By not climbing down, India declares win at Earth Summit

In the words of a Ministry of Environment and Forests delegate, ‘‘we have emerged victorious in the sense that we have not lost anything to the developed world and we have managed to maintain status quo at least.’’

Some of the delegates are still wondering if the summit, which some said was ‘‘the last chance to save the world’’, has achieved everything on its agenda. British Premier Tony Blair, addressing a press conference here, said: ‘‘We all know that summits like these deliver very little. But let us not try and pretend that they deliver nothing.’’

The few achievements, in the form of concrete plans, are:

» Water and sanitation targets have been set — that means that the world is going to try to halve the number of people without access to water and sanitation by 2015. There is a loophole, it is not legally binding.

» A 10-year work plan to reduce production and consumption patterns has been agreed upon, developed countries said they would compensate the developing countries to help them achieve the same goal.

» A World Solidarity Fund has been set up, all countries can make voluntary contributions for encouraging sustainable development.

» An international regime will be set up to achieve significant reduction in the current rate of biological diversity and promote equitable sharing of benefits arising out of use of genetic resources by 2010.

Issues which India was paranoid about but managed to salvage:

» The Rio principles. There is a reaffirmation in the entire text of the plan of implementation.

» Trade distorting measures inconsistent with WTO like eco-labelling and connecting labour laws to trade being pushed by the European Union did not become a reality.

» Targets for reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss have been set. They are again not legally binding.

» The principle of common but differentiated principle still runs through most of the text, acknowledging that the developed world needs to give the developing world time to develop.

India has some reason to smile:

» It stuck to its stand of water and sanitation targets and got developed countries to agree to try and halve the number of people without access to water and sanitation by 2015. It had EU supporting it on this one but the JUSCANZ (Japan, US, Canada and New Zealand) group opposed it.

» Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from use of biodiversity. Both EU and JUSCANZ group opposed it.

Some lip-service:

» Additional resources to be provided by developed countries. Partnerships have been floated. US alone has announced partnerships with corporates and institutions worth nearly $1.1 billion.

» No legal provision to make developed countries pay their promised Overseas Development Aid which is 0.7 per cent of GNP.

» There is no formal recognition of the ecological debt owed by rich countries to the poorer ones.

» Corporate responsibility and the need to regulate international business have no timetable or tangible commitments.

If losing nothing is victory, then the Indian delegation has reason to come back triumphantly. However, for the man on the street, how his life will change as a result of this summit is another story.