In Short : At COP29, India called for equal access to climate resources for developing countries, emphasizing the need for fair and equitable solutions in addressing climate change. The country highlighted the importance of financial support, technology transfer, and capacity building for developing nations to effectively combat climate impacts, stressing that climate action should not hinder their development prospects.
In Detail : Lamenting that some developed countries were taking “unilateral measures,” making it more difficult for developing countries to take climate actions, India on Tuesday said as far as climate change was concerned there should not be any barriers to the flow of finance and technology.
Speaking at the high-level segment at the COP29 climate meeting, India’s Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said any demand for more ambitious climate action from developing countries must be accompanied by enabling technology and finance.
“Raising of climate ambitions to align with Paris temperature goals to align with Paris temperature goals has to be preceded by the free availability of green technologies, producing them on scale and availability of finance for their deployment, particularly in Global South,” the minister said.
“On the contrary, some of the developed countries have resorted to unilateral measures making climate actions more difficult for the Global South,” he said in an apparent reference to import duties imposed by the European Union on certain class of products, a move that is being resisted by developing countries like India and China.
“The emergent situation we are in, there is no option but to break all barriers to flow of technology, finances and capacity to the Global South. We all need to appreciate that huge costs are being imposed on a developing country like ours for undertaking the climate actions,” Vardhan said.
“The decisions must be ambitious and unambiguous, taking into consideration the evolving needs and priorities of the developing countries, and their commitment to sustainable development and eradication of poverty. The next round of Nationally Determined Contributions is due for submission the next year. The breach of carbon space seems imminent towards the end of this critical decade. It is imperative, therefore, that the developed countries show leadership in mitigation actions, as required under Paris Agreement, by not just advancing their net zero targets but providing enough carbon space for developing countries like ours to develop,” he said.
