Copenhagen deal not legally binding on India: Ramesh

Making a statement in parliament on the outcome of the Copenhagen summit, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh today said that the accord will not be legally binding for India. PM briefs President on Copenhagen Summit

Making a statement in parliament on the outcome of the Copenhagen summit, Minister of State for Environment and Forests (Independent charge) Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday said in the Parliment on Tuesday that Copenhagen accord will not be legally binding for India.

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"Our per capita emission would not be more than the developed countries," he said addressing the house.

Ramesh said that India had repeatedly ensured that there was no possibility of any infringement of national sovereignty.

India has not only protected but enhanced its interests at the Copenhagen climate summit, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday.

The other big achievement at the climate summit, Ramesh told the Rajya Sabha, was the close coordination between Brazil, South Africa, India and China -- the so-called BASIC countries -- at the negotiations.

India, China, South Africa and Brazil were able to thwart attempts by some developed countries to see an end to Kyoto Protocol, which mandates rich nations to take deep emission cuts in a legally-binding manner, Jairam Ramesh said.

Time frame for peaking is longer for developing countries, he told the house.

(With IANS inputs)