The civil society members came down heavily on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which was agreed upon under the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC) Kyoto Protocol, saying it had failed to achieve its dual objectives of reducing emissions and contributing to sustainable development.
Speaking at the inaugural session of a workshop on CDM and Carbon Markets, Gujarat Vidyapith vice-chancellor Sudarshan Iyengar gave a thumbs-down to CDM and carbon markets saying there would be little difference to global warming even if these were implemented in the ideal manner.
“Policies framed keeping in mind production and businesses can never contribute to reducing poverty or pollution. It is difficult to reduce poverty with economic development,” he said, adding that this could be achieved only if people give up consumerism and learn to live with minimum needs.
