Aarti Dhar

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet on Thursday cleared the National Green Tribunal Bill paving the way for setting up a National Green Tribunal to settle civil disputes concerning environment-related issues.

The National Green Tribunal Bill had been cleared by the Cabinet in July, and introduced in Parliament that referred it to a Standing Committee.

Australia's Senate voted down a planned emissions trading scheme yesterday, dashing last-ditch efforts by Kevin Rudd, prime min-ister, to have it enshrined in law before the Copenhagen conference.

The government will reintroduce the legislation to parliament for a third time in February but the defeat thwarts Mr Rudd's hopes of taking the lead in global efforts on climate change.

;Statesman News Service
Bhopal, 2 Dec: Mr Graham Watson (MEP), chair of the European Parliament

In an attempt to fend off pressure from the international community, India is learnt to be ready to follow the Chinese example and announce a targeted reduction in its carbon intensity for the year 2020.

The Centre on Wednesday said state governments have been asked to prepare the local level adaptation action plans on climate change consistent with the objectives of the National Action Plan on Climate Change.

Parliament would be discussing the issue of climate change weeks ahead of a crucial meeting in the Copenhagen to decide ways and means to tackle the phenomenon of global warming. A special discussion has been scheduled in the Lok Sabha for Thursday where the government is expected to state its stand of not accepting any legally binding carbon emission cuts.

Following the cancellation of the Question Hour on Monday due to the absence of MPs who were scheduled to ask questions, an angry Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is writing to leaders of all political parties expressing her annoyance at the development. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, too, has asked for detailed attendance records of her party members.

A delegation of Indian parliamentarians would accompany environment minister Jairam Ramesh to the UNFCCC climate change summit at the Copenhagen beginning from December 7.

Mr Ramesh on Monday informed five MPs from various political would be attending the summit.