Mr. Chairperson:
Please accept my delegation?s congratulations on your election as the Chairperson
of CSD-18. We wish to associate with the Statement made by the Representative
of Yemen on behalf of the G-77.
Sustainable development concerns have been mainstreamed across various sectors
of Indian economy through the implementation of the National Environment
Policy and sectoral policies in areas like mining, biofuels, urban transport,
agriculture and relief and rehabilitation. However, we recognize that the rapid
economic growth of the country in the last decade has given rise to new
environmental challenges requiring innovative solutions.
Mr. Chairperson,
While pursuing economic growth India remains committed to ensuring that the
principles of sustainable development guide our growth strategy. We are therefore
putting in place a mechanism to account for environmental impacts in our national
accounts statistics. An expert group is being set up to develop a roadmap. We aim
to be able to estimate and report India?s ?Green GDP? starting from the year 2015.
This will ensure that sustainable development remains at the forefront of our
planning process and growth strategy.
Mr. Chairperson:
India is still on its way to the goal of poverty eradication. Human resource
development, connectivity and energy security are some of our major concerns.
Our per capita energy consumption is barely one-third of the world average and
we are expanding our thermal power capacities. Simultaneously, India has
launched its National Solar Mission which targets 25000 MW of grid solar power
by the year 2022. The Government has recently announced the setting up of the
National Clean Energy Fund for funding research and innovative projects in clean
technologies. There is a need for a significant increase in flow of financial
resources to developing countries to give further impetus to such initiatives.
Mr. Chairperson:
The National Ambient Air Quality Standards of India, which have been revised in
2009, represent one of the most progressive regimes in the world. Euro-IV
equivalent norms have been rolled out in select cities from April, 2010 in line with
the roadmap of providing cleaner auto fuels and upgraded engine technology.
The replacement of the polluting mercury cell process by the membrane cell
technology in the chlor alkali industry of India is a testimony to the successful
implementation of the Charter on Corporate Responsibility for Environmental
Protection. However, the challenge of development and adoption of appropriate
technologies in the small-scale sector still continues. Management of waste is
posing a challenge in emerging economies because of rapid urbanization and
changing consumption patterns, which require transfer of technical knowhow and
flow of resources to the developing world. Many of these critical technologies have
been out of reach of the developing countries because of prohibitory cost, due
largely to the existing IPR regime which needs to be revisited so as to facilitate
sustainability at the global level.
Mr. Chairperson,
India has announced its readiness to cut carbon emission intensity of GDP by 20-
25% by 2020 from 2005 levels. A National Action Plan on Climate Change
incorporating eight thematic Missions is in place.
We are also working on institutional innovation. The establishment of the National
Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) which has adopted a holistic approach to
river conservation and the introduction of the National Green Tribunal Bill in the
Parliament to set up an independent specialized tribunal to fast-track
environmental justice are two major steps in this direction.
India recognizes that the achievement of Millennium Development Goals is just
not possible without public participation and transparency in governance. The
Right to Information Act of 2005 has been instrumental in enhancing transparency
in Government functioning. The Indian Constitution itself provides for creation
and empowerment of the panchayati raj institutions for effective decentralized
governance.
Mr. Chairperson:
India reaffirms its commitment to the Rio Declaration and the Johannesburg Plan
of Implementation. We hope that the deliberations in the coming days under your
enlightened leadership will further accelerate our pursuit of sustainable
development.
Thank you Mr. Chairperson.
