Discussion on ''Conference of Parties (Cop)"

Discussion on ''Conference of Parties (CoP)"

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change 2003 - 2015

Published By: ENVIS CENTRE - WWF INDIA

Content

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

S. No. Date Title Thematic Areas Page No. 1. 15th Intervention by Shri Prakash Javadekar, Climate Change and Meteorology 1 December, Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate 2014 at the Closing Plenary Session of CoP 20 in Lima 2. 10th Statement of Shri Prakash Javadekar, Alternative Technologies, Climate 1 December, Minister for Environment, Forests and Change and Meteorology, Disaster 2014 Climate delivered at the High Level Segment Management, Energy Studies, Forest of UNFCCC COP-20 at Lima Conservation, Pollution, Water Management 3. 09th Environment Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar Climate Change and Meteorology 4 December, meets Chinese delegation at CoP in Lima 2014 4. 09th BASIC Ministerial meeting held at Lima Climate Change and Meteorology 4 December, 2014 5. 09th Environment Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar Alternative Technologies, Climate 4 December, holds meeting with the US delegation at CoP, Change and Meteorology, Energy 2014 Lima Studies 6. 02nd India’s approach to climate change Climate Change and Meteorology 5 December, negotiations at Lima, Peru 2014 7. 16th Biodiversity informatics vital for sustainable Environmental Conservation 5 September, growth 2014 8. 08th August, Text of the Joint Statement issued at the 18th Alternative Technologies, Climate 6 2014 BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change and Meteorology, Energy Change Studies, Pollution 9. 06th August, 18th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Climate Change and Meteorology 8 2014 Change to be held on August 7th – 8th at New Delhi Ministerial level meeting to be held on 8th August 10. 17th July, 2014 India facilitates entry into force of Nagoya Environmental Conservation, 8 Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing Environment Education, NGOs and Media 11. 16th Biodiversity informatics vital for sustainable Environmental Conservation, 9 September, growth Environment Education, NGOs and 2014 Media 12. 17th July, 2015 India facilitates entry into force of Nagoya Environmental Conservation, 10 Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing Environment Education, NGOs and Media 13. 26th June, 2014 Statement of Hon. Shri Prakash Javadekar, Alternative Technologies, Climate 11 Minister of State (Independent Charge), Change and Meteorology, Energy Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Studies Change, India, on ‘SDGs and Post-2015, Development Agenda, including Sustainable Consumption and Production’ at the i Ministerial Plenary of the First United Nations Environment Assembly , 26 - 27 June, 2014, in Nairobi 14. 16th July, 2014 Climate Change Agriculture, Climate Change and 13 Meteorology, Forest Conservation, Fresh Water and Marine Conservation, Health and Sanitation, Water Management 15. 23rd June, Harness long-term Benefits by Investing in Environmental Conservation 14 2014 Biodiversity Conservation: Shri Javadekar 16. 23rd Suo-moto Statement in Lok Sabha by Shri Alternative Technologies, Climate 14 December, Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Change and Meteorology, 2014 Forests and Climate Change on Lima Environment Education, NGOs and Conference of Parties held from 1-14th Media, Energy Studies December, 2014 17. 29th May, 2014 Shri Prakash Javadekar Takes Charge as Environmental Conservation, 16 Environment Minister Environment Education, NGOs and Media, Environment Impact Assessment, Forest Conservation 18. 28th Joint Statement on Prime Minister’s Summit Agriculture, Climate Change and 17 September, Meeting with President Barack Obama in Meteorology, Environment Education, 2013 Washington D.C. (September 27, 2013) NGOs and Media, Energy Studies 19. 22nd May, Environment Ministry Celebrates Environmental Conservation, 20 2014 International Day for Biological Diversity Environment Education, NGOs and Media, Water Management 20. 06th May, 2014 Natural Resources Environmental Conservation, 21 Environment Education, NGOs and Media, Water Management 21. 9th April, 2013 Science Express Biodiversity Special Train Climate Change and Meteorology, 22 Flagged off Train to Cover 62 Stations Over Environmental Conservation, Next 6 Months Environment Education, NGOs and Media, Energy Studies, Water Management 22. 07th April, Flag off of Science Express- Biodiversity Climate Change and Meteorology, 23 2013 Special Train on Tuesday Energy Studies, Environment Education, NGOs and Media, Water Management 23. 05th February, India to Host 14th BASIC Meeting in Climate Change and Meteorology, 24 2013 Chennai, 15-16 Feb., 2013 Environment Education, NGOs and Media

24. 23rd January, Green Haat 2013 “Connecting Nature to Our Alternative Technologies, 24 2013 Lives” Environmental Conservation, Environment Education, NGOs and Media, 25. 23rd April, Access and benefit Sharing Arrangements Environmental Conservation 25 2013 under Bio-Diversity Act, 2002

26. 9th April, 2013 Science Express Biodiversity Special Train Climate Change and Meteorology, 25 Flagged off Train to Cover 62 Stations Over Environment Education, NGOs and Next 6 Months Media, Energy Studies, Water Management 27. 6th December, Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Environmental Conservation 27 2012 Sharing 28. 27th Promotion of Bio-Diversity by MOEF Environmental Conservation 27 November, 2012 29. 22nd October, Successful CoP - Leading the Way Forward Environmental Conservation 28

2012 30. 22nd October, At United Nations Biodiversity Conference, Environmental Conservation, 29 2012 Countries Agree to Double Resources for Environment Education, NGOs and Biodiversity Protection by 201 Media, Fresh Water and Marine Conservation 31. 22nd October, Successful CoP - Leading the Way Forward Environmental Conservation, 32 2012 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 32. 19th October, Brand Ambassador for Biodiversity Environmental Conservation, 33 2012 Conference Receives Over One Million Environment Education, NGOs and Visitors Media 33. 19th October, Conservation of Pollinators for Improved Agriculture, 34 2012 Livelihoods and Enhanced Ecosystem Environmental Conservation, Services 34. 19th October, Chair’s Summary Statement at the High Environment Education, NGOs and 34 2012 Level Segment of CoP-11 to the CBD Media, Forest Conservation, Fresh Water and Marine Conservation 35. 17th October, Environment and Forest Minister hopeful for Climate Change and Meteorology, 35 2012 a decision on resource mobilization by the Environmental Conservation, end of COP11 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 36. 18th October, Education for Biodiversity Conservation Climate Change and Meteorology, 36 2012 CoP-11, Hyderabad Environmental Conservation, Environment Education, NGOs and Media 37. 16th October, Speech of Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan at CoP 11 Climate Change and Meteorology, 36 2012 Environmental Conservation, Environment Education, NGOs and Media 38. 4th October, Ratification of Nagoya Protocol on Access Climate Change and Meteorology, 38 2012 and Benefit Sharing by India Environmental Conservation, Environment Education, NGOs and Media 39. 28th India to Host COP – 11 Climate Change and Meteorology. 38 September, Environmental Conservation, 2012 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 40. 08th ASEAN-India Environment Ministers’ Environmental Conservation, 40 September, Meeting Environment Education, NGOs and 2012 Media 41. 06th July, 2012 ICNP-2 Concludes Successfully Environmental Conservation, 41 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 42. 2nd July, 2012 The Second Meeting on Nagoya Protocol Climate Change and Meteorology, 42 Inaugurated Environmental Conservation, Environment Education, NGOs and Media 43. 29th June, 2012 New Delhi to Host the Second Climate Change and Meteorology, 42 Intergovernmental Committee Meeting for Environmental Conservation, Nagoya Protocol Environment Education, NGOs and Media 44. 05th June, 2012 World Environment Day Environmental Conservation, 44 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 45. 21st May, 2012 Protection of Forests Environment Education, NGOs and 45

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Media, Forest Conservation 46. 26th March, Climate Deal Climate Change and Meteorology, 46 2012 Environment Education, NGOs and Media, 47. 16th Suo Moto Statement in Lok Sabha by Climate Change and Meteorology, 46 December, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Environment Education, NGOs and 2011 (I/C) on Durban Agreements Media 48. 12th Conference on Climate Change Climate Change and Meteorology, 49 December, Environment Education, NGOs and 2011 Media 49. 8th December, Statement by India at the Press meet of Climate Change and Meteorology, 50 2011 BASIC Ministers Environment Education, NGOs and Media 50. 06th June, 2011 Hyderabad to Host UN Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment, 51 Biodiversity Environmental Conservation, Environment Education, NGOs and Media 51. 23rd May, India to host 11th Conference of the Parties to Environmental Conservation, 52 2011 the Convention on Biological Diversity Environment Education, NGOs and Media, Environment Education, NGOs and Media 52. 20th May, 2011 Environment & Forests Ministry to Organize Agricultural, Climate Change and 52 Stakeholders’ Consultations and to Launch Meteorology, Environmental UN Decade on Biodiversity for Asia and Conservation, Water Management Pacific 53. 20th April, Approval for signing of the Nagoya Protocol Agriculture, Alternative 54 2011 on Access and Benefit Sharing Technologies, Environmental Conservation, Medicinal Plant 54. 27th February, Joint Statement issued at the Conclusion of Climate Change and Meteorology, 55 2011 Sixth basic Ministerial meeting on Climate Environment Education, NGOs and Change, New Delhi Media 55. 01st December, Environmental Agreement at Nagoya Environmental Conservation, 56 2010 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 56. 01st December, India’s Commitment to Kyoto Protocol Climate Change and Meteorology, 57 2010 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 57. 01st December, Environmental Agreement at Nagoya Environmental Conservation, 57 2010 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 58. 19th Centre for Biodiversity Policy and Law – Climate Change and Meteorology, 58 November, Cebpol at Chennai Environmental Conservation 2010 59. 10th Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change Alternative Technologies, Climate 58 November, Expects Positive Result on Technology Change and Meteorology, 2010 Mechanism Incop16 at Cancun Environment Education, NGOs and Media

60. 25th October, Vision for India –Japan Strategic and Global Alternative Technologies, Climate 60 2010 Partnership in the Next Decade Change and Meteorology, Disaster Management, Energy Studies 61. 20th Shri Shinde Emphasizes India’s Commitment Climate Change and Meteorology, 64 September, to Shift to More Sustainable Energy Systems Energy Studies, Pollution 2010 62. 27th July, 2010 Joint Statement issued at the conclusion of Climate Change and Meteorology, 64

the Fourth Meeting of Ministers of the Environment Education, NGOs and BASIC Group at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Media, Environment and Forest Trade Issues

63. 30th June, 2010 MRV and Equity Critical Issues in Climate Climate Change and Meteorology, 65 Change Discussion Environment Education, NGOs and Media, Pollution

64. 19th April, Copenhagen Accord and Kyoto Protocol Climate Change and Meteorology, 67 2010 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 65. 9th March, Suo Moto Statement in Lok Sabha by Climate Change and Meteorology, 68 2010 Minister of State for Environment and Forests Environment Education, NGOs and (I/C) on some of the issues relating to the Media Copenhagen Accord in the light of recent developments 66. 03rd March, Negotiations on Climate Change Climate Change and Meteorology, 69 2010 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 67. 24th February, No outcome at Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change and Meteorology, 69 2010 Climate Change Environment Education, NGOs and Media 68. 24th January, Second meeting of Ministers of BASIC Climate Change and Meteorology, 69 2010 Group met today Environment Education, NGOs and Media 69. 04th January, India taking leadership role in Biodiversity Climate Change and Meteorology, 70 2010 Conservation Environmental Conservation 70. 11th May, 2010 Convention on Biological Diversity Environmental Conservation, 72 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 71. 04th January, India taking leadership role in Biodiversity Environmental Conservation, 73 2010 Conservation Environment Education, NGOs and Media 72. 18th PM’s remarks at the informal plenary of Climate Change and Meteorology, 74 December, HoS/Gs at the 15th COP at Copenhagen Environment Education, NGOs and 2009 Media 73. 14th India’s Stand on Emission Norms Climate Change and Meteorology, 75 December, Environment Education, NGOs and 2009 Media Pollution 74. 07th Current level of carbon emissions damages Alternative Technologies, Climate 76 December, World’s Eco System Change and Meteorology, 2009 Environmental Conservation, Energy Studies, Forest Conservation, Pollution

75. 04th Jairam Ramesh introduces the four youngest Environmental Conservation, 76 December, representatives of Indian delegation to Environment Education, NGOs and 2009 Copenhagen Media, Forest Conservation

76. 31st October, Eleventh meeting of the COP-11 to Climate Change and Meteorology, 77 2009 convention on biodiversity- 2012 in India Environmental Conservation, Environment Education, NGOs and Media 77. 22nd October, India and Norway signs agreement on Climate Change and Meteorology, 77 2009 Cooperation on Climate Change and Environmental Conservation,

Implementation of the Clean Development Pollution Mechanism Projects

78. 20th October, Statement of MOS (I/C) Environment and Climate Change and Meteorology, 80 2009 Forests Pollution 79. 15th October, Delhi High Level Conference on Climate Alternative Technologies, Climate 81 2009 Change: Technology Development and Change and Meteorology Transfer 80. 13th July, 2009 Growth strategy based on sustainable Climate Change and Meteorology 82 development to respond to the challenge of climate change 81. 13th July, 2009 India, along with 35 calls Annex-I Parties to Climate Change and Meteorology 82 agree to 40% emission reduction commitment Environment Education, NGOs and by 2020 as compared to their 1990 levels Media 82. 08th July, 2009 Prime Minister’s Council to coordinate the Alternative Technologies, Climate 83 National Action for Assessment, Adaptation Change and Meteorology, Energy and mitigation of Climate Change Studies

83. 05th February, Consensus on Action Plans for climate Climate Change and Meteorology, 83 2009 change on understanding of Economic Energy Studies Realities of Developing Countries: Namo Narain Meena 84. 07th Antony presents awards to Defence PSUs Environment Education, NGOs and 84 November, /Ordnance Factories Media 2008 85. 02nd October, Joint Statement on the Advancement of the Environment Education, NGOs and 85 2008 Strategic and Global Partnership between Media, Climate Change and India and Japan Meteorology, Energy Studies 86. 24th April, Research centre on Gas Emission Proposed at Environment Education, NGOs and 89 2008 Pune Media, Pollution 87. 20th March, Technology for Reducing Emissions Pollution 89 2008 88. 12th March, Low Carbon Technology Alternative Technologies, Climate 90 2008 Change and Meteorology, Environment Education, NGOs and Media, Energy Studies, Forest Conservation

89. 24th February, National Biodiversity Action Plan 2008 Environmental Conservation 90 2009 released 90. 04th January, Bio-Diversity vital for survival of this Planet Environmental Conservation 91 2008 – Namo Narayan Meena 91. 29th October, President inaugurates 12th world lakes Environment Education, NGOs and 92 2007 Conference at Jaipur Media, Fresh Water and Marine Conservation, Pollution, Water Management 92. 20th Biotechnology : new vista to tackle complex Agriculture, Environmental 93 November, problems of world food security Conservation, Wildlife Management 2006 93. 19th April, India participates in CoP-8 Climate Change and Meteorology 94 2006 94. 03rd March, India assures Maldives of help in setting up a Disaster Management, Environment 95 2006 Marine National Park and in capacity Education, NGOs and Media, Fresh building Water and Marine Conservation 95. 21st May, 2005 International Day for Biological Diversity Environmental Conservation, 95

observed Disaster Management 96. 21st January, Megadiverse Countries call for global regime Environmental Conservation, 96 2005 to prevent illegal access of genetic resources Environment Education, NGOs and Media 97. 20th January, Biodiversity loss will be reversed only if Environmental Conservation 97 2005 Local Communities benefit from its Conservation: Thiru Raja 98. 17th January, Need for International regime to prevent Environmental Conservation 98 2005 illegal access of genetic resources and traditional knowledge 99. 13th January, Country position on access and benefit Alternative Technologies, Climate 99 2005 sharing and traditional knowledge Change and Meteorology, Environmental Conservation 100. 05th March, Workshop on forest carbon stock , Forest Conservation, Pollution 100 2008 conservation management and increase in forest cover begins this Friday 101. 28th February, India’s Participation in Deliberations on Alternative Technologies, Climate 101 2008 Climate Changes Change and Meteorology, Pollution 102. 12th Kapil Sibal intervenes successfully in guiding Climate Change and Meteorology, 101 December, the conclusion on REDD at Climate Change Forest Conservation 2007 Conference in Bali 103. 12th June, 2007 Total ban on illegal trade of tiger organs and Wildlife Management 102 preservation of tigers 104. 19th April, India participates in CoP-8 Climate Change and Meteorology 103 2006 105. 20th Environment & Forests Minister’s statement Climate Change and Meteorology, 103 December, on the outcome of Climate Change Environment Education, NGOs and 2005 Negotiations held in Montreal, Canada Media, Energy Studies 20th India elected to the Executive Committee of Climate Change and Meteorology 105 106. December, meeting of the Parties to the Montreal 2005 Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer 107. 04th August, India, Canada to cooperate in environment Climate Change and Meteorology, 105 2005 related issues Environmental Conservation, Pollution 108. 13th January, Country position on access and benefit Environmental Conservation 105 2005 sharing and traditional knowledge 109. 16th Transfer of environmentally sound Alternative Technologies, 107 December, technologies to developing countries remains Environment Education, NGOs and 2004 a major concern Media, Pollution 110. 30th Forest cover in the country goes up to 20.55 Environment Impact Assessment, 107 December, Forest Conservation, Health and 2003 Sanitation, Pollution, Water Management, Wildlife Management 111. 10th Environment Minister Leaves for Liman to Alternative Technologies, Climate 111 December, take part in Climate Change Conference Change and Meteorology, 2003 Environment Education, NGOs and Media 112. 15th May, 2015 Joint Statement between the India and China Environment Education, NGOs and 112 during Prime Minister's visit to China Media

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Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change

Title: Intervention by Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change at the Closing Plenary Session of CoP 20 in Lima Date: 15th December, 2014

I thank and commend COP Presidency for making efforts to carry all the parties together. Everybody cannot be happy - We also wanted more. As BASIC and LMDCs, we have made some accommodation for the success of LIMA. I hope that developed countries would reciprocate it in Paris.

Main issue which arose after first draft were two: • Continuity under the Convention • Differentiation

With clear mention of ‘Under Convention’ and “CBDR”, we have achieved consensus.

I have a suggestion to make. There will always be issues of differences. The best way is to plan ahead and allocate 3-4 days for each substantial issue in 2015 and arrive at a working solution or consensus. Let us not leave all differences for the very end.

Let us avoid last minute stretching and huddles.

Thank You

Title: Statement of Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change delivered at the High Level Segment of UNFCCC COP-20 at Lima Date: 10th December, 2014

Mr. President,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to be in this historic and beautiful city of Lima.

Let me first of all express my heartfelt thanks to the Government and people of Peru and in particular the city of Lima for their warmth and gracious hospitality.

On the occasion of the Gender Day today, I salute the women of the world who play such a central role in preserving nature.

Mr. President,

COP-20 in Lima I believe is the COP of Hope.

As Ministers, we have brought the positive expectations of our people to this meeting and we hope to achieve a positive outcome which will set us on the path to an ambitious, comprehensive and equitable agreement at Paris next year.

Mr. President,

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The new Government in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi represents the hopes and aspirations of more than a billion Indian people for growth and inclusive development. We are pursuing action-oriented policies to bring rapid development to our people while purposefully addressing climate change.

We have shown that we have the vision and the political will to act.

Among the several measures we have taken to address climate change, I would highlight just a few:

• We have doubled the Clean Energy Cess on coal, which very few countries have, and the Clean Energy Fund already has over 3 billion US dollars to be used for promoting clean technologies

• Our National Solar Mission is being scaled up five-fold from 20,000 megawatts to 100,000 megawatts. This will mean an additional investment of 100 billion dollars and savings of about 165 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

• We are releasing 6 billion US dollars in one go for intensive afforestation which will result in more carbon sinks.

• We have allocated about 200 million US dollars for the ‘National Adaptation Fund’, setting-up of Ultra Mega Solar Projects, Ultra-Modern Super Critical Coal Based Thermal Power Technology, and the development of Solar Parks on canals.

• Yet another initiative of the Indian Prime Minister is “100 Smart Cities’ with integrated policies for adaptation and mitigation to reduce the vulnerability and exposure of urban areas to climate change and also to improve their energy efficiency for which 1.2 billion US dollars have been allocated.

• We have put in place stringent norms for cement industry. Our Action Plan for cleaning one of the longest rivers in the world, River Ganga will bring multiple benefits of pollution reduction and climate adaptation. We have also taken initiatives for protecting coastal, Himalayan, and forest areas.

• We have initiated preparations to develop a National Air Quality Index and have launched a National Air Quality Scheme.

Mr. President,

While there is often a talk about changed reality, 1 in every 7 persons in the world today still lives in abject poverty. The number of poor people in the world is more than twice the combined population of Europe. All of them are in developing countries.

We are determined to ensure development to all these people and provide them with basic services of energy, water, sanitation, healthcare, education and employment.

We in India are committed to protecting the interests of the poor. We did in it WTO for ensuring food security of our people.

The success of India’s endeavors in all these issues will also be critical for the success of the global efforts for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

India is also at the frontlines of facing the impacts of climate change. Shifting rainfall patterns, recurring floods, stronger cyclones and droughts or soil erosion are exacerbating the challenge of poverty eradication and necessitate the allocation of scarce national resources for preventing loss of human life.

Despite our serious resource constraints, we are undertaking ambitious actions to undertake adaptation and mitigation actions, including through lowering of the energy intensity of our economic growth, increasing energy efficiency across sectors and making greater use of renewable.

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Mr. President,

There are practical examples of how in the past we have managed to secure successful global cooperation to solve global problems.

Joint collaborative research without IPR price-tag ensured ‘Green Revolution’ through hybrids, helped in making available drugs against HIV/AIDS and for finding God Particle.

Why can’t this spirit of joint collaboration be summoned to address climate change? Why do we want to profit from disasters?

Mr. President,

We hope to put in place in Lima, the stepping stones towards a post-2020 agreement under the Convention that is comprehensive, balanced, equitable and pragmatic.

It should be able to address the genuine requirements of the developing countries by providing them equitable carbon space to achieve sustainable development and eradicate poverty.

The new agreement is under the Convention. Let us be clear, it is the 2nd commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol that is ending in 2020, not the Convention.

Adherence to the principles and provisions of the Convention is the key.

As India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in the UN General Assembly in September this year, we should be honest in shouldering our responsibilities in meeting the challenges. The beautiful balance of collective action – the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities - should form the basis of continued action.

It is equally evident that developing countries could do more if finance, technology support and capacity building is ensured. This must be a key focus of the new agreement.

Mr. President,

Our ambition in the post-2020 period is directly linked with ambitious actions in the pre-2020 period by the developed countries, otherwise the poor people in developing countries will not get the carbon space to achieve sustainable development.

If we believe that the global warming threat is real, then we must deliver on the agreed commitments as a matter of priority.

It is important therefore for developed country parties to urgently fulfill their legal obligations in the pre-2020 period. They must scale up their mitigation ambition now and urgently fulfill their promises for providing financial and technological support to developing countries.

Some announcements have been made by some countries to contribute to the Green Climate Fund. However, the scale of these announcements remains far from what has been pledged.

Mr. President,

We firmly believe that the INDCs are to be ‘nationally determined’. We do not see any role for any ex-ante review in this process.

The INDCs should include all elements including mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology and capacity building.

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Adaptation is a central and critical priority for developing countries to address Climate Change. The new post-2020 agreement should ensure a balance between mitigation and adaptation. The urgent need for adaptation must be fully reflected in the new agreement.

Mr. President,

India is committed and ready to play its part in the global fight against climate change. We look forward to successful conclusion to the Lima COP. In fact, we hope that this COP will prove to be an exception to the rule and finish its work before on Friday 12th December itself!

I thank you.

Title: Environment Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar meets Chinese delegation at CoP in Lima Date: 09th December, 2014

Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar held bilateral meeting with Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice-Chairman, National Development and Reform Commission, China in Lima, a day before the start of the High Level segment of the COP-20 in Lima, Peru.

The Ministers discussed issues of mutual interest relating to the ongoing negotiations on climate change including the recent Joint Statement between China and United States. They discussed in particular the state of play of negotiations under the Ad-hoc Working Group on Durban Platform and stressed the need to maintain and strengthen the unity of developing countries to achieve an ambitious, comprehensive and equitable outcome of the process.

Both the Ministers emphasized that the outcome of negotiations under the Convention must fully adhere to the principles of equity, Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and respective capabilities. They also agreed that adaptation to climate change represents an urgent global priority and must be given equal emphasis in the new agreement. They also called upon developed countries to urgently fulfill the pledges made by them to provide financial support to developing countries. The Ministers also reiterated their common resolve to continue to work for a positive outcome of the Lima COP and agreed to meet again during the week to share views and coordinate positions.

Title: BASIC Ministerial meeting held at Lima Date: 09th December, 2014

Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar held discussions with the Ministers of Brazil, South Africa, and China (BASIC) in a meeting hosted by South Africa, a day prior to the commencement of the High Level Segment of COP-20 in Lima. This was the first Ministerial Meeting of the BASIC during COP- 20, following the meeting of BASIC lead negotiators last week.

The Ministers took stock of the ongoing negotiations in COP-20 and resolved to continue to work together to achieve an ambitious and positive outcome of the COP-20 in Lima, while preserving and strengthening the unity of developing countries to protect their common interests.

The BASIC Ministers had earlier met in South Africa in October this year and in India in August 2014.

Title: Environment Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar holds meeting with the US delegation at CoP, Lima Date: 09th December, 2014

Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar held bilateral meeting with the Head of the delegation of the United States, Senator Todd, in the COP 20 of the UNFCCC being held in Lima, Peru.

Both the leaders discussed issues related to Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), pre 2020 ambitions and elements of the 2015 agreements including mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer framework and

Page No. 4 capacity building. Shri Javadekar informed that the target of 20,000 MW Solar Energy production had been increased to 100 GW during next 5 years which would save huge amount of coal. The Minister also emphasized that review of targets under INDC by other countries was not acceptable. He highlighted that principle of Common but differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) should be at heart of the Paris Agreement. During the meeting, Shri Javadekar also reiterated the need for technology upgradation through joint collaborative research and expressed concern at the availability of limited Carbon Space for the growth imperatives of developing countries. The US delegation indicated that 1992 Annexes of the convention need to be redefined. Both the delegations agreed to continue to work jointly to make the outcome of Lima COP positive and acceptable.

Title: India’s approach to climate change negotiations at Lima, Peru Date: 02nd December, 2014

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval forthe negotiating position for the 20th Conference of Parties (COP-20) on climate change scheduled to be held from 1 to 12 December, 2014 at Lima, Peru.

CoP-20 is expected to focus on the elements of 2015 Agreement and Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).

The approach seeks to protect the interests of the country in climate change negotiations based on the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and it's Kyoto Protocol (KP).It would also enhance the solidarity among the developing countries on these issues.

Title: Biodiversity informatics vital for sustainable growth Date: 16th September, 2014

Environmental protection and development need to be integrated with informatics- Prakash Javadekar

Minister addresses 21st meeting of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Governing Board

The Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar has said the concept of sustainability was an integral part of Indian ethos which ensured balanced approach to issues pertaining to conservation, access and growth. Environmental protection and economic development needed to be integrated with an informatics supported mechanism so as to efficiently manage and use natural resources as a natural capital asset. It was therefore critical to manage natural resources and ecosystems that harboured unique and varied bio diversity. The Minister stated this while delivering the inaugural address at the 21st meeting of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Governing Board in New Delhi today.

The Minister said that India stood committed to developing “biodiversity informatics” as an essential element of India’s economic, environment and social well-being. Adding further, the Minister said that India was in the process of building a comprehensive and decentralized biodiversity information infrastructure to serve the national interests and to provide inter-operability with regional and global initiatives.

Elaborating further, Shri Javadekar said that while around 6500 natural history museums throughout the world housed approximately 3 billion specimens of Indian origin, access to these specimens was both time-consuming and expensive. It was therefore important to promote and facilitate an informatics mechanism to provide easy and better access. The momentum in this process had already begun. In the last two decades, many natural history museums in developed nations had digitized specimen collections that they were holding. Several ongoing global and regional biodiversity informatics initiatives for sharing data about these specimens with the countries of origin were gaining impetus. In the given situation, GBIF and its partners needed to mainstream the process of institutionalizing the digital exchange of data.

The Minister also mentioned that keeping in mind the contemporary trends it was essential for countries across the world to transform a 500 year old tradition of (slow) information transfer by lines of type on paper into a digital (rapid) interchange among thousands of distributed, heterogeneous, and multilingual databases. This transition

Page No. 5 needed to take place while dealing with complexities of the information management and tools for dissemination and integration.

The Minister further said that India was amongst the few countries in the world that had developed a “National Biodiversity Information Outlook (NBIO)”. The development of NBIO was a strategic decision taken by India to provide a national vision and a long term roadmap to facilitate free and open access to biodiversity data. The Minister also said that the implementation of NBIO would entail the establishment of Indian Biodiversity Information Facility (InBIF) on the lines of GBIF request the global experts to assist us in this endeavor.

The Minister also said that as a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), India was committed to developing a national clearing-house mechanism to facilitate access to biodiversity information both nationally and globally. Highlighting several initiatives to conserve biodiversity and compliance with international obligations, the Minister said that one such step taken by India was to join the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) in 2003, an inter-governmental network that aims to facilitate free and open access to the world’s biodiversity data. The GBIF had been instrumental in developing capacities in various areas and aspects of biodiversity informatics. The Minister complimented the GBIF leadership for accomplishing this in a relatively short period.

A number of eminent scientists have come from all over the world to take part in the 21st meeting of Governing Board of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the associated events, particularly the Science Symposium.

These events are being organized during the period of India’s Presidency of CBD Conference of Parties (CoP11), which will be handed over to the Republic of Korea, which is hosting the CBD CoP 12 in October, 2014.

Title: Text of the Joint Statement issued at the 18th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change Date: 08th August, 2014

The text of the Joint Statement issued at the 18th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change is as follows:

The 18th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in New Delhi, India on 7-8 August 2014. The meeting was attended by H.E Mr. Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State (IC) of Environment, Forests and Climate Change of India, H.E. Ms. Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of China and H.E. Dr. Francisco Gaetani, Deputy Minister of Environment of Brazil.

The Ministers noted that considerable progress has been achieved by their countries in reducing poverty. Despite the massive scale of development challenges still faced by them, the governments of all BASIC countries are undertaking extensive and ambitious voluntary mitigation actions to pursue low carbon pathways including through the development and deployment of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency through improved technologies, REDD+, etc.

The Ministers reviewed the progress after the Warsaw COP and the way forward. Ministers stressed that the 2015 outcome to be adopted at the COP in Paris should be comprehensive, balanced, equitable and fair in order to enhance the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention. The Ministers affirmed that the BASIC countries are ready and willing to play their part in this process and extended their full support to the Government of Peru for a successful COP in Lima, which would be central to the 2015 outcome. They also stressed their full support to the Government of Venezuela for the Pre-COP to be held this year.

The Ministers underscored the need for finalization of the elements for a draft negotiating text for the 2015 outcome by the COP in Lima. They reiterated that the six core elements for the 2015 outcome have been identified in paragraph 5 of decision 1/CP.17 and that these should be addressed in a balanced and comprehensive manner through an open and transparent, inclusive, party-driven and consensus-building process.

The Ministers reaffirmed that the process and outcome of the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) must be in full accordance with all the principles, provisions and structure of the Convention, in particular the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

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The Ministers emphasized that the developed countries should take the lead in addressing climate change in accordance with their historical responsibilities, the latest available scientific evidence on climate change trends and the IPCC AR5. They urged developed countries to implement their commitments under the Convention towards developing countries for provision of finance, technology and capacity-building support and highlighted the importance and relevance of Article 4.7 of the Convention in this regard.

The Ministers concurred with the need for all Parties to communicate their intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) as early as possible. The Ministers affirmed that the INDCs would include all pillars of the Durban Platform - mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer and capacity-building.

The Ministers stressed that in accordance with the Convention principle of differentiation, the commitments of the developed countries to be included in the INDCs should be quantified economy-wide emission reduction targets for mitigation and provision of finance, technology development and transfer as well as capacity building support to developing countries for their mitigation and adaptation actions. They reiterated that the INDCs of developing countries will be in the context of their social and development needs and will also be premised on the extent of financial, technological and capacity-building support provided by developed countries.

The Ministers emphasized that the information to be provided in the context of the INDCs would also need to be accordingly differentiated between the developed and developing countries in accordance with Article 12 of the Convention. The Ministers further stressed that the purpose of such information is to facilitate the clarity, transparency and understanding of the INDCs in accordance with the Warsaw decision.

The Ministers reiterated that the Kyoto Protocol remains the essential and legally binding basis for addressing pre- 2020 mitigation ambition. The Ministers called for the expeditious ratification of the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and emphasized the importance of revisiting and significantly increasing ambition of QELROs in 2014 and in line with what is required by science, and comparable pledges in the same timeframe by those Annex I Parties, who have not participated in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol till now. The Ministers expressed their serious concern on the low level of mitigation ambition of developed countries and called for necessary arrangements to be made for the 2014 Revisit for increasing the emission reduction targets by all developed country parties.

The Ministers noted with concern that the pre-2020 ambition gaps exist not only in mitigation but also in adaptation and finance, technology and capacity-building support to developing countries. They reiterated that the contribution of developing countries to mitigation efforts is far greater than that of developed countries and could be further enhanced if developed countries effectively implement and significantly increase their commitments of providing finance, technology and capacity building support to developing countries.

The Ministers underscored the importance of adaptation measures required to address the impacts of climate change, especially for the developing countries, which requires international support from developed countries on issues relating to risk reduction, management and resilience. They drew attention to the fact that since climate change impacts are global in nature, adaptation measures required also need an international response. The Ministers welcomed the Warsaw COP decision on setting up a Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage.

The Ministers called for the full operationalization of and close coordination between institutions established in the Bali process, including the Green Climate Fund, the Standing Committee on Finance, the Technology Executive Committee, the Climate Technology Centre and Network and the Adaptation Committee. Ministers called for the immediate and substantial capitalization of the GCF. The Ministers proposed that a part of the funds to be made available under the Green Climate Fund could be utilized to secure IPRs of relevant climate friendly technologies for deployment in developing countries.

The Ministers expressed disappointment over the continued lack of any clear roadmap for providing US$ 100 billion per year by developed countries by 2020. They urged developed countries to honour their obligations to provide new, additional and predictable financial support to developing countries in a measurable, reportable and verifiable manner. They reiterated that public financial sources should be the mainstay of climate finance and that private finances could only be expected to play a supplementary role.

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The Ministers reaffirmed the importance of multilateralism in addressing climate change in accordance with the principles and provisions of the Convention and reiterated their strong opposition to any unilateral measures such as in aviation or shipping.

The Ministers looked forward to the upcoming Summit on Climate Change to be hosted by the UN Secretary General in New York on 23 September 2014 for generating political momentum on climate action.

The Ministers welcomed the Outcome Document of the Santa Cruz Summit of the Group of 77 and China held in June 2014 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Group. They noted the achievements of the Group, in articulating the concerns and interests of the developing countries in various fora , including the UNFCCC, over the last five decades and expressed the confidence that the Group will continue to work for an equitable and successful outcome in Paris. In this regard, the Ministers extended their full support to Bolivia during its current Chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China.

The Ministers also welcomed the 3rd International conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) scheduled on 1-4 September 2014 in Apia, Samoa and reiterated their traditional solidarity with the SIDS countries in their efforts to adequately meet their unique development challenges and vulnerabilities.

The Ministers welcomed the offer by South Africa to host the 19thBASIC Ministerial Meeting during the third week of October, 2014.

Title: 18th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change to be held on August 7th – 8th at New Delhi Ministerial level meeting to be held on 8th August Date: 06th August, 2014

The 18th BASIC Ministerial Meeting will be held on 7th – 8th August 2014 at New Delhi. The two day meeting will discuss important issues relating to the current UNFCCC Climate Change negotiations specially on matters pertaining to the Adhoc Working Group on the Durban Platform discussion on 2015 outcome. Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr. Zhenhua, Vice Chairman, Minister National Development and Reform Commission, China, Ms. Teixeira, Minister of Environment, Brazil and Ms. Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs, South Africa will be participating at the Ministerial meeting on 8th August.

The 17th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in Hanzghou, China on 28 and 29 Oct. 2013. Issues related to Warsaw COP, Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP), the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Standing Committee on Finance, the Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and the Climate Technology Center and Network (CTCN) were discussed. India hosted the 14th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change on 15- 16 February 2013 at Chennai which was attended by representatives from Brazil, South Africa, India and China.

The BASIC Ministerial meeting provides an important opportunity to Environment Minister of BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) to enhance coordination on important issues under consideration in Climate Change negotiators and to arrive at a common position on such issues. The BASIC ministers have been meeting regularly since COP Copenhagen to exchange views and evolve a coordinated approach on important negotiating issues. The meetings are hosted by rotation in member countries during each quarter of the year.

Title: India facilitates entry into force of Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing Date: 17th July, 2014

The Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar today made a suo moto statement on the floor of Lok Sabha regarding India facilitating entry into force of Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing.

The Minister stated that the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing translates and gives practical effect to the equity provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The landmark treaty has received the requisite number of ratifications during India's Presidency of the Conference of Parties for its entry into force. The Minister congratulated his counterparts for making this happen. The Minister further mentioned that a new era has now

Page No. 8 ushered in for implementation of CBD that would contribute to achieving sustainable development and a glorious future for all living beings inhabiting our mother Earth.

Ratification of the Nagoya Protocol by 51 Parties to the CBD is also a major step towards achieving the first of the global Aichi Biodiversity Targets (Target 16 that by 2015, the Nagoya Protocol is in force and operational), and that too more than a year before its target date, which is quite unprecedented. The pivotal role played by India in achieving this remarkable feat once again showcases India’s leadership on biodiversity in the global arena.

The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) will enter into force on 12 October 2014, 90th day of receiving the required 50th instrument of ratification on 14th July 2014.

The Nagoya Protocol was adopted at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in Nagoya in October 2010. The Protocol significantly advances the objective of the Convention on the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources by providing greater legal certainty and transparency for both providers and users of genetic resources including researchers and industry. By promoting the use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, and by strengthening the opportunities for fair and equitable sharing of benefits from their use, the Protocol will create incentives to conserve biodiversity, sustainably use its components, and further enhance the contribution of biodiversity to sustainable development and human well-being.

India has been a victim of misappropriation or biopiracy of our genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, which have been patented in other countries (well known examples include neem and haldi). It is expected that the Nagoya Protocol on ABS which is a key missing pillar of the CBD, would address this concern.

In order to prevent biopiracy, the Government of India in 2002 brought out domestic legislation for ABS, namely, Biological Diversity Act, 2002. After requisite number of ratifications of Nagoya Protocol and its becoming an international law from 12th October, 2014, this will supplement our domestic efforts.

India, having hosted CoP-11 to the CBD in Hyderabad in October 2012, is currently the President of CoP till CoP- 12 to be held in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea in October 2014.

Facilitating early entry into force of this landmark international treaty has been a priority of India as CoP President. Towards this, India has made significant efforts in the last 21 months through political and diplomatic channels.

Title: Biodiversity informatics vital for sustainable growth Date: 16th September, 2014

Environmental protection and development need to be integrated with informatics- Prakash Javadekar

Minister addresses 21st meeting of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Governing Board

Page No. 9 expensive. It was therefore important to promote and facilitate an informatics mechanism to provide easy and better access. The momentum in this process had already begun. In the last two decades, many natural history museums in developed nations had digitized specimen collections that they were holding. Several ongoing global and regional biodiversity informatics initiatives for sharing data about these specimens with the countries of origin were gaining impetus. In the given situation, GBIF and its partners needed to mainstream the process of institutionalizing the digital exchange of data.

Title: India facilitates entry into force of Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing Date: 17th July, 2015

India facilitates entry into force of Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing

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The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) will enter into force on 12 October 2014, 90th day of receiving the required 50th instrument of ratification on 14th July 2014.

India, having hosted CoP-11 to the CBD in Hyderabad in October 2012, is currently the President of CoP till CoP- 12 to be held in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea in October 2014.

Title: Statement of Hon. Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, India, on ‘SDGs and Post-2015 Development Agenda, including Sustainable Consumption and Production’ at the Ministerial Plenary of the First United Nations Environment Assembly , 26 - 27 June, 2014, in Nairobi Date: 26th June, 2014

It is my distinct honour and privilege to participate in the High-level segment of this historic inaugural session of UN Environment Assembly.

Let me at the outset commend all the member States of UNEA for choosing an extremely important and pertinent contemporary theme for this plenary session.

In India a democratic transition has happened through world’s largest elections, in which 550 million voters exercised their franchise. Our PM Narendra Modi has wished this UNEA session a grand success.

India has its National Climate Action Plan with eight missions viz. missions on solar energy , energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, Himalayan eco-system, Greening India, sustainable agriculture and strategic knowledge for climate change. Our new initiatives relate to integrated coastal development, forest conservation, combating desertification, island development and cleaning Ganga River.

We are committed to energy and resource efficient development. We have designed low carbon strategy and have, on our own, set up ambitious renewable energy targets.

India is the Current Chair of Conference of Parties on Convention on Biodiversity. I urge upon all Member States to ratify the Nagoya protocol at the earliest so that it could come in force at the earliest.

The Outcome Document of the 2012 Rio+20 Summit ‘The Future We Want’, while acknowledging the importance of achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) focused attention on elaborating a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in coherence with the processes to develop the broader Post-2015 Development

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Agenda. SDGs are expected to be an important part of the Post-2015 development agenda, the successor development agenda to the MDGs.

As we are all aware, the Open Working Group (OWG) on SDGs constituted last year by the UN GA in pursuance of the Rio+20 mandate has already made substantial progress during its last 12 sessions. India along-with other countries is constructively engaged in the OWG discussions in New York. We look forward to meaningful participation in the inter-governmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda slated to begin during the 69th UN General Assembly session later this year.

India attaches utmost importance to the evolution of the post-2015 development agenda. We strongly believe that it must be an agenda for ‘development’, an agenda that can propel sustained and inclusive economic growth in all countries, particularly developing countries. Poverty eradication, which has been identified at Rio+20 as the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, must remain the central and overarching objective of the SDGs and the post-2015 development agenda. More than 1.3 billion people in the world still live on less than US$ 1.25 a day. It is therefore all the more important that action on poverty must not be contextualized or linked with other challenges and must receive our undiluted attention and focus.

The SDGs and the Post-2015 Development Agenda must be universal in nature and cannot remain a series of policy prescriptions from the North to the South unlike the MDGs. The Rio principles including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) continue to be relevant in the context of the ongoing discourse on SDGs and the Post-2015 Development Agenda. A universal agenda is not in contradiction to the principle of differentiation as per CBDR. On the other hand, a universal agenda means that developed countries must also take on obligations in relevant areas.

The SDGs and the post-2015 development agenda must address the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – in a balanced manner, both across goals as well as within them. While the social and environmental pillars tend to gain prominence, it is important to underscore that the economic pillar is the foundation of sustainable development and must be adequately addressed and elaborated. We also need to be cautious in factoring in environmental and governance considerations otherwise the agenda becomes an environmental or a governance agenda and distracts from the core objective of promoting growth and development.

The central importance of sustainable production and consumption (SCP) as a part of SDG framework and the post- 2015 development agenda cannot be overemphasized. There is sheer inequity in consumption of world’s resources. UN Secretary General’s High level panel report points out that 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty account for only one percent of world’s consumption of resources, while the richest 1 billion people consume 72 percent.

The wide difference between the average per capita consumption of energy and other resources in the developed and developing countries as also the huge wastage of food at consumer level in developed countries makes it imperative for developed countries to take lead to shift towards SCP patterns. Clearly, our efforts to put the global economy on a sustainable path must not be and cannot be on the backs of the poor. At the same time, improving energy efficiency and resource use in production processes is extremely important. Once again, the developed countries have to lead from the front and commit technology transfer to developing countries for them to achieve this. We support a standalone goal on SCP and also it’s mainstreaming across various sectors, viz., energy, food, water, agriculture, etc.

Our ambition in substance needs to be matched with our ambition for generating the means to these objectives. The developed countries must therefore provide enhanced financial resources, technology transfer and capacity-building support to developing countries to meet the vast requirements of sustainable development. We welcome the concrete proposal on means of implementation made by G77 & China in its submission to the OWG Co-Chairs which includes a stand-alone goal on means of implementation as well as suggestions for means of implementation to be integrated under each of the proposed goal.

In terms of global development cooperation, while it is understandable that aid alone would not perhaps suffice to meet the challenges of the SDGs and the Post-2015 Development Agenda; this should not be an argument to dilute the importance of North-South aid. In our view, it is important that aid commitments are not only met in earnest, but

Page No. 12 that they are expanded and extended in the post-2015 period. At the same time, South-South cooperation must be allowed to grow under its own principles and not straitjacketed in terms of North-South aid.

The Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICESDF) is separately assessing the financing requirements of SDGs. We also welcome the decision to hold the third ‘Financing for Development’ Conference in the middle of next year before the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda.

On the issue of technology transfer, the Rio+ 20 document mandates relevant UN agencies to identify options for a facilitation mechanism that promotes the development, transfer and dissemination of clean and environmentally sound technologies. Unfortunately, so far, not much progress has been made on this issue.

India strongly feels that technology transfer is the most important means of implementation and an effective and functional Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM) is a must for a meaningful Post-2015 Development Agenda. The TFM should meet the technology transfer needs of developing countries in various sectors, viz., health, energy, food, water, sanitation, etc. The developing countries need to be assisted in technology needs assessment, adaptation, rollout and human and institutional capacity building.

I have a suggestion to make in this regard. It has been agreed to establish Green Climate Fund of US $ 100 billion per year by 2020. This amount should be utilized to purchase IPRs of most crucial technologies for public good and these technologies should then be freely available to the developing countries to facilitate sustainable development.

While issues of peace, security and governance are obviously important enablers of development, it would be a travesty if these are placed at the centre of the agenda, to the detriment of development itself. There can be no durable peace without economic growth and development. At the same time, it is also important to address the abiding democratic deficit in institutions of global decision-making.

As the OWG and ICESDF are still negotiating the SDGs and their financing mechanism respectively, it would not be fair on our part to prejudge the outcome of these negotiations at this stage. We would therefore suggest that the outcome of our deliberations here should be in the form of a Chair’s summary rather than a negotiated outcome. India is committed to constructive deliberations in these forums and eagerly looks forward to a meaningful Post 2015 Development Agenda.

Title: Climate Change Date: 16th July, 2014

India has been actively engaged in multilateral negotiations in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in a positive, constructive and forward looking manner based on the basic principles of the Convention and its subsequent decisions. The last 3 Conference of Parties (COP) were held in Durban (COP 17 in 2011), Doha (COP 18 in 2012) and Warsaw (COP 19 in 2013). In COP 17, Durban Platform was created with an objective to develop a protocol for negotiating another legal instrument having binding commitments under the Convention for enhancing the emission reduction ambition by 2020. Further Institutional Mechanism for finance and adaptation was created. An Ad-Hoc Working Group on Durban Platform (ADP) was established to facilitate the negotiations. In Doha Conference, decisions regarding enhancing actions as envisaged in Bali Action Plan were taken. The Conference held in Warsaw further discussed about the possible decision on 2015 agreement. A decision in this regard was taken with a request to invite all Parties to initiate or intensify domestic preparations for their intended nationally determined contributions to be submitted by the first quarter of 2015. In addition the discussion on equity, finances, technology transfer including IPR issues and Capacity building was held.

The negotiations are still underway. However, the stand taken by the Government of India in regard to the 2015 agreement to be negotiated by the ADP that it should follow the existing principles of the Convention. Besides, India has been pursuing these issues very closely in the meetings and the COP and other UNFCCC forums by aligning with the G-77 and China, BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) and the LMDCs (Like Minded Developing Countries).

Studies under the aegis of India’s Second National Communication (NATCOM) submitted to the UNFCCC in May, 2012 and scientific study titled “Climate Change and India: 4X4 Assessment - A Sectoral and Regional Analysis for

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2030s” in 2010, have assessed the implications and impacts under a projected Climate Change scenario, based on which adverse effects on agricultural, water, forests, health, sea level rise, extreme events and infrastructure have been assessed.

This was stated by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

Title: Harness long-term Benefits by Investing in Biodiversity Conservation: Shri Javadekar Date: 23rd June, 2014

Shri Prakash Javadekar addresses Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) through Video-Message

Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State Environment, Forests & Climate Change, and President of the Eleventh Conference of Parties (CoP-11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), addressed CBD’s Fifth Meeting of the Working Group on Review Of Implementation (WGRI-5) held in Montreal, Canada from 16-20 June 2014, through a video message highlighting key issues related to biodiversity conservation. In his address, the Minister urged the parties to decide on final targets for resource mobilisation for implementation of the Strategic Plan, as delaying action would not only limit our choices for cost-effective action, but also jeopardise the ability of ecosystems to continually provide vital services.

In his address, Shri Javadekar also highlighted the importance of addressing poverty reduction as a cross-cutting issue of the Strategic Plan. He expressed confidence that these initiatives would help to harness long-term benefits by investing in biodiversity conservation. The meeting assumes significance in the context of preparing for the mid- term review of implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, and its 20 Aichi targets. The ten- year framework for action by all countries and stakeholders to save biodiversity and enhance its benefits for people, had been welcomed by the United Nations General Assembly, as an overarching global framework to conserve and sustainable use of biodiversity. Its importance has also been reaffirmed in the Rio+20 outcomes.

Further, realising that the mission of the Strategic Plan was central to achieving sustainable development, the United Nations General Assembly had encouraged Parties to consider it in the elaboration of the post-2015 UN development agenda. The review came just before the midpoint of the UN Decade on Biodiversity, and presented an opportunity to redirect efforts to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

WGRI-5 looked at progress made by Parties to implement the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Delegations also discussed technical and scientific cooperation under the Convention, the role of local and sub- national governments, and efforts to effectively engage stakeholders including the private sector. The meeting considered the mobilization of resources in support of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Further, delegations also looked at the relationship between biodiversity and sustainable development and poverty eradication, including the linkages between biodiversity and the ongoing discussions in the United Nations General Assembly on Sustainable Development Goals.

The Indian delegation led by Shri Hem Pande, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change and India’s National Focal point to the CBD, participated at WGRI-5 meeting. Shri Pande also chaired this meeting as representative of CoP President.

Having successfully hosted the CoP-11 to the CBD in Hyderabad in October 2012, India is currently the President of CoP, till the next CoP to be held in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea.

Title: Suo-moto Statement in Lok Sabha by Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on Lima Conference of Parties held from 1-14th December, 2014 Date: 23rd December, 2014

Hon’ble Chairman/Speaker,

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1. The Climate Change Conference of Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol was held in Lima (Peru) this year. The final decision was reached after long deliberations and intense negotiations between parties. The key focus of the current negotiations were the following:-  Finalisation of elements of the draft negotiating text for 2015 Paris Agreement in view of the Durban (COP 2011) decision to finalise “a protocol, another legal agreement or an agreed outcome with legal force,” applicable to all, by December, 2015;

 Identification of information to be submitted with the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) in pursuance of the Warsaw COP (2013) decision wherein it was decided that countries that were ready to do so would submit the INDCs by March, 2015 and other countries would submit their INDCs as early as possible; and

 Enhancement of pre-2020 actions which was part of the Warsaw mandate to be taken forward in Lima.

2. I had the privilege and responsibility of leading the Indian delegation that participated in the Lima Conference. India participated in the Conference with a constructive and positive approach. Our main task was to protect India’s long term interests and emphasize the need for growth and development space to tackle the problem of eradicating poverty, providing energy access to all and address other developmental priorities. In this endeavour, we were guided by the vision of the Government and Cabinet mandate. Our stand in the negotiations was also guided by the principle of Equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities, which is the bedrock principle of the UNFCCC.

3. Against this backdrop, I am happy to inform the House that the Lima Conference took some important decisions and came out with a ‘Lima Call for Climate Action.’ India was able to play an active role in representing the interest of developing countries by constructive cooperation with like-minded developing countries and effective and persuasive presentation of its national position.

4. The Conference decided that the new agreement will be under the Convention and will reflect the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities in the light of different national circumstances. It was also agreed that the new agreement will address all elements that is mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, capacity building and transparency of action and support in a balanced manner. The current submissions and views of Parties were captured in the form of an Annex and it was decided to continue discussions on the issue in future meetings of the Ad-hoc Durban Platform (ADP). However, this will not prejudice the legal form of the agreement or the subsequent submission or views by Parties. The draft placed in the Annex text has to be finalized by May, 2015 for being placed for consideration and adoption of Parties in the Paris COP 21 to be held in December, 2015. The recognition that all elements need to be addressed in a balanced manner is a key outcome of the Conference as there were efforts by some Developed Countries to undermine the basic tenets of the Convention.

5. Another key decision was regarding the INDCs to achieve the objective of the Convention as set out in Article 2 of the Convention. Here, it was decided that countries should not backslide from current pledges. This is especially relevant in view of the action of some countries, which had gone back on their Kyoto Protocol commitments. The Lima Conference agreed that the contribution of countries has to be more than their current commitments.

6. The Parties have been requested to communicate their INDCs as early as possible (by first quarter of 2015, by those who are ready to do so). Some Parties were endeavouring to impose an ex-ante assessment of the INDCs in the process. It meant that the INDCs would be mitigation centric and that after countries submit their INDCs, these would be aggregated to ascertain whether the sum total of contributions is adequate to achieve the global goal of containing temperature rise to below 2 degree Celsius by the end of the century from pre- industrial levels. Any gap between the two could mean pressure on countries to re-submit their INDCs or enhance their contributions. However, India and many other countries of the developing world were not in favour of such externally imposed review as it would compromise the sovereignty of Parties in determining their targets as per their national circumstances. We have been able to successfully ensure that countries can include adaptation, finance, technology transfer etc also in their INDCs in addition to mitigation and there is no “ex-ante assessment”

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to be undergone. Now countries have be submit quantifiable information on the reference point (base year), time frames, scope and planning process, assessments etc. related to the INDCs. This would only be published on the UNFCCC website and a Synthesis Report of the aggregate effect of the INDCs of those Parties that have communicated their INDCs by 1st October, 2015 will be prepared by 1st November, 2015.

7. The enhancement of action in the pre-2020 period was another important issue. It was decided to accelerate action on enhancing the pre-2020 actions like early ratification of the Kyoto Protocol second commitment period, revisiting of targets and conditionality's associated with it and provision of finance, technology and capacity building support by developed countries to developing countries in consonance with Warsaw decisions. The Parties also agreed to organise further Technical Expert Meetings to examine options for further action in the period 2015-2020.

8. On the issue of finance, it was decided that developed countries parties will provide and mobilise enhanced financial support to developing country parties for ambitious mitigation and adaptation action. As hon’ble Members are aware, the Green Climate Fund has been set up and over 10 billion US dollars have already been pledged to it. However, the goal of mobilising 100 billion US dollars per year by 2020 is still a far cry. It was also decided to urge contributors to confirm pledges in the form of fully executed contribution agreements taking note of the fact that at least 50% of pledges made till November, 2014 should be reflected as fully executed contribution agreements by 30th April, 2015.

9. The political consensus across the country on the issue of climate change has strengthened our hands and we were able to project successfully the various initiatives taken by the Government including the ambitious target of generating 100,000 MW of solar energy, doubling of cess on coal for clean technologies, rapid afforestation through the Green India Mission and devolution of CAMPA funds to the states, expansion in wind energy and other Energy Efficiency measures. Many Countries appreciated the aggressive efforts of India on climate change under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Sri Narendra Modi.

10. We are working on the voluntary national goal of reducing energy intensity of GDP by 20-25 per cent by 2020 as compared to the base year of 2005. The recent UNEP Emission Gap report (2014) has recognised India as being one of the countries on track to achieve the voluntary pledges. We are committed to taking pro-active steps on enhancing energy efficiency and expansion of renewable in the fight against climate change. At the same time adaptation measures in agriculture, water resources and urban areas will remain our key priority.

Mr. Chairman / Madam Speaker The next year is likely to witness a series of meetings to finalise the new 2015 agreement. We will continue to participate actively in the negotiations and ensure that it is rooted in the Convention and its principles and our national interests. I have benefitted from the able guidance and advice of Hon’ble PM, eminent cabinet colleagues and fellow Members of the House, and hope you will continue to support us on these issues. We will continue the dialogue between our Government and hon’ble MPs so that we share and exchange views on this extremely important matter in the coming days.

Title: Shri Prakash Javadekar Takes Charge as Environment Minister Date: 29th May, 2014

Launches New System for Online Submission of Applications for Environmental Clearance

A new system for online submission of applications for environmental clearances has been launched here today by Shri Prakash Javadekar. While interacting with the media persons after taking charge as Minister of State (I/C) of Environment, Forest and Climate change, Shri Javadekar said that the new system will bring in the following benefits to the stakeholders:

1. Transparency in the application processes for environmental clearance 2. Online real-time monitoring and adherence to timelines for verification 3. Stage-wise approval and compliance mechanism 4. A more user-friendly application process

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Shri Javadekar further stated that under the new system, the applicant will have to register on the website, upon which he/she shall be provided with a password. This shall ensure security, while simultaneously maintaining transparency between the Ministry and the applicant. The Minister also said that there shall be a maximum time limit for the entire approval process, with stage-wise timelines. He also said that continuous efforts shall be made to bring down the timelines for each stage. Every state shall be taken along and that the aspirations and difficulties of state Governments will be duly considered; at the same time, active co-operation from them in nation building will be expected, the Minister added. Shri Javadekar said that this will be done without making any compromise whatsoever on the ongoing efforts to preserve the environment. He added that the application for forest clearances too shall be made online next month.

No contradiction between Growth and Environmental Protection The Minister said that growth and environmental protection go hand in hand; both are possible and there is no contradiction between the two. He said both of these will be pursued together. He said that it is not a question of environment versus growth and that sustainable development has become the catchword. Shri Javadekar said that the addition of the words “Climate Change” in the name of the Ministry is significant. He said that India should present its case in international forums very forcefully. He added that preparations are already underway for the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is expected to take place in December 2015, in Paris, France.

The Minister announced also that a half-day leadership motivation conference shall be held next week for the senior Officials of the Ministry in order to instill a change in mindset.

Earlier in the day, on assuming office, senior officials of the Ministry welcomed the Minister, after which the Minister reviewed the activities of the Ministry.

Title: Joint Statement on Prime Minister’s Summit Meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington D.C. (September 27, 2013) Date: 28th September, 2013

The Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh and the President of the United States of America Barack Obama met this morning followed by a working luncheon at the White House. Marking their third bilateral summit, the two leaders reflected proudly on the transformation of United States-India relations during the last decade, affirming that the partnership between the two democratic nations is stronger today than at any point in their 67-year history.

Rooted in common democratic values and strong people to people ties, the United States and India have developed a comprehensive global strategic partnership, both in name and in substance that has made their citizens safer and more prosperous.

President Obama and Prime Minister Singh pledged to make the next decade equally as transformative, challenging their governments to reach the full potential of this partnership, particularly in the areas of security cooperation, bilateral trade and investment, energy and environment, higher education, and global architecture.

The Leaders called for expanding security cooperation between the United States and India to address 21st century challenges in the areas of counter-terrorism, cyber, space, and global health security.

Applauding bilateral defense cooperation, including trade and military exercises, President Obama and Prime Minister Singh expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved to date in defence relations. They emphasized the need for more intensive defense cooperation on both sides. The Leaders reaffirmed their desire to further strengthen defence trade cooperation endorsing a Joint Declaration on Defence Cooperation as a means of enhancing their partnership in defence technology transfer, joint research, co-development and co-production. President Obama encouraged the further participation of US firms in partnering India's efforts to enhance its defence capacities. President Obama also welcomed India’s decision to participate in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercise hosted by U.S. Pacific Command in 2014.

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Affirming their deep concern over the continuing threat posed by terrorism, President Obama and Prime Minister Singh stressed the need for joint and concerted effort, including dismantling of terrorist safe havens, and disrupting all financial and tactical support for terrorism. The Leaders decided to significantly expand information sharing and intelligence cooperation to address threats to their respective nations including strengthening the bilateral relationship to exchange information on known and suspected terrorists. The Leaders emphasized the importance of expanding homeland security cooperation to enhance exchanges on megacity policing strategies, securing the global supply chain and anti-counterfeiting efforts. India welcomed the U.S. offer of membership in the US ‘Global Entry’ Trusted Traveler Network Program, to facilitate expedited entry of Indian travelers to the United States.

Noting that two-way trade has increased fivefold since 2001 to nearly $100 billion, President Obama and Prime Minister Singh agreed that there are no insurmountable impediments to bilateral trade increasing an additional fivefold. President Obama expressed confidence that the ongoing Indian economic reforms and policy measures to liberalize India’s economy would accelerate economic growth, opening greater avenues for trade and creating jobs in both countries. In this respect, the Leaders recognized in particular the role and contribution of the Indian and U.S. Information Technology industry and the IT enabled service industry in strengthening India-US trade and investment relations. The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to concluding a high-standard Bilateral Investment Treaty that will foster openness to investment, transparency, and predictability, and thereby support economic growth and job creation in both countries. The Leaders welcomed progress towards increased engagement by experts from both governments, underlining the need for expeditious progress to address all trade and investment policy issues of bilateral concern so as to remove obstacles and improve the business environment in both countries. In this respect, both sides agreed to consider establishing a Joint Committee on Investment in Manufacturing.

The Leaders also committed their officials to work toward a successful outcome at the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in Bali.

The Leaders welcomed the robust cooperation in cutting-edge scientific research and joint collaboration in science, innovation, and entrepreneurship, for the benefit of citizens in both countries. The United States welcomed the invitation by India for the United States to be Partner Country in India’s Science and Technology Summit in 2014.

President Obama and Prime Minister Singh discussed ways to strengthen bilateral efforts to promote energy efficiency, clean energy, and address climate change.

In the civil nuclear power sector, President Obama and Prime Minister Singh noted that, with government-to- government procedures agreed, commercial negotiations between U.S. companies and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) are proceeding. They welcomed the announcement that NPCIL and U.S. nuclear company Westinghouse have concluded a Preliminary Contract to develop a nuclear power plant in Gujarat in India. Building on this, the Leaders urged NPCIL and U.S. companies Westinghouse and General Electric-Hitachi to expedite the necessary work to establish nuclear power plants in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Both sides reaffirm their commitment to the full and timely implementation of the India-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.

The U.S.-India Partnership to Advance Clean Energy (PACE), launched by the two Leaders in 2009, is expected to pave the way for energy to millions of Indian households. To expand the availability of clean energy resources to more people, President Obama and Prime Minister Singh endorsed the proposal to launch Promoting Energy Access through Clean Energy (PEACE), a PACE initiative, to rapidly deploy innovative renewable energy solutions to those who currently lack access to energy.

Recognizing that climate change is a defining challenge of our time and that there are mutual benefits to intensifying cooperation, President Obama and Prime Minister Singh announced the establishment of an India-U.S. Climate Change Working Group to develop and advance action-oriented cooperation, as well as to begin an enhanced dialogue focusing on working closely in developing an ambitious climate change agreement for the post-2020 period, and on strengthening bilateral efforts in this regard.

The two leaders agreed to immediately convene the India-U.S. Task Force on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) to discuss, inter alia, multilateral approaches that include using the expertise and the institutions of the Montreal Protocol to phase down the consumption and production of HFCs, based on economically-viable and technically

Page No. 18 feasible alternatives, and include HFCs within the scope of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol for accounting and reporting of emissions. The Leaders are committed to support the full implementation of the agreed outcomes under the UNFCCC with its ongoing negotiations. They strongly welcomed the efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to mobilize political will through 2014 towards the successful adoption of a protocol, another legal instrument, or an agreed outcome with legal force under the convention applicable to all parties by 2015, during COP-21 that France stands ready to host. They also supported complimentary initiatives, through multilateral approaches that include using the expertise and the institutions of the Montreal Protocol to phase down the production and the consumption of HFCs, based on the examination of economically viable and technically feasible alternatives. They will continue to include HFCs within the scope of UNFCCC and its Kyoto protocol for accounting and reporting of emissions.

President Obama and Prime Minister Singh emphasized the dangers that high oil prices can pose to the global economy and the need to increase oil market transparency and emergency response collaboration, through closer coordination and bilateral dialogue.

President Obama and Prime Minister Singh believe that the United States and India should look to each other as partners of first resort in addressing global challenges.

The Leaders reflected on the important strategic partnerships the United States and India have formed with Afghanistan, reaffirming their commitment to supporting a smooth security and political transition. The Leaders recognized that violent extremists continue to pose challenges to Afghanistan’s security and stability and, in this context, emphasized the need for coordinated international support to help build the capacity of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. They noted that both India and the United States will remain committed to contribute to peace, stability and development in Afghanistan during the critical transformation decade (2015-2024).

President Obama and Prime Minister Singh strongly condemned the September 26 terrorist attack in Samba in Jammu and Kashmir. They reiterated their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms, and reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, and disrupting terrorist networks including Al- Qa'ida and the Lashkar-e-Taiba. The Leaders called for Pakistan to work toward bringing the perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice.

In the spirit of their continuing non-proliferation cooperation, the Leaders reviewed the close cooperation of the United States and India to realize India’s intention of joining the multilateral export control regimes. The President reaffirmed the United States support for India’s early membership in these groups. Looking ahead to the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, India and the United States also will deepen their cooperation, including through the 2010 Memorandum of Understanding with India’s Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, to strengthen global nuclear security.

The Leaders stressed the need for diplomacy to resolve outstanding issues relating to Iran’s nuclear program, and called on Iran to comply with its IAEA and UN Security Council obligations.

The two Leaders also deplored the use of chemical weapons in Syria, stressing that the global norm against the use of chemical weapons by anyone and anywhere must be maintained.

Consistent with the U.S. rebalance to Asia and India’s Look East policy, the Leaders expressed a desire to partner more closely with other Asia-Pacific countries, including greater coordination with Japan, China and ASEAN, among others, including through the evolving institutional architecture of the region. The Leaders share a commitment to support regional multilateral institutions as they continue to develop into effective bodies built on international rules and norms that can address shared challenges.

Noting the contributions of Indian peacekeepers to global peace and stability for sixty years, the Leaders decided to expand their United Nations peacekeeping cooperation, including capacity-building efforts with third countries. Reaffirming that in the years ahead, the United States looks forward to a reformed UN Security Council with India as a permanent member, President Obama and Prime Minister Singh agreed that both their nations bear a responsibility to ensure that the Security Council continues to effectively play the role in maintaining international peace and security envisioned in the United Nations Charter.

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Building on ongoing consultations between India and the United States on East Asia, Central Asia and West Asia, and the trilateral dialogue mechanisms with Afghanistan and Japan respectively, the Leaders agreed to expand their consultations to include a dialogue on the Indian Ocean Region, to deepen coordination on cross-cutting issues including maritime security and conservation of natural resources.

The Leaders resolved to work together to end extreme poverty, including through expanding efforts to end preventable child deaths through the Child Survival Call to Action. Fifty years after the launch of India’s own agricultural “Green Revolution,” the Leaders applauded their countries’ work together with African partners Kenya, Malawi, and Liberia, to provide capacity building and exchange best practices for food security.

Looking forward, President Obama and Prime Minister Singh recognized that increased cooperation in these areas will strengthen the United States-India strategic partnership, highlighting shared democratic values and the capabilities the United States and India have to work together across Asia and around the globe. The two countries have crossed a threshold in their relations where both recognize that successes at home and abroad are further advanced by their cooperation.

Today’s meeting demonstrates that the interests of the United States and India continue to converge, and this partnership will indeed be a defining one for the 21st Century.

Title: Environment Ministry Celebrates International Day for Biological Diversity Date: 22nd May, 2013

Today is the International Day for Biological Diversity . The theme for 2013 is ‘Water and Biodiversity’, both of which represent essential building blocks of life on Earth. The theme reflects the reality that water sustains all life on earth, and that ecosystems of our world, particularly forests and wetlands, ensure that clean water is available to us. However, despite being two sides of the same coin, they are rarely seen in unison when it comes to their conservation, use and management.

The United Nations has proclaimed May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity to commemorate the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Celebrating International Day for Biological Diversity every year affirms our resolve and responsibility to safeguard the precious heritage of bio-resources for the future generations.

Having hosted the Eleventh Conference of Parties (CoP-11) to the CBD in Hyderabad in October 2012, India is presently the President of CoP.

As part of the celebrations, Dr V. Rajagopalan , Secretary , Ministry of Environment & Forests inaugurated a function organised by the Ministry of Environment & Forests in collaboration with Wetlands International – South Asia and WWF-India here today . On the occasion , the Ministry released a “Water is Life” poster, designed by Centre for Environment Education, Ahmadabad, a Centre of Excellence of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, depicting how all life forms including human beings are interconnected by, and through, water. The poster can be utilized for a wide range of activities by students and teachers, for education and awareness purposes. The poster is presented in 16 major official languages of the country and will be distributed countrywide. A soft copy of the poster will also be available on a weblink soon, for download and local printing. CEE is working out a scheme where the best entries/activities done by children around this poster can be evaluated and awarded.

During the event the following book, newsletter and DVDs were also released:

 A book entitled ‘Mangroves of India – Their Biology and Uses’ - This book is published by Zoological Survey of India containing 56 papers representing the state of the art science and management information on mangroves of the India.

 A DVD by the Botanical Survey of India, digitizing all its publications under the Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India, to date. All results of exploratory and scientific activities of BSI and information relating to floristic and utilitarian aspects of Indian botany are now readily accessible in this digital archive.

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 Digital Edition of Checklist on Blue Green Algae of the India: The BSI has been engaged on research on Cyanoprokaryotes, commonly known as blue-green algae which are primitive but important group of micro-organisms. The BSI has prepared a checklist of 1,232 taxa including 939 species, 207 varieties and 86 forms. This is being released in the form of CD.

 A DVD: Digital Archives: Zoological Survey of India containing Zoological Survey of India’s past research spanning 98 years, including 111 volumes of records, 31 memoirs and 335 occasional papers into a searchable digital database, accessible on a CD. This is also being placed on the website of the Zoological Survey of India and Ministry of Environment and Forests.

 Sarovar Newsletter: Wetlands International-South Asia has devoted its second issue of Newsletter “Sarovar” on the theme water and wetland management, presenting important perspectives on the way managers of water and wetland resources can benefit by cooperative action.

During the daylong event , an Expert Consultation Meeting on Water and Biodiversity, between policy-makers, decision-makers, research institutions, NGOs etc. related to water and biodiversity conservation and management sectors will also be organised. The Consultation aims to encourage a participatory approach, by involving not only various governmental agencies but also the users and other stakeholders, in an effective and decisive manner, in various aspects of planning, design, development and management of the water resources schemes. One of the components of the Consultation will be to discuss the necessary legal and institutional changes that are required to be made at various levels supporting mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation within water resources planning and decision making.

As CoP Presidency India had launched the Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS) train, which received over 2.3 million visitors on its journey covering over 50 stations across India, and played a key role in creating awareness about biodiversity in the country. After the resounding success of SEBS in 2012, the iconic train has been flagged off for its 2013 run on 9th April 2013. It is scheduled to cover 62 locations during its journey till 28th October 2013. The International Day for Biological Diversity was also celebrated aboard the SEBS train which is presently stationed at Bhagalpur in the eastern part of the country. The state-of-the-art exhibition aboard SEBS is making significant contributions towards achieving Aichi target 1 during the UN Decade on Biodiversity by creating widespread awareness on biodiversity.

Title: Natural Resources Date: 6th May, 2013

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a global study thatcompiles and presents a case for the economic basis for conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. The final report of the study was released in 2010 at the Tenth Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD CoP-10) in Nagoya, Japan. The International TEEB report is largely based on secondary data and case studies. It does not provide any standard methods and/or guidelines. However, it provides a framework for considering the value of ecosystem services in policy and decision making based on recognizing, valuing and capturing the value of ecosystem services through a range of economic and non-economic instruments. This was stated by Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

The Minister further stated that pursuant to the international TEEB report, the Ministry of Environment and Forests commissioned three scoping studies to cover corresponding three important ecosystems of the country namely forests, inland waters and coastal and marine. Based on the scoping reports, a working document entitled ‘The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) – India: Initial Assessment and Scoping Report’ was prepared and showcased at the CBD CoP-11 in October 2012, Hyderabad.

In order to assess the feasibility of developing sector-wise uniform methodology for Natural Resource Accounting (NRA), the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) commissioned 8 studies on NRA covering sectors of land, forest, air, water and mining in 8 states to various specialised institutions during 2000-2006. Based on the reports of the 8 studies, a Synthesis Report has been prepared. Subsequently, an Expert Group on Green National Accounting for India was constituted by MOSPI under

Page No. 21 the chairmanship of Prof. Sir Partha Dasgupta, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom to develop a framework for Green National Accounts and prepare a road map for India to implement the framework in August 2011. The Group has submitted its report to CSO on 24th March 2013. An International Workshop has been held during 5-6 April, 2013 to discuss the Report. No specific proposal on valuation is under active consideration in the CentralStatistics Office.

Title: Science Express Biodiversity Special Train Flagged off Train to Cover 62 Stations Over Next 6 Months Date: 9th April, 2013

With a view to create awareness amongst masses in general and youth in particular about the exceptional biodiversity of India , the Union Minister of Railways, Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister of Environment & Forests Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan and Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi flagged off “Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS)Train from Safdarjung Railway Station here today. Shri Vinay Mittal Chairman Railway Board , Shri T. Ramasami Secretary Deptt. of Science & Technology , Shri K. Judesekar DG Forest and senior officers from the participating Ministries were also present on the occasion.

It has been a collaborative initiative of the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) & Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, the Indian Railways, the Vikram Sarabhai Community Science Centre, and the Centre for Environment Education. It has also engaged a large number of knowledge partners, State Biodiversity Boards, State Education Agencies, State Nodal Agencies on NGC and NEAC, Government officials, Peoples’ Representatives, colleges and academia, civil society organizations and the media. Participation of school children and teachers has stood out.

Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan said that this train is a magnificent example of synergy of efforts among Ministries of Railways, Science & Technology and Environment & Forests.

She expressed her gratitude to the knowledge partners for creating unique ways of communicating massages. She also announced the commitment of her Ministry for running this train in 2014 also. She said that this will coincide with the final year of India’s Presidency of the CoP and perform an important function of bringing biodiversity knowledge to the doorsteps of millions of our countrymen . We look forward to SEBS contributing significantly in our commitment to “Prakriti Rakshati Rakshtam”, Nature protects if she is protected, She added.

While addressing the gathering, Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal said that this train has been quite popular in its earlier editions. It has attracted both youngsters and elders in great measures. Shri Bansal said that India is proud to have a vast variety of Bio-diversity and there is need to preserve our Bio-diversity and protect our environment. The Railway Minister said that Indian railway is gradually introducing bio-toilets is panels coaches. He said that we are also focusing on cleanliness and called upon people to help railways in maintaining cleanliness in stations, in trains and around tracks. He said that this train is a product of combined efforts of Ministry of Science & Technology, Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Railways and Railways will continue to provide support in such in endeavors.

In her address , Smt Sheila Dikshit said that this train not only give people an ideas of biodiversity of India but also bring India together. She said that Delhi Government has started awareness campaign highlighting the importance of flora & fauna. We have also declared “sparrow” as Delhi bird, she added.

Under the second phase of programme, the SEBS will cover 62 stations over next 6 months. Of the 16 coaches of Science Express- Biodiversity Special, 8 are solely dedicated to showcasing the myriad biodiversity spread across all the bio-geographical zones of India through a variety of interactive exhibits, short films & videos that are shown on Plasma & LED TV screens, large format displays, kiosks, backlit panels, and so on. The rest of coaches have interesting & informative exhibits on Climate Change, Energy and Water conservation and topical issues in science. The popular Joy of Science Lab is mounted in an exclusive coach in which students are guided to perform various experiments & activities to understand concepts of various themes projected in the train. In addition, on the railway platform where the train is halted, young visitors are encouraged to play several exciting games as well as participate in quizzes, painting competitions, elocutions, just-a-minute, etc. The window panes of the entire train have also been

Page No. 22 judiciously used to put up posters on the numerous species of flora & fauna found in India which keep the visitors engaged while waiting for their turn.

In its first leg of Journey, the train will leave for Pragati Maidan Railway Station where it will be stationed during 10-13 April. It will be open to visitors from 1000hrs till 1700hrs and entry is free. Schools can fix appointments to visit the exhibition and also participate in Joy-of-Science lab by calling 09428405407/8 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. A team of 40 young well trained and highly motivated post graduates in science, who remain on-board throughout the entire journey, will facilitate the visitors and explain the content of the exhibits and also answer their queries. Thereafter the train will halt at 60 more locations across India before returning to its base station- Gandhinagar Capital- on 28 October 2013.

About SEBS :- The Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS), a mobile biodiversity exhibition train is a Mission to create massive awareness on India’s rich biodiversity. SEBS was showcased as India’s brand ambassador during recently concluded CBD Conference of Parties (CoP). The “Science Express: Biodiversity Special”- is a unique, state-of-the- art exhibition train that brings biodiversity awareness to a cross section of people, particularly children and youths, as it travels across the country. Rich bio-cultural diversity of the country in different coaches is organized, biogeographic zone wise, and includes wild, domesticated, marine, microbial life forms, biodiversity and livelihoods, impact of climate change, and highlights the challenges for the conservation. It also shares the policies, law and program/initiatives of partners, aimed at conservation of countries rich bio-cultural heritage. The train which previously carried science exhibition has been redesigned into a state of the art biodiversity exhibition, using the expertise of a number of partner institutes of the country.

During its first phase, which ended on 22 December 2012 at Ahmedabad, it made halts of 3-4 days duration each at 51 locations and over 23 lakh people, including 6 lakh students and 32000 teachers from 7000 schools enjoyed learning in a fun filled way. The train was also stationed at Secunderabad during 9-19 October 2012 to facilitate visit of delegates to Conference of Parties (CoP-11). India hosted the CoP II meeting at Hyderabad attended by participants from more than 190 countries across the world. SEBS was the brand ambassador to showcase the rich bio diversity of India.

Title: Flag off of Science Express- Biodiversity Special Train on Tuesday Date: 07th April, 2013

With a view to create awareness amongst masses in general and youth in particular about the exceptional biodiversity of India , the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) in collaboration with Department of Science & Technology ( DST) and Indian Railway launched last year on World Environment Day

(5th June, 2012) from Delhi Safdarjung , an innovative exhibition on rail called Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS)Train.

SEBS is now being re-launched in the 2nd phase of the programme on Tuesday , 9 April 2013 from Delhi Safdarjung. Dignitaries who are expected to grace the flag off ceremony include Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan Minister of Environment & Forests, , Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal, Union Minister of Railways , Shri S.Jaipal Reddy Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences and Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi .

After flag off ceremony, the train will then leave for Pragati Maidan Railway Station where it will be stationed during 10-13 April. It will be open to visitors from 1000hrs till 1700hrs and entry is free. Schools can fix appointments to visit the exhibition and also participate in Joy-of-Science lab by calling 09428405407/8 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. A team of 40 young well trained and highly motivated post graduates in science, who remain on-board throughout the entire journey, will facilitate the visitors and explain the content of the exhibits and also answer their queries. Thereafter the train will halt at 60 more locations across India before returning to its base station- Gandhinagar Capital- on 28 October 2013.

The present run of the train is the 2nd Phase in the two phase programme envisaged to cover a minimum of 100 locations on Broad Gauge network of Indian Railway across the entire length & breadth of the country. Of the 16 coaches of Science Express- Biodiversity Special, 8 are solely dedicated to showcasing the myriad biodiversity

Page No. 23 spread across all the bio-geographical zones of India through a variety of interactive exhibits, short films & videos that are shown on Plasma & LED TV screens, large format displays, kiosks, backlit panels, and so on. The rest of coaches have interesting & informative exhibits on Climate Change, Energy and Water conservation and topical issues in science. The popular Joy of Science Lab is mounted in an exclusive coach in which students are guided to perform various experiments & activities to understand concepts of various themes projected in the train. In addition, on the railway platform where the train is halted, young visitors are encouraged to play several exciting games as well as participate in quizzes, painting competitions, elocutions, just-a-minute, etc. The window panes of the entire train have also been judiciously used to put up posters on the numerous species of flora & fauna found in India which keep the visitors engaged while waiting for their turn.

Title: India to Host 14th BASIC Meeting in Chennai, 15-16 Feb., 2013 Date: 05th February, 2013

India will host the next meeting of BASIC Environment Ministers. The meeting will be held in Chennai on February 15-16, 2013. This was stated by Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister for Environment & Forests while briefing the media here today.

Smt. Natarajan said that BASIC Group is a platform of the four countries for coordination on issues related to climate change. BASIC has emerged as an important grouping in the climate change negotiations, and has acted as a key voice of developing countries.

BASIC countries meet four times in a year and once a year in each of the four countries by rotation. Typically, the first meeting of the year takes place in India.

At the Chennai meeting, the BASIC Ministers are expected to review the decisions taken at Doha and plan the future steps for taking the global process for an ambitious and equitable agreement under Durban Platform, she added.

The important issues that will engage the attention of the BASIC Ministers are principles under the Durban Platform, the role and relevance of independent international initiatives including sectoral actions in promotion and achievement of global ambition, and the steps needed to ensure means of implementation to parties for enhancing their efforts.

Agenda for the meetings is being finalised and will be shared in due course. The meeting of Ministers will be preceded by a meeting of their experts and negotiators.

Smt. Natarajan further stated that in line with the BASIC Plus approach, representatives of other important members of G-77 and China have also been invited. Bhutan (SAARC and Mountain), Mali (LDC and Africa), Argentina (Latin America), Fiji (G-77 Chair), Nauru (SIDS) and Qatar (CoP-18 Presidency) have been invited.

India is a member of like minded developing countries who are meeting in Geneva on 27-28 February, 2013 to review the decisions at Doha and plan the future steps.

The deliberations in the BASIC meeting will help India and other BASIC countries in formulating their approach to the future issues in the negotiations and plan help build ambitious and equitable architecture for post 2020 arrangements.

Absolutely Vital to Protect Biodiversity and Natural Resources: Smt Jayanthi Natarajan

Title: Green Haat 2013 “Connecting Nature to Our Lives”

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Date: 23rd January, 2013

The Minister of Environment & Forests Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan has stated that it is absolutely vital to protect the bio diversity and natural resources of the country. Speaking after visiting the various stalls at the “ Green Haat” here today , she said “ it is duty and absolutely vital to protect and promote the biodiversity of the country” . She further stated that it is absolutely essential to conserve natural resources and one way of doing it is to show case through organizing such “ Green Haat” . Such “ Haats” are attempt to capture some of our biodiversity and help to promote traditional knowledge of rare natural heritage , she added. The Minister assured the Rural Artisans, Community Self Help Groups and NGOs associated with this programme that the Ministry will continue to encourage such initiatives.

The Minister visited various stalls set up at the “ Haat” and interacted with the people associated with the programme. The “Green Haat, a fortnight long programme , is an initiative of Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF), to raise awareness on the rich forest and bio diverse heritage of the country among the growing urban population often living far off from the forests. The initiative is to showcase various value added forest based products developed by Rural Artisans, Community Self Help Groups, NGOs, and State Federations and thus provide support to biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods.

Myriad herbal products from wild for healthy living, the bamboo craft, over 100 local varieties of paddy ; a rich diversity of minor millets and palate ticking cuisines that use a diversity of natural and organic products mark this year’s Green Haat. The “Green Haat” has its role in providing support and market linkages to bio-diverse products, so crucial to livelihood of communities in far-flung areas. This linkage is crucial from the standpoint of contribution in improving biodiversity based livelihood, and promoting social entrepreneurship.

India recently hosted 11th Conference of Parties (CoP-11) on Convention of Biological Diversity at Hyderabad. Strategic Plan and Aichi biodiversity targets 2020 are key to success of the Convention. Target 1 of the Aichi Biodiversity target is regarding creating awareness about values of biodiversity and the measures that can be taken for its conservation and sustainable use. The initiatives like “Green Haat” could have a significant role in creating awareness, and in promoting conservation and sustainable use of bio-diversity.

This year, the 15 days long Green Haat event is being organized at Dilli Haat from 16th to 31st January, 2013 engaging 10 states and some 55 organizations.

Title: Access and benefit Sharing Arrangements under Bio-Diversity Act, 2002 Date: 23rd April, 2013

As per the access and benefit sharing arrangements provided under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and Rules 2004, any foreign individual, institution or company desiring access to biological resources occurring in India or knowledge associated thereto for research, commercial utilisation or biosurvey and bioutilisation is required to seek prior approval of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA). When granting approvals, NBA enters into benefit sharing agreement with the applicant imposing conditions which secure equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources and associated knowledge. These benefits may either be monetary or non-monetary in nature. Further, NBA approval is also required before seeking any intellectual property rights based on biological resource and associated knowledge obtained from India. This was stated by Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

The Minister further stated that the access and benefit sharing arrangements provided for in the Biological Diversity Act are broadly in compliance with the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, and would not require any amendment

RM/RS- USQ3105 - RS

Title: Science Express Biodiversity Special Train Flagged off Train to Cover 62 Stations Over Next 6 Months Date: 9th April, 2013

Page No. 25

With a view to create awareness amongst masses in general and youth in particular about the exceptional biodiversity of India , the Union Minister of Railways, Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister of Environment & Forests Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan and Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi flagged off “Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS)Train from Safdarjung Railway Station here today. Shri Vinay Mittal Chairman Railway Board , Shri T.Ramasami Secretary Deptt. of Science & Technology , Shri K.Judesekar DG Forest and senior officers from the participating Ministries were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan said that this train is a magnificent example of synergy of efforts among Ministries of Railways, Science & Technology and Environment & Forests.

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About SEBS:- The Science Express Biodiversity Special (SEBS), a mobile biodiversity exhibition train is a Mission to create massive awareness on India’s rich biodiversity. SEBS was showcased as India’s brand ambassador during recently concluded CBD Conference of Parties (CoP). The “Science Express: Biodiversity Special”- is a unique, state-of-the- art exhibition train that brings biodiversity awareness to a cross section of people, particularly children and youths, as it travels across the country. Rich bio-cultural diversity of the country in different coaches is organized, biogeographic zone wise, and includes wild, domesticated, marine, microbial life forms, biodiversity and livelihoods, impact of climate change, and highlights the challenges for the conservation. It also shares the policies, law and program/initiatives of partners, aimed at conservation of countries rich bio-cultural heritage. The train which previously carried science exhibition has been redesigned into a state of the art biodiversity exhibition, using the expertise of a number of partner institutes of the country.

Title: Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing Date: 6th December, 2012

Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is a new international treaty adopted under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan in October, 2010, after six years of intense negotiations. As a mega diverse country rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, and with a rapidly advancing biotechnology industry, India has contributed effectively in ABS negotiations. The objective of the Nagoya Protocol is the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies. The Nagoya Protocol provides a transparent legal framework on how researchers and companies can obtain access to genetic resources, and how benefits arising from the use of such material or knowledge will be shared. India has signed the Nagoya Protocol on 11 May 2011 and ratified it on 09 October 2012. The number of signatories to the Protocol is 92, and so far nine countries have ratified the Protocol. These are Seychelles, Rwanda, Gabon, Jordan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mexico, India, Fiji and Ethiopia.

There have been several instances of misappropriation of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge from the country, despite having taken necessary action at the national level. Once the Nagoya Protocol enters into force, the user country measures enshrined in it would oblige all Parties to provide that users of genetic resources within their jurisdiction respect the domestic regulatory framework of Parties from where genetic resources have been accessed, thereby addressing the concerns of misappropriation.

The above information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan to the Parliament.

Title: Promotion of Bio-Diversity by MOEF Date: 27th November, 2012

The Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) is implementing a scheme on Biodiversity Conservation with the objective to ensure coordination among various agencies dealing with issues related to conservation of biodiversity and to review, monitor and evolve adequate policy instruments for the same. In the last two years, the expenditure incurred under the scheme was Rs. 6.72 crores for 2010-11 and Rs. 11.79 crores for 2011-12, for National Biodiversity Authority, Biosafety and organization of meetings and workshops. Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) has accessed US$242,000 from Global Environment Facility (GEF) through a direct access project titled “Strengthening the enabling environment for biodiversity conservation and management in India”. The objective of the project is to provide assistance in meeting national reporting

Page No. 27 requirements to CBD by India which includes development of national targets in line with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, revision of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and preparation of fifth National Report for Biodiversity.

The above information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan to the Parliament.

Title: Successful CoP - Leading the Way Forward Date: 22nd October, 2012

Following are the highlights of the CoP-11 Conference on Biodiversity concluded in Hyderabad on 19 October, 2012:

• Largest ever such conference organised in India. 170 countries participated. The number of pre registered delegates around 15000. Minister/Vice Minister level participation around 80. More than 400 side events – many organised by the World Bank, UNDP, GEF, other countries and International and national NGOs.

• The elements of successful CoP were flawless logistics, strategic thinking in the development of Agenda’s content, participation of a large number of stakeholders and persuasive yet effective negotiations.

• One of the most important outcomes of the CoP is the commitment of the Parties to double the international financial flows for Bio Diversity by 2015. This will translate into additional financial flows to the developing countries to the tune of about US $ 30 billion equivalent to about Rs. 1,50,000 crore over the next 8 years. This is a major achievement especially in the context of .

1. Global economic downturn

2. Contentious stands regarding the robust baseline and the reporting mechanism

3. Absence of any such target in the recommendation sent to the CoP by WGRI

4. With no proposal from Working Group on Review of Implementation (WGRI) the Parties would not have come with the required clearance from the respective Finance Ministries.

India rectified the situation by her initiatives

1. Suggested a two track solution envisaging a preliminary target and a road map.

2. Co sponsored informal dialogue to promote better Understanding among the parties of the issues involved.

3. Co sponsored India UK High Level Panel to assess the requirement of funds.

4. Worked closely with the Bureau to introduce a specific element of preliminary target, so that the parties come prepared with mandates from their Finance Ministries.

5. During the CoP India led the efforts of the Parties to find a satisfactory outcome

• Way Forward India will like to play its leadership role during India’s Presidency by supporting and hosting capacity building in the developing countries to help them prepare project proposals to avail the additional funding now envisaged.

• India will now be working closely with all the member countries to make a success of the Hyderabad Road Map. India will also share its experience with other countries to help them establish a robust baseline, so that the target for resources fixed now is further refined by CoP 12. India has already set apart a sum of Rs. 50 crores towards South South cooperation.

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• India has launched the initiative of Hyderabad Pledge which is now available on the web site of CBD. All the countries are requested to pledge money for the cause of bio diversity. MEF will now write to all the Ministers the world over requesting them to pledge additional resources for Biodiversity.

• India has already ratified Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit sharing. India during its Presidency will work tirelessly for the ratification of the Protocol by 50 countries so that it comes into force during the Presidency of India. Towards this end, India will offer to host the meeting of the Inter Governmental Committee of Nagoya Protocol. India will also host capacity building workshops of developing Countries to help them take legislative / administrative measures. India has already offered to meet part of the cost of the meeting of the Working Group on Art. 8j on Traditional Knowledge.

• After the resounding success of the Science Express Biodiversity Special. The Government will take special efforts to increase the reach of this Express to even more remote corners of the country to increase the awareness about Biodiversity.

• Many delegates who visited the Biodiversity express in Hyderabad wanted something similar done in their country. India will explore ways of replicating this wonderful success of Biodiversity Express in other countries by providing them appropriate support.

• In Hyderabad, a commemorative Pylon and a Biodiversity Garden have been established. The Prime Minister of India had planted the first tree on behalf of India, representatives of the participating countries have also planted trees. It has been decided to establish a Biodiversity Museum on this site. This will be a token of gratitude to the people of Hyderabad whose hospitality had won the heart of every international delegate. Hyderabad is the first host city of CBD CoP to establish commemorative Pylon, garden and museum.

• During its Presidency India will take special steps to strengthen the State Biodiversity Boards and to prepare Peoples Biodiversity Registers at the village level. A sum of about Rs.250 crores has been approved for this purpose.

• India will substantially increase its allocation for Biodiversity by working closely with other Ministries for mainstreaming of Biodiversity.

• India has instituted together with UNDP Biodiversity Governance Awards. The first such awards were given during the CoP 11. It is now proposed to institute Rajiv Gandhi International Award for Harnessing Biodiversity for Livelihood.

Title: At United Nations Biodiversity Conference, Countries Agree to Double Resources for Biodiversity Protection by 201 Date: 22nd October, 2012

Special Attention for Biodiversity-Rich Marine areas Among other Key Outcomes

The world’s governments have agreed to increase funding in support of actions to halt the rate of loss of biodiversity at the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, which ended today.

Developed countries agreed to double funding to support efforts in developing states towards meeting the internationally-agreed Biodiversity Targets, and the main goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

The Saragasso Sea, the Tonga archipelago and key corals sites off the coast of Brazil are among a range of marine areas to receive special attention by governments as part of renewed efforts to sustainably manage the world's oceans agreed in Hyderabad. Many of the areas are beyond national jurisdictions and, as such, receive little or no protection at present.

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Other key decisions taken at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 11) include new measures to factor biodiversity into environmental impact assessments linked to infrastructure and other development projects in marine and coastal areas.

Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity said: “These results, coming in a period of economic crisis, demonstrate that the world is committed to implementing the CBD. We see that governments are moving forward in implementation and seeing biodiversity as an opportunity to be realized more than a problem to be solved.”

“We now need to move forward in the next two years, under the able leadership of India, the COP 11 president, to consolidate this work and to advance further. I look forward to other pledges in support of the Hyderabad call for Biodiversity Champions that will allow us to realize our goals” he said.

Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister for Environment and Forests for India, and President of the COP said: “The present economic crisis should not deter us, but on the contrary encourage us to invest more towards amelioration of the natural capital for ensuring uninterrupted ecosystem services, on which all life on earth depends."

"The UN biodiversity conference in Hyderabad has taken forward the renewed momentum, forged two years ago in Nagoya," said United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner.

"Countries have sent a clear signal and delivered additional commitments underlining the fact that biodiversity and ecosystems are a development priority and central to a transition to an inclusive Green Economy," added Mr. Steiner.

"Mobilizing the necessary financial resources from the public and private sector needed to ensure achievement of the 2020 targets remains a challenge - but here in India, many nations including developing economies have signalled their determination and sense of urgency to seize the opportunities by providing much needed additional support,” said Mr. Steiner.

Agreements on Funding

Developed countries agreed at the conference to increase funding to support efforts in developing states towards meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Using a baseline figure of the average annual national spending on biodiversity between 2006 and 2010, developed countries said they would double biodiversity-related international financial flows by 2015. The COP also set targets to increase the number of countries that have included biodiversity in their national development plans, and prepared national financial plans for biodiversity, by 2015.

All Parties agreed to substantially increase domestic expenditures for biodiversity protection over the same period. These targets, and progress towards them, will be reviewed in 2014.

For the first time, developing countries at COP 11, including India and several African states, pledged additional funds above and beyond their core funding towards the work of the CBD.

The conference also saw the launch of the Hyderabad Call for Biodiversity Champions. The programme will accept pledges from governments and organizations in support of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity. The government of India this week committed over US$ 50 million as part of the programme.

The Global Environment Facility, the financial mechanism of the Convention, for the first time, was provided with an assessment of the financial resources required to meet the needs of developing countries for implementing the Convention. Marine Biodiversity

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The 193 Parties to the CBD agreed to classify a diverse list of marine areas, some renowned for containing ‘hidden treasures’ of the plant and animal world, as ecologically or biologically significant.

Earlier this week, UNEP launched its Protected Planet 2012 report which found that half of the world's richest biodiversity zones remain entirely unprotected - despite a 60 per cent increase in the number of protected areas since 1990.

To meet the Aichi Biodiversity Target of ensuring that 10 per cent of marine areas are protected by 2020, says the UNEP report, an additional 8 million square kilometres of marine and coastal areas would need to be recognized as protected - an area just over the size of Australia.

COP agreed to transmit the results of this classification work to the United Nations General Assembly so that they can be considered by relevant UN processes linked to the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, in particular the United Nations General Assembly Working Group which is considering the development of an international agreement for biodiversity conservation in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Parties to the Convention also called for more research into the potential adverse effects of underwater noise from ships on marine and coastal biodiversity, and highlighted the growing concern on the adverse effects of marine litter. It also recognized the growing challenge of climate change impacts on coral reefs, which, Parties agreed, will require significant investment to overcome.

There was also a call to fisheries management bodies to play a stronger role in addressing the impacts of fisheries on biodiversity.

The series of agreements at COP 11 on oceans and coasts builds on the commitment of countries made at the United Nations Rio+20 summit in June to protect and restore marine ecosystems and to maintain their biodiversity.

National Biodiversity Plans

Much of the COP 11 negotiations revolved around practical and financial support for countries in implementing national biodiversity plans to meet the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

In reviewing global progress in implementing such measures, the COP reaffirmed the need for enhanced technical and scientific cooperation among countries, while underlining the potential for enhanced cooperation among developing countries. To support such efforts, a new National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans Forum (NBSAP Forum) was launch at COP11 by UNEP, CBD, The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The online forum provides easy-to-access, targeted information such as best practices, guidelines and learning tools for countries.

UNEP’s Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) Initiative also presented a series of practical guides for governments at COP 11 for integrating the economic, social and cultural value of ecosystems into national biodiversity plans.

COP 11 also agreed to a number of measures to engage the main economic sectors, such as business and development organizations, to integrate biodiversity objectives in their plans and programmes.

COP 11 developed new work in support of achieving Aichi Target 15 which calls for the restoration of 15% of degraded lands. This work was supported by a call, in the margins of the meeting, by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and other bodies for concerted action in support of the decision.

A decision on climate change and biodiversity called for enhanced collaboration between the CBD and UN climate change initiatives including Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+). Given that forests are home to more than half of all terrestrial species, initiatives such as REDD+, where developing countries can receive payments for carbon offsets for their standing forests, can potentially help achieve international biodiversity targets, as well as those concerned with cutting carbon emissions.

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The decision covers technical advice on the conservation of forests, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

However the COP also noted discussions around the need for biodiversity safeguards relating to REDD+ and similar incentives. Actions such as afforestation in areas of high biodiversity value, or the conversion of natural forests to plantations, for example, may have adverse impacts on biodiversity.

The COP adopted recommendations for improving the sustainable use and management of species hunted for 'bushmeat' in tropical and sub-tropical regions, where large-scale hunting and trade of animals has led to 'empty forest syndrome', and is increasingly threatens food security, and the ecological stability of forests and other ecosystems. Together with FAO and other organizations, the CBD Secretariat will establish a global 'Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management' to support developing countries in the implementation of relevant CBD provisions.

COP 11 adopted a decision on protected areas that provides a framework for achieving Aichi target 11. It calls for integration of national action plans for Protected Areas into revised National Biodiversity Strategies and action Plans.

A parallel summit of Cities and Local Authorities was convened with the support of ICLEI. Participants adopted the Hyderabad Declaration on Subnational Governments, Cities and other Local Authorities for Biodiversity, which supports the work of cities to achieve the Global Strategy for Biodiversity and calls for greater coordination between levels of government.

Title: Successful CoP - Leading the Way Forward Date: 22nd October, 2012

Following are the highlights of the CoP-11 Conference on Biodiversity concluded in Hyderabad on 19 October, 2012:

1. Global economic downturn 2. Contentious stands regarding the robust baseline and the reporting mechanism 3. Absence of any such target in the recommendation sent to the CoP by WGRI 4. With no proposal from Working Group on Review of Implementation (WGRI) the Parties would not have come with the required clearance from the respective Finance Ministries.

India rectified the situation by her initiatives

1. Suggested a two track solution envisaging a preliminary target and a road map. 2. Co sponsored informal dialogue to promote better Understanding among the parties of the issues involved. 3. Co sponsored India UK High Level Panel to assess the requirement of funds. 4. Worked closely with the Bureau to introduce a specific element of preliminary target, so that the parties come prepared with mandates from their Finance Ministries. 5. During the CoP India led the efforts of the Parties to find a satisfactory outcome

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• India will substantially increase its allocation for Biodiversity by working closely with other Ministries for mainstreaming of Biodiversity.

Title: Brand Ambassador for Biodiversity Conference Receives Over One Million Visitors Date: 19th October, 2012

Showcased as brand ambassador by the Minister of Environment & Forests, Smt Jayanthi Natarajan during her inaugural speech in high level segment of Conference of Parties (CoP), the “Science Express: Biodiversity Special” - a mobile biodiversity exhibition train is on a mission to create massive awareness on India’s biodiversity. This is an unique, state-of-the-art exhibition train that brings biodiversity awareness to cross section of people, particularly children and youths, as it travels across the country. Rich biodiversity of the country in different coaches is organized, biogeographic zone wise, and includes wild, domesticated, marine, microbial life forms, biodiversity

Page No. 33 and livelihoods, impact of climate change, and highlights the challenges for the conservation. It also shares the policies, law and program/initiatives of partners, aimed at conservation of countries rich biocultural heritage.

The express has been able to create unprecedented public awareness on biodiversity across the country. Till date, over 1.8 million people, including 500000 students 25000 teachers from 5000 schools have been able to visit and enjoy one of the most interesting mobile exhibition on wheels. Over 4 lakh people visited the express at Kazipet and Secunderabad. The express was stationed at Secunderabad to coincide with the the express will be on its onward journey and will eventually travel over 18,000 km in the first phase to cover 55 locations. It is expected to be visited by more than 3 million visitors, much higher than the envisaged target of 2 million.

That the Conference Brand Ambassador has halted at Secunderabad, during full duration of the conference and has been visited by over 2.5 lakhs visitors thus contributing to unprecedented awareness on biodiversity issues. The express has been greeted with great deal of enthusiasm by the international delegates attending the CoP.

Making of the unique brand ambassador has been a collaborative initiative of the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) & Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, with engagement of large number of knowledge partners.

Title: Conservation of Pollinators for Improved Livelihoods and Enhanced Ecosystem Services Date: 19th October, 2012

At the CoP-11 Biodiversity Conference being held in Hyderabad, in a side event jointly organized by G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development (GBPIHED) and FAO in the CEPA Fair of CoP11, the role of Pollinators in food production and security across the world was dwelt with, particularly focusing on: i) conservation for improved livelihood and enhanced ecosystem services, and ii) managing biodiversity in production landscapes. This GEF/UNEP/FAO developed project, began in 2009, is being implemented in seven countries- Brazil, Ghana, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Nepal and South Africa. Mr Hem Pande, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India, while making Introductory remarks stressed upon the need for increased investment from various agencies life Global Environment Facility for the cause of Pollinators which perform a great ecosystem service not only to increase production but also for maintaining diversity of life.

While presenting the case studies from three countries (i.e., Brazil, India and South Africa) associated with Global Pollination Project and a study from Philippines and Vietnam experts provided research based evidences to prove that pollination is an important service and diversity of pollinators is essential for sustainable agriculture. Speakers provided perspectives of Small holders farmers (e.g., Indian Himalaya) and large farm holders (e.g., South Africa). Representative from FAO gave an over view of the project. Shri BMS Rathore, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests provided some ensights of Indian Initiatives which are directly or indirectly capturing issues of pollination and pollinators. He mentioned the Indian Mission on Green India follows the landscape approach which would ultimately help in management of pollinators as well. Mr Peter Kennmore, FAO Representative in India, expressed great happiness in the progress of Global Pollination Project and he desired that such projects should find central stage in future initiatives. In particular the research based outcomes need to be made understandable to policy people to mainstream this issue. He emphasized on convergence of various agencies working on these directions. He also mentioned that in India FAO would further strengthen the initiative. Experts from overseas (Ms Nadine Azzu, FAO Rome; Ms Carole Poole, South Africa; Mr Fabio Leite, Brazil; Ms Hein Ngo, York University Canada) and India (Drs L.M.S. Palni & R.S. Rawal) presented their views and research findings. This event highlighted various aspects, broadly covering: i) a global perspective on pollinators, including evidence- based learning, ii) country level efforts made towards mainstreaming of pollinators and pollinator services, iii) networking and exchanging ideas with global experts, and iv) stimulating interest among various national/international stakeholders.

Title: Chair’s Summary Statement at the High Level Segment of CoP-11 to the CBD Date: 19th October, 2012 Following is the text of Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan, the Minister for Environment and Forest and the CoP President’s, Summary Statement at the High Level Segment of CoP-11, being held in Hyderabad, to the CBD following the Plenary and Panel Discussions held on 17 – 18th October 2012:

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“The High Level Segment (HLS) of the Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CoP-11) convened between 16-18 October 2012 witnessed active and stimulating discussions on the four main themes of the HLS. Nearly, 120 Parties and others made statements including Ministers and Heads of Delegation of Parties, representatives of regional groups, International organizations and Multi stakeholder groups including non-governmental organizations, indigenous and local communities, women and youth have held active discussions revolving around four issues and related matters.

On the theme of status of biological diversity, it was recognized that biological loss led to livelihood loss resulting in persistence of poverty. Parties indicated the progress made in achieving Aichi targets through increase in the forests, coastal and marine protected areas. They also outlined the threats faced by various ecosystems.

On the theme of activities relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, participants noted the special programmes and projects initiated at national, sub-national and regional level and observed the need to document the wealth of traditional knowledge among indigenous and local communities. In - country initiatives for protection of biodiversity within a legal framework, development of community oriented programmes and activities for awareness and capacity building have been undertaken to educate stakeholders. There is a need to undertake precautionary approach while adopting biotechnological innovations.

On the theme of implementation of the strategic plan on biodiversity, the need to implement biodiversity activities at different levels of governance within a country and the need to ensure substantial financial resources from developed to developing countries, particularly Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States and mobilization of domestic resources were underlined. Countries indicated aligning their national plans with Aichi targets and the need to conserve biodiversity in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. Gender equity was identified as a cross cutting issue in biodiversity related efforts. Parties viewed that valuation of ecosystem services is an important tool in mainstreaming the biodiversity conservation, priorities in the programmes and activities.

On the theme of status on the ratification of Nagoya Protocol on access to genetic resources and benefit sharing, participants urged greater political commitment to expedite the process of ratification and the need for new and additional financial resources and technical support for capacity building initiatives, including innovative financing.

The four Panel discussions generated considerable interest. In the Panel on implementation of the Strategic Plan on biodiversity 2011-2020, mainstreaming of biodiversity into national policies, involvement of all stakeholders for planning and implementation and support for development of baseline data were emphasized. Substantial financial resources through conventional mechanisms were required.

In the Panel on biodiversity for livelihoods and poverty reduction, the need to integrate biodiversity with livelihood security conforming to the principles of inter and intra generational equity and justice, and right’s based approach was underlined. Parties agreed to continue discussions related to ‘Biodiversity and Livelihoods’, and ‘Biodiversity and Health’ and recommend concrete actions, considering the critical linkages of biodiversity with livelihoods, health and poverty alleviation.

In the Panel on coastal and marine biodiversity, the major challenges of conservation such as over fishing, ocean acidification, sea bed mining etc were mentioned and need to regulate such activities was underlined. A differential approach was necessary to deal with artisanal and commercial fishing. There was a suggestion to establish an International Research Centre on Ocean and Marine Resources under the United Nations.

In the Panel on implementation of Nagoya Protocol and access to genetic resources and benefit sharing, participants underlined the on-going domestic preparatory process in their countries and the benefits such ratification would bring, including addressing the issue of bio-piracy”.

Title: Environment and Forest Minister hopeful for a decision on resource mobilization by the end of COP11 Date: 17th October, 2012

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Environment and Forest Minister Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan said that she is hopeful that the COP11 will arrive at a final document on resource mobilization by the end of the conference. Expressing her happiness about willingness of all countries to work towards mutual agreed solutions on bio diversity, she said that there were very few logjams in the ongoing deliberations most of them because of difference in perspective. She was speaking at a press conference at COP 11 here today.

She further said there have been difficult discussions on a few issues relating primarily to resource mobilization, financial mechanism and bio diversity and climate change, which is natural in any negotiations. But the good news is that discussions have progressed on all of these issues this week, she added.

On the issue of pledging the funds for conservation of Bio Diversity by different countries she said that India is not looking at the numbers but at a political message and political commitment from the developed world. As far as India is concerned the Government is spending over 2 billion US dollars under different components of various ministries for bio diversity conservation.

Expressing happiness over the progress achieved in the first week of CoP 11, she said that on four of the agenda items, the plenary has already adopted major decisions.

Referring to the Prime Minister’s announcement made yesterday on India ratifying the Nagoya protocol and launching the ‘Hyderabad Pledge” she said that India has now become the seventh country to ratify this protocol.

Title: Education for Biodiversity Conservation CoP-11, Hyderabad Date: 18th October, 2012

At a side event held during CoP-11 Smt Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Government of India, released the Outcome Document on Education and Biodiversity Conservation. The Outcome Document was the output from the two day International Conference on Biodiversity Conservation and Education for Sustainable Development - Learning to Conserve Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing World held as a parallel event on 13-14 October at Hyderabad during CoP-11. The Conference was attended by over 250 participants who deliberated in 4 working groups namely Formal Education, Non Formal Education, Education for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods and Education for Biodiversity Conservation in Urban and Industrial Areas.

The Outcome Document came out of a consultative process which began prior to the Conference and this draft was shared and deliberated on in the working groups. The inputs from the working groups were then incorporated into the draft and this was shared among the participants and the ESD community including UNESCO and CBD. The Minister has released this outcome document which will now be used to develop the strategic action plan for Education which will enhance the processes leading to achieving the Aichi Biodiversity targets.

The Minister also announced the National Microbe for India which was selected by children who had visited the Science Express Biodiversity Special, a train which has been visiting various stations across the country. Voting for the National Microbe took place in these stations and the children have selected the Lactobacillus (Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus) to be the National Microbe for India.

Another publication released in the presence of the Minister was the “Handprint - Positive Action towards Biodiversity Conservation” by Mr Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the CBD.

Mrs. Delphine Batho, French Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy was also present at the event and expressed her appreciation in the education efforts being encouraged for biodiversity conservation in India.

Title: Speech of Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan at CoP 11 Date: 16th October, 2012

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Following is the text of the Minister for Environment and Forest, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan at the opening plenary of the High Level Segment of the Eleventh Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Hyderabad today:

“It is a great privilege to welcome you all to the High Level Segment of the Eleventh Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. I congratulate you for the successful conclusion of the Sixth Meeting of Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.I am glad that the International Community is acknowledging the gravity of the issues pertaining to loss of Biological Diversity, and is willing to bring these concerns to the world center stage.

India has always taken a lead in global endeavors on various environmental issues. We played a very constructive role in achieving a successful outcome at the Durban Conference which delivered a breakthrough on the international community's response to climate change and at the recently concluded Rio+20 Summit on Sustainable Development.

The past week has witnessed intense negotiations amongst Parties to arrive at concrete conclusions on critical issues in Biological Diversity conservation. I am hopeful that the deliberations in the High Level Segment during the next three days will facilitate consensus on important issues.

The four themes slated for discussion in the High Level Segment, namely Biodiversity for Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction; Implementation of the Strategic Plan of Biodiversity 2011-2020; Coastal and Marine Biodiversity and Implementation of Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing have been selected after much deliberation. These themes aremost appropriate to address the key issues relating to biodiversity loss and strategies to find suitable solutions.

Friends, resource mobilization is the most important unfinished agenda that we have inherited from CoP-10 as we could not succeed in adopting targets for resource mobilization as a means to achieve the Aichi Targets. I urge the Parties to CBD to agree to some measures, commitments and targets on resource mobilization, even if on an interim basis so as to infuse confidence in Parties as also to generate momentum for implementation of the Aichi Targets.This is crucial because if we are not able to agree to any measures on resource mobilization at CoP-11, then four out of ten year period of Strategic Plan for the decade 2011-2020, would have gone, making it all the more difficult to achieve the targets by 2020. This would be our collective failure. We have failed once to achieve CBD’s 2010 biodiversity targets. Our future generations will not forgive us if we fail again in 2020. I am sure that you all will show the statesmanship and leadership which will help the negotiations on resource mobilization to reach a successful conclusion.

More than half of the world’s population lives in cities, and we are witnessing a fast pace of urbanization all across the world.Urbanization brings improvement in the quality of life of people. At the same time, it is associated with more intensive consumption patterns which invariably cause major impacts on biodiversity.It is estimated that half of India’s population will also be living in cities by 2045. I am happy that a parallel Summit on ‘Cities for Life’ has been held on the margins of CoP-11, bringing together sub-national and local authorities. I am confident that this will go a long way in bringing biodiversity back into the Urban Agenda.

Role of Communication, Education, Pubic Awareness is most critical to achieve the strategic goals and Aichi Biodiversity targets. The outcome document from the Conference on “Biodiversity conservation and Education for Sustainable Development”, held on the side line of the COP, has made very useful suggestions, that could greatly influence Communication, Education and Public Awareness plans.

I would specially mention of innovative communication through “Science Express: Biodiversity Special”- a mobile biodiversity exhibition train, which we have showcased as CoP brand ambassador, and is scheduled to run 18,000 Km init’s first leg. It is creating unprecedented public awareness on biodiversity across the country, particularly, amongst children and youth, and has already been visited by over 1.5 million people

In the end I would like to quote Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our nation once again. He said, ‘You must be the change you wish to see in the world.’ Friends, we cannot loose time in arriving at consensus for conservation of Biological Diversity. We must strive to reach consensus now, when we all are sitting here on the negotiation tables.

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I express my sincere thanks to the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and his Government for their tireless efforts and support in organizing this mega event. I hopethat your stay here in Hyderabad has been comfortable and you have also had a chance to see this beautiful city. The road ahead is tough, but we all need to stand united to address the challenges that threaten our very existence. "

Title: Ratification of Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing by India Date: 4th October, 2012

The Union Cabinet today approved the ratification of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing by India.

The Nagoya Protocol has been signed by 92 countries. Five countries have also ratified the Protocol. India signed the Nagoya Protocol on 11th May 2011. India is hosting the eleventh CoP to the CBD in October 2012 in Hyderabad. This gives us an opportunity to consolidate, scale up and showcase our strengths and initiatives on biodiversity before the world. As the incoming President of CoP-11, it is expected that India would ratify the protocol before CoP-11.

India is one of the identified megadiverse countries rich in biodiversity. With only 2.4 per cent of the earth's land area, India accounts for 7-8 per cent of the recorded species of the world. India is also rich in associated traditional knowledge, which is both coded as in ancient texts of Indian systems of medicines such as Ayurveda, Unani and Sidha, and also non-coded, as it exists in oral undocumented traditions.

The genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge can be used to develop a wide range of products and services for human benefit, such as medicines, agricultural practices, cosmetics etc. Much of the world's biodiversity is found in developing countries, and can thus contribute to their economic and social development,, and also create incentives for their conservation and sustainable use, thereby contributing to the creation of a fairer and more equitable economy to support sustainable development.

India is a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which is one of the agreements adopted during the Rio Earth Summit held in 1992. One of the three objectives of the CBD relates to Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), which refers to the way in which genetic resources may be accessed, and benefits resulting from their use shared by users with countries that provide them. The CBD prescribes that access to genetic resources is subject to national legislation. Accordingly, India after extensive consultative process had enacted the Biological Diversity Act in 2002 for giving effect to the provisions of the CBD, including those relating to CBD. However, in the near absence of user country measures, once the resource leaves the country providing the resources, there is no way to ensure compliance of ABS provisions in the country where it is used. Towards this, a protocol on access and benefit sharing has been negotiated under the aegis of CBD, and adopted by the Tenth Conference of Parties (CoP-10) held in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010. India has participated actively and contributed meaningfully in the ABS negotiations which formally started about six years back. The objective of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS is fair and equitable sharing of benefits, arising from the use of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies.

India has been a victim of misappropriation or biopiracy of our genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, which have been patented in other countries (well known examples include neem and haldi). It is expected that the ABS Protocol which is a key missing pillar of the CBD, would address this concern.

The Nagoya Protocol would also contribute to the other two objectives of the CBD relating to conservation and sustainable use, since benefits accruing from utilization of genetic resources would act as incentive to biodiversity- rich countries and their local communities to conserve and sustainably use their biodiversity.

Title: India to Host COP – 11 Date: 28th September, 2012 PM to Address the Conference on 16 October 2012

India is hosting the eleventh Conference of the Parties (CoP-11) to the CBD in Hyderabad on 1-19 October, 2012. There will be three components of CoP-11: the sixth Conference of the Parties serving as Meeting of the Parties

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(CoP/MoP-6) to the CBD’s Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to be held from 1-5 October 2012; the CoP-11 to the CBD from 8-19 October 2012; and the High Level Segment of CoP-11 from 16-19 October 2012. These meetings will be held at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). CoP-11 is expected to be the largest such conference to be held in the country, with participation of thousands of delegates from all countries of the world, including Ministers/Vice-Ministers, Ambassadors, senior Government officials, heads and senior officers of UN and multilateral agencies, private sector, academia, civil society organizations etc.

India is a recognised megadiverse country rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge. With just 2.4% of the land area, India accounts for nearly 7% of the recorded species even while supporting almost 18% of human population as well as cattle population. The biotic pressure on our biodiversity is therefore immense.

For India, conservation of its biodiversity is crucial not only because it provides several goods and services necessary for human survival, but also because it is directly linked with providing livelihoods to and improving socio-economic conditions of millions of our local people, thereby contributing to sustainable development and poverty alleviation.

India is a Party to the CBD. The three objectives of the Convention are: conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. CBD is the first comprehensive global agreement addressing all aspects relating to biodiversity. It is a framework agreement that provides for flexible country-driven approach to its implementation. The Convention has near universal membership with 193 Parties. USA is the only major country which is not a Party to the CBD.

Two Protocols have so far been adopted under the aegis of CBD: the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) adopted in 2000, and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing adopted in 2010.

Despite intense biotic pressure, India has been able to harbour 7-8% of the world’s biodiversity. While most developing countries have lost forest cover, India has added around 3 million hectares of forests and tree cover in the last three decades. With a strong legal and policy framework on biodiversity, some recent positive initiatives relevant to biodiversity taken up include: Forests Rights Act, MG NREGA. Globally, India is recognized as a pioneer and trendsetter on biodiversity issues, and is a major player. On biodiversity, India speaks from a position of strength. Advancing biodiversity agenda contributes to equity as well as development agenda. This cannot the said of any other environmental issue under discussion in international fora.

Hosting of CoP-11 in India is a culmination of the biodiversity agenda being pursued by India during last few years. The event provides India with an opportunity to consolidate, scale-up and showcase our initiatives and strengths on biodiversity. India with a strong institutional, legal and policy framework, has the potential and capability to emerge as the world leader in conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and also to set the global agenda on biodiversity in the context of sustainable livelihoods during the UN Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020.

Hosting of CoP-11 would also bring in focus the need for balancing economic development, demographic pressures and environmental conservation in developing countries like India, and the need to spread awareness for better use and management of biological resources among different stakeholders. CoP-11 would provide a unique platform to display, promote, interact, learn and network from each other experiences and knowledge relating to biodiversity.

At the opening of CoP-11, the Presidency of CoP will be handed over by Japan (as the host of CoP-10) to the Indian Minister for Environment and Forests. India will be the President of CoP-11 for a two year period ending at the opening of the next CoP.

CoP-10 held in Nagoya in October 2010 had adopted the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 alongwith twenty Aichi biodiversity targets. These inter alia include: By 2020 atleast 17% of terrestrial and inland water (from the present 13%), and 10% of coastal and marine areas (from the present 1.6%) are conserved; By 2020, the rate of loss of all natural habitats, including forests, is atleast halved; By 2020 areas under agriculture, aquaculture and forestry are managed sustainably. While adopting the ambitious Strategic Plan, CoP-10 could not agree on the targets for funding as the means to implement Strategic Plan and achieve Aichi targets.

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CoP-11 is expected to come out with a road map for operationalisation of the Strategic Plan and Aichi targets; facilitation of early entry into force of Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing; and determine targets for mobilizing resources for implementing the Strategic Plan.

On resource mobilization, presently, the international flows for biodiversity directly and indirectly are approximately USD 6 billion, which is about 4.7% of the global ODA of USD 127 billion. To enable CoP-11 to agree on targets for resource mobilization for implementation of the Strategic Plan, an assessment of the requirement of funding to meet the Aichi targets at the global level is necessary. Towards this, a number of activities have been undertaken in the intersessional period.

India with Sweden, Ecuador and others co-sponsored a Dialogue seminar on finance in Quito in March 2012, the outcomes of which resulted in an improved understanding between the developed and developing countries. Thereafter, India alongwith UK have sponsored a High Level Panel for assessing the resources required globally to implement the Strategic Plan. An interim report of this Panel will be presented to CoP-11. The Panel has estimated that the costs for implementing the Aichi targets is between USD 150 billion to 430 billion annually, though coordinated action on the targets is expected to substantially reduce the total estimate. Parallely, a team of five experts commissioned by the CBD Secretariat have undertaken an assessment of the amount of funds that are necessary to assist developing countries in achieving Aichi targets, over the period 2014-2018. As per this assessment, the total funding needs for developing countries for the period 2014-2018 works out to be between USD 74 billion and 191 billion.

The outcome of these intersessional activities will be considered by CoP-11, for facilitating a decision on some interim commitments on resource mobilization, alongwith a road map that would include review by CoP-12 when more information is expected to become available.

India has also hosted and supported a number of workshops and meetings for capacity building on Protected Areas, national biodiversity strategies and biosafety. These efforts made by India have been well appreciated by the global community.

The CoP-MoP-6 will discuss and adopt further decisions for safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology. The discussions will inter alia focus on risk assessment and management of LMOs, socio-economic considerations, capacity building, information sharing, cooperation among countries, and resource mobilization to assist developing countries in meeting their global commitments towards safe use of LMOs.

The outcomes of CoP-MoP-6 and CoP-11 are in the form of decisions agreed to by consensus among all Parties to the CBD, which are binding on the Parties.

The High Level Segment will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the afternoon of 16 October 2012. Several Ministers, Vice-Ministers and Ambassadors are likely to attend the High level Segment. There will be four Panel discussions on the following topics during the High Level Segment:

Panel I: Implementation of the Strategic Plan on Biodiversity 2011-2020 Panel II: Biodiversity for Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction Panel III: Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Panel IV: Implementation of Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing.

The outcome of High Level Segment will be in the form of Chair’s summary statement by the Minister for Environment and Forests.

Title: ASEAN-India Environment Ministers’ Meeting Date: 08th September, 2012

The Ministry of Environment & Forests hosted the ASEAN-India Environment Ministers’ Meeting on September 7, 2012 at New Delhi. The Environment Ministers’ Meeting was preceded by a meeting of senior officials of ASEAN

Page No. 40 member states and senior officials of Ministry of Environment & Forest and Ministry of External Affairs on September 6, 2012.

The ASEAN-India Environment Ministers’ meeting was co-chaired by Mrs. Jayanthi Natarajan, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) Environment & Forests, India and H.E. Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi Bin Haji Osman, Hon’ble Minister of Development, Brunei Darussalam and attended by senior delegates from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the ASEAN Secretariat.

Both sides discussed various aspects of biodiversity conservation. The meeting unanimously adopted the ‘New Delhi ASEAN-India Ministerial Statement on Biodiversity’ whereby both sides agreed to enhance awareness among all stakeholders, strive towards mainstreaming biodiversity concerns into development processes, and to strive towards enhancing priority in terms of resource allocation and mobilization for biodiversity conservation.

Both sides also agreed to work together for conservation and management of flagship species and enhancing conservation management & sustainable utilization of Coastal and Marine biodiversity. The statement further agrees to take preparatory national work as a sound and informed basis for ratifying the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing.

The meeting called upon The Eleventh Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to discuss issues relating to biodiversity & livelihoods regularly and recommend concrete actions, considering the critical linkages of biodiversity with livelihoods and poverty alleviation.

Both sides agreed to meet and exchange views on issues of common interest at appropriate ASEAN Environment Ministers’ Meetings.

Title: ICNP-2 Concludes Successfully Date: 06th July, 2012

India to Give One Million USD for Ministerial Level Participation From Least Developed Countries

The Second Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for Nagoya Protocol (ICNP-2) on Access and Benefit Sharing was inaugurated in Delhi on 2 July 2012 concluded successfully, here today.

At the concluding session, India announced that it would give equivalent to one million US$ for participation of Ministerial Level Representatives from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) in the High Level Segment of Convention of Parties (CoP-11) in Hyderabad.

India informed the participating delegates from the Least Developed Countries of this decision, so that they communicate this decision to the concerned personnel to enable the Ministerial Level Representatives to finalise their participation plans of CoP-11 which is scheduled to be held in October 12, 2012 in Hyderabad.

India expressed satisfaction on the good progress made on several issues during the course of the ICNP-2. It felt that the Conference moved efficiently and made substantial advancement:

• The first ever discussions on Article 10 on Global Multilateral Benefit Sharing Mechanism helped in paving the way forward on this complex issue.

• On Article 30 relating to compliance, the pace though rather slow yielded good results. India welcomed the recommendations to CoP-11 to consider the outstanding issues of its work plan in another meeting of ICNP.

India was of the view that the progress made in this meeting had set the ground for further work in preparation for the Protocol’s implementation and early entry into force. This would contribute in catalyzing the pace of ratifications of the Protocol.

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Title: The Second Meeting on Nagoya Protocol Inaugurated Date: 2nd July, 2012

The Second Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for Nagoya Protocol (ICNP-2) on Access and Benefit Sharing is being held in New Delhi. It was inaugurated today and is being hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India from 2-6 July 2012.

The meeting was inaugurated by Dr. T. Chatterjee, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests. Dr. Braulio Ferreira De Souza Dias, Executive Secretary, CBD, Ms. Janet Lowe and Dr. Fernando Casas, ICNP Co-chairs, Shri M F Farooqui, member of the ICNP and the Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests and Shri Hem Pande, CBD National Focal Point India and the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests were also present on the occasion.

The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is a new international treaty adopted under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) after six years of intense negotiations. The CBD, one of the three agreements adopted during the Earth Summit in 1992, is the first comprehensive global agreement which addresses all aspects relating to biodiversity. The Convention, while reaffirming sovereign rights of nations over their biological resources, establishes three main goals: (i) conservation of biological diversity, (ii) sustainable use of its components and (iii) fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources. A framework for implementing the third objective of the CBD, which is generally known as access and benefit sharing (ABS), is provided for in the Convention. ABS refers to the way in which genetic resources may be accessed, and the way in which benefits that result from their use are shared between people or countries using the resources and the people or countries that provide them.

An Intergovernmental Committee for the ICNP has been established by the Parties to the Convention as in interim governing body to undertake the preparations necessary for the first Meeting of the Parties (MoP) at which time it will cease to exist. The first meeting of ICNP was held in June, 2011.

The ICNP-2, which has started its deliberations earlier in the day, will discuss issues such as: capacity building for implementation of the Protocol, awareness raising, modalities of ABS clearing house, procedures and mechanisms to promote compliance with the Protocol, agenda for the first Conference of Parties (CoP) and Meeting of the Parties (MoP), rules of procedure for CoP-MoP and global multilateral benefit sharing mechanism. More than 500 delegates from 193 countries of the world, representing government academia, UN bodies, civil society organisations and indigenous and local communities are participating in this meeting.

Inaugurating the Conference, the Secretary, Environment and Forests said that India was one of the first country’s to put in place operational domestic legislative procedures to implement the access and benefit sharing provisions of the CBD as early as 2002. He announced that while India was working towards strengthening its domestic ABS procedures and institutional mechanisms, 100 ABS agreements have already been signed in the Government of India through the National Biodiversity Authority, and benefits have also begin to reach to communities now. Dr. Chatterjee said that an early and effective operationalisation of the Nagoya Protocol is crucial for a balanced implementation of the Convention itself.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri M F Farooqui, Special Secretary said that as the Intergovernmental Committee charged with the mandate of preparing for entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol, it had a major responsibility ahead. Though the Protocol has received 92 signatures signalling the intent of countries to abide by the Protocol, the process of ratifications has been admittedly slow, presumably because this international treaty envisages that countries put in place the required legal, policy or administrative measures to implement the provisions of the Protocol. Very few countries have domestic ABS mechanisms in place. However, there was hope that the process of ratifying the Protocol would pick up fast ensuring an early entry into force of this treaty. He said that it was important to keep the momentum and work towards holding the first meeting of CoP/MoP concurrently with CoP- 12.

Title: New Delhi to Host the Second Intergovernmental Committee Meeting for Nagoya Protocol Date: 29th June, 2012

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A Backgrounder on ICNP – 2

The Second Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ICNP-2) is being held in New Delhi from 2-6 July, 2012.

The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is a new international treaty adopted under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan on 29th October, 2010, after six years of intense negotiations.

The CBD, one of the two agreements adopted during the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, is the first comprehensive global agreement which addresses all aspects relating to biodiversity. The Convention, while reaffirming sovereign rights of nations over their biological resources, establishes three main goals: (i) conservation of biological diversity, (ii) sustainable use of its components and (iii) fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources. A framework for implementing the third objective of the CBD, which is generally known as access and benefit sharing (ABS) is provided for in the Convention.

All living organisms: plants, animals and microbes, carry genetic material that has potential uses for developing a wide range of products and services for human benefits, such as in development of medicines, drugs, cosmetics, enzymes, agricultural and horticultural products, environmental techniques etc.

ABS refers to the way in which genetic resources may be accessed, and the way in which benefits that result from their use are shared between the people or countries using the resources (users) and the people or countries that provide them (providers). Prior to the CBD, biological resources were considered as common heritage of mankind. The CBD, while reaffirming sovereign rights of States over their natural resources, stipulates that the authority to determine access to genetic resources rests with the national Governments and is subject to national legislation. Further, access where granted, has to be on mutually agreed terms (MAT) and subject to prior informed consent (PIC) of the Party providing such resources. Each Party is also required to take measures to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits on MAT arising from the commercial and other utilisation of genetic resources with the Party providing such resources. The CBD also recognises the importance of traditional knowledge associated with biological diversity, and stipulates that Parties subject to their national legislation, respect, preserve and maintain this traditional knowledge, and promote their wider application with the approval and involvement of holders of their knowledge and encourage equitable sharing of benefit arising from use of such knowledge.

As a megadiverse country rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, and with a rapidly advancing biotechnology industry, India has contributed effectively in ABS negotiations.

The objective of the Nagoya Protocol, namely, the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, is also one of the three objectives of the CBD. The Nagoya Protocol on ABS establishes a clear framework on how researchers and companies can obtain access to genetic resources and to traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, and how benefits arising from the use of such material or knowledge will be shared. The Protocol also sets out clear obligation for Parties to provide that users of genetic resources within their jurisdiction respect the domestic regulatory framework of Parties from where the resource has been accessed.

An Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol (ICNP) has been established by Parties to the Convention as an interim governing body to undertake the preparations necessary for the first Meeting of the Parties, at which time it will cease to exist. The first meeting of ICNP was held in June, 2011, in which India has been elected as one of the two Bureau members to represent Asia Pacific region. This is helping India to steer the discussions under ICNP. The second meeting of ICNP is being hosted by India in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi from 2-6 July, 2012.

The Nagoya Protocol has been signed by 92 countries, and as on date ratified by five countries. India signed the Protocol on 11th May, 2011, and is in the process of completing interministerial consultations necessary for ratifying the Protocol. The Protocol will enter into force 90 days after its 50th ratification. The first meeting of the governing body of the Protocol (CoP-MoP) will be held concurrently with the next meeting of governing body of the CBD (CoP).

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The ICNP-2 will discuss issues such as: capacity building of developing countries for implementation of the Protocol, awareness raising, modalities of ABS clearing house, procedures and mechanism to promote compliance with the Protocol, agenda for the first CoP-MoP, rules of procedure for CoP-MoP, and global multilateral benefit sharing mechanism.

The ICNP-2 meeting will be inaugurated by Ms. Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister of Environment & Forests, on 2nd July, in Vigyan Bhawan. The meeting will be attended by nearly 600 delegates from all countries of the world representing Governments, academia, UN bodies, civil society organizations, and indigenous and local communities.

The recommendations of the ICNP meetings will be considered by the CoP-11 to the CBD being hosted by India in Hyderabad in October 2012.

Title: World Environment Day Date: 05th June, 2012

Following is the address by Hon’ble Minister of State (I/C) for Environment & Forests, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan on World Environment Day Celebration today.

The Minister alongwith Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Sheila Dikshit flagged off Science Express – Biodiversity Special train at Safdarjang Railway Station in New Delhi

“This is indeed a very important day to celebrate in recognition of the value of the environment around us and its significance for our lives.

The World Environment Day is celebrated every year, to not only create awareness but also to reaffirm our commitment to protect and safeguard the environment for us and our future generations. It’s a call for a positive environmental action to save our planet from further degradation. As so rightly said: "Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children."(American Indian proverb)

Our own scriptures are replete with conservation ethos:

Rising or sitting, standing or walking, May we, either with our right foot or our left, Never totter on the earth.

(hymn to Earth : Atarva- veda)

World Environment Day celebration that began in 1972, is now a global movement that has grown to become one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political & social attention and action. It enables enable everyone to realize that not only it is their responsibility but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development.

India is blessed with rich natural resources, from the mighty Himalayas to the Gangetic plains to the Deccan; from the deserts to the lush greens in the North east; the Western Ghats, the coasts and the islands. No wonder our country is one of the 12 mega-diverse countries in the world, rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge. It is not just about the tigers and the elephants, but it is also about the algae and the fungi, and the microbes that build up our systems. This biodiversity can only be protected for future use through informed and responsible decision making and by sustainable use by the communities. This requires understanding the value of the ecosystems to the benefit of the communities. Being aware of the biodiversity is the key to protecting the fragile ecosystem and threatened species. One of the example is that the tiger. The tiger population estimates, through sustained interventions, has increased in numbers from 1411 in 2006 to 1706 (about 20% increase).

The mosaic of environment conservation is interwoven with sustainable livelihoods through implementation of programmes at the local level, creating awareness and fostering partnerships. To fight degradation of the ecosystem and biodiversity, the policies of the Ministry aim at a convergence between sustainable natural resources

Page No. 44 management and livelihood enhancement programmes. These innovative approaches are aimed to restore the ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as soil, vegetative cover and water while providing sustainable livelihoods.

The current decade (2010-2020) has been declared as the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity and United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification. With India is hosting the Eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), from 8- 19 October 2012 in Hyderabad. This CBD COP 11 assumes immense importance considering that it is being held in the 40th anniversary year of Stockholm Conference held in 1972, 20th anniversary year of Rio Earth Summit held in 1992, and 10th anniversary year of World Sustainable Summit held in 2002. This would also be the first CoP in the UN Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020. About 10,000 delegates and participants from 192 countries are expected to participate in the event, making in one of the largest global event.

In an effort to highlight the multifaceted dimension of biodiversity, the Ministry of Environment & Forests is flagging off the “Science Express- Biodiversity Special” - a collaborative initiative between the Ministry and the Department of Science & Technology.

The train “Science Express” with the theme on Biodiversity, very clearly enunciates our commitment to the creating awareness on the diverse ecosystems that sustains us and way and means to conserve the same. The Science Express- Biodiversity Special- “Biodiversity on Wheels” is an exhibition - an expression of our existence!

Why the train? One would ask.

The Ministry chose the Science Express train as a medium to reach out to the far flung areas through its extensive networks that will enable reaching out to the masses and create widespread awareness on the rich biodiversity of our country and the issues associated thereof. The Science Express- Biodiversity Special will be traversing across the country over two years, halting at more than 100 plus stations. Between 5 June 2012 & 22 Dec 2012, the train will travel almost 18,000 km, halting for 3-4 days at each of the 52 locations. It is expected that the train will be visited by a wide range of people, especially school & college students, directly engaging more than 15 lakh visitors and engaging over 50 lakhs people indirectly. Platform and outreach activities are being planned at each halt and will actively engage Ministry’s National Environment Awareness Programme (NEAC) and National Green Corps (NGC).

The train’s 8 coaches devoted to show-case the biodiversity of the country through different lens and include exhibits on bio-culture heritage, biodiversity-livelihoods linkages, and the also domestic biodiversity. The train also has four other coaches dedicated to climate change, biodiversity & water and energy conservation, supported by other agencies, like HSBC, PCRA and the Swiss Embassy & Nestle. One coach is dedicated to the Joy of Science Lab which throws open the door of scientific experimentation to students specially school children.

The exquisiteness of the train is the collaborative effort between multiple stakeholders, including government ministries, scientific organizations, the civil society organizations and the corporate in bringing together the significance of biodiversity in our lives.

I take this opportunity to invite you all to visit the Science Express- Biodiversity Special and experience the unique biodiversity that our country that so proudly boasts of. I also call upon each of us present here to pledge our allegiance to the future generation by leaving behind a ‘living & thriving planet’. Lastly, I would like to share with you the slogan of the UN CBD COP meeting that summarizes our relationship with nature - ‘Prakriti Rakshati Rakshita” - Nature protects if she is protected.”

Title: Protection of Forests Date: 21st May, 2012

The Minister of State (I/C) for Environment and Forests Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan informed the members of Lok Sabha today that the Ministry of Environment and Forests plans to organise the World Environment Day by flagging off of the train -‘Science Express- Biodiversity Special’ - a collaborative initiative between the Ministry and the Department of Science & Technology. The current decade (2011-2020) has been declared as the United Nations

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Decade on Biodiversity and United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification. With India hosting the Eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), from 8-19 October 2012 in Hyderabad, India, it was considered appropriate to have ‘biodiversity’ as the theme for awareness activities for 2012-13.The Science Express- Biodiversity Special has 8 dedicated coaches to showcase the biodiversity of the country. The train will be travelling across 25 states covering 100 plus stations over two years, and is expected to engage about 2 million people in terms of generating awareness. In 2012, the train will travel to these stations between 5 June 2012 to 22 December 2012.

Smt. Natarajan informed the members that the Ministry has been organizing various awareness programme for promoting protection of forest environment on 5th June, 2012. In the year 2011, India was the global host for celebration of World Environment Day. A range of awareness programmes were organized across the country by the Ministry and its institution. Some of the key programmes included Green Haat, Seminar on Nature & Livelihood: Women’s Perspective, Green Walkathon, Quiz & Painting Competition, and Environmental Film Festival, Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Purashkar, Young Environmentalist Award; release of publication by BSI and ZSI on State of Environment Report and Animal Discoveries were some of the other key awareness initiatives.

The Minister stated that similarly, in years 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007 various awareness programmes on Forest & Environment Protection have been organized by the MoEF and its institutions on the eve of World Environment Day. Engagement of children and various other sections of society has been the key feature of these programmes.

Title: Climate Deal Date: 26th March, 2012

The Minister of State (I/C) for Environment and Forests Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan informed Lok Sabha today that at the seventeenth session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which concluded in Durban, on Dec 10, 2011, the Parties adopted a set of decisions. She further stated that the key decisions include a decision to establish the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, operationalising the Green Climate Fund and the Technology Mechanism and adoption of the guidelines for transparency arrangements. It was also decided at Durban to launch a process under the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, to develop a protocol, another legal instrument, or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties for the post-2020 period. The process under the Durban Platform is to be completed as early as possible but no later than 2015 for the new arrangement to come into effect and be implemented from 2020.

The Minister further stated that at Durban, India ensured that the importance of some of the unresolved issues relating to Bali Action Plan adopted at the Thirteenth Conference of Parties (COP-13) at Bali viz. Equity, Unilateral Trade Measures and Technology- related Intellectual Property Rights is recognized. India remains committed to implementation of decisions taken in Durban in accordance with the principles of equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) of the Convention.

Title: Suo Moto Statement in Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Environment and Forests (I/C) on Durban Agreements Date: 16th December, 2011

Following is the uncorrected text of a Suo Moto Statement made by Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister of State for Environment and Forests (Independent Charge) in Lok Sabha today: -

“Hon’ble Speaker,

I rise to make a statement on the deliberations held in the United Nations climate change conference in Durban last week. The decisions taken in the Durban Conference have implications not only for the protection of global environment but also for sustainable growth in our country.

The climate change conference is held every year under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. The key aim of the Durban Conference, this year was to complete the

Page No. 46 ongoing work as per the Bali Road Map. At Bali in 2007, it had been decided that the implementation of the Convention will be enhanced by a series of steps on finance, technology, adaptation and mitigation. At the same time, it had been decided that the Parties to Kyoto Protocol will finalize their targets for second commitment period commencing from 2013.

The negotiations in the two tracks have been going on for the last four years. The Copenhagen Conference held in 2009 which had to finalize the targets for developed countries during the second commitment period failed to take the necessary decisions. The situation was partially retrieved at Cancun last year when some of the decisions relating to Bali Action Plan could be finalized and some Parties agreed to indicate their voluntary pledges for emission reduction. However, the decisions regarding the Kyoto Protocol could not be taken and all aspects of the Bali Action Plan were not fully implemented.

Durban Conference was held against this background. Operationalizing the Cancun agreements was one of its important tasks. This included work on the transparency arrangements for mitigation pledges and actions, setting up the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Committee, and the Climate Technology Centre and Networks. At the same time, it had to complete the unfinished work in respect of the Bali Action Plan and the Kyoto Protocol. It had also been agreed in Cancun that legal options will be explored in Durban to implement the relevant decisions in a legally appropriate form.

India has followed a clear, consistent and compassionate strategy to the climate change negotiations. Our stand in these matters has always been based on equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibility. At Durban, we were also conscious of the fact that the term of the Ad-hoc Working Groups on Kyoto Protocol and Long Term Cooperative Action was coming to an end. We, therefore, considered it important that the decisions relating to the Kyoto Protocol and the Bali issues were concluded in Durban.

Against this background, I am happy to inform the House that the Durban conference has taken some important decisions in relation to these issues.

The Durban Conference has established the second commitment period for the developed countries that are Party to Kyoto Protocol. The targets have been decided through a decision in Durban. These targets will now be converted into actual emission limits in 2012 at the next session of the parties in Qatar. A time frame of 5 years till 2017 has been given to the Kyoto Protocol Parties for ratification of the targets and the emission limits.

This is a major achievement, considering the fact that this decision had been delayed by almost two years because of the insistence of main Kyoto Protocol Parties on a single and comprehensive legally binding treaty, to be negotiated first and made applicable to all parties of the Convention. Durban decisions have ensured that the only legally binding protocol under the Convention i.e., Kyoto Protocol will continue for another 5 years into its second commitment period till 2017.

Another major decision taken in Durban was to begin a process to negotiate on the future arrangements for enhanced actions under the Convention. This is intended to raise the ambition of all Parties towards the global goal of climate stabilization. The Durban Conference has decided to launch Durban Platform for conducting negotiations on the arrangements for a future protocol or a legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force, to be finalized no sooner than 2015 and to be implemented not later than 2020. The new arrangements will be designed under the existing Convention and will hence, be subject to the relevant principles and provisions of the Convention including the principles of equity and the Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR).

A new ad-hoc working group has been set up to finalise the details. The arrangements will be negotiated in the light of assessment of progress made by parties in implementing their commitments and actions as per the Bali Action Plan and the Cancun agreements. 5th assessment report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the outcomes of 2013-2015 review and the work of the subsidiary bodies will be the basis of making assessment of the nature of arrangements needed.

The issue of an appropriate legal form for the future arrangements by 2020 was a matter of intense debate at Durban. As per the decision on Durban Platform, three options for the legal form of final arrangements were envisaged,

Page No. 47 namely: a protocol, a legal instrument or legal outcome. Some parties led, in particular, by the EU pressed for a form of agreement that should be legally binding on all Parties.

India has always believed that legal form should follow the substance. A legally binding agreement, by itself, is no guarantee for increased ambition or its implementation. Some Kyoto Protocol Parties have recently made unilateral announcements to renounce their legal obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. This is a clear pointer to the fact that a legal form is useful only as long as the party is willing to abide by it. Moreover, India has always taken a stand that India cannot agree to a legally binding agreement for emissions reduction at this stage of our development. Our emissions are bound to grow as we have to ensure our social and economic development and fulfill the imperative of poverty eradication.

Some Parties led by the European Union wanted to delete the option relating to ‘legal outcome’ which was originally mooted by India., We successfully resisted this pressures and in turn suggested a similar expression ‘agreed outcome with legal force’ which found acceptance with all the Parties. The post 2020 arrangements, when finalized, may include some aspirational CoP decisions, binding CoP decisions, setting up of new institutions and bodies, and new protocols or other legal instruments as necessary to implement the decisions covering various issues with various degrees of binding-ness as per domestic or international provisions of law under the Convention.

I must clarify that this decision does not imply that India has to take binding commitments to reduce its emissions in absolute terms in 2020. India has already announced a domestic mitigation goal of reducing the emissions intensity of its output by 20-25% by 2020 in comparison with 2005 level. This goal is relative in nature and allows India’s emissions to grow as the economy grows. Our National Action Plan on Climate Change is designed to meet this objective. Further steps to implement a strategy that will meet this domestic goal are being taken as part of implementation of the 12th Five Year Plan.

India ensured that the new arrangements in 2020 are established under the Convention. This will ensure that the principles and provisions of the Convention will continue to apply to the arrangements to be developed. India will negotiate the nature of agreed outcome strictly in accordance with the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibility as provided under the Convention.

Further, the Durban decision mandates that the ‘outcome’ has to be agreed by all parties before it is implemented through legal arrangements having force. The decision allows India the necessary flexibility over the choice of appropriate legal form to be decided in future. This choice will be guided by our national development imperatives and the principles of the Convention.

Hon’ble speaker

We are fully conscious of the immense responsibility that the Durban decisions have now placed on us. It is of paramount importance that the issue of equity is brought to the centre-stage of negotiations in future. With this objective in mind, India had proposed at Durban that the issues of equity, unilateral trade measures and technology related intellectual property rights should be included in the agenda of the conference of parties.

I am happy to inform that the importance of the issue of equity has been recognized and the Ad Hoc working Group on Long term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) has decided to organize a workshop on the matter next year. The deliberations of the workshop will inform the outcomes on relevant issues under the working group whose term has been extended till December 2012. The importance of the other two issues has also been noted by the CoP and the issues are now part of the discussion text that is under consideration of the AWG-LCA for decisions in Qatar next year.

CoP-17 also took an important decision of establishing the Green Climate Fund, which will commence its operations immediately with an interim Secretariat and a Board. The Fund will help a large number of vulnerable countries in taking effective mitigation and adaptation actions. India played a facilitating role in ensuring that the Fund is established in Durban. Substantial progress was also made in relation to operationalizing the Adaptation Committee and the Climate Technology Centre and Networks.

Hon’ble Speaker

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India participated in the conference with an open mind and constructive spirit. Our primary objective was to protect India’s long term interest in the climate change negotiations. In this matter, we have been guided by the political consensus that has been the hallmark of our national position on the issue of climate change ever since this matter became a global concern decades ago.

Next few years will be a period of intensive negotiations on the future arrangements. We will continue to pursue a vision of the future that is rooted in the Convention and its principles. I am confident that the house will continue to share this vision of the Government and support the future steps that will have to be taken. I remain willing to be guided and advised.

Thank you.”

KP/DB Climate Change Conference in Durban Date: 16.12.2011

Title: Conference on Climate Change (12-Dec-2011:05:10:02) Date: 12th December, 2011

India's role at the UN Climate Change Conference held at Cancun was appreciated by the BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China).India’s position on Climate Change negotiations has been anchored in the principle of equity and “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities” of Parties as enshrined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Kyoto Protocol and Bali Action Plan. During the 16th Conference of Parties (CoP-16) of the UNFCCC held in Cancun, Mexico, India interalia played a coordination role among BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) to have balanced and comprehensive set of decisions in accordance with the Bali Road Map.

COP-16 discussed all the issues on Climate Change and adopted a package of decisions called as Cancun Agreement. The salient features of the Cancun decisions are as follows:

(i) The Agreement allows developed and developing countries to take globally cooperative actions through simultaneous reporting of their respective mitigation commitments/pledges and actions;

(ii) Developed country mitigation commitments and voluntary mitigation actions of developing countries are recorded in separate documents annexed to the decision;

(iii) The developed countries’ ambition level for emission reduction as expressed in the Cancun pledges is lower than that required by projections made in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Inter governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC);

(iv) The developing countries agreed at Cancun, in a spirit of flexibility, to a regime of transparency of their \ mitigation actions through ‘international consultation and analysis’, even though such a step was not mandated under the Bali Action Plan. Accompanied by a regime of transparency, the common reporting of mitigation targets and actions by all countries represents a major new step in the existing climate regime;

(v) There was no agreement on a second commitment period for developed country parties under the Kyoto Protocol;

(vi) There was no agreement on a legally binding agreement, though the Ad-hoc Working Group on Long Term Cooperative Action was tasked to continue to discuss legal options with a view to arrive at an agreed outcome;

(vii) Decisions were also taken on setting up a Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Framework, and Technology Mechanism;

(viii) A Review process has been mandated to review the global goal of climate stabilization by 2015

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This information was given by the Minister of State for the Ministry of Finance Shri Namo Narayan Meena who is in charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests in a written reply to a question by Shri Hamdullah Sayeed in Lok Sabha.

Title: Statement by India at the Press meet of BASIC Ministers Date: 8th December, 2011

Press Note

Subject: Statement by India at the Press meet of BASIC Ministers

The Ministry of Environment and Forests made a statement at the Press meet of BASIC Conference at Durban. The following is the script:

Dear Friends, and representatives of the Media,

Thank you for coming to this meeting.

India is participating in the negotiations at Durban in a very constructive and hopeful spirit. We are fully behind South Africa, our hosts and a valued member of the BASIC group, to ensure that Durban CoP succeeds.

It is very important that, in Durban, a clear and ratifiable decision on Kyoto Protocol (KP) second commitment period takes place. This must happen if KP parties are really committed to addressing climate change. Developing countries should not be asked to make a payment every time an existing obligation becomes due on the part of developed countries. We have already walked the extra mile and are in fact are doing more than what our partners are doing.

As a BASIC country, India has engaged very constructively on the question of transparency arrangements. We are making advances in this regard. We are fulfilling our part of the obligations. It is time the developed countries stepped up to fulfill their part of the commitment under UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol.

In these negotiations, some countries have projected the question of a legally binding agreement in future as a panacea for climate change. This is completely off the mark. This question confuses the implementation with ambition. There is an ambition gap because the KP parties have not fulfilled their political obligations. There are more in the wings that are preparing to announce their intention to forsake their international obligation. We need to ensure that the parties meet their commitments whether under the Convention or the KP.

We must also not forget that, for a very large number of poor in the developing world, the world has not changed. They continue to struggle with the challenge of eking out their livelihoods and meeting their basic needs. They cannot be expected to be legally bound to reduce their emissions when they have nothing to emit. Eradication of their poverty and social and economic development is their primary goal. Development is the best healer for environment.

We should also not confuse the matter of Review with the question of a legally binding agreement. Review of the long-term global goal does not imply a review of the Convention; it should involve assessment of the implementation gaps in achieving the ultimate objective of the Convention. We should take stock of the performance of various groups of countries when the results of the 5th Assessment report of IPCC and review and assessments of developed country actions are available.

India wants and is hopeful that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) will be established at Durban. . Developed country Parties who have commitment to provide resources should agree to capitalize the Fund and also to the structure of long term sources of finance for the GCF.

We have proposed three agenda items for consideration by CoP at Durban to ensure that the issues unresolved at Cancun are fully addressed in the negotiating process. These are the issues of equity, unilateral actions and technology-related IPRs. In Cancun, these fell off the table in the rush to reach decisions.

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Equity is a fundamental issue in climate change, It deals not only with CBDR, but more importantly, with equity in access to global atmospheric resources. The question of unilateral measures has come up as such measures violate the principles of CBDR. The recent announcement by EU to impose unilaterally carbon tax on civil aviation emissions under their Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) scheme is a clear reminder of such measures. These actions are disguised trade actions taken in the name of climate. Similarly, we need further work in the area of IPRs to facilitate the goal of technology development and transfer at affordable costs.

We have shown great flexibility in terms of the choice of process and fora for addressing these issues. We have participated in the Presidency consultations on the matter and are hopeful that the matter will be resolved. The issues should not be lost sight of and should be addressed by the CoP or a relevant body under the CoP.

We in the BASIC are a part of the G77 and China and believe that we will strengthen the voice of developing countries by coordinating our position.

Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India New Delhi: Agrahayana 17, 1933

Title: Hyderabad to Host UN Convention on Biodiversity Date: 06th June, 2011

The 11th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will be held from October 1-19 next year in Hyderabad. Environment Ministers and Forests Ministers of about 194 countries will be attending the Conference, International organizations like World Bank and ADB will also be participating. Nearly 8,000 to 10,000 delegates will discuss issues relating to bio-diversity and bio safety.

Disclosing this at a press conference in Hyderabad today, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Shri Jairam Ramesh said that Hyderabad was chosen over Delhi due to the better conferencing facilities and Hyderabad International Convention Centre, HICC was chosen as the venue for the Conference. Being organised at the cost of about Rs.87 crores, he said that it was a matter of great pride that India will be hosting such an international event for the first ever in the last 60 years. Further, the Conference would benefit the State– (a) creating major impetus of tourism (b) provide opportunities for exhibition of forest based products, © it will put Hyderabad on international map as the declarations would be known after the city.

On the issues of ports along the east coast the Minister informed that satellite based imaging for the southern states including Andhra Pradesh would be completed by August this year which would enable the ports to be classified into three categories - high erosion, medium and low erosion. Further, construction activity would depend on the satellite imagery data and the data yielded by the Hazard Mapping system to be completed in couple of years, he said. He also said that the Central Government would have a final say on the Environment Impact Assessment of these various projects and retrofitting might be advised in case of adverse environmental impact.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - Opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entering into force in December 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. With 194 Parties, the Convention has near universal participation among countries. The Convention seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, NGOs, women and the business community. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is a subsidiary agreement to the Convention. It seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. To date, 159 countries plus the European Union have ratified the Cartagena Protocol.

Title: India to host 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity

Page No. 51

Date: 23rd May, 2011

India is hosting the eleventh Conference of the Parties (CoP-11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the sixth Conference of the Parties serving as Meeting of the Parties (CoP/MoP-6) to the Cartagena Protocol on Bio-safety to be held on 1-19 October, 2012.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests and Convention on Biological Diversity organized one-day Stakeholders’ Consultations and Launch of the UNDB for Asia and Pacific in New Delhi today. The event was presided over by Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister for Environment and Forests. Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the CBD Secretariat based in Montreal also attended the event. The Vice-Minister of Environment, Japan representing the CoP-10 presidency, Ministers of Environment from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan participated. Ambassadors / High Commissioners of Delhi based Missions also attended the event. Other participants included representatives of Central Government Ministries / Departments, State Governments, National Biodiversity Authority, State Biodiversity Boards, Universities, specialized agencies, UN bodies, International organizations, Civil Society Organizations, and Industry.

The period 2011-2020 has been proclaimed by the UN General Assembly as the UN Decade on Biodiversity (UNDB) to raise awareness about the importance of and threats to biodiversity. The Decade coincides with the duration of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 adopted by CoP-10 to the CBD held in Nagoya, Japan in October, 2010. It contains 20 targets to help achieve the three objectives of the CBD and the Millennium Development Goals.

CoP-11 to be held in India would be the first CoP in the UNDB. The year 2012 when CoP-11 would be held is also significant because that would be the year of 40th anniversary of Stockholm Conference, 20th anniversary of Rio Earth Summit (Rio + 20) and 10th anniversary of Johannesburg Summit. The event provides India with an opportunity to consolidate, scale up and showcase our initiatives and strengths on biodiversity.

The important components of the event included special sessions devoted to engagement with different categories of stakeholder’s namely civil society, UN and donor agencies, State Biodiversity Boards and Business community. During the formal launch of the UNDB for Asia and Pacific, the Minister for Environment and Forests, Shri Jairam Ramesh unveil the logo and slogan for CoP-11, which has been developed by National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. A video developed by the CBD Secretariat for the UNDB including a message UN Secretary General Mr Ban ki Moon and a video developed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests ‘Incredible India and Incredible Biodiversity’ were screened. This was followed by Kuchipudi dance performance on Prakruti Rakshati Rakshita (Nature Protects if She is Protected).

Title: Environment & Forests Ministry to Organize Stakeholders’ Consultations and to Launch UN Decade on Biodiversity for Asia and Pacific Date: 20th May, 2011

The Ministry of Environment & Forests is organizing Stakeholders’ Consultations and launching the UN Decade on Biodiversity for Asia and Pacific on 23rd May, 2011 in New Delhi. The event will be presided over by Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister for Environment and Forests. Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the CBD Secretariat based in Montreal will also attend the event. Some Ministers / Vice-Ministers of Environment of Asia and Pacific countries, Ambassadors / High Commissioners of Delhi based Missions are also expected to attend the event. Other participants include representatives of Central Government Ministries / Departments, State Governments, National Biodiversity Authority, State Biodiversity Boards, Universities, specialized agencies, UN bodies, International organizations, Civil Society Organisations, and Industry.

Page No. 52

India is a recognized mega-diverse country rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, which is both coded as in ancient texts, and non-coded as oral undocumented traditions. With just 2.4% of the land area, India accounts 7-8% of the recorded species, even while supporting 20% of the world’s human population.

We have a long history of conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, which is engrained in our ethos and is a way of life for us. India is committed to conservation of its rich biodiversity not only because it provides several goods and ecosystem services, but also because it is directly linked to providing livelihoods to millions of our local people and contribute to sustainable development and poverty alleviation. With a strong institutional, legal and policy framework, India has the potential to emerge as the world leader in biodiversity, and define global agenda on biodiversity.

In the last few decades globally, biodiversity has come under increasing pressure on account of factors such as habitat fragmentation, development imperatives and more recently global warming. This global concern about loss of biodiversity found expression in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which was adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992.

The year 2010 was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly as the International Year of Biodiversity to raise awareness about the importance of and threats to biodiversity. With a view to keep up the momentum, the period 2011-2020 has been proclaimed by the UN General Assembly as the UN Decade on Biodiversity. The Decade coincides with the duration of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 adopted by CoP-10 to the CBD held in Nagoya, Japan in October, 2010. It contains 20 targets to help achieve the three objectives of the CBD and the Millennium Development Goals. CoP-10 has also urged Parties to develop national targets in line with the Strategic Plan and report to CoP-11, and also to review, update and revise, as appropriate the national biodiversity policy and action plan integrating the targets, and to report on this to CoP-11 or CoP-12.

CoP-11 to be held in India would be the first CoP in the UN Decade on Biodiversity. The year 2012 when CoP-11 would be held is also significant because that would be the year of 40th anniversary of Stockholm Conference, 20th anniversary of Rio Earth Summit (Rio + 20) and 10th anniversary of Johannesburg Summit. The event provides India with an opportunity to consolidate, scale up and showcase our initiatives and strengths on biodiversity.

In India, measures for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity did not start with the CBD. India has a long history of conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Environment protection is enshrined in our Constitution (Articles 48 A and 51 A (g). Over a period of time, a stable organizational structure has been developed for environment protection. Numerous and wide ranging policies, programmes and projects are in place which serve to protect, conserve and regulate sustainable use of biological resources of the country. These include:

• Legal and policy regime (e.g. Forest Conservation Act, Wildlife Protection Act, Biological Diversity Act, National Forest Policy, National Environment Policy, National Biodiversity Action Plan) • Survey and inventorisation of floral and faunal resources • In situ conservation through establishment of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Biosphere Reserves, Community Reserves etc. • Conservation of ecologically fragile areas such as mangroves, wetlands, coral reefs • Ex situ conservation through setting up of botanic gardens, zoos, gene banks etc.

India has an elaborate network of Protected Areas covering nearly 4.80% of the total geographic area of the country. At present, there are 100 National Parks, 515 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 43 Conservation Reserves and 4 Community Reserves. 16 biodiversity rich areas of the country have been designated as Biosphere Reserves applying the criteria of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere programme. Seven of these are already listed in UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), more than century old organisations, are the premier national institutes entrusted with the primary responsibility of survey and inventorization of plant and animal species in India. The National Gene Bank at National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources with nearly four lakh base collection is among the most dynamic and prominent systems in the world. Joint Forest Management (JFM) is aimed at regenerating and sustainably using forests through involvement of local communities. At present, there are more than one lakh JFM Committees involving 220 lakh people living in and around forests. To complement this initiative, National Afforestation programme is being implemented which is aimed at rehabilitation of degraded forests and fringe areas through people’s participation following the principles of

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JFM. The world’s largest social security scheme under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) has created nearly five million green jobs in activities such as afforestation, water harvesting, soil conservation and land development.

Preparation of an easily navigable database of codified traditional knowledge on Indian systems of medicine (Ayurveda, Sidha and Unani) in the form of a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) has been a pioneering initiative of India to prevent misappropriation of India’s traditional knowledge at international patent offices.

Following the ratification of CBD, India after widespread consultations enacted the Biological Diversity Act in 2002 and notified the Rules in 2004 to give effect to the provisions of the CBD including those relating to its third objective on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). India was one of the few countries to have enacted such a legislation. The Act is to be implemented through a three tiered institutional structure: National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs), Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the local level. Biological Diversity Act is a pathbreaking and progressive legislation which has the potential of positively impacting biodiversity conservation in the country.

Title: Approval for signing of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing Date: 20th April, 2011

The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) by India.

The Nagoya Protocol would also contribute to the other two objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) relating to conservation and sustainable use, since benefits accruing from utilization of genetic resources would act as incentive to biodiversity-rich countries and their local communities to conserve and sustainably use their biodiversity.

India would be hosting the next Conference of Parties (CoP) to the CBD in October 2011. This will give India an opportunity to consolidate, scale up and showcase its strengths and initiatives on biodiversity before the world. As the incoming Presidency of CoP, India would be involved in setting the global agenda on biodiversity for the next few years.

The ABS Protocol is open for signature from 2nd February 2011 to 1sl February 2012. So far six countries have signed the Protocol including three mega diverse countries (namely Brazil, Mexico and Colombia). As the incoming President of CoP-11, it is expected that India would be one of the early signatories to the ABS Protocol.

India is one of the identified mega diverse countries rich in biodiversity. With only 2.4% of the earth's land area, India accounts for 7-8% of the recorded species of the world. India is also rich in associated traditional knowledge, which is both coded as in the ancient texts of Indian systems of medicines such as Ayurveda, Unani and Sidha and also non-coded, as it exists in oral undocumented traditions.

The genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge can be used to develop a wide range of products and services for human benefit, such as medicines, agricultural practices, cosmetics etc.

India is a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which is one of the agreements adopted during the Rio Earth Summit held in 1992. One of the three objectives of the CBD relates to ABS, which refers to the way in which genetic resources may be accessed, and benefits resulting from their use shared by the users with the countries that provide them. The CBD prescribes that access to genetic resources is subject to national legislation. Accordingly, India after extensive consultative process had enacted Biological Diversity Act in 2002 for giving effect to the provisions of the CBD. However, in the near absence of user country measures, once the resource leaves the country providing the resources, there is no way to ensure compliance of ABS provisions in the country where it is used. Towards this, a protocol on access and benefit sharing has been negotiated under the aegis of CBD, and adopted by the tenth Conference of Parties (CoP-10) held in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010. India has participated actively and contributed meaningfully in the ABS negotiations which formally started about six years back. The objective of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS is fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies.

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It is expected that the ABS Protocol which is a key missing pillar of the CBD, would address the concern of misappropriation or biopiracy of its genetic resources.

Title: Joint Statement issued at the Conclusion of Sixth basic Ministerial meeting on Climate Change, New Delhi Date: 27th February, 2011

The BASIC Ministers exchanged views on the outcome of the Cancun Conference and the approach to be taken to the future work in the run-up to Durban. The Ministers appreciated the role played by Mexico as President of COP- 16 in achieving the outcome and noted several positive elements of the outcome. While agreeing that the Cancun Agreements were a step forward in the global action on climate change and provided the space to address some of the outstanding issues, the Ministers stressed that the Cancun Agreements were not a substitute for the Bali Road Map. The Bali Road Map must, therefore, continue to be the template for future work of the parties. The statement is as follows:

“The BASIC Ministers exchanged views on the outcome of the Cancun Conference and the approach to be taken to the future work in the run-up to Durban. The Ministers appreciated the role played by Mexico as President of COP- 16 in achieving the outcome and noted several positive elements of the outcome. While agreeing that the Cancun Agreements were a step forward in the global action on climate change and provided the space to address some of the outstanding issues, the Ministers stressed that the Cancun Agreements were not a substitute for the Bali Road Map. The Bali Road Map must, therefore, continue to be the template for future work of the parties.

The Ministers stressed that the final decision text should accurately reflect the agreements reached by parties on specific issues at the end of the Cancun Conference. To this end, the draft unedited version of the Cancun Agreements appearing on the UNFCCC website needs to be brought in concordance with the Presidency’s text adopted at Cancun.

Ministers discussed the provisional Agenda for the meetings of the AWG-LCA and AWG-KP at Bangkok and emphasized that the agenda should be anchored in the overall framework of the Bali Road Map. They stressed that the agenda of AWG-LCA, in particular, should follow the structure of the Bali Action Plan in order to ensure that the agenda is comprehensive and places equal importance on all issues under negotiation. The Ministers encouraged the Group of 77 and China to engage with the AWG Chairs to have the agenda revised accordingly in time before the Bangkok meeting.

The Ministers exchanged views on several key issues such as global goal and equity, 2nd Commitment Period for Annex-I parties under the Kyoto Protocol, international assessment and review including comparability and accountability of commitments of Annex-I parties, and international consultations and analysis of developing country actions.

The Ministers stressed the need to maintain a balance between the obligations of the developed countries vis-a-vis those of developing countries. They emphasized the need for clear elaboration of a process to convert their pledges into economy-wide emission reduction obligations and rules to account for both mitigation and finance by Annex-I parties, in particular for accounting and compliance to be done in balance with the work on the guidelines for international consultation and analysis. Ministers also agreed that the guidelines for MRV for developing countries should be less onerous than the rules for enhanced MRV for developed country parties.

Ministers agreed that the 2nd Commitment Period under the Kyoto Protocol is critical to achieving the global goal of ambitious emissions reduction and global peaking of emissions. The effective operationalization of the mechanisms for providing financial and technological support to developing countries was equally critical in enabling them to contribute to global efforts for addressing climate change. They also stressed that the decision on 2nd Commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol should be taken at Durban to ensure that there is no gap between the first and the second commitment periods.

The Ministers observed that issues like equity, intellectual property rights and trade, which are very important for developing countries, were not adequately addressed in the Cancun Agreements and should form part of the future

Page No. 55 work of the parties. After discussions, the Ministers decided that the experts of the four BASIC countries will exchange views on rules for accounting for Annex-I countries and also prepare a synthesis document on the issue of equitable access to sustainable development to be considered in the next BASIC meeting.

The Ministers agreed that the adaptation issues should be accorded equal priority and the financing of adaptation actions should include a mechanism for loss and damage. They noted that there was an imbalance between the modalities for deciding on adaptation related issues and the modalities for decision in other areas. They stressed that the adaptation and REDD Plus related issues should be addressed in a defined timeframe.

The Ministers discussed the issue of financial support for climate change mitigation and adaptation actions. They were of the view that the decision to convene a meeting of the Transition Committee even before many regional groups of countries have nominated their members, was premature and stressed the need to respect the rules regarding convening of meetings and ensuring accountability, transparency and inclusiveness. They urged that the Transition Committee should take guidance from and report to AWG-LCA in respect of its work. The Ministers noted that, despite the declarations at Copenhagen and Cancun, actual disbursement of funds is lacking even to SIDS, Africa and LDCs, who most needed adaptation finance. The Ministers urged that sizeable flow of funds under the Fast Start Funds should begin before discussions on the Green Climate Fund gain momentum.

The Ministers noted the success of the creation of a Technology Mechanism at Cancun and felt that the Mechanism should go beyond providing technical assistance and capacity building to enable acceleration of the development and piloting the technologies that are appropriate for the developing countries. Further actions should be taken to address the issue of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and eligibility criteria in order to enhance and accelerate the development and transfer of mitigation and adaptation technologies. It was stressed that there was a direct link between the Technology Mechanism and the Financial Mechanism.

The issues relating to HFCs were discussed. HFC gases are not ozone depleting substances but some of these have high global warming potential. The Ministers felt that the issue of phase down of HFCs with high global warming potential required in-depth examination.

In preparing for future work in 2011, the Ministers expressed their strong support and solidarity with South Africa as the incoming COP Presidency to organize meetings in the run up to COP 17. They called for South Africa to deepen Mexico’s efforts of last year to strengthen the multilateral process in an inclusive, party-driven and transparent manner.

The Ministers noted that the three key events with significant inter-linkages are taking place over the next eighteen months, namely, the UNFCCC COP 17/CMP 7 at Durban, Rio+20 Summit at Rio and CBD COP 11 at New Delhi and decided that the BASIC countries will work together in mobilizing political support for the success of these events.

The Ministers reiterated the commitment of the BASIC Countries to continue to work to strengthen the unity of the Group of 77 and China and thanked Argentina as Chair of G77 and China and the representatives of Algeria and Maldives for their presence and valuable contribution.

Ministers welcomed the offer of South Africa to host the Seventh BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change in May 2011.”

Title: Environmental Agreement at Nagoya Date: 01st December, 2010

Over 7,000 delegates representing Governments, UN agencies, and others met in Nagoya, Japan from 18-29th October, 2010 for the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). India, which is a Party to the CBD, also participated in this meeting.

The main outcomes of CoP-10 are: adoption of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefit Arising from their Utilisation; adoption of Strategic Plan for the CBD for the period 2011-2020; and activities for resource mobilisation.

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As a country rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, adoption of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), holds special significance for India. The ABS Protocol sets out rules and procedures for prior informed consent of the country providing the genetic resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefit arising from the utilization of these resources and associated traditional knowledge based on mutually agreed terms. The Protocol also has provisions for compliance, including monitoring of the use of these resources at designated check-points. The Protocol is expected to address concerns of India and other biodiversity-rich countries of misappropriation of their genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.

The ABS Protocol shall be open for signatures by Governments from 2nd February, 2011 to 1st February, 2012 at the United Nations Headquarter, 2012. Follow-up action by Governments would include signing and thereafter ratification of the Protocol.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Dr. Sanjeev Ganesh Naik in Lok Sabha.

Title: India’s Commitment to Kyoto Protocol Date: 01st December, 2010

India is fully committed to the Kyoto Protocol. The talks for further emission reduction commitments of Annex-I Parties in the Second Commitment Period (Post 2012) are undergoing since 2005. India, along with South Africa and 35 other likeminded countries had earlier submitted a proposal calling for Annex-I Parties to agree to at least 40% emission reduction commitment by 2020 as compared to their 1990 levels. India has been one of the major beneficiaries of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), a flexible mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol and would like that this mechanism to continue and be further strengthened. There has been no agreement till date and the negotiations on the targets of Annex-I Parties for the second commitment period and other relevant issues are ongoing for a possible decision at the sixteenth Conference of Parties (COP-16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and sixth Meeting of Parties (MOP-6) to the Kyoto Protocol presently being held at Cancun, Mexico.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Shri K.R.G. Reddy in Lok Sabha.

Title: Environmental Agreement at Nagoya Date: 01st December, 2010

As a country rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, adoption of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), holds special significance for India. The ABS Protocol sets out rules and procedures for prior informed consent of the country providing the genetic resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefit arising from the utilisation of these resources and associated traditional knowledge based on mutually agreed terms. The Protocol also has provisions for compliance, including monitoring of the use of these resources at designated check-points. The Protocol is expected to address concerns of India and other biodiversity-rich countries of misappropriation of their genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.

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This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Dr. Sanjeev Ganesh Naik in Lok Sabha.

Title: Centre for Biodiversity Policy and Law –Cebpol at Chennai Date: 19th November, 2010

India –Norway to Cooperate in Biodiversity

Minister of State for Environment and Forests (I/C) Shri Jairam Ramesh said, “Biodiversity is a subject of great significance to us and working with like minded people, we will be in a stronger position to preserve and protect our bio-diversity.” After signing a Letter of Intent by Mr. Jairam Ramesh, Minister of Environment & Forests, India, and Mr. Erik Solheim, the Norwegian Minister of Environment & Development here today, Shri Ramesh said, “This is significant from the point of view on global warming. We will emerge as world’s second largest coal user within 7-8 years, any technology for carbon capture and sequestration is of great importance to us. The Access and Benefit sharing protocol, finalized at Nagoya recently, demonstrates the seriousness.” The Minister added that India will establish the National Institute of Himalayan Glaciology in Dehradun and we are looking for partnership in the field of study of glaciology from Norway.”

Mr Eric Solheim, Minister of Environment and International Development, said, “ This agreement is crucial because the centre is being set up in Chennai after signing of important agreement was achieved on sharing on genetic resources was achieved in Nagoya. The core of the agreement is the company’s work for research and develop new medicines on the basis of genetic resources will have fair distribution of revenues in the world. With this arrangement we should progress scientifically.” Referring to other areas of cooperation, Mr Solheim said, “India and Norway can work for carbon capture, glaciology and at South Pole expeditions.”

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has decided to establish a Centre for Biodiversity Policy and Law (CEBPOL) in the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Chennai, which is a statutory autonomous body of the Ministry responsible for implementing the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The Government of Norway has offered to provide technical and institutional collaboration for the CEBPOL. Norway is the first developed country to have recently enacted a national legislation on ABS. India and Norway can thus learn from each other’s experiences relating to ABS and traditional knowledge. The Norwegian partners for cooperation with NBA would be the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management and Fridtj of Nansen Institute. This collaboration is an outcome of the close Indo-Norwegian dialogue under the Joint Working Group on Environment.

The objectives of CEBPOL are to develop professional expertise in the complex and still-evolving policy and legal issues relating to biodiversity, including on access and benefit sharing, inter alia through research, development and training; and to provide advice and expertise to the Government on these matters. The Centre is also expected to contribute to strengthening the implementation of the Biological Diversity Act.

The setting up of this Centre is a very timely initiative taken by the Government, considering that the recently concluded Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan, has adopted a Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing. The Protocol adopted after intense negotiations sets out rules and procedures for prior informed consent for access to genetic resources for ensuring fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from these resources and associated traditional knowledge. As a mega-diverse country, and as a victim of bio-piracy, India has played an important role in ABS negotiations.

Title: Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change Expects Positive Result on Technology Mechanism Incop16 at Cancun Date: 10th November, 2010

The Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change look forward to the discussions on technology development and transfer at the COP-16 in Cancun, Mexico and reiterated the importance of a positive result in form of an agreed decision on the Technology Mechanism, as part of a balanced package of outcomes. Briefing the media at the end of the two day conference here Shri Jairam ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests said that we will

Page No. 58 play our positive role of a‘Deal maker, not deal breaker’ as said by our Prime Minister. Shri Jairam Ramesh said, “ Technology and finance are two essential pillars of any international climate change treaty. We discussed how a technology mechanism will function. We want Cancun conference to succeed and India is prepared to play a role to get constructive outcome at Cancun.”

Ministers and representatives from 35 countries, regional groupings and UN organisations participated in New Delhi to discuss the creation and operationalisation of a Technology Mechanism under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCC]. A statement issued at the conclusion of this meeting states that Ministers and representatives recalled the central role of technology development and transfer in addressing climate change, and the importance accorded to this issue in the Convention. They also recalled the mandate provided in the Bali Action Plan towards developing, “effective mechanisms and enhanced means for the removal of obstacles to, and provision of financial and other incentives for, scaling up the development and transfer of technology to developing country parties”, as well as to “accelerate deployment, diffusion and transfer of affordable environmental technologies”, and promote cooperation on research and development of current, new and innovative technologies”, while keeping in consideration the “effectiveness of mechanisms and tools for technology cooperation in specific sectors”.

The participants took note of the ongoing discussions in the Adhoc Working Group on the Long-term Cooperative Agreement [AWG–LCA], and noted that there was considerable convergence amongst Parties, and that there was substantial agreement that the early operationalisation of a technology mechanism is important. It was felt that Parties should aim for this to be a key deliverable at COP-16 in Cancun as part of a comprehensive and balanced package. The participants focused their discussion on three critical elements of the technology mechanism, namely: (a) Structure and governance; (b) Work programme and priority in activities; and (c) Financing of activities supported by or under the Technology Mechanism.

There was a general view that the mechanism should address both adaptation and mitigation. It was felt that the technology mechanism should promote international cooperation both for dissemination and deployment of currently available technologies as well as the development of newly emerging technologies, particularly those that address the adaptation and mitigation needs of developing countries. Some participants expressed a strong view that the transfer and sharing of technologies had to be a key objective of the Mechanism, and that the mechanism should work to facilitate rapid diffusion of technologies in a cost-effective and affordable manner.

Some participants felt that the initial focus should be on technologies that are or could be in the public domain. The technologies for adaptation which are in the public domain could be one of the key activities undertaken by the technology mechanism in the early phase. The Technology Mechanism would also need to catalyze private-sector activities to meet the technology needs of developing countries to address climate change.

The participants agreed that the Technology Mechanism would consist of a Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and Climate Technology Centres and Networks (CTCN). There was general agreement that the TEC would be the main body providing advice on technology issues to the COP, and that the CTCN would be the operational arm of the Mechanism. Participants expressed a strong preference for a relatively small efficient TEC, with professionals and experts as members, and with balanced representation. They alsofelt that the CTCN should focus on strengthening appropriate organisations and national capacities across the world to provide a range of country- driven services. These could include inter alia (a) support for the identification of technology needs and priorities, and preparation of projects and programmes; (b) facilitation of technology innovation to fulfill needs and priorities identified that are unable to be met by existing technologies; and (c) enabling human and institutional capacity- building for technology utilisation, support and outreach. Participants stressed that the intellectual property issue is an important issue that needs to be resolved. They believe that the technology mechanism should address the needs for technology at various levels: local, national, regional, and global.

The participants stressed the need to draw upon the successful examples of government-supported/funded initiatives (e.g., CGIAR) which have resulted in positive technological impacts. They emphasized the important role of finance in enabling the technology mechanism to achieve its objectives successfully. In this context, participants recalled the commitment of the Parties to generate resources of USD 100 billion per annum by 2020. In the discussion on the relationship between the Technology Mechanism and the Financial Mechanism, many participants felt that the COP

Page No. 59 should provide guidance to the Financial Mechanism for the provision of financial support to activities relating to technology development, transfer and its deployment.

This conference was jointly organized by the Governmentb of India, the Government of Mexico, with active papartnership of the United nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Mr Juan Elvira Quesado, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources informed about discussions took place during last two days Vice Chairman (Minister),National Development Reform Commission, China and Under- Secretary General, UN Department of Social and Economic Affairs, Mr Sha Zukang appreciated Indian leadership and expressed hope that the complex issue of climate change will have some solution.

Shri Jairam ramesh announced that India will host CoP11 of UN convention on Biodiversity in 2012 at New Delhi. In March 2011, India will hold the Ministerial dialogue in collaboration with UN on Sustainable development as part of preparation for coming Reo conference.

Title: Vision for India –Japan Strategic and Global Partnership in the Next Decade Date: 25th October, 2010

1. The Prime Minister of India, H.E. Dr. Manmohan Singh, is currently paying an Official Working Visit to Japan for the Annual Summit of the Prime Ministers on 24-26 October 2010 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Japan, H. E. Mr. Naoto Kan. The two Prime Ministers held extensive talks on bilateral, regional and global issues of shared interest on 25 October 2010.

2. The two Prime Ministers reiterated the fundamental identity of values, interests and priorities between Japan and India. They reaffirmed the political commitment in both countries cutting across party lines and popular desire for upgrading bilateral relations, and valued their cooperation for sustained peace and prosperity in a changing and dynamic Asia and the world. In this context, they expressed their common desire to further consolidate, enhance and expand the Strategic and Global Partnership between them through the second decade of the 21st Century.

3. The two Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction at the steady growth of political exchanges, dialogue and policy coordination at all levels. They positively evaluated Ministerial-level annual dialogues and exchanges between Foreign Minister, Defense Minister and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and External Affairs Minister, Defense Minister, Commerce and Industry Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India and noted that all these exchanges were successfully accomplished in 2010. They also supported the establishment of a Ministerial Level Economic Dialogue between India and Japan to give strategic and long-term policy orientation to their bilateral economic engagement, taking into account the regional and global context and to coordinate economic issues of cross-cutting nature, including infrastructure development and financing. They welcomed the launch of the ‘2 plus 2’ dialogue at Subcabinet / Senior Official level and the launch of a dialogue on Africa at the official level in 2010 as a reflection of wider policy consultation and coordination on foreign policy and security issues.

4. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the successful conclusion of negotiations on a balanced and mutually beneficial India - Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). They directed their relevant authorities to work towards early entry into force of CEPA and its smooth implementation. They expressed optimism that India-Japan CEPA will deepen their economic engagement, in terms of trade in goods and services, investment and cooperation and contribute to mutual prosperity. They hailed CEPA between these two leading economies of Asia as an important step for regional integration. They noted with satisfaction the recent growth in Japanese foreign direct investment (FDI) into India and hoped that CEPA and the Memorandum on Simplifying Visa Procedures, the latter signed today, will further facilitate the presence of Japanese businesspersons in India.

5. The two Prime Ministers underlined the vital importance of economic cooperation, including Japan’s Official Development Assistance to India and Special Economic Partnership Initiatives, in strengthening India-Japan partnership. Prime Minister Singh expressed his appreciation to the Government and the people of Japan for Japan’s generous role in India's development. The two Prime Ministers aimed for early completion of both phases of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor in India in a parallel manner with Japan’s financial and technical assistance, and noted with satisfaction the progress on the Phase II of the Corridor with the signing of the Exchange of Notes for the

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Engineering Services for Phase II in July 2010. They expressed their desire to accelerate progress on the Delhi- Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). Prime Minister Kan expressed his intention to enhance Japan’s involvement to DMICDC (Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation) through the efforts of related organizations such as JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) and AOTS (Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship). The two Prime Ministers positively appraised the efforts from both sides to develop the Corridor in an eco-friendly manner as “Smart Communities” and welcomed the progress of cooperation in the field of urban development. They took note of the potential of the DMIC project to enhance physical connectivity across Asia. They encouraged greater investment from Japan into India including in the infrastructure sector over the next decade to realize this vision, and asked their respective sides to engage in dialogues on public-private partnership on DMIC. Prime Minister Singh appreciated Japan’s decision on the extension of the period of technical cooperation programme, Visionary Leaders for Manufacturing (VLFM) Programme. The two Prime Ministers hoped that this programme will contribute to the development of manufacturing sector in India.

6. The two Prime Ministers welcomed India-Japan cooperation in development of new and renewable energy, and clean coal technology and enhancing energy efficiency in India’s power sector and encouraged the India-Japan Ministerial Level Energy Dialogue to facilitate pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation in other related areas to further strengthen energy security. In this context, they also welcomed the establishment of a Nuclear Energy Working Group under the Energy Dialogue in April 2010 to exchange views and information on their respective nuclear energy policies from the energy, economic and industrial perspectives. They further welcomed the exchange of information between the nuclear energy industries of the two countries including through business missions. The two Prime Ministers recognized the importance of promoting cooperation between the two countries’ industries in expanding bilateral energy cooperation on a commercial basis, including through the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Recognizing the importance of rare earths and rare metals for future industries, the two Prime Ministers decided to explore the possibility of bilateral cooperation in development, re-cycling and re-use of rare earths and rare metals and in research and development of their industrial substitutes.

7. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the commencement of negotiations between India and Japan on an Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy in June 2010. They affirmed that cooperation in this sector will open up new opportunities for further developing the India-Japan Strategic and Global Partnership. They encouraged their negotiators to arrive at a mutually satisfactory agreement for civil nuclear cooperation at an early date.

8. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the progress made in 2010 on facilitation of trade in high technology between the two countries. They asked the relevant authorities to maintain dialogue on high technology trade including respective export control systems and realize its full potential keeping in mind the strategic partnership between the two countries.

9. The two Prime Ministers decided to steadily expand security and defense cooperation between India and Japan. They aimed to cooperate to enhance their capacity in responding to security challenges such as maritime security which entails safety and freedom of navigation and counter-piracy, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and response, inter alia, through bilateral and multilateral exercises, information sharing, training and dialogue. In this context, they welcomed the launch of India-Japan Shipping Policy Forum and mutual exchange of schedules of escort operations by the Indian Navy and Japan Self-Defense Forces in the Gulf of Aden. They instructed relevant authorities to realize the full potential of the Action Plan to advance Security Cooperation signed in 2009, based on the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation between India and Japan.

10. The two Prime Ministers condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purpose. Prime Minister Kan condemned terrorist attacks in and against India, such as the bomb blast in Pune on 13 February 2010 and in Kabul on 26 February 2010, in which Indians as well as other nationals were targeted. They decided to enhance greater cooperation in combating terrorism through information- sharing and counter-terrorism training as well as utilizing the India-Japan Joint Working Group on Counter- Terrorism. They recognized the urgent need to finalize and adopt the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the United Nations and called upon all States to cooperate in resolving the outstanding issues expeditiously. Japan welcomed India’s membership of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and India appreciated Japan’s support towards this.

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11. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the progress made in Science and Technology cooperation, including the India-Japan Cooperative Science Programme. In order to realize full potential of cooperation in this field, they encouraged their respective authorities to promote the cooperative research in the strategic and high technology areas such as Green Innovation and Life Innovation. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the establishment and the holding of “Committee on India-Japan ICT (Information and Communication Technology) strategy for economic growth” and “India-Japan ICT regulatory policy talk”. They shared the view that they will further enhance business tie-ups, R&D collaborative activities and policy cooperation in the field of information and communication technology through close bilateral cooperation.

12. The two Prime Ministers recognized the importance of strengthening cultural, academic and people-to-people exchanges between India and Japan to reflect their strategic partnership and popular goodwill. They hoped that the signing of the Memorandum on Simplifying Visa Procedures will further facilitate the movement of people between India and Japan. Prime Minister Kan appreciated India’s provision of the Visa on Arrival facility for Japanese tourists in India on experimental basis for 2010. They reiterated their commitment to collaborating in the development of the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IITH) through various contributions from Japan including through Official Development Assistance and encouraged the relevant authorities to work towards early creation of physical infrastructure for IITH. They welcomed the on-going exchanges between IITH and Japanese academia and industry, including the visits of the students and young professors of IITH to Japan within the framework of Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) programme and the kick- off of Information Network for Natural Disaster Mitigation and Recovery under Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS). They also welcomed the fact that the collaboration for the development of the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing Jabalpur is enhanced with the cooperation of Japanese universities and companies.

13. The two Prime Ministers decided to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan in 2012 in a befitting manner. They directed their officials to bring out a calendar of exchanges and events, aimed at bringing the two nations closer, to mark this important anniversary.

14. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their support for the East Asia Summit (EAS) as an open, inclusive, transparent and outward-looking forum, striving to strengthen global norms and universally recognized values and promoting peace, stability and prosperity across East Asia, of which India and Japan are key members. In this context, they welcomed the recent decision of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers to invite the United States and the Russian Federation to join as members of the EAS. They also supported existing achievements such as Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA) and its three-pillar approach for regional cooperation. They welcomed Japan’s Concept Paper “Initial Steps towards Regional Economic Integration in East Asia: A Gradual Approach”. They also welcomed ERIA’s “Comprehensive Asian Development Plan”, and recognized the importance of hard infrastructure and industrial policy in the Mekong-India Corridor Study, whose implementation could be further discussed between relevant authorities and entities. They discussed ways for enhancing greater economic integration and connectivity between India and the East Asian region. They encouraged their officials to examine studies undertaken by ERIA and other think-tanks in the East Asia region relating to transport and industrial development corridors in the peninsular region of India. Prime Minister Singh noted with appreciation Japan’s initiative for an East Asian Community, in which India is expected to play an important role. Prime Minister Kan welcomed India’s initiative to revive Nalanda University and expressed Japan’s continued support to this initiative which will strengthen the cultural and civilization bonds between the countries in Asia.

15. The two Prime Ministers expressed their commitment to assisting Afghanistan to become a stable, democratic and pluralistic nation free of terrorism and extremism. They emphasized the importance of a coherent and united international commitment to Afghan-led initiatives. Prime Minister Kan expressed that such a commitment encompasses security assistance, including assistance towards Afghan National Police, reintegration of insurgents, and development. Prime Minister Singh emphasized the importance of strengthening and adequate training of the Afghan National Security Forces so that they can defend the sovereignty and independence of Afghanistan. They concurred that the process of reintegration should not deviate from the principles expressed in the Kabul Conference. The two Prime Ministers pledged to explore opportunities for consultation and coordination on their respective civilian assistance projects, including those projects implemented in the neighboring countries, that advance Afghan leadership and ownership and build civilian capacity.

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16. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Kan stressed the importance of bringing into force the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) at an early date. Prime Minister Singh reiterated India’s commitment to a unilateral and voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive testing. They supported the strengthening of international cooperation with a view to addressing the challenges of nuclear terrorism and clandestine proliferation and expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the Nuclear Security Summit of April 2010, including the establishment by Japan of the Integrated Comprehensive Support Center for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Security to be established in Japan and the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership to be established by India. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to working together for immediate commencement and an early conclusion of negotiations on a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) in the Conference on Disarmament. They further reiterated that nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation are mutually reinforcing processes. They also underscored the importance of peaceful uses of nuclear energy and of further strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation efforts. They decided that both countries will enhance cooperation in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation through close dialogues, including at regularly held bilateral nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation meetings as well as at the Conference on Disarmament.

17. The two Prime Ministers reiterated the importance of a positive result for the current climate change negotiations at the forthcoming conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Mexico, and reaffirmed their determination to work together towards this conference. They stressed that the outcome should be reached in an inclusive and transparent manner and should effectively address the challenge of climate change in accordance with the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC. They decided that the Copenhagen Accord should contribute positively to such an outcome. The two Prime Ministers also reaffirmed the importance of strengthening bilateral discussions on climate change on various occasions, including a possible establishment of a framework of comprehensive bilateral cooperation.

18. Prime Minister Singh congratulated Japan for hosting the 10th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP) on Biodiversity in Nagoya on 18th-29th October 2010 and wished it a successful outcome, including the adoption of the Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing. As prospective host of the next meeting of COP on Biodiversity in 2012, India looks forward to a close working relationship with Japan during its Presidency and beyond Nagoya.

19. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their resolve to realize a comprehensive reform of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, especially its expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories which has commanded the maximum support from UN member states in the text-based intergovernmental negotiations in the UN General Assembly They shared their view that both countries would participate actively in these negotiations and decided to accelerate their efforts, bilaterally as well as in close cooperation with the G4 and other like-minded countries, to achieve a meaningful result during the current session of the General Assembly , so as to make the Security Council more representative, legitimate, effective, and responsive to the realities of the international community in the 21st century.

20. The two Prime Ministers recognized that a positive outcome of the WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA) of trade talks will be instrumental in economic recovery. They reaffirmed that a prompt, ambitious and balanced, as well as successful conclusion of the DDA would bolster the credibility of the multilateral trading system. They appreciated the momentum to rejuvenate the DDA negotiations and resolved to work together towards bridging the remaining negotiating gaps.

21. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the role of the G-20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation and reiterated their commitment to work together and with other partners to pursue urgent and effective implementation of G-20 Summit decisions. They reaffirmed the importance of their cooperation for the Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth. They expressed their commitment to reform financial sector so as to prevent recurrence of financial crisis. They expressed support for the reform of the international financial institutions (IFIs) including IMF within the internationally recognized time frame to enhance their legitimacy, credibility and effectiveness. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to eschewing protectionism in all its forms covering trade in goods and services as well as investment and financial flows.

22. Prime Minister Singh expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome and hospitality of Prime Minister Kan. Prime Minister Singh extended an invitation to Prime Minister Kan for the next Annual Bilateral Summit in India in

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2011 at a mutually convenient date to be decided through diplomatic channels. Prime Minister Kan accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Title: Shri Shinde Emphasizes India’s Commitment to Shift to More Sustainable Energy Systems Date: 20th September, 2010

Union Minister of Power, Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde has emphasized India’s commitment to responsible growth and transition to a more sustainable energy regime. He was addressing the ‘Ministerial Round Table: Transition Timeline to a New Energy World’ at Montreal, Canada on 16th September, 2010. Shri Shinde highlighted that Indian Government has taken many proactive measures to make the power sector investor friendly, reforms have been implemented, regulators are in place and our power sector is growing in a competitive environment where we have kept all the options open with a focus on sustainability – sustainability of energy sector.

The World Energy Council (WEC) meeting was attended by ministers of Algeria,Cameron, Haiti, India and Canada. Shri Shinde in his speech said that these conferences are good forum to understand the difficulties and potential of each other. He said that before defining the rules and policies we must understand the socio economic problems and developmental priorities of underdeveloped, developing and developed countries. They all have their own peculiar problems. This WEC meeting is on the backdrop of copenhegen. Addressing the gathering Shri Shinde said that this Congress is taking place at a time when the world grapples with two apparently opposing priorities – one to provide more and more energy to half the world’s population and the other to reduce Green House Gas emissions to the largest extent possible. We all need to work together to address these priorities and to move to a new energy trajectory. At the COP-15 meet in Copenhagen, the mandate was to enhance long term cooperation on climate change under the Bali Action Plan in accordance with the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. India, through its actions, has demonstrated commitment to these responsibilities. He briefed the audience about the policies of govt of India.

Prior to the conference Shri Shinde met Mr Peter Van Loan, the internationat trade minister of Canada. Both the dignitaries discussed the issues pertaining to Indo-Canadian relationship. While Shri Shinde expressed his happiness over the revival and new pace in bilateral relationship Mr Loan also said that both the countries have long history of good relations though there was a rough patch in- between, now we have started afresh. Shri Shinde informed Mr Loan about power sector developments and policies of Govt of India. He stressed that Indian investment in Canada is growing rapidly but Canadian investment is yet to pick up pace thus Mr. Loan need to push in this direction. The meeting ended with assurances of increased cooperation between both the countries.

Title: Joint Statement issued at the conclusion of the Fourth Meeting of Ministers of the BASIC Group at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Date: 27th July, 2010

A fast-start finance will be the key for an effective result in the climate change negotiations in Cancún. In a joint statement issued at the conclusion of the fourth meeting of BASIC country Ministers on climate change which was organized in Rio de Janeiro on the 25th and 26th of this month they expressed their concern with the lack of operational guidelines for the provision of such resources and the need for such financing to effectively be new and additional, as well as provided as grants on a concessional basis, respecting the definitions of the UNFCCC and the understandings achieved in Copenhagen. Ministers also stressed the need for detailed and comprehensive information on fast start financing flows provided by developed countries, to be made available officially. They also indicated the need for fast start financing to cover, in a balanced way, all the pillars of the Bali Action Plan, including adaptation and technology development and transfer.

Ministers reiterated the importance of the two pronged approach, which envisages, on one hand, an ambitious and comprehensive outcome for the negotiations under both the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-Term Cooperative Action under the UNFCCC and the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments by Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol, and, on the other hand, considers the elements for an equitable and balanced outcome in Cancun, covering, for example, different initiatives which could be supported by fast-start finance.

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Ministers agreed that fast-start finance will be the key for an effective result in the climate change negotiations in Cancún. Ministers reaffirmed their support for the G77 and China proposal regarding the financial mechanism of the UNFCCC and expressed their appreciation for the convergence within the negotiations on the creation of a new fund to fight climate change. They were of the view that public financing should play the major role as a predictable source of financing. In this sense, they stressed the importance that the work of the UN Secretary-General’s High- level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing fulfill the expectations of developing countries and be in accordance with the principles of the UNFCCC.

Ministers highlighted the importance of achieving a balanced outcome in Cancún. They noted the distinction between MRV of emission reduction commitments by developed countries, which is related to compliance and comparability, and MRV of nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) by developing countries, which are related to transparency. Ministers emphasized that work on the MRV of international support must advance urgently, including through the development of common procedures for the reporting of finance. They underscored that only supported NAMAs should be subject to international MRV, in conjunction with the MRV of international support, while non-supported NAMAs will apply a domestic MRV. International consultations and analysis of information regarding non-supported actions would be useful to enhance transparency, through a multilateral technical exchange under the UNFCCC.

Ministers also underscored their support for the aspirational objective of keeping global temperature increase below 2oC with regard to pre-industrial levels, bearing in mind that social and economic development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities of developing countries. A global goal for emission reductions should be preceded by the definition of a paradigm for equitable burden sharing. They emphasized that equitable access to carbon space must be considered in the context of sustainable development, the right to which is at the heart of the climate change regime, and which demands the implementation of ambitious financing, technological support and capacity building.

Following the guidance defined by Ministers at their Cape Town meeting, experts from BASIC countries met and exchanged views on issues of equity. Ministers welcomed the results of these consultations. They underlined the need for further collaboration among BASIC experts on this issue, with a view to understanding the economic, social, scientific and technical implications of equitable access to carbon space and strengthening a common consideration of this matter. Ministers emphasized the issue of equitable access to carbon space as a central element in the building of a balanced and comprehensive outcome for the climate change negotiations.

Ministers emphasized the importance of the unity of the Group of 77 and China and its role in multilateral negotiations, including in the construction and strengthening of the climate change regime. They also highlighted the role of BASIC as part of the Group of 77 and China and the importance that the BASIC countries maintain their full participation in the discussions and activities of the Group. In thanking the representative of Venezuela for her presence and meaningful contribution, they decided to continue the “BASIC-plus” approach in order to foster transparency and benefit from a variety of views on climate change issues. They also agreed to broaden consultations with other groups of countries, with a view to actively contribute to a successful and ambitious outcome in Cancún and beyond.

Ambassador Mr Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Acting Minister of External Relations of Brazil, Ms Izabella Teixeira, Minister for Environment of Brazil, Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Environment and Forests of India, and Ms Buyelwa Sonjica, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs of South Africa attended the meeting. In line with the “BASIC-plus” approach, additional participants were invited. The Special Envoy of Venezuela for Climate Change, Claudia Salerno Caldera, attended as an observer. Other invited countries were not able to attend.

Ministers welcomed the offer of China to host the Fifth Meeting of Ministers of the BASIC Group on the 10th and 11th of October and commented on the strategic nature of the meeting as preparation for the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP-16) and the Sixth Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP-6). A meeting of experts would be held alongside this Ministerial meeting, in order to take forward the discussions on equitable access to carbon space and also address issues related to trade policy and climate change.

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Title: MRV and Equity Critical Issues in Climate Change Discussion Date: 30th June, 2010

Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests said the MRV on finance assumes urgent importance in Climate Change negotiations. Making a statement at the 7th Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate in Rome, Italy today, he reiterated the main points he made earlier on operationalising on Para 4 and 5 of the Copenhagen Accord relating to MRV ((Measurement, Reporting and Verification). These were found useful by MEF participants.

The Minister aid, “Para 4 of the Accord enjoins the COP to develop appropriate guidelines for MRV of actions of developed country Parties. This is important to recall and stress since the entire focus in the MRV debate over the past year has been on developing country mitigation actions. It is also important that such an MRV regime includes not only MRV of emission reduction commitments but also MRV of the targets, timeframes and regimes related to the transfer of finance and technology to developing countries. The MRV on finance assumes urgent importance for all of us need to know very clearly how much of the additional $ 30 billion pledged by the developed countries during 2010, 2o11 and 2012 has materialised so far, how precisely are disbursements to take place, what the mix between bilateral and multilateral assistance is and to which countries and for what purposes are the funds going to flow. The one area where there is some clarity is REDD+ where $4.5 billion has been pledged.”

He further told, “Referring to four crucial action points are embedded in Para 5 of the Accord which are Mitigation actions of non-Annex I Parties to be communicated to UNFCCC Secretariat through NATCOM consistent with Article 12.1(b), every two years, on the basis of guidelines to be adopted by COP, Mitigation actions taken by Non- Annex I Parties will be subject to their domestic measurement, reporting and verification (DMRV), the result of which will be reported through their NATCOMs every two years and Non-Annex I Parties will communicate information on the implementation of their actions Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions of Developing Countries (NAMAs) through be recorded in a registry along with relevant technology, finance and capacity building support. They will be subject to international measurement, reporting and verification in accordance with guidelines adopted by COP.”

Shri Jairam made suggestions to put these four action points into practice. Elaborating these suggestions he informed, “International consultations and analysis as envisaged in action point # 3. Above must be based on country implementation reports (derived from the respective NATCOM) prepared by the individual countries themselves so as to fulfil the “respect for national sovereignty” promise contained within action point # 3 itself. A chapter/issue format for such reports can be agreed to by the COP.”

Giving details of second suggestion he said, “ The frequency of international consultations and analysis can be somewhat akin to the graded system adopted by the WTO for its trade policy reviews—some countries get reviewed once every two years, some others once every four years and most others once every six years or more depending on share of world trade.

There has to be a multilateral anchor for the international consultations and analysis process. The Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI) of the UNFCCC should consider, sooner rather than later, how this process should be set in motion. SBI functions under the Convention to perform this kind of work and has fairly well laid out procedures in respect of reports of both Annex I and Non Annex I countries. We should allow SBI to get on with this task and fulfill the expectations resulting from our current state of negotiations.”

“It bears repetition that the regime for MRV for Non-Annex I countries cannot be more onerous than that for the Annex I countries either in form or content or the consideration of their actions. Non-Annex I countries should have a regime that is subject to consideration in terms of Article 10. 2 (a) of the UNFCCC,” the Minister said.

Emphasizing the issue of MRV he explained that it cannot be seen in the absence of another critical issue in the climate change discussions – the issue of equity. Without a working paradigm of equitable access to carbon space, what exactly will be the role and nature of MRV is far from clear and cannot be agreed. The issue of equity, equitable access to the carbon space / equitable burden sharing, should be back into the mainstream, he added. He further said that MRV must include a determination of an allocative principle and an equitable allocation of carbon space. This is particularly relevant in the context of the adequacy of actions of developed countries. Referring to the

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June 10, 2010 text of the AWG-LCA text, that was rejected by most Parties regarding to meet objective of deep cuts in global emissions, the minister put forward two observations.

He clarified that it has no reference to the foundational principle of CBDR and respective capabilities, which is enshrined in UNFCCC and it omits the need for a paradigm for equitable access to precede any agreement. The Minister said this is unacceptable. Any discussion on a global goal – whether for limiting temperature increase or emissions reduction – is incomplete, meaningless and impossible in the absence of such a paradigm. There is no substitute for the equitable access paradigm. Unilateral pledges, for example, do not and cannot substitute for this paradigm.

Shri Jairam said, “Equitable access has been an integral part of previous texts in the AWG-LCA, for example in the LCA Chair’s text in Copenhagen that was adopted in Copenhagen and was also in the present Chair’s May 2010 text. The previous text said in two places: (1) that a goal for emissions reduction as part of the shared vision must include “taking into account historical responsibilities and an equitable share in the atmospheric space” and (2) that Parties recognize the broad scientific view that the temperature increase should not exceed 2 or 1.5 or 1 degree, “preceded by a paradigm for equal access to global atmospheric resources. I therefore strongly propose that all of us agree to restore these texts in the relevant two places and send the message to our negotiators. Moreover, it is vital that these principles be operationalised so that the equity paradigm in sharing atmospheric space is spelt out in practical terms. Carbon space is development space and therefore we must agree on an appropriate methodology to determine carbon space that has been used up and that can be used in future, the rights and allocations for this space between developed and developing countries, including the implications for finance and technology transfers to developing countries.”

Talking about poor countries he explained that a country with low per capita income, with little infrastructure, few climate-friendly technologies and little organisational capacity requires a higher per capita emissions entitlement compared to a developed country with well developed infrastructure, technology and capacity. Thus the carbon space concept also means that poorer countries need more carbon space in order to achieve the same level of per capita income than richer countries. The carbon budgets approach, made explicit by think tanks in Germany, UK, Brazil, China, India and other countries as well as the South Centre, Geneva, provides a useful basis for conceptualizing and operationalising equity, and must be brought to the mainstream of our discussions and negotiations.

Informing about an international conference on “Global Carbon Budgets and Equity in Climate Change” that India hosted in Mumbai two days back, proposals on equity and carbon budgets were discussed in great detail. He expressed the hope that the BASIC Group which is meeting in Rio de Janeiro in late-July will have a technical workshop on equity related issues. This is time to bring these concrete proposals from the margins into the core of our negotiations and to the other members in the UNFCCC. The Minister said that India would be delighted to host a meeting before Cancun to enable this discussion.

Title: Copenhagen Accord and Kyoto Protocol Date: 19th April, 2010

Copenhagen Accord, dealing with some of the climate change related issues under multilateral negotiation, was a result of discussions held by the President of Fifteenth Conference of Parties (CoP-15) with a select group of countries at Copenhagen. The Accord was not adopted but only ‘noted’ by the CoP-15. India holds the view that the Accord is a political document and not legally binding. The Accord is meant to facilitate the negotiations under the twin tracks of Adhoc Working Group on Long Term Cooperative Action (AWGLCA) and Adhoc Working Group on Kyoto Protocol (AWGKP). Accord would have value if the areas of convergence reflected in the Accord are used to help the Parties reach agreed outcomes in the multilateral negotiations in the two tracks.

Adoption of binding emissions reduction targets by industrialsed countries for the second commitment period under Kyoto Protocol is an essential outcome of the negotiations. Continuance of talks in the twin tracks is aimed at ensuring that these targets for Parties to Kyoto Protocol are inscribed under Kyoto Protocol while the aggregate emissions reduction target for industrialized countries and the Parties that are not Parties to Kyoto Protocol are determined through an appropriate decision of the Parties under the Bali Action Plan.

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This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Shri Rahul Bajaj and Shri Rajkumar Dhoot in Rajya Sabha.

Title: Suo Moto Statement in Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Environment and Forests (I/C) on some of the issues relating to the Copenhagen Accord in the light of recent developments Date: 9th March, 2010

Lok Sabha

Following is the uncorrected text of a Suo Moto Statement made by Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State fro Environment and Forests (Independent Charge) in Lok Sabha today: -

“Madam Speaker,

I rise to make a Suo Moto statement on some of the issues relating to the Copenhagen Accord in the light of recent developments.

I had last made a statement on the subject on Thursday, December 3, 2009. Following this, the 15th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC took place at Copenhagen, Denmark. On return from Copenhagen, I made a statement in the Rajya Sabha on December 22, 2009 when I briefed the Hon’ble members about the Conference outcomes. I had also highlighted the role played by the BASIC Group of countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China – in the negotiations relating to the Copenhagen Accord. The Accord itself was negotiated by 29 countries and was taken note of by the CoP on December 19, 2009.

On 23-24 January, 2010, the Environment Ministers of the BASIC Group of countries met in New Delhi to review the Copenhagen Conference and subsequent developments. The Ministers agreed to communicate, for information of the UNFCCC Secretariat, the voluntary mitigation actions of its member countries. India did so on January 30th 2010 and communicated that India will endeavour to reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 20-25% by 2020 in comparison to the 2005 level. While doing so, we have clarified that the proposed domestic actions are voluntary in nature and will not have a legally binding character. Further, these actions will be implemented in accordance with the provisions of the relevant national legislations and policies as well as the principles and relevant provisions of the UNFCCC.

On February 3rd, 2010, India received a letter from the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC asking whether India wishes to be listed in the Chapeau of the Copenhagen Accord. Listing in Chapeau of the Accord implies that we participated in the negotiations on Copenhagen Accord and that we stand by the Accord. After careful consideration, India has agreed to such a listing. From the BASIC Group, Brazil and South Africa have already communicated their association. Simultaneously, the two countries have elaborated the circumstances under which they have associated themselves with the Accord. China has expressed support to Accord in their communication addressed to UN Secretary General. Many other countries from G77 & China Group have also associated themselves with the Accord.

Madam Speaker,

I am making the statement to inform the House that India has communicated its decision to the UNFCCC Secretariat with three conditions. First, the Accord is a political document and is not legally binding. It is not a template for outcomes. Second, the Copenhagen Accord is not a separate, third track of negotiations outside the UNFCCC. Third, the purpose of the Copenhagen Accord is to bring about a consensus in the existing and on-going, two-track multilateral negotiations process under the UNFCCC. The Accord could have value if the areas of convergence reflected in the Accord are used to help the Parties reach agreed outcomes under the UN multilateral negotiations in the two tracks. We believe that our decision to be listed reflects the role India played in giving shape to the Copenhagen Accord. This will strengthen our negotiating position on climate change.

Madam Speaker, my sincere endeavour has been to keep this House fully informed at every stage about India’s stance on climate change negotiations. This reflects the Government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.”

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Title: Negotiations on Climate Change Date: 03rd March, 2010

Lok Sabha The BASIC group of countries consisting of Brazil, South Africa, India and China met in Delhi on 24 January 2010. Following the discussions held in the meeting, Ministers called upon the Conference of Parties (COP) President, Denmark to convene meetings of the two Ad hoc Working Groups (AWGs) of Long Term Cooperative Action (LCA) and Kyoto Protocol (KP) in March 2010 and to ensure that AWGs meet at least 5 times before the 16th Conference of Parties scheduled in Mexico.

The Bureau of the COP under the Danish Presidency has decided to hold the next round of formal talks on Climate Change in Bonn from 9-11 April 2010. Both the Adhoc Working Groups will be meeting during this period. This will be in addition to the planned climate change meetings in June and December 2010 at Germany and Mexico respectively.

The Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh gave this information in a written reply to a question by Shri. Gajanan D.Barbar and Anandrao Adsul in Lok Sabha.

Title: No outcome at Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change Date: 24th February, 2010

Lok Sabha The Copenhagen Accord was not adopted by the Parties, the question of its ratification by Parties does not arise. However, in response to Copenhagen Accord, various countries including India have communicated their quantified emissions targets or domestic mitigation actions as appropriate to UNFCCC Secretariat. India has communicated that its proposed domestic actions are voluntary in nature and will not have a legally binding character. Further these actions will be implemented under the proviso of Art. 4.7 of the UNFCCC.

The negotiations at Copenhagen Climate Change Conference could not reach an outcome, as mandated by the Bali Action Plan, in December 2007. At Copenhagen, it was decided that negotiations under the Adhoc Working Group on Long Term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) and Adhoc Working Group on Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) would continue for another year and reach a conclusion at the 16th Conference of Parties in December 2010. However at Copenhagen, few Parties including India participated in an informal discussion at the initiative of COP President that produced a text called ‘Copenhagen Accord’. The Accord could not be adopted by Parties and was only ‘noted’ by them.

India’s stand adopted during Copenhagen Conference is consistent with the principles and provisions of the Bali Action Plan. India has agreed that the mitigation actions of developing countries will be voluntary in nature and will not be result of a legally binding agreement.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Shri. Gurudas Dasgupta, Sharad Yadav, Mangani Lal Mandal, P.Lingam, Ganesh Singh and K.J.S.P. Reddy in Lok Sabha.

Title: Second meeting of Ministers of BASIC Group met today Date: 24th January, 2010

The second meeting of Ministers of the four BASIC Group countries took place in New Delhi today. The Ministers who participated in the meeting were Mr Xie Zhenhua, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reforms Commission from China, Mr Carlos Minc, Minister for Environment from Brazil, Ms Buyelwa Sonjica, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs from South Africa and Sh Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Environment and Forests. A joint statement was issued at the conclusion of this meeting of ministers of BASIC Group.

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The Ministers recalled that the BASIC Countries functioning as a cohesive group, had made important and constructive contributions at the recently concluded COP-15 in Copenhagen. They re-emphasised their commitment to working together with all other countries to ensure an agreed outcome at COP-16 in Mexico later this year.

The Ministers underscored the centrality of the UNFCCC process and the decision of the Parties to carry forward the negotiations on the two tracks of Ad hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) under the Convention and the Ad hoc Working Group on further emission reduction commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) in 2010 leading up to COP-16 and COP/MOP6 at Mexico. The Ministers reiterated that all negotiations must be conducted in an inclusive and transparent manner.

The Ministers called upon the COP President (Denmark) to convene meetings of the two negotiating groups — (AWG-LCA and the AWG-KP) – in March 2010 and to ensure that the AWGs meet at least 5 times before the Mexico Conference. They emphasised that funding, logistics and other procedural issues should not be allowed to become a constraint in the convening of these meetings which are essential to make progress towards an agreed outcome at COP-16.

While underscoring their support to the Copenhagen Accord which is in the nature of a political agreement, the Ministers recalled the important contribution of the BASIC countries in its finalisation. They underlined the importance of the Accord as representing a high level political understanding among the participants on some of the contentious issues of the climate change negotiations. They expressed the hope that this would facilitate the two- track process of negotiation under the Bali Roadmap to lead to a successful conclusion of ongoing negotiations in Mexico.

The members of the BASIC Group have already announced a series of voluntary mitigation actions for 2020. The Ministers expressed their intention to communicate information on their voluntary mitigation actions to the UNFCCC by January 31, 2010.

The Ministers called for the early flow of the pledged $10 bn in 2010 with focus on the least developed countries, small island developing states and countries of Africa, as proof of their commitment to urgently address the global challenge of climate change. In this context, the Ministers welcomed the progress made on the proposal for financing and implementation of the REDD+ mechanism and decided to undertake close coordination to this end.

The Ministers agreed to meet at the Ministerial level every quarter, and welcomed the offer of South Africa to host the next meeting of the BASIC Ministerial Group in late-April, 2010. They agreed to coordinate their positions closely as part of climate change discussions in other forums. They emphasised the importance of working closely with other members of Group of -77 & China in order to ensure an ambitious and equitable outcomes in Mexico through a transparent process.

The Ministers also emphasised that BASIC is not just a forum for negotiation coordination, but also a forum for cooperative actions on mitigation and adaptation including exchange of information and collaboration in matters relating to climate science & climate-related technologies. The Ministers expressed their desire to enhance South- South cooperation with other countries on various issues including those relating to scientific cooperation and support for adaptation to vulnerable countries’

Earlier Dr. Manmohan Singh met with the four Ministers yesterday evening. The current G-77 Chair – Yemen – had also been invited but could not attend because of other commitments.

Title: India taking leadership role in Biodiversity Conservation Date: 04th January, 2010

Page No. 70 that the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is one of the key agreements adopted during the historic Earth Summit held in Rio De Janeiro in 1992.This is the first comprehensive global agreement which addresses all aspects relating to biodiversity. The Convention, while reaffirming sovereign rights of nations over their biological resources, establishes three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources.

The tenth Conference of Parties (COP) to the CBD is scheduled to be held in Nagoya in October 2010. The major item for consideration at this COP is the adoption of an international protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). This provides an opportunity to biodiversity-rich countries such as India to realise benefits for its people from the use of this biodiversity.

Most importantly, India has created a database of traditional knowledge – called the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) – managed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The TKDL is a computerised database of documented information available in published texts of Indian systems of medicine. The objective of the TKDL is to make documented information easily accessible to patent examiners to prevent grant of patents on non-original inventions.

So far over 2 lakh formulations of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Yoga have been documented into the TKDL on 34 million pages of information, over a period of 8 years at an estimated cost of Rs 7 crores. About 2,000 patents related to the Indian System of Medicine are granted every year in the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), the European Patent Office (EPO) and other overseas Patent Offices.

To address this issue, India is signing agreements with other Patent offices for access to the TKDL database. These agreements are enabling search by international patent offices to prevent biopiracy of India’s traditional knowledge. An agreement has been signed with the EPO in February 2009, and very recently with the USPTO during the Summit between President Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009. Similar agreements are being negotiated with other countries. 36 cases have been identified so far by the EPO using TKDL, of which 8 have already been resolved in favour of India, while the rest are being processed. Similarly, 40 cases have been cited by the USPTO.

In the past, patents were secured in USA and Europe, for e.g., on use of neem and on the wound healing properties of haldi (turmeric), although these biological materials were already known in India. The patent on turmeric, challenged by CSIR, was upheld by the USPTO which revoked patent in 1997. This was for the first time that a patent based on traditional knowledge of a developing country was successfully challenged. The patent on neem was also revoked by the EPO in 2000, in the face of legal opposition filed against the patent by an NGO and group of Indian farmers. An important next step is to set up a People’s Register of Biodiversity, so that traditional knowledge passed down through the oral tradition can also be documented and protected. In addition, the Ministry is actually seeking inputs from civil society groups to ensure that the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 is implemented in a manner that upholds the spirit of conservation and community control prior to grant of access.

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) to raise awareness about the underlying threats to and the need for biodiversity conservation. As a mega-diverse country and as a Party to the International Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), India had committed itself to achieving the 2010 Biodiversity Target, adopted by the sixth Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the CBD, to significantly reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity. The 2010 target is in relation to eleven goals that are highlighted in the attached brochures.

Page No. 71 are being planned all over the country throughout the year. The Ministry of Environment & Forests is undertaking plantation drives all along the route of Queen’s Baton Relay of 20,000 km covering 28 States and 7 Union Territories on the occasion of the Commonwealth Games in October 2010.

Title: Convention on Biological Diversity Date: 11th May, 2010 The members of Parliamentary Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Environment and Forests have urged to revisit biodiversity Act. The nature cures itself, but biodiversity is being affected today and we have to minimise the exploitation of forests and to all types of diversity i.e. species, genetic form and ecosystem. Members suggested deciding criteria to determine over exploitation of resources, land use for specific purpose and sustainability and appoint experts from various fields to determine these aspects. Regarding mangroves, they expressed dissatisfaction over preservation of mangroves. They also suggested making Traditional Knowledge of flora and fauna more popular. Members told to make benefit sharing arrangements preserving medicinal and herbal plants. Referring to Biodiversity Management Committees, members told to take members from various sectors. They also appeal for people’s participation and creating awareness among people at all levels from villages to big cities and from school children to colleges.

This issue was discussed at the meeting held on Monday,10th May,2010 in the Parliament Annexe to discuss on Convention on Biological Diversity. Dr M S Farooqui, Additional Secretary informed the members about biodiversity and action taken in the country to preserve it. He informed that Biodiversity manifests itself at three levels: species diversity which refers to the numbers and kinds of living organisms; genetic diversity which refers to the genetic variation within a population of species; and ecosystem diversity which is the variety of habitats, biological communities and ecological processes that occur in the biosphere. The biodiversity we see today is the outcome of over 3.5 billion years of evolutionary history, shaped by natural processes and increasingly, by the influence of humans. Biodiversity forms the web of life of which we are an integral part and upon which we so fully depend.

Referring to megadiversity of India DR Farooqui said that Biodiversity is not distributed evenly or uniformly across the globe. Certain countries, lying wholly or partly within the tropics, are characterized by high species richness and more number of endemic species. These countries are known as Mega diverse countries. India is one of the identified mega diverse countries of the world. With only 2.4% of the land area, India already accounts for 7-8% of the recorded species of the world. Over 45,000 species of plants and 91,000 species of animals have been recorded so far. It is remarkable to note that India maintains this biodiversity while supporting 20% of the world’s human and cattle population.

India also has four of the 34 identified hot spots of the world, which are characterized by high degree of endemism and are therefore areas of global conservation concern.

Regarding threats to our biodiversity he informed that Extinction of species and gradual changes in ecological communities is a natural phenomenon. However, the pace of extinction has increased dramatically as a result of human activities. Ecosystems are being fragmented or eliminated, and several species are in decline. The fragmentation, degradation, and loss of habitats pose serious threat to biological diversity. It is estimated that species are disappearing at an alarmingly higher rate than the evolutionary processes and this is predicted to rise dramatically. These losses are irreversible and pose a threat to our own well being, considering our dependence on food crops and medicines, and other biological resources. The loss in biodiversity impoverishes us all, and weakens the ability of the living systems on which we depend, to resist growing threats, such as climate change.

Global concern about loss of species and ecosystems found expression in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). India is a Party to the CBD. India signed the Convention on 5th June 1992, and ratified it on 18th February, 1994. The Convention came into force on 29th December, 19993, 90 days after the 30th ratification.

Giving the picture of conservation in the country, Dr Farooqui informed that in India, conservation of biodiversity did not start with the CBD. India has a long history of conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, which is engrained in our ethos and is a way of life for us. This is reflected in an individual’s practices as well as social systems prevalent at different times in India’s history.

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In pursuance to Article 6 of the CBD, India within five years of ratifying the Convention had developed a National Policy and Macro level Action Strategy on Biodiversity in 1999. In pursuance to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), India had enacted the Biological Diversity Act in 2002 following a widespread consultative process over a period of eight years. The Biological Diversity Rules were noticed thereafter in 2004. The Act gives effect to the provisions of the CBD. It also addresses access to biological resources and associated traditional knowledge to ensure equitable sharing of benefits arising out of their use to the country and its people. India is one of the first few countries to have enacted such legislation.

Twenty two State m have established Biodiversity Boards till date. Similarly, setting up of BMCs by all local bodies within their areas, for the purpose of promoting conservation, sustainable use and document of biodiversity is an essential requirement under the Act. So far, 29,150 BMCs have been set up in eight States.

Chairing the meeting, Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests (I/c) assured members that the Ministry will take actions to create awareness among people. The Minister also told that Biodiversity act will be considered along with other Acts for protection of forests and while giving approvals to different projects.

Title: India taking leadership role in Biodiversity Conservation Date: 04th January, 2010

INDIA WILL HOST 2012 ‘RIO + 20’ SUMMIT ON CBD The eleventh Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will be held in October 2012 in New Delhi. This would mark the twentieth anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit and will be called ‘Rio + 20’ CBD Conference. The hosting of this COP shows not only India’s role as a major mega-diverse country, but also its commitment to playing a global leadership role in biodiversity conservation. A statement issued here today after addressing the media by Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment and Forests (I/C) further informs that the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is one of the key agreements adopted during the historic Earth Summit held in Rio De Janeiro in 1992.This is the first comprehensive global agreement which addresses all aspects relating to biodiversity. The Convention, while reaffirming sovereign rights of nations over their biological resources, establishes three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources.

Regarding India’s Actions to Combat Biopiracy the statement explains at the national level, India has been taking a number of proactive measures related to biodiversity conservation. India was one of the first few countries in the world to enact a national legislation, called the Biological Diversity Act in 2002, which contain provisions for access and benefit sharing. A National Biodiversity Authority has also been set up in Chennai. Most importantly, India has created a database of traditional knowledge – called the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) – managed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The TKDL is a computerised database of documented information available in published texts of Indian systems of medicine. The objective of the TKDL is to make documented information easily accessible to patent examiners to prevent grant of patents on non-original inventions.

Page No. 73 already been resolved in favour of India, while the rest are being processed. Similarly, 40 cases have been cited by the USPTO.

An important next step is to set up a People’s Register of Biodiversity, so that traditional knowledge passed down through the oral tradition can also be documented and protected. In addition, the Ministry is actually seeking inputs from civil society groups to ensure that the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 is implemented in a manner that upholds the spirit of conservation and community control prior to grant of access.

A calendar for the year 2010 with 12 award-winning paintings by school children on the theme ‘Our Rich Biodiversity’ is also being released. These paintings were chosen from a national-level competition organised by the National Museum of Natural History during the Wildlife Week in October 2009. Several awareness raising events are being planned all over the country throughout the year. The Ministry of Environment & Forests is undertaking plantation drives all along the route of Queen’s Baton Relay of 20,000 km covering 28 States and 7 Union Territories on the occasion of the Commonwealth Games in October 2010.

Title: PM’s remarks at the informal plenary of HoS/Gs at the 15th COP at Copenhagen Date: 18th December, 2009

Following is the text of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s remarks at the informal plenary of Head of States/Governments at the 15th COP at Copenhagen, Denmark today:

“I would like to thank Prime Minister Rasmussen for his efforts in trying to build a global consensus on highly complex issues, involved in climate change, attempting to balance divergent and varied interests.

We have all worked hard to reconcile our different points of view. The outcome may well fall short of expectations. Nevertheless, it can become a significant milestone. I therefore support calls for subsequent negotiations towards building a truly global and genuinely collaborative response to climate change being concluded during 2010.

As we embark on future negotiations, we would do well to take stock of what we have learnt from our efforts over the past two years. I draw three lessons, which should guide us in the task ahead.

Firstly, the vast majority of countries do not support any renegotiation or dilution of the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC, in particular the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

Further, the need for action on our part is more and not less than what was envisaged at the time of the Rio Convention or the Kyoto Protocol. That is why the Bali Action Plan commits us to enhancing the implementation of the UNFCCC.

To settle for something that would be seen as diminished expectations and diminished implementation would be the wrong message to emerge from this Conference. We should therefore reaffirm categorically that our negotiations will continue on the basis of the Bali mandate.

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Secondly, the Kyoto Protocol should continue to stand as a valid legal instrument. Parties to the Protocol should deliver on their solemn commitments under the Protocol. It would go against international public opinion if we acquiesce in its replacement by a new and weaker set of commitments.

Finally, it is clear that any agreement on climate change should respect the need for development and growth in developing countries. Equitable burden sharing should underlie any effective global climate change regime. Any new regime will have moral authority and credibility only if it acknowledges that every citizen of the globe has an equal entitlement to the global atmospheric space.

India has a vital stake in the success of the negotiations as we are among the countries most likely to be severely impacted by climate change.

We have therefore adopted and started to implement a major National Action Plan on Climate Change, relying upon our own resources. Our targets include installation of 20,000 MW of solar energy capacity by 2022, improving energy efficiency by 20% by 2020 and adding an additional 6 million hectares of forests over the next several years.

Excellencies, each one of us gathered here today acknowledges that those worst affected by climate change are the least responsible for it. Whatever emerges from our negotiations must address this glaring injustice, injustice to countries of Africa , injustice to the Least Developed Countries, and injustice to the Small Developing States whose very survival as viable nation states is in jeopardy. We in India , too, are vulnerable, but nevertheless as responsible citizens of the globe, we have agreed to take on a voluntary target of reducing the emission intensity of our GDP growth by around 20% by 2020 in comparison to 2005. We will deliver on this goal regardless of the outcome of this Conference. We can do even more if a supportive global climate change regime is put in place.

Excellencies, we have a difficult task ahead of us. I hope we will all play a positive and constructive role so that we can bridge differences and come up with a balanced and also an equitable outcome during the coming year. India will not be found wanting in this regard.”

Title: India’s Stand on Emission Norms Date: 14th December, 2009

Rajya Sabha India is a Party to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol and has been participating in Conference of Parties held every years and other related meetings. The COP-15 to UNFCCC is presently being held in Copenhagen, Denmark from 7-18 December 2009. India’s position on the climate change negotiations is clear and consistent as it is fully anchored in the UNFCCC and Bali Action Plan, adopted in the 13th Conference of Parties (COP-13) to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in Bali, Indonesia in 2007, with a view to enhance the actions of Parties in achieving objectives of the Convention.

India has argued in the international negotiating fora that the parties must take actions in accordance with the UNFCCC principles of equity and ‘common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities’ in order to achieve the objectives of the convention. While the actions of the developed countries should include deep and ambitious targets for emission reduction in the second commitment period (post 2012) of the Kyoto Protocol, the actions of the developing countries will depend on the support in terms of finance and technology provided by the developed countries.

While India has already taken a number of steps, on its own, to adapt to and mitigate climate change impacts in the interest of sustainable development, India will take further voluntary and nationally appropriate actions for addressing climate change impacts strictly in accordance with the priorities and objectives laid down under its National Action Plan for Climate Change.

This information was given by the Shri Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and currently looking after Ministry of Environment and Forests in a return reply to question by Shri Dr. Smt Najma A. Heptulla and Shri Mahendra Mohan in the Rajya Sabha.

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Title: Current level of carbon emissions damages World’s Eco System Date: 07th December, 2009

Rajya Sabha

According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its 4th Assessment Report published in 2007, changes in physical and biological systems in different continents and regions have been observed which are indicative of adverse impacts. Although India does not have legally binding reduction commitments, a range of policies and programmes taken to respond to reducing emissions, interalia, include:

i) Setting up of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and encouraging energy conservation and introduction of energy efficiency labeling. ii) promoting use of renewable energy iii) power sector reforms and active renewable energy programme iv) use of cleaner and lesser carbon intensive fuel for transport v) fuel switching to cleaner energy vi) afforestation and conservation of forests vii) promotion of clean coal technologies viii) reduction of gas flaring ix) encouraging Mass Rapid Transport systems x) environmental quality management for all sectors.

Developed Countries e.g., USA, Japan and other Annex I Parties have quantified emission reduction obligations while developing countries like India, China and others have no emission reduction obligation under the Convention. Negotiations on the issues relating to Finance and Technology Transfer among others are underway under the Bali Action Plan. The forthcoming Conference of Parties (CoP) in Copenhagen, Denmark is expected to reach an agreed outcome on these issues.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Shri. Bhagat Singh Koshyari in Rajya Sabha.

Title: Jairam Ramesh introduces the four youngest representatives of Indian delegation to Copenhagen Date: 04th December, 2009

Shri Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of Environment and Forests(I/C) said we need to enthuse the younger generation into wild life and forest conservation for environmental protection. Introducing the youth delegation of four girls for COP-15 at Copenhagen, the Minister said there are some excellent young professionals now who are wild life conservators, environmental protectors and very active in allied activities. He said I t is his responsibility and desire to give positions of prominence to this young generation who are working for conservation. He congratulated World Wildlife Fund for taking this initiative and the young members for their accomplishment.

The World Wide Fund for Nature- India along with the Ministry of Environment and Forests jointly announced the youth delegation for the United Nations climate change talks at Copenhagen. These youth delegates were selected through ’Prithvi Ratna,’ a National Level Essay Writing Competition for Youth on Climate Change. The objective of the competition was to inculcate a sense of ecological citizenship amongst the youth by providing them a platform to express their views. Mr Ramesh said they are going not only in individual capacity, but also going on behalf of the people of India. He expressed the hope that they will do proud to our country.

Congratulating the winners, Mr. Ravi Singh, SG & CEO, WWF- India, said,” The youth are the future and it is for them to create a change towards a better planet. WWF-India is proud to be associated with the selection of this team who are probably the youngest participants at Copenhagen. We look forward to them voicing the opinion of the youth of the nation.”

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The competition was open for the age groups from 16yrs to 21yrs and was conducted in all states and Union Territories of India. The entries were submitted in both English and Hindi. The topic for the competition was –‘You are India’s future generation- How can you lead/influence climate change challenge to ensure a sustainable future for the country and planet.’ The central panel of judges comprised of leading personalities in the field of Journalism, English and Hindi language and external climate change experts. The 4 winners will be a part of the Indian Contingent for COP 15 - The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark from December 7 – 18, 2009. The winners are Ramsha Sajid (16yrs) and Aadya Dube (17yrs) from Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School, BHEL Govindpura, Bhopal, Ruchika Pokhriyal (19 yrs) from Acharya Narendra Dev College, Kalkaji, Govindpuri, New Delhi and Deeksha Singh (20 yrs) from Patna Women's College, Avila Convent, Patna. The winners will participate in the Conference from December 6 – 12, 2009. 8 other finalists will travel to Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand for an expedition.

Title: Eleventh meeting of the COP-11 to convention on biodiversity- 2012 in India Date: 31st October, 2009

India offers to host the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the convention on biological diversity in 2012.The secretariat of the convention on Biological Diversity welcomed the offer of the Government of India to host the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP-11) in 2012. Welcoming the offer, Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention said, “This will allow us to continue the strategic partnership of the presidencies of the Conference of the Parties started at the eighth meeting, held in Brazil in 2006. I look forward to India joining Brazil, Germany and Japan in the quadruple presidency of the Conference of the Parties.”

A release issued by United Nations Environment Programme at Montreal today further states the year 2012 will be a very important year for the international community. It will mark the twentieth anniversary of the Rio Conference on Environment and Development, as well as the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties will also be crucial for the Convention as it will be the first opportunity for the international community to review the Aichi-Nagoya Compact (decision adopted at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, to be held at Nagoya, Japan, in 2010), the post-2010 biodiversity targets, the revised strategic Plan of the Convention, and the international agreement on access and benefit-sharing.

India is among the 17 mega-diverse countries that are custodian of 70 per cent of the world’s biodiversity. It is home to the three of the 34 “global biodiversity hotspots”, that is, biologically rich areas facing severe conservation threats. With an exceptionally high level of biodiversity, and nearly one fifth of the world’s population, India has made a unique contribution in furthering the three objectives of the convention through national, regional and global programmes.

India’s biodiversity is of immense economic, ecological, social and cultural value and its potential future value is far greater. The ecosystem services from the forested watersheds of two major mountain chains-the Himalayas and the Western Ghats- indirectly support several million people in India and the non-timber forest products alone have been estimated to be worth $ 200 million per year.

Title: India and Norway signs agreement on Cooperation on Climate Change and Implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism Projects Date: 22nd October, 2009

India and Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation in the Area of Climate Change and Implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism Projects of the Kyoto Protocol here today. Shri jairam Ramesh, the Minister of State for Environment and Forests and Mr Erik Solheim, Minister of the Environment and International Development, Norway signed the MOU. The Agreement would strengthen the efforts to conserve and improve the environment for present and future generations, sustainable development ,and implementation of CDM project activities.

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Following is the text of the Agreement:

“The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, being the competent authority for the purpose of this Memorandum, herewith, and

The Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, being the competent authority for the purpose of this Memorandum, hereinafter referred to as the “Parties”;

Recalling the existing co-operation and stressing the need to conserve and improve the environment for present and future generations, and the need to achieve sustainable development;

Recalling that both India and Norway are Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereinafter referred to as the “Convention”) and the Kyoto Protocol to that Convention (hereinafter referred to as the “Protocol”);

Considering that the Preamble to the Convention acknowledges that the global nature of climate change calls for the widest possible cooperation by all countries and their participation in an effective and appropriate international response, in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and their social and economic conditions;

Recalling the importance of co-operation between developed and developing countries in addressing the challenges posed by climate change;

Bearing in mind Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol, which provides for the transfer of certified emission reductions (CERs) resulting from Clean Development Mechanism project activities from Parties not included in Annex I to Parties included in Annex I, that may be used by the latter Parties for purposes of compliance with part of their quantified emission limitation and reduction commitments under Article 3 of the Kyoto Protocol;

Recognizing that cooperation on climate change issues, including in the implementation of project activities, can be instrumental in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale, and have a positive impact on community, social and economic development;

Expressing the political will to develop a lasting process of co-operation on matters relating to climate change, in the light of the objective and the principles of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, particularly with regard to the implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol;

Have reached the following understanding:

Article 1 Objective 1. The objective of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to foster co-operation between India and Norway in the area of climate change, by providing a forum for regular bilateral consultations, by stimulating the development and implementation, by Indian and Norwegian entities of project activities under the Clean Development Mechanism, according to Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol, as adopted on 11 December, 1997 (hereinafter referred to as “CDM project activities”). The project activities undertaken shall contribute to Sustainable Development, and in accordance with the Marrakech agreement, no Official Development Agency (ODA) funds shall be used to purchase CERs from the CDM project activities.

Article 2 Coordination between the Parties 1. The Parties agree to review the progress of the implementation of the present MOU through regular bilateral consultations, i.e. in the Indo-Norway Joint Working Group on Environment.

2. The Ministry of Environment & Forests, designated as the National authorities for CDM, will be the focal point on the Indian side. Secretary General of the Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, responsible for climate change

Page No. 78 issues, will be the focal point on the Norwegian side, jointly with representative from the Norwegian Ministry of Finance, responsible for CER activities.

Article 3 Scope of CDM project activities 1. This MOU encompasses eligible CDM project activities in all areas, according to Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol, and is aimed at the prompt development and implementation of CDM project activities.

2. The Parties may jointly agree to define areas of priority for the development and implementation of projects under the Clean Development Mechanism. Approval and implementation of project activities of interest will also depend upon the conformity of such project activities with environment laws and regulations of both countries.

Article 4 Exchange of information and support for the development of CDM project activities

1. The Parties shall exchange information and views on a regular basis, on the following topics relating to CDM project activities, while preserving the appropriate confidentiality. • Potential investors and project participants; • The progress of projects and other activities that occur under this Memorandum; • Sources of project funding and the policy framework needed to facilitate access to such funding sources; • Project criteria , approval procedures and guidelines applicable to CDM projects;

2. The parties will also facilitate Indian and Norwegian companies with information about domestic CDM regulations and procedures, as well as information about market opportunities in India.

Article 4 bis – Contribution of the Norwegian Party to CDM project activities

1. The Norwegian Party in principle is willing to acquire certified emission reductions (CERs) from project activities provided that such activities conform with all relevant international rules and guidelines, criteria of the Indian national CDM programme, as well as Norwegian law and international regulations regarding public procurement.

2. The Norwegian Party will contribute to the development and implementation of emission reduction projects by facilitating Norwegian investors/participants aiming at developing CDM projects in India and supporting CDM projects jointly with India.

Article 4 tris – Contribution of the Indian Party to CDM project activities 1. The Indian Party will contribute to the prompt development and implementation of CDM project activities by supporting interested project participants (e.g. by granting or issuing of Letters of No Objection, Letters of Endorsement, etc.) by the formal approval of the project in accordance with relevant provision under the Kyoto Protocol.

2. The Indian Party agrees to allow transfer of the resulting certified emission reductions from the project to the project developers in accordance with article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol and the guidelines adopted by COP/MOP.

3. If changes in national policy (energy, environment etc.) of the host country that result in the impossibility of the delivery of the Certified Emission Reduction by the project participant, both Parties will do their utmost that the emission reduction units agreed upon with the project participants will be transferred in a practical manner.

Article 5 Intellectual property rights In the event that any joint activity involves access to, sharing, transfer or joint development of technology that is subject to patents or other intellectual property rights, the Participants or their representatives will decide in advance as to the adequate consideration of intellectual property rights, in accordance with relevant legislation in both countries.

Article 6 CDM procedures

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Both the Parties agree to work together on different aspects of the CDM procedures, including simplification of procedures, and to further enhance the credibility of the CDM as a market mechanism and as a tool to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Article 7 Other area of Cooperation Recognizing that cooperation on climate change issues, including in the implementation of project activities, can be instrumental in social and economic development and cooperation to address the adverse effects of climate change and the implementation of adaptive measures. The parties may jointly agree to define areas of priority for further development including adaptation to the impacts of climate change, research, development, development and scientific collaboration, and capacity building.

Article 8 Final provisions 1. This Memorandum will come into effect on the date of signing and will remain in effect until the end of the first commitment period of Kyoto Protocol, in 2012, unless one Party notifies the other Party its intention to terminate it, through diplomatic means at least (6) six months in advance. 2. Amendments can be made by mutual written consent of the Parties through exchange of written communications specifying the date of the entry into force. 3. Any difference of opinion in the interpretation, management or execution of the Memorandum will be resolved by mutual agreement and diplomatic channel. 4. Termination of this Memorandum of Understanding shall have no effect on ongoing cooperation projects or on the acquisition of the certified emission reductions, already agreed upon by the Parties. This MoU shall be without prejudice to the obligation of India and Norway under any other multilateral treaty or agreement. 5. This Memorandum of Understanding is not intended to create legal obligations for either Parties.”

The Ministry of Environment and Forests and the norwagian Ministry of the Environment will be competent authority for implementation of this Agreement.

Title: Statement of MOS (I/C) Environment and Forests Date: 20th October, 2009

Shri Jairam Ramesh Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests issued a statement here today.

The following is the text of Shri Jairam Ramesh:

“Yesterday, a leading newspaper had carried a news- item on a discussion note that I wrote on climate change. The news-item has quoted only partially and selectively from this note, and significantly added its own editorial interpretations, thereby completely distorting and twisting its meaning .Let me reiterate India’s non-negotiables in the ongoing international climate change negotiations.

While India is prepared to discuss and make public periodically the implementation of its National Action Plan on climate change, India will never accept internationally legally binding emission reduction targets or commitments as part of any agreement or deal or outcome. India will never accept any dilution or renegotiation of the provisions and principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In particular. we will never agree to the elimination of the distinction between developed (“Annex I”) countries and developing (“non- Annex I”) countries as far as internationally legally binding emission reduction obligations are concerned. Internationally legally binding emission reduction targets are for developed countries and developed countries alone, as globally agree under the Bail Action Plan.

India will agree to consider international measurement, reporting and verification (“MRV”) of its mitigation actions only when such actions are enabled and supported by international finance and technology.

India, like other developing countries, fully expects developed countries to fulfill their obligations on transfer of technology and financial transfer that they committed to under the UNFCCC and the Bali Action for both mitigation and adaptation actions.

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There has always been a broad political consensus regarding the Indian position on climate change. India has been engaged in climate change negotiations, whether in UNFCCC or multilateral fora, based on a clear and definite brief which has not changed since 2004.

My note suggested the possibility of some flexibility in India’s stance, keeping the above non –negotiable firmly intact and keeping India irrevocably anchored in the UNFCCC of 1992 and the Bali Action Plan of 2007. I have never at any stage considered or advocated abandoning the fundamental tenets of the Kyoto Protocol, as was stated in the article- this is a mischievous interpretations of the newspaper. My basic point is that India’s interests and India’s interests alone shall dictate at our negotiating stance. As far as the insinuations by the newspaper that I am reflecting a pro-US bias, I will let my actions speak for themselves. India is working, and will continue to work, closely with our partners in the G-77 and China in articulating a common position on this issue, while also engaging with other countries to our benefit.

I had written a comprehensive 7-page letter to a large number of MPs from all political parties and to all Chief ministers in early October 2009 detailing our thinking, making our position very clear and stating that accountability for our actions on Climate change-through outcome-based legislation ,if found acceptable by our Parliament-is to our Parliament and to our Parliament alone. I welcome the feedback that I have been receiving on it. Earlier, in August, I had written to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha suggesting that four Member of Parliament-based on posts that they hold-be included in the official delegation to the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP-15) to be held at Copenhagen in December,2009.I will continue to keep political leadership across party lines and civil society fully engaged on this issue over the coming weeks and months.”

Title: Delhi High Level Conference on Climate Change: Technology Development and Transfer Date: 15th October, 2009

Cabinet Decision The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal to exchange letters of Agreement between United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the Government of India for the provision of necessary privileges and immunities to the participants invited by the UN by the Government of India in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations during the Conference.

The Government of India in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) is organising a High Level Conference on Climate Change: Technology Development and Transfer on October 22-23, 2009 in Delhi. The Conference is being organised by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) as Conference Partner. The Delhi Conference would be a step forward in the process of the international policy dialogue on technologies needed to address climate change. The Conference will advance the discussions on technology development and technology transfer initiated at the Beijing High-Level Conference in November 2008. The emphasis will be on defining a road map for technology development and transfer by bringing together the key players in the international climate change community. Technology has a central and fundamental role in addressing climate change concerns with due regard to the imperatives of national economic growth, energy security, and sustainable development. The outcomes of the conference will support the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process and also help pave the way for a successful outcome in COP-15 to be held at Copenhagen in December, 2009.

The two-day Conference will open on 22nd October 2009 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi and would be inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. The Hon’ble President of Maldives will be the guest of honour at the Conference. This will be followed by a high level and ministerial session and panel discussions in thematic sessions designed to address relevant policy options and proposals.

The Ministry of Environment & Forests will also organise an international exhibition concurrent to the Delhi High Level Conference jointly with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), which will provide an opportunity to developed and developing countries to showcase their climate-friendly technologies and services.

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Participants at the Conference and Exhibition will include high level representatives of Governments, senior officials of the UN bodies, climate change negotiators from developed and developing countries, senior representatives of industry, academia, civil society and other relevant national and international organizations. The High Level Conference will bring together high profile and accomplished experts from India and abroad to share their perspectives on issues relating to technology development and transfer in the context of climate change.

Title: Growth strategy based on sustainable development to respond to the challenge of climate change Date: 13th July, 2009

Rajya Sabha India is all set to respond to the challenge of climate change. Various actions have been initiated in this direction. These include a growth strategy based on sustainable development, setting up of the Prime Minister¡¦s Council on Climate Change to coordinate the national action for assessment, adaptation and mitigation of climate change, release of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) by the Prime Minister on 30th June 2008 and setting up of Expert Committee on Impact of Climate Change by the Ministry of Environment & Forests in June 2007.

According to the studies conducted by India Meteorological Department (IMD) and other institutions, there has been a warming of about 0.5„aC during past 100 years over the country with a significant warming trend along the west coast, central India, and interior peninsula and over northeast India. A cooling trend has been observed in northwest and some parts of southern India. The all India monsoon rainfall does not show any trend but there are some regional patterns. Areas of increasing trend in monsoon rainfall are found along the west coast, north Andhra Pradesh and north-west India, and those of decreasing trend over east Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas, northeast India and parts of Gujarat and Kerala. Analysis of past tide gauge records for the Indian coastline regions gives an estimate of sea level rise of 1.30 mm/year.

The thirteenth Conference of Parties (COP-13) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Bali in December 2007 launched a comprehensive process called Bali Action Plan (BAP) in order to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC through long-term cooperative action amongst all Parties to the Convention, now, upto and beyond 2012. Bali Action Plan envisages enhanced actions for providing financial resources and technologies to developing countries in order to support their actions for adaptation and mitigation of climate change. It is expected that an agreed outcome would be reached and a decision adopted regarding BAP, at the fifteenth Conference of Parties (COP-15) to be held in December 2009.

India follows a path of sustainable development through a range of policies and programmes to mitigate climate change aimed at energy conservation, improved energy efficiency in various sectors; promoting use of renewable energy; power sector reforms; use of cleaner and lesser carbon intensive fuel for transport; fuel switching to cleaner energy; afforestation and conservation of forests; promotion of clean coal technologies and encouraging Mass Rapid Transport systems. National Action Plan on Climate Change will further enhance India¡¦s efforts towards adaptation and mitigation.

Minister of State for the Ministry of Environment and Forests (Independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh replied in a written question by Shri Birendra Prasad Baishya in Rajya Sabha.

Title: India, along with 35 calls Annex-I Parties to agree to 40% emission reduction commitment by 2020 as compared to their 1990 levels Date: 13th July, 2009

Rajya Sabha Under the Kyoto Protocol, the talks for further emission reduction commitments of Annex-I Parties in the Second Commitment Period (Post 2012) are undergoing since 2005. The UNFCCC Secretariat circulated a draft, based on the submissions of Parties, for such negotiations in the recent meeting of parties held in Bonn. As a part of such negotiations, India, along with South Africa and 35 other like minded countries have also submitted a proposal calling for Annex-I Parties to agree to at least 40% emission reduction commitment by 2020 as compared to their 1990 levels.

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As per the Work Programme adopted by the Parties, the negotiations on the targets of Annex-I Parties for the second commitment period and other relevant issues are to be concluded by December 2009 for adoption at the fifteenth Conference of Parties (COP-15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and fifth Meeting of Parties (MOP-5) to the Kyoto Protocol.

Minister of State for the Ministry of Environment and Forests (Independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh replied in a written question by Shri M.P.Achuthan in Rajya Sabha.

Title: Prime Minister’s Council to coordinate the National Action for Assessment, Adaptation and mitigation of Climate Change Date: 08th July, 2009

Lok Sabha The thirteenth Conference of Parties (COP-13) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Bali in December 2007, launched a comprehensive process called Bali Action Plan (BAP) in order to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC through long-term cooperative action amongst all Parties to the Convention, now, up to and beyond 2012. BAP calls upon developed and developing countries to address the global problem of climate change according to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. It is expected that an agreed outcome would be reached and a decision adopted regarding BAP, at the fifteenth Conference of Parties (COP-15) to be held in December 2009.

As a responsible country, India is actively engaged in negotiations on various issues relating to BAP in order to protect India’s interests and advance the global efforts to address climate change.

The Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) was organized by The Energy & Resources Institute (TERI) from 5-7 February 2009. The summit saw participation from over 850 delegates and ministerial representatives from over 25 countries. The theme of this year event was ‘Towards Copenhagen: on equitable and ethical approach’. The summit proceedings included diverse opinions on climate change. As a part of DSDS, several events on varied themes like water, mitigation, energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, energy technologies and climate change were held highlighting the adverse impacts of climate change. Dialogues were held amongst the participants to facilitate consensus on possible solutions to address the issues relating to climate change.

Under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister released the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) on 30th June 2008 that outlines India’s strategy to meet the challenge of Climate Change. It lays down steps that will enable the country to adapt to climate change and enhance the ecological sustainability of India’s development path. The NAPCC includes eight missions out of which five relate to ‘Adaptation’, two on ‘Mitigation’ and one is ‘Knowledge Mission’. The relevant Ministries are firming up the Mission Documents.

Prime Minister’s Council has been set up to coordinate the national action for assessment, adaptation and mitigation of climate change. Although India, as a developing country does not have any mitigation commitments, a sustainable development path is being followed in India through a range of policies and programmes to mitigate climate change e.g. ensuring energy conservation and improved energy efficiency in various sectors as well as setting up of Bureau of Energy Efficiency, promoting use of renewable energy, power sector reforms and active renewable energy programme, use of cleaner and lesser carbon intensive fuel for transport, fuel switching to cleaner energy, afforestation and conservation of forests, promotion of clean coal technologies, reduction of gas flaring, encouraging Mass Rapid Transport systems and environmental quality management for all sectors.

Minister of State for the Ministry of Environment and Forests( Independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh replied in a written question by Smt. Supriya Sule in Lok Sabha.

Title: Consensus on Action Plans for climate change on understanding of Economic Realities of Developing Countries: Namo Narain Meena Date: 05th February, 2009

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India believes that the consensus on action plans must be built on an understanding of the economic realities of the developing countries that are faced with the challenge of removal of poverty and achieving economic development in a situation of high energy costs relative to incomes. Talking to Minister for Climate and Energy of Denmark, Ms. Connie Hedegaard here today, Minister of State for environment and forests, Shri Namo Narain Meena further said that as per the Bali Action Plan, the international negotiations on the various elements of the Action Plan under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol have to be concluded in 2009 so that an agreed outcome is reached at the next Conference of Parties scheduled in Copenhagen in December 2009.Shri Meena wished them success for the CoP at Copenhagen.

Discussing about status and progress in various measures and eight missions working on mitigation and adaptation measures, Shri Meena said that we have our priority and large number of people are living below poverty line.regarding emission levels Shri Meena said that they will be always on the lower levels than developed countries.

Ms. Connie Hedegaard was heading a delegation on environment from Denmark. The discussions centered around climate change issues, specifically the crucial Copenhagen CoP of UNFCCC negotiations to be held in 2009. She said that we will go by spirit of the convention. We will work with more political driving forces to make it more efficient and confidence building among all participants. The Copenhagen Meet would present India with an opportunity to prove our commitment to agree on enhanced actions in accordance with the principles of the Convention.

Other members of the delegation were Mr. Ole Lonsrnann Poulsen, Ambassador ,Mr. Thomas Haahr, First Secretary Climate Change,Ms. Eva Jensen, Head of Department, Mr. Christian Ibsen, Special advisor, Mr. Ida Ebbensgaard, Head of Press Section Mr Mare Hindhede, Secretary to the Minister and Mr. Sofus Rex, Special Advisor.

Title: Antony presents awards to Defence PSUs /Ordnance Factories Date: 07th November, 2008

Defence Minister Shri AK Antony presented the Defence Minister's Awards for Excellence for the year 2006-07 to Ordnance Factories and Defence Public Sector Undertakings in New Delhi today.

List of recipients is as follows :

Institutional Awards : Excellence in Performance – Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore BEL during the year 2006-07 are – 81% of its turnover came from indigenously developed products; more than 25 new products introduced and supplied during the year; major new products supplied include Advanced Land Navigation System, Jammers (Safari), Hand Held UHF Radio VPS Mk III and Upgraded Electronic Voting Machines.

Best Performance in Exports – Bharat Earth Movers Ltd., Bangalore BEML has over the years, has established its marketing in more than 52 countries by supplying equipments and services. BEML export has grown at a phenomenal rate and during the year 2007-08, the company has exported equipment and services to the tune of Rs. 200.62 crores, a growth of 81% over the previous year of Rs. 110.73 crores. The company has broken new grounds and made entry into Indonesia, China, Thailand, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe, Sudan and Myanmar and has also opened its overseas warehouse/ sales offices in Malaysia, China and Brazil in 2007-08. The company to open its office in Indonesia during the current year.

Division / Factory / Shipyard Awards

a. Best Performing Division of DPSUs -Transport Aircraft Division, HAL, Kanpur During the year 2006-07, the Division achieved sales of Rs. 354 crores against the target of Rs. 326 crores representing an increase of 9% over the projected targeted value. As a part of process improvement by waste elimination, cycle time Dornier 228 aircraft servicing has been reduced from 7.7 months during 2003-04 to 4.44 months during 2006-07. The cost reduction achieved during 2006-07 was Rs. 180 lakhs as compared to Rs. 150

Page No. 84 lakhs in 2005-06 through indigenous measures in various fields. The percentage of IT literate to Total Employees has increased to 77.16% as compared to 71.21% of the previous year.

The Division has been identified as the agency for production of Intermediate Jet Trainer aircraft. The facilities are being set up to take up this challenging task.

b. Best Performing Factory of OFB - Ordnance Factory, Ambajhari, Nagpur The factory is mainly manufacturing Shell, Fuze, Cartridge Case, Die Cast Components, MLA Bridge, High Strength Al alloys and a wide range of engineering items required for arms and ammunition related to 81mm, 84mm, 105mm, 125mm and 155mm calibre.

This factory has been undertaking development of new items under in house R&D projects on regular and sustained basis. During the year 2006-07, it developed 105mm, HEER(BB) and Nag launcher for Army, SHELL (AA Flash) for 76/62 SRGM Naval Ammunition, SHELL for AK-100 Naval Ammunition, 140 mm Naval Rocket for Navy and 57mm ARROW Rocket for Air Force. Aerial Bomb (100-120 Kgs) has been successfully manufactured first time in this factory.

Taking into account the target vis-a-vis achievement made in 2006-07, the saving of this factory was Rs. 18.57 crore. The value of rejection during the year was approx. 1.33% of total COP. This could be achieved by maintaining a harmonious industrial relation in the factory.

c. Best Performing Shipyard - Goa Shipyard Limited, Goa GSL has garnered reputation as one of the most sophisticated ship builders in the country. For over four decades, GSL has designed, built and commissioned a wide range of sophisticated vessels for varied applications in the Defence and commercial sectors with special expertise in building modern Patrol vessels of Steel and Aluminium hull structure.

Group / Individual Awards

Import Substitution Team comprising S/Shri S K Kar, R K Bhaumik and Sagar Gupta of Deck Machinery, Taratala Unit of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. Kolkata ( Deck Machinery HTS Group) for development of a ‘Common Helicopter Traversing System (CHTS)’ for handling ALH and SEAKING Helicopter.

Design Effort (a) Shri Vinay Prakash Mathur, AGM Design of Transport Aircraft Research & Design Centre, HAL, Kanpur for development of Maritime Reconnaissance and Intelligence Warfare aircraft on Dornier – 228 platform of Indian Navy.

(b) Team comprising S/Shri R Choudhary, S S Bhat, Ashok Chourasia, Somnath Sarkar, Shrikrishna Kamat and Mahesh G Malkarnekar of Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Goa for design and construction of Offshore Patrol Vessel.

Innovation (a) Team of Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd., (MIDHANI), Hyderabad comprising S/Shri M V Raghavaiah, D N Bhatia, YVH Rao, K R Acharya, D Achutaram, S N Prasad and K Ramakrishnan for development and manufacture of modified 9 Cr 1 Mo, components for prototype fast breeder reactor.

(b) Team of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. Kolkata (Bailey Bridge Design Cell) comprising S/Shri Somnath Bandyopadhyay, Suken Kumar Chatterjee and Swapan Kumar Basu for design and manufacture of double lane bridge with increased carriage way and capacity to withstand the vehicular load upto IRC class 70R.

Title: Joint Statement on the Advancement of the Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan Date: 02nd October, 2008

Following is the text of the Joint Statement issued on the occasion of India-Japan Summit in Tokyo today:

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1. The Prime Ministers of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Taro Aso met in Tokyo on 22 October, 2008 for the India-Japan Annual Summit. They shared the view that India and Japan, as major countries in Asia that share common values and interests, must advance bilateral cooperation as well as cooperation in regional and multilateral areas with the objective of promoting peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world. They reaffirmed the importance of the Strategic and Global Partnership established in 2006 for this purpose and for harnessing the full potential of India-Japan relations.

2. The two Prime Ministers reviewed the implementation of the Roadmap for New Dimensions to the Strategic and Global Partnership and expressed satisfaction with the sustained progress that has been made through joint efforts between the two sides. They also recognized that there is still immense untapped potential for the further expansion of bilateral relations. The two Prime Ministers pledged to continue their efforts to broaden and deepen the relationship on the basis of the shared congruence of interests in order to develop it as an essential pillar for the future architecture of the region.

3. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the study on the future course of cooperation in the security field between the two countries and issued the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation between India and Japan drawing on this study. They recognized that further cooperation on the basis of the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation will be beneficial to peace and prosperity in Asia and the World. They instructed their respective Ministries to develop an Action Plan with specific measures to advance security cooperation based on this Declaration at an early date.

4. The two Prime Ministers expressed their satisfaction at the deepening of the Annual Strategic Dialogue between the Foreign Ministers as well as the other policy dialogues at respective levels. They also welcomed the steady upgradation of defence exchanges and cooperation and decided to encourage their Defence Ministries to enhance their dialogue and collaboration further based on the Joint Statement of May, 2006. They also welcomed the contribution of established bilateral dialogue mechanisms and urged them to continue their valuable work.

5. The two Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction at the growth of bilateral trade which is expected to reach $20 billion by 2010. They welcomed the substantive progress achieved on the Economic Partnership Agreement / Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and expressed the hope that the negotiations would be concluded at the earliest possible time. The two Prime Ministers expressed their belief that this EPA / CEPA would be mutually beneficial and would fully harness the true potential of economic partnership.

6. The two Prime Ministers expressed happiness over the long lasting investment relationship between the two countries which has grown over a period of time, especially the large presence of Japanese multi-nationals in India. This interest has been robust in recent years with Japanese direct investments rising substantially. The pipeline of investments already planned was also noted to be impressive. In this regard, the two leaders welcomed the efforts of JETRO and other organizations to support investment by the Japanese small and medium enterprises to India. Further the Prime Ministers expressed the hope that the upward trend would be sustained in the coming years.

7. The two Prime Ministers shared the view that the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) has contributed to India's economic development and has generated goodwill among the Indian people for Japan. They shared the view that the Japanese ODA should continue to play an increasing role in India's poverty reduction, economic and social infrastructure development, tackling environmental issues and human resource development. The Prime Minister of India expressed his appreciation to the Japanese people for their generous role in India's development.

8. The two Prime Ministers were satisfied that the Special Economic Partnership Initiative launched in December 2006 is beginning to give a strong stimulus to bilateral economic and commercial ties and create new opportunities for business.

9. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the realization of the Western Corridor of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project, as the flagship project of India-Japan cooperation, with Japanese ODA Loan utilizing Japan's Special Terms of Economic Partnership (STEP) Scheme and confirmed their readiness to jointly initiate the first phase (Rewari-Vadodara sector) of the project. In this regard, the Japanese side welcomed India's decision to commission the Western Corridor of DFC with electric traction system. The assistance will commence

Page No. 86 through an ODA loan for Engineering Services and the total volume of the loan for the first phase is currently estimated to be approximately 450 billion Yen, based on the provisional project design. The two Prime Ministers also expressed their commitment to work together for early finalization of the assistance for the entire Western Corridor.

10. The two Prime Ministers expressed the view that the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project (DMIC), which is linked to the Western Corridor of DFC Project, has the potential to transform the dynamics of the India-Japan economic engagement, and decided to pursue this further. They welcomed the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd. (IIFCL)/ Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) and confirmed that they would continue to work together closely for the joint establishment of a Project Development Fund. Both sides also welcomed the active participation by the Japanese companies in the 5 Early Bird Projects in the DMIC region in the areas of logistics, human resource development, power generation and enclave development. Both sides also welcomed the initiative of the DMICDC to take up select projects for early implementation in the Project States alongside the master planning exercise. They expressed their desire to further discuss overall cooperation on DMIC in order to spur mutually beneficial business relations that serve the long term interests of both countries.

11. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the progress made in bilateral consultations on high technology trade and noted the great potential in this area for collaboration. The two Prime Ministers recognized the importance of continuing bilateral consultations to facilitate two way high technology trade while addressing matters relating to respective export control systems.

12. The two leaders recalled the Joint Statement on Enhancement of Cooperation on Environmental Protection and Energy Security signed in August 2007 and stressed the need for accelerating bilateral cooperation in these vital areas. They welcomed progress achieved under the India-Japan Ministerial-level Energy Dialogue which confirmed the strengthening of cooperation in energy efficiency and conservation sector particularly through cooperation in establishing Regional Energy Efficiency Centres in India, and the development of a comprehensive cooperation in the coal and power sectors. They also noted that under this Dialogue the Energy Ministers confirmed that they will exchange views and information on their respective nuclear energy policies. They also welcomed progress achieved under the India-Japan Energy Forum held by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) of India, and recognized the importance of promoting cooperation between the two countries' industries in order to expand bilateral energy cooperation on a commercial basis.

13. The two Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction on the achievement at the Second Meeting of the India-Japan Joint Working Group on Urban Development in June 2008 and reaffirmed their intention to continue to hold the Working Group meetings regularly. 14. The two Prime Ministers shared the view that they will enhance cooperation in the field of Information and Communication Technology including the research collaboration and the introduction of wide-band wireless technology.

15. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the report submitted to them following the second meeting of the high-level Business Leaders' Forum (BLF). They recognized the crucial role played by business and industry of both countries in intensifying trade, investment and economic relations. They urged their concerned officials to speedily examine and implement the BLF's recommendations.

16. The two Prime Ministers emphasize the importance of exchanges at the cultural, academic, youth and people-to- people levels. They noted with satisfaction the enhanced people-to-people exchange between the two countries under the Aso Programme, including through the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youth (JENESYS) Programme, and shared their renewed commitment to maintain the upward trend.

17. The two Prime Ministers positively appraised the work of the India-Japan Working Group set up to explore possible collaboration in establishing a new Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) with Japanese assistance and welcomed the report submitted to them by the Working Group. The two Prime Ministers confirmed their commitment to collaborate in the establishment of a new IIT in Hyderabad that will become a symbol of joint efforts in promoting educational excellence in India, through various contributions from Japan. The two Prime Ministers

Page No. 87 also recognized that such collaboration will require the joint work of the relevant parties of both sides including academic experts to identify the specific areas that can be mutually beneficial.

18. The Prime Ministers acknowledged the need to make all efforts to take forward the collaboration for the development of the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing at Jabalpur in accordance with the Memorandum signed in December 2006 on this subject.

19. The two Prime Ministers shared the view that nuclear energy can play an important role as a safe, sustainable and non-polluting source of energy in meeting the rising global energy demands. The two Prime Ministers shared the view that international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts should be reinforced. The two Prime Ministers also reiterated the importance of strengthening their efforts towards the shared goal of achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.

20. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their support for the East Asia Summit as an open, inclusive, transparent and Leaders' led forum to promote cooperation on issues of common interest and to deepen regional economic integration towards the progressive realization of an East Asia Community. They decided to work jointly and with other countries of the region to promote this objective at the forthcoming East Asia Summit. They also welcomed the establishment of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and referred to the report of the study on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA) to be submitted in December this year.

21. The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining close cooperation between the two countries in various international fora. They shared the view that the reform and expansion of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, is central to the process of a comprehensive reform of the United Nations. They welcomed the decision of the UN General Assembly to commence intergovernmental negotiations not later than February 28, 2009. They decided to continue their close cooperation to achieve expeditious forward movement towards a genuine reform of the Security Council, so as to make it more representative, credible and effective. In this context, they stressed the important role of G-4, bilateral consultations as well as their engagement with the larger UN membership.

22. The two Prime Ministers condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, reaffirmed that terrorism constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security, and welcomed efforts undertaken by both countries to combat this menace. They underlined their determination to strengthen bilateral cooperation in combating terrorism through the Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism as well as UN mechanisms. They reaffirmed their desire for expeditious conclusion of negotiations of the Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism at the United Nations.

23. The two Prime Ministers shared the view that the present world economy is facing uncertainty, including financial difficulties, and that it is important for the two countries to continue discussion for the stability and growth in the region and the world. They recognized the need for joint efforts by all consuming and producing countries to mitigate the impact of high and volatile oil prices, which hamper global growth and development. They also expressed concerns that global food prices remain at high level, and called for greater collaborative efforts to address the challenge of the global food security. They also discussed the current state of the negotiations of the WTO Doha Development Agenda and reaffirmed their will to continue their cooperation towards an early and successful conclusion of the negotiations with a balanced and comprehensive outcome.

24. The two Prime Ministers expressed their support for the Bali Action Plan, and reaffirmed their determination for a flexible, fair and effective agreed outcome for now, up to and beyond 2012, in which all countries participate. The Japanese side welcomed India's recent announcement of the "National Action Plan on Climate Change", and the Indian side welcomed the various initiatives taken by Japan on this issue. The two Prime Ministers shared the view that the actions of all countries should be taken based on national circumstances and various criteria in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. They reaffirmed the desirability for the UNFCCC Parties to adopt in the negotiations a long-term global goal for reducing global emissions and pledged to cooperate closely in this regard toward the COP 15 next year. In this regard, they noted the desire of the G8 nations to share with all the parties of the UNFCCC the vision of reducing global emissions by at least 50% by 2050. They also noted that equitable burden sharing for sustainable development should guide the

Page No. 88 negotiations on a shared vision. In order to secure energy efficiency and address climate change, they reaffirmed to promote energy efficiency and conservation by implementing individual, and where possible, sector specific goals and action plans. Recognizing that actions in various sectors could be a useful tool for global emission reduction through measures such as improving energy efficiency, they decided to move forward on the practical development of cooperative sectoral approaches and sector-specific actions, also in cooperation with other countries, as confirmed in the 3rd meeting of the India-Japan Ministerial-level Energy Dialogue. They highlighted the importance of promoting synergy between development and environmental protection, and recognized the need to devote scaled up resources to adaptation measures in developing countries. They shared the view that India and Japan must work closely together on Climate Change issues in relevant international fora.

25. The Prime Minister of India conveyed his sincere appreciation for the hospitality extended to him and his delegation by the Government of Japan. He invited the Prime Minister of Japan to visit New Delhi in 2009 for their next Annual Bilateral Summit, at mutually convenient dates to be decided through diplomatic channels.

Title: Research centre on Gas Emission Proposed at Pune Date: 24th April, 2008

Rajya Sabha A research centre is proposed to be set up, initially, as a part of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Earth Sciences for studying the science aspects of climate change.

As decided in Conference of Parties (COP-13) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and 3rd Meeting of the Parties (MOP-3) to Kyoto Protocol held at Bali in December, 2007, the Ad-Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) and Ad-Hoc Working Group on further commitments for Annexure I Parties under Kyoto Protocol (KWG-KP) met at Bangkok, Thailand from 31.3.2008 to 4.4.2008. It was first Session of AWG-LCA and first part of the 55th Session of the AWG-KP. 162 countries, including all major countries, participated at the Bangkok conference.

Kyoto Protocol does not expire in 2009; only the first commitment period for developed countries (Annex I countries) expires in 2012. Both the AWGs are to complete their work by December, 2009 for adoption at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP-15) meeting to the UNFCCC and the 5th Meeting of the Parties (MOP-5) to the Kyoto Protocol.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment & Forests, Shri Namo Narain Meena, in a written reply to a question by Shri Ramdas Agarwal and Shri Dara Singh in the Rajya Sabha.

Title: Technology for Reducing Emissions Date: 20th March, 2008

Rajya Sabha The developing countries have been demanding for quite some time that cost effective and easily accessible technologies for reducing emissions should be transferred to developing countries at the earliest. The same was reiterated at the thirteenth Conference of Parties (COP-13) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held at Bali in December 2007. Under the Bali Action Plan, it has been further stated that enhanced action for effective mechanisms and removal of obstacles, need to be considered including provision of financial and other incentives for, scaling up of the development and transfer of technology to developing countries in order to promote access to affordable environmentally sound technologies including their deployment and diffusion.

Various estimates are being projected by different authors and these cannot be confirmed at this stage.

Developed countries may provide some financial and other incentives as stated in para (a) above, details of which are not available at this stage.

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This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests Shri Namo Narain Meena, in a written reply to a question by Dr. (Smt.) Najma A. Heptulla and Shri Mahendra Mohan, in the Rajya Sabha.

Title: Low Carbon Technology Date: 12th March, 2008

LOK SABHA The principal outcome of the thirteenth Conference of Parties (COP-13) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at Bali in December 2007 was to launch a comprehensive process called Bali Action Plan (BAP) that would enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC through long-term cooperative action, now, up to and beyond 2012. It is expected that an agreed outcome would be reached and a decision adopted regarding BAP, at the fifteenth Conference of Parties (COP-15) to be held in December 2009.

As decided by the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change, the National Action Plan on Climate Change is being prepared and that would consider approaches to address the concerns of climate change.

While India does not have any Green House Gases (GHG) abatement commitments under the Kyoto Protocol of the UNFCCC, nevertheless a range of policies and programs help mitigation of climate change. These include: i. Improving energy efficiency & conservation as well setting up of Bureau of Energy Efficiency ii. Power sector reforms iii. Promoting hydro and renewable energy iv. Promotion of clean coal technologies v. Coal washing & efficient utilization of coal vi. Afforestation and conservation of forests vii. Reduction of gas flaring viii. Use of cleaner and lesser carbon intensive fuel for transport ix. Encouraging Mass Rapid Transport systems x. Environmental quality management

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests Shri Namo Narain Meena, in a written reply to a question by Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia in the Lok Sabha.

Title: National Biodiversity Action Plan 2008 released Date: 24th February, 2009

JANAKI AMMAL NATIONAL AWARD FOR TAXONOMY, 2007 PRESENTED Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests said that biodiversity is fundamental to the fulfilment of human needs and vital for the survival of this planet itself. Releasing the National Biodiversity Action Plan -2008 here today Shri Meena said an environment rich in biological diversity offers a broad array of options for sustainable economic activity, for sustaining human welfare and adapting to change. This makes sustainable development possible, protecting life from the potential consequence of change, including sudden changes to ecosystems, such as those caused by disasters. Biodiversity thus is truly life insurance of life itself.

Criticizing human activities of today including consumptive lifestyles, the Minister observed that they are placing severe pressure on biological resources, and increasingly leading to fragmentation and degradation of habitats and resultant loss of biodiversity. These losses are irreversible and are a threat to our own well being. Adding to this he said another significant threat to biodiversity, ecosystems, and the goods and service, they provide, is due to a build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In fact, biodiversity and global warming are closely linked, and each impacts upon the other. Biodiversity is threatened by human-induced global warming, but biodiversity resources can reduce the impacts of global warming on populations and ecosystems. It is believed that ecosystems with undiminished species diversity, and species with their genetic diversity intact, are likely to be in a much better position to face the impacts of climate change.

India has a long history of conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. India is also a Party to a number of international agreements relevant to biodiversity, including the Conservation on Biological Diversity (CDBD). The

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Convention calls upon all Parties to prepare national biodiversity strategy and action plan for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Accordingly, India in 1999 had developed a ‘National Policy and Micro level Action Strategy on Biodiversity’. The document on prepared through a consultative process by revising and updating the earlier policy, so that it is in consonance with the National Environment Policy, 2006. The NBAP was approved by the Cabinet on 6th November, 2008.

The NBAP is founded in backdrop in NEP’s cardinal prescription that human begins are at the centre of concern for sustainable development, and they are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature. The NBAP has been prepared in pursuance of Article 6 of the CBD and Section 36 of the Biological Diversity Act. In addition to preparation of the NBAP, two other important activities undertaken by the Ministry are enactment of Biodiversity Act and Capacity building for Taxonomy in the country.

Presenting the Janaki Ammal National Award for Taxonomy , Shri Meena the study of identification, classification and naming of living organism i.e. taxonomy is a dying science today. Expressing his concern at non-availability of taxonomy expertise either due to aging or retiring, Shri Meena stressed on the need for capacity building taxonomy. He said it is essential and urgent, considering that a sound taxonomic knowledge base is a prerequisite for environment assessment ecological research, effective conservation, management and sustainable use of biological resources. Explaining the initiative taken by the Ministry to address this concern ,he said that a National Award named after the Late Prof. E.K Janaki Amma has been instituted.

The Janaki Ammal National Award for Taxonomy is bestowed upon Dr. M Sanjappa in recognition of his contributions to the subject of taxonomy. Dr.M. Sanjappa has done outstanding work on the flowering plant families of Leguminosae, Ericaceae. Aristolochiaceae, Iridaceae and Lamiaceae. His contributions have significantly enriched the understanding of these plant groups Dr.Sanjappa’s pioneering work on Legumes ahs formed the basis of the World Legume Database for India and south Asia. As a field botanist he has explored various ecosystems of India and other countries and discovered 36 new species/ varieties and 23 new records of plants of potential value.

Dr.Y.Ranga Reddy has been given E. K. Janaki Ammal National Award for Animla taxonomy 2007.Dr Reddy is an outstanding taxonomist who has unswervingly devoted his entire lifetime or the cause of taxonomy of crustaceans, especially the freshwater free-living copepods and bathynellaceans. His outstanding contributions to the taxonomy of these aquatic organisms are well known through out the world and have rendered his name synonymous with the Indian copepods bathynellaceans.

Dr. Reddy has meticulously revised as many as twenty crustacean genera besides discovering about fifty new species, establishing four new genera, tow new families and reporting about twenty new species records for India.During last one year alone, he has discovered 36 new additional crustaceanspecies from hyporheic habitats and borewells in in different parts of the country. Considering the fact that the diversity of crustaceans is far less than that of insects, Dr.Reddy’s discovery of new crustacean taxa form India is very imopressive. He has also resolved several previously intransigent taxonomic problems, particularly concerning diaptomid copepods. His collaborative research effort with several eminent overseas peers is really commendable and speaks volumes about the niche he has carved out for himself in the area of animal taxonomy .

Title: Bio-Diversity vital for survival of this Planet – Namo Narayan Meena Date: 04th January, 2008

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has prepared a draft of the National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) to identify threats and constraints in bio-diversity conservation. The draft NBAP has been circulated to various Central Government Ministries and Departments and will be placed for approval before the Cabinet soon. Addressing the thirteenth meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry today, Minister of State for Environment & Forests, Shri Namo Narayan Meena said the bio-diversity is fundamental to the fulfillment of human need and vital for the survival of this planet. Shri Meena explained that the environment reach in biological diversities offers a broad array of options for sustainable economic activity, for sustaining human welfare and for adopting to change. Shri Meena added that this makes sustainable development possible, protecting life from the potential consequences of change, including sudden changes of eco system.

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Human activities place severe pressure on biological resources and increasingly leading to fragmentation and degradation of habitats. This results in loss of bio-diversity he added. Another significant threat to bio-diversity he said is greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The Minister said that biodiversity and global warming are closely linked and each impacts upon the other. Presentation was made on National Biodiversity Action Plan which explained the values of bio-diversity, convention on biological diversity, measures for bio-diversity conservation in India and Draft NBAP. It is in consonance of National Environment Policy (NEP). NEP’s centre of concern is for sustainable development of human beings and to secure basis to obtain better livelihood from conservation than degradation. It was informed that seventeen countries, which are rich in bio-diversity and are associated with traditional knowledge, have formed a group of Like Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMCs).

Measures and strategies for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and use of bio-resources are ingrained in Indian ethos and are way of life. India has long history of conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Thus Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in India did not start recently but it is part of our culture from ancient times.

Members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee expressed concern about degradation of bio-diversity. They suggested to create awareness through media and to start a campaign involving masses. Members also suggested to work at global level, because saving of environment of only our nation cannot solve this problem. They also agreed that to reverse the speed of our industrial progress is not possible though industrialization is one of the factors affecting our bio-diversity. Terming increased population and consumerism as another two factors affecting biodiversity, members suggested to concentrate on conservation and preservation of forests and natural resources. Members also appreciated the working of joint forests management committees at village level.

The Member who attended the Consultative Committee Meeting are: S/Shri Ananta Nayak, Mahaveer Bhogora, Basudeb Barman, Ramji Lal Suman, R. Shunmuga Sundaram, Satyavrat Chatruvedi, Ramdas Aggarwal, Dr. M. Baburao and Smt. Karuna Shukla.

Title: President inaugurates 12th world lakes Conference at Jaipur Date: 29th October, 2007

President Appeals to Work out Arrangement of ” Twinning Lakes”

25 Wetlands Internationally Important under Ramsar Convention

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS TO FORMULATE A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION OF WATERBODIES The President of India, Smt Pratibha Devisingh Patil appeals to work out arrangements of “Twinning Lakes”. Inaugurating the 12th World Lakes Conference TAAL 2007 in Jaipur today she said great efforts have gone into the rehabilitation of some lakes all over the world and improving their water quality. In this context a partnership can be formed between a lake in a developed country with a lake in developed country. The developed country involved in this partnership while sharing its experiences, should commit to make available finances and technology for the conservation of the lake in the developing country. The President said India has a large number and huge variance of lakes. Many of them are unique ecosystems and valuable from historical, cultural, biological and functional point of view. It is a matter of great concern that in the wake of urbanization and industrialization, water bodies have degraded to a great extent. Smt Patil expressed need for effective legal protection to save lakes. In India, we are conscious of these problems and have initiated remedial measures, she added.

Welcoming all the guests and participants Sh Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for Environment and Forests said that the government of India is fully conscious of deterioration of lakes and two major projects for the conservation, management and restoration of lake sand Wetlands have started in India. 94 nationally important wetlands have been identified out of which 25 have been declared as internationally important under the Ramsar Convention.

The national lake conservation Plan focuses on pollution abatement and water quality improvement in urban and semi-urban lakes. This programme supports activities around 48 lakes and semi-urban lakes. Sh Meena said that this biennial conference is being organized for the first time in South Asia. Selecting Jaipur for this conference Sh

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Meena said that Jaipur has an age old tradition of rain-water harvesting and constructing lakes and water bodies which makes it apt place to organize this conference in Jaipur. Sh.Meena said that lakes are not only significant source of water besides, they provide habitat to a variety of flora and fauna .Lakes influence the microclimate and add to aesthetic beauty of landscape. Showing concern about the drastic change in the quality and quantity of water reaching lakes, he stated the causes are rapid population growth and expansion of these urban centers in past few decades. This human slaughtering has affected biodiversity in and around lakes. Even the rural areas have not remained unaffected.

The Director General,International Lakes Environment Committee Foundation (ILEC ) Sh Hironori Hamanaka informed that this body was initiated in 1984 in Japan and was established as an international NGO with UNEP in 1986. Mr Hamanaka said that our motto is to promote scientific approach to conserve, develop and maintain lakes all over the world with the help of local participation as well as governments. He said hallmark of this conference is diverse range of participants come together –citizens and government officials for a common cause.

Delivering the key-note address Dr V L Chopra, Member , Planning Commission and Fellow of Indian National Science Academy, Fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Science and Fellow of The third World Academy of Sciences, said that wetlands serve as both sinks and sources of green-house gases to the atmosphere. Dr Chopra said they have capability to moderate floods and droughts by retaining surface runoffs and groundwater recharge. Fish and rice are most important products from water bodies that feed about half of the world’s human population. The carbon sequestration by lakes and wetlands regulates the global climate, Dr Chopra added. He further informed that the Ganga Action Plan(GAP) and the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP ) focus on abatement of pollution from domestic and industrial sources through treatment of wastewater effluents. The NRCP covers as many as 34 rivers today in India. Many wetlands and their biodiversity are protected under Indian Wildlife Act.

Dr Chopra informed that India is signatory to all Environmental conventions such as the Ramsar convention on Wetlands, the CBD, the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species, and the CITES on Endangered Species. He said that there is dire need for overall integrated water resource management. He appealed to reduce our demands on water and food production and conserve water by avoiding wastage of all kinds.

Smt. Vasundhara Raje, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan said that Public Private Partnership is the successful approach today. Planners, policy makers, stakeholders and people at large can work together to abate pollution and save water bodies.

Sh S.K Singh, the Governor of Rajasthan said that development can not be sustainable without attending the needs of environment. With increasing biotic pressures, today these water bodies are facing a variety of threats. It is important that serious and sustained efforts are made to conserve and restore these natural heritage. Ms Meena Gupta, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests gave vote of thanks. Scientist, environmentalists, policy makers, Non-government Organizations (NGOs)and academicians from all over the world are participating in this conference. The Japanese delegation with 65 members, which is maximum members followed by China with 13, Poland with 12 members are here to attend this conference.250 abstracts have been accepted for oral presentation and about 600 will give Poster presentation.

The deliberation of the conference will cover a wide range of issues going beyond confines of lakes and wetlands. The recommendations emerging from these deliberations will be useful for researchers, planners and policy makers.

Title: Biotechnology : new vista to tackle complex problems of world food security Date: 20th November, 2006

Mr. A. Raja, Minister of Environment & Forests said biotechnology has created enormous potential in health and medicine, agriculture, food technology, industrial technology, unlocking in new vista for tackling various complex problems of world food security. Inaugurating a 3-day International Conference on the Implications of the Cartagena Protocol on Bio-safety in New Delhi today, he further said recent breakthroughs in biotechnology have led to rapid progress in understanding various aspects. They include genetic basis of living organisms, the ability to develop products and processes useful to human and animal health besides food and agriculture industry. Referring to the field of agriculture, he said transgenic or marker-assisted selection will assist in the development of high yielding crops. This will be needed to feed the world and save land from other pressures. The benefits of genetically modified

Page No. 93 crops will be better obtained in weed and insect control. Regarding major investment opportunities in biopharma industry, vaccines, recombinant therapeutic proteins and diagnostics will have promising future, the Minister said.

The Minister said the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety as an international legal agreement under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the only international law that deals specifically with the issue of genetic engineering and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Biosafety concerns needs to be addressed through the provisions of this Protocol. India is implementing a GEF-World Bank Capacity Building Project on Biosafety to address such issues.

Mr. Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for Environment and Forests delievering key-note adress said that in the matter of biosafety laws and policies, India is one of early movers in the developing world, who introduced in the country biosafety rules even before the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was adopted at Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Since 1989 biosafety rules are being implemented at institutional districts, state and central levels in India. National Biodiversity Act 2002 and the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act 2001 (PPVFR) exist in the country. Mr.Meena said now it is time to work towards building up capacities to address the biosafety issues.

Earlier, third National Report to CBD and a book entitled “Biosafety issues & Challenges” were released. Dr.Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity and Secretary, Ministry of Env & Forests, Dr.Pradipto Ghosh gave introductory address. Mr.Bir Singh Parsheera, Additional Secretary, Ministry of E&F gave welcome address.

The Conference has been organized by the Ministry of Environment & Forests in association with Biotech Consortium India Limited and ITDC, New Delhi. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is an international legal agreement under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that deals specifically with the issue of genetic engineering and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). It was adopted on 29th January 2000 after a long negotiation under the aegis of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). India is a party to the Protocol.

Title: India participates in CoP-8 Date: 19th April, 2006

The eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-8) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was held in Curitiba, Brazil from 20-31 March 2006. The CBD is the most comprehensive global agreement dealing with all aspects relating to biodiversity, which was signed by nations during the Earth Summit, also held in Brazil 14 years ago in 1992. CoP-8 saw the largest ever gathering of biodiversity experts (nearly 4000) assembled in the world’s most biodiversity-rich country, i.e. Brazil. An interministerial delegation from India participated actively in the CoP-8. The High-level Segment of CoP-8 held from 26-29 March 2006, was led by Shri Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for Environment & Forests. Participation of 130 countries in the High-level Segment has also been unprecedented in the history of the Convention.

The Convention, and in particular its provisions relating to benefit sharing arising from the use of biological resources is of special interest to countries such as India which is rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge. India, along with sixteen other countries which are rich in biological diversity and associated traditional knowledge have formed a group known as the Like Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMCs). The LMMCs hold nearly 70% of all biodiversity. India was invited to chair the LMMCs during CoP-7 in 2004 for a period of two years. During CoP-8, India as the Chair of LMMCs, steered the negotiations, developed and presented common positions of the Group, particularly on issues relating to access and benefit sharing. In this context, the address of Shri Namo Narain Meena as the leader of Indian delegation and as President of LMMC was highly appreciated in which he exhorted all the member countries to work for an international regime on access and benefit sharing.

India also organized a meeting of Ministers of LMMCs in Curitiba on 26th March 2006, which was chaired by Shri Namo Narain Meena. In this meeting, India presented a report on the activities undertaken during its two-year tenure of Chairmanship of LMMCs. Shri Meena formally released a book entitled ‘Perspectives on Biodiversity – A Vision for Megadiverse Countries’, and launched the website developed by India for LMMCs (www.lmmc.nic.in) . Further, Kenya was elected as the Chair of the Group for the next two years from end of CoP-8 to end of CoP-9.

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Shri Namo Narain Meena also co-chaired one of the Roundtables on Biodiversity and Trade during the High-level Segment of CoP-8, on the invitation of the host Government of Brazil. The Roundtable sought to explore the linkages between biodiversity and trade in the context of CBD and WTO provisions.

The CoP-8 adopted 30 decisions on different issues. Some important outcomes of CoP-8 to the CBD include : adoption of 2010 as the deadline for completing negotiations on the international regime on access and benefit sharing (ABS); development of a detailed programme of work on island biodiversity; process for conservation of deep sea bed genetic resources and development of marine protected areas; and recommendation for celebrating 2010 as the International Year on Biodiversity. The agreement on the negotiating framework and a firm time frame to finalise negotiations on the international regime on ABS is seen as a significant step forward. India, along with other megadiverse countries, have been relentlessly pursuing all along for expediting the development of the international regime. The suggested international regime, will ensure implementation of the third objective of the Convention, relating to promoting fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of genetic resources. The next meeting of CoP to the CBD will be held in Germany in 2008.

Title: India assures Maldives of help in setting up a Marine National Park and in capacity building Date: 03rd March, 2006

Maldives Environment Minister calls on Shri Namo Narain Meena The Minister of State for Environment & Forests, Shri Namo Narain Meena has assured the visiting Maldives Minister, H.E. Mr. Ahmed Abdullah that India would help in establishing a Marine National Park similar to the one in Jamnagar, Gujarat. He was discussing various issues with the visiting dignitaries. He also promised India’s help in capacity building measures in Coastal Management which could cover mangroves and coral reef conservation. While appreciating the role of Maldives in South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) & Convention on Biodiversity (CBD), he informed that under GEF – Small Grants Programme of India, an E-network is being setup to share experiences.

In his turn, the Maldives Minister thanked India for its help during Tsunami and sought India’s helps in capacity building and training in the field of coastal management. He also informed the hosts that Maldives will launch an eco-schools programme & sought India’s help in training, awareness creation, etc. He also mentioned that Maldives would welcome any tourism linked development initiatives, as its economy is highly dependent on tourism.

Title: International Day for Biological Diversity observed Date: 21st May, 2005

A ‘Workshop for Preparation of India’s Third National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity’ was organised on the eve of the International Biological Diversity Day, here today. On this occasion, a poster and a brochure on the theme of this year’s Biological Diversity Day were also released.

The theme for International Day for Biological Diversity 2005 is ‘Biodiversity: Life Insurance for our Changing World’.

The United Nations has proclaimed May 22, the International Day for Biological Diversity, to commemorate the date of adoption of the text of CBD in 1992. The day is celebrated to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. The celebration each year of this day is an occasion to reflect on our responsibility to safeguard the precious heritage of bio-resources for our future generation.

Addressing the participants, Shri Desh Deepak Verma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, said that international community’s approach to biodiversity has changed over the past ten years, adding further that biological diversity is now considered as an essential part of efforts to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development.

The world is changing faster than ever before, and growing human populations and expanding consumption are placing severe pressure on biodiversity. This year’s theme reminds us that in addition to providing the physical conditions for life, biodiversity also plays an important role in protecting life and making it resilient to the pressures brought about by the change. Thus, biodiversity is the life insurance of life itself. More specifically, diversity within

Page No. 95 species helps a given specie survive rapid changes in surrounding ecosystem. Diversity between species increases the resilience of ecosystems by enhancing functions and providing multiple sources for ecosystem services. This makes sustainable development possible, protecting life from the potential consequences of change, including sudden changes to ecosystems, such as those brought on by disasters.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the first global comprehensive agreement to address all aspects of biological diversity, including conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from its use. The Convention was signed by nations during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Since its entry into force in 1994, the CBD has been ratified by 180 Parties. India is a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Title: Megadiverse Countries call for global regime to prevent illegal access of genetic resources Date: 21st January, 2005

Delhi declaration of Megadiverse Countries on access and benefit sharing

The Like Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC), rich in biological diversity and associated traditional knowledge, have agreed to join efforts as a Group for effectively negotiating the development of an international regime on access and benefit sharing (ABS), including legally binding instruments in the forthcoming meetings of the Ad-hoc Open ended Working Group under the aegis of Convention on Biological Diversity, so as to safeguard the interests of LMMC countries and peoples.

The New Delhi Ministerial Declaration of Like Minded Megadiverse Countries on Access and Benefit Sharing, issued here today, at the end of five-day meet of the Megadiverse countries, also stated that the proposed international regime on access and benefit sharing (ABS) should include “mandatory disclosure of the country of origin of biological material and associated traditional knowledge in the IPR (Intellectual Property Right) application, along with an undertaking that the prevalent laws and practices of the country of origin have been respected and mandatory specific consequences in the event of failure to disclose the country of origin in the IPR application”.

The Megadiverse countries have also agreed to ensure that the proposed ABS includes prior informed consent of the country of origin and mutually agreed upon terms between the country of origin and user country.

The Declaration states that the LMMC have agreed to jointly further work towards creating the Megadiverse Cooperation Fund for supporting projects in member countries that meet the objectives of the Group. Recognizing the urgent need to develop human resources, capabilities, and legal and public policy to enable countries rich in biodiversity to take an active part in the new economy associated with the use of biological diversity and biotechnology, seventeen countries rich in biological diversity and associated traditional knowledge have formed a group known as the Like Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMCs).

These countries are Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, and Venezuela. The LMMC Group, which holds nearly 60-70% of all biodiversity, is now well recognized as an important negotiating block in the UN and other international fora.

The five-day meet of LMMCs, which was inaugurated here on 17th January 2005, discussed issues relating to access to genetic resources and associated knowledge, intellectual property rights (IPRs) in relation to biological resources, and traditional knowledge.

The meeting, hosted by India in its capacity as the President of the Group, helped in evolving a common position of the LMMCs for developing an international regime on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and resulted in finalization and adoption of the New Delhi Ministerial Declaration of Like Minded Megadiverse Countries on Access and Benefit Sharing.

While CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) envisages that access to genetic resources and realization of benefits is subject to national legislation through formalization of prior informed consent (PIC) and mutually agreed

Page No. 96 terms (MAT), India has been emphasizing that such national action alone is not sufficient to ensure realization of benefits to the country of origin or provider country. This is particularly so in cases where genetic material sourced from one country is utilized in another country for developing products and processes on which patent protection is obtained. The onus of benefit sharing must also be shared by the user country to create an enabling environment and confidence through legislative measures so as to ensure compliance of PIC stipulations and equitable sharing of benefits as visualized in the Convention.

Title: Biodiversity loss will be reversed only if Local Communities benefit from its Conservation: Thiru Raja Date: 20th January, 2005

The Minister for Environment and Forests, Thiru A. Raja, emphasized that the loss of biodiversity will be reversed only if the indigenous and local communities that have been its custodians benefit from its conservation and sustainable use.

Inaugurating the Meeting of the Like Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMCs) on access to biological resources and sharing of benefits arising out of the use of these resources here today, Thiru Raja, who is also Chairman of the group of LMMC, said that a significant part of the pharmaceuticals industry and its products are developed based on traditional and indigenous knowledge, adding that “however, local and indigenous communities rarely get any benefits from the resulting products”.

“The megadiverse countries, with home to nearly 60-70% of the global biodiversity, should be in a position to influence the bulk of trade in bio-resources. However, the reality is that most of the megadiverse countries continue to remain impoverished despite the richness of bio-resources that they posses”, he added.

Stating that the relationship between genetic resources, traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights is one of the most debated issues in the negotiations of several multilateral agreements, Thiru Raja pointed out that the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) and the TRIPS ((Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) agreements, both touch on issues relating to genetic resources and intellectual property giving rise to a range of legal and practical issues concerning both their relationship in international law and their implementation at the national level. There is therefore a strong need for harmonization of the provisions of these agreements, the Minister stressed.

Stating that many countries have pointed out the limitations of IPRs in effectively protecting the genetic resources and interests of the countries of origin, the Minister said that the countries of origin require that their sovereignty over their biological resources be respected by all, leading to the prevention of biopiracy. In his welcome address, Dr Prodipto Ghosh, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, pointed out the group of LMMC represents more than 70 per cent of the planet’s biological diversity and 45 per cent of the world’s population, along with the rich cultural diversity and the traditional knowledge associated with it.

Dr Ghosh further called for evolving common priorities for the international regime on access and benefit sharing with a broad vision to provide the conceptual and legal framework for making biodiversity conservation more effective and for opening up the potential for sustainable use of biological diversity.

Minister of State for Environment and Forests Shri Namo narain Meena was also present on the occasion.

The meeting of the the group seventeen countries, known as the Like Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC), rich in biological diversity and associated traditional knowledge has been convened to discuss the issues relating to access to genetic resources and associated knowledge, intellectual property rights (IPRs) in relation to biological resources, and traditional knowledge.

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The meeting, which is being attended by ministers, experts, government officials and various stakeholders, will help in evolving a common position of the LMMCs for developing an international regime on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and is expected to result in finalization and adoption of the New Delhi Ministerial Declaration of LMMCs on ABS.

Title: Need for International regime to prevent illegal access of genetic resources and traditional knowledge Date: 17th January, 2005

International meet on access to genetic resources and associated knowledge inaugurated

The Minister of State for Environment and Forests Shri Namo Narain Meena has stressed the need for the relevant international agreements in order to prevent illegal access and use of genetic resources and traditional knowledge.

Inaugurating the Experts’ Meeting of the Like Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMCs) on access to biological resources and sharing of benefits arising out of the use of these resources, here today, Shri Meena said that “sustainable use of biodiversity can only be accomplished by establishing a system of access that requires agreements to preserve genetic resources, measures environmental impacts, provides evidence of prior and informed consent by host governments and local communities and ensures fair and equitable sharing of benefits deriving from genetic resources and traditional knowledge”.

Stating that biodiversity has become a subject of intense trade negotiations, Shri Meena pointed out that the issues such as bio-piracy, bio-prospecting, access and benefit sharing have been catapulted to prominence, adding that “these issues appear to be compounded by the apparent lack of harmonization between the two major international instruments namely Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual property Rights (TRIPs) and the Convention on Biological Diversity”.

In his welcome address, Dr Prodipto Ghosh, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, pointed out that international community’s approach to biodiversity has changed over the past ten years.

Stating that biological diversity is now considered as an essential part of efforts to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development, Dr Ghosh said that “this change has been in large part due to the process of international consensus building instituted under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its inherent strengths of near universal membership, a comprehensive and science-driven approach, international financial support for national projects and the political involvement of governments”.

In his remarks, Dr Olivier Jalbert, Head of Secretariat of Convention on Biological Diversity, observed that a comprehensive international regime on access and benefit sharing may require one or more instruments - legally or non-legally binding. Such instruments could include examination of the need for and feasibility of an international certificate of origin or legal provenance to address the requirements for the disclosure of the country of origin of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge in intellectual property rights applications to ensure compliance with prior informed consent and mutually agreed terms on which access was granted as well as the protection and recognition of the traditional knowledge of indigenous and local communities to ensure that they obtain fair and equitable compensation of the utilization of their knowledge.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Charles McNeill, Biodiversity Programme, UNDP, said that proper evaluation and exploitation of biological resources has socio-cultural implications for megabiodiverse countries and can help in realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) such as eradication of poverty, provision of health for all and conservation of environment, as set out by the United Nations. Dr Balakrishnan Pisupati, Head, IUCN Regional Biodiversity Programme for Asia, stressed the need for making the wealth of biological resources an engine of growth for developing countries.

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The five-day meet is being hosted by India in its capacity as the President of the Group. The two-day ministerial level meeting of LMMCs will be inaugurated by Thiru Raja on 20th January 2005.

The meeting, organized in cooperation with IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and UNDP (United nations Development Programme), is being attended by ministers, experts, government officials and various stakeholders. The meeting will help in evolving a common position of the LMMCs for developing an international regime on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and is expected to result in finalization and adoption of the New Delhi Ministerial Declaration of LMMCs on ABS.

Title: Country position on access and benefit sharing and traditional knowledge Date: 13th January, 2005

International meet on access to genetic resources and associated knowledge

One of the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity, as set out in its Article 1, is the “fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources to technologies, and by appropriate funding.”

A framework for the implementation of this third objective of the Convention with respect to access to genetic resources is provided in Article 15 of the Convention. In addition, Article 8(j) contains provision to encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from utilization of knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local community embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Access to genetic resources and sharing of benefits arising out of the use of these resources form the core of the CBD. However, operationalising the benefit sharing provisions of the CBD has been beset with many complexities, and therefore not much progress could be made in implementation of this core objective of the CBD even after ten years of entry into force of the Convention.

While CBD envisages that access to genetic resources and realization of benefits is subject to national legislation through formalization of prior informed consent (PIC) and mutually agreed terms (MAT), India has been emphasizing that such national action alone is not sufficient to ensure realization of benefits to the country of origin or provider country. This is particularly so in cases where genetic material sourced from one country is utilized in another country for developing products and processes on which patent protection is obtained. The onus of benefit sharing must also be shared by the user country to create an enabling environment and confidence through legislative measures so as to ensure compliance of PIC stipulations and equitable sharing of benefits as visualized in the Convention.

To ensure this, India, along with the support of other like-minded developing countries, has been advocating in various international fora including that of CBD, WTO (World Trade Organisation) and WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation), that Article 29 of the TRIPs (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) agreement dealing with disclosure in patent application should require mandatory disclosure in patent application of the origin of biological resources / traditional knowledge used in the technological invention, and an undertaking

Page No. 99 that the prevalent laws and practices of the country of origin have been respected. Incorporation of such a provision would reconcile the inherent contradictions in the provisions of TRIPs and CBD.

At the national level, India has enacted the Biological Diversity Act (2002), which provides that prior approval of National Biodiversity Authority is necessary before applying for any kind of intellectual property rights (IPRs) based on any research or information on a biological resource obtained from India. Further, the Patents (Second Amendment) Act provides for disclosure of the source and geographical origin of the biological material / associated knowledge, used in an invention. It also provides for opposition to the grant of patent or revocation of the patent in case of non-disclosure or wrongful disclosure of source of biological material and associated knowledge.

At the international level, the proposal has not yet met with success in the TRIPs Council, though India along with other developing countries is still pushing hard with these arguments.

As a result of India’s strong arguments in meetings under the aegis of the CBD as well as in WSSD (World Summit on Sustainable Development), the 7th Conference of Parties (CoP-7) to the CBD took a landmark decision regarding development of an international regime on access and benefit sharing, after almost ten long years of entry into force of the Convention.

Recognizing the urgent need to develop human resources, capabilities, and legal and public policy to enable countries rich in biodiversity to take an active part in the new economy associated with the use of biological diversity and biotechnology, seventeen countries rich in biological diversity and associated traditional knowledge have formed a group known as the Like Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMCs).

The LMMCs will meet here from 17th to 21st January 2005 to discuss the issues relating to access to genetic resources and associated knowledge, intellectual property rights (IPRs) in relation to biological resources, and traditional knowledge. The meeting, being hosted by India in its capacity as the President of the Group, will help in evolving a common position of the LMMCs for developing an international regime on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and is expected to result in finalization and adoption of the New Delhi Ministerial Declaration of LMMCs on ABS.

Title: Workshop on forest carbon stock , conservation management and increase in forest cover begins this Friday Date: 05th March, 2008

A two-day International Workshop on Developing Methodology for Assessment of Enhancement of Forest Carbon stock due to conservation sustainable management of forests and increase in forest cover has been organized in New Delhi from this Friday. It aims to evolve a common strategy for developing modalities for accounting of incremental carbon due to forest conservation efforts and sustainable forest management by the developing countries. This has been organized after the Conference of Parties (COP) 13 of UNFCC under the Agenda of reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) in developing countries where India argued for incorporating the concept of “compensated conservation” as a policy approach for compensating countries adopting forest conservation policies and measures. This has been organized by the Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education, Dehradun, Ministry of Environment & Forests.

The outcome of COP 13 at Bali has been very encouraging for the country’s practicing conservation policies for their forest resources. At the end of the Bali Conference role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks found place in COP decisions on Bal Action Plan, and reducing emissions from the deforestation and degradation in developing countries. The task ahead now is to develop modalities and procedures for transparent and verifiable assessment of changes in forest cover, associated carbon stocks and green house gas emissions and also incremental changes in carbon stocks.

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The Workshop will have various technical sessions. Representatives from China, Costa Rica, Cameroon, Brazil, Parkistan, EU, Bolivia, Sri Lanka , Indonesia, Thailand, United States, Papua New Guinea, Bhutan, Nepal, Malaysia will participate.

India and China has increased their forest covers. They are endeavoring to seek adequate compensation for maintaining and increasing forest cover resulting in locking of carbon in forest.

Title: India’s Participation in Deliberations on Climate Changes Date: 28th February, 2008

Rajya Sabha The principal outcome of Bali Conference which was held at Bali as the thirteenth Conference of Parties (COP-13) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the third Meeting of Parties (MOP-3) to Kyoto Protocol was to launch a comprehensive process called Bali Action Plan (BAP) that would enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC through long-term cooperative action, now, up to and beyond 2012. It is expected that an agreed outcome would be reached and a decision adopted regarding BAP, at the fifteenth Conference of Parties (COP-15) to be held in December 2009.

The Conference of Parties serving as Meeting of Parties at Bali also took crucial decisions in respect of the Kyoto Protocol, the Adhoc Working Group on further commitments of developed countries (beyond 2012) finally established a deadline of 2009 for the completion of its work and forwarding to COP-15 for a decision, its recommendations on quantified emissions limitation and reduction commitments of Annex I Parties (developed countries).

Several other significant decisions which are beneficial to developing countries were also reached at Bali. These include operationalization of the Adaptation Fund to provide assistance to developing countries to adapt to climate change; agreement on guidance for the further implementation and improvement of the Clean Development Mechanism; policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries; “transfer of technologies”, including licenses to support the access to and transfer of low carbon technologies, and know how.

It is expected that the decisions taken at Bali would enhance the implementation of the UNFCCC and as a responsible country, India will engage constructively in these negotiations.

Title: Kapil Sibal intervenes successfully in guiding the conclusion on REDD at Climate Change Conference in Bali Date: 12th December, 2007

Denudation of forests or deforestation is very important from climate change perspective as this constitutes about 20% of the total global emissions. Global emission due to deforestation can be addressed in two principal ways- first by reducing rate of deforestation, and second by intensification of conservation efforts. India has a very strong policy framework as regards conservation of forests. The Reducing Emissions from Deforestation in Developing Countries (REDD) mechanism proposes mobilization of resources particularly by the developed countries to provide incentives for these efforts in the developing countries.

Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and Shri Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for Environment met Mr Rachmat Witoelar, Indonesian Environment Minister and President of CoP/MoP, UNFCCC and shared the concerns of Parties on REDD matters being deliberated upon in CoP at Bali. They emphasised the importance of forest conservation especially in the Asia- Pacific region and Africa, besides other parts of the world. The Leaders agreed that sustainable management of forests leading to conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks needed to be an important part of the proposed REDD mechanism.

Indian delegation under the guidance of Shri Kapil Sibal successfully negotiated the Conclusion on REDD agenda item taking due note of the Indian interest in conservation and development of forests which is vital for sustaining

Page No. 101 the livelihoods of more than 200 million forest dependent people. Besides India, many countries like China, Pakistan, Brazil, Bhutan, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica and Thailand supported the proposal for moving ahead with the concept of conservation, and increase in forest cover under the REDD. Indian contribution in reaching a positive conclusion of the long pending REDD agenda from last two years was much appreciated by all parties.

Title: Total ban on illegal trade of tiger organs and preservation of tigers Date: 12th June, 2007

India will seek the support & cooperation of International community for the conservation of wildlife, and especially in India’s endeavors for addressing concerns of tiger conservation.

Minister for Environment & Forests, Shri Namo Narain Meena, who left early in the morning today to attend the Ministerial Round table Conference on Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora tomorrow at Hague, Netherlands will particularly talk about ban on illegal trade in tiger products. .

The CITES convenes Conference of the Parties regularly. This is the 14th Convention of Parties which is convened at The Hague, Netherlands, from the 3rd June to 15th June 2007. During the present CoP, several issues relating to conservation of endangered species including Tiger, Elephant, Star tortoise, Sharks etc would be discussed.

Few major issues, that are being discussed during the conference, with respect to India are : The National Wildlife Trade Policy Reviews, which has been initiated by the CITES Secretariat consequent to decision of Conf.D13.74, requires the importing countries to carry out the review keeping supply & demand. Accordingly, a new exercise on the Wildlife trade policy will be necessitated. However, India has an elaborate EXIM Policy incorporating the various aspects of wildlife trade, which is regularly reviewed and appropriate modifications effected. 1. For better and effective control and enforcement of Global illegal wildlife crime, especially in case of Tiger and its parts, it has been proposed to organize a Enforcement Expert Workshop, before the next CoP and submit their report. As regards to India, A National Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is in position now and would help in the better & effective enforcement for controlling the illegal trade. 2. India is of the view that the proposal regarding control of internet trade in CITES Specimens should be controlled and for this purpose a workshop be conducted, be supported. 3. A resolution is being proposed for finalizing the definition of marine environment not under the jurisdiction of any state . Since the legal ambit is involved in the definition of marine environment, the Ministry of Environment & Forests has sought the opinion of Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Ocean development before finalizing India’s position.

4. It is being proposed to review the harmonaization of national & international guidelines for transportation of live animals/plants and propose revision, if necessary. India supports both the revision of the resolution and the decision.

5. The country reports on Asian Big Cats would be discussed, wherein, the India’s report on the conservation measures for tiger etc had been submitted to the CITES Secretariat. India has also proposed for signing a tripartite protocol with Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh on tigers. The matter is presently being taken up by the Ministry of External Affairs.

6. A discussion on the African ivory trade regarding insufficient control in trade of ivory by some of African countries would also be made. India has been opposing the opening of trade in African ivory.

7. Control of trade and conservation of Tibetan Antelope, Tortoises, Rhino, Medicinal Plants, etc would also find a place during the discussions.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora is an international agreement between Governments with an aim to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. CITES was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members

Page No. 102 of IUCN (The World Conservation Union) and on July 1975, CITES entered in force. At present there are 171 countries as party to the CITES. The Government of India signed the Convention in July 1976, which was ratified in October 1976. Apart from participating actively in the Conference of Parties (COP), India also hosted the third COP at New Delhi during February-March 1981.The Director, Wildlife Preservation has been designated as the CITES Management Authority for India. Dr. R.B. Lal, IGF (WL) and Dr. Rajesh Gopal from the ministry are already attending the convention.

Title: India participates in CoP-8 Date: 19th April, 2006

Title: Environment & Forests Minister’s statement on the outcome of Climate Change Negotiations held in Montreal, Canada Date: 20th December, 2005

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The following is the statement made by Thiru A. Raja, Union Environment & Forests Minister, in the Parliament on the outcome of Climate Change Negotiations held in Montreal, Canada: -

“The 11th Meeting of Conference of Parties (COP-11) of the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 1st Meeting of Parties (MOP-1) of the Kyoto Protocol was held in Montreal from 28th November to 9th December 2005.

This Conference was a landmark event as it formally adopted various decisions popularly known as Marrakech Accord. This ensures that the Kyoto Protocol is now up and running. The Indian delegation played an important role in drafting the decision providing further guidance relating to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The prompt start projects/activities that commenced in the period between 1 January 2000 and 18 November 2004 and have not yet requested registration but have either submitted new methodology or have requested validation by a designated operational entity by 31st December 2005 can now request retroactive credits after they are registered by the CDM Executive Board by 31st December 2006. Earlier this deadline was 31st December 2005. Another favourable aspect of this decision has been new eligibility of programme based CDM activities. This ensures that many more CDM projects from India would be able to register with the CDM Executive Board. It may be worthwhile to mention that currently India is the global leader in generating CDM projects and has accorded Host Country Approval to 203 CDM projects, which are expected to generate 195 million Certified Emission Reduction Units (CERs) and envisage an investment of Rs. 14,765 crore in the country.

Another important decision of this conference was to consider further commitments for developed country parties included in Annex 1 for the period beyond 2012 in accordance with Article 3, Paragraph 9 of the Kyoto Protocol. An open-ended ad-hoc working group of parties to the Kyoto Protocol has been established to ensure that there is no gap between the first and second commitment periods. The meeting also approved a five-year programme of work of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change.

During the Conference, many countries both developed and developing pressed for further “broad basing” of GHG abatement commitments. Our delegation was able to moderate this demand for inclusion not only of non-Kyoto developed countries like the USA, but also fast growing developing countries like India, China and Brazil to a dialogue on long-term cooperative action to address climate change, rather than negotiations on new commitments, by enhancing implementation of the Convention. This dialogue without prejudice to any future negotiations, commitments, process, framework or mandate under Convention and with the explicit provisions that it will not lead to negotiations for new commitments, is meant to exchange experiences and analyze strategic approaches for long- term cooperative action to address climate change that includes the following areas: -

(a) Advancing development goals in a sustainable way (b) Addressing action on adaptation (c) Realizing the full potential of technology (d) Realizing the full potential of marked-based opportunities;

During my participation in the high-level segment of the Conference, I emphasized that despite 8 per cent annual GDP growth, which we hope to attain in the near future, and which is the absolutely essential to sustain if we have to succeed in alleviating mass poverty in our lifetime, it will be many decades before India’s per capita GHG emissions approach anything close to the current world average. While emphasizing that our first and overriding priority is economic and social development and poverty eradication, our delegation at the Conference maintained that India took its responsibilities and commitments under the Framework Convention very seriously and is committed to pursue the path of sustainable development. Further that we were actively pursuing policies, which are designed to control, reduce or prevent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases in sectors such as energy, transport, industry and forestry. Our stand at the Conference drew considerable appreciation and support, particularly from other developing countries.

The issues related to the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, which is complementary to the Kyoto Protocol, were also discussed at the official level on the sidelines of the Montreal Conference. In January next year, the Partners will adopt the Charter and the Work Program of this Partnership. The issue of climate change

Page No. 104 is very important and we are taking necessary action meeting with the associated political, scientific and economic challenges”.

Title: India elected to the Executive Committee of meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer Date: 20th December, 2005

INDIA TO HOST THE 18TH MEETING OF PARTIES TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL NEXT YEAR The combined 7th Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the Vienna Convention for Protection of the Ozone Layer and the 17th Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was held recently in Dakar, Senegal. Minister of State for Environment & Forests, Shri Namo Narain Meena led the Indian Delegation at the high-level segment of this meeting which took some important decisions including the replenishment of the multi-lateral fund for the year 2006-08, membership of the executive committee for the year 2006 and venue of the 18th Meeting of the Parties (MOP). MOP approved a budget of US$470 million for the period 2006-08. The MOP also endorsed the selection of India as a member of the executive committee for the year 2006 along with China, Philippines and Sri Lanka as co-opted members. India’s proposal to hold the 18th MOP to the Montreal Protocol in India in 2006 was also agreed to by the MOP.

The preparatory segment of the combined meeting was held on 12th December, 2005 which forwarded the draft decisions to the high level segment of the combined meeting which was held on 15th and 16th of December, 2005.

Title: India, Canada to cooperate in environment related issues Date: 04th August, 2005

India and Canada discussed various issues about Indo-Canadian environmental cooperation including in the field of technology transfer, clean development mechanism (CDM) and also the forthcoming negotiations on further progress of global climate change regime, to be held in Montreal in November this year.

This was indicated at a meeting between the Minister for Environment and Forests, Thiru A. Raja, and Deputy Minister of Environment, Government of Canada, Mr. Samy Watson, here today. The visiting dignitary wished to know more about Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, saying that it is a good initiative.

Minister of Environment and Forests Thiru A. Raja said that he would be happy to participate in the preparatory meeting in Ottawa in September this year to discuss various proposals to be considered in the negotiations at 11th Conference of Parties (COP-11) on climate change. He further stated that India would like to ensure further progress in CDM Projects.

Title: Country position on access and benefit sharing and traditional knowledge Date: 13th January, 2005

International meet on access to genetic resources and associated knowledge

Page No. 105 equitable sharing of the benefits arising from utilization of knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local community embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Access to genetic resources and sharing of benefits arising out of the use of these resources form the core of the CBD. However, operationalising the benefit sharing provisions of the CBD has been beset with many complexities, and therefore not much progress could be made in implementation of this core objective of the CBD even after ten years of entry into force of the Convention. While CBD envisages that access to genetic resources and realization of benefits is subject to national legislation through formalization of prior informed consent (PIC) and mutually agreed terms (MAT), India has been emphasizing that such national action alone is not sufficient to ensure realization of benefits to the country of origin or provider country. This is particularly so in cases where genetic material sourced from one country is utilized in another country for developing products and processes on which patent protection is obtained. The onus of benefit sharing must also be shared by the user country to create an enabling environment and confidence through legislative measures so as to ensure compliance of PIC stipulations and equitable sharing of benefits as visualized in the Convention.

At the international level, the proposal has not yet met with success in the TRIPs Council, though India along with other developing countries is still pushing hard with these arguments.

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Title: Transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries remains a major concern Date: 16th December, 2004

IMPLEMENTATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE CONVENTION “RATHER DISAPPOINTING” : A. RAJA Minister of Environment and Forests Thiru. A. Raja has sought to reassure the international community that in the coming decades, India’s per capita emissions of green house gases (GHGs) will remain well below the global average, while stressing that emission of green house gases is bound to increase in India and other developing countries, as "we gear up to meet the challenges of poverty alleviation and improving basic living standards of our people".

Addressing the 10th Conference of Parties (COP-10) of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) at Buenos Aires, yesterday, the Minister said that the international community has to understand that economic and social development is the first and overriding priority for us.

Thiru Raja observed that the implementation of the Convention thus far has been "rather disappointing" particularly in not meeting the overall emission reduction targets by Annex I Parties and just as importantly, in largely unfulfilled commitments related to providing financial resources and transfer of technology to non-Annex I countries.

The industrialized countries listed in the annex I to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change sought to return their greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000. They have also accepted emissions targets for the period 2008-12 as per the Kyoto Protocol. They include the 24 original OECD members, the European Union, and 14 countries with economies in transition. (Croatia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Slovenia joined Annex 1 at COP-3, and the Czech Republic and Slovakia replaced Czechoslovakia.)

"The facts show that emissions from most Annex I Parties were higher in 2000 than they were at the beginning of the decade. If the aggregate figure was lower in 2000, it was not because of "individual or joint" implementation but because of a severe, temporary and unsought economic downturn in a few Annex I "economies in transition" Thiru Raja pointed out, and added that "this cannot be equated with "individual or joint" fulfillment of commitments under the Convention. Moreover, since 2000, the aggregated emissions of the Annex I Parties has resumed an upward trend. In respect of Parties which have GHG reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol, there is little evidence to suggest that they are on track to meet their respective targets".

Stating that the immediate priority must be to put the Kyoto mechanisms fully into operation at the soonest possible, Thiru Raja emphasized the need for ensuring that inflows to the new funds are commensurate with their purposes, and predictable. The next step is the consideration of commitments of the Annex I Parties for the second commitment period. The Kyoto Protocol requires that this step should be initiated next year at COP-11, he said.

Observing that transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries remains a major concern, the Minister suggested that technologies for addressing climate change concerns, both with respect to mitigation of GHGs and adaptation to the impacts of climate change, be placed in the limited public domain for use by developing countries.

"Placing the necessary GHGs abatement technologies in the limited public domain in developing countries, and ensuring that in financial terms they are competitive with the conventional technologies, may enable such investments to be less GHGs intensive", he added.

Title: Forest cover in the country goes up to 20.55 Date: 30th December, 2003

MoEF TO BRING BIG URBAN PROJECTS UNDER PURVIEW OF ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT

TECHNOLOGY BAZAAR GENERATES BUSINESS WORTH $325 million MoEF DRAWS UP PLANS TO TACKLE EFFECTS OF FLOWERING OF MULI BAMBOO

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Year-end Review: 2003 It was a momentous year for the Ministry of Environment & Forests as significant initiatives were taken and rapid strides were made in protecting environment and conserving the country’s bio-diversity. Various steps were taken to prevent and control pollution. People’s participation became the ‘mantra’ of the Ministry.

Greener India All round efforts to make the country greener bore fruit as the latest State of Forest Report (2001) released this year revealed that the forest cover in the country had increased from 19.39% in 1999 to 20.55% in 2001. Forest Cover here includes all lands more than 1 ha. Area having tree canopy density of 10 per cent and above. The dense forest cover increased from 377358 sq.km. in 1999 to 416809 sq.km. in 2001.Assessment of tree cover has been made for the first time in 2001 State of Forest Report. The total tree cover in the country (notional area with 70% canopy density) has been reported as 81472 sq.km. or about 2.48 per cent of the country’s geographical area.The total forest cover of 675538 sq.km. together with tree outside forest of 81472 sq.km. constitute 757010 sq.km. of forest and tree cover which is 23.03% of the geographical area of the country.

For the first time, forest cover mapping of the entire country was done at 1:50,000 scale by digital method (previously done visually at 1:250,000 scale).

People and Forests The Joint Forest Management Programme was given further momentum so as to catapult this as a people’s movement. JFM Committees have been accorded the necessary legal back-up besides extending this concept to dense forest areas.

The Joint Forest Management (JFM), which provides for sharing of benefits of the forest conservation with the local communities has increased from 7 million hectares in 1998 to 16 million hectares in 2003. All the 1,70,000 forest villages in and around 32 million hectares of degraded forest in the country will be brought under JFM by the year 2007.

Big Urban Projects and Environment Concerned by the seriousness of continuing pollution of rivers and other water bodies, the Ministry decided to bring new projects relating to construction of new townships, industrial townships, settlement colonies, commercial complexes, hotel complexes, hospitals, office complexes for 1000 persons or above or discharging sewage of 50, 000 litres per day and above or with an investment of Rs. 50 crores and above and new industrial estates having an area of 50 hectares and above under the purview of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA). Industrial estates having high pollution potential will also be brought under EIA irrespective of area. A draft notification to this effect was issued by the MoEF in pursuance of a directive of the Supreme Court to “amend the Rules under the Environment (Protection) Act so as to require the environment impact assessment for the purposes of the town planning Acts”. Vision Statement on Environmental Health For the first time in the history of the country, the Ministry of Environment and Forests came out with a comprehensive Vision Statement on Environmental Health which takes into account the adverse effects of growing hazardous and bio-medical wastes, radiation and climate change on human health. The Statement also deals with strategies and action plans required at various levels to ensure health for all.

One of the main features of the statement is that it takes into consideration the unique problems relating to environmental health in various areas of the country. It has recommended focused Health Risk Studies, which bring out the cause-effect relationship in clear terms for the benefit of policy makers.

Participatory Approach The Charter on Corporate Responsibility for Environmental Protection, the culmination of four-month long discussions among the Central and State Governments, pollution control boards and 17 categories of major polluting industries resulted in the voluntary commitment of the industry to go beyond the existing pollution control norms to significantly improve the environment. Sugar industry, pharmaceuticals, distilleries, tanneries, pesticide units, cement industry, fertiliser industry, dyes and dye intermediates, pulp and paper, thermal power plants, petrochemical units, caustic soda industry, oil refineries, aluminium plants, iron and steel sector, copper and zinc industry have come forward to take necessary technological initiatives for modernisation and upgradation of production and processing activities to radically bring down the pollution load in a time bound manner. The Charter was released in March, 2003. The Kanyakumari Charter on Conservation and Management of Marine Biodiversity emphasised that

Page No. 108 biodiversity could be protected without prejudice to livelihood security and long-term developmental needs of the nation through scientific study of the available resources, carrying capacity and sustainable alternatives. The Charter released in March, 2003 while making several recommendations underscored that all stakeholders should be taken into confidence while taking up conservation measures and the socio-economic and ethnic aspects besides awareness generation shall be built into all conservation projects.

Conservation Project Tiger has been extended to 27 reserves in 17 States, encompassing 37761 sq. km. of tiger habitat, with the addition of four new tiger reserves viz. Pakui – Nameri (Arunachal/Assam), Bori – Satpura (MP), Bhadra (Karnataka) and Pench (Maharashtra). Project Tiger has been rated as a role model and one of the 56 events that changed India since Independence. The tiger population in the country has registered an increase from 1827 in 1972 to 3642 in 2001- 02. For the first time, information and communication technology was used for linking important tiger reserves in the GIS Domain for evolving a management support system including crime detection, dissemination of information through web and evolving a ‘National Tiger Monitoring and Habitat Evaluation System’ with regional protocols. With a view to complement and strengthen the national efforts in conservation of wild life, planned breeding programme for Red Panda and Lion Tailed Macaque has been taken up by Central Zoo Authority. As part of this programme, captive bred Red Panda from Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling were released in the wild.

Rallying Global Action India has emerged as a major player in the global action for environmental protection. After successfully hosting the 8th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-8) in New Delhi during October-November, 2002, the Ministry organized a Technology Bazaar and related conferences in the national capital from November 10-13, 2003. This Bazaar showcased the state of the art technologies in various field including renewable’s, energy from waste, resource conservation, energy efficiency etc. This event enabled several developed countries viz. West European, Japan, USA, Canada and their companies to negotiate CDM projects for Green House Gases (GHG) reduction and sustainable development. The Bazaar provided an opportunity to several of our companies to demonstrate their technologies and offered networking opportunities with the delegates/entrepreneurs from various countries. The Bazaar generated business deals worth over $325 millions.

Meeting the Emerging Challenges In a significant move the Minister of Environment and Forests has accorded conditional clearance to the commercial introduction into the country of Bt cotton after rigorous field trials and evaluation. While setting up an elaborate institutional mechanism for monitoring the introduction of genetically modified organisms into the country, the Government has ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety which seeks to regulate the transboundary movement of living modified organisms. Vehicular Pollution Control Efforts to control vehicular pollution yielded results especially in the National Capital Region of Delhi. Now twenty- four highly polluted areas have been identified in the country for concerted efforts for pollution control. Action Plans have been prepared and are being implemented in these areas. The National Air Quality Monitoring Programme has been expanded to comprise 290 stations covering 90 cities and towns in 24 States and five Union Territories in the country.

Minimum National Standards (MINUS) for 70 categories of polluting industries have been evolved. A special scheme for preparation of Zoning Atlas has been launched under the Environment Management Capacity Building Programme with World Bank assistance. This is to help in siting of industries, industrial estate planning etc. This exercise has been completed for 60 districts and work is in progress for 61 more districts in 18 States and one Union Territory.

National River Conservation Plan The National River Conservation Directorate has achieved several milestones since its emergence as national body for conservation of water resources in the country and cleaning of rivers and lakes. Presently, 157 towns in 18 States and 31 polluted river stretches have been covered under NRCP. It involves a total cost of Rs.4064 crore with Government of India share of Rs.3464 crores. Under NRCP the schemes implemented in the States includes Interception and Diversion of Sewage, Construction of Sewage Treatment Plants, Low Cost Sanitation, Crematoria, Afforestation and River Front Development etc.

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763 projects with a value of Rs.2460 crore have been sanctioned under NRCP. This is in addition to 261 projects sanctioned under Ganga Action Plan Phase-I. Significant success has been achieved in controlling industrial pollution in rivers and lakes in the country. In 1997, 851 defaulting industries were identified which were generating BOD load of 100Kg/day or more and discharging their effluents without proper treatment directly or indirectly into the water course. These industries were directed to install their respective Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs). While 608 industries have installed ETPs, 238 industries have been closed down.

National Lake Conservation Plan The scope of the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) has been increased to 16 lakes. The 6 latest projects have been approved with an outlay of Rs.57.71 crores.

Awareness and Education The scope and reach of the programme, National Green Corps, launched in 2001-2002 to spread environmental awareness among school children, was expanded. Under this programme, the major thrust is on dissemination of knowledge through activity-oriented programmes. Eco Clubs are to be established in 150 schools in each district of the country. So far, more than 52,000 clubs have been established. The programme is expected to cover one lakh schools during the Tenth Plan. A weekly television programme called Bhoomi was launched on Doordarshan National Channel during 2002-03. The programme has received wide appreciation from viewers and environmental NGOs. To encourage film/documentary producers to choose environment related subjects for their films and to bestow recognition on meritorious among them, Ministry decided to support a National Film Festival on Environment & Wildlife called Vatavaran. Plans for a Future Problem

As we come close to the end of the year, the Ministry is busy in giving final touches to the plan of action on how to tackle the impending flowering of Muli Bamboo in several North-Eastern states especially Mizoram. It decided to approach the Government for removing restrictions on the export of Muli Bamboos at the earliest. It also decided to set up a task force which will look into the possible explosion in population of rodents which is associated with gregarious flowering of bamboos and suggest measures to control them so that they do not form a part of the chain of events leading to famine, as has happened in the past. Large scale extraction of Muli Bamboos have to be carried out before the flowering takes place and regeneration of mixed vegetative growth will be required to keep such problems in future under control. Every possible use of the extracted bamboos have to be explored so that the local communities get the benefit of it. It is estimated that about 26 million tones of Muli Bamboos will be affected out of which 10 million are in accessible areas and the rest 16 million in inaccessible areas about which nothing can be done. It was decided that the bamboos extracted from the accessible areas will be sold in open auction on a day to day basis.

India calls for removal of barriers for transfer of climate friendly technology at COP-9 Meeting at Milan 11th December, 2003

"All facets of sustainable development must contribute positively to povery alleviation"-T.R.Baalu

India and the United States identify cutting edge technology for cooperation India has called for removal of obstacles- financial and IPRs, for the successful adaptation of emerging technology options in energy efficiency, fuel switching, and renewable energy. Taking part at the First Round Table of the High Level segment of COP-9 at Milan last night, the Environment and Forests Minister, Shri T.R.Baalu said that serious action to overcome these barriers is needed, without further delay, as the adverse impact of climate change is already being felt by poor and developing countries who are most vulnerable to extreme climate events such as floods, droughts and severe heat waves.

Talking on the issue of sustainable development, Shri Baalu said that it involves realization of synergies and complementarities between economic growth and environmental protection. These in turn are dependent on several factors such as technological change, trade regimes, historical patterns of access to global resources and national policies. "As far as India is concerned, all facets of sustainable development must contribute positively to the dominant challenge of our times-that of poverty alleviation," Shri Baalu said.

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Citing various projections about Green House Gas emissions from the developed countries, Shri Baalu said that it may increase by 10 per cent over the 1990 levels by 2010. Emissions from countries with economies in transition are also starting to increase. "Effective action needs to be taken by the industrialized countries for curtailing GHG emissions both domestically and through cooperative mechanisms," he said.

Turning to the issue of adaptation, Shri Baalu said, it must enhance the ability of developing countries to effectively cope with unavoidable climate changes. Adaptation measures must be embodied in their overall sustainable strategies. Reiterating the need for early operationalisation of the special climate fund and the LDC fund as agreed at COP-8, Shri Baalu said that adaptation measures need to be supported and facilitated through financial and technology transfers by Annexure-II parties under their United Nations Framework Convention On Climate Change (UNFCCC) commitments.

Opening the ministerial round table discussions, the President of COP-9 and the Minister of Environmental Protection and Water Management of Hungary, Mr.Miklos Persanyi paid glowing tributes to the initiative of Shri Baalu for bringing the linkage between climate change and sustainable development to the fore at the COP-8 meeting in New Delhi last year. He said the twin issues of technology transfer and adaptation, the major concerns of the developing countries have been pursued by Shri Baalu during the inter-sessional period and concretized in the recent Climate Technology Bazaar and Conferences on adaptation held in New Delhi last month.

On the margins of COP-9 Shri Baalu also had bilateral discussions with US Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs and the leader of the US delegation, Ms. Paula Dobriansky on Indo-US cooperation on climate change. Several areas like climate modeling, early warning systems, energy efficiency and renewables were identified for bilateral cooperation. Shri Baalu said that the future projects should focus on the needs of the vulnerable sections of society and adaptation concerns must be integrated to them. He also suggested that a specific project may be taken up on vulnerability assessment and adaptation in stretches in Tamil Nadu in cooperation with local communities like fishermen to study climate change propelled rise in sea level and weather related events such as cyclones.

Ms. Dobriansky gave an account of the Research and Development being carried out in the United States towards a Hydrogen Economy. While appreciating the objectives of the Project Shri Baalu said that any research and development should lead to the technology being socio-economically viable and within the reach of common man. He said that a cost benefit analysis of the programme should be taken up and added that vulnerable sections should be able to make use of the technology for operating small pump sets and satisfying their basic needs like drawing water.

Title: Environment Minister Leaves for Liman to take part in Climate Change Conference Date: 10th December, 2003

The Minister for Environment and Forests, Shri T.R.Baalu left New Delhi for Italy this morning to take part in the high level segment of the Conference of Parties (COP-9) the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change now taking place at Milan. The COP-9 meeting has assumed significance in view of the reported decision of Russia not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. The Kyoto Protocol has long been teetering on the brink ever since the United States withdrew its support and campaign against its supposed weaknesses. Taking 1990 as the base year for calculation, the United States has 36 per cent and Russia 17 per cent of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions in the developed world.

The global community is addressing the challenge of climate change through a multilateral and cooperative approach. The Government of India demonstrated its commitment to address climate change by acceding to the Kyoto Protocol in August last year. India also successfully hosted the 8th Conference of Parties (COP-8) in New Delhi from October 23 to November 1, 2002. The Delhi Ministerial declaration adapted at COP-8 provided a new direction to climate change issues and firmly placed climate change in the context of sustainable development. The conference also succeeded in the operationalisation of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and brought technology transfer and adaptation into focus. Last month New Delhi hosted a Climate Technology Bazaar and related conferences in which about 100 exhibitors from 12 countries showcased state of the art climate friendly technologies. 20 CDM projects with FDI worth 325 million dollars fructified. The Union Cabinet recently approved the setting up of a CDM Authority in the country and the notification to this effect will be issued shortly. At the

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Milan Conference, Shri Baalu is expected to position India as a leading developing country with the capacity to sale environment friendly technology to other third world countries.

Prime Minister's Office

Title: Joint Statement between the India and China during Prime Minister's visit to China Date: 15th May, 2015

1. H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, is currently paying an official visit to China at the invitation of H.E. Mr. Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. Prime Minister Modi called on H.E. Mr. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China and held talks with H.E. Mr. Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council. He also met with H.E. Mr. Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China. Prime Minister Modi expressed his deep appreciation for the special gestures extended by President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang during the visit and thanked the Chinese people for the warm welcome accorded to him.

2. Leaders of the two countries reviewed the progress of bilateral relations. The two sides shared the view that President Xi’s visit to India in September 2014 was a significant milestone in the development of bilateral relations. The leaders noted that there is a historic imperative for India and China to enrich their bilateral relations, with the agreement on building closer developmental partnership reached during President Xi’s visit to India as a core component.

3. The leaders agreed that simultaneous re-emergence of India and China as two major powers in the region and the world offers a momentous opportunity for realisation of the Asian Century. They noted that India-China bilateral relations are poised to play a defining role in the 21st Century in Asia and indeed, globally. The leaders agreed that the process of the two countries pursuing their respective national developmental goals and security interests must unfold in a mutually supportive manner with both sides showing mutual respect and sensitivity to each other’s concerns, interests and aspirations. This constructive model of relationship between the two largest developing countries, the biggest emerging economies and two major poles in the global architecture provides a new basis for pursuing state-to-state relations to strengthen the international system.

Strengthening Political Dialogue and Strategic Communication 4. Recognizing the expanding bilateral relationship, the growing international role of India and China and the imperative of forging strategic trust, the leaders agreed to enhance communication through frequent exchanges at the leadership level and by fully utilising the existing dialogue mechanisms.

5. The two sides agreed to regular visits at the level of Heads of State/ Government. Full use will be made of the opportunities provided by the presence of their leaders at various multilateral fora to hold consultations on bilateral relations and issues of regional and global importance.

6. Noting the increasingly important role played by Indian States and Chinese Provinces in advancing the bilateral relationship, the two sides agreed to establish a State/Provincial Leaders’ Forum. The first meeting of the Forum was held in Beijing on 15 May 2015, with the participation of Prime Minister Modi and Premier Li.

7. Acknowledging the contribution of high-level exchanges organised under the aegis of the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in fostering cooperation and understanding, the two sides agreed to institutionalise and expand the exchange mechanism.

8. In order to facilitate and promote greater cultural, tourism, economic and people-to-people engagement between the two countries, an additional Consulate General shall be established in each other's country. India shall open a new Consulate General in Chengdu, while China shall open a new Consulate General in Chennai.

9. The two sides believed that enhanced military ties are conducive to building mutual trust and confidence. The Indian side welcomed visit of a Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China to India this year, and the Chinese side invited Indian Defence Minister and other military leaders to visit China this year. The fifth joint

Page No. 112 counter-terrorism training between the two armies will be held in China in 2015. The two sides will exchange visits of naval ships and hold PASSEX and SAR exercises.

10. The two sides acknowledged the positive role of the Agreements and Protocols that have been signed so far in maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas. Committed to enhance border defence cooperation, the two sides will carry out annual visits and exchanges between the two Military Headquarters and neighbouring military commands, endeavour to operationalize the hotline between the two Military Headquarters, expand the exchanges between the border commanders, and establish border personnel meeting points at all sectors of the India-China border areas.

11. The two sides affirmed that an early settlement of the boundary question serves the basic interests of the two countries and should be pursued as a strategic objective by the two governments. Bearing in mind the overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples, the two sides are determined to actively seek a political settlement of the boundary question. They made a positive assessment of the important progress made through the mechanism of the Special Representatives, and reaffirmed the commitment to abide by the three-stage process for the settlement of the boundary question, and continuously push forward negotiation on the framework for a boundary settlement based on the outcomes and common understanding achieved so far, in an effort to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution as early as possible.

12. The two sides will resolve outstanding differences, including the boundary question, in a proactive manner. Those differences should not be allowed to come in the way of continued development of bilateral relations. Peace and tranquillity on the India-China border was recognized as an important guarantor for the development and continued growth of bilateral relations. Pending a final resolution of the boundary question, the two sides commit to implementing the existing agreements and continue to make efforts to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Next Steps in Closer Developmental Partnership 13. The two sides resolved to work together to further strengthen their closer developmental partnership as it would provide impetus to economic growth and prosperity of the two countries as well as of their respective regions and the world at large.

14. Taking note of the increase in two-way trade and investment flows in the past few years, the two sides acknowledged its positive contribution to strengthening their overall bilateral relationship and to supporting each other’s growth and development processes. In this regard, it was agreed that both sides will take necessary measures to remove impediments to bilateral trade and investment, facilitate greater market access to each other’s economies, and support local governments of the two countries to strengthen trade and investment exchanges, with a view to optimally exploiting the present and potential complementarities in identified sectors in the Five Year Trade and Economic Development Plan signed in September 2014, including Indian pharmaceuticals, Indian IT services, tourism, textiles and agro-products.

15. The two sides resolved to take joint measures to alleviate the skewed bilateral trade so as to realize its sustainability. Such measures will include cooperation on pharmaceutical supervision including registration, speedier phytosanitary negotiations on agro-products for two-way trade, stronger links between Indian IT companies and Chinese enterprises, and increasing services trade in tourism, films, healthcare, IT and logistics. Both sides will make full use of the India-China Joint Economic Group to work on this. The leaders welcomed the decision to expedite discussion and endeavour to favourably address, in the spirit of mutual cooperation and reciprocity, the issues pertaining to tariff reduction in respect of relevant Indian products under the framework of Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement.

16. The two leaders agreed that the Strategic Economic Dialogue is an important mechanism to explore new areas of bilateral economic cooperation. The next meeting of the Strategic Economic Dialogue, co-chaired by Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog of India and Chairman of NDRC of China, will be held in India during the second half of 2015.

17. The leaders noted with appreciation the positive momentum in investment projects as Chinese companies respond to the invitation to ‘Make in India’ and Indian companies expand their presence in China.

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18. The two leaders noted with satisfaction the steps taken and the progress achieved in the Railway sector cooperation including the projects on speed raising on the existing Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysore line, the proposed feasibility studies for the Delhi-Nagpur section of high speed rail link, the station redevelopment planning for Bhubaneswar & Baiyappanahalli, heavy haul transportation training and setting up of a railway university. They welcomed the Action Plan outlining the next steps in the partnership in this key infrastructure sector.

19. The leaders welcomed the signing of the MoU to institute a dialogue mechanism between the NITI Aayog of India and the Development Research Centre of the State Council of China.

20. The two sides expressed their readiness to enhance cooperation between the financial regulators and enterprises of the two countries in support of the building of the Closer Developmental Partnership.

Culture and People-to-people Exchanges 21. Prime Minister Modi and Premier Li attended the Yoga-Taichi demonstration event in Beijing on 15 May 2015. The two sides also agreed to work together to successfully organize events related to the International Yoga Day on 21 June 2015. The leaders welcomed collaboration between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Yunnan National University.

22. The leaders noted that enhanced exchanges among education institutions of the two sides will play a positive role in socio-economic development of the two sides. They welcomed the signing of the expanded Educational Exchange Programme.

23. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved in the India-China Cultural Exchange Initiative. The two sides will have the annual exchange of 200 youths from each side in the second half of this year.

24. The agreements on establishing a provincial partnership between Karnataka and Sichuan and sister-city relationships between Aurangabad - Dunhuang, Chennai – Chongqing and Hyderabad – Qingdao were welcomed.

25. With a view to foster closer dialogue and mutual understanding, the two sides decided to establish a ‘India- China Think Tanks Forum’, which will meet annually, alternately in India and China. They also agreed to institutionalize the ‘High Level Media Forum’ and tasked the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the State Council Information Office of China to convene it on an annual basis, alternately in India and China. The leaders welcomed the establishment of the Center for Gandhian and Indian Studies at Fudan University, Shanghai.

New Avenues for Cooperation 26. The leaders welcomed continuous enrichment of India-China Closer Developmental Partnership with its expansion into newer areas of cooperation. The leaders welcomed initiation and expansion of cooperation in the following fields and mandated the relevant agencies to implement the projects in a purposeful manner:

Enhanced cooperation in vocational training and skill development, including through the signing of the Action Plan on the establishment of Mahatma Gandhi National Institute for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship at Gandhinagar/Ahmedabad in Gujarat;

Initiating cooperation in development of smart cities with identification of GIFT City in India and Shenzhen in China as pilot smart cities for joint demonstration projects;

• In peaceful uses of outer space and the peaceful use of nuclear energy;

• In the sphere of public health, medical education and traditional medicine;

• Welcomed the establishment of the Space Cooperation Mechanism between space authorities of India and China and the signing of the 2015-2020 Space Cooperation Outline between the Indian Space Research Organization of the Republic of India and China National Space Administration of the People’s Republic of China. The two sides agreed to reinforce the cooperation in the field of Satellite Remote Sensing, Space- Based meteorology, Space Science, Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, Satellite Navigation, Space Components, Piggy-back Launching Services, and Education and Training.

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• Noting the recent visit of the Minister of Justice of China to India, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation between the law enforcing agencies of the two sides including on measures to enhance welfare of nationals of either side in the prisons of the other side. The two sides welcomed start of discussions on an agreement for transfer of sentenced persons.

Trans-border Cooperation 27. The Indian side expressed appreciation to China for providing flood-season hydrological data and the assistance in emergency management. The two sides will further strengthen cooperation through the Expert-Level Mechanism on the provision of flood-season hydrological data and emergency management, and exchange views on other issues of mutual interest.

28. The two sides recognized that enhancing border areas cooperation through border trade, pilgrimage by people of the two countries and other exchanges can effectively promote mutual trust, and agreed to further broaden this cooperation so as to transform the border into a bridge of cooperation and exchanges. The two sides agreed to hold negotiation on augmenting the list of traded commodities, and expand border trade at Nathu La, Qiangla/Lipu-Lekh Pass and Shipki La.

29. The Indian side appreciated the support and cooperation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the local government of Tibet Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China to Indian pilgrims for the Kailash Manasarover Yatra (Gang Renpoche and Mapam Yun Tso Pilgrimage). To further promote religious exchange between the two countries and provide facilitation for Indian pilgrims, the Chinese side would launch the route for the Yatra through Nathu La Pass in 2015.

Shaping the Regional and Global Agenda 30. As two major powers in the emerging world order, engagement between India and China transcends the bilateral dimension and has a significant bearing on regional, multilateral and global issues. Both Sides agreed to not only step up their consultations on developments affecting international peace, security and development but also coordinate their positions and work together to shape the regional and global agenda and outcomes. They agreed to further strengthen coordination and cooperation in multilateral forums including RIC, BRICS and G20, promote the interests of developing countries and the building of a better world. India will support China in hosting the G20 summit in 2016.

31. The leaders welcomed the decision to launch a bilateral consultative mechanism on WTO-related issues as a positive step for enhancing coordination in the context of global trade talks. 32. Both sides reiterated their strong condemnation of and resolute opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and committed themselves to cooperate on counter-terrorism. They agreed that there is no justification for terrorism and urged all countries and entities to work sincerely to disrupt terrorist networks and their financing, and stop cross-border movement of terrorists, in accordance with the relevant principles and purposes of the UN Charter and international laws. They called for early conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

33. The two sides support a comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including recognizing the imperative of increased participation of developing countries in UN’s affairs and governance structures, so as to bring more effectiveness to the UN. China attaches great importance to India’s status in international affairs as a large developing country, and understands and supports India’s aspiration to play a greater role in the United Nations including in the Security Council.

34. The two sides are ready to continue cooperation under the framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organization. China welcomed India's application for full membership of Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

35. The two sides agreed to work together with relevant parties to accelerate the preparation for establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to promote regional infrastructure and economic development.

36. The two sides welcomed the progress made in promoting cooperation under the framework of the BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar) Economic Corridor. Both sides recalled the second meeting of the Joint

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Study Group of BCIM Economic Corridor, and agreed to continue their respective efforts to implement understandings reached at the meeting.

37. The two sides agreed to broaden cooperation in SAARC.

38. Both sides recognized that APEC has a significant role in advancing regional economic integration and in promoting regional economic growth and prosperity, and welcomes the success of the Beijing APEC meeting. China acknowledged India’s important role in driving the global economic growth, supported the openness of APEC, and welcomed India’s desire to strengthen its link with APEC.

39. The two sides welcomed the India-China Dialogue on Arms Control and Non-Proliferation held in Beijing on April 17, 2015. Noting the commonalities in their approach to global arms control and non-proliferation, they agreed to continue their engagement bilaterally and in multilateral fora on arms control and non-proliferation. The Chinese side took note of India’s aspirations to become a member of the NSG, in a bid to strengthen international non- proliferation efforts.

40. The two sides shared the view that the issue of climate change is of vital importance for the sake of today’s world and future generations. They underscored the importance of working together and with other countries to conclude an ambitious, comprehensive, universal, balanced and equitable climate agreement at the forthcoming CoP 21 to UNFCCC to be held in Paris later this year that will also encourage genuine technology transfer, collaboration for adaptation and mitigation and financial support in meeting this common global challenge. The two sides issued Joint Statement on Climate Change between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the People’s Republic of China during the visit.

41. Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Premier Li Keqiang to visit India at a mutually convenient time. Premier Li accepted the invitation with pleasure.

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Contact Details:

Dr. G. Areendran Coordinator-ENVIS Centre WWF-India, 172-B, Lodi Estate, New Delhi - 110 003 Phone: +91-011-41504791/41504794, Fax: +91-011-41504779/4795, +011-24691226 E-mail: [email protected]/[email protected]/[email protected], Website : http://www.wwfenvis.nic.in / http://www.wwfindia.org