India says success at Paris climate talks 'not guaranteed'

[sankar]

LE BOURGET (FRANCE) (AFP) -
India's environment minister warned Friday that success at Paris climate-saving talks was not guaranteed, saying rich nations were baulking at the concerns of poorer counterparts.

The developed world is not "accommodating and is not showing flexibility" to the concerns of developing countries, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters.

The 195-nation talks in the French capital were to conclude Friday.

But France said they would be extended, hoping to wrap them up on Saturday after ministers failed to bridge deep divides during marathon negotiations.

"French President (Francois) Hollande has warned twice that if the developed world doesn't show that spirit of accommodation then Paris success is not guaranteed," said Javadekar.

"That is what the French President Hollande said and is what I repeat."

When pressed to explain, Javadekar said: "It is essentially the issues of differentiation and equity."

In climate negotiator jargon, differentiation refers to the rich world taking more responsibility for global warming, because it has historically been responsible for the problem.

The related principle of equity says poor countries are entitled to help -- money or otherwise -- because they are more vulnerable to climate change.

Hollande has previously raised the possibility that the Paris talks could end in failure, including if rich nations did not fulfil their pledge to mobilise $100 billion (91 billion euros) per year by 2020 in climate financing for developing nations.

"There will be no agreement... if there is no firm commitment on finance," the French leader told journalists in September.

World leaders have billed the Paris talks as the last chance to avert disastrous climate change like increasingly severe drought, floods and storms, as well as rising seas.