India will insist on action, clear framework at COP27

Environment Minister says that clarity will be sought on climate finance and technology transfer from developed countries, while more support would be offered to developing countries

Photo: Twitter/@COP27P

India will insist on “action” and a clear pathway that developed countries must follow to deliver long-promised finance to developing countries for adapting to climate change threats, Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, said on Thursday, ahead of the 27th edition of the United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) in Sharm-El-Shaikh, Egypt that begins on November 7.

“This ought to be a COP for action. We will seek clarity on climate finance, technology transfer and clear definitions of what constitutes climate finance. There are several claims made on funds being given by the West but loans and grants must be clearly differentiated. We will make a strong case for this, this time,” Mr. Yadav told reporters.

Several world leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden and the U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, are likely to attend the two-week-long summit. However, it is unclear if Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend. A world leaders’ summit is expected on November 7.

Close to $100 billion annually has been promised to developing countries since 2008 for adapting and mitigating climate change but only a fraction has actually been made available, India and several other countries have maintained through the years.

This August, the Union Cabinet approved an update to India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which is a formal communication to the United Nations, spelling out steps to be taken by the country towards keeping global temperatures from rising beyond 2°C by the end of the century.

The latest NDC says India is committed to reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030, from the 2005 level, and achieving 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030. These are viewed as a step towards achieving India’s long-term goal of reaching net zero by 2070, a commitment made by Mr. Modi at the Glasgow, Scotland COP summit in 2021.

India would also support initiatives that provide technical assistance to developing countries for averting, and minimising loss and damage due to the impacts of climate change, and insist on an institutional network to realise these.

There will be an India pavilion in Sharm-El-Sheikh themed on LIFE (Lifestyle for Environment), a theme frequently articulated by Mr. Modi. The pavilion will showcase India’s leadership and achievements on climate action and will have at least 50 organisations hosting side events, the Environment Ministry said in a statement.