Copenhagen stand not to affect India’s sovereignty: Pachauri

By Sarita C Singh Dec 23 2009 , New Delhi

India being a party to the Copenhagen agreement that allows international consultations on measures

to regulate emissions would not in any way compromise the country’s sovereignty, said R K Pachauri, chairman of UN Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Four Basic countries - Brazil, South Africa, India and China- have agreed to international consultations and analysis of climate change mitigation steps that will be taken by them.

Pachauri, who is also the director general of The Energy Research Institute (Teri), said India and China have been able to withstand pressure from developed countries to accept measurable, reportable and verification regime by agreeing to consultation and analysis clause.

“I don't think the provisions of international consultations and analysis in the accord gives anybody the right to challenge anybody. It does not carry any weight,” Pachauri told reporters at a news conference. “The term is so innocuous that it can't be interpreted as loss of sovereignty on our part. I think our sovereignty has not been touched in any way. The four Basic countries will stick together and won't let anyone push them over this provision and it is pretty harmless,” he added. Pachauri’s statement has come close on the heels of environment minister Jai-ram Ramesh’s admission on Tuesday that there was a shift in India’s stand at Copenhagen but defended the deal.

Ramesh came up with a public statement after the opposition BJP and Left parties kicked up a furore on India’s stand at Copenhagen. The opposition charged the UPA government of ‘a total sell-off in favour of American and EU powers’.

Meanwhile, Pachauri said the emergence of China, India, South Africa and Brazil as a group was the most significant outcome of the Copenhagen talks.

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