PM Modi expected to attend inaugural session of Glasgow climate meet

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 22

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the inaugural session of the upcoming climate summit in Glasgow—COP26. His exact itinerary and India’s pitch for the crucial climate summit is expected to be approved at a Cabinet meeting scheduled next week, functionaries of the Environment Ministry said today.

India is expected to specify its INDC pitch, which includes approximately 450-Gigawatt renewable energy by 2030, and other mitigation efforts. According to its long-held stance, the country will also pitch for the $100 billion per year climate financing by developed nations in Glasgow, they said.

The upcoming COP26 summit (October 31 to November 12) is critical, especially with no certainty over whether Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend. There is tremendous pressure on developing nations like India to revise ‘nationally determined commitments’ (NDCs) and cut off coal/fossil fuels, and declare a net zero target.

However, according to officials, India is doing what is required to help tackle climate change. Its per capita carbon emissions per year is 1.96 tonnes “which is far less as compared to what developed nations continue to emit”. Besides, “what is happening today is due to historic actions of developed nations”, they say, adding that “fossil fuels are essential for its growth plans and targets”.

India is not against enhanced targets for renewable energy and investment in several new age green fuel technologies, but we cannot commit to phasing out coal, they add

Asserting that India stands firm on its stated stance of “historical responsibilities” of developed nations, officials said negotiators will move to establish a mechanism for loss and damage due to climate change related events, compensating regions most vulnerable and help them prevent and manage mishaps in future. India has the support of 24 like-minded developing countries (LMDCs), including island nations, which are most vulnerable to climate events

Functionaries said India is willing to contribute to any fund set up to compensate for the ‘loss and damage’ caused by extreme climate events, the main responsibility lies with developed nations, the historic polluters, according to “polluter pays principle”.

Besides India’s per capita carbon emissions per year are just 1.96 tonnes compared to China’s 8.4 tonnes, the USA’s 18.6 tonnes, EU’s 7.16 tonnes and the world average of 6.64 tonnes.

The Indian team of negotiators will include representatives of the several ministries, including of course the Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Power, New and Renewable Energy, Finance, Agriculture and Earth Sciences.

The chief negotiator is expected to be Additional Secretary Richa Sharma.

There is tremendous pressure on India to update its NDCs declared in the Paris climate summit in 2015. The Glasgow summit aims to review and amend promises by countries and companies worldwide to contribute to mitigation efforts. 

Glasgow should be a COP of action and implementation: Bhupender Yadav

Meanwhile, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav today assured India’s full support to the UK COP Presidency for the meaningful outcome of COP26. He said the upcoming climate summit should be of “action and implementation”.

Yadav had a bilateral with Elizabeth Truss, UK Foreign Minister, where the two sides discussed crucial issues, including UK’s COP26 initiatives, India UK Roadmap-bilateral cooperation, Commonwealth Declaration on Climate Change.

Yadav said that the huge expectations from COP26, including a consensus on unresolved issues of the Paris Agreement Rule Book, long-term climate finance, market-based mechanisms, etc.

Stressing that COP26 should also initiate the process of setting the long-term climate finance for the post-2025 period, Yadav said India welcomes the UK COP26 Presidency’s five key initiatives on sustainable land use, energy transition, low emission vehicle transition, climate finance, and adaptation.

Both sides also underlined the need for strengthening bilateral partnership and collaboration to facilitate the collective R&D of cutting-edge technologies and the transfer of proven technologies to drive low carbon pathways.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.