'USD 100 bn per year by 2020 for developing nations to fight climate change'

The US today said it will mobilise USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries like India to combat climate change.

Recognising the urgency of dealing with climate change, India and the US in a joint statement on the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, agreed to bring the Paris agreement into force at the earliest.

The two sides "reiterated their commitment to pursue low greenhouse gas emission development strategies in the pre-2020 period and to develop long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies.

"The US also remains committed, with other developed countries, to the goal of jointly mobilising $100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation and adaptation action," it said.

India and the US also resolved to work together to adopt a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) amendment in 2016 with increased financial support from donor countries to the Multilateral Fund with an aim of helping developing countries with an ambitious phasedown schedule under the Montreal Protocol.

"India and US recognise the urgency of (dealing with) climate change and share the goal of enabling entry into force of the Paris Agreement as early as possible.

"The US re-stated that it will join the Paris Agreement as soon as possible this year. India has similarly begun its processes to work towards this shared objective," the joint statement said.

Both the countries also reiterated their resolve to work together to promote full implementation of the Paris Agreement to address the urgent threats posed by climate change.

US Secretary of State John Kerry who is on a visit to India, had yesterday assured India of "doing more" by providing it finances for innovative renewable energy projects while asserting that it is the "only way" of meeting the challenge of climate change.

Kerry had said that the civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries will bring affordable and clean energy to tens of millions of Indian households. 

India and the US recognised the need to play a leadership role to protect the iconic elephant from extinction due to rampant poaching and ivory trafficking.

Both the countries expressed their joint support for a resolution that calls on countries to implement domestic ban on the trade in elephant ivory at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Conference of Parties in September.

The two sides also expressed their joint support for increased CITES protection of pangolin species ranging from Africa to Asia, the population of which has been decimated due to wildlife trafficking, and stressed on their joint commitment to protect India's tiger population, the statement said.

The two countries took note of the progress achieved through the first three years of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on combating climate change and recognised the progress and opportunities in the bilateral cooperation on resilience, air quality, forestry and science and technology fellowships under the JWG.

Both sides resolved to work together at the International Civil Aviation Organisation Assembly to reach a successful outcome to address greenhouse gas emission from international aviation.

They decided to pursue under the leadership of the G-20 strong outcomes to promote improved heavy-duty vehicle standards and efficiency in accordance with their national priorities and capabilities.