National Action Plan on Climate Change to focus on adaptation

New Delhi, Apr 2 (UNI) Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia today said the coming National Action Plan on Climate Change would focus more on adaptation to climate change than on mitigation.

''We must adapt and the developed nations should mitigate,'' he said speaking after releasing a 'Civil Society Report on Climate Change' produced by over 40 organisations from around the world.

The report concludes that cutting greenhouse gases emission was not the cost effective way to address climate change, and argues in favour of promoting economic growth to empower the poor to face tomorrow's challenges.

Mr Ahluwalia said whether climate change occurs due to human induced factors or due to natural causes, the country has to be ready to face its consequences.

And, it was for this reason that the National Action Plan on Climate Change was paying more attention to adaptation than to mitigation, he said, adding that the Plan was being finalised and would be announced in June.

He said some of the propositions put forward in the report were startling and were quite in contrast to the UN Climate Change body IPCC's Report.

''We need to look at these issues critically. The whole issue of climate change should be put to public debate,'' said Mr Ahluwalia.

If reduction of carbon emission was a must, as concluded by the IPCC, then the key question was what was the equitable share of burden among the countries of the world.

Historically, it is the developing countries who had been responsible for releasing maximum carbon in the atmosphere, but they now wanted developing countries like India to take the burden of cutting emissions without realising that these countries could not sacrifice their growth which entailed increase in carbon emissions.

Elaborating, he said sacrificing growth for these countries would be counterproductive, as ''it was a lot easier to adapt to climate change if you are growing and development is sustained.'' The developing countries should focus on adaptation and the developed nations on reduction of carbon emissions, and they should release massive funds if they want reduction in carbon emissions, he added.

''Technology would play a crucial role in adaptation and how much and what kind of technology we get depends on the money we can afford to spend,'' Mr Ahluwalia said.

The Planning Commission Deputy Chairman stressed the need of mor reasearch in the field of science and agriculture to adapt to the impending change in climate.

UNI NAZ SG KP2030