Making her case, Natarajan reminded that India was in Durban to "find a solution to the entire issue of climate change."
"India has shown more flexibility than any other party. The centerpiece of the climate change action should be equity. Many people have come told me to drop 'legal outcome' and have blamed India for insisting on 'legal outcome,' I was told this would affect the outcome process.
India is not intimidated by threats. But what is this legal instrument? How do I give a blank cheque signing away the livelihood rights of 1.2 billion members of our population?" Natarajan's speech ensured that the inclusion of the concept of equity in the fight against climate change became part of the package.
The package said all countries would be part of a global pact to control greenhouse gas emissions. Natarajan ensured there was a third option - "an agreed outcome with legal force" - apart from protocol or a legal instrument.
The third option was included after a dramatic huddle while the plenary session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change summit came to a halt. The two main actors were Natarajan and European Union Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, who started the row by objecting to the agreements reached behind closed doors. Read the full report here.
Source: Urmi A. Goswami, ET Bureau & Agencies, Economic Times, Durban.
