Climate Change: India promises to engage constructively at COP 26

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 2

India will engage constructively at COP 26 and evaluate bridging proposals to conclude the Paris rulebook, which can be done by delivering on the climate finance promises of the developed countries, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said at a pre-COP 26 meeting in Milan, Italy.

Yadav highlighted that India recognises the urgency of strong climate action in this decade to ensure that the world is on track to stay within the temperature goal of the Paris agreement, as well as to adapt to its impacts and minimise loss and damage. Hence, the COP 26 outcome must emphasise the need to plug the ambition gap by delivering the means of implementation support that will allow developing countries to enhance their climate actions, he said.

Yadav said India strongly believes that the only way to deliver climate goals particularly on mitigation is through concrete action on speedy, assured, and sustained finance.

Climate change is embedded in India’s development strategy and the country has been a frontrunner in taking ambitious climate action, he said. However, India has a large population that is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Hence, adaptation is among the top priorities for our country, he added.

Highlighting the gravity of climate finance, he stated that India strongly believes that COP 26 must initiate the process of setting the new collective long-term climate finance goal for post-2020.

The Pre-COP 26 meeting was hosted by Italy from September 30 to October 2, 2021, in Milan to set the path to COP 26 and provide a platform to Parties to share insight on their expectations from the Conference which is scheduled to be held in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12.