a clash of titans. This will comprise the BASIC countries comprising India, Brazil, South Africa and China who will be pitted against the US, which now finds itself receiving support from Russia, Japan, Canada and Australia, none of whom want to be tied down by a legally-binding climate agenda.
The problem is that while the developed world insists the BASIC nations accept binding obligations, they themselves are in no position to meet the Kyoto targets. This is one of the main reasons why the developed nations led by the US do not want to see an extension of the Kyoto Protocol.
The BASIC nations insist the Kyoto Protocol must remain the centrestage in this slug fest with the developed nations being forced to accept the principle of historical responsibility.
Developed nations retort that greenhouse emissions from these BASICs are increasing at a far more rapid rate with China’s emissions coming close to that of the European Union. But minister of environment and forests (MoEF) Jayanthi Natarajan has warned that such a comparison is not valid especially since the per capita emissions of both India and Brazil rate amongst the lowest in the world.
Both the EU and several other developed nations want the BASIC nations to accept emission cuts similar to those that have been imposed by the West. India has already agreed to accept emission intensity reduction targets of 25-30 per cent of its GDP by 2020. These cuts are higher than the emission cuts promised by the developed nations.
The BASIC nations want the developed world to release the $100 billion climate funds as also the $ 30 billion fast-track funds which were to start being released between 2010-12 but which have remained a non-starter.
While the US refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and with Russia, Japan and Canada opposed to extending it, the BASIC nations along with the least developed countries will have to join hands to ensure that the Protocol does not get jettisoned and to ensure negotiations for a second commitment period start in a positive manner.
The EU supports a second commitment period only if developing counties agree to making binding cuts.