India expressed “strong support” for the inclusive leadership of the UN COP30 Presidency and welcomed several major decisions taken by the conference in the “High Level Declaration” at the final plenary session of the UNFCCC CoP30 in Belém, Brazil on 22 November.
In a press release on Sunday, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change said the statement expressed India’s gratitude to the COP president for his leadership “which was rooted in inclusion, balance and the Brazilian spirit of Mutirão and steered the CoP30 with integrity”.
India also welcomed progress under the Global Adaptation Goal (GGA).
A press release from the ministry noted that a key element of India’s speech was the emphasis on long-term commitments by developed countries to provide climate finance.
In the spirit of international cooperation, India sincerely hopes that the promises made 33 years ago in Rio will now be fulfilled thanks to the first steps taken by the parties in Belém.
India welcomes key outcomes at COP30
India further expressed its satisfaction with the main outcomes of COP30, especially the establishment of the “Just Transition Mechanism”, which it termed as a significant milestone and expressed hope that it will help operationalize equity and climate justice at the global and national levels.
New Delhi stressed that these issues could no longer be swept under the carpet. Parties here have begun to reverse that trend, the ministry said.
Reiterating India’s principled approach to climate action, the statement called for ensuring that the burden of mitigating climate change is not shifted to those least responsible for causing the problem.
“The need for greater global support for vulnerable populations, the vast majority of which are in the Global South, to protect themselves from the escalating impacts of climate change was highlighted,” he added.
India reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to science-based and equitable climate action. It noted that India remains committed to a global order that is rules-based, fair and respectful of national sovereignty.
“The nation is further committed to working with all parties to ensure that climate ambitions are inclusive, fair and just,” it said.
The statement reaffirmed India’s support and gratitude to Brazil and the international community for the journey ahead.
She called on all parties to make joint efforts to ensure that the journey from Belem leads to a future defined by justice, solidarity and shared prosperity for all.
UN climate talks
Negotiators from 194 countries gathered here for the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UNFCCC. The COP30 summit was held in the Brazilian city of Belem in the Amazon region from November 10 to 21.
UN climate talks in Brazil ended with a pledge for more funding for countries to adapt to the wrath of extreme weather. However, it did not include a plan for phasing out fossil fuels.
The Indian delegation to the climate summit was led by Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav.
Key initiatives
In the lead up to the conclusion of the COP30 Annual Climate Summit, India has been pushing for a just transition mechanism that is based on equity and CBDR-RC.
“Unilateral actions – especially restrictive climate trade measures – undermine the principles of justice and equity and act as serious obstacles to a just and fair just transition,” said Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Bhupender Yadav.
According to a decision taken on Saturday, the COP presidency will run a new voluntary initiative to “accelerate the implementation” of measures needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels – a key threshold set in the 2015 Paris Agreement.
The separate “Belém Mission to 1.5” is aimed at enabling the fulfillment of national promises to reduce emissions.
COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago has separately pledged to create two separate “road map” initiatives, one focused on an orderly, just transition away from fossil fuels and the other focused on deforestation. These initiatives will continue during his presidency next year.
“They will be guided by science and they will be inclusive,” promised Corrêa do Lago. The announcement drew applause from a packed COP30 final meeting room on Saturday.
The declaration adopted on Saturday calls for tripling adaptation funding by 2035 compared to 2025 levels, equivalent to around $120 billion. That fell short of the push by poor nations to meet the pledge five years ago.
