By IOL South Asia Correspondent

NEW DELHI, October 24 (IslamOnline) - At a U.N. Conference On Climate Change that began in Delhi Wednesday, October 23, India said it had been trying to evolve a consensus among member countries to make a commitment to honor the Kyoto Protocol.

About 4000 delegates from 186 countries are taking part in the conference.

Indian Environment Minister TR Balu, president of the Eighth Session of Conference of Parties (COP-8), said India was trying to get a commitment from member countries “to reduce emission level by 5.2 percent”.

Minister Balu takes over from outgoing president Mohammad Elyazghi of Morocco who chaired COP-7 which brought about the Marrakesh Accord.

The protocol was signed in 1995. It requires that global emissions be brought down to 1990 levels to prevent global warming and disastrous climate changes.

The United States, being the greatest world polluter - responsible for 36 percent of global emissions - came in for sharp criticism for pulling out of the Kyoto Protocol last February. The protocol wants developed nations to take the lead by cutting emission by 5.2 percent by 2012.

The U.S. has made it clear it would not rejoin the protocol, and chief U.S. negotiator Harlon Watson claimed world resentment against it for walking out of the protocol had largely tapered off.

“I don’t detect so much anger now. We have adopted a vigorous approach, and there is less hostility,” Watson said. However, participating NGOs said the U.S. had not only walked out of the protocol, but had not been releasing funds.

Minister Balu said India was trying to resolve the conflict. “The U.N. convention has set a target of 5.2 percent cut in emissions of developed nations.”

The U.S. has refused to oblige fearing adverse impact on its economy. Developed nations, on the other hand, have been suggesting that developing nations too should cut emissions.

From the perspective of developing nations, this is not fair, as most of the emission, ever since the Industrial Revolution, has been caused by developed nations.

Minister Balu said India would try to bring the U.S. to the negotiating table. He said the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) would help sustainable development.

Criticizing the U.S., Climate Action Network’s Kate Hudson said, “The Bush administration does not take climate change very seriously.” The U.S. was thus setting a bad precedent, Hudson said.

Russia, the second biggest polluter with 17.4 percent of global emissions, will sign the protocol next year. That gives it some more time to pollute the environment without restriction.

Instead of making firm commitments to cut emissions by 5.2 percent, developed nations are trying to impose similar cuts on developing countries too.

Meanwhile, a federation of international environmental organizations, Friends of Earth International (FOTEI) said in New Delhi Wednesday that international pressure should be brought on India to implement agreements and policies on climate change.