“RICH COUNTRIES FAILED TO KEEP THEIR PROMISE ON FINANCE”

The recently concluded Climate Change summit at Glasgow drew flak from activists for the lack of adequate action to save the world but also won praise for some of the big decisions that were taken. India played an important and, at times, controversial role in this. Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav was India’s chief negotiator and, in an exclusive interview to Raj Chengappa, Group Editorial Director, he spoke about the gains and the big misses of the summit. Excerpts:

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Q.What was India’s approach at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference? Was it able to achieve what it set out to do?

Our approach was that there is no planet B, this is the only one and it is our duty to save it. But our duty is also bound by our circumstances. That is why the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) that India had always pushed for was accepted in the 2015 Paris Agreement. That is why we said the text of the agreement should have national circumstances and poverty eradication. In Glasgow, we made it clear to all that the environment cannot remain an issue of just dialogues, it should be converted into action with vision.