India to abide by climate pact deadline

BASIC members to announce steps on Jan 31

And New Delhi is not alone in fulfilling its commitment. Three other BASIC members —  Brazil, South Africa and China — too would submit their voluntary mitigation actions, which would eventually lead to reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, to the UNFCCC in the same time period.

“The members of the BASIC group have already announced a series of voluntary mitigation actions for 2020, we intend to communicate to the UNFCCC by January 31, 2010,” said Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh at the end of the first BASIC meeting here.

Incidentally, UNFCCC made the deadline flexible last week giving opportunities to countries who may not be able to disclose their targets or commitments within the stipulated time, agreed upon at Copenhagen.

“Sticking to the deadline is a leadership obligation for the BASIC. But it is not an obligation for nations that were not part of the Copenhagen Accord process,” South African Environment Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said.

India’s submission will be same as its official announcement of bringing down its carbon intensity — amount of carbon emitted by per unit of GDP — by 20-25 per cent by 2020.