PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
|New Delhi, Dec 13| 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today described the landmark climate change deal reached in Paris last night as the victory of “climate justice”. He said there are no winners or losers in the outcome and appreciated how every country rose to the challenge for reaching the agreement at the Conference of Parties (COP)-21. “Outcome of #ParisAgreement has no winners or losers. Climate justice has won & we are all working towards a greener future,” Modi tweeted, commenting on the legally-binding pact which seeks to limit global warming to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius and making developed nations commit USD 100 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries. “#ClimateChange remains a challenge but #ParisAgreement demonstrates how every nation rose to the challenge, working towards a solution,” the Prime Minister said in another tweet. He added: “Deliberations at #COP21 & #ParisAgreement demonstrates the collective wisdom of world leaders to mitigate climate change.” The historic agreement signed by 195 countries was reached after tough deliberations for days. Just before the 31-page document was finalised, French President Fran ois Hollande, who hosted the conference, called up Modi to apprise him of the latest status at the talks. “The Prime Minister appreciated this gesture of French President,” a PMO statement said. A landmark climate change deal was clinched with the approval of India, China and the US, after days of tough negotiations in Paris with the legallybinding pact seeking to limit global warming to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius and committing USD 100 billion a year from 2020 to help developing nations. The deal ends decades-long rows between rich and poor nations over how to carry out what will be a multi-trillion-dollar effort to cap global warming and deal with consequences already occurring. Earlier, French President Francois Hollande had called Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an apparent bid to persuade India to go with the deal. Welcoming the deal, Javadekar said the world leaders have a chapter of hope in the lives of 7 billion people.” It took 196 nations herculean efforts and tough negotiations to finally come out with the adoption of a landmark climate change deal with the approval of India, China and the US. The legally-binding pact reached late Saturday night at COP21 seeks to limit global warming to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius and committing USD 100 billion a year from 2020 to help developing nations. However, following US objections, the financial commitment part was not included in the legally binding section of the deal. The Paris accord sets a target of limiting warming of the planet to “well below” 2.0 degrees Celsius compared with the Industrial Revolution, while aiming for an even more ambitious goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, India felt that more could have been achieved from the agreement as India had been demanding mitigation, adaptation, finance and access to technology. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the draft was a “balanced” one and was a way forward for the world. U.S. President Barack Obama also hailed the landmark climate accord. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon welcomed the agreement saying that it would ensure leaving a more habitable world to them and to future generations. While the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change termed the agreement as the one of long-term vision. Scientists have warned that the envisaged national emissions cuts will not be enough to keep warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius. The deal, to take effect from 2020, ends decades-long rows between rich and poor nations over how to carry out what will be a multi-trillion-dollar effort to cap global warming and deal with consequences already occurring. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the draft was a “balanced” one and was a way forward for the world. U.S. President Barack Obama also hailed the landmark climate accord. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon welcomed the agreement saying that it would ensure leaving a more habitable world to them and to future generations. While the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change termed the agreement as the one of long-term vision. Scientists have warned that the envisaged national emissions cuts will not be enough to keep warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius. The deal, to take effect from 2020, ends decades-long rows between rich and poor nations over how to carry out what will be a multi-trillion-dollar effort to cap global warming and deal with consequences already occurring.
