US cuts offer 8216;homeo-pathetic8217;: Ramesh

Looking to force the US to map carbon cuts anew,Jairam Ramesh plumbed newsworthy depths.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh slammed as 8220;homeo-pathetic8221; the United States8217; offer of reduction of 17 per cent of its total carbon emission by 2020 on 2005 level and wanted a vastly improved target cut.

Ahead of the UN climate change meet at Cancun in Mexico next week,Ramesh said 8220;the US offer of reduction of 17 per cent of carbon emission by 2020 on 2005 level is not only an homeopathic offer but homeo-pathetic offer as it translates to three per cent emission reduction by 2020 on 1990 reference level.8221;

He also took a dig at the world8217;s richest country for failing to contribute sufficiently to climate change actions.

8220;For 2010,the total contribution from the US,the world8217;s richest country and the world8217;s largest historical emitter8230;,the total contribution of the US to the fast-start finance is roughly 1.8 billion dollars,of which US 400 million is export credit alone. It8217;s a laughable number,8221; he told reporters said.

However,he said the US involvement in the forthcoming negotiations was a must as 8220;otherwise the process would be half-hearted efforts.8221;

He said that in this regard India would be open to be engaged in a system of global monitoring of climate change efforts,a move that would engage the US in the UN climate negotiations at Cancun later this month.

8220;We are certainly prepared to engage in a system of monitoring,review and verifications/international consultation and analysisMRV/ICA of domestic climate actions which respects national sovereignty.

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8220;8230; and we have suggested a set of operational guidelines how this system will function,8221; Ramesh said.

He said India will make such a proposal in this regard at the meet to engage the US which can play a key role in meeting technical and financial support to developing countries to deal with climate change threats.

8220;The US has made it clear that it would not negotiate other issues such as on forestry and technolgy and adaptation unless we take up MRV/ICA,which we are ready with our set of conditions. This would break the logjam and impasse at the Cancun meet.8221;

Ramesh also made it clear that in view of various uncertainities on climate fund and other issues with the developed nations,8221;it8217;s time to find a middle ground if we need to get a set of a meaningful agreements.8221;