Jaitley slams climate line

A day after Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh thought he got the backing of Parliament for his approach, the BJP criticised him, saying he was parroting the developed world’s arguments against the developing countries.

A day after Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh thought he got the backing of Parliament for his approach, the BJP criticised him, saying he was parroting the developed world’s arguments against the developing countries.

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Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said, “Ramesh got carried away by the bandwagon effect of some nations like China announcing unilateral cuts in emission intensity. Has he not, by announcing unilateral cuts without a corresponding commitment from the developed countries, negated the 'equal per capita principle' which India has in the past been propagating?"

Jaitley, who led India at trade talks, said, “The per capita pollution caused by China is far higher. The factual matrix of ... India and China is not identical. It is bad strategy ... to announce unilateral stance without waiting for th e approach of the developed countries."

Jaitley said, “It is India's experience in various international negotiations ... that unilateral concessions announced before the multilateral dialogue become the starting point in India's negotiations.”

Jaitley also flayed Ramesh for "rubbishing" India's earlier approach as "doing-nothing approach" when successive governments had ensured reduction in emission intensity by 17 per cent during 1990-2005.

He said by referring to India's low per capita emission as "accident of history" Ramesh had repeated the West’s stance against the “per capita principle”.