India calls for focus on finance at COP29

India at COP29 in Baku expressed disappointment at the shifting of focus from granting finance to developing nations to discussing only ways in which carbon emissions can be brought down.

Leena Nandan, deputy leader of the Indian delegation at COP29, said, “We feel disappointed by the fact that we continue to shift focus when the time has come to ensure that the mitigation actions are fully supported through provisions of adequate finances. COP after COP, we keep talking about mitigation ambitions — what is to be done, without talking about how it is to be done — in other words, the enablement of mitigation ambitions.”

India asserted that any attempts to deflect the focus again from finance to mitigation cannot be accepted.

Nandan underscored said that while all countries will submit another round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), finality on finance would influence the measures they take to reduce emissions.

“All countries have submitted their NDCs and will be submitting the next round of NDCs being informed by the various decisions we have taken together in the past as well as on the basis of our national circumstances and in the context of sustainable development goals and poverty eradication. What we decide here on climate finance will certainly influence what we submit next year. The attempt by some parties to further talk about mitigation is primarily a shift in focus from their own responsibilities of providing finance,” India’s statement said.

India called for $1.3 trillion climate finance at COP29, slams developed nations over unmet commitments

India also argued that ‘Just Transition’ must begin with wealthy nations, not developing economies.

‘Just Transition’ emphases that countries should phase out the usage of coal. However, India still relies on coal to meet its electricity demands.