CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION (C-SPAC)
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EVENT Report |
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New Delhi, May 13: “There is a great danger for South Asia to be marginalized on global atmospheric debates and negotiations. I strongly feel that the time has come to look at the various viable initiatives and an important one would be to create a caucus of South Asian Parliamentarians to bring atmospheric concerns separately into public policy debate” said Mabel Rebello, Member of Parliament from India. She was speaking at the South Asian Consultation on Atmospheric Issues organised by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) and South Asia Watch on Trade Environment and Economics (SAWTEE) at New Delhi recently. The
Consultation was organised to find out how five South Asian countries, namely
Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have responded to atmospheric
issues like ozone depletion and climate change. Each of these countries
have made certain commitments to phase out ODS (Ozone Depleting Substance) under
the Montreal Protocol in several sectors like the refrigeration and
air-conditioning sector. The Consultation also took stock of how much these commitments have been fulfilled till date. The Consultation also took stock of the initiatives taken by each these countries in reduction of emission of greenhouse gas under the Kyoto Protocol. The build up of greenhouse gases, responsible for global warming, is continuing at a disastrous rate and if immediate steps are not taken then the situation is likely to worsen. The Kyoto Protocol puts an obligation on developed countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions that are responsible for climate change. At present the Kyoto Protocol is under uncertainty with no political agreement being reached last year during the 6th Conference of Parties. None of the five South Asian countries have any binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emission. As climate change is a global problem it was felt that each of these countries should be asked to take more initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Speaking at the inaugural, Suresh Prabhu, Power Minister of India explained the how ozone depletion and global warming could adversely affect the agricultural sector in this region. He said that atmospheric issue is not a rich man’s issue, as thought by strong lobby operating in this region. It is as important an issue like eradication of poverty, hunger and raising the standard of living of the people. People must understand that our very survival is threatened due to damage caused to the environment. If we fail to survive, then all other issues relating to human development become irrelevant so we need to take environmental issue very seriously. “Often Parliamentarians are not adequately on informed on these issues so force the desired legislative changes needed to address these issues better,” said Abdul Moin Khan, Member of Parliament from Bangladesh. Prabhu also suggested that there is a need to institutionalise the present effort put by CUTS, UNEP and SAWTEE. Prabhu proposed that there is a need to build three separate fora: Forum of Parliamentarians, Forum of NGOs, and Forum of Media. These fora should work together to discuss environmental problems in the South Asian region so as to develop a common strategy to address them collectively. “Developing
countries need financial as well as technical help in order to meet their
international environmental commitments so we need to team up and ensure that we
get this financial and technical help from the developed countries mainly
responsible for the pollution,” said Mr. Hemkumara Nanayakkara, Member of
Parliament from Sri Lanka. Deliberations took place on the present measures of the five South Asian Countries on Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS) phase-out and the actions that have been taken by these countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Working groups consisting of Members of Parliament, Ozone Unit Officials, Scientists and NGOs from five South Asian countries discussed a whole range of issues pertaining to Montreal Protocol and Kyoto Protocol as also the role of parliamentarians in the region to support the implementation of these protocols. The discussions can be broadly catagorised into i) role of information, ii) role of legal and institutional mechanisms, iii) imperative of regional cooperation and iv) setting up of multi-stakeholder forum at national and regional level. As atmospheric issues recognise no borders and boundaries, participants stressed the role of regional cooperation to combat environmental problems. Environmental problems have an ambivalent scope of both triggering conflicts and generating peace and cooperation. Participants felt that existing regional institutions like SAARC at Kathmandu and SACEP at Colombo should be strengthened and revitalised with necessary resources to kick-start this kind of regional cooperation. Participants also agreed on the need to make efforts to take local initiatives to deploy adequate human and financial resources on their own at national levels in order to prove their commitments and initiative. The South Asian Consultation drew several representatives including Members of Parliament, National Ozone Unit officials, academicia and environmental groups from five South Asian countries Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The event not only created awareness among key parliamentarians but also evaluated the “on the ground” situation in each country and outline appropriate policy responses for addressing atmospheric issues under the Montreal Protocol and Kyoto Protocol. All the participating Parliamentarians unanimously agreed to form caucus to address atmospheric issues. |
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