Pachauri defends govt on accord

R.K. Pachauri, head of the United Nations panel on climate change, on Wednesday said international “consultation” and “analysis” of unsupported domestic mitigation action in the Copenhagen accord would not challenge India’s sovereignty.

R.K. Pachauri, head of the United Nations panel on climate change, on Wednesday said international “consultation” and “analysis” of unsupported domestic mitigation action in the Copenhagen accord would not challenge India’s sovereignty.

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His statement came a day after Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh’s claims that India’s interests have been protected in Copenhagen.

Pachauri’s statement could have given a sigh of relief to Ramesh, who was under attack in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The minister was accused of allowing developed world to ‘intrude’ into India’s domestic climate mitigation actions.

“I don’t think the provisions of international consultations and analysis in the accord gives anybody the right to challenge anybody. It doesn’t carry any weight,” Pachauri said. “The term is so innocuous that it can’t be interpreted as loss of sovereignty on our part. I think our interest hasn’t been touched”.

Pachauri was, however, critical of the US in interpreting the provision as allowing verification of domestic mitigation actions.

White House adviser David Axelrod had on Monday said: “Following accord, we (the US) will be able to review what India and China are doing (on climate front). We are going to be able to challenge them if they do not meet those goals.”