India Criticizes Developed Countries’ Stance On Climate Finance And Mitigation Agenda At COP29

India expressed its dissatisfaction with the unwillingness of developed countries to engage in discussions on climate finance and the Mitigation Work Programme (MWP) at the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. On November 16, 2024, during the closing plenary of the Subsidiary Bodies meeting, India delivered a statement addressing the issues surrounding the Sharm el-Sheikh Mitigation Ambition and Implementation Work Programme, which had been a key part of the agenda at COP27.

India strongly reacted to the interventions made by developed countries, which were pushing to include mitigation-related elements from the Global Stocktake at COP28 into the MWP. These countries, according to India, were attempting to expand the scope of the MWP beyond what had been previously agreed upon, a move that India felt would hinder progress. India aligned itself with the positions of the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs), the Arab Group, and the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), all of which were also dissatisfied with the developments during the conference.

In its statement, India expressed serious concerns about the lack of progress at COP29. The country highlighted the pressing climate challenges faced by developing nations, which are among the most vulnerable to climate change. These nations, India pointed out, have far fewer resources to cope with the impacts or to adapt to the changes caused by a climate crisis for which they are not responsible. India stressed that no meaningful progress had been made on matters that are critical for the development and resilience of these countries.

India also criticized the tendency to ignore past decisions made in previous COPs, particularly the Sharm el-Sheikh mitigation work programme agreed upon at COP27. The MWP was intended to provide a platform for focused exchanges of views and ideas among parties, and its outcomes were supposed to be non-prescriptive, non-punitive, and respectful of national sovereignty. However, India pointed out that the MWP was being undermined by attempts to expand its scope and impose new targets.

The statement highlighted the importance of operationalizing the MWP through focused discussions that respect the nationally determined nature of countries’ climate commitments. India firmly asserted that the programme should not impose new targets or goals on developing nations but instead focus on facilitating a fair and cooperative exchange of knowledge and ideas.

India’s frustration was also directed at the unwillingness of developed countries to engage on the issue of climate finance. The statement emphasized that without adequate financial support, climate action in developing countries would be impossible. India pointed out the disconnect between the growing challenges faced by these countries and the lack of progress from those with the greatest capacity to act on climate change.

The lead negotiator from India also criticized the actions of developed countries, accusing them of continuously shifting goalposts, delaying action, and consuming a disproportionate share of the global carbon budget. India argued that developed nations have failed to meet their mitigation commitments, both in terms of reducing their own emissions and in providing the necessary financial and technological support to developing nations.

In conclusion, India expressed concern that the current approach was attempting to reverse the foundational principles of the Paris Agreement, shifting from a bottom-up approach that respects national circumstances to a top-down approach that could undermine the effectiveness of the climate action framework. India called for renewed focus on the principles of fairness and equity and a commitment to fulfilling climate finance obligations.