Copenhagen – Hopenhagen – Flopenhagen :When Pressure Tactics Don't Work

The recently concluded Copenhagen Summit described by one section of the media as ‘The Last Chance to Save the Planet’ has been in no uncertain terms a massive letdown and a flop show. Copenhagen was supposed to be ‘HOPENHAGEN’ and instead it will be described as ‘FLOPENHAGEN’.

In this article, I examine the rift between the developed world and the BASIC countries which came to a head in Copenhagen. I also look at Copenhagen from a strict Indian perspective and how the Indian government has actually done a good job at Copenhagen.

Copenhagen looks like the first straw in a long line of disagreements whilst the world debates the climate change problem. Copenhagen reminds me of the Doha round of the WTO talks which I might add is yet to conclude.

Last year I spoke of the ineffectiveness of the USA and Europe to push the BRIC countries into an agreement. Copenhagen is yet another instance which shows that the developed world must understand and reconcile the concerns of the developing world if the world has to see a durable solution to climate change. Pressure tactics are simply not going to work anymore against India, China and the likes.

Last year the big rift between the USA, Europe and BRIC was at the Geneva round of the WTO talks. The then Minister For Trade And Commerce Kamal Nath was famously described as “The Man Who Sat For 14 Hours And Said No To Absolutely Everything” at the WTO negotiations. So much so that the American voice at the summit, Susan Schwab was frustrated and pushed into a ranting mood at the press conference which followed.

The reason I compare Geneva last year and Copenhagen this year is because the mechanics have been almost identical. While the standoff last year was on agricultural subsidies, this year at Copenhagen it was about emission cuts.

The big rift then and now is once again between the West and the Developing Countries, BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India & China) in particular.

The tactics adopted last year and the tactics adopted this year too have been similar. The George Bush government last year had tried to push India and China into a corner regarding the issue of agricultural subsidies, they had desperately hoped that India would yield. It didn’t happen and America along with the EU walked out shaken, shocked and with lots of egg on their faces. They had simply not expected such brutal resistance from the Emerging Markets.

There has been one slight change although slight which offered a way out of the deadlock at Copenhagen. The Barrack Obama administration has been more understanding of the BASIC concerns. They have not been as rigid as the Bush regime but then too they did try to pressure India and China to reduce their emissions. Once again they failed. India and China realize that no deal is way better than a bad deal.

For India, Copenhagen was more about not succumbing or copping out instead of being pushed into a lackluster deal which burdened it with more responsibilities but not equivalent benefits.

And Copenhagen did turn out to be a big stage for india.For the first time since Independence, the climate issue was debated along with the Indian approach at Copenhagen in the Indian Parliament. For once the opposition parties played a constructive role instead of frivolously attacking the government for political gains. Repeatedly emphasizing that the government must not sell out at Copenhagen. The Indian government themselves have done an excellent job at Copenhagen.

The Writer Of This Article Can Be Reached Here:

[Update - We originally wanted to post a second part to this article.Due to unforeseen circumstances,we are unable to do so.The Inconvenience is regretted]