IN NEWS

India to play 'bridge' role at Cancun: Jairam Ramesh

Bombay News.Net
Thursday 25th November, 2010 (IANS)

With climate change talks at Cancun next week expected to get stuck on some contentious issues between developing and developed countries, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh Thursday said that India will act as a 'bridge' between the two sides.'India's approach at Cancun is to find the middle ground on contentious issues between the developed and developing countries as the time of posturing is over but time to look for solution. India is positioning itself as a bridge player between developing and developed countries. We need to be practical and cannot remain frozen and should engage with all countries as part of our foreign policy,' said Ramesh during a workshop on climate change here.
Against the background of failed promises made at Copenhagen by the US and other developed countries, India is going to Cancun handicapped with key bargain element completely missing, he said.'The bargain between BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) countries and US at Copenhagen was availability of fast track finance to the amount of $30 billion during 2010-2012 and in return, developing countries will internationalise their domestic mitigation measures,' he said.'At the end of one year we have some $7 billion and the US contribution, which is the richest and historically the highest emitter, is only $ 1.8 billion. It is a laughable number,' Ramesh said……………………………

http://www.bombaynews.net/story/712069

India at Cancun - What The Global Community Should Expect

Shravya Reddy, India Analyst, New York

Posted November 24,

India will join other countries next week at Cancun to try and work towards solutions for global climate change. Over the past year India has already shown leadership on this critical problem, and we expect that it will continue to be positive and proactive at the upcoming Sixteenth Conference of Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.In recent years we have seen a dramatic shift in how India approaches these discussions. Moving gradually from a hard stance on per-capita emissions to a more measured position on equity, and now a strong emphasis on transparency and accountability, India has demonstrated that it is willing to engage constructively in international negotiations.

A year ago at Copenhagen, India played a key role in creating the Copenhagen Accord, along with Brazil, South Africa, China and the United States. Under the Accord, India declared a domestic emissions intensity reduction target of 20-25% reductions from 2005 levels by 2025. The focus of discussions at Cancun will be on such domestic targets….....................

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/sreddy/india_at_cancun_-_what_the_glo.html

Coal Mine seeks PM support for mining in 90pct of no go areas

Press Trust of India reported that the coal ministry will soon seek support from the Prime Minister's Office for its proposal that mining be allowed in 90% of coal blocks under no mining restrictions of the environment ministry.As per report, a detailed Cabinet note seeks a direction from the PMO to the Ministry of Environment and Forest for processing expeditious forest clearance for all coal blocks under no go with the exception of 10 per cent of them.
The draft Cabinet note said that all the proposals should be considered for forestry clearance unless these are insurmountable issues on grounds of biodiversity, wildlife reserves and rich forests. It said that the project promontories can be mandated to regenerate the forest areas.
The MoEF has divided the mineral bearing regions into go and no go areas. As per the guidelines, the mining is allowed only in the go areas, of about 600 coal blocks about 150 have been designated as no go areas by the MoEF whereas the coal ministry wants that 90% of the 150 blocks be freed from the restriction……

http://www.steelguru.com/raw_material_news/Coal_Mine_seeks_PM_support_for_mining_in_90pct_of_no_go_areas/177329.html