Deal between US, India would provide impetus

The good news is that the United States and India are inching closer in their approach towards international climate change negotiations, in the run-up to the December Copenhagen Conference, during which optimists feel a deal can still be struck.

A few days ago, US President Barack Obama dealt a blow to global hopes of a deal when he said time was running out.

A deal in Copenhagen means developed nations would commit to measures aimed at reducing gas emissions by 25 to 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 — which activists say is necessary to keep temperature increases below two degrees Celsius.

However, the US says major developing nations, namely China, India, Brazil and South Africa, must also commit to a similar, albeit lower, cut. Those nations say they cannot for economic reasons and also because of the lack of necessary technology.

So far, the negotiations have been deadlocked and actually headed for collapse.

Therefore, an understanding between the US and India would be good news and could give the current negotiations an urgently needed shot in the arm.

According to officials accompanying Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his visit to Washington, negotiators from India and the US have been working hard to bridge their differences.

With the US pressing India to accept some form of limitations on its carbon emissions, India, according to the officials, "has reached a mid-way compromise" by agreeing to declare its climate mitigation actions in a national communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

It is hoped that this understanding would be followed by other nations. The world cannot afford to waste the opportunity to strike a deal in Copenhagen.

Key players, especially the European Union and America, must exert every possible effort to overcome objections and bridge the gaps.