Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change talks to Biz@India

1. 10
Interview
How would you look back at the
Paris Climate Change Meeting ?
Hundreds of media persons from
the entire world had gathered to
report on the intense negotiations
that went into making of the historic
Paris agreement that was reached
by environment ministers of over
190 nations gathered at Le Bourget
airport on the outskirts of the French
capital, Paris, for the 21st Conference
of Parties (COP 21) under the United
Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCC).
Right from the outset it was
expected that the negotiations would
be tough, complicated and conducted
under tremendous pressure as the
people and governments from all
around were seeking a landmark
agreement that would prevent further
global warming and save the earth
by keeping the rise in mean sea
temperatures to below 2°C by the end
of this century.
The French President, Francois
Hollande, has done a wonderful job
in overseeing a highly successful
COP21 by listening to all views and
accommodating the main concerns
of all countries, especially the
developing nations. He put a special
focus on India, which was always seen
by the French as a key partner for
success in Paris.
For nearly a year before the meeting
began in Paris, the French government,
notably its foreign minister Laurent
Fabius, who was also the President of
the COP21 meeting, had been touring
around the world, visiting key capitals
in order to drum up support for a
common text for the Paris meeting.
How was India engaged with them
in the process before the Paris
meeting ?
In March itself, we had informed
the French that we had 4-5 major
concerns which needed sorting out
before the Climate Change Meet
began. In order to help resolve our
issues as well as create a common
consensus, the French President
organised three informal meetings in
Paris before COP21. These meetings
were extremely crucial and proved to
be very useful in helping the nations
develop a mutual understanding and
a common approach to resolve some
of the most complex issues facing us
before the meeting in Paris.
I must congratulate President
Hollande and Minister Fabius for the
manner in which they reached out to
various countries, representing all the
groupings. They also accommodated
all views and made the draft
agreement acceptable to all. Initially,
the Europeans and the Americans
The success of Climate Change Summit in Paris in December
owes a lot to a strategic partnership between India and
France and the outcome has further strengthened this bond,
says Javadekar.
Ranvir Nayar
Indo-French Partnership
Led to COP21 Success
PRAKASH JAVADEKAR
Minister of State for Environment &
Forests and Climate Change, India
Before finalising
the Paris
agreement text
on the night
of December
16, President
Hollande called
Prime Minister
Modi
FRENCH PREsIdENT VIsIT 2016 BIZ@INDIA

2. 11
Interview
BIZ@INDIA French President Visit 2016
were extremely rigid in their position
and were not willing to move at all,
which was necessary in order to reach
an agreement. It was the skill of the
French President which got the EU and
the Us to understand and agree to the
views of the developing countries.
Can you talk about the launch of
International Solar Alliance during
COP21 ?
Another very important
development, which again showcased
the excellent Indo-French partnership
at Paris, was the very successful
launch of the International solar
Alliance (IsA). This alliance comprises
countries between the Tropics of
Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer,
with tremendous solar energy for 300
days. Though the idea was mooted
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
it was embraced with enthusiasm
by President Hollande, who helped
ensure that more than 100 countries
were part of the alliance at the
launch, which was attended by more
than two dozen heads of state and
heads of governments and nearly
100 corporate leaders from around
the world. This event was one of the
highlights of the Paris meeting and
the IsA aims to create a fund of Usd
1 trillion for production of 1 tera
watt (TW) of solar power in over 100
nations.
On the occasion, the French
President also joined hands with
Prime Minister Modi to release a
book of quotes by the two leaders. In
addition, Hollande also participated
in the Innovative Initiatives drive of
India.
Do you think Indian concerns had
been accommodated in the final
text ?
Before finalising the Paris
agreement text on the night of
december 16, President Hollande
called Prime Minister Modi and went
through the draft agreement with him
in order to take him in confidence and
to get his support for the move.
Another significant move by
President Hollande was that in his
opening statement, Hollande spoke of
the importance of the final agreement
at Paris to include the sense of climate
justice, a point which had been raised
by India and which is very close to
the heart of Indian prime minister.
Initially, a lot of rich countries were
against the idea of talking of Climate
Justice at COP21 as it alludes to the
responsibilites of the developed
nations to the current problems
and how they need to bear the
consequences, rather than squeezing
the Indian businesses any more.
How was India’s participation at
the meeting ?
What also cleared the way at COP21
was the proactive and pragmatic
approach by India, which had begun
long before the Paris meeting.
The first sign was seen when India
submitted its Intended Nationally
determined Contribution (INdCs),
which outlines the efforts India would
make to curb carbone missions.
India’s INdCs are comprehensive,
practical and pragmatic. We arrived at
these INdCs after great deliberation
within the central government and
with the state governments. We
involved private sector industries,
agriculture sector, and forest sector.
It covers not only mitigation but
also adaptation, finance, technology
support, capacity building, reporting
and other aspects.
One of the three main features of
the Indian INdCs is 35 pc reduction in
emission intensity by 2030 – it is a 75
pc jump over 2020 goals. This means
more energy efficiency and reduction
in energy intensity.
Another major policy decision
that sent a clear message from India
to other nations was the decision
to ensure 40 pc energy capacity
from non-fossil fuel energy. This
is a 50 pc rise over earlier goals.
Another comprehensive target was
the creation of 3 billion tons of CO2
carbon sink in afforestation.
Our actions will save carbon
emissions to the tune 3.2 billion
tons of CO2
per annum. This is a
big contribution over 2005; even
bigger if calculated on the backdrop
of business as usual. Our progress
further from business as usual and
towards comprehensive targets is
being welcomed. Our Prime Minister
is passionate about climate change.
He thinks that we need to act more,
so he shared three ideas before the
world. First is for climate justice
towards poor countries and sections
of the world.
second is lifestyle change, for
we have only one planet. Mahatma
Gandhi said that the earth can
provide for the need of everyone
but not for the greed of anyone. The
unsustainable consumption pattern
of western countries is definitely an
issue. The earth report says that such
consumption will need five planets.
The third idea was the IsA.
India has just 18 cars per 1000 people whereas Europe has 500-600 and USA has 800