Minister of State (Independent Charge), Prakash Javadekar today reiterated that the Paris Agreement is a legally binding agreement that covers all countries, developed and developing, with the aim to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change. Addressing a press conference here today, the Minister said that India’s presence was strongly felt at COP 21 and that India’s views were heard and accounted for in the Paris Agreement. “We were proactive, positive and friendly”, Shri Javadekar added. The Minister also said that concepts of climate justice and sustainable lifestyle put forward by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi have been included in the Paris Agreement. He also said that the launch of the International Solar Alliance by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and the French President Mr. Francois Hollande was well-received.The Minister said that the Paris accord is a very successful agreement from the viewpoint of saving the Earth. He said that the climate agreement mandates developed countries to provide financial resources to developing countries. Shri Javadekar pointed out that India’s right to grow has been fully protected by the Paris Agreement, which also provides for transfer of technology to the developing countries. He also pointed out that the principle of differentiation has been maintained in the Agreement.
Shri Javadekar said that the Paris Agreement is a solemn promise made by the world community to seven billion people that we will work together to mitigate the challenges posed by climate change. He added that the Paris Agreement outlines the roadmap to achieve this target. He also stated that the Paris Agreement is a more durable and ambitious agreement and reassures that the world community is coming together to provide a better Earth to the future generations. The Minister stated that the agreement maintains differentiation in mitigation actions of developed and developing countries. The Minister also said that the Agreement is based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). He emphasized that all the principles bedrocked in the UNFCCC have been anchored into the Agreement. Shri Javadekar said that the Paris Agreement acknowledges the development imperatives of developing countries. He said that the Agreement recognises the right of the developing countries to development and their efforts to harmonize development with environment, while protecting the interests of the most vulnerable.